Blue skirts & Friday pirouettes

Hooray hoorah it is Friday time. To celebrate I am wearing my pretty new vintage skirt from Portobello Market. I feel like I should twirl & pirouette in it. I enjoy a midi skirt, teamed with some light weight tights, it seems like an easy was to cope with the humid but rain filled weather that we are all experiencing. I teamed my skirt with a light pink blouse from h&m with detailed collar, it was a lucky sale purchase - I had been toying with buying it for a while & when it entered the sale it seemed like serendipity. How did everyone's sale purchases go? I was a crazy fiend shopping my Zara list at 12.01am on Thursday! xxx

(skirt - vintage Portobello Market, shirt - h&m, leather jacket - vintage, belt - vintage, bag - vintage, brogues - Topshop, polka dot tights - Accessorize)

(detail on the collar)

London Calling

I hope everyone's week is going well. I have spent the last couple of weeks in London town for work. But I did manage to fit in some exploring, some vintage trawling & lots of amazing food eating.

I love London with a passion, there is something about the finding something new on every corner, culture everywhere & not to mention the street style inspiration. I am definitely feeling the London pull.

When I wasn't working, I tried to hit some of my favourite London places - V&A, Portobello Market, Camden Market, Selfridges, Barbican, Columbia Rd flower market. The Selfridges sale was amazing, eating sushi in Islington with friends was jolly & stumbling across the Marleybone summer fayre was a rather lovely way to spend an afternoon. I am quickly trying to unpack all of my purchases & integrate them into my wardrobe so Mr Taffeta Ramblings doesn't notice. Here is a story board of my adventures:

Marleybone summer street fayre - amazing street food & great independent stalls

Queuing to get my Pinkberry fix

Chocolate velvet cake with cream cheese icing - Yumchaa, Camden to kick off the weekend

Vintage hunting in Camden market

My Saturday strolling outfit - vintage shorts, vintage blazer, plain white tee & vintage head scarf with my 'oh so chaud' current Mac favourite

Coveting vintage Chanel pieces

Creative talent at LCF - great exhibits that are open to the public

V&A such an amazing venue, so inspiring

Portobello antiques market

Starting the day in Camden with cake times & my new floral dress

Notting Hill - house perfection

Portobello Rd wandering

Fashion exhibit at the V&A - Love the roaring '20s

Loving this shop on Portobello Rd

Hanging out at LCF - swoon at their Vogue filled library

Portobello Rd strolling

Topshop was a little nuts with sale crazies

I want them all - in Topshop

Selfridges' patriotism

What adventures has everyone else been having? I know I am not alone in my love of London, I think it is such a dynamic, creative city that has such an amazing vibe about it. Where are your London haunts that I should check out next time? xxx

Let's play with the dressing up box

It is Monday once again, always Monday & never Friday is kind of how it feels, or is that just me? My inspiration this week is all about playing with fashion. I am trying to not get stuck in a rut & be overly 'safe', I think it is hard to change things up a bit but I am all for trying! I think I will be playing about with colours & prints to try & shake things up a bit. This week I am taking inspiration from:

1. The accessories change this up from a plain beige shift dress - love the glasses. Source

2. Clashing prints done with ease. Source

 

 

3. Playing with proportions - love the easy breezyness of this look. Source

4. Bralettes & cardigans, who would have thought this would be the perfect combo. Source

5. Accessories & more accessories - spikes & perspex oh my - shouldn't work but it so does. Source

So how does everyone else feel, fearless to play with new looks, colours & prints? I think I might need a dose of fashion courage & just go for it (a brighter lip counts, right?)  xxx

Once Upon a Time Vintage

Last week I was lucky enough to have tea & cake with the ladies behind Once Upon a Time Vintage. They are such an inspiration to people who want to set up their own business. The sister dream team specialise in hand picked vintage items from the 60s, 70s, 80s and especially the new era of interest the 90s and also customised vintage inspired pieces - their tie dye t-shirts are my personal favourite for summer 2012. Finding their inspiration from rainbow colours, my little pony to the Spice Girls, Charlotte & Hannah offer a really personal service & take great pride & enjoyment in sourcing every item they sell. I think when you buy something it makes a real difference if you are able to feel the seller's passion for fashion & the items they have selected, this for me is why I love to shop at markets as opposed to always Topshop. I think Asos's Marketplace gives you the best of both worlds & is always where I look when I know I want something different but don't really have the time to try & source it myself.

