Mad Men (and women)

 

Evening all......

 

I was flicking through a magazine the other day (I found a rare 5 minutes of free time) and I came across an article featuring the beautiful Christina Hendricks, she of Mad Men fame. Not only is she an archetypal femme fatale, she epitomises 1950's American glamour with her killer curves. 

 

 

(pic courtesy of Google images)

 

The 1950's are a favourite decade of mine, an era when women were real women that wore full satin dresses just to lounge around their apartment and they wouldn't dare leave the house with chipped nail vanish.  Office work in that day would of course require a dress (or a skirt at the very least), heels and probably a statement brooch of some kind, or even a corsage.  My working wardrobe these days is pre-defined as I have to wear the clothes I sell (thankfully I love them) but when I worked in an office a while back, I used to love dressing up and I do miss having that element of self-styling taken out of my hands. I have suitcases full of "work wear" that I cannot wear at Wallis but they may one day be resurrected.

 

Anyway, the article got me to thinking about some of the second-hand outfits that I have that could loan themselves back to that time.  I am certainly no Miss Hendricks but I do favour clothes that show off your curves so with that in mind, I decided to dress up and have a bit of fun. 

 

 (And yet again, I'm just not comfortable in front of the camera for these blog photos, so apologies for the cheesy grins).

 

 

 

This dress was £8 from the St Peters Hospice  in Staple Hill, Bristol and was originally an M&S dress from their Classic collection. That collection tends to be aimed at the older woman (dare I say) but I thought it was a lovely dress. Its silky polyester, nipped in at the waist with a lovely accordion pleat skirt.  I picked out the turquoise for a corsage and shoes and I will probably throw a ribbon belt around the waist from time to time.  I would definitely wear this if I worked in an office.  Shoes are also M&S from a sale a few years ago and were £3.  I miss those sales, they seem to be a thing of the past now.

 

Now this skirt is one of my favourites. It wasn't second-hand in fact it was around £100 but it was a present from an ex-boyfriend. I made a comment about how lovely it was when I saw it in the window of French Connection and when I popped in a different shop he went back and bought it. Just like that.  More money than sense (despite the wonderful gesture), I would never spend that on a skirt but I love it all the same and have worn it hundreds of times over the last 10 years. The cardigan is second-hand and the brand is Hobbs. Again, a shop that I don't ever shop in because of their prices but they do make some beautiful British made, classic pieces.  I think cardigans get a bad wrap as  unsexy, granny faves but I love a good cardigan.  Especially a little v-neck fitted number.  They can be very sexy depending how you wear them.   The brooch was £1 from Primark, great bargain but it is so heavy it really does weigh down anything you pin it to.

 

Black & White. A classic.  This was £5 from a charity shop in Weston-super-Mare and I always wear it with another favourite Primark brooch.  Its not easy to see but the top half is cream lace and just makes it that little bit special.   The shoes are about 15 years old from New Look and they are still going strong.

 

 

I love the colour and the square neckline of this dress. It too was from the St Peters Hospice in Staple Hill and was around £5. It's jersey so not very forgiving, (hence the cleverly placed arm) but still quite striking and the satin edging just adds that special little touch.

 

 

Jacket and skirt this time are both M&S. Jacket was £4 from a charity shop and the skirt was direct from M&S. Accordion pleat (again) and satin material.  I had to have it - even at full price (which doesn't happen often thankfully), and mum's discount card helped in the decision making process.  It's so big and just swishes beautifully as you walk. There is something so feminine about this type of skirt. I have a real soft spot for them and my mission to get one in every colour is going well. "Space in the wardrobe" mission however, is going less well.

 

 

 

As is the custom......

 

I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to the Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs after my trip to the Post Office today.  My latest Etsy order incurred a £13.57 duty fee!!!! What a joke - the top barely cost that in the first place.  The lovely Mr Postie said that HMRC are clamping down and where they previously saw around 3 charges per week, they are now seeing around 18 per day.  Thankfully for my bank account, this will have serious repercussions on my ordering habits if I can no longer get a bargain from across the pond.

 

This is the sellers site on Etsy Closet Case Vintage.  She has some truly lovely things so take a look (as long as you are happy to pay Mr Tax Man!).

 

Anyway, this is possibly my last Etsy bargain and I love it.  A completely covered sequin top, not very fitted and quite boxy in style.  I normally go for things much more fitted but I really fell in love with this and when paired with slim bottoms, it looks lovely. I can't wait to wear it with my leather trousers.

 

 

The older I get the more I seem to be attracted to shiny, pretty, glittery things. I am going to be a little old granny in sequined cardi's with 20 cats roaming around the house. I can see it now.

 

Mum's the word....

What a week it has been.....

The closure of our beloved shop, uncertainty over my job only to find out last minute that I got the managers job in our new but much smaller concession shop within another store, followed by the opening of that shop and dealing with visits from bigwigs galore. Add to that an 11 hour day on Friday, many tired tears and a brand new job and new work colleagues to get used to......it is safe to say that I am a little brain dead.

That said I am so happy to have a job when so many of my Wallis family now face the horrid prospects of job searching and despite it not being my dream career, I am determined to give it my best shot. And on my first day, mum surprised me with an offer of lunch so I could escape the madness for an hour. And she reminded me that I hadn't yet posted about her beloved handbag that she was proudly sporting.

So here it is....a lovely little crochet and leather number from a charity shop in Weston-super-Mare. My mums bags tend to be like Mary Poppins. It is like the centre of the universe. Whatever you need or want, she will have the answer in her bag. I am sure it was her that came up with the fix for Apollo 13, purely on bits she found in her bag. 

Under the sea.....

This is something I am really proud of. It is the picture that I made for my mum's birthday last week. Thankfully she loved it (she loves seahorses) although I was secretly hoping she wouldn't...I had a spot all planned out for it in the bedroom. I framed it with a silver mount and a black slim frame and it looks really effective. I may still have to do one for myself.

I cannot take all the credit however, I only copied it from a picture that I myself, fell in love with but I am still extremely pleased with the end result. Hope you like it......

Bag a bargain....

I have been neglecting my blogger duties of late so in a bid to search out inspiration, I raided my enormous closet with fresh eyes in search of forgotten treasures.

I must admit this was bought as a present and the non-recipient shall remain nameless but I couldn't bear to part with it so it now lives in my spare room along with the rest of my bag family. Deep red and brand new, it had my name all over it. I have no idea how I am always lucky enough to find so many brand new items in charity shops. I admit, the post Christmas madness is always good as there is a plethora of unwanted gifts so early in the year does prove fruitful but I still get amazed at all the newness that awaits me on the other side of that charity shop door.

I am a sucker for a satchel. This one is gorgeous dark brown leather from Fossil who are traditionally quite expensive. Their website currently has one satchel advertised and it is £169. I could buy 25 for that! It was only £3 and apart from a little wear and tear on the label label below, the leather is perfect and has that lovely soft, slightly worn feel to it. I am not sure how old it is as it has 1954 on the brand label and they no longer date their labels. I like to think its quite old and that it has many stories to tell but then I am just a silly romantic. 

I need to tell my mum about this one as I have been hunting for a grey bag for some time and I believe she has added it to a potential birthday list as she has heard me mention it so many times.  I have some beloved long, grey, leather boots that I wear to death and I have been searching for a suitable "partner" for them for a while. Whilst perusing the charity shops in Cotham village in Bristol, I came upon this beauty (£5). I normally like really structured, squarish bags but I quite liked the shape of this one so I happily adopted it. 

Thanks for the memories.....

This afternoon I was sitting I my favourite sun spot (I was Garfield in a previous life) and I was hit by a moment of nostalgia. I was transported back 5 years to the last time that me and my treasured tutu where last ensconced. Looking at this old pic now, I am amazed I was ever that small but that is by the by. I thought I looked the bees knees (and ankles) that night. I think we were off to a Mexican restaurant (hence the waist corsage) with John and my housemates.......happy times. Now she lives in a suitcase in the garage, not a place befitting her grandeur......

I bought her from a shop  called Billy Jeans on Gloucester Road in Bristol, a real vintage horders paradise. She was £70 (gulp) but it had to be done.

As 40 looms, it is quite possible that she will not be called upon again but she will never be forgotten.

The postman always rings twice......

 

Morning all......

 

I do not like Mondays at the best of times and this one is going to be particularly hard as it is my last day at Wallis before our shop closes tomorrow. I am working until Saturday as are most of the girls but that will be to pack up the shop and organise the stock and fittings to move on. Today is my last day on the shop floor.  I am preparing for many tears.

 

So, in a bid to brighten up my day, I have posted about my two new Etsy arrivals.  I have been keeping an eye our for our postman and they finally arrived this weekend.  Not sure when they will be worn, especially if I am out of a job by Saturday.  Who knows......I may just wear them lounging around the house watching daytime TV while feeding my depression with Walkers crisps.

 

 

 

I think I would buy a bin bag if it were in this colour. I am always instantly drawn to bright blues.  Now this is a tad impractical as there is a long train BUT I am going to put a secret hook on the side so that I can attach it (a bit like on my wedding dress). That way it will have a bustle on the side and I won't be worried about stepping all over it as I try to walk.  It's structure is so unusual, I had to have it.  My friend Michala would look great in it doing her Tango dancing.

 

The seller on Etsy was Socialiste

 

I still cannot believe I have bought a white dress but I loved all the ruching and the side frill. I never wear white, especially being of the non-skinny club but this really suited me.  Even John really like it and he has enquired several times over the weekend as to when am I going to wear it.  What a result.  Price-wise it was around £12 + postage.  I had saved it as a favourite to keep an eye on it, and one day the seller on Etsy (Sustainable Wearable) had advertised a sale so I got it much cheaper than originally advertised. Happy days.