Sunday 21 November 2010

Sweet Charity




I was going to post about my holiday packing progress but left it far too late and the bombsite formerly known as our bedroom was too dark for my ancient digital camera to deal with. Instead I thought I'd show you the vintage green leather jacket I found in a Sue Ryder shop yesterday.

Marked as a size 16 it goes to prove that you should never dismiss something that's not normally your size. I also found Jon a 1950's mohair car coat labelled as a ladies' size 18.

Just the thing to compliment Friday's 1960's crimplene mini dress.


People wonder how I manage to do so well in charity shops. I don't find cool vintage each and every time I visit but for me that's the appeal. It's all about dedicated searching, perseverence and persistence. I can go for ages without a whiff of a decent frock but when I do find something the thrill more than makes up for the weeks I go home empty-handed. 


Vintage dress and jacket worn with a heap of ethnic jewellery bought in India. I'm wearing 40 denier purple opaques with 100 denier grey ones underneath to intensify the colour.


I triumphed at last night's Curry-aoke with my rendition of Petula Clark's Downtown. In fact, my friends accused me of secretly practicing as my singing voice is notoriously awful.
It's a quiet night in for us tonight, the fire is lit and I'm making a mushroom and Stilton pasta bake.

51 comments:

  1. Dear Vix,
    I would have loved to hear your triumphant rendition of Petula Clark's Downtown :)
    I do love a bit of bottle green leather & that jacket has a great cut.
    You look gorgeously pensive in that last pic.
    Lots of love,
    Jem
    ...xXx

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  2. The searching it is very good for your brain too. While you are deciding and spotting, the brain is working like the best computer in the world.
    Un abrazo fuerte.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  3. Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog.

    I love that outfit and that jacket is gorgeous x

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  4. Ah great song choice, I'll keep that one in mind for next time.

    I'm with you on the sizing, I have worn vintage size 8 through to 18. Mind you, the sizes in H&M are often just as odd! x

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  5. Love the bottle green with the purple. Such lovely shades for winter!

    I agree - the thrill of the hunt makes up for the days you come home alone. And I'm talking about charity shop shopping here, not going out on the pull! :) x

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  6. Good find, I look in charity shops without much hope of finding true vintage, but have spotted a few things recently.

    The pasta bake sounds yummy, please would you share the recipe sometime?

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  7. That shade of green is lovely. I've just hung up a similar style in brown for the bazaar I'm doing on friday. I find the condition of old coats amazing. I'm sure todays Topshop won't be hanging around in 40 years x

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  8. Thanks for the ebay tips the other day, has made searching a little easier x

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  9. @Amy - I agree, I have a 50s tweed Aquascutum coat that could have been made yesterday. Things were made to last years ago, unlike today's throwaway fashion.

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  10. Thanks for the comment Vix. I'll def be keeping hold of the blouse. I just love the print. I've got a teeny tiny Jeff Banks suit in the loft somewhere that my Nan gave me. Hopefully I'll find it as I'm sorting through the loft so I can post a pic of the fab print on that too. Ah, Tara's a lovely name for a dog. I always think dog's should have human type names x

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  11. Love the green leather. Congrats on your singing success! xx
    http://www.weshopthereforeweare.co.uk/

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  12. That's a great color for a leather jacket! Like how you have paired it with the mini.

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  13. Oh, my -- is there a recipe for the mushroom & Stilton bake that you can share? I'm craving of plateful of it right now, and actually have a Stilton source across town.

    The green leather of that jacket is so unusual, rich and gorgeous, and you look luminous in it.

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  14. those leggings, woman, are fabulous!! ;)

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  15. I love that outfit! Lovely! xxx

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  16. Good point about vintage sizing I always check every size rail as sizing can be so random, same with modern stuff too! I have an excellent packing system - I have one draw dedicated to holiday clothes and just empty the whole thing into a case, packed and ready in 5min should anyone ever want to whisk me away ;-)

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  17. Ha,G would love to have dinner with you!!!
    Freaking fantasmo outfit,darl-love the juxtaposition of the jewellery & frock!(assuming I've used the right word?!)hahaha
    It's true about chazza shopping-it might be weeks in between fab finds,but it's all about perseverence,and the satisfaction when you succeed is tremendous!
    LOVE!!! xxxXXXxxx Helga!

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  18. Fabulous bargain, I love it. I go to my local charity shops at least twice a week on my lunch break to see if I can find anything. They are getting stuff in all the time so sometimes, you just never know. I'm going to miss you when you go to India. xx

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  19. Stilton and mushroom, nomnomnom. Sounds yum.

    Love the colours together, and as always love your jewellery. :)

    xx

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  20. I'm waiting on the video of your rendition of P.Clark's "Downtown"!

    Meanwhile, WOW! What a great outfit (and good reminder about sizes, perseverance, etc.) But honey, you are one of a kind when it comes to "finds"! I don't think ANYone could top you.

