Those fallen leaves lie undisturbed now

Blue and brown.

Hmmm.

Not the most dramatic of combinations, you might say, yet I've found myself wearing it a couple of times this week.

As with most colours, it depends how you wear them, I reckon. And you can't go far wrong with some Seventies style.

C&A Clockhouse suede patchwork jacket and boots - Ebay

1980s Windsmoor pleated skirt, 1970s leather bag, hat, jumper and top - charity shopped

I didn't possess a single jumper (sweater) till I bought this one for £1.49 in Barnardo's.  It reminds me of the sort of thing I wore in my mid-teens in the 1970s, especially with a midi skirt.

I should have put my turban on to complete the look.

1970s cape sleeve maxi dress - gift from Vix

Boots - as before

 

I do love a floaty Seventies sleeve.

Look, I'm all misty and autumnal. 

Thank you for all your good wishes and optimism regarding my interview. It went OK, I think, I said what I wanted to say (although it might not have been what the panel wanted to hear, of course). I haven't been told the outcome yet, but I'll let you know when I hear.

 

 

I'm late again for Patti's Visible Monday; fortunately she's a very understanding hostess!

 

xxxx

Number only the sunny hours

I'm not usually in the city centre first thing in the morning, by which I mean about 9.15am; hardly the crack of dawn but early enough for it to be pleasantly quiet.

I was on my way to the charity shop to do the window display, and on a beautifully sunny morning, that wasn't a hardship at all. 

The Peace Gardens were heaving with people later in the day, but at this time, they were empty.

It felt positively tropical in  the Winter Gardens...

and there were elves in the trees and steel mobiles to boot.

The Congregational Chapel's gates were open, so I nipped in to look at the Fullard sculptures.

I think I have been all three of these figures...

but not today. I was child-free, not at all pissed off, and didn't need to run. Which was altogether A Very Good Thing.

And what did I wear during these sunny hours in Sheffield's city centre?

A new-to-me vintage frock, of course.

Don't you just love Ebay sellers who don't know very much about vintage? I frequently chuckle and shake my head at the 1980s dresses described as '50s, the bog-standard labels claimed as designer, the clothes listed as rare and unique that you've seen before, the repro styles being passed off as the real thing.

Yes, Ebay sellers - you've made me do this face. Which is usually reserved for the kids.

Still, this is a genuine vintage dress, although the seller had neglected to point out that it is practically transparent. A quick look at the label explains all; it's actually a 1960s beach cover-up by Slix, a British swimwear company who used to have a big factory in Derby.

Despite living about as far inland as it's possible to be in the UK, why let a small thing like that stop me from wearing a beach dress? With one of my many vintage slips underneath, I was good to go.

1960s Slix maxi beach dress - Ebay

Cardigan, shoes and bangles - charity shopped

1970s pendant - vintage fair

I match my garden.

I'm hoping the sunny hours continue, although I think I heard a forecast of rain on the way... Oh well. That's British summer time for you. Wear your beach dresses while you can, you can't be sure when you'll get another chance!

xxx

Midweek maxi

Weird weather we've been having; I'm finding a maxi dress, ankle boots and a jacket are my best bet. Cool enough when the sun shines, sufficiently layered up when the wind and rain set in.

 

 

The rough winds have been shaking the darling buds of my cherry tree...

 

 

until the lawn is confetti-strewn.

My friend Joanne and I have missed our customary Thursday meet-ups for the last 2 weeks but made it out today. Four charity shops and a vintage emporium later, and all I bought was...

this set of 6 glass tumblers. They are beautifully cut with fancy bottoms, and have a satisfying weight to them. There's no mark and trying to identify their age is tricky, but I think they have a 1930s look. 

Anyway, it doesn't matter what they are, they cost 25p each and we'll use them everyday for juice and water. Glasses don't seem to last long in our house (and I'm laying the blame at Simon and the kids' door for that) so there's little point in paying more. 

 

 

The groovy black and white 1960s enamel saucepan and Oriental-style tin came home with me from the charity shop this week. I rescued them from the scrap metal bin, so I was allowed to have them for nothing.

So that's a whopping £1.50 spend. Thrifty? I'd say so!

1970s C&A maxi dress - Ebay

Denim jacket, necklace and bangles - charity shopped

1970s Peter Bettley hat - flea market 

 Ankle boots - community fair

The cats always like to accompany me during my photo shoots in the garden. Charlie was showing off by shinning up a tree...

an escapade which soon turned into a rather panicky shuffle downwards, as he hung on by the skin of his claws.

I laughed. He didn't.

Minnie is above all that nonsense. 

I have finally heard that I have an interview for the charity shop deputy manager post I applied for a few weeks back. It's next week; I'm excited!

