Lust List: American Apparel

With my 21st birthday looming (eek!) I thought it'd be fun to do a round up of some of the lovely things I definitely don't need (far too many clothes!) but have always liked the look of. The expense of it and lack of one nearby has always stopped me from shopping in American Apparel, but I've always admired how they many to make basics look desirable and how they aren't afraid to subvert boring items with bright colours or patterns. Some of their things are a little on the short side which is a shame, but with the right pair of tights or leggings I'm sure the dresses and skirts would be fine. Here is a round up of a few of my spring favourites.

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?

Kilo Sale Haul Part 1 - Judy's Official Kilo Sale, Leeds

Who doesn't love a bargain? Even better, who doesn't love a VINTAGE bargain? Even seeing the two words together puts a smile on my face.

Having only really got into vintage shopping a year or so ago through eBay, I have grown to love the 'real woman' sizing and lengths, the well made fabric, the ladylikeness, even the musty granny smell, of vintage. I absolutely love the idea of buying a little piece of history and something that you won't see every other person wearing - I like to think of it as creating a 'clothes collection' rather than a wardrobe.

With this in mind, I am still pinching myself that I managed to convince Judy of Judy's Affordable to let me and my coursemates Jack and Johanna create an official Judy magazine for our third year project. To celebrate and to research our first article, we popped down to the brands Leeds Kilo Sale.

If you've never been to a Judy's kilo sale before, the premise is simple: grab a carrier bag, fill it with whatever you like and then pay £15 for every kilo you buy. Averaging at 4-5 items a kilo, that can mean as little as 3 pounds an item. So bargaineous!

Johanna, Jack and I had a great day mingling with bloggers, Judy's fans and Leeds students, snooping on their buys and trying on the most ridiculous things we could find (see picture of me in a massive bear coat!). I particularly was really happy to meet and go for coffee with the very lovely Kate McDougall from Leeds based blog Trends With Benefits (check it out, it's amazing!), who was a lot of help with our article and scored some awesome buys herself.

More on that later, but for now I thought I'd share some of my purchases!

Blue and White Patterned Playsuit - The shorts on this are pretty short and might make this playsuit seem a teensy bit slutty, but worn with tights it's not too bad. I completely fell in love with the big white buttons and the 70's gold heart belt - so tacky but brilliant.

Blue Pinstripe Wiggle Dress - I absolutely fell for this dress and thought it would fit me but alas not, my bottom half has let me down again. I don't know why I always forget that Pencil Skirts are not my friend! Still, I love the top half so am planning a bit of D.I.Y work with a skirt I have in the same shade of denim and then using the pretty blue striped fabric that I cut off to make something else or to add some embellishment.

Black and White Check Dress - Probably my best buy of the day, this dress is so versatile and looks great dressed up with a sweater and frilly socks. The skirt just hits my calf and I feel so ladylike. Probably worth 15 quid on its own!

Floral Skorts - Being a little bit on the pear-shaped side of hourglass figure wise, I never thought skorts would do me any favours but these were a little longer than ones I've seen before and in such a pretty fabric that I thought I'd give them a go, and I'm so glad I did. I think they'll look really nice with thick tights, a simple top, cardi and brogues.

Not bad for £15 eh? If you're feeling a little jealous, head over to http://www.judysvintagefair.co.uk to see when a kilo sale is hitting your town. And stay tuned for another kilo post coming very soon!

Bring on Beacons! My festival fashion guide 2013

Hello readers! I'm feeling pretty excitable today as I've realised that in just over a week, I shall be touching down at my first camping festival of the summer, Beacons. If you've never heard of the festival, it is a relatively new three days event that takes places in the gorgeous town of Skipton, Yorkshire, and attracts all sorts of indie and dance acts. They also offer a plethora of arts and crafts, independent food and vintage fashion.

Having been lucky enough to attend as press last year, I had an amazing time watching Wild Beasts, Cloud Nothings, Willis Earl Beal and many, many more, and was thrilled when I was asked to be part of the box office staff on top of my normal press duties this year.

