October/November Haul

For the past couple of months I have been somewhat chained to my computer desk doing work, so I'm afraid this two month haul is mostly random little online buys. Hope you might enjoy a little insight into my purchases anyway.

Topshop Skater Skirt (via eBay)

My first purchase of October, this came about as I realised how much I had been neglecting all of my old favourite band t shirts, simply because I never wear trousers anymore and didn't have any plain skirts that would look nice with them. A good simple skater skirt has been missing from my wardrobe for months, and now I can't really see how I lived without one - the fit is so much more flattering than straight skirts on my body shape. It's was only a couple of quid and is a great 'throw-on' piece for work, adding a touch of smartness to my otherwise pretty simple cafe uniform.

Vintage Cream Blouse via eBay

Again pretty plain and boring, but a definite necessity in Autumn when layers are less of a fashion statement and more of a health precaution. This blouse was just 99p and fits perfectly on it's own or under dresses for a more retro look, which has allowed me to revive some of my old favourite pinafore style frocks.

Wax Coat - Tesco

For those who don't know, Huddersfield is the rainiest place ever. I ventured out to uni one day in October and got caught in a rainstorm, resulting in a drenched backpack and most unfortunately, a passport in the front pocket that had soaked up so much water than my picture in it was totally ruined. An incredibly irritating waste of £70, but a proper wake up call that I could do with dressing more appropriately for the weather. Luckily Tesco turned up the goods with this lovely Barbour-style wax coat, complete with hood (a surprisingly rare attribute in fashionable winter coats) and for only £35. There was only one left in my size in this colour, so I like to think that it was my reward for having such a rubbish rainy day. Stupid passport.

Care Box from Ma and Pa!

Having not had a chance to visit home properly since July, I REALLY miss my Mum and Dad. Third year of Uni is really full on and sometimes I miss the days where I had somebody else to be the adult for me. I guess they must have realised that I was feeling a bit down because just after Halloween, I received this lovely little care package which included sweets, my favourite Revlon nail varnish, new squishy socks, craft paper and my hideous Year 7 school photo (I guess that one was to amuse Kev). Mum also put in this lovely necklace/collar which I can't wait to wear over a plain dress. They know me so well and it really perked my day and reminded me that I CAN do whatever I set my mind to. I can't wait to see them over Christmas.

Boots Gift Card from the in-laws

 Speaking of Mum's, my boyfriend Kev went home to visit him Mum recently and she was lovely enough to give him a £10 Boots gift card to give to me. How sweet and kind is that? I'm not sure exactly what to spend it on yet but I'm thinking smellies - I love Boots's natural collection body sprays and moisturiser but my Passion Fruit spray has just run out. Maybe I'll try Vanilla next...

Freebie promo Cd's

With our uni set to move their SU building over to a new multi-million pound development, we've been made to clear up the Student Magazine's offices ready for the move. In the process, we unearthed a stack of cd's that had been sent to various Music Editors over the years that had been left behind, encountering more than a few blasts from the past. Whatever happened to Klaxons?

Primark Navy Polka Dot Kagoule - Inherited from lost property!

There are many perks to working at a Cafe (yummy cake, hot drinks to perk you up on a morning shift, overhearing customers gossip) but the best thing is that often, people will leave their possessions behind. Yes, I know this sounds awful, but we do have a lost property policy and we do keep things in case people come back for them, but sometimes though, things are left for so long that they just need a new home. Such was the case with this Primark Kagoule, which must have been left with us for well over a month. Everyone knows I'm a sucker for a good polka dot and it's so useful how it all fits back into it's own pocket. Still, if you are the Kagoule-less student and would like it back (sob), please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Business Cards from Moo.com

With graduation getting ever closer, our uni have set us a module this year called 'Professional Development Portfolio', where we are required to put together a Media CV, Cover Letter, examples of our best work and a business card. I had so much fun designing mine that I thought I'd share it here. Using my favourite printing service (Moo.com) and some voucher codes online, I managed to get 50 cards for just over £13, which isn't bad at all considering the high quality of the paper and how carefully they have been cut.

Magazines

Other university work has sent me on a bit of a magazine spree. I LOVE magazines but I normally deprive myself as they seem like a bit of a luxury. Still, since I enrolled on 'Writing For Magazines' this year I can justify it a little more and splashed out on Company, NME and The Times Higher Education Magazine to give me some inspiration for assignments. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in with this weeks NME - My big case study project this year is centred around Women In Music Journalism so I can't wait to investigate how they have approached M.I.A's big comeback.

Bon Marche Tartan Skirt (via eBay)

The tartan trend has been all the rage for a little while now, and as a child of the 90's I've been itching to try it. It's mad how people will pay so much for stuff on the high street when you can get in on the eBay for 99p. Now, Bon Marche wouldn't be my first choice (although my Nana used to love it), but the colours on this skirt are so perfect for autumn and the material is far better quality that I was expecting.

