This week's "must have" Ezine for lovers of vintage clothing.

Diana: the people's princess

Just passed by Kensington Palace and have seen a little shrine to commemorate Princess Diana's birthday. So nice of people.

This week's "must have" Ezine for lovers of vintage clothing

I'm back

Hi guys. I've gone slightly AWOL in the last week or so. Apologies. I'm back now though so all is right in the world once again. I might have been remiss in posting recently but I guarantee you that I have been shopping lol. I have a lot to catch you up on but one piece at a time.

What do you think of this beauty?

Rather conservative but definitely beautiful. Turquoise with a gorgeous embossed floral pattern all over. There's even a metallic glint to the thing. Can you see it? Probably more perceptible in natural light. If only you were sitting next to me now you'd be able to see how the fabric shines when the light hits it.

What I think is particularly sweet about this little gem are the bows. It's always the little details that make something special.

The "must have" weekly Ezine for lovers of vintage clothing

It's all about peach!

Club tropicana

Not only am I loving all the prints around this summer but also the bold and bright colours that they are coming in. Just so tropical. If I can't be in the tropics then I'm definitely going to dress as tropically as I can.

So you can imagine my delight when I found this divine pair of trousers earlier this week. I couldn't get anymore tropical if I tried.

The turquoise blue and green are gorgeous together. I don't know if you can tell from the photos but the trousers have a shine to them and the fabric is textured. Yeah baby!!!

High waisted and narrow at the ankle, they look great as they come or fab rolled up a little. Of course I would never consider wearing anything but my white stilettos with these AND my bright pink lipstick hehehe.

The have a side zip and the loveliest buttons.

This definitely qualifies as a purchase of the month.

Broderie Anglaise revamped

Clubbers, I have redeemed myself. My style radar is back online and I am on fire. Look at this skirt.

I am in love. It's beautiful. Went for brunch at the Tabernacle and then went to an Aladdin's Cave of a stall on the 'Bello and found it. It's cotton with red, yellow and lime green broderie anglaise all over. I love long skirts. They make such statements and are definitely sexy. This one is high waisted and very fitted. So flattering.

I was in River Island the other day. Yes, I am a lover of vintage clothing but I do like to combine my one-offs with high street pieces. Anyway, I saw a gorgeous skirt. It was a complete copy of the LV pastel, embroidered stuff that has been photographed so much.

LV

LV

RIVER ISLAND VERSION

I really liked it but it was too pastel for me. I generally go for much bolder colours, although I reserve the right to contradict myself at any given time lol. So when I saw my latest purchase it was bang on. I love all the embroidery but it's not so girly, it's strong and bold. I can't wait to wear it.

Burberry tartan

Chav - that is the word that is ringing in your minds as you read the title of this post. Just give me a chance to explain. For those that know me, you know I am not one for emblazoning my body with luxury brand logos.

NO!

God NO!

 Hell NO!

Hmmmmm, ok....maybe. LV do it in a stylish way. Being totally honest, I wouldn't buy one but if somebody gave it to me I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth lol.

So anyway, back to my purchase from today's Portobello Friday market. In contradiction to my normal style tenets I bought a vintage pair of Burberry tartan cropped trousers. I know, I know. I'm already doubting the purchase. The colour combination is nice enough, perfect for the summer tartans I was talking about in the Ezine. That dress was in a gorgeous tartan with a lovely colour palette. I think a tartan dress is easier to wear than tartan separates. That's why it's the perfect statement purchase.

This is the pattern of the trousers I bought.

I truly do like it but I think this may have been a rash purchase. We all make those once in a while. I was thinking I could wear them with flats and do the whole preppy look. But on the other hand I think the print is too distinctively Burberry. Oh I really don't know now. These might get relegated to the back of the wardrobe never to be worn. However, the mark of a true lover of fashion, let alone a lover of vintage clothing is to take a bit of a risk. I'm not famous. I'm not going to get caught by my favourite fashion policewoman, Joan Rivers, so I can wear these in blissful anonymity knowing that if I end up looking like a complete fool, nobody will care.

The tartan revolution

Following on from the Ezine, I'm really liking the idea of tartans as an all year print. It kind of goes beyond a SS or AW trend. It's just a classic pattern. I'm going to keep a look out for some this weekend on my vintage shopping jaunt as it's definitely something that my wardrobe is missing. Aside from anything else, I did a big wardrobe clear out this week and have space to fill up. Yay! Hahahaha.

I don't think that I'm adventurous enough to go too wild with tartan like House of Holland but a bit here and there does go a long way. Maybe just a scarf or something.

This week's "must have" Ezine for lovers of vintage clothing

New Mac lipstick

Guten morgen ladies! Just popped out for a morning Mac fix and bought a new lipstick. "No!!!!!" I hear you say but yes, it's true. This time I've still gone for colour but something more subtle. After all you can't have fuchsia lips EVERY day. Although my sister in law would disagree. She's all about the strong lips. She does have voluptuous lips so I don't blame her. You go girl!!!! Hahahahaha.

