Sunken Churches and Pearls on Girrafes

Rest and sunshine are good for the soul. I'd had an incredibly busy few weeks with lots of work related travel included and I needed to stop. Ed and I decided to take the day off, chill out and also attend to some much needed housekeeping. It was a while since we'd had beautiful weather and we decided to organise a picnic lunch in between our chores.
Rutland water is a local water reserve and a great place  for picnics. We headed to the south shore of Rutland Water near the famous Normanton Church. The church which was a private chapel to the Normanton Estate escaped demolition despite being below the flood level for the proposed reservoir. It was de-consecrated in 1970 and a Trust was formed to try and ensure its preservation. A bank was built to protect it from the water and a causeway was laid to provide access. This iconic structure is now a museum and a lovely sight .

Rutland water is also a great place for all means of outdoor activities including fly fishing, rafting, sailing and cycling. It had well planned walking routes which we chose to make the most of following our sumptuous picnic lunch. Visiting Rutland water is a great idea if you are in this part of the world and I'd definitely recommend looking up their website for full details of facilities on offer.

Whilst it was sunny, it wasn't as warm as I'd have liked it to be and so I had to dress appropriately. I chose a Moschino dress with a cheeky print of a giraffe wearing pearls and teamed it with a simple top from Zara. I wore some pearls too to match the giraffe and I thought it worked out quite well! The dress was a lucky find in the my-wardrobe sale and I managed to shave an additional 40% with a voucher code. Result! Top tip, always look for discount codes, even it something is in the sale. To keep the chill off, I carried with me a lovely vintage leather jacket which cost me... hold your breath.. £1!!. I've had it for a few years and it still does the trick.

I'd love to hear about your thrifty buys and also your favourite hangouts! Ann x

Wearing Top: Zara, Dress: Love Moschino, Shoes: Zara, Bag: Pam & Arch, Sunglasses: Givenchy

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Photography by Edward Chandler

I Heart London!

 

Despite being a non-Londoner who is not really bothered about living in the city, I love London. It has so much history and character oozing through its veins.  And yet, it is thriving, vibrant and has enough modernity to keep my shallower instincts hooked. For this and many other reasons, Ed and I visit London often. It isn't particularly far from where we live although I do wish the train tickets were a bit cheaper! This weekend, we decided to pop over to catch up with family. Ed's cousins suggested a restaurant in the fashionable One New Change building with spectacular views of The Shard and St. Paul's cathedral .  The views from the building so essentially London; the steep rise of steel and glass versus the ancient feel of the cathedral's majestic dome.

London is quirky. The London fashion scene is often non-conformist. In keeping with the spirit of the city,  I chose to don a quirky bicycle necklace along with a cheeky pair of Moschino shades. Due to our marginal escape from a triple dip recession and the economy not really where it should be, I continue to make fashion choices that are mostly thrifty. The necklace was the fruit of a long sale watch on ASOS and the shades are a fabulous TK Maxx find. I do love TK Maxx!  My Burberry inspired trench was an H&M flash sale find for £13 and my stem print scarf was a thrifty product of the Orla Kiley for Uniqlo collaboration.

I like to be comfortable whilst on my weekend expeditions and my no-brainer mullet dress from the Zara sale was a perfect choice. A no-brainer weekend dress, in my opinion, needs no ironing, fits well and makes you feel fab. And my beautiful Michael Kors bag was a birthday present from my husband via Bicester Village. Fashion is so much more fun when they are great deals! My favorite items of all in this ensemble is my little hat, just £1 from a Sue Ryder charity shop!

What bargains have you found recently? And have you any suggestions for great views of London? Ann x

 
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Photography by Edward Chandler

Defying Gravity

Do you remember my things to do before my blog turns one list? I'm pleased to report that I've been ticking some of these off! On my list was a quirky partying item which was fulfilled thanks to a chance find on Living Social and the subsequent revelry at the Down Hall Hotel. Unfortunately, the predictable unpredictability of the weather here meant it rained non-stop all weekend. Gone were our plans of wandering the gardens of the country house hotel, playing garden chess and taking outfit shots against the spectacular backdrop of the hotel. Some gentle persuading ( and a few strops) later, the husband agreed to do some low light outfit shots in our fabulous room. Here, I've styled another quirky and ethical look thanks to a few reliable e-commerce friends and one of my favourite shops in forever.

