Winter Wardrobe II

I am usually a vintage girl I will admit that I should think that over 75% of my wardrobe is vintage. My collection is growing all the time and to accommodate the dresses, bags, shoes, hats and all the other things I can't seem to resist when I go out on my travels - I am going to have to change the spare room into a dressing room and somehow fit the office, clothes and vast collection of Vogues into one space!!

But I diverse from the point of the point of this post (my inspiration for my new dressing room will come in another post).

There are so many vintage influences in the shops this season that I just had to share some of my favourites with you. All of these are really reasonablly priced and can be mixed with orginal pieces or with retro styles to give you a fabulous look for Autumn/Winter.

Watch out on furture posts of outfits that I have worn out and about to see if I actually bought any of these pieces.????

This pussy bow Florence and Fred dress from Tesco £16 I would  wear this with a tweed jacket and a pair of brogues and a felt hat or beret. Or with a T bar shoe and a fascinator, my lovely moc croc vintage clutch bag for lunch with the girls.

Tweed skirt Florence and Fred from Tesco £18 teamed with a brown pussy bow blouse, and my 40's red jacket and hat.

John Rocha at Debenhams £60 shoes - these are fairly practical for winter weather but smart enough to wear with skirts and trousers alike.

Wide leg pants Primark £16 - I would team these with a flat loafer and a fair isle sweater, a vintage jacket and a felt hat or beret.

30's style jumpsuit Primark £17 - I just love this glamorous jumpsuit, my idea for wearing this would be to an casual dinner for friends with a vintage brooch on the shoulder and some vintage inspired chandelier earrings and pair of flat ballet pumps.

Weekend outfits

Last weekend the hubby and I packed our case (vintage of course) and headed to the coast at Sheringham for the North Norfolk Railways 1940's weekend.

We go every year and meet up with good friends and meet lots of new ones.  It is lovely to see everyone dressed up in uniforms and beautiful vintage dresses and hats.  The whole town gets involved with bunting, window dressing and wartime themes.

Each year I like to wear something fabulous and this year was no exception so here are my two daytime outfits - with the debut of my new hats!!

Saturday Day outfit - hat bought from stall at Gressinghall, Jacket bought for me by my lovely hubby from Lulu Vintage in Norwich, brown skirt part of a suit from Ebay and bag from Prim Vintage, and shoes also from Lulu vintage.

Sunday Day outfit - hat again from Gressinghall, hat pin bought on Saturday, Dress from Break vintage, shoes from Goldfinch's vintage and fur wrap is my mum's.

Evening outfits coming in next post and more fabulous outfits that get showcased during Norwich Fashion Week.

Mad Hatters

Following on from my A/W inspirations post,I love to wear a hat and Autumn is a great time to top of your look with a fabulous titfer!!

A hat is a must for the damp days of Autumn - if you have curly hair like me and the minute you walk out the door the style that you have spent ages rolling and tweaking goes into a massive frizz ball, don a fantastic hat you will look polished and stylish all day.

Here are a few ideas of hats I love.....

I am starting to put together a rather fabulous collection of vintage hats and am looking forward to wearing them of the next few months.

While I was out and about at Gressinghall Village at War last month I pick up a couple of really cute hats (at a bargain price which is even better), these will debut at Sheringham 1940's weekend on Saturday. So I will post the whole outfit on this blog on my return.

New Season Inspiration

Summer seems to have finally said good-bye although it never really said hello!!!  I was hoping that we may have had a last mintue flourish of an Indian summer but I think that I have to bite the bullet and put the summer dresses away for 6 months or so and bring out the heavier knits and tweeds.

I love the summer weather but do love Autumn/Winter clothes - I love the chic and elegance of a tweed suit, a 3/4 length glove showing under a wool duster coat and hats!

Vintage clothes are so suitable for chilly days - ladies of a bygone eara always looked so well put together with a co-ordinating suit and coat. And she wouldn't have left the house without gloves, hat and bag that all toned in.

I adore planning my outfits at the begining of the season, looking through what I already own and what goodies I can buy to make it feel fresh and new. I always put together a look book of styles that I like and want to wear for the months ahead.

So here are some of the looks I love ...................................

I just love the sharp angles of these styles - the red and black are so striking, adore the hat and scarf.

                                                                   So elegant!

                    I need a new winter coat so something like these are on my wish list.

                            A classic car coat, hat and gloves, also loving the scarf and brooch.

 

The thought of wearing fabulous outfits like these makes the dark and gloomy months ahead seem a little more bearable.

I will post some of the outfits I put together for Autumn/Winter and where they were worn in future blogs.



Orchids on your Budget - Making a budget.

There are many more qualified to do budgets than me but the Orchids on Your Budget feels that the miscellaneous section that most budgets suggest should be cut down the most is the reverse with us.  As long as you have enough for the essentials this section should be as much as you can afford. Even if you have to cut down to the bear minimum on everything else.

"Miscellaneous" is the item that covers theatres. parties, trips and cocktails, permanent waves (blow dries now) and a Wedgwood breakfast tray set or the jewelled clip you saw in the vintage shop window and lilacs in Springtime.

What works best is to draw the "miscellaneous" budget out of the bank once a week and do as many of the things you want keeping in mind the days you have to cover.

Professional budgeteers minimize this item, true if but if your budget is small - but this section is the fun in your life and should not be trimmed - look at ways that you can save in other places - the coffee every morning, the sandwich at lunchtime, the newspaper - read it one line - all add up and could quiet easily be part of the "miscellaneous" that affords a chic evening purse or good bottle of bubbly.

It is wise to budget one way or another. It seems to be the only sure method of knowing what is coming in and going out.  Have a budget and follow it but be flexible with it and make very sure that your budget covers orchids!!

This is the last of the Orchids on Your Budget posts but I will keep returning to it with ideas, tips and photos of how you can have a fabulous life with out spending a fourtune.

Orchids on your Budget - Giving to others

One that you should not do is giving presents especially Christmas and Birthdays.  People on a budget economize and nobly tell their friends and relatives they can't manage presents this year and know that it will spoil it for them.

Your income is in bad way  (and attitude) if you can't give a few presents, with thought taking the place of money.

Some of the most wonderful presents I have received have cost next to nothing - gosh presents (the kind that make you go gosh when you open them) are the best ever.

Handmade gifts  - a large fir cone tied with ribbon for those friends with fireplaces, pick up an old glass or china in charity shops or antique shops, find a decorative box and fill with sample sizes of beauty products or a basket with food goodies, make some cupcakes or cookies wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon.

Collect unusual ribbon, wrapping paper - use lining paper and potato print or cut stars and stick on. Scraps of fabric can be used as gift wrap, newspaper - especially the FT it's pink!!, old magazines, brown paper tied up with string with a pretty flower or trinket attached. Making the outside look fabulous means that you have taken time and effort to make it special.

Orchids on your Budget - Out and about.

Don't think that you can't get around on very little money.  There are few cities that don't have inexpensive restaurants or deals that can be used to go out for a meal.  There are lots of things that can be done for free or very little money. Cinemas are often cheaper during the week and lunchtimes in fancy restaurants do good deals.

Pack a picnic in the park - there are free and using a proper basket, linen napkins and cutlery instead of paper ones will make the simplest of food seem more expensive and chic.

Investigate what public facilities have to offer - free lecturers, or concerts, reasonably priced venues and events in your own area and you will have fabulous interesting things to do which will encourage you to do more and find more ways to have fun on little money.

First nights of plays are often cheaper, are there magazines that want people to review events in return for a ticket?

Thinking outside of the box - and again what seems to be the buzz word running through this blog - IMAGINATION!!