Sunday 1 July 2012

Charity Shop Nirvana - Bargain Biba



On the way back from a mediocre jumble sale (I only spent £1.40 and I found the £1 coin in the street on the way in) we popped into nearby Bilston to pick up a copy of the Guardian.

The Greyhound and Punchbowl on Bilston High Street can trace it's origins back to the Sixteenth century

It was rude not to have a cheeky peep at the town centre chazzas while we were at it.


My eyes focussed on these groovy knit pants in Banardo's straight away. I snatched them off the rack for a better look and spotted the label,


Biba! If my memory serves me right I think they're from their range produced for Freeman's catalogue in the late 1970s.


I'm almost pleased it's so cold today, a perfect excuse for their first outing.


It is rather tragic that I'm wearing a wool shawl on 1st July.

(First ring on left courtesy of Sarah Misfit)

Barry M Cyan, after 4 days of wear.

Afghani embellishments from Tamera which I've threaded on a jumble sale shoelace

 Jon took a sneaky snap on his phone of a Black Country Granny in the jumble queue yesterday.


We don't do growing old gracefully around these parts, thank goodness.

Biba knit pants  worn with an original 1970s felt hat (50p, car boot sale), hand crochet shawl (20p, jumble sale), suede cut-out waistcoat (part of a suit, previously seen HERE)

They weren't yesterday's only fabulous find, I'll share a particularly funky frock and my few jumble sale buys once I've washed them.

Linking my Biba pants to Lakota's Ta-Dah Tuesday!

81 comments:

  1. Oh my loooordd am I jealous of your Biba pants! They are amazing! Great find. XO

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  2. Fab Biba trews and LOVE the hat too! I'm in my comfort zone with charity shop finds - need to branch out to jumble sales and car boots! x ps great outfit!

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  3. Biba! What an amazing find, they'd have been £15 where I live. Love how you've styled them and the innovative way you fashioned a necklace with your Afghan embellishments. xxxxxxxxx

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  4. The Biba pants are beautiful and fit you perfectly. I love to see the colored stripes of the pants through the interesting pattern of your wool shawl. Hope you have summer weather coming your way soon.

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  5. Wow, what a steal finding BIBA for that price, and I have to say with that funky hat, you look every bit the 1970s BIBA girl. Well done you. Can't wait to see the frock, you do tease! x

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  6. Oh, I say! That lady. It makes me want to go all classic and demure. God help me, I don't like being Mrs Average but that hair was not good hair.

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  7. Wow, what a find. They're so right up your street too. It is crap that it's shawl weather in July but if its any consolation, that shawl is awesome, and only 20p too! The Black Country granny is funny xxx

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  8. There fab! You look great in them, although it is rather sad that we need to dress warm on the 1st July.

    That grannies hair is super, we definitely don't do groaning old gracefully. Far too boring that.

    X x

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  9. I found a cream Biba shirt in a charity shop in New Bighton a few years ago.
    The granny shot looks like it could have come from the 1970s - are you sure you don't have a time capsule?

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  10. That should be time machine not time capsule!!!

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  11. Those pants are funky! They'd look absolutely ridic on me but on you they look fab!
    Have a lovely sunday!

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  12. WOW! £3.49!! Really fab! x

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  13. ok i am getting seriously jealous here! those pants are stunning, and stunning on you. i've not been shopping for weeks and seeing these just may get me out there today for a looksee. have a sweet sunday:)

    xo

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  14. Look at your fabulous body, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
    So jealousssssssssssss.
    Hurrah for not growing gracefully.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  15. Look at your fabulous body, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
    So jealousssssssssssss.
    Hurrah for not growing gracefully.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  16. Bibalicious cat in the hat biatch!
    Oh that granny hair rocks!
    Only you can look this good in stripey hot pants.
    That groovy shawl goes perfectly lovely with your Biba pants and gorgeous vest.
    Cant wait to see the rest of your junk treasures amor.
    Besotes

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  17. If anyone can pull off those pants its you! Love the whole look on you

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  18. Those trousers were made for you! x

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  19. Hi my dear!! Wow, you rock in these groovy trousers, very much the fabulous 70s hippy chick, love this look!! xxx

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  20. Love, love love your smarty pants!

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  21. I meant fancy. If memory serves, smarty pants is a bit of an insult. Sorry.

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  22. As usual you are looking rather stunning. Those are the most fabulous pair of pants I have ever seen and BIBA on top of that!

    xxoo, Bonnie

    PS - have you noticed how your following has grown!

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  23. Fab Biba trousers. Why does my Barry M not look this good after 4 days???!!!
    Dx

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  24. You look like the cat that got the cream in the first picture and deservedly so! Fab & groovy indeed.

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  25. Wow, this outfit is spectacular!

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  26. I love your groovy little mobile aswell, it compliments!

