Today Liz and I jumped on a bus and headed 9 miles down the road to Dudley, the second most populated town in the UK. The town might be famous for being the birthplace of Lenny Henry and being the site of a 13th Century castle and the Black Country Museum but, more importantly, it boasts an impressive choice of twelve charity shops in the high street.
Here's just one of them.
We couldn't resist browsing in the furniture shop, there's always Art Deco bedroom sets and porn chairs going cheap.
Today was no exception, this was a tenner. Not that we bought it, it wouldn't have fitted on the bus!
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| Memorial to England and Manchester footballer Duncan Edwards, who died at the age of 22 in the Munich Air Disaster of 1958 |
There's been a castle on this site since Anglo-Saxon times and Dudley Castle even gets a mention in the Doomsday Book. This incarnation has stood since the 13th Century and there's a zoo in the grounds.
We couldn't resist stocking up on cheap fruit and veg off the market.
A girls' day out isn't the same without lunch in Wetherspoons. We had five bean veggie chili with jacket potato, salad and a glass of Pinot Grigio for £4.99
Here's what I spent my money on:
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| Clockwise from top left: 1960s Melaware melamine bowls (30p each, Compton Hospice), Original raffia platforms, made in Italy for "posh" Birmingham department store, Rackhams (£4.95, Cancer Research), Steve Madden fake fur and feather vest (£5, British Heart Foundation), 1960s beaded panda bag (£4.99, PDSA), 1970s fringed shawl (£1.95, Walsall Hospice), 1970s hippy cheesecloth tunic (£3.20, Cancer Research), Fake fur gillet (£2.20, Acorns Hospice), 1970s macramé shopper (£1.99, Salvation Army), Tooled leather shoulder bag (£3.50, British Heart Foundation), 1970s polyester maxi dress (£2.99, YMCA) |
Went a bit mad on fake fur today, I blame the cold! That Steve Madden number is the craziest thing I've seen in a long while.
Have a rocking weekend. I'm waiting for Jon to bring me home-made pizza and crack open a bottle of red.
See you soon!
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| Quite fancy this water feature in my garden. |
See you soon!
12 whole charity shops? Sounds like heaven on earth. The feathery furry thing looks very interesting and the panda bag is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to get a glass of wine in my hand and some food in me gob too. Have a fab weekend. xx
I do love your chazza shop days out, I need to explore my newish local area in the same way. Though it looks like West Reading sussed - I have exactly the same porn chair - though the Aussie scored ours from a local house clearance place for a mere fiver. I can't believe we've outbargained la Vix...
ReplyDeleteWe've just opened our Friday beer (mine's a peachy Badger Golden Glory) Cheers m'dear xx
Twelve of 'em in one go...perfect!
ReplyDeleteI love the Emmanuel chairs, I always wanted one.
The fur is sublime.
I'm having a curious little after dinner snifter...peach iced tea with a drop of rum! I've run out of juices so I'm improvising..weird yet yummy!
Have a fab weekend.xxxxx
I'm going to see if the other half can get a new job in Dudley! No wonder you always do so well. We have no big charity shops locally at all, they're all titchy. I love those peacock chairs - have wanted one for ages, the more elaborate the better, I got outbid on an amazing one recently.
ReplyDeleteSuperb finds as usual - enjoy your weekend, my curry's just arrived from the kitchen!
xx
Excellent finds, but then I shouldn't be surprised, should I?
ReplyDeleteLoving that Steve Madden gilet, it's rather wonderful.
Not sure about that water feature in my garden,in as much as there wouldn't be the room But, the garden to go with that water feature, then I could be interested!!
I'm coming up to Brum on Wednesday...fancy a meet up? I'm eyeing up that 5 bean chilli; must be a Weatherspoons in town?!!!
Z xx
Love your fur and feather ,I visited the Black country musemn I enjoyed it so much ,well worth the visit ,and like when Kennedy was shot I can remember where I was when I heard the horific news about the Munich disaster ,what a talented young footballer Duncan Edwards was. love Jan xx
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a fab day out!!! You must of had fun, that chair is a dream. I also love all your goodies!!
ReplyDeleteI love going into spoons (as I call it!) for cheap drinks but very seldom eat there... We used to go every Friday once! I do love their meal deals tho!
oh and I sent u an updated email ! Lets just say I'm celebrating!
xo
so funny to go hunting bargains with a friend!, and glad you've enjoyed so much!
