It's The End of the Road!

Hello! We're leaving for End of the Road shortly but there's just enough time to squeeze in a last minute blog. What a Summer it's been, I can't believe it's the last festival of the season.  

Ratnamurti asked if I had any tips or secrets for managing to look fab at festivals ...if she could see me wandering to the portaloos in my nightie, army jacket & slides whilst clutching a toilet roll she might change her mind! Seriously though, it's mostly down to massive sunglasses and bright lipstick (Maybelline's Superstay in Heroine) and no matter what time I roll into bed, I always braid my hair and take off my makeup. I also plan each outfit with military precision, which I roll up with the corresponding jewellery, pack in individual cloth bags so its easy to get dressed each morning. That's about it! 

As of last night, this was my final selection (there's a coat, too) although I'm still dithering about what to wear today for building the stall. I'm hoping that this morning's rain won't follow us down to Dorset, 

In other news a couple of weeks ago the NHS invited me to go for one of those free Over 50s health checks...the first time I'd been to my doctor in 13 years! Despite all the negativity about the NHS you're consantly reading about, when I phoned the surgery to book my blood tests, I was offered an appointment the same day and as for those conspiracy theorists who claim that doctors are in league with "big pharma" and lie about the results so they can prescribe unnecessary drugs, when I went back a fortnight later for my results the doc told me that I was one of the healthiest people he'd had the pleasure of seeing. 

Swimming is my super power! Here I am, buzzing from my Sunday morning session. I've been swimming a mile three times a week since May, I don't think I've ever felt better, its also improved my stamia so I can work long hours and still have plenty of energy left for some late night festival fun. 

Kate from Katie's Recycle very kindly sent me this parcel of clothes she'd been given to cut up for craft projects - a silk haori, a silk kimono printed with cranes and a silk brocade opera coat all of which are now in my wardrobe - they're so beautiful! The amazing 1960s metallic brocade deadstock midi dress (below) is packed and ready for EotR where there's a young woman I know who is going to look incredible in it. Thanks, Kate! I really appreciate your kindness.

I'm still posting outfit videos on TikTok, I'm loving the independence of being able to film them myself in less than a minute rather than mithering Jon to stop what he's doing to snap a few photos expecially when he's in the throws of festival prep. For those of you who don't do TikTok here's what I've been wearing this week....if you follow me on Facebook I'll be posting daily updates from EotR.

See you in September!

TikTok, Don't Stop!

 I'm easily obsessed. I can't just buy something and leave it at that. Remember that silk dress I'd snaffled from Mrs Kaur's £5 rail on the indoor market the day before we flew to Corfu? Once we got home I couldn't resist popping back and having another look..... just to make sure that I hadn't missed anything.....

Oh dear, I've now got an entire collection of recycled sari silk garments! A whole new wardrobe for £30.

Rather than getting Jon to photograph me in my outfits like usual, this week I've been making short videos of me prancing around in my gear and posting them on TikTok. I haven't edited them or used filters. I didn't expect any of the (predominately young) TikTok users to be remotely interested in my amateur posing but I've had some really sweet comments by young women saying how they want to be just like me when they get older. 

@vixbrearley ##over50women #longhair #secondhandstyle #vintagefashion #hippiestyle #tribaljewellery ♬ Tattva - Kula Shaker

@vixbrearley #tribaljewellery #longhair #over50women #vintagefashion #secondhandstyle ♬ Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Saint Etienne

@vixbrearley #hippiestyle #vintagefashion #longhair #secondhandstyle #tribaljewellery #over50women ♬ Hippychick - Soho

@vixbrearley #over50women #tribaljewellery #secondhandstyle #longhair #vintagefashion #hippystyle ♬ Piya Tu Ab To Aaja - Asha Bhosle & R. D. Burman

@vixbrearley

♬ original sound - Vintage_vix66

@vixbrearley #over50women #secondhandstyle #longhair #vintagefashion #hippiestyle #tribaljewellery ♬ Here I Come - Barrington Levy

@vixbrearley #tribaljewellery #hippiestyle #vintagefashion #secondhandstyle #longhair #over50women ♬ Since I Left You - The Avalanches

Jon says thanks for the well wishes and birthday love. I'll share what we got up to on my next post - once I've trawled through the hundreds of photos!

See you soon!

A Sicilian Coach Trip, A Nuclear Apocalypse, A Missing Schoolgirl and A Gangland Murder on the Costa del Sol

 

And that's just my weekend reading! 

I've always been a prolific reader but when the sun's out I'm positively solar-powered and get through books at an alarming rate. Thank goodness for the three for £1 shelf in the charity shop and those generous people with similar literary tastes to me. 

Maxi dress by Greek boutique label, Blu (purchased in Rhodes, 2022), rayon & filet crochet cover-up (originally River Island, £2 secondhand find), Mexican fair trade fedora (Shilpa Silver, 2018)  

Much to my joy, the record-breaking British heatwave continues with temperatures reaching the heady heights of 33°C over the weekend - almost as hot as Greece! What makes me even happier is that I can wear all my flimsier summer clothes, several of which haven't seen the light of day in years.

At 7am on Friday morning it would have been warm enough to wear the strappy maxi dress on its own to walk down to the pool but I was keen to give this pretty block printed cover-up its first outing. Dressed heat-to-toe in white with a straw hat I felt like an extra in a Merchant Ivory film....Heat or Dust or maybe, in anticipation of our post-swim Spoons' breakfast, Feast of July? 

Vintage 1970s Adini sundress (gift from blog reader, Helena in 2019), Teva crochet flatforms, 1970s Polaroids (car boot sale, 2011)

Keen to spend all day in the garden, on Saturday morning we walked into town early to pick up a few parcels and to get some rum & cola from Lidl. 

I bought this block printed scarf in Goa 25 years ago from a boutique named Happily Unmarried, a highly controversial choice of name a quarter of a century ago. Back in those days Jon and I had to pretend we were married when we were travelling as many guesthouses refused to rent rooms to unmarried couples. 

Here's Sunday's outfit. I found this pretty cotton dress on my friend, Mollie's £5 rail at End of the Road four years ago. If it had been a more "normal" size I have no doubt it would have been snapped up immediately, it really is a beauty and, like the Adini dress I wore the previous day, it has pockets! 

Vintage 1970s cotton sundress (Vintage Relics), Teva flatforms and 1970s French sunglasses (Moseley Vintage Fair, 2013

Before I became a part time mermaid I'd ever have entertained the idea of wearing small earrings but as I can't be bothered putting earrings in after my swim so I wear studs which fit beneath my cap. On Sunday I wore Evil Eyes and Mermaids Tears, tiny moonstones set in silver.

My hair's at its best a week after washing it, I can twist it into a topknot, skewer it with a single pin and it'll stay like this all day. 

Browsing Vinted the other day I spotted this maxi dress. I didn't really need it but with the proceeds going towards the Red Cross Gaza Crisis Appeal, I thought it'd be perfect for throwing on over my bikini when we nip into our favourite beach bar for an afternoon beer. 

Red Haute maxi dress worn with Fly, London platforms and prescription sunglasses (Specsavers)

The lovely seller failed to mention that the dress was 100% silk or list the make - which turned out to be a pricey American hippie-chic label with their Indian-made maxis retailing at between $170 - $210. Not bad for £6!

As always, I came back from Glastonbury with a new pair of Mexican silver earrings from Shilpa Silver. I struggle to find the right shaped earrings to wear with my 1970s Sheffield Stainless Steel choker - these are perfect! 

Anyway, I road-tested the dress when I went charity shopping this morning and I felt amazing in it, it's definitely coming away with me although it feels slightly too good to be just a beach cover-up!

I found these Fly, London leather platform sandals in Banardos this morning. I detest wedges but will make an exception for these - they're supremely comfy, the cut-out vamp reminds me of Moroccan tiles and I adore metallic footwear plus the £4 price tag helped make my mind up. These Yuti sandals retail at £119!

I couldn't resist this either! Designed in Paris and made in India, this Barok "Bohemian People" tunic with the labels still attached was a very reasonable £5 (and £90 less than the RRP).

 

I know a lot of you enjoy my traveling light posts so stay tuned, there's one coming up before the end of the week!

See you soon!

Where's Your Head At?

 After a week of wandering around in state of befuddlement, I'm happy to say that the Glastonbury brain fog has dissipated and we're back to firing on all cylinders.

Whilst still recovering, on Saturday we decided to pop over and surprise Liz who, along with other members of Walsall Society of Artists, were hosting a private viewing of their annual Summer show. After a 40 minute journey we pulled into the car park at Himley Hall in Worcestershire only to realise that we'd got the venue wrong and the exhibition was actually at Weston Park in the county of Staffordshire. Oh dear! After another 45 minutes we arrived at our destination albeit fashionably late.

Liz, Al & Jon

How gorgeous is Liz's artwork featuring vintage ceramics? 

Check out more of Liz's art HERE!

Other than that longer than expected journey it's been a pretty chilled out week, the van still hasn't been unpacked but I've managed to read four books, I've swum three miles ( it would have been four but I seemed to have spent most of today's session chatting), we've been charity shopping, had two Spoons breakfasts and topped up my tan as the great British heatwave continues.

Having finished Yellowstone we moved on to the prequel, 1883, which we loved. Just like in Yellowstone, there's some incredible female characters and their costumes are bloody gorgeous.

Inspired by Noemi, played by beautiful newcomer Gratiela Brancusi, I've been wearing headscarves which not only stop my scalp from sizzling in the sunshine but also so that I can keep my hair in braids whilst hiding the fuzziness I get from wearing a swimming cap.

The earrings are another pair my friend Caroline brought back for me from Delhi. 

The only thing vintage about my outfit is my Indian silk screen printed headscarf (and me!) The embroidered linen skirt was orignally Zara but bought secondhand via Vinted and the orange cotton blouse was from Monsoon. 

The Twister nails are still going strong three weeks later. 

Here's what I wore today....

Another vintage silk scarf from my collection, a River Island block printed cotton jacket (£2, secondhand find!) and a vintage India Imports of Rhode Island maxi dress I've had since 2018.

We've been to the cinema this afternoon in the cinema to see The Ballard of Ellis Island, a touchingly bittersweet comedy co-written and starring comedian Tim Key about an ecentric lottery winner who tries to reunite his favourite folk band by attempting to host a gig on a remote Welsh island. Richard Curtis reckons it's one of the best British movies of all time. Many thanks to our mate Nigel at the swimming pool who recommended it. Catch it if you can - if you don't love it as much as we did there's no hope for you! 

I'm meeting Nikki in Birmingham for a day of culture and curry. Sundress, sun cream and sandals at the ready, it's going to be a scorcher!