Primark Mustard Jumper (via eBay)

I've never been quite sure about wearing yellow as I was scared it might hollow out my skin tone, but after experimenting my £4 bargain Topshop mustard maxi, I thought I'd take the plunge into some bold knitwear. Mustard is such a great shade for this time of year anyway as it matches the leaves, and I managed to snag this off eBay for just over 3 quid. I normally find cropped jumpers pretty annoying as they tend to just make me look as if I'm wearing something that doesn't fit properly and often leaves slopping hems hanging out underneath, but as I'm planning to wear this over collared dresses hopefully it will work a bit better.

Kilo Sale Haul Part 2 - Revival and Working Class Hero Vintage, Huddersfield

I know what you're thinking - how many clothes can this girl buy? But when your university project is a vintage fashion magazine AND there are so many pretty things to be had for next to nothing, what am I to do? I doubt ill be needing to shop again this side of Christmas.

After all the excitement of Judy's Vintage Kilo on the Thursday, Friday yielded another treasure trove in my very own Huddersfield courtesy of my favourite local vintage shops, Revival and Working Class Hero.

Whilst their sale wasn't quite as grand or as big as Judy's (and some of the items were old high street stock rather than 'true' vintage), simply held on trestle tables in the Byram Arcade (Huddersfield's coolest hotspot), there were plenty of items in amazing condition and good sizes, which is always a rarity at kilo or vintage sales. Even better, these guys were charging £5 a kilo, meaning pretty much any light-ish item was the equivalent of £1! I for one have never seen a vintage sale this cheap.

So what did I buy, I hear you cry? Well, for an outrageously lowly £10.60, I bagged the following...

H&M Dress - I wasn't sure on this when a friend first held it up, thinking it might be a bit mumsy, but after getting it home and trying it on, I'm so glad I added it to my bag. The fabric is wonderfully thick for a H&M item and the pattern is far less garish than it looks in this photo. Best of all, the bodice fits perfectly and and the skirt is a decent enough length that I think this would look really nice for a formal event.

'Housewife' cotton dress - You know when you find a dress type and shape that works for you so you just keep buying the same thing over and over again in various patterns? Well this is a typical Jenessa dress! I have a million and one simple cotton tea dresses like this that I've bought from vintage fairs, but my wardrobe was well in need of some green and I love the pattern. Like my other dresses in this style, it's a wee bit long so I will probably lop it off at the knee and make a matching bow out of the spare fabric.

Lilac Cardigan - A proper granny classic! I bought a similar cardi off ebay a while ago that I was planning on using for a tutorial, but when it came I ended up loving it so much that I kept it plain. So finding this ones means I can do my old D.I.Y idea after all! This one is a lot thicker and stretchier than my old one anyway which was already beginning to get a little baggy around the sleeves. It looks really nice just thrown over a dress or a plain white blouse.

Miss Selfridge Pearl Collared Jumper - Probably my favourite buy from across the two days (even though it's not really vintage), I've barely taken this jumper off. I'm even wearing it now as I type. I rarely wear black but it matches with my black gingham Judy's dress perfectly for some subtle schoolgirl chic. The pearls are well stitched which is pretty rare in these sorts of items so I'm hoping they survive the wash!

Floral Skirt - It looks a bit droopy and sorry for itself in this picture, but this skirt is a lovely silky material. I was really drawn to its wintery colours and hope to team it with a simple vest, fluffy cardigan, thick tights and DM boots this winter.

Denim Skater Skirt - Considering I have been trying to find a skater skirt that isn't too damn short for ages, I was thrilled to find this one in  heavy denim. It'll need a few inches lopping off it, but it has a great shape and the fabric is immaculate, a definitely rarity for vintage denim. Plus, it has pockets - definite bonus!

Scarf - This was a bit of an impulse addition, but I thought the simple colour was a safe investment for the upcoming months. It's in the same felty fabric as my red winter coat, so hopefully the two will go quite nicely together for a casual winter look.

Pretty crazy right? Hopefully now that this first one was such a success, both stores will think of doing another one - my bank balance certainly hopes so! Even if they don't, both shops have some amazing full price stock that I'm constantly lusting over, and which you can check out at the links below.

http://www.revivalvintage.co.uk/

http://www.wchvintage.com/

Do you like to shop vintage?

Lust List: May 2013

I feel a bit bad starting my lust list feature just after I received some amazing gifts for my birthday, but hey ho, I guess that is the beauty of blogging - collaborating pretty things without seriously feeling  like a spoilt brat. Just a little note to self of things I've loved this month or want to remind myself to make versions of. So here goes...

Bunting - Who doesn't love bunting? I have some really cute tiny bunting strung up around my room here in our current house, but now we're moving to a new, more homely student house in a month, I'm feeling the urge to buy or make more to deck out the living room. I'm going to be living with three boys: I need to stamp some girliness on the place somehow.

Jelly Shoes from TopShop - As a child of the 90s, I can't believe these are back in fashion, they used to be so comfortable and stayed practically glued to my feet between the ages of 6 and 10. Wish I was going abroad this summer to make full advantage of their inherent summery-ness, but I guess they could be rocked here in blighty with a pair of frilly socks (Which, note to self, I hope to put a tutorial up for on here, seen as  I've got metres of lace and a plethora of pastel coloured Primark socks just waiting to be experimented with...)