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  27. Happy Canada Day! It's p*ssing down here! It's supposed tobe warm and sunny with BBQ today.

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  28. What a steal?! You have immense hunting skills in a charity shop that's for sure! I wish I could send some of this Mid West heat towards the UK!

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  29. Biba for £3.49?! What an amazing bargain and they look as if they were made for you. Loving your complete outfit too xxx

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  30. Those kexs were waiting for you. I just love em! Loved the womans red hair too! Heather xx

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  31. It's quite hot down here, well it was. You lucky thing! You look great in those trousers and they were so flippin' cheap too! I love your waistcoat and hat too.
    Classy lady in the queue, can't wait to come back and do some more shopping and crazy spotting!

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  32. Vix darling, what a FAB score on the Biba pants, and you have the figure to wear them beautifully. I love the whole outfit, even the shawl ;) We are having hot sunny weather here today - perfect for Canada's 145th Birthday! Of course, I'm inside, catching up with my blogs...

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  33. You look great Vix! I love the pants and that red vest looks so hip together. Your finding the coin in the street just about makes the day free!

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  34. Yay, if you wait long enough and keep looking, you can find vintage gold, and those Biba pants are SUCH a fabulous find! You look like the hippest 70s chick ever in your floppy hat and groovy waistcoat.
    Love what you did with the metal tassle-y things, but I do hope you kept a couple back for bikini top pimping purposes! No?
    Looking forward to seeing what you found at the jumble, hope you didn't have to do battle for anything with the lady with the red hair, she looks like she might not take any prisoners! xxxxxx

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  35. They look fab on your long legs. Well done on finding the pound too! xx

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  36. Fantastic find! The Biba pants were made for you... they've just been waiting all these years to be found :-)

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  37. What a marvellous find and they look fabulous on you too.

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  38. Once again I'm slack-jawed with astonished envy at your charity shop hunting skills. Biba, I mean BIBA trousers - in your size too. Obviously they were just waiting to be rescued by you and flaunted in the right way by someone who exudes Biba-style glamour.

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  39. Well done you bargain queen you! I cannot believe the weather is so comparatively cold too! That said, it has been nice today but in a normal summer I don't want my duvet and yet now I do! Terrible!

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  40. I wanted to call Oscar Biba (I did study fashion at college you know, its not SO nuts), had he been a girl, or Bohemia, but then my Dad bought a car named Bohemia lol. I think Duncan may have put his foot down anyway since our surname is Beattie haha. Fabulous trews, looking forward to your jumble finds.
    V
    xxx

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  41. What a find! and who wants to grow old gracefully, sounds far too boring.

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  42. Good Lord above! They are amazing Vix. What a find and how brill do they look on you?
    Grow old gracefully...I think not!
    xxxxx

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  43. WOW! Biba... what a find. I rarely find labels of note (I think most of our local chazzas sort-n-send-to-the-posh-shop) and even when I do, I doubt they'd fit me as wonderfully as those trews fit you!

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  44. You are rocking those Biba pants!! I LOVE what you did with the Afghani charms--so cool and so YOU!!
    It's nearly 100 degrees here in Maryland USA---I can't imagine being cold enough to wear knit pants!!

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  45. I am really Loving the pants and how you styled them! I still need to find another pair of printed pants. I really Love the look.

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  46. NOOO WAAAYY! What a find! I adore Biba, you are one lucky lady!
    xxxx

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  47. That is a seriously good find! I thought I did well last week when I found a 1980s Horrocks for £6. Lynnette, Lovelys Vintage Emporium

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  48. Holy GUACAMOLE! They are spectacularly fabularsehole - and you are rocking the bejausuz out of them! I core that fab necklace you made from a shoelace - and the vest is bloody gorgeous. Mostly, I love your beautiful smile in the first pic! Love you more than Biba! Skype today? Sarah xxx

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  49. These pants are yummy on you Vix and there is one of my favorite floppy hats. I love that Jon snapped a photo of that lady before the sale, I can't wait to see all the different types of people in the UK. You know I love that polish and your lipstick too. It was so great having a chat with you my dear, it's never long enough!
    ILOVEYOU!!!!
    Krista

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  50. These pants are yummy on you Vix and there is one of my favorite floppy hats. I love that Jon snapped a photo of that lady before the sale, I can't wait to see all the different types of people in the UK. You know I love that polish and your lipstick too. It was so great having a chat with you my dear, it's never long enough!
    ILOVEYOU!!!!
    Krista

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  51. The pants caught my eye too and what a great fit they are.

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  52. Such super pants! They fit perfectly too - some things are just meant to be right? :)

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  53. What groovy trousers and Biba! You do manage to get the vintage gems! Love the crochet shawl you're wearing too.

