High Street Hoarder to Charity Shop Chic

Welcome to my very own X Factor style 'journey'; From High Street Shopper to Vintage Lover.

 

As vintage has gradually infiltrated my wardrobe, I have had to come to terms with the fact that I can't afford nor justify filling my wardrobe full of reproduction or expensive vintage. Half of the fun of bargain hunting is bending everyone's ear with quite HOW cheap it actually was, so here goes...

 When I finally gained the confidence to brave full vintage attire,  I was desperate to kit my wardrobe out with amazing golden era clothing. This meant I was frantically hunting them down as it just felt so good to be wearing the clothes that I had wanted to for years. I remember the feeling of disbelief when I discovered the Collectif and Dollydagger websites!

 

How did I not know this was out there?! Because I had been hell bent, splashing the cash on fashion magazines and in high street stores in an attempt to 'keep up' with the ever changing trends. Another top, dress or pair of shoes that was always 'nice' but I never got that sense of pride for finding it, and could still never find anything to wear in my wardrobe.

 

WARNING: Old pictures alert...

 

Above I was beginning to brave something a little bit different...

 

And above is my very first venture into trying to vintage myself up. I remember watching a CherryDollFace tutorial and it taking me about 3 hours to do! This photo really does make me want a fringe!

 

I feel that I have gradually changed my perspective. I am now a keen bargain hunter, and proud to tell people that actually, my outfit did only cost £20! No longer do I continually buy magazines, I gain so much inspiration from reading other blogs, chatting on Twitter or watching films and learning about history. I really have turned a full circle to now; I am determined to see how good I can get for as little as possible, rather than proudly showing off a pair of £80 jeans or a top from All Saints. Both of which end up being thrown out. 

 

Here are some of my favourite pieces that I have found or made over the last few months:

 

I made this Rockabilly style top

Top: Oxfam £4.99

 Skirt: Vivienne of Holloway from eBay £20

 Shoes: Ebay £10

 Necklace Oxfam £1

£8 from Brighton Racecourse Boot Sale

 

Stork £4 and Coffee Set £5, both from Martlets on Western Road

 

I recently wrote a blog post about some of my favourite Charity Shops in Brighton, you can read it here!

 

Hannah xxx

 

The Edge of Love

Ok, I have a confession. I am a big Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller fan. They may split opinion on their acting ability, but it surely can't be disputed how beautiful they are?! The Edge of Love even has the Brucie Bonus of not just Keira and Sienna, but Cillian Murphy too. Drool. 



Anyway, back to the film! Set in wartime Britain, it is a complicated love story between two couples. With Knightley's husband sent to war, she begins an affair and faces the consequences when he returns. I was really hit by the realisation of how lonely war must have been for both those fighting, and those left behind. In such a terrifying situation for all, you can only imagine how frantically all sought solace and similarly struggled to return to normality once it was over.

A real highlight of the film was the incredible wardrobe throughout. I must admit that the outfits of both Miller and Knightley whilst in London did seem much more opulent than their circumstances would suggest, however I certainly wasn't complaining! However, the later parts of the film are a great lesson in the knitwear and tea dress combination that is perfect for transitional times of year.

I think that this coat above is so stunning. Just look at those darts!

What is your opinion on this film?

Hannah xxx