So this morning's purchase was Creme In Your Coffee. You have to say it with a US Southern drawl to get the real effect of the fab name.

I love it. It's subtle and just accentuates the colour of your lips. So my lipstick collection now stands at two. Wooooo hoooo.

Louis Vuitton and Muhammad Ali

What a creative campaign.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/06/13/louis-vuitton-hires-muhammad-ali-as-campaign-star

This shot captures such a gorgeous moment. I couldn't care less about the LV bag hahahahaha. I just think the boy is so cute and you can see the love in Grandad's eyes. Yeah, that's a bit soppy of me but it's what I think, so there!!

I do think this is a really original collaboration though and really nice to see considering that a lot of the behemoth fashion houses just recycle celebs.

The British Library inspiring fashion

Hello clubbers. Went to a lecture at the British Library last night. It was called Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Forward-thinking Fashion. The main focus was sustainable fashion (if vintage isn't "sustainable" fashion then I don't know what is) but there was also a general focus on how to set up your own business. Out of the four speakers I was most inspired by a lady called Annegret who founded a sustainable fashion brand called Choolips. I loved her approach. She was all about love. Now we all know how much I love that word lol. She started with the premise that she wanted to do something that she loved. She loved fashion and loved travel so set about travelling the world investigating ancient textile techniques, starting in Ghana. I think you can go on her website and read more about her story and her journey to success http://www.choolips.com/

Aside from that, I hadn't been to the British Library since I was a child and was dragged around there by my Dad. I'm glad I have rediscovered it though. I love books. One day when I have my humungous mansion I'll definitely have a gorgeous, traditional English library. I'll also of course have that fab walk-in wardrobe from the Sex in the City movie. Big sigh!!!

But who would have thought that the British Library was as into fashion as we are. They have every edition of British Vogue everrrrrrrrr!! I must get myself a reader pass.

Ballgowns at The Victoria & Albert Museum

What a sumptuous afternoon I have just had. I was at the Ballgowns exhibition that is currently showing at the Victoria & Albert Museum in South Ken.

Photography was not allowed so I have found the following online. To be honest I wasn't in love with a lot of the gowns. Some were just good to look at from a historical point of view and looking at design through the decades. However, some gowns, such as the ones below were just too new. Quite a few were red carpet gowns from  2010 and 2011. They were beautiful but nothing I hadn't seen on E! Fashion Police. Yes, I love that show!

I wanted to see more dresses that have been hidden away in private collections that I would never have the chance to see any other way. There was however one dress that I did fall in love with. It's probably because it was the one least like a traditional ballgown hahaha.

It's a 1976 gown by Yuki Torimaru. It really stood out. If I had a ball to go to, that's what I'd wear.

After I'd finished going around the exhibition I had a gander at some of the other peramanent and free exhibits. I really love the V&A. Such diverse objects from British textiles from the 1800's to Islamic art, stonework and ceramics from the 900's. Amazing.

This week's "must have" Ezine for lovers of vintage clothing

The Queen's Jubileeeeeeeeeeee!

What did you get up to? I was in the lovely Somerset village of Pilton which is down the road from Glastonbury.

I recommend the place to everyone. It's quintessential English countryside and the ideal place to raise a glass to good ole Queenie. Later on in summer perfect Pilton can get inundated with "crusties" from the Glastonbury festival but not this year as the festival is having a year off to leave the land fallow. Get down there guys.

If you're feeling active then ramble up Glastonbury Tor like we did.

Or if you're feeling a little less adventurous then saunter round Wells, the smallest city in England. I bet you didn't know that!
http://www.wellssomerset.com/

On the fashion front I was suitably attired in red, white and blue the whole time. What a patriot I am. Who would have thought.

An emerging buying pattern perhaps?

Do you ever go through a period when you buy a couple of things, one after the other, that seem to follow a trend? It's not intentional it's just something that seems to happen. Part of it is of course that if you are shopping on the high street they all sell the same thing lol. It's a bit harder for that to happen with vintage shopping though. Even so, I have managed to do it. Look at what I found at the Portobello Friday market!!! India is definitely calling me!

I can truly say that I have not come across a dress that is as original as this in a very long time.

The pattern: not only is it channeling damasks again but there is an overlay of shiny gold on each one. So when you move you catch the light. There are actually little "ropes" on either side of the torso part of the dress to sort of close it but I still think I will wear a skin coloured vest or bandeau top underneath. One must always be a lady and preserve at least some semblance of modesty.

The shape: when did you last see a dress this shape? It makes me feel like a sexy hippy hahahahahahahahahahaha! It's not low cut so it's not sexy in an obvious way but it shows a hell of a lot of hip and waist.

The fabric: well it's kind of quilted. Look.

Can you see the stitching?

The hem: thick and heavy. The fabric is doubled up here to give it that weighted effect so you get a nice swing when you walk.

The label: just a gorgeous font. The whole dress just seems so exotic. Shame it quotes, 'LONDON PARIS BRUSSELS'.  Too euro-centric.

I really love this dress. So very 70's. So very bohemian. If only the hot weather would come back I could wear it.