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  21. Love the outfit Vix! Geez it must be cold there to need to wear 2 pairs of tights...xx.

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  22. I love the print on the dress, so pretty.
    The thrill of finding something is exciting!

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  23. Very pretty outfit! I like your hair too :).

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  24. Green coat, yoicks! I must remember to ignore size labels a bit more.

    I'm not overly inspired by the charity shops I've been in recently. I don't know if it's because they've got their winter stock out and it's all coats (which I don't need), but there's a lot less interesting stuff around at the moment.

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  25. I had never heard of the grey under colored tights trick before. I'll be sure to remember that one and to use it. Beautiful print in that dress. And props to the man for being untroubled about wearing a woman's coat.

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  26. You look absolutely gorgeous!
    I love purple and green together.

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  27. LOVE that frock - the colours are fabulous. And the jacket and the tights - and those purple booties are deLICious.

    And aren't you clever wearing grey under the purple to give the colour depth. Ten years ago when I painted my bedroom in 'Seductress' ('dried-blood-red' I called it) I had to do the same - give it a base coat of grey. I just never thought to apply that to my tights as well. You are so clever and fabulous Vix!

    xxx

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  28. i love your outfit very much ! very gorgeous ! :)

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  29. wow Vix! You look so incredibly lovely in these photos! Just beautiful! You are a beautiful woman! And it is nice to see some closer ups (and biggers pics) of your loveliness! Oh, and yeah to that jacket. Rock it! As for sizes, I always look in size ten as well as two--because I'm a 2 now but retro Kimberellie would have been a ten! (oh, and that is Canadian sizing---smaller than British sizing...I think I'd be about a ten or 8 in British sizes currently!..maybe?)

    heart: Kimberellie

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  30. Fabulous! I LOVE the color combination. The green jacket is just lovely. I need to buy myself some green colored clothing : <


    Puffy dogs wagging their tails,
    Berlin

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  31. Loving the aubergine tights with that dress!
    xxx Comtesse xxx

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  32. had liked this one.... and love how you have paired with with the jacket n the stocking! looking ultra fabulous:)) thumbs up!!!

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  33. love when florals are worn in winters with layering!! the jacket looks very smart and is perfect length for the dress..

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  34. Great jacket! I've learned to ignore sizes too...I especially love it when something x-small magically fits my medium body.

    I'm humming "Downtown" right now...I'll bet you were great!

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  35. great color of jacket..green is hard to find in leather..thats true try look at inside tag.great tip on the layering of tights..and also will tuck you in better too..mmm that recipe sounds yumy..love pasta..need to post recipe mama..that mini dress is fabo..fibrant colors.

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  36. Doooowntooooown! The dress is super cute - I actually thought the necklace was a collar to start off with. They're perfect together.

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  37. j'adore ton look, tu est vraiment très jolie

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  38. Hi my dear-what a fabulous bargain the jacket was and it looks gorgeous too! Sounds like you've had a really good weekend, have a great week ahead! xx

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  39. The thrill of finding something in a Charity Shop beats any other, I think it’s easy to overlook a good charity shop because it was a bit of a rubbish day, when realistically the next bargain could be just waiting to be put out onto that clothes rail, you just never know do you.

    I do wish I lived in closer distance to one, I have to go into town to my nearest, I know for sure if I did live in walking distance I would almost certainly be there everyday.
    These curry-aoke nights sound pretty legendary xx

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  40. That jackeets gorgeous, i love the green with the purple xxx

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  41. How on earth do you do it??! Yet again lovely buys recently! Also thought I'd let you know that I nominated your blog for a "One Lovely Blog" award :-) xxx

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  42. How did I miss this post? Sensational coat and necklace! You are right - the colour of the jacket makes it the perfect topper for that gorgeous floral number!

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  43. Dear Vix, you look gorgeous in the pictures and another great bargain. I don't mind coming back with nothing either, it has to be right. The green, purple and floral are great together. I love the two pairs of tights tip, especially in this weather.

    I knew we'd have the same favourites on I'm a Celeb. Isn't Jenny fab? I've always loved her sense of humour. I wish Gillian would just go! I have no idea why she agreed to it in the first place. Have a great evening xx

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  44. Love the green jacket, and that's such a great idea with the grey tights underneath - not only for warmth, but also for colour (photoshop works just the same :) xxx

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  45. oooHHHH, THE JACKET IS AWESOME, BUT THE NECKLACE IS MAKING MY MOUTH WATER ;)
    LOVE TO YOU!!!!
    rEVA

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  46. Oh Petula, i think she's from my neck of the woods. Good choice!
    I love this racing green jacket, i remember a friend had one similar. I always envied it!
    You look gorgeous in these jewel tones, and i detect a distinct shjuzz to hair, i like it!
    xx

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  47. You are seriously the Bargain Treasure Whisperer!! The Lara Croft of vintage wear!!!

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Lots of love, Vix