Send Me A Postcard, Darling

It hasn't been all swanking around stately homes and hanging around city centres, we've done some work, too. It's been a busy few days for eBay sales, including a big order from a film company, so we've squeezed in a few shopping trips to keep those Kinky rails topped up.

On Tuesday we braved Storm Barra and popped over to our favourite Black Country town, coming home with a 1980s mustard wool jacket by Racing Green, a 1970s cord blazer by St Michael, a 1980s jumbo cord padded jacket by Wrangler, a 1950s mohair & wool shawl, a 1970s St Michael knitted waistcoat, more St Michael - a spotty tea dress, a contemporary Hackett, London cord blazer, a 1980s Highland Home Industries Aran jumper with a kitschy but cute stag motif and a 1970s zip-up midi dress by Du Marsel.

No doubt confused by the Size 14 on the label, this wool coat ended up on the women's rail in the hospice charity shop. Briggs, Jones & Gibson were a Manchester company, active between 1924 and 1948, producing clothing for the British Armed Forces, train drivers and conductors. Joint director, James Gibson, was known as the Man who saved Manchester United. He ploughed £40,000 of his own money into the club during the Great Depression and when Old Trafford was wrecked by German Air Raids in March 1941, he funded the rebuilding of the stadium and started the youth academy that produced the Busby Babes, but sadly died in 1951 and was unable to witness their success later in the decade. 

I love that you can find 75-year-old garments in charity shops, often in far better condition than clothes made in the last 12 months.

After a full day of listing (and selling) on Thursday, we were back out again on Friday, returning home with a 1970s St Michael midi skirt, a 1990s English-made leather jacket, a mod-style dress from a well-known repro label, a Gabicci shirt, a camo waistcoat, a rather lovely (but not my size) cord jacket by East, a 1970s hooded wool coat with a fake fur trip, a 1980s St Michael jumper, a Monsoon rainbow stripe lambswool jumper and a 1980s leisure shirt.

Can you believe the price of this ginger-coloured cashmere & wool jumper? I've no idea of the maker - the inside care label has been snipped off - but it's in fab condition and leather inset zips on the shoulders are really cool. I didn't bother washing it, I threw it in the tumble-dryer for 20 minutes with a lavender bag to freshen it up a bit and now it's in my wardrobe waiting for an outing.

I spotted a crate of vintage postcards on the counter as Jon was paying for our charity shop purchases. I absolutely love postcards and was sighing with delight over the artwork, the stamps and the wonderful handwriting but most of all I'm fascinated by social history and how ordinary people live their lives (which is why I adore blogging). I couldn't believe it when the manager told me I could have the lot for £1 because they deserved to go to somebody who would really appreciate them - me!

Back at home, I spent a joyous afternoon sorting through them. The postcards are dated from 1955 until 1959 and mostly sent between Armegard from Hameln in Germany and Francis, a student at Oriel College, Oxford. In a postcard dated May 23rd, 1959, Francis writes I hope that you have received my last long letter. I am anxious about your reply, which shall tell me what I want to know. I hope that the next 33 days pass quickly, then I shall set out for Germany or rather, Hameln and Armegard! 

Armegard must have said yes as by December 1960 they were married. There's a card addressed to them both from Mike, who writes that he will be spending six months in the USSR from April 1961 and would they be interested in joining him.

These sets of Russian postcard sets make me think that Francis & Armegard joined Mike on his travels.

There are so many stunning pieces of art in the collection but my favourite has to be this painting by a Russian artist, definitely worthy of a frame. I'd tell you who the artist was but the details are in Russian and, although I spent a year at school studying it, my knowledge of the language is woeful.

The charity shop that never has anything good came up trumps, too. These burgundy antiqued leather biker-style boots for a fiver! They are made by Moshulu, a Devon-based family business.

I handed over my £5 note and left the shop wearing them! They matched my outfit perfectly.

Dilli Grey skirt worn with a Dilli Grey velvet Kantha jacket, Armor-Lux Breton top (both eBay), a charity shopped wool beret by Accessorize and a pendant my Mum used to wear in the 1970s.

And talking of my outfit, I'm wearing another new (!!!) purchase from Dilli Grey, a tiered maxi skirt in 100% GOTS certified organic cotton cord. I'm not sponsored by Dilli Grey (but I wouldn't say no if I was asked) but HERE'S a 15% discount code if you want to buy yourself a birthday/Xmas/ I deserve nice things present.

On Saturday we tackled the heaving bookcase on the landing, filling three large carrier bags with books. We're now on a self-imposed charity shop book buying ban or at least, we'll only buy books from authors we already know and love - no impulse buys!

We donated our books to the clearance charity shop this morning.

And came home with a 1970s Rodee open weave top with the tags still attached, a 1980s scarf print midi skirt, a trio of extra-large paper lamp shades for hanging in the festival shop next summer, a Max Mara cotton & mohair cardi embellished with glass beads and a 1980s C&A blouse.

We needed a few household essentials from Wilko and timed this morning's visit perfectly as the gardening section was being cleared out to make way for Xmas tat. The packs of 50 woodland bulbs were 60p a box and the 24 packs of assorted alliums were 30p! 

SUNDAY: Vintage Afghan dress, Toast cowboy boots and Masscob for Liberty, London "Badim" jacket (all eBay), Aldo trilby, Art Nouveau belt (both charity shopped) 

It was a dry and mild morning - no gloves required! I was toying with getting a trim but Omicron's reached Walsall so I might put it off until next year. I've been known to have 7-year gaps between salon visits and I can always get Jon to trim the ends.

See you, soon!