The girl's Asos Marketplace boutique is brimming with festival perfect outfits - fringed tees, cropped tops, tie dye shorts & picture perfect vintage dresses. The 90s seem to be back with a vengeance & I think it is nice to mix it up, for someone like me who lives in tea dresses & brogues, I am loving the grungier, more colourful approach to vintage that the 90s brings. Think Angela from My So Called Life, lusting after Jordan Catallano as your inspiration - baggy tees, tie-dye, ripped shorts & a hopeful lovelorn look in your eye. Check out some of my picks from the Once Upon a Time summer collection:

 1. Tie-dye Mint & Pink Fringed Festival Tee - £25

2. Pastel Rainbow tie-dye Map tee - £20

3. Vintage Floral Midi Dress - £30





















All photos from Once Upon a Time Vintage, photographer Donna McGowan.

Mad Men Style

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Mad Men is my TV staple - I will be shedding a tear when this series draws to a close. Betty Draper has long been my icon of all things blonde, vintage, with a slight quirk or two, I was a little more than disappointed that her main role this season seemed to be as the fat lady in the show. I think that the show's costume design sets it apart & it is a visual treat - with Joan's shape hugging dresses, Betty's prim & proper cardigans & pastel shades & Peggy's attempt at 60s working women chic, this season Megan Draper has upped the style stakes embodying the swinging sixties. From her kohl lined eyes, flicky bob & love of prints, Megan represents so much of what is great about vintage fashion - fun, playful & classic. Any other Mad Men fans out there?

Megan's wardrobe moments:

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1. Megan's zig zags, pastel shades & lady like bag - so S/S 2012.

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2. Megan's sex kitten, 60s bat wing dress whilst serenading Don.

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3. Poised, serious with perfect tousled bob & a prim & proper scoop neck & brooch 

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4. Paisley pattern & bow neck - perfect day wear & something I would love to rock

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5. Polka dots & ruffles - it is like she raided Zara, or is it the other way around?

My favourite ever fashion moment from Mad Men is still loyal to Betty & it was in the episode in which her & Don go to Rome (season 3, episode 8).  Beehive, cocktail cigarette in hand, bejewelled & stunning in a black knee length gown - it was 60s glamour with all the sophistication, kitsch & quirk rolled into one - you can almost smell the hairspray! 

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For the love of Liberty

So trainers & I aren't normally the best of friends, I begrudingly bought a pair to wear to the gym but that is it, I don't do sports or 'sports luxe' or any variation on this theme. However, something must be in the air as I just purchased a pair of Liberty for Nike 'kicks' (I believe that the kids call them). Trainers seem to be everywhere, I blame Isabel Marant, but dunks, kicks, sneakers (any other American varieties of that...) seem to be the shoe of the summer. I spend most of my days in brogues of varying shades but I thought for summer & since I seem to be walking everywhere, maybe a little floral spring in my step would be the answer.

This is the pair that I indulged in, I like the subtle colours & muted tones - Yellow Liberty Print 'Blazer' trainers.

Launched in April 2012, the prints & colours are retro & quirky, I will be teaming mine with vintage Levi shorts, plain tees & oversized blazers. I will also be trying to channel Susie Bubble who I think pulls off the look with girlie ease & sophistication.

Susie Bubble from Style Bubble

What do you think, do Liberty manage to make trainers chic? This is my take on the look:
xxx

(shoes - Nike Liberty print, Coat - Vintage Burberry, shorts - vintage levis, t-shirt - Topshop, blazer - Zara, bag - Miu Miu)

And the winner is...

With a cup of tea in my hand, I was awake bright & early to pick the winner of my h&m neon necklace giveaway...& the prize goes to 'Number 4'  - Sophie Country Girl. I have dropped you an email & if you let me know your postal address I will pop it in the post to you asap.

Thank you all for entering. Have a great weekend xxx

Snapshots

This week has flown in, the sun has almost made a reappearance, jubilee fever has died down & I am packing for a trip to London town for a couple of weeks, busyness all round!I seem to have fallen off the face of social life, so I tried to make a concerted effort to get back out there this week - many coffee catch-ups, gin drinking & baby visiting ensued. What has everyone else been up to?

1. Coffee catch ups & vintage smock dresses 2. The new Zara playsuit that I want in my life - just need to track down my size 3. A cheeky visit to Wholefoods for cake & bread buying, so many yummy things to try, I had so much free cheese! 4. Starting the weekend right with pancakes with the boy 5. Dressed up in our finery for 21st birthday madness - we had to sit at a grown up table - that is when you know you are getting old! 6. My Topshop haul - channeling summer in mint shoes, nude wedges & a tropical print bikini.

xxx