Etsy Update - HIGH SUMMER Part I

Lovely summery things available now from the Sweetest Vintage Clothing Company. Click on the link in the description to take you to the listing.

White Cotton Broderie Anglaise Crop Top - Medium

Ditsy Floral Blouse - Medium to Large

Nineties Denim Sleeveless Jacket - Medium

Dainty Floral Bolero with Ruffle Sleeves - Small

Rose and Daisy Plaid Lolita Dress - Extra Small

1960s Parisian Summer Dress - Medium

Beyond Nautical

Jacket: Zara
Top: YMCA Charity Shop
Pepe Jeans: Save The Children Charity Shop
Belt: Dorothy Perkins
Sandals: Topshop

I love this little jacket so much, when I first locked eyes on it in Zara last semester I simply knew that resistance would be futile. I found the shell print top on the 50p sale rail in the YMCA charity shop the other day and thought it was equally ridiculous and adorable. Do you like my 'mum' jeans?

Cassandra and Florence

I had a lovely day today pottering around King's Lynn with my sister Cassandra. She's not quite as keen on trawling charity shops as I am, usually shuffling awkwardly around the handbags for a split second before shadowing me listlessly, but today she really started to embrace the hobby with zeal! She helped me to track down some gorgeous red leather Mary Janes in excellent condition in Help the Aged that will soon be making their way into the shop. Bargain of the day was probably this little travel alarm clock I found for £1.50 in the Sue Ryder charity shop.

See how it folds up so niftily? Everything from the past seems so much more elegantly made than anything we can craft now.

Popping into the YMCA charity shop always entails a frantic rifle through their delightful 50p sale rail which never fails to present me with one unignorable essential purchase. Today it was a nautical polyester vest with this killer print:

I am beyond obsessed with nautical and so this top is pretty much a visual representation of the configuration of my mind.

I also treated myself to some fabulous black chunky suedey wedges from New Look which only cost £18 after student discount had been deducted.

I am consistently astounded by just how fashion forward and economical New Look's shoe collections are. For a chain that can be very hit or miss with its clothing, more often Jane Norman than Urban Outfitters, the shoes tend to be in a league of their own with the prices plummeting jaw-droppingly low. For example, these limited edition beauties only cost me a fiver when I found them in immaculate condition on the clearance shelf last February. But back to my most recent podiatrical purchase, I fell in love with the substantial clunkiness of these luscious wedges instantly and had to have them. I will most likely be wearing them tomorrow night when I go out on the town, deep into the heart of the cultural Mecca of West Norfolk...

The day was completed with a visit to Florence Cafe for jacket potatoes with cheese and baked beans and a cream tea. And a pot of tea for two. My sister and I both agreed on how positive it felt to be supporting an independent business that champions homemade food and has a genuine passion for customer service as opposed to pouring money into generic chains such as Cafe Nero and Costa Coffee.

ASOS Autumn/Winter 2010

My boyfriend recoils in horror and disgust when I so much as show the palest glimmer of interest in Autumn/Winter fashions and no doubt he will rebuke me for cementing my curiosity in weblog form. Yet! I am sure that there are a fair few of us out there who feel something desirous stir deep within at the sight of this edible green velvet dress from A.P.C for ASOS' AW10 collection. The clown collar and empire shape of it would have been more than enough to secure this item firmly at the top of my party season wishlist so the discovery of the pompoms took me to the brink of obsession. I have to have this dress! Somehow, someday. Does Father Christmas do pre-orders?

These wedge boots with their exaggerated laces just look mind-blowing with the matte white tights and knitted (!) skirt. Plus tartan and cable knit with fringing? Mad. But wonderful.

I am desperate for a sheepskin flying jacket like the one on the left this Autumn. I never really managed to feel comfortable wearing the hundred pound Topshop leather jacket my parents bought me for my twentieth birthday though so it's probably not a good idea. I'm most at ease in the burnt orange vintage 1960s 'hacker jacket' I obtained for a fiver three years ago. It gets worn to death as soon as I detect the sun taking his straw boater off.

Could this be the new double denim?

What Are Little Girls Made Of?

Sugar and spice and all things nice!

(And Jubbly lollies and bowls of custard and cream once the the treacle tart has been tossed out...)

Meet my lovely little neice, Freya.

Hey, blossom

(Photographs by me)

Hola!

Dress: Purple @ Dorothy Perkins
Sandals: Topshop
Bag (just visible): Lidl

I survived Benicassim! Films are currently being developed and will follow shortly.

In other news, I was straight back to work today and decided this thrice-worn crumpled maxi dress was the pick of the bunch from my sweat-soaked, sand-filled, sun-bleached, battle-weary ruck sack wardrobe.

'Heaven is in a grain of sand'

(Photograph by me)

I write with apprehension as I really have no desire to recall the events of last Wednesday night other than to explain my absence from the blogging world and to try and exorcise myself of a perpetual mood of gloom and disaffection for my home town.

A group of seven of my friends and I, three girls and four boys, spent the evening at a local beach and were, in brief, attacked by a gang of over thirty youths who put three of my close friends in hospital and stole my bag, purse and mobile phone. My boyfriend was kicked and punched in the face as he sat on the ground and even one of the girls we were with was set upon. I'm still reeling from the unprovoked attack and, even though the police investigation appears to be progressing, finding it hard to get excited about the prospect of going to Benicassim on Sunday. (Nine days camping on a beach plus festival etcetera). What's particularly tragic about the whole thing is that the beach has always embodied notions of holiday, family, beauty and safety for me and it's actually the identical location where the picture in this post was taken around this time last year. Still, I am determined not to let the bastards grind me down and I am going to start throwing myself with a renewed zeal and vigour into my holiday packing, as an escape from this stagnant little town is the best possible remedy available.

Just two more days at Dorothy Perkins and then I am free for eleven days! We are flying to Barcelona on Sunday and will spend two nights there in a youth hostel before taking the train to Benicassim. Time to start getting excited, methinks...

Check, Mate

Photographs by Jian Wei