How to style vintage into a modern wardrobe

I am a bit of a throwback to the past. I adore anything vintage or old fashioned but I struggle to dress head to toe. I can't seem to pull off vintage clothes without looking a little bit frumpy so instead I buy retro inspired clothes to get the same look. However, I have learnt along the years how to work with vintage acessories to help enhance my wardrobe. Here are a few tips on how to get the look without going the whole hog.

Brooches

I have an obsession with brooches - to the point where I struggle to leave pretty ones behind. I find they are so great for helping to jazz up a coat or a jumper. They're such a talking point and gives your outfit a little old fashioned charm without being too fuddy duddy, Colourful ones are brilliant for all black or monochrome outfits and pearl ones can help you embrace your inner Audrey Hepburn. You can pick them up for hardly anything from charity shops and bootsales.

Vintage scarfs
A scarf is by far the most simple way to jazz out an outfit. You can have an all-black outfit and pick a snazzy printed scarf and voila it changed the whole vibe. Opt for a long sweeping scarf to wear around your neck with a faux fur coat or choose a shorted multi-coloured scarf to tie around a vintage-style hairstyle.

Old fashioned bags
I'm also a collector - sense a theme here? - of what I like to describe as Kelly bags. Structured leather handbags - usually from the 1950's or the 1960's - are pretty easy to pick up from charity shops and car boots. They look so classy and can really give an outfit a vintage kick especially if you pair them with a midi skirt or shift dress. They're also a great size which is perfect if you like to carry a lot of junk around like me.

Pearls
My favourite stone is by far a pearl - i'm not sure Cameos count as a stone? - and i've built up quite a collection over the years. A string of vintage pearls immediately make an outfit ten times classier in my opinion. You can also go for pearl stud earrings if you want to push the boat out. I'm hardly ever seen with a pair of pearl studs.

How do you incorporate vintage in to your modern wardrobe? 

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Orange is the new black

Outfit:
Floral textured orange midi dress: ASOS
Nude pointed bow flats: New Look (similar)
Light wash denim jacket: Primark (similar)
Lace gold statement necklace: Car Boot (similar)

This dress is fast becoming the most worn item in my wardrobe. It's can be worn for every occasion. Need to look a little bit smarter for work to a PR meeting? Check. Going out for Friday drinks after work? Check. Pub trip on Saturday night to your local? Check. Trip to Oktoberfest in London like today? Check. See I told you it was perfect for everything.

As I mentioned I'm off to Oktoberfest at Millwall Park today for a little German inspired jolly. I missed the boat last year so I made sure I organised it in time this year. I've heard lots of good things about it and got my fingers crossed for some table dancing and belly laughs.

Have you ever been to Oktoberfest in London? I'll be very jealous if you've been to Munich!

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I'm not looking for a new England

Outfit:
Red checked cotton midi dress: ASOS (similar)
Light wash demin jacket: Primark (similar)
Gold ornate statement necklace: Car boot (similar)
White gem block heeled sandals: Next (similar)

I can't be the only one who's happy that summer seems to have picked up again? August was a bit of a wash out so fingers crossed September is due to be a scorcher. I went car booting at the weekend and picked up three necklaces - one of which i'm showcasing - and some amazing dinner plates for my non-exsistant house. You can't beat a bargain and i'm sad that there's not much of the car boot season left. The dress is an oldie but a goodie. It's my fail safe dress, something I turn to when I don't quite know what to wear or am in a rush to catch my train in the morning. It's so easy to throw on and helps to make you look presentable. I'm all about having not having to make much effort in the morning - beauty sleep is a precious thing!

This week is a quiet one and i'm looking forward being a hermit at home and not really going out. Sometimes life just gets too busy and as much as it's so nice to see friends, sometimes it's just as nice to sit indoors with Netflix for company and slobbing out in your pjs.

Does anyone else have any exciting plans for this week?

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Thrifty Finds #5

The charity shop gods have been my friend recently. I've been finding lots of lovely junk!

001. I absolutely love glass jelly moulds. Admittedly I don't really like jelly that much but they look pretty snazzy on display. The words of a true hoarder right?! This one was only a £1 and was calling my name.























002. This was the find I was most excited about! I dream of finding the perfect dressing table set. Alas there was only the mirror available but the pattern is so pretty. It's a great size and looks beautiful on my shelf!

003. A little treasure my mum picked up for me. She started to turn in me, unable to walk away from a charity shop if she sees on on her travels. I don't think this is vintage but it'll be a lovely addition should I ever entertain guests around breakfast time.



004. This cute sugar bowl and milk jug set caught the eye of my mother and she brought it home for me. It's going in the wedding collection if I ever should get married. I'd love to have afternoon tea instead of a three course meal and am also keeping my beady eye out for teacups and saucers.


005: I'm addicted to finding these little men now - it's the first thing I look out for when i'm hunting around charity shops. I think he's by far the cutest one I own. He was a little expensive at £4 but I think he was worth splashing out for. The red cabbage fellow is next on my list!  I can't wait for the bootsales to start up again.


Have you had any luck in the charity shops recently?

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Thrifty finds #4

I've not had the time to be trawling the charity shops and sadly it's not been car booting season so second hand finds have been a bit on the sparce side. Luckily my mum has been on the case

001: Brown cameo scarf pin
I have started to build up a collection of scarf pins when i'm out and about. They always look so pretty and you can always pick them up fairly cheaper. I'm like a magpie for any kind of jewellery. One day i'll get round to wearing them.