ReplyDeletebesos
What a great Girls Day Out - super finds (not surprised about the call of the fake fur) - my personal favourite must be the 70s panda dress. xoxo
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely sight see around Dudley. I never knew it had a castle at all! The things you learn via blogging. Love the porn chairs too - very classy!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fab day out :-) Enjoy your pizza and red... start of a great weekend we hope!
ReplyDelete12 chazza shops - bliss! I would def have to give up work if i lived there as all my time would be spent shopping :o)
ReplyDeleteHow do you always find those beautiful tooled leather bags?? Ive been after one for ages but they never turn up here - you've got the magic touch chickadee :o) Scarlett x
Sounds good; I love Steve Madden as his footwear is so comfortable x
ReplyDeleteAmorcito,
ReplyDeleteI love it when your walking around town shopping at charity shops.
look another tool bag. I bet your dying to use that Panda bag.
Jon's homemade pizza sounds good to me. no meat for me today..just having some Mezcal and Coronitas.
besonones
I can't even the last time I went to Dudley it was that long ago! 12 charity shops - wow, what a selection!
ReplyDeleteAh, charity shop heaven! I'd have snapped up the bags and the melamine bowls in a second. I've always turned up my nose a bit at Wetherspoons cos they always seem to be full of drunken old men but I'm starting to reconsider based on your reviews. They should give you comission :) x
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness - so many amazing finds! And 12 charity shops in one town !!! looks like you had the best of days)
ReplyDeletePS - I`m really glad you like my make up look) And Thank You for putting me on your blog list! Seriously honored.
>'.'<
Those chairs will forever be Morticia Addams chairs to me -- I have fond memories of watching the show and her sitting in one doing various things like feeding Cleopatra or knitting an 8-armed sweater! I think I need that Steve Madden faux fur and feather number in my closet! I can't wait to see how you style it in your unique way!
ReplyDeleteXXX
Suzanne
Oh Vix you visited the town I grew up in! I can remember when it was full of top shops and think its a real shame to see it now. How ever I do like the bargains on the market.
ReplyDeleteX x
I do enjoy your local history lessons, there really is so much to learn about Britain.
ReplyDeletePontypridd is tiny, but boasts 9 charity shops. I never seem to get around then all in one day. Only because I have a rule about going home once I've filled a large jute shopping bag (usually filled by shop 3).
A simple meal and glass of wine between charity shops with a good friend - who could ask for more? I suppose pizza and wine with your man in the evening finishes the day off nicely.
Too much faux fur? It's never gonna happen.
Have a great weekend, I look forward to compiling my high school music soundtrack.
Lucy x
Phew - and after all that shopping you had the energy to take the pics and do this post.... that Wetherspoons food must be good stuff!
ReplyDeleteNever imagined Dudley having a castle - wow... and that is quite some water feature you found there. xx
What a fabulous haul Vix, the girl did good today. I also had lunch out but at Cafe Rouge (paid for with Tesco vouchers) and although the Town had loads of chazza's by the time we'd got thru all the goss and lunch I only had 10mins left on my parking ticket. Never mind, going to church Flea Market tomorrow. Had no idea that Peacock chairs had another name. My Nan bought me one for my 21st and she certainly wouldn't have if she'd known it was really a porn chair! Nice to see Dudley.
ReplyDeletexx
PS The book arrived today, thank you so much. x
Great finds Vix! Have a lovely evening xx
ReplyDeleteI would love to see that awesome water feature in your garden!! Girls day out are such fun. I love the History you share, little old NZ is such a baby of a country in terms of age compared to the UK. I would so love to come over to the UK and of course Ireland for TOF seen as he is one of them!! Great scores as usual.
ReplyDeleteGreat finds! (As always.) It looks like a fun day. I love that first photo of you with all the blue.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I like the tooled bag. I've never been to Dudley, there's so much of the black country I've not seen, I should get around more ahem. Xx
ReplyDeleteThe shawl looks interesting, can't have enough of those - you've inspired me to go thrifting tomorrow (we call em thrift shops in the States), nice scores, anyway!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty town! And I just love charity shops; they are preferable to boutiques any day. So glad that you had a wonderful day! I hope that your evening and weekend are both as lovely.
ReplyDeletexo, Anita
Oh god that panda bag is awesome! Glad you had a great day out.
ReplyDeleteSounds a bit like Taunton we have 12 or 13 can't remember now. Looks like you had a great time nothing beats a bit of girly shopping ;-) Great buys love your brown leather bag and the little white blouse in the bottom corner. Im off to Nailsea and Cleavdon tomorrow in Bristol to moouch around all theres i can't wait as i always come away with goodies from there haven't been in ages ;-) Have a great weekend lovely, dee xx
ReplyDeleteLove the panda bag!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a perfect day x
ReplyDelete12 in a row! Thats good going and well done on your amazing bargains as usual! :) x
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous time you had with those pretty finds........love the leather hand tooled purse.....I still have mine from the 70's! Cant wait to see you in that fur gillet!
