Tuesday 15 May 2012

Vintage Velvet



Here's my budget-busting 1930s corded cotton velvet coat from last week's chazza shop trip.

Coat by Bromante of London (£20, St Giles Hospice)

Who'd have thought we'd still be wearing coats in the middle of May? 


I didn't think I needed another vintage coat to add to the already bursting-at-the-seams cloakroom aka the cupboard of doom but I've worn it twice since I bought it and so I'm going to link up to Lakota's Ta-Dah Tuesday as a thrifty find I've been after for ages but didn't realise it.



Despite the occasional burst of sunshine (which seems to have bleached the bejesus out of today's photos) it's unseasonably cold and there's been a dusting of snow here this morning.


1970s moss crepe dress (£2.95, St Giles Hospice), 1960s suede shoulder bag (£1, Saturday's car boot sale), River Island leggings (20p, jumble sale), Alexis platforms (£20,Topshop sale, 2010)

Still, I'm prepared to put up and shut up about the weather just as long as it's hot and sunny by June 8th for our first festival of the year (or possibly the last weekend in May if we've saved up enough cash to go and see Hawkwind by then).

1960s Alfred Tricker Crafts Sheffield steel & faux snakeskin choker (£1.50, car boot sale)

I haven't worn this dress in two years & had forgotten about it, it was a nice surprise unearthing it from the back of the wardrobe and falling for it all over again. Who needs to leave the house when you can shop your own wardrobe?

Have a happy Tuesday and see you soon.


78 comments:

  1. Love finding hidden treasures in your wardrobe you'd forgotten about.
    Gorgeous dress and gorgeous coat, I dislike the fact we are still kitted out in our winter finest but when it looks that good it's ok.

    xx

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  2. Hawkwind? Really??
    You always put a unique spin on your older vintage, loving it, as always. P.S. are you jealous that I will be meeting Helga! in person next week, I'm so damn excited I can hardly breathe!!!

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  3. Beautiful coat! And that kind of coat should be worn each season :)

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  4. You've motivated me to tidy my wardrobe up, it's a disgrace!
    I put a cotton maxi on this morning with a thin cardi - I soon changed once I realised how cold it is.
    Coats, you can never have too many, and that's a beauty. Must be cold if you're in leggings and a coat!

    Lucy x

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  5. That velvet coat looks stunning on you, it's a fabulous colour too - well worth busting your budget for.

    I'm off to see what I can unearth from the 'floor' of the wardrobe shortly as it is in a shocking state and probably hasn't been sorted out in years!! Gawd, I'm such a slattern when it comes to housework.

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  6. That coat is absolutely stunning, and it looks great on you. I can't believe you got snow there? Although, I did think it was mighty cold when I stepped outside to feed the hounds. Xx

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  7. Well if you have to wear a coat in May, a gorgeous vintage velvet one is surely the way to go! It looks fantastic on you. And great re-find with the pretty dress.

    Loulou

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  8. The coat does look great on, and yes it is still a shame that summers not kicking in yet this year. Love the fact that you can go shopping in your own wardrobe!!!!

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  9. I have a tendency of forgetting whats in my wardrobe all the time! I can't believe you still have to wear coats but at least this velvet one is a stunner. xx

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  10. ADORE the coat! It's just perfect in every way! Love your entire outfit in fact. I have a weakness for coats too so not complaining about it still being coat weather now lol!

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  11. Wow, it's in amazing condition for something so old - I am in awe of how you recognise the vintage of your vintage! Absolutely gorgeous anyway, it would have been a sin to leave it behind. I've just escorted my son's class to their swimming lesson and back and am absolutely frozen - warming up with a mug of coffee now. And as Luce says, must be cold if you're feeling it!

    The dress is very pretty as well, quite muted colours for you but it suits you. Thanks for linking up!

    xx

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  12. Simply too much gorgeousness. One doesn't know where to begin!