Any thoughts on possible interview questions? I want to be well-prepared, and I know you lot are seasoned charity shoppers. What are the most important things to you about a charity shop? What adds value and makes you likely to visit/return, and what puts you off?

All ideas and opinions welcome.

And now I'm off to sort through my sewing patterns and decide on my next project. I'll chant fabric choice is key as a mantra to avoid another dressmaking faux pas...

xxxx

The flowers that bloom in the Spring

I'm not quite sure where that week went but it's flown by, and here we are at the weekend again. Yippee!

This is what I wore on Wednesday; a customer in the charity shop admired my dress, and told me I was very on trend with my florals. She'd clearly read the same Observer fashion article as me, so we had a bit of a laugh about that. 

 

 

 

I must say I like my dress far more than the pieces selected to accompany the article (above) and at 99p from Ebay, it was a great deal cheaper. 

(Incidentally, that blue top on the right, the polo shirt with the hardly-floral-at-all print? Topshop, £85. Can you believe it?)

 

 

1970s maxi dress - Ebay

1960s jacket, shoes, belt and bangles - charity shopped

1960s carpet bag and necklace - gifts

1960s brooch - The Queen's Drawers

 

 

No one puts on a big blobby rose pattern before striding into a boardroom and closing a billion dollar deal, writes Alice Fisher. 

 

She might be right (although there are a whole load of assumptions begging to be questioned in that sentence) but since boardrooms and high-flying deals aren't really my thing, I'll happily continue to wear my beloved floral prints. 

As it happens, the world of employment, if not exactly the boardroom, is beckoning; I've applied for a job as a charity shop deputy manager. I'll keep you posted.

What else is new?

Well, this dress is - new-to-me anyway. It has glittery gold lurex stripes, huge sleeves, and I love it. 

Thanks, Em, what a great gift!

1970s Dumarsel maxi dress - gift from Emma

Hat, necklace and bangles - charity shopped

1960s beaded bag - car boot

Ankle boots - community fair

 

 

This little Wade cutie was too sweet to leave in the 50p basket in a charity shop. 

He's Scamp, from Disney's Lady and the Tramp (1956).

 

 

I found a vintage sheet for a couple of quid which would make a lovely dress. If I ever get round to doing some sewing...

There are forget-me-nots all over my garden...

and tulips...

and cats.

Just how I like it.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

xxx

I was an impossible case

What do you remember about being thirteen?

Claudia's 13th birthday has prompted me to try and remember what it was like when I was her age; I have to admit, it's all a bit hazy. Who was I then?

A glance at the UK's Number 1 songs of that year was helpful in jogging my memory.

1977.

The year God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols was banned by the BBC and allegedly (maybe apocryphally) kept off the No. 1 spot, for fear of offending the Royal Family in the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

You wouldn't know it was the year of punk, the songs that made the top of the UK charts were pop through and through. Abba and David Soul reigned, Elvis died, and I Feel Love sounded like a trance-y soundtrack to some sci-fi porn film.

There were strikes, the Yorkshire Ripper murders, Red Rum and Virginia Wade won, Marc Bolan died, the National Front and anti-Nazi protesters clashed, and Rumours and Star Wars were released.

1970s maxi dress - The Queen's Drawers via local vintage shop
Wrap cardigan - gift from Tania
Ankle boots - Ebay
Beret and bangles - charity shopped

Claudia invited some friends out for dinner to celebrate her birthday.

Off we go!

They're a cool bunch of kids. Don't believe everything you hear about teenagers, some of them are just fine - polite, funny, and sweet.

They're nothing like the 13 year old me. They aren't awkward or ill-at-ease in their own skin; they have style and confidence, and a sense of belonging. I'm really glad about that, and wish it hadn't taken me so long to find those things for myself.

I don't have any photos of me from 1977. If there are any, they'll be lurking in a drawer at my mum's, which is probably the best place for them. I remember a centre parting and limp side-flicks, checked shirts, skinny fit t-shirts, flared jeans, and wedge shoes. A humdrum uniform, accessorised by shyness, social ineptitude and poor self-esteem.

I had an endlessly supportive and encouraging mum who repeatedly told me that I was unique, and uniquely great. I just thought she had to say that because she was my mum, so it didn't count. I wish I had believed her, and I hope Claudia believes me when I tell her what's great about her. I found being thirteen really tricky; she seems to be approaching her teens with an enviable insouciance.

Good for her.

Oh Charlie!

Claudia made her own birthday cake, with the help of one of her friends - it was delicious.

So what was it like for you, being 13?

 

And share your memories of 1977, if you have any!

 

xxx