My outfit was styled around my favourite gravity-defying Eamz boots, a real bargain via Cocosa. It is a bit of challenge to style big-statement wardrobe items, as you are probably aware. I've usually worked these walkers with a very plain dress but I decided to get a bit braver this time. In fact, I've teamed it with another statement piece, my O.M.O choli top, worn over a plain cashmere jumper. My skirt is an old yet versatile corduroy number from the Joules sale. And, there is of course my bag BFF, the Mulberry Alexa. The Eamz boots are extremely comfortable and very sturdy. My choli top was handmade by women artisans ( working for O.M.O) from recycled fabrics. O.M.O is one of my favourite shops and I will be writing about it sometime soon.

A few details

Also, I haven't yet got round to writing a post about my experience at London fashion Week. FYI, the choli top combo I'm wearing here is what I worn on Day 1 of LFW with a pair of skinny black jeans. I'd love to hear about how you style your statement pieces too? And, what do you make of my gravity defying boots? Ann x

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Recycle The Chic: Ethical French Style

You know I love Charity shops and why. Today, I'll give you one more reason why you should too. When I wrote about the Octavia Foundation shop in London a few months ago, I mentioned the fact that they had a number of stores around London. A recent trip to their Fulham road store was so much fun and I ended up buying this exquisite silk cardigan by Joseph. The style is very French,  feminine and versatile. 

Here, I've teamed the cardigan with a faux leather panelled skirt from the La Redoute sale, a silk cami from a local charity shop and a pair of pre-loved Manolo Blahnik kitten heel shoes. My Mulberry Alexa satchel and a Dannijo lobster necklace help complete my French inspired ethical-chic look. The faux leather skirt gives the outfit a young and modern edge.

Isn't it amazing how many fabulous things you can buy second-hand whilst helping the environment and contributing to charity at the same time? What do you make of this outfit? Have you bought anything cool from charity shops or pre-loved lately? Ann x

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Quirky Shops: Bird's Yard Leeds

  

My early memories of UK high-street fashion included its mind-numbing sameness. It was like everyone that lived here went to the same school of fashion cloning. I was terribly bored and responded by stomping around wearing brightly coloured mekhalas and ethnic fashion items. After all, what is the fun is looking exactly like the person standing next to you? Of course I had not yet discovered Brick Lane or other quirky corners of this country where fashion rebellion does exist. Though I've now relaxed my stance on the high-street  (I love Cos, Zara, Mango, H&M collaborations, River Island etc.), I continue to feel fashion fatigue. 

 

It was in in response to this fatigue that I started my quest for unique and original fashion. I found that little dress-agencies selling retro fashion, charity shops and small boutiques are often the best bets for finding quirky and one-off fashion items. I usually research a place in advance of visiting to ensure I optimise time. However, I love surprise finds like Bird's Yard in Leeds. I was walking back from a meeting in Leeds to the train station when I spotted this store. It has a relatively unassuming exterior but is a veritable treasure trove of vintage couture, quirky fashion and unique home accessories inside.

Bird's Yard is an collection of independent boutiques selling vintage fashion, jewellery and home accessories including up-cycled chairs and handmade cushion covers.I love the Bird's Shell store in particular (on the topmost floor) which sells and hires out unique and highly embellished items of clothing. I also found an original 1930's tan satchel which felt like meeting history face-to-face. Bird's Yard is probably the only place in Leeds that stocks Tatty Devine, another favourite.The other interesting items included coke, beer and juice bottle tops recycled to make earrings, and cointreau and gin bottles recycled as lampshades. The downstairs is home to the Marvellous Tea Room which is kitsch and welcoming. I loved Bird's Yard so much that I could not stop myself from taking far too many photos. Some of my favourites are here. Have you got any favourite independent stores where you live? I tend to travel around the UK a fair bit so I'd love to discover other unique stores after a long working day. Ann x 