Being at this years festival partly as staff and partly as a journalist, style AND comfort when it comes to my festival packing has never been more important. Whilst I don't want to rock up to the likes of Local Natives, Django Django and SBTRKT looking like a mess, we do live in Britain and I have to consider every kind of weather as a possibility, which means planning my outfits in advance. Now, I know people who put waaaaay too much effort into picking suitably trendy festival outfits or even go out to buy something new (something I will never understand - festivals are dirty places that don't suit clothes you really love!), so I'm very sorry if you're here looking for a shopping haul. I'd love to have the money to buy on trend festival clobber, such as the amazing two piece trend I'm lusting after (sigh) but HaberdasHer has always been and always will be a thrifty and affordable blog! So without further ado, allow me to introduce you to some of my failsafe pieces that I've gathered over the years that should be making in my 2013 Beacons Festival Wardrobe.

Stripe shirt from Next - I remember buying this a few summers ago when I did some casual work in the sales. I can't remember how much it was, but due to its versatile colour, it has definitely earnt it's keep over the years.

Dungaree Shorts from Internacionale - I bought these in my first year of University using a voucher I got from my sixth form, so completely free, for me anyway! Dungarees are perfect for girls like me because they look girly whilst being practical in the 'going to the portaloo' department.

Knee Socks from Primark - I believe they still do these, and two pairs for a pound when I bought them. A great festival sock as you can fold them over the top of your wellies to reduce rubbing, and they can be a more fun alternative to tights.

Shoulder bag from Tesco - Chances are at a festival you're going to be lugging some bulky bags, so it's always useful to have a smaller shoulder bag with the essentials you need quick access to when you're getting through the gates. This one cost me £2 in a tesco sale many moons ago and fits a phone, small camera, purse and ticket with ease.

Wellies from Asda - My ultimate festival fashion tip - get rid of the patterned wellies! Sure, they look great on their own, but you can't beat a good old fashioned green pair when it comes to making sure they 'go' with every outfit. And if your feet are on the slightly smaller side, it often works out cheaper to look in the kids collection- these were £7 from the boys section of Asda last festival season.

Homemade Headband - Avid readers would recognise this headband that I made from discarded old dress material! You can check out the tutorial here

Oversized Blouse from Rokit Vintage - As we all know, I love a bit of colour, and I especially love a polka dot. I bought this blouse from Rokit Vintage in Covent Garden last summer for a fiver, and it is one of my favourite bits of clothing. Now 90's fashion is all the rage, I feel pretty smug at having grabbed this so cheap. Layers are definitely a festival essential, and this is thick enough that it should keep me warm as the sun sets.

Broderie Dress from Primark - This dress was part of Primark's basics range a year or so ago, and I have worn it to death. However, I have recieved so many compliments on it when I wear it that I wish I'd bought it in every colour! The broderie top part adds a feminine side to the deep colour which should hopefully provide the well needed mute tone to the pink. It is a little on the short side though - I might need to add tights!

Belt from Old Internacionale Shorts - I bought a pair of chunky cord shorts for £5 from Internacionale last winter, wanting to try something new, but when I got them home I realised that they did nothing for me whatsoever and as they were a sale item I couldn't return them. They have since been passed onto my mum, but I kept hold of the belt and makes any outfit because of its simple brown design.

Necklace from H&M - I rarely spend any money on jewellery, but this was too cute not to buy a year or so ago. I love the subtle bling of the little owl's jewelled belly and eyes, and I think it complements the other colours in the outfit really well.

Converse High Tops from Office- These were my very first pair of real branded converse that I bought for sixth form nearly four years ago, and since then they have been to every festival with me. Reading, Leeds, V, Mumford & Sons in Huddersfield... you name it. They're reaching the end of their life now, but it would seem wrong not to take them to Beacons because they're so comfortable.

Two tone Sunglasses from Parklife Festival - These were entirely free, because I found them on the ground at this years Parklife festival. After asking around a little, I figured that I might as well give them a new home. Result!

Jack Daniels T-Shirt from Free Gig - These tees (festival classic, I know!) were being handed out last summer in Wakefield when The Cribs played a gig to celebrate a Jack Daniels anniversary. My friend Charlotte and I weren't lucky enough to go to the gig, but we were in town and met two guys at the train station who said they'd been to the gig but had picked up the wrong size and did we want them, Absolute result! The tee has got a really cool map of Wakefield on the back which makes it a great music-themed one off.

