Modelling Mod

It's been something of a relief that most of the magnificent haul of vintage clothing recently donated to the charity shop has been too small for me. 

 

Disappointing in some respects, yes, but the fact that most of the pieces didn't fit me made it easy to part with them without a backward glance, and of course they have made very good money for the hospice.

But I confess to a little yearning for a couple of them...

these two 1960s beauties, for instance.

They've got that cool Mod vibe going on, and I was tempted. Enough to give them a bit of a road test this week.

1960s Courtaulds dress, bracelets and tights - charity shopped

Boots - retail (sale)

 

 

Black'n'white grooviness, including Mary Quant and Diana Rigg. 

1960s Tricoville suit, shoes, tights and beret - charity shopped

More fab Mod frocks.

I look like a Sixties air stewardess, which of course is a good thing, as my favourite ex-hosties Fiona and Connie know!

Charlie reckons I should get my own colour scheme and stop being a copy cat...

 

and Min agrees.

Despite the fact that I do love the style of both dresses, I don't actually adore them on me. Blame the period bloat, or my overflowing wardrobe, or my general arsiness, but I'm just not feeling either of these outfits. The high necklines bother me, and I feel less like me in them than I should.

So away to Ebay with them (after a wash, obviously!) 

 

 

And while I'm in a dissatisfied mood, here's another thing.

What is the deal with charity shops and new goods? Why do so many of them insist on flogging bought-in stock, usually of poor quality but with inflated prices? I can understand selling Christmas cards, maybe diaries or calendars; and I can even forgive Oxfam its range of fair trade gifts and toys. 

But isn't the USP of charity shops the fact that they are all different, with a unique and ever-changing (secondhand) stock; and don't their customers understand that it always worth a look because they never know what they might find? When charity shops fill their precious display space with new bags, hats, scarves and gloves, customers are seeing the same goods in every branch. And I would hazard a guess that anyone wanting a trapper hat or pair of earmuffs has already bought them by mid-February.

 

To me, it feels like a fundamental misunderstanding of why customers choose to go to charity shops, but I'm interested to know what do you think.

 

(I'm hormonally grumpy, so it's probably best to agree with me. Today, I heard Claudia hissing don't make her angry! at Nina, when she thought I was out of earshot. Just saying.)

 

xxx

 

Black and white and red all over

 

I love colour - you all know that. 

But I can appreciate the drama of monochrome too, so Saturday saw me wearing nothing but black and white. Oh and a splash of silver.

 

1970s white faux fur coat, Wallis dress, lurex leggings, vintage silver gloves, 1960s tapestry bag, and sequin beret - charity shopped

Boots - retail (sale, ancient)

  Off we go to town...

 

on a girls' shopping trip...

 

 to H&M...

Claudia had a gift card (Christmas present) burning a hole in her pocket.

 

She's on a black and white kick too. She really wanted a bright blue jumper, but there wasn't one to be found in H&M. Lots of black, white, grey, some mustard and red, but the Fashion Powers That Be seem to have decreed that blue is not in. 

 

I was decidedly unimpressed by the clothes (and may have expressed that view loudly enough to be shushed by my offspring), but Claudia enjoyed getting to choose something from a proper shop, just for a change. 

 

 

Nina and I entertained ourselves while we waited outside the changing room.

 

Mirror mirror, on the wall...

The purchases - striped top, patterned jeans (half price), pack of socks, and a floral hairband.

(I'm not linking, cos I do not love.)

 

Clothing bought, we headed off for lunch...

 

 

and I had to explain why this made me laugh quite so much.

 

Who's he? asked my girls... 

 

Chip off the black'n'white block.

 

But today...

 

 

I thought it was time to add some colour, and try out this rather flamboyant new-to-me 1970s blouse, a gift from Marie of The Queen's Drawers (linking cos I do love.)

1970s pussy-bow blouse - gift from Marie

Jumpsuit, ankle boots, beret and belt - charity shopped

Vintage faux fur collar - gift from Sarah Misfit

 

This outfit comes in at under a tenner. Including shoes.

 

And I like that a whole lot more than shopping on the high street.

I'll be joining Visible Monday over at Patti's as usual. 

Nothing says visible like a vintage lipstick-red pussy-bow, sequins and some faux fur!

 

PS. Guess what? I found my purple glove, a little grubby and utterly sodden, lying on the pavement just up the road.  I am ridiculously pleased!

 

xxx

From Technicolour to Black and White

I think it's true to say that wearing colour gets you noticed. 

Perhaps even more than wearing vintage or prints, I suspect it is my usual bright colours which draw the eye of some onlookers. Usually those clad in grey fleece.

 

 

 

So it amuses me to confound expectations, and occasionally wear black (and white); it's even funnier to receive comments about looking different.

