Red skirt

skirt - Uniqlo / jumper - H&M / watch - Swatch

Eek. First foray in front of the camera. New-found respect for all fashion bloggers; outfit photos are really hard! Especially when there's winter lighting issues and you don't like your hair and you don't have a camera remote control so getting a good shot is a long & slow process. I think it's good to see the person behind the blog once in a while though, so here I am.

This skirt was a sales purchase from Uniqlo and it fits like a dream. It moves nicely as well - all kind of floaty and puffing out when I spin around in a circle. Block colours are the best - I'd love to replicate the wardrobe of The Hour's Bel Rowley. After lazing around in trousers for far too long I'm trying to make an effort to get back into tights, dresses and skirts, which is great until my legs start quivering with the cold.

Proper winter weather is fun but I'm relieved to get the feeling in my toes back. This week's plans include baking one hundred brownies (another commission), sketching (the cold snap took away all motivation to do anything but huddle), practising calligraphy with my new nibs, booking tickets to see the Manet exhibition, making marmalade with Seville oranges, and celebrating the end of January. What will you be getting up to?

New clothes

Cream shirt, Uniqlo, £14.90
Black & white Breton, H&M, £7.99
Shift dress, Gap via charity shop, £2.50
Woolly cardigan, Mango via charity shop, £2.00
Cable knit scarf, Uniqlo, £7.90
Grey cords, H&M, £7.00

Some high street buys & some charity shop buys. Charity shopping is infinitely more satisfying because if you find one lovely item amongst rails of tat, you appreciate that item so much more.

I'm trying to make my wardrobe grow up a little - classic pieces, simple colours, simple cuts. Not giving up the Breton stripes though.

Now the purse needs to go away until spring is here and I can buy summer dresses galore...

Vintage in East London

There are some lovely streets and buildings in East London. Look past the smart-suited bankers swarming along Liverpool Street, past the clusters of hipsters meandering back and forth between vintage shops off Brick Lane, and you'll find Dickensian-looking terraces, ragged bunting flapping against iron lampposts, old churches and retro typography. I even spotted Carrie of WishWishWish being snapped down a photogenic side street (red umbrella'd lady to the right!).

We did hit the vintage shops too. Beyond Retro is probably the best - you're guaranteed to find something in there, be it a floral dress, knitted jumper, culottes, a playsuit or an old American sweater, and the prices are relatively decent. Some vintage shops try too hard and are full of unoriginal sixteen year old hipsters and obscure pounding music. But other shops are more my cup of tea - forties music humming away, knick knacks and old books perched precariously on every available surface. Look out for spontaneous basement sales where you might find the odd special bargain...

All photos lazily swiped off my Instagram. I couldn't live without that app at the moment (how predictable) because I always have my iphone on me and it's just so easy to use. Anyway, I didn't want to lug my dslr around the shops (lazy girl excuses)...

I'm spending all of today on my laptop, reading the papers and consuming hot drink after hot drink whilst outside it switches from sunny blue skies to gales and rainstorms every five minutes. Hankering after some summer weather, or a ticket somewhere hot. I haven't been abroad for two years, and my list of countries to visit just grows longer...I envy any of you preparing to jet off somewhere exciting!

perusing the sales!

Don't you love it when you peruse the summer sales, buy a few random items, then come home to discover they all accidentally match?

Clockwise, from top left:

Cath Kidston + sale = a recipe guaranteed for success. I bought this make up/toiletries bag for £10, reduced from £16. There was a lot more I could have bought. In fact I'd just like to buy the whole shop. But I restrained myself.
I have no idea whether 'fashionistas' think Gap is really uncool, but I don't care - I like it. Their Breton t-shirts are THE BEST (believe me, I've tried many kinds of Breton tees), they're super soft and never lose their shape despite being worn a lot. I liked the colour scheme of this one - it's slightly different and will be better for autumn/winter than the usual blue and white styles. £10.95, and on a 3 for 2 offer.
I own far too many pairs of cheap sunglasses, but I couldn't resist adding to the collection with these, which were £4.99 from H&M.
This cotton denim style shirt dress was a steal at £9.99 from Uniqlo. Uniqlo are similar to Gap in their simple colours, cuts and fits - simple, classic styles are what I'm trying to aim for. The dress is light and has a lovely feel, with a similar shape to this one I found in a charity shop. Love!
My absolute favourite bargain of the day was this skirt from Topshop. The usual Topshop story - I saw the skirt when it first came out, and loved it, but didn't love the price. Then I spotted it lurking at the end of a sad-looking sale rack for a CRAZY £7! It was the only one left, and a size 6, so I wasn't feeling too optimistic - but somehow it actually fits! I can never squeeze into size 6 clothing because my shoulders and hips are too broad (painting such an attractive picture of myself right now) so I think this must be destiny. I love the centre buttoning and the colour will accompany me all the way into autumn.

Last but not least, I bought this little pencil charm necklace, which was down from £9 to £2.50 in good old Accessorize. I feel it's a necklace reflective of my character!

Have you had any stupendous summer sales steals? Or are you impatiently waiting for the autumn/winter looks?

one day off

Yesterday:

Busy busy busy, with work, with studying, with writing, with life. Savouring the precious few days when the shrill beeping of the alarm clock isn't dragging me out of bed with its teeth. Savouring the sun slowly opening up my bedroom to a new day, savouring the slow lazy morning stretch followed by the slow lazy morning.

A run, a hot shower, a boiled egg, toast. We read recipes, write lists of ingredients, drive to town in jeans and sunglasses. The Killers on the radio, a sign the day is good. There's a familar charity shop on the high street with a new sign that reads discount; inside are rails bulging with bargains. An armful of clothes soon materialises. Spinning about in the fitting room trying on dresses, turning circles, examining seams, swing music gambolling along in the background. I find a polka dot number, something gypsy white, two jumpers, a cardigan, a bag.

Then there are more shops. Oh Comely magazine, Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries, oh so mouthwatering. As mouthwatering as the bakery-come-cafe we gaze into, lured momentarily by the fresh bread and chickpea soups and quiches. The clock's stretching past three though, lunch has passed, so we settle for coffee and Victoria sponge before the afternoon has ended.

One flat white, one cappucino. Conversation, The Times and more lists. Afternoon sunshine coming and going through the windows, sweeping across tables, lingering briefly on faces and shoulders and hands.

P.S. thumbs up for the vintage Laura Ashley duvet cover?