Oversized mens shirt from Rokit Vintage - I bought this shirt on the same trip as the pink blouse, but this one was only £1! It's massive so I normally wear it as a nightshirt, but it has a cool grunge-almost-kimono vibe about it that I think will be cool for a festival. It should match well with my round framed tortoiseshell sunglasses that were a pound from Primark (I forgot to picture them here, oops)

Denim shorts from Primark- Another item I wish I'd bought two of, these shorts cost me £4 from Primark ages ago and I've never found any quite so comfortable since. Sadly, they are starting to look a bit worn in the crotch (dangerous!) so this might end up being their last trip

Doc Martens from eBay - After lusting after them for years, these were my 18th birthday present from my Mum and Dad, but they still count as a bargain because Ma and Pa got them for just £50 brand new on an ebay shop. I might not end up having space in my bag for those and my wellies, but I shall do my best to squeeze them in.

Hip Flask from eBay - Arguably THE biggest festival essential, this was bought off ebay for 3 quid and then I made the slip myself out of an old fabric sample. Classy!

Basic top from Primark - Bought an age ago for a couple of quid in an attempt to add some basics to my wardrobe, this top has become the eternal match for the dress, a subtle, well needed pop of colour. It'll also double up as a top to sleep in once I've worn it in the day - classy I know, but when you're packing for a festival, you need to pack light!

Floral Pinafore dress from eBay - A find I stumbled upon on eBay last autumn (just before pinafores properly came back into fashion), I wore this all winter layered up with a chunky knit and glittery scarf. I'm looking forward to testing it out in a more summer way!

Sunglasses from ASOS - These were a birthday gift from my best friend Anna way back when, but I've grown to love the pastel shade even more recently, and they are the only pair of sunglasses I own that are truly comfortable.

Handmade Crochet Headband - Made from the waistband of an old tiered skirt I used to have and then cut up to make cushions, this crochet length makes a lovely belt or headband, a nice way to add a little festival detail to an outfit.

Polly Pocket Necklace - I'm so glad I found this! It was right at the back of one of my old drawers when I visited my family home recently. It's so 90'stastic it hurts, and unclicks to reveal a little secret garden with a polly doll on a swing. So cute! I'm fully waiting for these to come back into fashion, although I might have to swap the string chain for a metal one first.

Plimsolls from Primark - These were £1 last summer and  are just placeholding in the picture until the Converse-type white primark low tops that I ordered from eBay for £2.20 arrive (they were meant to be here today, grr), but you get the picture. A white shoe at a festival is always a risk, but fingers crossed they'll be enough dry grass for them to be acceptable and as they were so cheap, a little mud might give them character.

Fake Pearl Bracelets - I have no idea where I got these, I think they were probably part of a set I bought to go with my dress for my cousins wedding. Still, they add the finishing touch of girliness.

Mens Shirt from Judys Affordable Vintage Fair - One of my buys from the Judy's Kilo Sale I blogged about a few months ago. Seen as I got four dresses and this blouse for £20 and it's light as anyway, I reckon it probably cost me about £2. I LOVE the old fashioned bright stripes and it fits me perfectly despite a missing button or two. I never wear it buttoned up anyway. Even better, I love the fact that the colours perfectly match my ....

Wild Beasts T Shirt - I bought this tee from their gig two years ago in Leeds. Wild Beasts are one of my all time favourite bands and watching them headline Beacons last year is one of my favourite gig memories, so I thought it's be nice to remember that by wearing it this year.

DIY socks - Another blog favourite. You can get this lacy tutorial here

Sunglasses as above

Shorts as above

Plimsolls as above

So there we go! I hope you like my outfit choices. If you fancy grabbing a last minute ticket to Beacons, head on over to greetingsfrombeacons.com. 

My first mini bargain haul - the pastel edition!

Hello team! Hope you're all well. I've had a bit of a stressy couple of weeks what with a broken laptop and various other bits and pieces not going to plan, but, determined not to let it get me down, I thought I'd cheer myself up with a bit of retail therapy, pastel style! In typical Jenessa style, the whole lot happened over a period of about 10 days and only added up to just over a tenner but I still feel a teeny bit guilty. Still, on to the bargains!

Sally Hansen and Revlon Nail Varnishes

These were £1 pound each from poundworld. I normally favour rimmel or collection 2000 nail varnishes as a rule, but after hearing that you could get branded varnishes in poundland of all places, I thought I'd give some others a go. It always disgusts me how expensive nail varnish is! The colours were a bit hit and miss instore, lots of crackle varnishes and ugly reds, but after scouring a few branches of poundland and poundworld I settled on these two. The Sally Hansen 'sea' coloured mint was a bit runny but after three coats that were easy to apply thanks to the super wide brush, they came out a really sophisticated shade that was summery but not too in your face. Sadly I think I might have applied it a little too thick as it started to peel round the edges two days later, but I shall have another go. The 'electric' yellow from Revlon was a lot better - two coats and you could see it glowing from the other side of the room! the high pigment is great, especially for a yellow shade - I don't want my nail to just look like they've gone mouldy! I'm very happy with it and looking forward to wearing it with...