002: Celery, Onion and Cucumber pots

These have to be one of the ugliest yet amusing things around! I think they're fab and have been on the lookout for some for my bottom drawer since I saw my aunts collection. They remind me of my nan as her mint sauce version is one of my earliest memories as it was always on the table at dinner time. Funny how certain objects transport us right back to yesterday. I've got my parents to thank for these beauties.

003: Glass Tower Bridge salt and pepper pot

I adore quirky bits and bobs like this - things that look slightly out of the ordinary. This was actually given to my mum so we'll sharing! I love the fact it looks like the London landmark and has a little pot for mustard. Not that I eat mustard but I like little pots for EVERYTHING! It'll look so adorable for when I throw dinner parties. 

Have you found anything in charity shops recently?

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Thrifty finds #3

Yet another installment of thirfty finds, I just keep finding more junk to add to my collection! We had two jumble sales on a couple of Saturdays ago and it was like a treasure trove. Unfortuately I can't show it all off as my mum put the teacups and saucers in the loft.

001: Glass cake stand
My mother and I go week at the knees for anything glass - yes we have a problem and no we don't want any help for it yet. Although it would have been better if it had legs we really couldn't leave this cake stand behind. Especially when it was only a £1. We really needed another one to add to our 1648738 collection.

002: 80s crimpline pink polka dot dress
It's very rare I find any clothes when I got junk hunting as I tend to get drawn to the bric and brac. I spotted this among the mountain of clothes and pulled it out for a closer look. At only 20p I snapped it up and thought it'd be perfect for the summer months.

003: Glass trinket box
Once again this is not something I needed but when jumbles offer me things for 50p how can I say no? It'd be rude not too. I actually spotted something identical in the Boots Christmas catalogue for £12 I think so i've definately grabbed a bargain. At the minute it houses all my perfume samples which saves them clogging up my shelf.

004. Men's clothes brush set
Ok so this is perhaps the most pointless thing i've ever brought.  But it was only 20p and in absolute pristine condition and it's old. You all know i'm a sucker for anything that's a blast from the past. At the minute it's sitting on my bookshelves but I think it'll look lovely on display on a dressing table. Just need to find myself that dressing table...

005-006: Glass sugar bowl and milk jug
My mother like to think of herself as the hostess with the mostess so this sugar bowl and milk jug were her idea of a perfect find. To be honest we don't really need them but once again when things are priced at 50p they're hard to leave behind. Besides things always get broken and you can never have too much. The exact words we tell my dad whenever we come back from our bootsale and jumble sale adventures.

Also i'd love to know as always if you have any idea of what era these goodies are from. I'm guessing the glassware is the 1970s and the dress is  the 80s but I have no idea about the men's clothes brush!

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Thrifty Finds #2

Another installment of some junk i've picked up along my travels. I've cheated a bit as my mum brought me two of the items while I was away in Bulgaria. Lovely woman isn't she?

001. My collection of Kelly bags is slightly getting out of control! But I didn't have a red one and mum kindly picked it up for me when she went on a day trip with her friend. It's not leather but its in pretty good condition and makes a nice addition. I just need to get round to actually using my collection'

002. One of my best memories as a kid - I was and still am a geek - was trawling around boots sales with my mum and picking up 1960's - 1970's Enid Blyton books. I've built up quite a collection over the years and couldn't leave these two behind for just 50p each. I have no idea if I have them as our loft full to the brim and a no go zone!

003. Call me a forward planner as I don't even know if I'll get married but at my wedding I want afternoon tea with mix matched vintage crockery so am collecting tea cups and saucers just in case. Failing that I want a Welsh dresser when I finally move out filled up with vintage crockery. Yep I will have Aladins cave as a house. This cute cup and saucer was something else my mum picked up for me. She's just encouraging me to love junk!

Have you found anything special recently?

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Thrifty Finds #1

After picking up lots of junk each week - much to my dad's dismay - I decided to start up a weekly feature where I showcase what i've managed to pick up. No one in my house is bothered that i've picked up yet another compact mirror.

Here's what I picked up last week over the course of the weekend.

001. Set of six Babycham glasses
I have been hunting out for these for god knows how long but everyone seems to know the value of them and asking prices always seem to be high. I spotted these tucked away in a cardboard box under the table. I wasn't going to rummage as I only had ten minutes left but I spotted some whisky glasses and decided to dive in. I got so excited when I realised there were Babycham glasses and even more excited when the seller wanted just £2 for all six! I didn't even try to haggle the price down.

002. Pink Marcel Franck glass atomiser
I decided on a whim that I wasnted to start collecting perfume bottles as I obviously need yet more things to hoard. I spotted this amongst a stall of endless books and managed to haggle the owner down to £2.50. I got the shock of my life when I decided to do a little research and found one on an American antique website selling for $175! 

003. Cameo brooch cameo pendant and brown oval stone brooch
The first thing i'm drawn to at bootsales is jewellery. I'm after any brooches, anything cameo related or any pearls. Basically anything an old lady would like. I'm trying to ween myself off brooches - 30 is perhaps a bit excessive especially as I wear them once in a blue moon. But I couldn't resist this brown one and of course the cameo brooch had to come home with me. It'll look lovely on the lapel of my winter coat.

004. Stratton peacock compact mirror
This beauty was only a £1 and I was delighted to find out it was from the 1960s - I love items with a sense of history. Admittedly i've not used it yet as i'm too scared to lose it but what's the point of it sitting on my dressing table eh?

005.Ornate glass pot
I've turned into my mother and am obsessed with anything glass. Butter dishes, cake stands, triffle dishes and dressing tables sets - we have them all in this house. I have no idea what to use this as - thinking maybe to store my cotton wool? But I had to take it home and it's looking very pretty sitting by my rings!

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