 

 

1960s Atlantic lurex maxi skirt - Ebay

Top, sandals and bangles - charity shopped

Hat - flea market

 

 

 

Jumpsuit and bangles - charity shopped

Sandals and sunglasses - retail (sale)

Necklace - vintage market

 

 

Thank you so much for all your very supportive and encouraging comments on my sewing efforts. I must tell you how much I appreciate your kindness. 

The next project is almost finished, and here's a sneaky peek;

Barkcloth Beauty!

I feel that I am learning all the time. I am trying to encourage my ham-fisted, uncooperative hands to be more skilled and precise. It doesn't come easily. 

 

The same process happens when I play the piano; I know where my fingers are supposed to be, I just can't get them there as quickly or as accurately as I would like.

Practice practice practice!

 

I'm taking my hat and mermaid scales over to Judith's Hat Attack tomorrow.

Look, this top has the Knockers Ahoy effect. Mind your eyes.

 

 

Real Life, folks; washing on the line, and scaffolding in the background, complete with lary builders. 

 

I rise above.

 

It's only a supermarket brand (via a charity shop, of course) and I had to take the bodice in a bit, but I like this jumpsuit.

If I had only thought to wear the hat with this outfit instead, I might have achieved a certain 1930s elegance...

 

Oh well, there's always next time.

 

I don't have much luck finding vintage jumpsuits, not which fit anyway; I had to make Giant Pants out of the only one I ever stumbled upon, as the top was much too small.

I can hear all the dressmakers out there saying why don't you make one?

And I might just do that, if I find a pattern!

 

I think I may have had enough of black and white for now...

 

... although Minnie and Charlie beg to differ.

There's a day of vintage shopping, chat, and Wetherspoons cocktails in the company of some gorgeous blogging friends planned for Saturday. 

 

I suspect I'll be wearing something colourful for that!

xxxx

Written in black and white

You lot make me laugh!

I'm glad to know you are an assertive, feisty bunch who don't like being ripped off, by a charity shop or anyone else.

No, I didn't buy the items with the inflated price tags. 

Yes, I asked why they were double the price of other equivalent items.

I received a shrug as my answer.

No, I couldn't be bothered to ask to see the manager (plenty more belts and brooches in the sea of charity shops) but Oxfam, I name and shame you, and you lost a sale. I would never haggle in a charity shop, but I don't have a problem with pointing out inconsistent pricing.

 So that's that - now let's move on. 

 

I wore the same skirt two days running - an unusual event for me!

 

This skirt was on the sale rail in my local hospice charity shop - it's from the dreaded Primark, but at a quid, I thought I could justify it. 

Yesterday was sunny and hot;

 

today was not.

 

 

We have already covered the camouflaging qualities of a maxi, but they also do a great job of keeping you cool when the weather is hot, and warm when it isn't.

Yeah yeah, I know - the little polka dot vest underneath is actually navy. I thought it was black till I saw the photos. I may be a bit colour blind. Which would explain a lot.

Now having an hourglass figure with quite wide hips (no self-disparagement intended, just an honest assessment of my body shape), I apparently shouldn't wear horizontal stripes or a gathered skirt.

Styling advice for anyone considered broad, large framed, big and large, courtesy of a 1977 Jackie annual.

Hmm, well, I'm not terribly good at taking advice, so stripes and gathers it is.

 

So there.

 

Jersey maxi skirt, top, bangles, red flower - charity shopped

Sandals - retail (ancient - forgot I had them, rediscovered them in the bottom of the wardrobe)

Black flower - gift from 100% gorgeous Sarah

Red wooden bangle (I wear it to death) - gift from darling Tania

Sunglasses - Ebay

Vest, white shirt and Rocket Dog canvas flats - charity shopped

 

 I was having a bit of a shitty day today* till this arrived;

 

 

a parcel of blogger love from my dearest Clare, containing a beautiful Monsoon jacket and two chic shift dresses, and...

...this magnificent portrait of Clementine, at her sneering and sardonic bitchfaced best!

I love it all, Clare - thank you, darling!

 

 

*My shitty day?

 

We woke up this morning to find our shy sweetheart of a cat Willow had a horrendously swollen eye.

I mean horrendous - a red, inflamed third eyelid all the way across, her face puffed out, it looked as though her eye was about to explode. I'm not particularly squeamish but oh dear, it did look nasty.

I rushed her off to the vet; something has scratched her eye quite badly which has become infected - she was fine yesterday, it must have happened in the night.

 

Anyway, she has had an injection of an anti-inflammatory and painkiller, and antibiotic eyedrops,  and it's looking slightly better this evening. 

 

But I have learnt that cats - much like children - do not like eye drops.

 

And I am supposed to put lubricating drops in her eye 6-8 times a day, as well as the antibiotics.

 

She is not a happy girl, and neither am I.

 

The 2-hourly eye drops meant no volunteering at school today, and more importantly, no Chesterfield tomorrow - disaster!

 

Hopefully Willow will be back to normal soon.

 

Cats - they are more trouble than the kids!

 

   xxxx