Juju Hello Jellies for TopShop

I'm normally pretty good at resisting the Topshop summer sale, but these were crying out to me at the lowly price of £5! With the british summer all over the place(heatwave one second, thunder the next), i figured a waterproof sandal was the way to go. Costing me only £6.50 after opting for the instore click and collect option and using student discount, they are a great happy medium between a cheap sandal and the more expensive traditional juju gladiators which I love but would almost certainly never wear. Plus look at the colours, they're so happy! the jury is still out on how comfy they are but I am very impressed at the speed of TopShop's instore delivery - i ordered these friday afternoon and picked them up at my local topshop branch at 3pm the very next day. I just wish I was going on holiday now...

Papaya Mint Short Sleeved Sweater 

 This was a little ebay bargain at only £3, including postage. Clearly tired of how long it takes me to choose outfits in the morning, my boyfriend pointed out recently that it'd probably do me good to get some more plain things to work my love of patterns around. Wise boy eh? I actually tried one of these super-soft knits on in Matalan about 6 months ago and loved it, but never actually got round to buying it, so I'm very glad it popped up online! With it's gentle hue it's a very versatile piece, although it's going to need a run through the wash as it still smells a bit smokey from its previous owner. Still, that's what you get with ebay isn't it? I'm looking forward to pairing it with jeans, a white undershirt and ankle boots come uni in autumn. Back on the hunt for the lavender version.

And last but not least...

Vintage Pink St Michaels Skirt 

For anyone that hasn't been to Huddersfield, it's worth it if only for the sunday market. I've recently discovered a new favourite stall that sells amazing granny chic at ridiculous prices - my friend charlotte got an incredible satchel for a pound that upon reflection, i probably should have nabbed first! Still, on our last visit i saw this skirt peeking out and thought it was perfectly twee - even better when I spotted the label of my favourite vintage brand, St Michaels,closely followed by a label that said £2. The elastic band means it fits perfectly worn at both waist and hips and has a great demure length that should see it last me all the way through summer and autumn.

Not a bad haul for £11.50! Have you bought any bargains recently?

Overcome with Joy

Hi everyone, how are we all? I've been a bit stressed of late moving house (and realising I own far too much crap) but everything has settled down now and I am becoming accustomed to the new place.

Unfortunately, the swap-over between old and new house meant that Kev and I were essentially homeless for the weekend, but luckily my delightful friend Charlotte put us up at hers! However, with all our possessions in storage, we were at a bit of a loose end in terms of entertainment all weekend, so decided to treat ourselves to a bit of window shopping in Leeds.

Anyone from the West Yorkshire area will know that Leeds town centre has been undergoing a bit of a rejuvenation the past few months, with Leeds Trinity Shopping centre a new fixture boasting a massive food court, huge Urban Outfitters and in the coming months, a Primark of a size that will rival even Manchesters. Not bad for bargain lovers like me!

But what really excited me about my trip to Leeds was the discovery of an even newer shop, called Joy. According to their website bio, they are a London brand, but I had never heard of them before, which I realised was a crying shame the second I stepped inside. Imagine Urban Outfitters having an older, more demure sister, and you can pretty much imagine what Joy stock. Gorgeous, sophisticated patterns without any annoying cut outs (a massive pet hate of mine) or booby bits, all of joys dresses, blouses and knitwear were quirky and fun, but still of a high enough quality and subtlety that you wouldn't feel weird wearing them in lectures or the workplace.

With principal label Louche providing most of the stock, in which women can 'indulge sartorial fantasies with exclusive style and vintage flair.', there is certainly an upmarket high street feel about Joy, the same sense of timelessness you get from Next, Monsoon or Debenhams. Luckily, the price tags are more than reasonable, with a fantastic sale on this month.

Alas, my self-imposed 'clothes spending ban unless absolutely necessary or from ebay' (jenessa trademark) stopped me from purchasing anything myself, so I thought I would live vicariously by assembling some outfit posts. Enjoy, and check out Joy's stock for yourself at joythestore.com!