A Week of Outfits & Some Beauty Musings

Hello! Here in the centre of the universe (aka Walsall) we're finally enjoying a bit of Spring sunshine and the sunrise this morning was spectacular. Without further ado, this what I've been wearing recently.

Last Monday, for an early morning swim and a wander around the chazzas I wore an embroidered maxi dress from Barcelona-based NK Nekane (eBay, 2021) along with a dyed sheepskin collar, handmade in England by Wada of London and rescued from the 50p bucket in a charity shop in 2020. 

On Tuesday, for a day out with Nikki, I wore my vintage Marion and David Donaldson Liberty fabric maxi dress (Vinted) with a 1970s Suede & Leathercraft, London coat bought from a charity shop in 2018.

 

On Wednesday, for delivering parcels and my biannual dental check-up, it was the turn of my vintage Indian Imports of Rhode Island maxi skirt (eBay, 2022) and an All About Audrey recycled sari wrap top, bought new in 2017.

On Thursday, for a day of Vinted stuff and stockroom sorting, I wore my Free People Jayde jeans (which I've now taken up) and my vintage Falmers waistcoat along with a hand embroidered Greek blouse I found in a charity shop just before Xmas (£3!)

On Friday, for another day of swimming and charity shopping, I wore a vintage Ayesha Davar cheesecloth blouse (eBay, 2020) with a 1970s lurex maxi skirt by iconic British Boutique* label, Stirling Cooper I spotted in Vinted for an insane £3! The sheepskin hat, made in Italy, completes my trio of vintage Cossack style hats (black, brown and cream) and was £2 from a chazza shop last Winter.

*Talking of British Boutiques, stay tuned for another iconic label (and Vinted bargain find) coming up in my next post! 

I'd not worn this India Imports of Rhode Island handloomed cotton 1970s kaftan in ages (I've also got it orange), the leather belt is 1980s Warehouse (made in India) and the black, feather-trimmed Accesorize fedora was £2 from a charity shop three years ago.

On Sunday, I wore one of the art silk sari dresses I bought from Mrs Kaur's £5 rail last Summer accompanied by my Frye Campus boots and a vintage leather belt. 

And today, for swimming, 'Spoons and a look around the charity shops, I wore this 1970s maxi dress which I'd taken with me and worn in Rome. I bought it with the intention of selling it but I tried it on and the rest, as they say, is history! 

Ratnamurti asked for an update on my beauty routine and, as it's been a year since my last one, here we go...I'm still a soap and water girl and use Patounis olive oil soap to wash my face twice a day. Made on Corfu, it's the oldest family owned soap manufacturers in Greece and it's my excuse for going back to Corfu every year! You can buy it online, but where's the fun in that?!

I'd run out of facial oil and popped into Holland & Barrett (a British health store chain) to pick up a replacement but noticed this dr.organic Rose Otto day cream on special offer and loving anything rose scented decided to give it a try...I'm glad I was brave, it makes my skin feel wonderful and smells like retro sweets, I love it!

I spotted three of these boxed Vitaskin Vitamin A resurfacing masks on the counter in one of the charity shops last week and for £2.50 (it's in Holland and Barrett for £16) I thought I'd give one a try. Damn it, it's amazing - I wish that I'd bought the other two now! 

Another new discovery is this British-made Q&A Caffeine eye serum, also from Holland and Barrett. It really is a miracle worker on getting rid of puffy eyes! 

Body-wise, it's Patounis soap in the shower applied with my natural sponge I bought on the Greek sponge-diving island of Kalymnos last year. Nikki bought me the Karma Kream body lotion, I've been wearing Lush's patchouli scented Karma perfume for decades. 

Hair! Also by Lush. When Jungle, my favourite conditioner bar was discontinued, the helpful crew in the Birmingham branch recommended I try Candy Rain. It smells incredible and conditions my hair beautifully. Lush products aren't cheap but are worth every penny. I've used lots of Lush's shampoo bars but Jason and the Argan Oil is my current favourite...partly 'cos I love the film!

My two go-to styling products are Tresemme Lamellar Shine, which is probably the best serum I've ever used.  The Inecto Curl Club, curl defining cream is brilliant, a cheap Savers find, that really does work.

I'd talk about make-up but I'm still in a state of shock. Barry M, the cruelty-free, British family-owned make-up brand that I've been using since 1982, has gone into administration. What will I do?