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It is well and truly over! I can't believe how fast the summer has gone. And quite how rubbish we've been at doing this blog. But we stuck to the not buying new clothes...it turns out it's incredibly easy. The 'official' year of buying no new clothes ended months ago and I have bought a few new things (underwear, tights, leggings and a pair of 'jeggings') but apart from these basics everything else I've bought has been second hand.
Whilst most were enjoying England’s green, pleasant & rainy land last Bank holiday, I was whisked off to enjoy the sights of Amsterdam to visit one of my best friends.
Despite a wet week in the Dam prior to my departure - ever the optimist – I packed some summer clothes.
Arriving on Amsterdam’s biggest holiday to a state of Queen’s Day chaos, I found the remnants of manic celebrations marked by a sea of orange flags & jersey’s.
Never one to turn down an impromptu party, I seem to have come dressed for the occasion myself with my favourite orange cardi!
An outfit inspired by regular Rose favourite, Luella.
Orange Cardi: £2,99
Floral Dress (Amended): £3.99
Purple Patent Belt: 99p
Despite being to Dutch captial several times before, I failed to see any of Amsterdam’s tourist attractions so I decided to rectify this with a whistle-stop tour…comfortable shoes, a spacious satchel & a bit of colour was definantly in order…….
Ah, the old masters. Not normally one for seeking out pre-20th century art, I did find myself quite astounded once at the Rijks Museum (not least at the queue to get in!!!)
http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/rijksmuseum-maastricht?lang=en
Worth the wait to get a glimpse of some of Vermeer & Rembrant’s classic pieces.
Time for a quick coffee & off to the Van Gogh museum (after an embarrassing incident involving a lack of funds at the front of the queue), I was even more astonished by how striking these familiar pieces are up close. My awe was interrupted by another slightly embarrassing incident of my phone ringing loudly whilst admiring VG’s ‘Starry Night’….a barrage of about 140 rather scornful looks ensued.
http://www3.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?lang=en
As you can see, I cleverly co-ordinated my outfit with my favourite Van Gogh piece, Almond Blossom, inspired by the birth of his nephew.
Everyone in Amsterdam travels by bike & admittedly, it’s a great way to see the city (& some stereotypical sights further a field). Although 1 week later, I’m still struggling to sit comfortably on hard surfaces!
Well I did say I wanted to embrace tourism….
Despite our high st abstinence, I did find several sources of inspiration in innovative window dressing & open art markets
Saturday Night Chic:
Sparkly Bubble Dress: £9.99, Barnardoes
Well if you can’t drink, what better way to enjoy a Saturday night than sharing a large cauldron of cheese with friends.
Glad my enforced sobriety didn't stop anyone else from having a good time..
Another day, another museum but this one was a bit special…
Warranting a special dress, this time courtesy of lovely Rachel xx
http://www.tassenmuseum.nl/default.aspx?pagename=&language=EN
I spent so long in the Museum of Bags & Purses that they had to ask me to leave!
The last week or so I seem to have got into a rut, wearing black jeans and grey tops, fine but not the most exciting or spring like choice.
The world has gone beige!
Inspired by the sunshine and designers such as the lovely Luella I decided to go shopping for some bright, colourful clothes. 
Trying to be good I thought I’d have a look through the clothes I already have before I started buying more. I’ve got floral covered.
And bright block colours too.
And this is by no means exhaustive. I didn't realise quite how many clothes I had...second hand clothes being on the whole really cheap there aren't the usual constraints to endless shopping. I also started counting jackets I have. Over 23 (I got bored by this point!) A walk in wardrobe is unfortunately not an option. I think I might have to stop shopping!!
I’m going to buy a Diana camera…then everything will be odd colours anyhow. I love how the photos come out (the following are a selection from the Lomography website).
With the summer sun shining, it’s not always necessary to take a trip to enjoy the weekend weather. A range of wholesome activities can also be had within walking distance (well, certainly if you live in lovely leafy cheerful Chorlton!)
Animal Farm
A little touch of the country in ‘Kid’s Corner’ & an inspirational source of colour. Hmm, better get used to that…
Dress: Pop Boutique, £20
Ever-useful Tangerine Cardi: £3.49, Age Concern
Glasses: £4, Ryan Vintage
Slouchy Bag: £2.99 & Printed Scarf: £1.99, Oxfam
Shoes: £3.99, Barnardos
Birthday Bash
I enjoyed a catch up at the birthday bash of one of my favourite friends last weekend. Not only did it present the opportunity to wear my new Yummy ‘Yumi’ dress, I also found my friend looking fab in vintage too!