Sass & Belle Fox - I've absolutely adored Sass And Belle ever since I discovered their owl cushions in Urban Outfitters, but Paddy the Fox has now won over my affections. Last month I finished one of my second year magazine projects in which I designed a crafts magazine, and Sass And Belle were one of the companies I contacted for potential advertising because I just love the fabric they use. They had really encouraging things to say about my own design work which was so nice to hear. Pairing together my love of foxes and florals, this cushion is a dream, and will inspire a little foxy project of my own that I have in mind for this summer.

Topshop Pinafore - Another 90s favourite, the humble pinafore is back in fashion. I absolutely hated them in my youth - I have distinct memories of my mum dressing me in one ofr school when I was 7, and feeling all odd and old fashion because all the other girls had trousers. Now, I couldn't thank mumma williams enough - I was well ahead of the trend! With a few pinnies notching up in my wardrobe, this denim one from TopShop would be perfect with an old tee for days when you just want to shove something on but still look well put together.

Apple Crates - Bit of a random one I know, but Pinterest and a wander round Huddersfield market has given me some really good ideas for storage in our new house using apple crates. Couldn't be simpler really - just sand them, paint them and stack them, and you have instant open shelving to display all your bits and bobs. Would be great for shoes, or even a makeshift, quirky bookcase. I abolutely love the idea of upcycling  thingsl ike this that you can get for free if youk now where to look... I shall keep you posted on my adventures trying to nab some!

Urban Ears Headphones - I've had a pair of pink skull candy headphones for years, but according to my radio lecturer, some of the wires in them has 'fazed'. Can't say I know what that means, but if it calls for a new pair, I've had my eye on these Urban Ears in Mint. I tested them in Urban Outfitters when in Manchester a few weeks ago and wasn't too impressed by their bass quality, but they sure are pretty. 

Modcloth Blouse -Ah, Modcloth. Bound to be making an appearance on every lust list form now on. Put simply, ModCloth make the most gorgeous vintage influenced dresses I have ever seen. Every single time I go on their site, I see a million and one things I would love to wear. This blouse is just one of the things I have been staring at for months, a simple, versatile chiffon topped off with delicate little floral buttons. It's nearly £60 dollars, but think how much wear you could get out of it...

Company Magazine Subscription - Doing tons of market research for my magazine project meant reading tons of womens and craft magazines, of which Company is definitely my favourite, blending affordable womens fashion with articles about bloggers and crafting and all sorts of other things that matter to my age group. I've been buying it religiously since Spetember but a subscription would save me a lot of money, not to mention the hassle of trying to grab a copy in the shops.

TopShop Nail Art Pen - I love a good polka dot, and that extends to my nails. Whilst I've got a good system down with a pink base coat and a delicately dotted black paint on top, a nail art would make my life a lot easier, and give me the chance to try some more intricate designs.

Laura Ashley Sausage Dog draught excluder - Anybody who knows me knows that it is one of my greatest ambitions in life to own a Daschund (when I'm no longer in student halls and have a decent job so I can afford to feed it). His name will be Maurice, he will be black and brown and will possibly wear a knitted beret at all times. Until then, this super-sweet draught excluder is about as close as I am going to get. Maybe I could try making my own...

Owl necklace - I love Owls just below Foxes and Daschunds, and thanks to my Mums' birthday gift, I have a nice little collection of Owly necklaces coming along. I'm not much of a jewellery wearer but I do like a good statement necklace - it can really lift a block coloured dress or cardigan, especially if it is a long chained one like this. I especially like the detail around the eyes - they look like flowers! Or those jammy biscuits...

Clothes Rail - Another boring house essential. Argos seem to do a pretty affordable range, which will mean lots of free up wardrobe space in the new house if I put my nice dresses on a seperate rail. I've always liked the idea of putting clothing on display - for lots of people it's a massive expression of their personality, so why hide it away!

Beg Bicycles 'Bella' Bike- Having finished uni for the summer two weeks ago, I have a vast expanse of summer ahead of me to enjoy and hang out with the boyfy here in Huddersfield. Having pretty much ignored all forms of excercise during deadline period, we're both hoping to tone up a little this summer by joining the local gym - he fancies the standard machines, I'm more into the idea of aquarobics and possibly some zumba. He's currently trying to convince me that the best couples exercise we can do is bike riding, but having failed cycling proficiency in year 6 (I know, nobody EVER fails that), I'm not too keen. However, if I were, this bicycle from Beg Bicycles would fit the ticket perfectly. Just imagine riding through around the yorkshire hills, a little wicker basket on the front. With Maurice the sausage dog tucked in...oh I'm in love.

Fat Quarters - As you may have read in my last post, my stupidly lovely and generous manfriend bought me my first ever sewing machine for my 20th birthday. With so much time on my hands now with no uni and only a part time job, I can't wait to get started with it. With dressmaking on my long term agenda, I want to get good at steady stitching first, so I think some cushion are in order, maybe a small patchwork throw that I can work on over time. Some fat quarters would be ideal, although my hand sewing has taught me there arep lenty of places where you can get decent sized fabric samples for free, so there might be a good place to start.

What items are you lusting after this month?