ReplyDeleteI definitely have to come and visit!
ReplyDeleteOK, time for another translation request: why do you call that style of chair a "porn" chair? I've always thought of that type as a Morticia Addams chair or a Cleopatra chair...when I think of the chairs in porn movies (not that I , ahem, have seen many) I think of an icky brown Barcalounger :-)
ReplyDeleteNow I wanna add this to the list of things to do :) I love your haul and the Steve Madden fake fur is the shit!!!!!! I love it! Liz looks lovely and the lunch looks macking and only $5 with wine..NICE! The castle in the middle of town is a trip and that is just the kinda thing that will make me squeal with delight when I'm there. Enjoy your pizza and vino my love. If I am around on Sunday I will give you a ring.
ReplyDeleteLOVE YOU SWEETIE!!!
Krista
2 beautiful gals out charity shopping and lunching, what a wonderful day you had. that chili in the potato looks delish.
ReplyDeleteFrigging rock and ROLL!AND a bloody castle!!gah,and you're just so casual about it......EEEEEK!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a glorious day was had by you two gorgeous wenches,and lunch looks delicious!Yay for some fab scores!Poos to not being able to carry a porn star chair on the bus!!!Bahaha!
I so wish I'd been able to join oyu both!FUN!
And then to top it all off,home made pizza and some nice red wine?!
HEAVEN!
Love you long time!
Helga xxxXXXxxx
That sounds like a perfect day out. Love the bags you found....especially the tooled one. I can just picture you trying to cart that huge chair on the bus....just as well you left it behind!
ReplyDeleteSounds quite perfect Vix! I need to go there. I love your blue jacket. Glad to see you spent on furry goodness and those beautiful handbags. Enjoy your weekend dear. xx
ReplyDeleteSuch Great finds! I wish that I could find such great things! Charity stores in my neighborhood are Crap.
ReplyDeleteGREAT IDEAS ABOUT STYLE.
ReplyDeleteHi Vix! Not sure if my comment went through, but I wanted to let you know how enjoyable this post was! I had a great vicarious time with you. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour of Dudley. I see that the Black Country Museum has some interesting courses on historical clothing and 20th c. textiles.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a fun haul you've returned with. You're so lucky to have so many charity shops so nearby.
Sooo many op shops and so little time! :D A great haul there today luv! Awesome ♥
ReplyDeleteI love the posts where you take us on these sightseeing trips. Buying that chair and taking it on the bus would have made a great blog story. Can't wait to see you in the Steve Madden thing.
ReplyDeleteWow, even your lunch was a steal! I'm drooling over that beaded panda bag. What great finds.
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful day out, there's something so exciting about going to charity shops that are somewhere new, and not just your normal hangouts isn't there? Hope you enjoyed your wine :)
ReplyDeleteOutstanding loot! The Steve Madden fake animal/bird thing is one of my favourites and I look forward to seeing all of these things on you or draped about you. I also liked that "porn" chair! You could have strapped it to the roof of the bus and ridden home dressed in your finds like Priscilla, Queen of the Desert!
ReplyDeleteWow they sound like amazing charity shops. You can get art deco bedroom sets cheap?!!! Oh lordy
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect day!!! 12 op-shops I would have needed a bus to get the treasure home.
ReplyDeleteFabulous finds.
The castle is amazing, oh I would love to go to the UK.
It so cool seeing all these great places, thank you for taking us on these adventures with you Vix.
Pizza and red wine. Perfect weekend.
Love v
The place in which I grew up has a stretch full of charity shops, it was common practice to do the tour!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous finds! I love your fur vests.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a brilliant day of shopping. I have to say that I find the Charity Shop Assoc. website you mentioned a while ago really useful in tracking down chazzas.
ReplyDelete12 charity shops! I am moving!
ReplyDeleteI love all the pics of the town, so cool to see!
Lots of history! Only in England i guess you will see a monument of a footballer, very cool!
A day out shopping with your best friend is so nice!
Nothing beats that!
You scored great!
Lots of friendship Ariane
Xxxxxx
Oh you definitely scored! Even though you didn't buy the chair I can picture you trying to get it on a bus! haha xx
ReplyDeleteI can see that I need to cross the big pond SOON if ONLY to shop the thrift stores in Dudley. Great finds. p.s. If I were with you, we'd have no trouble at all getting that chair on the bus!
