Time out and about

Working full-time is certainly having an effect; the house is even more chaotic than usual, I've given up ironing, meals are variable in terms of timing and quality, and my social life has taken a nose dive.

But... by miraculous chance, Vix, Tania and I were all available on Thursday, we chose a destination we could all get to by train in about an hour, and off we went to Leicester.

There was no chance of losing these two; I just had to scan the streets for a fuck-off huge fur hat and some neon pink legs!

I'm ashamed to admit that I have never been to Leicester before, though I've travelled through the city hundreds of times on trains heading south.

There were interesting buildings and architectural details wherever we looked. 

We visited Richard III's tomb in the cathedral; there he is, shaking his tambourine, or triumphantly grasping the crown, take your pick.

 

 

 

 

 

The area around the cathedral was particularly peaceful and rather smart.

Of course there was shopping. The city centre has plenty of charity shops, and we spent ages in the wonderful DollyMix vintage shop.

There were lovely ladies all over the place, in addition to some spectacular clothes at reasonable prices. 

See? Lovely ladies!

Lunch is always in a Wetherspoons; this time, the rather grand venue was the old Corn Exchange building. 

Even if we didn't find anything to buy, we wouldn't go away empty-handed.

My gifts were a 1970s spotty dress and sewing pattern from Tania, and a sexy red 1960s slip, parrot earrings (to go with my parrot print frock) and Dr Martens sandals from Vix. As always, those girls get it absolutely right.

I found this 1970s cotton velvet jacket in the bargain basket in DollyMix - mine for a fiver.

And this 1970s dress was from Pink Pigeon vintage, just £10.

 

 

The print makes me ridiculously happy.

After losing a multifocal contact lens, I'm back to wearing my single vision lenses and reading glasses for close-up. One of the perils of full-time work is having problems making appointments with the optician...

I'll be joining Patti and co for Visible Monday, and catching up with your blogs soon, I promise.

 

However busy life becomes, I'll always make time for friends. 

 

xxx

Chickens and parrots

Last month, my lovely and funny blog friend Connie asked her readers to recall their Very First Personal Fashion Moment.

I left a comment about my Chicken Dress...

...and here it is.

This photo was taken in 1967; I was 3, and singing into my skipping rope.*

The dress was a hand-me-down, it had been worn by both of my older sisters and dated from the 1950s.

Bright colours, a great print, secondhand - a pattern was established with this dress.

 See?

Parrot print, plus a peacock.

1980s Hawaiian dress, cardigan, bangles and tights - charity shopped
Peacock necklace - vintage market
Boots - retail (sale)

 I had an interesting exchange with a couple of customers in the shop last week. I heard a man telling his wife how much he liked 1970s styles, and we got chatting. I was wearing a 1970s maxi which the couple admired, but the man said that he could never wear a Seventies suit (he had been trying on jackets and browsing the suits).

Why? I asked. He spoke at length about living in a small village, and speculated about what his friends, neighbours and colleagues might think if he wore something unusual and different. I listened, then suggested that maybe he was overthinking things. If he liked a certain style of clothes, perhaps he should just wear them without worrying about anyone else's opinion.

His wife clapped her hands, and said she met you 5 minutes ago and she's got you pegged. You overthink everything!

Sadly he didn't buy a jacket, but I'm hoping a seed was planted. What's the worst thing that can happen if you wear what you love? The couple were visiting their son who is a student in Sheffield, and maybe next time they're here, they will call back into the shop and make a purchase.

What sort of a vintage seller would I be if I didn't wear it myself, and passionately advocate for the beauty and value of old clothes? What I wear is proving a talking point, and I love having a job where my eclectic wardrobe is a positive benefit.

I'll take my parrot dress over to Patti's for Visible Monday.

 This outtake is the real me rather than the posed me - a bit gawky and inelegant, but friendly, fond of laughing, and usually talking. I'd spotted a friend working in a nearby garden and we were shouting across to each other while the camera snapped away on the timer.


*Perhaps that skipping rope prefigures my penchant for karaoke just as much as the chicken dress sets the scene for my style preferences? My mum helpfully wrote on the back of that photo that I was belting out Puppet on a string, the UK's Eurovision entry in 1967. I still know every word.

 xxxx

                                                        

Stirling Cooper meets Monsoon

Working in a charity shop hasn't dimmed my enthusiasm for chazzing; in fact, I'm always interested in checking out how other shops do things. 