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  13. ooooh gorgeous coat. I have a long black velvet coat which I wear to death lol. Actually I bought a vintage coat on Ebay for £5 a few weeks ago when it was hot and sunny (best time to buy heavy coats eh), and its still not here, and I really wish it were. Your beautiful complexion detracts from the weather, you make it look warm and sunny lol.
    V
    xxx

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  14. Gorgeous dress - and I love the coat on you...
    And I totally agree - coats in may? Barmy!
    XO

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  15. When you have a ruby velvet coat like that you can forget about the bad weather in May!!
    The dress is amazing,it's true that shopping our own wardrobe could often surprise us, even if sometimes I'm too greedy and I prefer to buy or to sew always new things!!
    kisses xxx

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  16. Looking luvverly as usual, yer sexy vamp :D Enjoy that sunshine I hear from me mum you've not had much over there lately. Michael will be 20 on June the 8th and there will be a festival of sorts here too! One to celebrate surviving the teenage years! If I cna survive that I can survive anything :D

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  17. What an amazing coat. The dress is beautiful too. I love finding stuff in the back of the wardrobe.

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  18. Loving that gorgeous velvet coat. The colour is stunning, I have only ever seen jackets like that, a friend of mine has a gorgeous one in midnight blue, I covet it everytime she wears it! lol. Just as well its so ruddy cold a great excuse to wear it!

    Come on summer where are you?

    Love the dress too, would not of matched it up with your usual style, but as ever you wear it with great style!

    P x

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  19. I will swap you my first-born for that coat.

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  20. Where is this St Giles Hospice shop - I need to get me down there!

    Lush lush lush

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  21. One can never have too many coats! Although it is sad to be wearing them in the middle of may. Love the frock today Vix Dx

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  22. I like the shopping from your own wardrobe idea - I know I have hidden gems lurking at the back somewhere as well! :)

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  23. Wow, I adore velvet and this coat looks lush! :) You look lovely! :) x

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  24. The English weather is sounding far from summery! What's up with the weather?! It's getting far, far too warm in Michigan for this English gal! I'm not use to constant days of being in the 70-80s!

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  25. Gorgeous coat, it's such a gloriously rich colour and I'm sure you will get your wear out of it Vix. I am forever finding hidden gems at the back of my warsdrobe, and wonder how on earth they have ended up there xxx

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  26. hard to believe it is so cold there. it's like summer here! will you see jack white and his new band in any of the festivals you are going to? also, since i know you are a sons of anarchy fan, my son alex yesterday took his vintage harley to do a photo shoot for the show. he loved it!

    your coat is gorgeous and worth every penney!

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  27. OMG, amor that velvet coat is AMAZING! So SO beautiful and so YOU! That beautiful whimsical frock is divine too - I can't believe that's what you are wearing in SNOW!!! You are Wonderwoman! It's minus three here and I am in four layers of wool. I bloody hate it!

    One more for the road: that velvet coat is ESQUISITE!! You look so beautiful, mi amor.

    Love you more than velvet! Sarah xxx

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  28. seriously?! your closet is probably what heaven looks like.
    xo
    k
    frou-frou-foxes.blogspot.ca

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  29. Its nice to see how that coat looks on you - fab as always.
    Hawkwind are getting about this year on the festival scene. We've brought tickets to see them at the Wychwood Festival; this will be Monkeychild's first festival and with the 'Wind on the bill it'll be excellent!

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  30. I just love that coat and purse! Your choker is very unique too.

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  31. Gorgeous coat on! And what a lovely find of a dress! Was thinking of emailing you too, how funny! xxx

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  32. How can it be so cold when you look so smokin' hawt? Ha ha. Great gorgeous beast of a coat- I can see why it stole your fancy! As for that dress- it is a poem written on parchement. And for the recored, I would love to shop your closet. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. xo. Bella Q

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  33. I wish I'd taken gloves and a scarf on my walk to town today! And it hailed for a while here! Madness to think last year it was scorching

    I'd say £20 is still a bargain for the coat, and the fact you're getting wear out of it in MAY shows value for money! x

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  34. Really a dusting of snow, NO!!!!! I'll bitch for you how's that:) Your new old velvet coat is gorgeous on you and now I want to cuddle with you like two cats who found the only spot of sunshine! I love getting reacquainted with things I forgot I had. I'm loving all your trademark rings my dear and that choker is sexy with that dress and your fuck me boots, sorry, yes I did say fuck me boots.
    Bigkissestomyfavoriteblackcountrygirl!
    Krista

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  35. You HAD to bust your budget for that coat, it's so beautiful and you look just lovely in it!
    I'm laughing at the comments about how it must REALLY be cold if even you are feeling it - you have a reputation for being well hard regarding the weather, Vix! Seriously though - snow? In May? It's not right, is it?
    I love the frock, can't recall seeing you in it before, but I do remember seeing that amazing Sheffield steel choker in a previous post. What a find.
    It may be freezing but you always warm the cockles of my heart, Vix! xxxxxx

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  36. Snow in May is just wrong! But your fabulous outfit makes up for it. I love all things velvet. And that the fashion police frown upon it makes me love it all the more!

