Sunday 8 January 2012

No More Shopping

I swear this is my last splurge. For the first time in aeons I took myself down to Brick Lane. If you have any interest in vintage clothes and are in london I would recommend Beyond Retro. There are now several branches, including one just off Oxford Street, but the one in Shoreditch takes some beating. Behold the spoils...
Vintage pruple jacket
My goal was 'office wear'. This little jacket seemed to tick boxes. Light enough for warm weather, smart yet quirky, aubergine coloured, right size. It was coming home with me. Next up...
Vintage stripe dree
This dress is one of those that proves one of the key rules of vintage shopping - you just can't tell from looking at it on a hanger. On the hanger in the shop it looked like a big lumpy bag of a thing. It also said it was a size 4. Once on it looks like some lovely little french number - perfect for wearing with low heels and an up-do. Possibly some little black framed glasses perched on the nose? I don't have any but...you know. I love the unnecessary button detailing.
Vintage stripe dress detail
Then finally I slipped. This does not fall within my shopping remit but....BUT....IT'S RED POLKA DOT.
Vintage red shirt dress
Again, this looked very odd on the hanger and had some *enormous* shoulder pads which are now languishing in the bin. I may take an inch or two off the length but look at those pockets! Perfect for keeping kittens and other such equipment in.

My final purchase is what I may well wear to my sister's wedding in December and is not of the 'vintage' variety. As well as more vintage than you can believe there are lots of little designer boutiques and young designer pop-ups and so on in the area. This one is from The Laden Showroom where there are lots of little niches and each niche is a different designer. It's well priced too - plus there is a sale on!
001
It's a very dark maroon thin stripe corduroy wrap dress with a black cotton sash. It has proved almost impossible to photograph but you get the idea.

In between all this activity I've been beavering away on this.
Red and white fairisle in progress
I actually woke up at 7 this morning and had the armhole and v-neck steeks stitched and cut by 8.30am. By 10 I'd joined the shoulders, sewn down the steeks and steamed it all flat. Neck line and armholes will begin at the Romford knitting group this afternoon. I got most of the patterns and all the inspiration from my sister's xmas present to me - Alice Starmore's Charts for Color Knitting. Excellent book - even if they have misspelt it.

My next jumper is going to be using one of her all-over designs. So inspiring- I do like fairisle. 


I got an exciting email last night from a friend I've blogged about before who is am AMAZING textile artist. It opens up several avenues of fun and as a hint as to what one of them is I leave you with this video she has made. It is only a minute long and very beautiful.

2 comments:

Heather said...

Wow, that was quite a haul! They're all beautiful, and of course you had to buy the red polka dot dress. Have fun wearing them!

Penelope Grey said...

Nice collection of clothes you have picked up. I am forever now trawling through charity shops and find some amazing little finds. Just today I picked up some nice 1950s crystal necklaces. One was broken and got thrown in as part of the deal, it was no good to them, and they discovered I could repair it. Beverley xx