Dress: £9.99 & Black Patent Belt: £1.99, Oxfam
Cardi: (as before)
Tea for Two
As Rose mentioned, we enjoyed some delectable dishes whilst rooting through the rails of second-hand clothes for sale at a recent ‘High Tea’ event.
Some lovely things, although sadly a little out of my price range. I think Rose & I have had a minds warped by finding so many bargain buys for under a fiver. The prospect of paying £25 for second-hand Topshop is slightly less tantalising.
Rose, however, managed to find 2 original eighties numbers - 1 delightful dress fit for Wonderwoman & a lovely M&S outfit.
& the clothes weren’t the tastiest thing on offer…hmmmmm x
High Tea: £5.99
With the start of springtime in full flush, we Brits love nothing more than jumping in our cars, & parading our pasty pins on a good old fashioned day trip! Not quite warm enough for bathing on Blackpool beach, we decide on a drive to Chester.
2-Tier Summer Dress: £3.99, RSPCA
Glasses: £4, Ryan's Vintage
Slouchy Bag: £2.99, Oxfam
Rich in Roman history, a roam around Chester’s quaint cobbles seemed a great source of inspiration (& charity shops alike!)
A rare pang of independent boutique envy!
Hmm, for someone so sceptical of the idea of charity shop-shopping (hence the excited face), here stands a man dressed head-to-toe in second hand…
T-shirt: Swapped with friend
Shorts: Recycled old jeans
Pumps: err…borrowed from friend
Shades: Vintage
Forbidden from spending the entire trip perusing Chester’s charity shops, we also found time out amongst the two-tiered Tea Rooms.
When in Rome...
Despite the ban, I did manage to bag myself a lovely little leather pair of sandels. A kind of cross between a gladiator sandal & an old man's slipper!
I’ve been a bit busy with other things and rubbish at posting my blogs so a quick catch up is in order.
Another fancy dress party…I’ve been told the number I go to isn’t normal? Anyhow, while I’m usually up for costume and dressing up in something different even I am beginning to feel that enough is enough. So I cheated somewhat for a ‘rock’ party and wore clothes I liked with a kind of rock theme.
Again the local charity shops had everything I needed in a half hour dash round. This tux jacket was £5.99 from Oxfam, the jeans were £3.49 from Barnardoes. The bag I bought a couple of months ago and is one of my best finds…it’s massively on trend and for a paltry £1.25. Sequinned top was again an earlier buy (from Oxfam).
My current favourite bag.
Alice's Twiggy top was a charity shop buy.
Wore the purple dress (from the East End Thrift Store- loaned to me by my sister) when out in Chorlton watching the fabulous. Alexis McClean & The Poorboys Have a listen, they’re great, she has an amazing voice.
And wearing the purple dress again…after watching the Whitest Boy Alive.
It was a brilliant gig, my photos are rubbish though. Being 5ft 5 this isn’t an unusual view at a gig.
I love going to see bands but I can’t help thinking it would be even more fun if I got more the occasional glimpse of the people I’ve gone to see! The support band were good too, a Norweigen band called the New Wine 80s electronica funk, really fun live. (Yes I know I’d make a rubbish music critic..great, brilliant etc etc!)
Whitest Boy Alive
Went to ‘vintage afternoon tea’ on Sunday at Jam Street Café as it was a sunny day. Vintage clothes and the nicest teas complete with scones, cream and wafer thin sandwiches.
Lisa in a suitably summery dress.
I went a bit 80s-tastic though and am beginning to have second thoughts (£30 for two dresses later).
Maybe my wonderwoman goes to a ball dress will grow on me or I’ll alter it a bit?! Or if anyone wants to invite me to an 80s fancy dress party I’m ready!
The return of Herve Ledger’s legendary bandage dress has sparked a surge in sophisticated sportswear (as well as Body con – but I’m not going there in my present state!)
Fuelled by fashionista collaborations like Stella McCartney for Adidas, now’s the time to ‘work it’ as you work out!
Black Retro Velour Trackie: £3.29, PDSA
Black Adidas: £4.99, Oxfam
With a lengthy respite required from my beloved Thai-boxing, I decided to take advantage of my local gym’s 6-month special offer, which leaves me a bit of a clothing quandary…
Chocolate Hoodie: £3.49, British Red Cross
Despite already being creatively kitted out in stylish second-hand gear for Kick-boxing, I wasn’t so keen to sport my shiny pink boxing shorts & gloves on the cross-trainer!