LBD Recycled Part 3: Inspiration from Coco

 Who doesn't like a bit of Chanel?! Coco's iconic pieces of couture have not gone out of fashion even after several decades. But in answer to that question, my wallet may not be that keen. So when Mango launched their recent Kate Moss collection, I was thrilled to find this classic boucle jacket. Its been on my wish list for a good few months and I recently gave in. The jacket costs a fraction of its original inspiration but is really well made and beautiful. I shop at ASOS a lot and use their 'save' option to keep track of my favourite pieces. Every so often, ASOS reduces the cost of certain items for a very short time. I managed to buy this jacket for 30% off.

The other point of discussion here is my recycled little black dress. A change in accessories and my Chanel inspired jacket, my LBD is transformed again. Despite my quirky tastes, I find classic pieces like this jacket and my LBD useful building blocks for my wardrobe and no-brainers for stressful mornings. Have you got any ideas on how to rejuvenate a regular dress? Ann x

Dress: Thrift store find. Jacket: Mango Boucle Chain Jacket from ASOS. Bag: Zara Plaited Shopper. Shoes: M&S collection

LBD Recycled Part 2: Hail Vivienne Westwood!

I absolutely adore Vivienne Westwood. I think the woman has character and her designs are quirky and original. And, it is one of my favourite fashion brands. I don't own a lot of Westwood but thanks to wonderful sites like The Outnet and Cocosa, I do manage to buy into a bit of its fabulousness. I love Dame Westwood even more because she is big on Ethical Fashion. Her work supports women and families in Africa and encourages the use of recycled materials. That is fashion that is right up my street.

Here, in my second post on my much reused little black dress, all I've done is accessorise the dress with the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Bounty Shell top. I bought the top from Outnet in the sales last year and have used it numerous times in different ways. That is multiple recycling for you! My heels are River Island (charity shop purchase) and have lasted a few years now. The entire ensemble cost me just shy of £50 including my Westwood top. Who said you can't get designer fashion at high street prices?!

What do you make of the outfit? Have you got a favourite brand too? Ann x
  

Fashionable Travel Treasures: Mekhelas Part 1

My travel adventures started as soon as I landed a grown-up job a decade or so ago. Whilst I dreamt of exploring Venice in a gondola, wandering the streets of Paris and hiking up the alps, I could not afford to travel overseas. Instead, I chose to travel around India at every available opportunity. I'd been forever allured by the north-eastern states of India but they were not easy to travel around due to tourism restrictions, permits and militancy. Also, women don't often travel on their own around India, let alone in the north-east. However, thanks to help from my friend Sammy, I finally managed to travel out there. It was an adventure trip of a lifetime and I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone planning a visit to India.

The local women wear sarongs called mekhelas which are unique to their individual tribes. I bought traditional mekhelas from every state I visited and they have held pride of place in my wardrobe for years. Mekhelas are often hand-woven by local artisans and each piece is unique. I purchased this particular mekhala from a girl in the village of Dharikati near Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border. The mekhela is worn like a sarong but tucked into an under-skirt. Sammy explained that the embroidery on this particular mekhala was on the back to avoid it getting crumpled. It is warm, trans-seasonal, versatile and colourful. Here, I've teamed it up a Zara blouse, a South Indian tribal necklace and Dune shoes (£5 via eBay). I absolutely love wearing this mekhala as it gets me nostalgic and transports me to a time when I was young (er) and more adventurous. Have you found unique outfits from your travels too? Ann x

Charity Shops: Octavia Brompton Road, London

Now that I've created my blogging to-do list for the next year, I might as well make a start! This is the first of a new series of posts featuring some of the best charity shops around. I'm doing this in an attempt to encourage ethical fashion whilst promoting various charities. To give it a dash of glamour, I'm going to start with a rather fancy one-Octavia Brompton Road. The Octavia Foundation aims to establish strong communities and improve the quality of life people living in Central London. There are numerous Octavia charity shops dotted around London and I've been a few of these. The Brompton Road shop has been newly refurbished and is located in a very exclusive part of London with neighbours including the V&A museum and Harrods.

