Garnet Girl

Oh you’re a Garnet girl a vintage jewellery seller once said to me. I found and bought this Silver Garnet ring at an auction in Berkshire for £19. Caused a bit of a storm buying this as the dealers get very territorial about anyone else bidding, hello it’s an auction. I think its Victorian as it looks very similar to another ring I bought from a trusted dealer the year before. Photo not that great showing the detail, trust me it’s a stunner.

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.

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 !


Mohair Hat - charity shop in Wittering £1


Vintage Buttons - Charity shop in Shepperton 50p


Dark Green flex knit cardigan - charity shop in Wittering £3
Fluorescent Pink scarf - charity shop in Wittering £1


Knitting patterns - charity shop in Wittering 25p each


Florescent Green and Navy Blue crochet scarf boot sale in surrey 50p


80s Black carved bracelet ¬- Staines Antique Fair 30p (part of 3 for a pound deal)


Fluorescent Pink tank top with knitted Black Rose – boot sale in surrey £1


Broach - Staines Antique Fair 30p (part of 3 for a pound deal)


Orange nylon ruffle front top with back button fastening charity shop in, Paignton, Devon £6.99



Tartan weekend bag – perfect for all the Supergran finds, Charity shop in Midhurst, Surrey £2.50

Those Victorians

A book on Victorian jewellery has been on my “to find” list for a while because I would like to know more about it and how it looks. I seem too able to recognise jewellery from 30s to the 70s easier than the earlier Victorian baubles and bits. I knew that mourning jewellery was fashionable because of Queen Victorian’s husband’s death, Albert. Also associate cameos, diamonds and pearls with that time but not sure how the finished pieces looked. So I was pleased to find this book hidden away on a shelf at the back of a book shop in Weighbridge Surrey for £12.



Broaches galore, I wonder if I have some already and didn’t realise my treasures.



Check out the late 60s styling of a Victorian lady look, so dated, and loving the big bold statement rings, great scale.



The main lady Queen Victoria looking sad and miserable wears a dramatic black dress with a hint of lace.



On the same day my fella bought me this other book as a gift about William Morris, what a designer! Discovering his work when I was a student at collage opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about art and design and causes. He was a socialist with a business, interesting, very ahead of his time and would most probably have a thing or two to teach ethical business owners if he was alive today.



Everyone in the Morris family looks so fed up and board in this photo. Surely not, must have been the photography used back in the day when they had to stand like status for awhile to take the picture. My how things have changed with all our instant digital photography and mobile uploads straight to face book. Looking at this photo is making me want to find a dress like the one Jane Morris is wearing in this photo (second lady in from the left); I can but wish to find.