Party Frocks For Pennies

Well, not quite pennies. But not breaking the bank. You know what it's like ... Christmas again and you have soooo many glamour-filled parties to go to*...

Whoo yeah! Chrimbo! Let's party like it's 1899!

Great: an excuse to buy a new dress. Only there are a few problems; Christmas is a fricken expensive time of year, you're likely to get photos all over Facebook so are perhaps reluctant to wear the same thing again and again and it's freezing cold out so all day shopping would be a pain. Yeah. And you need to save your pennies for Bailey's mint chocolate liqueur and biscuit selection boxes. If your anything like me, that is...

Bargain Review: "Everything £5"

£5 clothes, brand new. I know what you're thinking: how could there possibly be a website selling clothing for just £5? It sounds too good to be true. It sounds like they must sell seconds or the garments would fall apart. You wouldn't go for it unless you head someone tell you it's OK.

Skater Dress: £5

So, I tried it. And I can tell you ... "Everything Five Pounds" is OK! The clothes are absolutely, positively normal high street stock. Indeed, my latest purchase had a tag on it with an RRP of £15.99. I would guess that they buy up old sale stock, deadstock and the like and sell it on - meaning, interestingly, that those of us with slightly alternative tastes are well catered for. Many of their items tend towards a retro or rock-chick style (perhaps that's why they didn't sell out on the high street?) and I've noticed the plainer and more 'key basics' an item is, the more unusual the sizes (top tip for you big or small footed ladies- black flat shoes- only ever in large or tiny).

Attacking Things From Poundland With A Glue Gun

Ah yes, the weather has been foul so I have been doing things indoors. By doing things, I mainly mean reading trashy fantasy novels and watching YouTube tutorials whilst eating Pringles by the fistful - but eventually, occasionally, I actually get round to making the things I've watched. Yes, crafting. Or in my case, sticking everything in sight together with an overheating glue gun and hoping for the best.

S'cuse the nekkid nails.

Trip To The V&A

Alas I am limpy once again. My sciatica struck during the snow and it's still here... unfortunately I got no sympathy on the tube because, it seems, most tourists think that injured or disabled people look like Tiny Tim. Obviously I have no right to walk slowly looking relatively normal, or try to do normal things. Grr. I wouldn't mind so much but bar stairs, I'm actually quicker than the average tourist is, so their request to the person hanging on to the handrail and wincing as she walks to speed up were a bit rich to say the least.

Anyway, my sister and I made it to the V&A to catch the end of the 'Kitty & The Bulldog' mini-exhibition and the new fashion galleries. I like fashion history and my sister likes Japanese sub cultures, so between us we made up one cultured visitor. We also like anything a bit OTT and wearable. You can't beat it whether it's a hooped velvet skirt from a Victorian wedding or a lace and pearl cuff from Japan. When we were looking at the 1850s section of the fashion galleries, my sister quipped that I would be normal sized then. Heheheh indeed. I would be mighty and tall! On reflection, the crinolines would also have hidden my gigantic feet too. But there wouldn't have been any central heating so I would probably have burned myself to a crisp as I rashly edged nearer and nearer to the fireplace in my purple velvet monstrosity.

WooOOoo January

Hello again! No, I have not gone into hibernation, I've just been busy. Really busy with boring stuff and things. The twofold result has been that (a) I haven't had time to blog and (b) I haven't had time to do anything worth writing about. Unless you are particularly interested in enhanced exam analysis or the cost of tree surgeons in West London. No, I didn't think so. But I have prevailed, and I am back, and I do hope to be blogging regularly now - maybe not actually often, or making any sense, but regularly.

Grand Union Canal houseboats in the snow.

So. January. What's that all about then? Not getting paid for ages, tax returns and feeling a bit bloated and unhealthy. Mmm not a fan. Neither do I do resolutions, I find them a bit reactive, like "Oh, there's this thing I'm failing at, and I know it all year but once a year I'll go and fix it in a manic way that stresses me out, then give up." Yeah, I know not everyone is as cynical or obsessively weird as me. The do it all the time or don't do it at all thing is, after all, what has caused me to be too busy to blog (or do any other hobbies) over Christmas.

Winter Wonderland 2012

On the first of December, I dragged himself out do do something Christmassy. For it was the first of December and my house was too much of a wreck to even consider Christmas (this left the cleaning and tree wresting to Sunday, with a hangover, which in hindsight I should have foreseen). Anyway, it was time to get squashed, get muddy in a park line up in the cold for the toilets and buy beer in plastic cups ... that festival in the midst of winter, Winter Wonderland Hyde Park.