 The shop has two floors filled with beautiful designer clothes, shoes, jewellery and home artifacts.Unlike some charity shops where items looks tired and poorly presented, everything here is immaculate and well displayed. I spotted Chloe, Zandra Rhodes, Jimmy Choo, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry etc. I fell in love with a pill box hat with coins and pearls sewed on but resisted the urge to buy. I tried on a Herve Leger dress which retails for over a £1000 full price at slightly less pricey £350.

As much as I love Octavia Brompton Road , it is definitely one of the more expensive charity shops I've been to. Some well known brands sell here for more than you would pay in the seasonal sales. However, there were a few brands like Marni and Sergio Rossi which seemed to have not been marked up as much. As with most charity shops and thrift stores, it is all about looking through rails carefully and seeking out little gems.If there is any charity shop where you can definitely find a beautiful piece of high end designer fashion, I think it is here. Ann x

Little Black Dress (LBD) Recycled: Part 1

In keeping with the ethical fashion theme from my previous post, this post is about a well recycled Little Black Dress (LBD). I bought this dress a few years ago from the Cleethorpes Sunday market for something like a fiver. Its a Minuet Petite dress so what I paid was a tiny fraction of the actual price. Its a classic and I've dressed it up and down and it still works well. My shoes are JW Anderson Aldo Rise (at 70% off!) from the ASOS sale. My cuff is handmade and bought from the lady Michelle Lowe-Holder herself at London Fashion Weekend.  Have you got a dress that you constantly recycle? Ann x

Photography by Edward Chandler

Pink and Thrifty

I've already declared my passion for thrifty and ethical fashion. This post contains some more tips on finding unexpected treasures. We've been de-cluttering recently. Besides the regular charity drop-offs, we've found car boots a great way of getting rid of 'stuff' and making a few pennies in the process. However, every so often, I do make a teeny weeny purchase at the car boots, like this gorgeous Gap jumper for 10p(!!). I  had to check twice to make sure I heard right. 

It is also worth mentioning that whilst I love bargains, I'm a great believer in quality over quantity. I often seek out better/designer brands on my treasure hunts as they often tend to last much longer. I'm hardly Anna Wintour's side-kick but I do observe how trends and designs trickle down from the designer domes to the watered down versions you find on the high street. So if you can invest in an original piece of quality design wear, if its something you love and at a bargain price, you certainly should. On my public sector wage, I mostly stick to charity shop finds or designer collaborations.

The skirt I'm wearing is Preen for Debenhams ( in the sale, thank you) and a favourite. My shoes are Zara (£1+ postage on eBay), my bag is a pre-loved Marc Jacobs and my cheeky flip-flop earrings are from FabIndia.

Have you got any tips to share on where to find a cool bargain? Ann x

Afternoon Walks and Ethical Fashion

Sunny days in the UK are to be treasured. More so as we head towards winter. Today was lovely and  sunny so hubby and I decided to go for a little walk near where we live. It was also great light to photograph/share some of my treasured ethical fashion buys. Ethical fashion may mean different things to different people. In essence it involves a sustainable attitude towards fashion related consumption. I'm a huge fan of charity shops, thrift stores and eBay. Recycled does not have to mean tired or grubby at all. I've made some great purchases at charity shops but two are my best buys are captured in the pictures below.

This red Morgan De Toi coat which retails at well over a £150 cost me only £6.50 at the Salvation Army!! I spent another tenner dry cleaning it but it is still lovely yet so cheap. The leather boots are Clarks and retail at nearly £100 and cost me £4.50 at Oxfam! I bought the coat just a few weeks ago but the boots have lasted me 5 years already, second-hand! The scarf is 100% silk, possibly vintage and cost a couple of quid.  So before you think of buying another fashion item (or anything else for that matter), why not check out your local charity shops first. Every little makes a difference and it makes indulging in fashion a lot less frivolous.  Ann x

P.S.: Watch this space for some more posts where I'll share some of my ethical fashion outfits

Photography by Edward Chandler