Tallulah and Hope

My favourite kaftan and cape label Tallulah and Hope are up for an award and it would be criminal if they didn’t win.

Vote for them on Beach Tomato here

I have absolutely NOTHING to wear

I have a meeting today, an important one and I don’t even know where to start thinking about an outfit. I’m too tired to feel even vaguely fashionable and I have no idea what the weather’s doing.

So do I go for a Summer dress and leather jacket, jeans and a cape, skirt and blouse….that just sounded wrong writing it. Pumps or plimsolls, ankle boots or heels.

Such a lot to worry about so early in the day.

Will report back once I’ve had a long, confusing think over a cup of tea.

Some hours later…….well I put together a pretty good outfit in the end. An old American Retro grey silk smock dress smartened up with a plain chocolate leather belt and my black and white brogues. And all finished off with my black Celine studded leather bag. So, whether I get the job or not, I found myself a damned good outfit in the process.

Ebay for me

I’m quite a bargain hunter when it comes to new clothes. I love beautiful, expensive things but also love finding them for a good price. It can be done, I’m the living proof, you just have to know what you want and where to look.

I’m not a great charity shop shopper. I never seem to find the amazing things that lurk amongst the slightly musty offerings. But I am a good discount website shopper and ebay purchaser. Most of my very favourite things have come from sites like The Outnet and Ebay and I was prompted to write this post by my latest acquisition, a “brand new with tags” Cacharel dress for just £40. There are certain items and labels I long for and Cacharel has always been one of them. I adore it but only own one piece, a charcoal grey pencil skirt which I snapped up at a sample sale many many fashion moons ago, and have always dreamed to own one of their Summer print dresses….and now I do!

So that’s made me very happy indeed. And while we’re at it I thought I’d share some of my other bargain purchases…..

This was an Ebay win. A brand new See By Chloe blue and white striped dress. Bought to wear to a party just a few weeks after I’d had my second baby. I was feeling a bit nautical at the time so this was perfect. And I wear it all the time now. It’s comfy, timeless and flattering to whatever kind of day I’m having. £32.99 including postage – Ebay.

And then to my fabulous Chloe cape coat. My absolute favourite Winter piece ever. And for just £55 – Ebay

Will take a picture and post later…..it’s packed away safely from moths.

I find the secret of Ebay shopping is to know what you want and then search for it. Stick to the designers you know suit you. There’s no point going for something you know nothing about or in a style you’ve never worn – it will just end up as a big, disappointing mistake. If you’re familiar with the way the designer cuts and their sizes, you’re less likely to end up with something you’ll never ever wear.

Like everyone I pour over the fashion and shopping pages of my favourite magazines, especially the catwalk roundups. And I drool over Net-A-Porter every time  “Just In!” emails hit my inbox. But I can’t afford to buy all those lovely things I want so much so I have to get creative. I see what I like and then I search for that piece or something from that particular collection online and sometimes, I get lucky.

It’s fun, satisfying, guilt free shopping and I urge you all to give it a go.

Online shopping and Morris Dancing

I’ve had quite a consumer-led weekend. No clothes sadly, well one hat, but a few nice bits and pieces to make me smile and none of which have left me feeling too guilty or, most importantly, horribly poor.

It started online with the wonderful french site Bianca and Family. I could have gone crazy and bought pretty much everything on there but my credit card wouldn’t allow it and I’m not quite that frivolous. But I did get these lovely things for the boys and I can’t wait for them to arrive….I think the cushion is my favourite

So that was Saturday. Today was slightly different. We went to a village fair – the first of the “season” in these parts – in the very pretty village of Churchill. It was full of the usual Morris Dancing and dog show, featuring prizes for the “waggiest tale” but there were also some rather good stalls selling all sorts of bric a brac which is the kind of thing I love. So, having a bit of an addiction to old pottery, especially platters and bowls, I found 3 pieces of treasure. Here’s a picture of my favourite. A Rhine Grey platter from Burgess and Leigh. Only £5. Thank you very much.

And then to Daylesford to treat myself to a hat. Not the wide brim, floppy thing I thought I wanted but more of a soft cowboy-ish sort of a hat which was a fraction of the price and I won’t need an extra suitcase to take it on holiday.

So after last week when I didn’t think I wanted or needed anything at all. It would seem there were all kinds of things out there I hadn’t even thought about so it’s just a relief that I found them at all!

I need….

A hat. I have a house FULL of hats. They’re everywhere but none of them are mine and none of them satisfy the current longing I have for a very particular hat.

What I need is a very wide brim floppy straw sort of hat which has a perfectly rounded head bit and a perfectly sculpted floppy brim bit. Natural colour and weave. Not too expensive. Easily transportable and low maintenance.

And I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard to be one of those fashionable girls in wide brim hats. If you know what I mean.

Hello head scarf

It seemed yesterday was quite the day for the head scarf. Every blog and tweet I read mentioned them in some way and why not, they’re useful, pretty and a very reassuring piece of timeless fashion. They somehow make me feel like all is ok in the world. I remember my Mother always wearing a head scarf when we were kids. She had a sort of ready made towelling one she wore when washing her face at the start and end of the day and a selection of silk and cotton scarves which were tied in a triangle or knotted at the top for daily chores and Summer holidays. I loved them and I always looked forward to the day when I too could wear one with purpose.

And now at last I can. And I am! My husband says he rather likes my “washerwoman look” but wasn’t so sure when I tried the triangle one – he thought it looked like I belonged to a cult. The headscarf cult perhaps. It made me a bit self conscious when worn publicly, but knotting a scarf around my head with hair loosely tied up, is a look I like and that I’m adopting for this Summer and I hope many more to come.

So who does the best ones. Well naturally, being just a bit of a fan, I love Tallulah and Hope‘s scarf offering. They’re the perfect length for all kinds of head scarf styles and are the right weight of cotton to allow as much twisting and knotting as you desire. I also love my vintage silk Hermes which belonged to my Godmother and makes me long for Paris and everything chic and grown up. Of late I have also been trying out one of my husband’s (very small selection of) ties. There’s a cotton knit Paul Smith black and white stripe one which is particularly good around the head and he is yet to recognise.

So if you haven’t discovered the headscarf yet then you should. It’s fun and practical and apparently very on trend…..even though I don’t follow trends. Not ever. But this one’s allowed.