    One of the many benefits of having a large, eclectic wardrobe is that I am forever finding things that I've forgotten about. It's like a great shopping trip, only better because it's free.

    xo, A.

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  37. The coat is a real beaut on you. Love the dress and boots too. Blimey, Hawkwind. Must tell my partner they're doing the rounds. He's a big fan. xx

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  38. it's an amazing coat, nothing more sumptuous than deep color velvet!
    and love that you find that dress in your own wardrobe, such a nice find!
    besos & sun

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  39. Oh Gorgeous dress!! and the velvet is stunning. What snow ugh you are a much stronger woman than I ...I think I might be cursing if we had snow right now lol!! Have a great week I will send some sunshine your way ~Love Heather

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  40. It is fun to find forgotten items in your closet.....I just found so many freaking dresses when I cleaned out my room to paint.....it was like do I really need another dress? Yes I need a black dress lol! Love your coat & too bad it's still cold....hope it warms up for your festival!

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  41. Gah, that festival looks magnificent! And affordable! Why is it the weekend before my exams, why?

    I've just headed over to Krista's blog. I'm going to be yarnbombing all my garden now

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  42. love a bit of a wardrobe shop, me! I adore that coat Vix it was worth the spend as I can see you wearing it for ever!

    Much love Amie xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  43. That velvet coat is GORG. I would have snapped it up too. Love the choker too. :)

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  44. I really love that coat! It was waiting for you? Did you do some research into the label? I need to go shopping in my own wardrobe. And I've got a couple of things to send you too! xxx

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  45. Gorgeous dress Vix it looks fantastic on you! xx

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  46. I know i have just put my heating on for an hour my nail has gone blue which is always a bad sign ;-) Its freezing tonight i can't believe its May i hope having the bad weather now means we are in for a lovely summer i can dream ;-) Love your coat its gorgeous and so is the dress its lovely, dee xx

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  47. It was hailing here today.
    At least you have the clothes to look good whatever the weather.
    Great to see you back.

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  48. That's such a a great coat, but yes it's crazy to think we're still wearing them in May! Mad that you had snow this morning, mind you we had a sleet/hailstorm and I'm sure I sure a fork of lightning both about 3pm here!

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  49. Isn't this weather absolutely ridicilous... and not in a funny way?! As said I LOVE the coat... reminds me very much of one I thrifted as a teenager and wore until it fell apart. xoxo

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  50. That coat is an amazing find and perfect for this weather. Its either torrential rain or sunny with an icy wind here. Fingers crossed that better weather is on its way xx

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  51. Delicious coat Vix and is there anything nicer than moss crepe(apart from that luxe-luxe satin-backed crepe darling stuff that they made 30's frocks from)? The only positive note to the unseasonal weather is that it is perfect for layering. And that makes it utterly perfect for me at least :)

    What interesting festies you have planned. Wilco Johnson (he's on at one of them on the Friday)was on with Liz Kershaw the other Saturday - such an engaging fellow.

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  52. The coat is gorgeous and what lay beneath is also very gorgeous!! So much fun digging in your wardrobe and finding something you have forgotten!! We didn't have much of a summer so hopefully you will have better luck with getting one in your neck of the woods. Winter is nipping at our ankles today. Time to layer up one thinks!!

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  53. Great coat,love your dress,it has been cold,hoping the sunshine comes out very soon I want to do my outfit posts but I'm still waering my boring winter clothes :)

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  54. You look bloody amazing in that sensational coat and how fortunate that the weather is so dire that you had the opportunity to wear it so soon. Absolutely LOVE the gorgeous dress, you look so pretty in it and the style really suits your tiny frame. xxx

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  55. Oh there`s that wonderful coat! I love the color so much - really great find. And i know what you mean about the weather - it`s the same story over in Ireland! Bright sunshine and freezing cold at the same time.
    Nothing like shopping in your own closet if you ask me)))

    >'.'<

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  56. Yeah,shopping ones own wardrobe RULES! It's a fab frock,gorgeous shape and lovely little angel sleeves! That velvet coat....SWOON! the colour and shape are too DIE for gorgeous!!!
    Of COURSE you needed another coat!
    HA!
    Ah,weather.It's pissing down here today,maybe now we're all living in Waterworld,Kevin costner will come and save us!!!