If you've never been, essentially it's a German market, circus, fun fair, Santa land and ice rink all in the middle of London; free to get in, with loads of stuff to spend all your pennies on inside. Like beer halls and mulled wine. Yeah, we were totally up for the cultural stuff. What a shame, we got waylaid by the food and booze, as is our way.

Hats & Hair & A Chrimbo Fair

My jaded heart is starting its seasonal melt. I am becoming 'enthusiastic' Perdita again, yes, that annoying one who highlights everything in Time Out and texts a million and one people and constantly organises one after the other 'just a little gathering- you know- some mulled wine.' Christmas Perdita. She gets tiresome quickly, but I don't have to hang around with her, everyone else does. Ha!

New Shoes?

We're in that lull between the autumn festivities of Halloween, Guy Fawkes, Diwali etc' and the time when it's actually OK to be blatantly over excited about Christmas. All is quiet. All activities that are blog worthy also need to be kept mum because they pertain to Christmas presents. So I took one for the team; selflessly, in the name of research post I bought new shoes. It was painful. But I did it.

As a child of the 90s, I was never without a pair of DM boots. Comfy and lasting-for-life, to my mind they can be work with a huge variety of outfits, not just jeans. However, for many years a gal like me had to decide between the comfort of her beloved docs and the glamour of a high heel. A tough choice, especially if you work on your feet all day.

Do You Make Christmas Gifts? Useful Links!

Yeah, it's November. With Bonfire Night and Halloween out of the way, my thoughts turn Christmas-wards. I always intend to make elaborate home made gifts for everyone, but sometimes time (and money) get in the way of creating complex applique designs or cards so complex they could be filmed for Grand Designs.

Often, if you're not amazing with the sewing machine it's those little stocking fillers which are best home-made. Gifts for work mates, neighbours, friends and kids. I find simple, low-cost crafting incredibly therapeutic and relaxing on a cold winter night. Working long days and often bringing work home, projects need to offer impressive results with either a quick make, or, if a longer project, small steps which can be split up over several evenings.

Also... they have to be cheaper than buying a (nice) example of said object from a shop. I am no longer a kid and people won't smile through gritted teeth "it's loooovely" if I present them with some chewed up can-you-guess-what-it-is-yet article; all the worse if it cost me a new mortgage via  Hobbycraft. Most of my craft materials are recycled, thrifted or scrounged from Poundland or - on a good day - Dunelm Mill.

I usually start searching for ideas in my old 70s books and online around now. Thanks to Pinterest (yes! I am on Pinterest! And I'm shamelessly plugging my boards!) I've rounded up and filtered out some of the best easy/thrifty/actually cool Christmas lists out there and am sharing them today (click the captions to link):

36th Avenue has the BEST range out there; it delivers exactly the level of thrift, ease and actual nice gifts I want. What is more, at the bottom they link to two further installments. So that's up to 75 gifts! now my family'sbig, but not that big...spoilt for choice.

This range of 24 easy projects from Tip Junkie has some nice bath items and paper crafts.They say they're for neighbours only... I'm gonna be a rebel and give them to people who don't live next door (but are neighbours in the metaphorical sense, I guess).

These ideas from How Does She are a little less 'hands on' but every bit as cute;printable labels and ideas for little baskets, sweets etc'. Perfect for making a simple little gift more special.

Finally - Cut Out And Keep is a great craft community with literally thousands of projects... if you want something specific, or want to search by material, it is the place to go.

See Felt Bows On Elastics and 1000's of others - or share your own on Cut Out + Keep

Don't forget to check out my Christmas Craft board on Pinterest for more ideas (including how to make sleighs out of 2 chocolate bars and some candy canes... genius!).

October Outfit

It's Ethical Fashion Bloggers' monthly challenge this week, which is useful seeing as I just about manage to post an actual outfit post about once a month and that if you're lucky. I'm the worst vintage blogger ever, it's like "hmm, I have all these vintage clothes and mid-century items in my house... hmm, I write this blog ... if only there were some way of combining these things. If only!?!"

I take 50 photos, always, always I look angry in them-
I tried to soften my face, it blurred. Damn you Pixlr.

