whatkarenfound: November 2010

Tuesday, 9 November 2010

Maggie’s got her tea cosy hat on !

Now I have a strange thing about Maggie Thatcher as a feminist. I find her power that was intriguing; it’s a love hate thing. I also have a thing about using tea cosies as hats. So this post is a two in one. The tea pot is an old find, found in a skip 12is years ago in Old Street, before the mass trendy move east. I keep my change in my Maggie head teapot as Maggie once said “look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves” Scary how relevant this is again. The tea cosy was bought at a church fate in Staines for £2, hand knitted by the lady I bought it from.

Monday, 8 November 2010

All this Shakespeare for a pound

This has got to be the best value buy of late, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare” Bought for £1 from a church fate. Passed by and dropped in, a must for shopping this way. Had more of a hoot at the fate than I expected they were selling Beer and Pimms. I was expecting Jam and Fairy cakes, how wrong I was, rubbing shoulders with the vicar and all my new fate mates!

South African Statement Necklace

Found this mother of a necklace at a boot sale in Surrey for £3 one of my fav haunts for bargains. The lady I bought it off said she bought it in South Africa, as a holiday treat. I was drawn to as it has an insect inside the main feature bauble and at first it reminded me of Victorian mineral jewellery. Then when I got it home realised it was more tribal than Victorian. Styled it on a Victorian vase my sister bought me for my birthday a few years ago, the vase is the real McCoy, completely over the top home wear.

DKNY denim skirt from a chazzer shop

Found and bought this DKNY denim skirt in a charity shop in Staines for £4. I never know what I am going to find and that I even needed another one, it’s the luck of the chazzer shop draw. Finding this brand in a charity shop is the total opposite to what designer brands try to control and create. Love that once its bought it has a life of its own and ends up where ever it’s ex owner decides. Worn it a lots already, could be a sticker, can’t stop wearing it!

Autumn Winter wardrobe change over

Most of my clothes are Vintage and due to my hording, when it comes to clothes, the change of season is a dress up, trying on fest. Remembering the pieces I had forgotten all about and I own. The first stage is easy anything Spring Summer in a pile, then do I want to keep it. The answer is usually if it’s vintage yes and if it’s anything else did I wear it and dose it still fit. If not then two more piles a storage pile for next Spring Summer and a Charity shop pile, back to the source for most of it. I kid you not some of the pieces in my wardrobe I have had for 10 years or more. So I went for it a couple of nights ago and here’s what my wardrobe is looking like this season.

Peter Pan collar

This sweet little Peter Pan collar, spotted blouse is from TK Max, told you I was mad about the max! It’s by Gharani Strok and found and bought it for £6 in Staines Tks.

Heart of Glass

Can’t believe what a romantic I am, it’s shocking me. Wonder if I could have imagined this when I was jumping around to Blondie “Heart of Glass” desperate to be cool and live in London.
Totally enjoying doing this indulgent blog and reflecting on what I buy for a year and analyzing my attraction to the objects, why do I buy?

Heart glass dish marvellous for a dressing table and holding lady bits and bobs – bought at a boot sale in Surrey for £1

Feminist Princess

When it comes to my home I am such a Princess with plenty of comfort, softness and muted romantic patterns and images. Oh and did I mention I am a feminist, work that one out!

Tapestry Cushion covers – bought from Hampton Court Antiques, 4 for £12

Super Grannies

October was full on for me, hence no posts, with the teaching year starting at London College of Fashion where I teach Styling. Also my infamous “Red Dress Project” that I have been teaching for about 14 ish years at St martin’s, same brief with different students and outcomes every year, LOVE IT !. I have so many fuys to post its untrue so here I go. I am slightly (so in denial) obsessed by older women and their formidable style and attitude. Growing up two of my many style inspirations were my grandmother and Super Gran a children’s TV character from the 80s, gutsy older lady. She’s a crazy mix of granny and superwoman in tartan, gentle but tough, like it!

This post includes bits and pieces I have kept since starting this blog to inspire me and put a concept look together leading onwards and upwards into new work. Earlier this year I had to style and pack my grandmothers wardrobe as she needed to move into a home and there is no doubt about it as well as her being am enormous influence on my entire fashion existence, this experience has also influenced what I have been finding and buying.

One last word Granny Chic is big this A/W season, for me it’s been a part of my look since being a teenager but the older I get the more realistic it looks, be warned Tavi arrghhh so I think “funk my granny up” with fluorescent knits !