Gloves!

I have been hankering after some fingerless, white lace gloves. I think it's an 80s flare-up (once infected with the 80s, flare-ups can occur throughout life during times of stress and shopping on EBay).



New Gloves! Cute and bargainous.



Well Fit

I haven't been out much due to the dreaded exam season. Endless paperwork and evening/weekend classes... happily they are now completed, students feeling confident, staff sorted- so my social life can start afresh with this bank holiday weekend. Huzzah!

Being housebound with paperwork of a weekend, naturally I used my full reserve of intellectual and creative power to avoid anything resembling an Excel spreadsheet until Sunday evening when it absolutely positively had to be done. Bad girl. Rebelling against years of 'no TV until you can show me your homework' as a child.

Labels go inside clothing...

...Not on people.

To be honest, I blame blogs. Or rather the 'anonymous' comments I sometimes see, and the blogs I stumble over by hitting 'next blog' at the top of the blogspot page then scuttle away from (note to self: for nice and/or sane blogs, use fellow bloggers' follow-lists, never 'Blogspot next blog').

80s t-shirt. Channel the rage...

I'm talking about how, since mid-last-year, I clock someone wearing vintage, designer or alternative and immediately introduce myself with '...I'm mixed style with an interest in thrifting.' Why? Well, in case they think I'm a part-timer, a charlatan or an inexperienced newbie trying to pass myself off as...

Between The Gutter & The Stars (Outfit Post)

As requested... my lovely Jean Varon from Penny Dreadful.

I love the way it's part 60s-urban and part Gothic-revival (it has some wonderful black spiral piping, reminds me of edging on church ceilings). The setting isn't intentionally 60s-urban by the way, we just live over a shop, innit. Convenient if you like crisps as much as I do.

Anyway, enjoy. Tis picture heavy, word light...

My Cup Runneth Over...

A couple of weeks back I got a rather exciting email from Margaret of Penny Dreadful Vintage. She was having a party in her new boutique and there would be Pimms and cake and clothes and other bloggers...

'Cat' Out The Middleman: no-shop thrifting

Friday night, I gleaned some fantastic vintage, vintage-style and top-end-high-street items without spending a penny! Cat, friend, old uni drinking buddy, ex flatmate and fashion queen was having a clear out. I would have taken photos whilst at her house but I took her wine and it did not end in an entirely civilised manner. A big thank you to my generous friend and her wardrobe clearing habits! The next day I looked rough as a badger's backside so there are no face pictures in this post, you all know I'm shy anyway when it comes to pictures of me. This is mainly down to the possibility you might recognise me from such antics as 'feed Perdita peanuts' outside an Old St boozer and the like, which would be a bit shameful. To be fair, His Lordship bought the peanuts with the best intentions, it just seemed a good idea at the time as I was having a strange post-wine 'don't liiike peanuts' hissy fit. I love peanuts really. The KP ones with chilli crisp on the outside are best.

What a haul!
Oops. Same size as the bag I took to Barnardo's last week.

Pub Review: The Office

Another pub review from Brighton. Decadent, I know. Please do read on to the end, as well as finding out about a favourite North Laines pub you'll also get to see a picture of a giant prawn holding Union Jack bunting. Which, I think you'll agree, is worth a few minutes of anyone's time.

The Office is a modern pub located in Sydney Street, a popular shopping area in Brighton's eclectic North Laines. It attracts a mixed crowd- families, students, couples and work groups all mingle in the bar and small garden (to the rear). Decor is rather 'woody'- plenty of pine, beige and cream - it gives a neutral effect. Some might find this unoriginal however in an area where some shops and cafes cynically crank up the novelty factor or niche themselves into clique territory, having this rather plain decor is a boon as it encourages the mixed crowd and relaxed atmosphere. The personality of this pub results from its staff, drinks, food and music- which speak for themselves.

More Markets, Fleas & Peas Pottage HAWT: Brighton Thrift #2

Being in Brighton for the best part of three days, a-thrifting-we-did-go, and not merely at Snooper’s. We also discovered a wonderful street market that runs on a Saturday, in Upper Gardner St behind the main drag of the North Laines.

Indoor Flea Market- more info further down this post!