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  54. You rock those trousers. By the way, is that the Granny's hair? How fabulous is that?! xx

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  55. Chavvas is the most brilliant word ever and a staple in my vocab from now on! Great clothes, fab pants and I have to confess the Biba purchase did make me want to cry into my cherrios with envy but hey I'm over that now, great find!! Kat x

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  56. What cool trews! Love the stripe effect a great find there. Love your shawl too, so beautiful.

    Love that picture of the ladie with the real red hair. Yay to growing old with attitude I am totally feeling that vibe!

    P x

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  57. Holy jumble sale grail woman!!!

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  58. Gorgeous as always in your striped pants. Big thumbs up to Jon for sneaky photos and tell him to keep taking them. ♥

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  59. Oh dear, oh dear, I lust after those knit pants. The beautiful music I could make with those knit pants... But I'm afraid my sound couldn't compare to the funkadelia from your fab self in this incredible ensemble. Can't wait to see your other finds.

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  60. Fair play to that old lady. Funky colours going on.
    Wow, those strippy trousers are something else, and a total bargain. What did you think of the BIBA clothing when they collaborated with Asda?
    x

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  61. Loving your Biba trousers, Vix - what a fab find! As you say, almost makes the crap weather bearable!! xx

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  62. What lovely pants!
    But if i am not wrong, those are from a Indian ethnic wear brand!

    check this out:)
    http://www.bibaindia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=54

    Love,

    Shubhi's Revels!

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  63. Love these! And nowt like finding money in the street :)

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  64. Incredible find!! I researched Biba after I thrifted a dress with a Biba label, only to find that it wasn't really genuine, just a newer piece with a semi-pirated tag.

    Love the way you've style your pants and the waistcoat is gorgeous too.

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  65. WOW! Biba! that is a fabulous find! they look good on you cause your a so slim! did you loose weight?
    I lost about 7 pounds snce a watch pretty well what i eat and since i eliminate some foods from my diet -

    It is perfect the way you mixed the outfit

    Ariane xxxx

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  66. OMG!!This outfit is great!!And what a find..breathtaking striped Biba pants,they almost kill me!!! I should make a shrine with these photos and pray for the good charity shop karma, I hope I could reach the nirvana too!!
    I love the hat and the boots too, they remind me of the vintage Biba's adverts!!
    xxxx

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  67. Great Pants Vix!! Love them ~ Ha I hope I don't grow old gracefully either...Love Heather

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  68. These trousers are fantastic-you're so lucky to get Biba for that price :)
    I need to come to the charity shops near you!
    It is sad that we're missing out on yet another summer here in the UK, boo to the rain!
    Rachelle x
    http://inspiredbytheretired.blogspot.co.uk/

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  69. Those pants are totally awesome!
    You rock them nicely.
    The print sort of reminds me of big birds leg's I wonder if big bird was a Biba fan.
    =D

    P.S. The hat looks great on you.

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  70. Congrats on your fabulous Biba bargain, and yay for the older lady with the bright red hair! :)

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  71. Totally gorgeous Biba-love them. Lets all grow old 'dis'gracefully-Yay!!!!

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  72. Wooo, amazing fancy pants find! They look great on you. And I love your encyclopaedic knowledge of fashion through the ages - bet you could give the page number of the catalogue if pushed!

    Cyan Blue is a gorgeous colour, I have it in my stash. And I was tempted by something similar to your necklace at Covent Garden the other day, but decided I wasn't buying for me. Boo!

    Thanks for linking up xx

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  73. biba in a charity shop-awesome, very ta da worthy, and a reminder that there is still some of the good stuff out there to find x

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  74. Dear Vix,
    I am reader of your blog, I am Italian from Rome, I was reading this entry on the Biba pants..well you know what? last week I found a Biba top in blue and gold that I think was manufactured at the beginning of the seventies (on the label a arising sun in gold and black)..it was laying on a heap of clothes in a stall run by a Pakistani seller for 0,50 €, although it was not my size I bought it because I am a huge fan of Barbara Hulanicki...I would have never imagined to find a Biba garment in Italy on a forlorn clothes stall on a awful day in Rome....too bad I cannot wear it!

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  75. Lucky you. Your Biba find is one of the best finds I've seen lately. Your styling is fab, letting the trousers take central stage.

    What a coincidence -- I was about to post about Biba and horizontal striped knit trousers (unfortunately, not Biba striped trousers).

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  76. Wow great find on the trousers, I'm in love with your waistcoat tho! :)

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  77. I have to get googling vitage more and study,you get the most amazing clothes these trousers are fab great outfit :)

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  78. Oh, this outfit is AMAZING! I adore those Biba pants, and what a great bargain! That vest looks incredible with them too.

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  79. adorable biba pants! awesome find!

    http://wardrobexperience.blogspot.de

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Lots of love, Vix