 

And picking up a bargain too, of course. 

Like this 1980s textured jacket, mine for a fiver.

 

The sheer pleated skirt is by Stirling Cooper, a British boutique label which began in the late 1960s and initially featured Anthony Price and Sheilagh Brown as designers.

 

 

Here they are in the Stirling Cooper* shop, which you entered through a dragon's jaws. 

 

Oh, the divine decadence of Swinging London. And how much do I love that dress? 

(*Not to be confused with Sterling Cooper, the fictional advertising agency in Mad Men.)

I had always assumed the skirt was from the 1980s, but thinking about some of those sheer designs I saw at the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition last month, I wonder if it's older than that? 

 

 

A selection of Stirling Cooper clothing from the 1960-70s.

 

I'd love to wear this skirt with the tight-fitting ruffled polka dot blouse and platform shoes (top row, centre). 

 

 

The jacket is easier to date, it's from Monsoon's 1980s Twilight collection.

 

The nipped-in waist and shoulder pads are a nod to a 1940s silhouette, and I love the flattering shape. 

Monsoon has been around for over 40 years now and still has a presence on the high street, along with sister company Accessorize.

 

I'm a bit of a vintage label nerd, I love researching them. 

Since clothing manufacture in the UK largely ceased after the 1980s, you can pretty much assume that most items with a Made in England/Great Britain/UK label are vintage. That, or a high end heritage brand, but even then, companies like Burberry, Jaeger and Mulberry only make a proportion of their goods in this country. 

 1970s Stirling Cooper sheer skirt and ankle boots - Ebay

1980s Monsoon jacket and 1950s diamante brooch - charity shopped

 

Speaking of vintage nerdery, I am hoping it will stand me in good stead; I have just applied for a new job. St Luke's are opening a charity shop specialising in vintage, and will soon be recruiting a manager and deputy. 

 

If ever a job had my name written all over it, it's this one. I have so many ideas fizzing around in my brain, I might explode.  I'm waiting to hear whether I have got an interview or not. 

 

I'll keep you posted!

xxx

Tyne and Tide

At the weekend, I headed off to the north east to visit my sister Sabena and her partner Gary. We were trying to work out the last time I was there on my own, it must have been before I had kids.

 

 

I love Newcastle, but I love these two even more!

 

 

As with so many cities which have a rich industrial heritage, there is impressive Georgian and Victorian architecture aplenty.

 

 

 Grey Street runs down to the Quayside in an elegant Georgian curve...

 

while the Central Arcade is an extravagently-tiled Edwardian hymn of praise to shopping.

 

 

A leisurely stroll by the Tyne in the sunshine was glorious.

We crossed the Millenium Bridge...

 

 

into Gateshead, to visit The Baltic art gallery.

The viewing platform offers fantastic views of the river and city...

as well as the kittiwakes which huddle along the side of the building.

Smiles all round!

Then on to have a nosey in the Sage, a live music venue on the Gateshead side of the Tyne.

On Sunday, we walked from Tynemouth to North Shields along the Tyne estuary.

The view behind us showed the Collingwood Monument and the two piers, marking the point where the estuary opens into the sea.

We saw a couple of people harvesting cockles on the mud flats.

Breakfast at Irvin's was delicious.

  We strolled back into Tynemouth through the newly-renovated Northumberland Park...

(yes, the greens really were that vibrant in the sun!)

 

before a browse around the market held at Tynemouth Metro station every weekend.

 

 

 

 

The Victorian ironwork and glass roof made it feel as though the market was taking place in a greenhouse, but it was good to see so many people enjoying the event, and the sun.

Tynemouth Longsands...

just beautiful.

And then it was time to go home.

I came back with a few finds from the market;

 

 

1970s Jean Allen shirtwaister dress

1970s floaty maxi

1960s handmade jacket

Two 1960-70s cotton day dresses

 

 

and also this 1960s dress. At a quid each, how could I leave them behind?

And the pendant is another 1960-70s stainless steel Lord Python piece, made in Sheffield by David Scott Walker. What were the chances of finding that in Tynemouth?

Or a swan brooch with the head of a diplodocus?

I'll be catching up with you soon, I promise.

xxx