It was rather eclectic and to some extent it gave the imaginary impression that people had opened up their homes, as doors and windows were open onto the warm street, filled with stands both professional and casual, craft-based and second hand.

Amongst the stalls I counted there were:

• Several local produce stands (cheeses, cupcakes, baked goods etc’)
• Military ephemera
• Many, many bric-a-brac stands
• Handcrafted jewellery and knits
• House signs and other architectural salvage
• Old technology (cameras, gramophones, sewing machines)
• Vintage clothing
• Magazines and books
• Toys
• Craft supplies (ribbons, antique buttons and the like)
• Antique packaging
• Art and 60s kitsch
• Second hand jewellery and accessories

Being, as they were, individually manned and outdoors, the atmosphere was more relaxed and less intently bargain-hunt based than in Snooper’s. There was chatting, and more of a local/regular visitor vibe to the place. One stand in particular caught my eye, selling silver by weight: this meant that items of no artistic merit or age were cheap, but anything of more interest (such as a 20s cigarette case) were truly bargainious! I eyed up a 70s enamel owl pendant… lovely husband went back and bought it when I wasn’t looking (even though he views owls with suspicion due to their large eyes: 'owls judge, fish don't judge...' hmm). What a nice man he is!

The owl of judgement

For rainy days- and indeed any days you fancy more rummaging, there is also a permanent indoor flea market (click here for Yelp reviews of The North Laine Antique & Flea Market) in the street, so there’s shopping to be done all year round! For details, you can also head to their Facebook page.

On Sunday, we were up bright and early, in spite of a night of the deeply odd dreams only cider-in-the-sun-followed-by-burritos can bring. Off we went to Pease Pottage Giant Boot Sale. A fantastic sale due to its size, facilities and location (just off the M23, en-route from London to Brighton- and next to the service station for post-shopping-Costas n' cake). Pease Pottage has a great variety of boots, the majority being personal stands with attic bric-a-brac. There are also plant stands, food stands, general new goods and even a guitar manufacturer. If you are on the hunt for proper antiques, get in on an 'early bird' ticket at 7am (the princely sum of £1) - but for most of us, the standard 50p gains entry between 8am-2pm and there are plenty of bargains to be had. Their facilities are also good: there's a designated cafe area (with seating) and two blocks of toilets. Parking is ample and free.

From the 70s to the early 50s...

Right. After that I bet you think I was all rummaged out, but no- I managed a haul of some very vintage cooking leaflets (MoF old!) at my local May fair. Then I was all shopped out. But never fear, there is more to tell, and with more fun and frolics into the bargain- two more pubs and a hotel to review, some outfits and more...watch this space!

Late 40s to early 50s: 10 minute recipes is for women busy due to
juggling their war jobs and having husband home! 

Yep, a Ministry Of Food Cut-This-Out-And-Keep slip!

The McDougall's book is advertised in the Good Housekeeping one!
Never mind the owl, the lamb man scares me...

Snoopin’ At Snooper’s Paradise: Brighton Thriftathon Part 1

Were you a bright young thing the 90s? Does any word beginning with ‘sn’ end in ‘Snoop Daw-gy Daaawwwg…’ in your head? No? Oh well, just me again.

Today’s posts cover second hand and vintage in Brighton, both at the famed Snooper’s Paradise and in some newer, less well known venues. I even have hot news about a secret squirrel of a new boutique that’s not widely known online… shhhhh…

Review: The Pump House Brighton

A slightly different post, as suggested by His Lordship. I do like a good pub, and I do hate a bad one - thus, my beloved husband suggested, I should add more diverse pub reviews to my blog. Most useful for those of us who cannot afford cocktail bars and swanky restaurants every day, and full of vintage, rock, kooky or mainstream charm, natch.

I'll start us off with two Brighton faves, simply because I spent this weekend in the rigorous and lofty pursuit of treats and shopping in said city. The first, a new favourite. I must admit that in the many, many years I have been spending time in Brighton I have always avoided this one as I assumed it would be tourist hell. I was wrong. I admit it. Such a snob.Just as there is no Englishman like an ex-pat spending his days in Spain, there is no gosh-aren't-the-tourists-making-it-rowdy than a friends-and-family return visitor.