ReplyDeleteHere in the U.S., we're all wearin' the green today!
Sounds like the perfect day out. I am craving a charity shop binge now. Just need to get a free saturday!
ReplyDeleteSophie
x
Yup I agree, girl-mate + chazza shop + Spoons = a great day out. It's basically what I spend my weekends doing!
ReplyDeleteBHF furniture shops are ace aren't they? I love it. Ours has everything from nearly-new (not my style but great if you want that look on a budget) to proper antique! We saw a bakalite handle cocktail cabinet in ours last week, sadly no room/already have a cabinet (a Victorian poison caninet LOL) but ogled it nonetheless.
Your shoppinG day really looked like it was immensely fun. 12 shops?? We don't even have that many in my town. (Gosh I am even more jelous now) *lol*
ReplyDeleteThe things you purchased are lovely!!
I found a macramé bag just yesterday. =D
I'm with Loo. 12 charity shops within walking distance of one another sounds too good to be true. And wow, lookit all the booty! The tooled leather back and the tunics are especially nice.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great girl's day out. The charity shops in your area have the most fantastic stuff!!! Lis x
ReplyDeleteSounds like charity shop heaven!
ReplyDeleteI love the Steve Madden fur and feather vest.
Sounds like you had a great day I love your buys and I love jacket potato and its healthy. It looks yummy xx
ReplyDeleteKnew you would get a great haul! That waistcoat is AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteI blew my Miserly March in the local charity shop and bought Tartarus a Ted Baker shirt for £8.00 It's lovely and dead smart looking - in fact,I might just snaffle it for myself lol!
Ali x
Twelve charity shops in one high street - blimey O'Reilly, that's amazing - wonder if it's a record? And I thought the eight chazzas on Billericay high street was good going. Wonderful finds, as always.
ReplyDeleteOoooh we definitly have great taste,I have the identical furry gilet to the one you got xx
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with this cute panda bag! Such a gorgeous find! And the fact that it's beaded - wow! <3))
ReplyDeleteI need to come shopping with you.I would have snatched that chair and tied it i top of the bus.lol.Looks like a fun day out.Yummy food looks good.Love your outfit.You look nice and comfy.xx
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see you riding around on a bus with a big chair!
ReplyDeleteA dozen charity shops in one day sounds like my idea of shopping heaven. I think the furry/feathery vest is my fave; can't wait to see how you style that one! The panda bag is pretty awesome too, and your lunch looks delish; glad you and Liz had a great day.
ReplyDeleteWow looks like so much fun... I cant wait to have an outing i am so in need of one :P my girlfriend here in california is a big antique shopper so she is fun to go out with she knows where to go :) you look lovely in your long flowly skirt and the food looks delish :) have a great weekend love Heather
ReplyDelete12 Charity shops? That's awesome! I want to go there, I loved the porn star chair and what a great price.
ReplyDeleteThat food looks amazing and you sure found some amazing things.
Hurrah for girls days out:)
wow this is really a chartiy shopping paradise, 12! and here we have nothing :( and your finds are fabulous, love the panda bag and this floral kimono and the fake fur vest!
ReplyDeletewish you a great weekend!
love and kiss,mary
What fun Vix! This looks like an ideal "mini holiday" to me. Sorry to brag, but we can beat you for the number of charity shops. We have 13 (at last count) but the prices aren't as good as the ones you've featured.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosemary www.foreveronthecatwalkoflife.com
Just remembered a story when I saw your photo of the huge peacock chair (that would be too big to go home on the bus.) Apparently, before I knew him, a girlfriend of Gorgeous Husband tried to shoplift a peacock chair just like that one from a bar. She convinced someone to help her through the revolving doors with it, but once out on the sidewalk, couldn't decide what to do with it, so left it. Fortunately, he now has me, who is much better behaved.
ReplyDeleteLove from Rose
www.foreveronthecatwalkoflife.com
I want that wicker chair!!
ReplyDeleteYou look so lovely, amor - love your skirt and handbag especially! Ooh I would LOVE to coem have an op shop and jacket potato lunch with you guys! Love! Sarah xxx
ReplyDeleteLove the Black Country Museum, took kids last summer, great day out. Love charity shops even more! Such treasures to unearth.
ReplyDeleteYou always have the very best adventures and very well documented too. I haven’t stepped foot in a charity shop in far too long xxx
ReplyDeletePandas on a bag? Excellence! I love Wetherspoons too, their 2 quid g and t's especially! xxx
ReplyDelete