Fruit and flowers

I very much enjoyed and appreciated your comments on the issue of names - mine, yours, and that of your cats. It's one of those subjects about which everyone has experience and opinions. We all have names, right? Although whether we like them or not is another matter.

I think I value blogging most of all when a post happens to strike a chord and gets people talking; so thank you for that.

And now you are all pronouncing my name correctly, even if it's only in your head!

We're having sharply chilly autumnal mornings followed by last gasps of warm summer weather, so I am finding that my customary mix of a short-sleeved maxi with a cardigan or denim jacket is just right.

 

That's lucky, since it's what I love to wear anyway. 

 

1970s maxi dress - vintage market
Necklace, bangles, shoes and denim jacket - charity shopped

There are little splashes of colour left in the garden.

I have no idea how I got this photo (my photography skills extend no further than point and press) but I really like it.

And I like this too;

a Mexican vinyl shopping bag, spotted and snapped up for a fiver on Chesterfield flea market.

I'm not sure of its age, I just liked the quirky fruit folk, and its useful size and sturdiness.

Other finds;

Fabric - £2 a piece
1960s English-made Lythos steel and abalone shell pendant - £1

And a 1980-90s Sport Missoni sweater, a crazy bargain at £1.49.

Too small for me, and round neck sweaters are not my thing, but I couldn't leave Missoni behind, could I? I'll find it a home.

I have noticed this beautiful woman at the flea market before, it's impossible to miss her incredible style.

We found ourselves browsing at the same stall this week, and got chatting. She agreed to a photo, told me she is 80, has a large hat collection, and has been collecting and wearing 1940s clothes nearly all her adult life.

Clearly she has no intention of sacrificing her style and her visibility with age.
 Good for her.

(Incidentally, that long purple dress hanging up on the left is Biba. Lovely, but too plain and too pricey for me.)

Oops, hem coming down...
It's fixed now.

Charlie likes to join me for a photo shoot.

Sir Bubble, with what the kids call his lucky freckle on his nose.

A quiet weekend here, but none the worse for that.

How about you? What are you up to?

xxxx

I haven't got a stitch to wear

My week has continued to be fairly quiet, but that's no bad thing - from this weekend on, the pace hots up and I need to build myself up to it!

Eldest has her Y6 residential in Scarborough next week; five days away with school friends and teachers, she can't wait. 

My charity shopping this week has been limited to picking bits and pieces up for her, including two pairs of unworn shoes (Rocket Dog and Kurt Geiger, no less), a total of £8 for both.

On my chazzing travels, I often see designer and expensive brands - they usually aren't my cup of tea, but if you want Monsoon, Reiss, Karen Millen, Jigsaw, Ted Baker, etc, you can certainly find them among the tatty Primark and New Look.

 

It's my birthday next week, but we are going out for a celebratory family meal tomorrow, since Eldest will be away (and obviously doesn't want to miss out.)

 

On Saturday it's our local festival, including a car boot, followed by another annual tradition - Park Night!

 

My mates Trace and Sue always celebrate the summer solstice with a few drinks sitting on the hill in our local park. There is a magnificent view of the city from there. It will be my first year in attendance, but I am reliably informed it's a very civilised affair, no Special Brew, Thunderbird or White Lightning, since we are Ladies.

If it rains, we will be in Trace's kitchen instead...

 

I know - it's a glamorous life I lead, rummaging at a car boot, mooching around a little local festival, then drinking in the park.

 

However, in August, I will be attending a truly glamorous event, and need your advice/suggestions, ladies. 

 

My sister is hosting a joint party for my brother-in-law's 60th and my niece's 21st birthday. It will be A Very Posh Do, and the dress code is Black Tie. 

 

I have never been to a Black Tie event before, and don't know what to wear. I have dresses galore, of course, but they aren't really evening wear - or are they? Do the men have to wear dinner jackets or is a decent suit OK? 

This dress, for example - would this do?

Yeah, I know I wore it today to go to Chesterfield and do the school run - why not wear a gorgeous midnight blue 1970s evening dress to do those things?

But is it Black Tie?

I'm about to be 49 - why don't I know this stuff?

 

Help!