This week's Ezine for lovers of vintage clothing

It's a real collectible this time: a Radley of London dress. I don't need to say anymore.

India calling

Yes, I've been a bad girl this week and have gone a little bit AWOL. But I'm back now and very very excited about the Queen's Diamond Jubileeeeeeeeeee!

At this very second though I am really yearning for a return trip to India. I went to Rajasthan a couple of years ago and fell in love with the place. I'm desperado to visit the south now, all the way from Goa to Kolkata. One day (sigh). In the mean time this little purchase made yesterday keeps my dream alive.

It's so fresh and bright, and the damask-like pattern is sooooooooo very Rajasthan. For me it's the Nehru collar that really takes the biscuit (eating a chocolate digestive as we speak in fact).

Although the high collar is somewhat conservative the shirt has a humungous slit up each side which flashes a substantial amount of torso as you saunter by. In that case maybe I shouldn't have any more biscuits hahahaha.

This week's "must have" Ezine for lovers of vintage clothing

Your wardrobe can't be without the little black blazer. Perfect for every season, trend and outfit.

Silk route update

Hi again guys. Do you remember that post I did a while ago about two dainty silk shirts I had bought and my misgivings about silk ever being anything but impractical to wear? Well, I thought I'd update you - and the news is that I haven't even worn them yet hahahahaha. It's partly because I don't think I have happened upon the right place or event but it's also because I can't be bothered to hand wash them. Lazy I know.

Feeling regal

Hello "clubbers". That's my name for my followers hahahaha.

Well this is my latest purchase. A true classic.

The round neck sits high and elegantly on the collar bone. The dress carefully follows the contour of your body and then kicks out just below the waist. It's a nice conservative length sitting just above the knee which is always a good length of dress to have in the wardrobe. Then let me come to the sleeves. They make me feel really quite regal. Maybe it's the gold and red combination.

Not only that, they are a wonderfully refreshing bell cut. You don't see that very often nowadays. That's the joy of vintage I suppose.

I now need to get my special someone to take me out for a bit of posh nosh so I can parade around in it. It is the Queen's diamond jubilee year after all!

Nowness

I have just signed up to LVMH's nowness.com. You've probably all been signed up for ages as I'm usually quite slow on the uptake lol. Anyway, I got there in the end. I love it. Loads of articles, short films, photos of everything in the world of culture.

They send you a daily email so you are sure to get your fix. So yesterday for example I got an email extolling the virtues of Wanny Di Filippo (founder of Il Bisonte, leather goods company) with a link to a short film of about him. He has a very interesting take on fashion and life.

On the site they also love to use the word 'love' as much as I do. Hahahaha

Sign up! http://www.nowness.com/?icid=overlay_home

Indian summer

Have just gotten back from a truly lovely stroll in the park, Kensington Palace Gardens to be exact. Firstly they have recently re-opened the gardens immediately around the palace so the grass is lovely and new. There's no way I'd sit on it otherwise. I then walked to the Serpentine and on my way back I was walking behind this beautifully attired woman. Her sari was divine and perfect for the weather. She looked so elegant and poised.

Thank goodness my iPhone was on silent whilst I "papped" her. No doubt she would have thought me slightly strange. 

Passion for peplums

Just following up on the weekly Ezine featuring a gorgeous peplum dress, I just have to say how fabulous peplums are. So flattering. If you've got a bit of a pop belly then a peplum will hide it. If you've got a bit of a boyish figure then a peplum solves that problem quick-time but adding the illusion of curvy hips. Other that that it is just a great statement silhouette. Definitely a "must have" for your wardrobe.

Peplum perfect

Here is this week's "must have" Ezine for lovers of vintage clothing.

That red sole

Had a great night last night. Went to the Christian Louboutin exhibition at the Design Museum. You must all go. If you're like me and you love shoes then you'll be in heaven. If you're some sort of freak and you don't salivate for shoes then this exhibition will convert you. I wanted to try them all on. Even when there was a big fat 'do not touch' sign by the shoe I had to really restrain myself. Although I do have to say that hearing the price points did kind of dampen my excitement. Maybe I'll find some vintage ones hahahahaha. I should be so lucky.

Do I look like a clown?

I can hear you laughing out loud. No wonder as this blazer is VERY loud but I can't get enough of it. It's silk and so intricately well made. Yes I'll probably look like a crazy clown when wearing it but that's a risk I'm prepared to take. This legend of a jacket is silk, impeccably finished and lined, and is like nothing I have ever seen.

The pink in the pattern is obviously calling out to my pink lipstick lol.

And guess what? It's a men's jacket. I think its original owner must have been quite diminutive in stature as it fits me in a wonderful 'boyfriend cut' way on the arms and waist. The shoulders are just a touch too wide though. Just a touch. I have been debating whether to get them tailored. I was talking about it with my Nana, who was a fabulous seamstress in her day, and she thinks it's fine as it is. I think I'll get a few more opinions before I decide as it won't be cheap to get it tailored. But you know what, I REALLY love this statement blazer so I think it's worth the investment.