Making Luurve

I don't get people who dislike Valentine's day because they say (usually condenscendingly) 'anyone who treats their loved one especially nicely once a year must therefore be neglecting them the rest of the time'. Not only is that deliberately mean spirited (assuming that everyone apart from their holiness of holier-than-thou is neglectful every other day and merely OK on Valentine's) it patently ignores the one thing that modern psychologists, historical sages and wise nannas all agree on; that it's impossible, and unhealthy, to be in a full-on emotional state 24/7 - so ritual and celebratory dates are valuable. A moment of excess and expression. Everyday love is vital; it's listening, cooking dinner, remembering to take the bins out on a cold night so they don't have to. It isn't - unless you're rich and unhealthy- champagne, chocolates a-plenty and nights on the town. That's why we have festivals.

Check It Out!

I had my shopping mojo back this weekend. There were several items I just could not find in the sales - although I had a major win with some VW Melissas for £39 (Bond St Fenwicks, I thank you) I was just too tired to do the usual rummaging.

Sneaky bargain shoe shot

2011; A Perdita Pictorial

Now is not a time for complex words. We are too hung over. Now is a time for reflecting on things pretty and silly, and contemplating exactly how much fun one can have using only 365 days, charity shops, beer and a little imagination...

Cherish your local parks and museums

Make like a starlet with Rockabetty Studios

Relax in the garden, mismatched tea and china or mismatched
wine and crisps, it's all elegantly chilled.

Keep an eye out for those retro cook books!

Have your drink appropriately labelled
by  Penny Dreadful Vintage, and...

...Buy the perfect maxi. Scowl: stylist's own.

Be silly on HMS Belfast

Rehydrate. It's important.

Revel in chazza shop shoes

Rehydrate some more.

Enjoy vintage British summertime weather with Retrochick and
Landgirl1980.

Have love for the EBay.

Visit National Parks.

Buy something from the 30s 'in poor vintage condition'.

Rehydrate some more whilst you recover from the shock.

Escape to glamorous Norwich.

Consider living in a tent.

Geekify your home-sweet-home.

Rehydrate.

Relax.

How has your year been? And what are you looking forward to as we venture bravely into what can only be called.... the future....?

Winter Parks

I am on winter holiday and seeking, as ever, thrifty things to do round and about London. I have spent all my money on presents and mulled wine, and although the lure of the Sky+ box is strong, it can't hold me until January 3rd.

One of my favourite ways to escape the madness, save a bit of cash and experience the city in a different way is to explore some of our great outdoor spaces- the parks- during the winter months. They take on a new persona; subtle, sometimes haunting, and I notice aspects easily lost amongst the flowers and noise of summer. Statues, old buildings, bare and delicate flora; even the stark skyline- they all come to the fore in winter.

Another advantage of seeking out a park or square is that London has wonderful examples in both the centre and suburbia. It is very easy to take a small time- say, half and hour- between shopping or partying and get a bracing walk in. I did this Saturday before meeting up with the hardy few of Twitterland who were still up for Winter Wonderland. It made me feel a bit more virtuous when necking mulled wine and London stout all afternoon.

Of course, I would hazard a warning about venturing out (male and female both) into secluded woodland after dark. Not only might there be ruffians intent on separating you from your iphone, I also heard of a guy up north who slipped, fell and had died of hypothermia before they found him when wandering a large cemetery. Parks are big places and quiet in winter- it's their appeal, but also requires a little common sense.

London is a city blessed with fabulous open spaces. I'm using Hyde Park as an example here today, but could reel off several more favourites (Osterly, Hampstead, Walpole, Gunnersbury, Richmond...). What spaces have you in your area? And, if they look a bit shabby, is there a local group campaigning to improve them? I have several wonderfully restored canal walks near me - I remember them as muddy trolley-filled ex-canals in my youth, but now they are inspiring. Local action at its best. The more we use our open spaces, the better.

Marvellous Cocktails!

What, cocktails again? I know, it's a burden because usually I am abstenious at all times. In my defence, these were marvellous cocktails, at the Vintage Norwich Marvellous Cocktail Party. I was up in the Fine City for another weekend, and we kicked this one off in style...


Retrochick, glamorous as ever.

Bloglink...'Where Is Harriet?: Matalan Autumn Winter'

A very quick post... check out Matalan's mod-inspired AW collection as blogged by Where Is Harriet?

where is harriet?: Matalan Autumn Winter

Matalan seems to be THE place to go for affordable repro-styles (that, as a customer, I find last/wash well: so no 'fast fashion trash' either), as well as catwalk inspired looks and basics. Oh, I do sound like a nanna saying that but it's truuuue!