    Love Helga! xxxXXXxxx

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  57. If there is one thing I fantasize about finding it is the perfect burgundy velvet frock coat - and you've gone and found it! It's gorgeous on you!

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  58. I'd love a coat like that. Totally worth the £20! That dress is charming too!
    Thanks for the teacher-tip. I'm always a little bit scared to put too much up that screams at me being a teacher just in case a child ever discovers my blog (or a parent or headteacher etc!) and then it gets around etc. Someone posted something uncomplimentary about my head on Facebook last year (or something like that we assume from what she said) and she said, "If you write about school on Facebook etc, I will find out." or something of that ilk, so I tend to just mention vague things in posts but that's it really!). MInd you, it serves me right for being such an idiot to put my blog address as my name. WHen I set my blog up in 2005, I wasn't too savvy on internet matters and blog names!!
    Hope the sun shines for your festival! It has to!!!

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  59. Gorgeous velvet coat anor!
    Totally worth the price, snow? Its been raining here with hail stones. This tine last year was way warmer.
    Would love to shop from your glam closet.
    That choker is lovely with beige magical frock.

    Besitos

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  60. The coat is very elegant and can see why you snagged it. I shop my closet all the time and love the constant surprises. The dress is a gem.

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  61. You look so damned great in your new coat Vix!
    We had some surprisingly hot days here in the past week. It was too hot to wear anything but short sleeves... so when I was finally ready to embrace the weather... in ended up not being too warm today. *hahaha*

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  62. Stunning coat! I kind of enjoy a cool spring -- but not a freezing cold spring!

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  63. Snow in May? Incredible. I glad you found this beautiful dress--it goes perfectly with the Ta Da coat.

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  64. Oh Vix the coat is as amazing as I thought it would!!!! You look just amazing in it. Right I am inspired to get mine out.
    I so understand what it is like to rediscover some mystical treasure in the aladdin's cave that is the wardrobe.
    Love v

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  65. I love the midi-length of this dress for a fun change. But then again, maxi/ midi/ mini-you rock them all!! The coat is perfect. PERFECT. Can't wait to see it in another iteration.

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  66. wow i love this velvet coat! and the pictures are so gorgous they seem like a victoria francis painting, everything is perfect the light seems so magical and with the leaves the whole atmosphere is so fairy like!
    kiss,mary

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  67. I think that coat was just waiting for you. You look fab in it.

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  68. I can't begin to tell you how much I adore the coat AND the dress! I can't wait till all the clothes in my closet fit me again! I'm getting closer to that reality.

    Now, I'm going to visit a few posts of yours that I apparently missed :)

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  69. Im lucky my mom had extra closet space for me. I put all my coats in there. I need all the coats I can get but storage is hard. A velvet coat sounds perfect is strange may cold weather.

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  70. Your hair and make up look amazing. Is that Stephen Squirrel trying to get in on the act??? ha ha

    x

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  71. This looks amazing. I don't think I could carry something like this off, you have the flair to wear it so well.

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  72. What a beautiful coat and it's in such good nick for something so old, but that's right, back it the day it was about quality!

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  73. Hi Vix,
    I came accross your blog a while ago and lost it again, delighted to have stumbled upon it again. Loving the whole outfit especially the boots. Read your post on India. I have been visiting India for about 20 yrs. first with work, then for holidays and the last time i was there was for my honeymoon 7 years ago. Awesome place.
    Am now following you. have only just started my blog, so don't judge me yet! PS havn't heard anyone mention Hawkwind in a very long time!

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  74. Absolutely love this coat!x

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  75. Smashing coat! I love it, and the colour really suits you. I think perhaps you have been missing it without realising.

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  76. EEWWW! Snow! We are actually having nice weather over here for our long weekend. As usual, you knock my sox off with your fabulous outfit styling! The dress is so pretty, and that coat was made for you.

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix