Vintage Fair Finds

Hello everyone!

On saturday in my local town hall there was a cute little vintage fair and i picked up a few goodies :)

I was pretty surprised that with only about 5/6 stalls in the teeny town hall that there was so much stuff to rake around in. A lot of it was your standard 'I picked this up in a charity shop and am going to pass it off as vintage' but there was some hidden gems :)

I only picked up 2 items from the sale, mainly because the other stuff i liked was either too expensive or too big to take back to work with me (i went to the sale on my lunch break).

Sooo the first piece i bought was this beautiful Jacques Vert blouse. I have no idea what era it's from so if anyone knows please enlighten me! I fell in love with it because seriously, when the heck do you see quality like this in stores now?

The blouse is a size 16 but to be honest, i really don't think it fits like one (sizes 20 odd years ago were different, right?). My dress mannequin is a size 12 and the blouse sits comfortably on that and fits me perfectly so i'm not complaining!

The design features some beautiful appliquéd flowers and they are just so beautifully done. Its seriously looks unworn, no fraying or anything! The overall workmanship is wonderful. 

Did i mention it was only £12?! Seriously made my day finding this... The rest of the rail was full of absolute tack to be honest! Anyway super chuffed with this, will look great with leggins or super skinnies!

The next bit i bought was a really lovely Vintage Laura Ashley skirt. I saw this at the same time as i saw the shirt and didn't buy it... but when i got back to work i had to run back up and buy it! Was too good to leave behind!

Okay so i know it doesn't exactly look breathtaking on my mannequin but seriously when it's on my it looks really nice! I completely fell in love with the print on the fabric but even more so the fabric! It's soooo soft and silky feeling but nice and heavy too so it makes a nice drape! I really need to press it because it's a bit creased!

The print is just really lovely and simple and in the prettiest of colours! And yet again the quality is IMPECCABLE. Seriously you really don't get quality like this on the high st now, the skirt is not see-through in the slightest and isn't frayed, torn or faded! I think judging by the label, style and a little googling this skirt is from the 70's but if anyone know for sure, again, let me know!

How cute is the label?! And made in Great Britain too, don't see that anymore eh! Anyway this cost me  £15 yet another super steal! Will be wearing this in the summer (if it ever comes) With some cute flip flops, a baggy pale tank and some statement jewellery and sunglasses! 

Lastly is an AMAZING leather jacket that i didn't get from the vintage fair, i got it from my dad! (thanks dad :))

How cool is this? It's pretty massive but it is males... well it's not THAT massive once you've got it on! So this beauty is my Dads old motorbiking jacket! I've been desperately wanting an oversized jacket of some form for ages and was pretty close to buying a fake leather one from ebay but dad offered me his from the attic! 

I don't know what you guys think, but this is totally on-trend right now with the whole grunge look! I really can't wait to wear this out! I've not had a chance to wear it out yet because apart from working i've been a bit of a social hermit! I'll post an outfit when i do wear it though :) Also how cool are the badges?! I might add a few of my own ones too!

I've said this like a million times throughout this post but it's so true, quality just isn't the same now! Stores are being far too greedy with their money and skip out on the quality but that's a rant for another day... The jacket is pretty distressed as well but what do you expect from something that was worn on a motorbike? My dad said that when he bought it there was a tire mark right up the back from when the last owner got run over haha. Gives it a bit of history. 

I have such a thing for old labels, they are also so much prettier! Anyway i will most likely wear this with pretty skinny fitting clothing because since the jacket is a bit oversized i don't wanna make myself look like an elephant!

Has anyone else been to a vintage fair/store recently?

What did you get?

Over and out lovelies :)

X

DIY studded jumper

Hello bloggers!

Not posted much this week, been making the most of my recent free time (by sleeping...lots...hah)
Anyway, because of the wonderful response i got from my last DIY i thought i would treat you to another one! I went on a major shopping spree on Monday and picked up a few things that are perfect for a bit of DIY! So stay tuned for more :)

Anyway if you want to see how to add your own studding detailing to a plain jumper then read on!

This is the finished look, it's super duper easy to do (i promise) literally took me about 10-20 minutes to do once i got all my stuff organised!

First you will need to find a jumper you want to studify! I found this little beauty in Primark when i was on my massive shopping spree. I haven't really been shopping in Primark much recently but went in for a little browse and was pleasantly surprised! I spotted this in a huge pile of stock that was just waiting to go out on the rails and much to the un-amusement of the staff, i grabbed it straight off the pile! It was a complete steal at £12!!! I got it in a size 14 so that it would be bit bigger and baggier than it should be! It seriously looks like a jumper i have been lusting after in the TOPSHOP petites section sooo it made sense to buy this cheaper alternative! Anyway, rambling over, i thought it would look nice with some studding detailing.

You will need to get yourself some scissors, a sharpie marker and a square ended screw driver. I had these things just laying around my house. If you're not sure if you have a screw driver, ask your dad, he will surely have a tool box full of them! Also, the type of screw driver you need will depend what type of screw back studs you purchase, so get your screw driver AFTER you get the studs!

Finally you will need to get yourself some screw back studs! I got mine from ebay HERE. I got them a while ago for a previous DIY project (studded denim shirt collar if you're interested). So i'm just using the leftover ones for this design. They are roughly £10 for 50 studs so are really cheap when you think how many different projects you can use them in!

The first thing you need to do is decide how many studs you want to use and where you want them to be. I decided to use 13 studs (mainly because that was pretty much all i had left...) I think odd numbers work best for this design because you can have one stud marking the middle of your collar and then work out in even numbers. So for my design, i worked out where the middle of my collar was and used my sharpie pen to make a small dot roughly where i wanted the stud to be (don't worry too much about the mark being really dark, the stud will cover it when they are in!). Once you have decided where the middle stud should be, i marked 6 dots on either side of the middle stud all the way to the side seams of the jumper. Obviously if you have decided on a different number of studs you will mark more or less dots! The placing of the dots is the most difficult bit really... And its not even that hard anyway ;)

This step is optional. Since my jumper is quite a loose knit it allowed me to push my studs through very easily, however if you have chosen a tougher jumper you will need to use your scissors to make a little hole where you marked your dot just to help the stud push through.

Now take the screw back piece of the stud and push it through from the back (so that the flat piece is on the inside of the jumper and the screw piece is sticking out the front) 

This is what it should look like on the INSIDE of the jumper :)

Now grab the top stud piece and screw it on top of the screw piece you just pushed through. You only need to screw the stud piece a couple of times to lightly secure it. You will tighten it properly in the next step.

Get your screw driver and on the back of the collar fasten the stud in place by screwing the piece in place as much as you can. (usually only takes about 3/4 turns)

Just keep on repeating the above steps over the top of your marked template until you have got all the studs on.

And thats it! Super quick and super easy! Its a really nice way just to add a subtle bit of edge onto wooly jumpers. You could carry the studding detail right the way around the back as well if you like so that it is visible when your hair is tied up or if you have short hair, the choice is yours :)

I hope i've inspired some people to spruce up jumpers they already own or head out and buy a cheap jumper to DIY. It's seriously a MUCH cheaper alternative to buying pre-studded jumpers. 

ps,

How cute are these flowers my Mum bought be for getting my unconditional for uni? Love you muuum :)

Over and out lovelies!!!! 

X

I'm in LINKS A LA MODE, yay :)

It was my first week posting an entry so i am super happy to have made it to the top 20! Have a nosey a the other post's and join the community :)

Summer starts here!

Edited by: Emily of Sugar & Spice

My first week editing Links a la Mode and so many amazing posts to choose only 20 from! Today marks the first day of summer for the northern hemisphere and judging by my choice below, I am willing summer to start in earnest in the UK! In the meantime, there’s tips on keeping stylish in the rain. One of the things I love about the fashion blogging community is the creativeness that it breeds and this week is no exception with a few brilliant and on-trend DIYs for your to try at home. If DIY-ing isn’t your thing but you still like to save your pennies there are posts for splurging or saving too.

LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP: JUNE 21ST

• Capital Fashion: The fashionista’s bucket list


• Citizen Rosebud: 5 Quick Questions for Ari Seth Cohen


• Fashion Pastiche: how to wear hot pink this summer


• Fashion, Trends and More: how to dress stylishly on a dime


• Fashionopolis: dressing stylishly in the rain


• Kaaty McDonald: DIY your own skull and spike statement necklace


• Law Moda: Ikat: a history of this summer’s print


• Lazy cat style: collages for this summer’s trends


• Life.style.flash: working forgotten pieces into your outfits


• Lifestyles of the Thrifty and Shameless: on why the only way to make a statement this season is via a statement necklace


• Lovelee: Summer’s nail palette


• Mia Moore: Asymmetric skirt DIY


• My Vintage Curves: summer of love


• Oranges and Apples: on whether or not we’re out-growing blogging


• Pink Chai Style: Top tips for picking your prefect red lipstick


• She like ruffles, he like ruffles: splurge or save on this season’s most wanted maxi dress


• The Chic Street: some accessory inspiration for brightening your day


• The Closet Coach: When to save and when to splurge on your wardrobe


• The Simply Luxurious Life: Style Commandments to live by


• WWelcome to my Closet: on saying goodbye to an old favourite

SPONSOR:
New Bags Shopbop: Ferragamo, Gucci, YSL, Totes, Addition, Chloe, M. Williamson, Valenentino Bags, Rachel Comey, Tucker, Hindmarch & Margiela Bags

If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

GLOSSYBOX June 2012

Hello bloggers!


I received my June issue of GLOSSYBOX earlier this week in the post and decided to do a little review/un-boxining kind of thing!

This months GLOSSYBOX is packed full of your summer essentials. I have to say, I was initially pretty disappointed with this months issue. However it was a classic case of 'don't judge a book by its cover'!!

In my box i received Clean Start 3 step day and night kit, BM Beauty summer warmth bronzer, Vichy Dermablend Ultra-Corrective Foundation Cream Stick starter kit, Yves Rocher Mini Mascara Ultra-Volume sexy pulp and finally a little GLOSSYBOX brush.

The reason i was initially disappointed in this box was purely because i didn't think i would actually use any of the products featured but i 100% have to retract that thought! EVERYTHING in this box is super amazing!

The Clean Start 3 Step Night and Day Kit is FABULOUS. The kit consists of three cute little travel size bottles/tubes. According to GLOSSYBOX this was sent to all their customers under twenty, How thoughtful! You use them in three steps night and day,

Step one - Is a 50ml bottle of foaming face wash which is designed to deep clean your face and scrub away any clogged pores. The face wash has a slightly strong (whilst still being nice) citrus smell, which really wakes you up in the morning!

Step two - Is another 50ml bottle of refreshing face mist which is meant to fight breakouts and control shine. Well so far it definitely helped to control shine, but its too early to say if its actually helping keep breakouts at bay. This sample also has a strong citrus smell so its not pleasant if you accidentally breathe it in when you spray it on your face! But i'm sure no one is as silly as me... hah!

Step three - A little 15ml tube of lightweight lotion. It is meant to be easy on your face and not clog up pores. You apply it first thing in the morning and last thing at night to keep you nice and moisturised! I personally looove this lotion, it made my skin SO SOFT after only the first use!!

Next up is a cute little bronzer sample by BM Beauty. I've heard quite a few good things about this brand so was expecting something good! However i has just splashed out on some benefit hoola bronzer so wasn't really too excited by this product initially. The product information on GLOSSYBOX say that it suits most skin tones and can even be used as an eyeshadow, So it might come in useful at some point!

It looks as if the product could be pretty dark but when i tried it on my face it just leaves a really lovely little shine! It's actually gorgeous! It's only really noticeable in sunlight (so was difficult to get a good photo of a swatch on my hand as its not stopped raining).

When i saw this little packet of samples i was pretty excited, I LOVE trying new foundations (maybe because i have never actually found one that i like...). Vichy Dermablend Ultra-Corrective Foundation Cream Stick starter kit, what a mouthful!, Is designed especially for people with various skin problems (Dark circles, Acne marks, Red skin, Dark spots and masking tattoo's). The foundation is described as having TWO TIMES the usual coverage as a heavy weight foundation, SPF 30 and is sweat and water resistant. Sound like the foundation dreams are made of!

I think its great how the sample gives you various shades to try and not to mention how generous the sample sizes are! I have used the top three lighter shades as a concealer the past few days, blending it in around my eyes, red bits around my nose, blemishes on my chin and a few red marks around my jaw line. It really does disguise any appearance of dark circles and red marks like magic! I really like how it creates a full coverage look without you looking like an oompa loompa! Haha! The full size retails at £19 which may be a little steep for me since i have no REAL reason to be using it but for people witch actual skin problems i think this is a fantastic product to get your mitts on!

I had never heard of YVES ROCHER before i got this box so really had no clue what this sample was going to be like! I personally like a really volumising mascara and tend to use layer after layer after layer for a nice full effect so this product had me feeling hopeful! The brush looks fairly chunky, but its actually really nice to apply, it really gets all over all your lashes. I'd say it was an average mascara!

In last months GLOSSYBOX we all received a little compact mirror, this month they have decide to give us a lovely little makeup brush branded by them (hmmm wonder if this could be a regular thing?). I've not actually used the brush yet however the bristles feel ULTRA soft so i'm sure it will be perfect for some contouring work or just as a blusher brush!!


I've had a little look at other GLOSSYBOX reviews and have seen some super cool variations on this months box. I'd love to hear what everyone thought of their products and if they got anything different!



Over and out lovelies X



PS, i just got paid so expect one hell of a haul coming up soon ;)

DIY Spike and Skull Necklace

Helloo!

I have been seeing a lot of the spike style necklaces in high street stores lately and it got my DIY ideas flowing! I've put together a really nice and simple (or so i hope :S) DIY tutorial on how you can create your very own spiked necklace! Two DIY's in a row, i must be mad!

This is the necklace i'm going to show you how to make! It took me around half an hour and wasn't rocket science so i'm sure this tutorial will be nice and easy!

MATERIALS

The bits and bobs you will need to create this necklace are:

- Howlite skull beads in any colour or size you like! (I ordered mine from Ebay HERE)

- Some gold/silver seed beads, available from any craft shop (Be sure they are big enough for the elastic)

- Pin spikes (I got mine from a TOPSHOP hair bobble that i spotted in the sale but you can get them from Ebay HERE. They come in super funky colours)

- Some jewellery elastic, extra strong is best. (get this from a craft shop)

- Necklace fastenings (You can buy them from craft shops but i just chopped them off of an old necklace... whoops!)

- You'll also need scissors and possibly a needle and pliers 

First, cut your elastic to however long you want it. I find it easiest to pull out a long piece and hold it around my neck until i get it to the right length drop. The length i used was around 30cm (add a little extra for tying off) 

Next, lay out or spikes and skull beads for the centre piece. You could do yours in the same pattern as mine or make up your own (don't make it too heavy or the elastic will drape too much).

Now take only the clip part of the necklace fastening and tie the end of the elastic through the small chain which should be at the end of the clip. (you don't have to tie a bead in with it like i did, it makes no difference). I personally tied about 10 single knots over and over again to make sure it was secure! But don't pull too tight or you'll break it. You can leave as much of a tail end as you like, i always leave a centimetre or two.

Take your gold and silver seed beads and thread them onto the elastic. You can do as much of this as you like but remember the same has done be done one the other side once you have put the centre piece in! I did 10cm of beading on either side. Try and place the beads on randomly so it doesn't have too much of a patterned effect.

Picking up from where you stopped with the gold and silver seed beads start placing on your centre piece design. (don't worry if its not sitting quite right, it will when it's hanging around your neck!)

Using the seed beads again, do the same length and style along the other side. Try and do it as evenly as possible to that the spikes and skulls will hang in the centre of the necklace.

Now finally, take the chain part of your necklace fastening and tie the elastic through the end chain. Try to get the knot as close to the last bead on the elastic as possible (its alright if you stretch the elastic out a little bit when you are tying the knots. It will loosen up when worn.) Again, i tied the knot several times just to be sure it was secure!

TIPS:

- You can use a chain if it's thin enough to fit through the beads.

- If you don't want the elastic stretch effect buy extra strong thread and use that.

And thats it! Really simple and makes a lovely necklace! Doesn't look too 'homemade' either eh?!

I hope you all like this enough to try it! If you need any help don't hesitate to ask! And i welcome your feedback! :)

over and outttt! X

Thanks to everyone who has followed me and commented on my posts so far! x

Pastel gradient nail's tutorial

Hello Lovelies!

The shops this month are packed full of gradient/dip-dye/ombre style clothing and what better to go with a dip-dye outfit than matching nails?! I've put together a short tutorial on how i do my gradient style nails. There are probably lots of different methods but this is how i find it easiest. (I am not in any way a beauty expert, i just like to paint my nails!) This is slightly more a beauty post rather than a fashion one but you can't have bare nails!

In this tutorial i'll show you step by step how to create the design in the picture above, It's super easy to do and really quick! Enjoy :)

Firstly you'll need to gather your materials. I have chosen to do my nails in two pastel colours, however you could do your's in as many or as few as you like! Be creative :)

I used:

- Barry M Nail Paint in PEACH MELBA

- TOPSHOP Nails in GONE FISHING

- Rimmel Nail Tip Whitener

You will also need a makeup sponge to create the gradient effect (you could also use a q-tip or a household sponge if you don't have makeup sponges! But you can get them from any high street chemist!)

Paint your nails in your chosen colours (remember to do a thin base layer of the colour and let it dry completely. Then paint another layer on top. Keep layering until you think its thick enough) let your nails dry completely before moving onto the next step.

Using your white nail varnish, pour a small amount onto a piece of paper and dab the tip of the sponge into it until it is covered. Dab the sponge a couple of times onto the paper to take off any excess before applying to the nails.

Gently dab the sponge down 3/4 of your nails (so that there is still a small amount of colour left at the bottom. You don't want this layer to be too thick. if it goes on too dark take a clean sponge and dab over the nail until some of the white has lifted)

Cover the sponge in a little more white nail varnish (you may need to pour some more onto your paper)  and dab the sponge over half of your nail this time. You will start to see the slight gradient appearing now!

Once more, put a little bit of white nail varnish onto the sponge and dab the very top part of your nails, It is up to you how far down you want to do this layer (i would recommend not too much or you might spoil the effect!) Repeat this step again if you want the look to be bolder.

Finally, Using a q-tip (cotton pad or a little bit of toilet roll will do too) gently remove any excess nail varnish around the edges of the fingers with a little bit of nail varnish remover!

VOILA! You're done! Finish with a top coat if you want a shiny finish or leave them as they are for a matte finish! You don't have to use white as the gradient you could use a contrasting colour, or black if you want to use darker colours rather than pastels. The choice is yours!!

I hope this has been helpful, If you need any tips or don't understand anything leave a comment below! I like your feedback! If you try this out send me your pictures or link me to it!


Over and out lovelies :) x

I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has followed me and commented over the past few days! I'm only just getting started so it means a lot THANKS! x