Where are your favourite places for bargain repro? Post us your tips and links below...

Ipswich and Old Leigh On Sea

What a weekend! Here's a nice little outfit post from my night out with the Muskerbeers. Mmm sequinny.

The 80s has landed, note tasteful Audrey-Hepburn-style Muskerbeer in the background.

My big fat 60s dressing table

Oh, and it is big and fat. It took four people to get the darn thing out of my gran's lock-up and into our flat, but I was having it whether it ruined our backs (and the suspension in Florizel's dad's mate's van...) or not. Oh, and it wouldn't have been the same without the two matching wardrobes. (Big eyes, butter-wouldn't-melt-smile etc'. Three companions crumble under my persuasive skills. Suckers).

Ages ago Penny Dreadful posted about the glamour of dressing tables and the componants of a dressing table, and much as I love the notorious B-I-G-Plan, I couldn't take a picture because it was an utter mess. Seriously- I'd managed to spill half a bottle of foundation over it and it looked like the lost graveyard of the bent-out bobbypins. Well, I was giving it a bit of a tidy and polish today and actually remembered to take a photo. It isn't fabulously grand and luxurious, but it is practical, vintage and has a giant mirror with a clip-on Elmo attached.

Pretty Practical

I was thinking about something I read in a glossy fashion magazine last night. To summarise, it went blahblahblah... I wear fully formed stockings, pencil skirts and Jimmy Choos all the time, of course they are just so comfortable! And ideal for all tasks a lady would want to do and anyone who doesn't has 'low self esteem' (the bright/middle-class female equivalent of 'yo momma') and is a slob obsessed with comfort (not that that judgement would lower anyone's self-esteem)... Blah blah blah... To my mind, every bit as dangerous to a young woman's mind as an inaccurately airbrushed model. Manners maketh woman, make-up simply maketh woman glam. I adore glam, but if my entire self-worth were tied in it I would feel rather sad.

Life ain't no walk in the park

Actually, it was yesterday. It was when we got there and the effing battery gauge on my camera malfunctioned and went from full to empty in 30 seconds flat that it all went wrong. Luckily, his lordship was able to sally forth like Sir Walter Raleigh and save me with his posh android phone thingy which has a passable camera.

We enjoyed a stroll through the Eastcote nature reserve in far West London (you'd never guess you were in mid-suburbia) and I grumbled because there were loads of lovely things I wanted to photograph, and, good though the stand-in was it wasn't up to arty shots of leaves, lichens and other boring stuff I like to snap.

Finally, we popped to Eastcote House for a look around the pretty walled garden. This has nothing to do with it being en-route to the pub. Sadly, the manor house itself is little more than a glorified shed nowadays; intact on the outside but you can see the boarding behind the glass, and it's where they store the lawnmowers and grit. By modern standards it's little more than a big detached, but back in the day it would've been some place! Depressing, in a way, but at least it keeps it preserved. No photo either- a large van was parked outside obscuring the view. Our luck came back when we lifted the latch and sneaked into the secret garden...

Me, apparently bringing back the 'hobble' skirt from the early 20th century!

Playing with the camera apps!

And so, following a bracing walk, we adjourned to the pub. The Case Is Altered, Eastcote (it's an unusual name, but there's another up in Bushey! Strange). The name is apparently a corruption of the Spanish name for a brothel - the 'house of fun' if you will. Cheeky times in centuries gone by! Nowadays, the only women lowering the tone are me and my pals- it's a really nice local pub, giving the flavour of the local Inn in an Agatha Christie cricket-on-the-green village - but on the tube and 30 mins from central London. Fab.

They have the 'balance' here: sport is shown, but on a small unobtrusive screen in one area, excellent food is served, but it's not a 'gastro', there's olde-worlde charm with a large airy barn conversion for fans of modern decor. The range of drinks is good too- there are usually 4-5 ales on pump (Bombadier and Pride being the usuals- the guests yesterday were all Cornish, I tried a Cornish stout with coffee. Yum!). In the summer, there's a spacious beer garden with an excellent view of the cricket green and/or nature reserve.

Yum. Dehydration is a killer.

If you're in the area, I recommend this pub! It's also a good start for a crawl round Eastcote and Pinner. ;)