Grey SS Hoodie with Pink Detail: £3.49, PDSA
Pink Trackies with Grey 'Go Faster' Stripes: £2.99, Barnardos
Never yet to be failed by Chorlton’s Charity shops, I manage to find sufficient sports wear to look suitably trendy on the treadmill!
Black Runner-back Vest: £2.99, PDSA
Pink Trackies: £3.49, PDSA
Blue & Orange Retro Nikes: £3.99, Age Concern
At last we are beginning to see the first flush of spring colour (& I don’t just mean the daffodils)
Spring of course, a time for rejuvenation & yet another incarnation of floral fabrics. This season sees a bolder more exotic version & one bandwagon, I was happy to jump right on.
Floral T-Dress: £2.99, RSPCA
Purple Patent Belt: £1, Age Concern
Lady & the Revamp
Tweed isn’t the only ‘ladylike’ trend in the air this spring, this season has also seen an influx of nudes & pastels. This is certainly not a trend I would normally associate myself with, but stumbling across this stripy pastel shift, I was won over. If pure pastel is just a bit too much, modernise with some contrasting bold tights.
Stripy pastel shift: £2.99
Cream ‘bat wing’ cardigan: £1.99
Stripy scarf: £1.99, All Barnardos
Chequered Past
With tartan almost at the point of high st saturation, I thought I’d get my wear out of this gorgeous chequered strapless for a 30th birthday. The look is updated with one of this season’s ‘jewel’ colours, Teal. Accessorised with fabric of the moment, tweed.
Teal Check Dress: £3.99, PDSA
Red Tweed Shoulder Bag, £3.99, Oxfam
Red Patent Court Shoes, 99p, Ebay
I went down to London to celebrate my sister’s 30th birthday which was fantastic fun. Looking back over the photos I’ve realised how many things came from the East End Thrift Store, and indeed, how many things have that I’ve worn over the last ten months. I managed to do post break up shopping there at the very beginning of doing this blog, it provided me with a dress for an awards dinner and different outfits for parties so it has featured quite a lot.Plus, they do monthly evening parties when they get new stock in complete with free drinks. Sign up to their mailing list now!
Not the best picture but the only one taken, my purple shear dress (from EETS of course) was worn over jeans with boots, my sister's green flowery dress is also from there. (Not to forget my mum and other sister but neither was wearing anything second-hand!)
Pre-party preparation we went shopping in Angel for a party dress for Maria. Amongst the shops we went to was 'Dress for Less' details here which sells second-hand designer women's clothes and accessories. I have spent a fortune this month and promised myself that I'd buy nothing else so it wasn't much of a fun visit for me. I spent it trying not to notice how perfect the £250 Burberry leather jacket they had in stock was and ignoring some beautiful tan heels.
In the end she went for an EETS flowery dress.
With friends Rebecca (left) and Justine (wearing a vintage hat of Maria's).
I wore a jumpsuit, from Ebay, originally Zara.
Pictures of the band, and booze! Plus, you can never have too many limes for cocktails.
Continuing the revelry in Manchester’s plethora of inspirational places, certainly worthy of a mention is Pop Boutique. Often featured in the charitable credits next to my bargain buys each week, I’ve not recently had the funds to ‘pop’ back (or the inclination to fight the heaving hoards of shoppers of a city centre Saturday). But as luck would have it, I recently re-discovered a not-quite-right-for-christmas-credit note which expired by this weekend, and this certainly warranted the effort.
Pop Fan
With a fab selection of vintage pieces & re-conditioned classics, I was blinded by choice, as usual. I returned with no less than 3 new outfits – having spent only an additional £15!
Spring Tropics
Pucci-inspired Poise
Scarlet Woman
Manchester Markets also offers an abundance of treats, tailored from vintage pieces, reconditioned cloth or homemade haberdashery!
Arty Applique
The Intrepid Vintage Treasure Hunter
Tweed Indeed!
Unfortunately, I’m never going to be twin set & pearls kind of a gal. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t embrace spring’s liaison with ‘Lady-like'.
Tweed is huge at the moment & if it’s good enough for SJP….
This gorgeous bag was just £3.99 from Oxfam & looks the picture of elegance to accompany spring's new nudes.