 

 

 

1970s Shubette maxi dress - vintage fair

Bangles - charity shopped

Peacock pendant - vintage street market

Turquoise/silver mosaic ring - Pia jewellery (sale, old)

1960-70s stainless steel/blue ring - charity shopped this week (£1.50)

 

 

 

 

Just giving you an idea of how it might look in action on the dance floor...

Apart from planning my weekend activities, dealing with stray greyhounds, bee gazing, and developing a bad case of wardrobe angst, this week brought a delightful surprise in the form of gifts from lovely Jo, who blogs at Joyatri.

 

A fabulous woven belt, a good read, and Men in Crimplene - perfect!

Thank you, Jo - I hope we can get together during your next stay in the UK.

 

You may make your own jokes about my retro bush.

(Oh dear, there go the search term stats again...)

 

And I look forward to hearing your thoughts, experiences and advice on Posh Dressing.

xxxxx

A fabulous flea market

Thursday is flea market day in Chesterfield, and when the sun shines, it gets 

very busy!

 

I finally remembered my camera this week, and took a few photos on the way round.

 

 

 

 

There is a huge variety of goods, traders and prices.

 

While some stalls are beautifully presented, others have boxes piled high with house clearance and auction job lots. These are very popular with the punters; so much so that I couldn't get a decent photo, all you could see were the backs of rummaging customers!

It's not all vintage/retro stuff, though there is plenty of that. There are lots of newer secondhand clothes and shoes, books, DVDs, tools, crafts/handmade items, jewellery, furniture, and food stalls as well.

I like the cutlery stall, and the 50p an item table.

 

 

There's plenty of cheap fruit and veg, tons of bric-a-brac, and more vintage china than you can shake a stick at. 

 

It's a friendly place - here are Amanda and Jo (who definitely win the prize for most stylish stall holders), Janet, and Joseph.

I bought my magic lantern slides from Janet last week; Joe's stall has the 3-items-for-£1 box which I have mentioned before (Meakin and Midwinter for 33p? Yes please!) and I also bought my globe light and pigeon basket from him.

Debs is another favourite stall holder; she didn't want her photo taken but I sneakily snapped her and Joanne deep in conversation over a rather delightful cupboard. Debs' stall is a mix of vintage loveliness and handmade items like cushions, mittens (in winter) and aprons. She's very talented.

 

My 1970s Decosse wool coat, worn to death this winter, was bought from Debs' stall.

As I was taking the photo of the box of cotton reels, a fellow market browser asked me if I had a blog. She said she reads a lot of blogs and thought that a pic of cotton reels looked like something a blogger would post! I am obviously terribly predictable - but I loved all the colours together!

Here's Chesterfield church, which its famous twisted spire.

And my purchases?

 

A 1960s suitcase and a 1950s umbrella with a lucite handle.

As  you can see, the cats approved. 

 

And this little 1970s steel and abalone shell pendant, in need of a chain.

I am always on the look out for Sheffield-made steel jewellery, and this looked similar to the ring I bought from a charity shop a while back.

Turns out they are both by the same maker (I hadn't noticed the ring was marked until I checked it yesterday).

The mark says Lord Python, designs by D Scott-Walker. When I googled it, guess whose photo came up as the third image? Our Vix, of course! She also found a Lord Python pendant at a carboot and blogged about it.

There's the ring.

 

Skirt - Jo and Amanda's 3-items-for-a-fiver sale, flea market

Vest top, blouse, shoes, tights, pink flower, faux pearl necklace and bangles - charity shopped

Bead/skull necklace - handmade by colourful Krista

Belt - retail (sale)

Black flower - gift

Curls - courtesy of the 1970s Pifco curling tongs I bought at last week's jumble sale!

 

 

 

Unusually for me, there is nothing vintage about this outfit at all - apart from myself, of course.

 

 

 

How could anyone prefer to go to a soulless shopping centre/mall to get their retail fix? I truly cannot understand it. 

 

The staff in House of Fraser or Primark don't sing to you, or know your name, or chat about sewing or the PTA, or share their personal stories, or source items for you. Where's the banter, the connection, the fun?

 

 

 

Support your local market, if you are lucky enough to have one!

 

    xxxx