Wrapping Up Warm

It's definitely turned a bit nippy here!  I've been reaching for my hats and gloves.  On a Sunday stroll up the hill, I pulled out this check coat for the first time this year.

Outlet Wedding Dresses

The last time I wrote about bargain wedding dresses, I mentioned how charity shops can be a good source, but today's focus is on another opportunity to pick up a good deal on a dress, through outlets!

Designers always have to make room for the new collections, and so the old stock sometimes gets sent to outlets.  Unlike with charity shops, everything is brand new, though perhaps there might also be a few samples that have been tried on in boutiques.  Still, they've never been down an aisle.

There's a Littlewoods catalogue outlet near some family, and I did find a Nicholas Millington wedding dress there for £60, which would have been over £200 new.  Again, not my taste, but a bargain if it's the kind of thing you're after.  I even posed in it for you, here you go:

Working Wardrobe

The light at this time of year is not at all conducive to taking nice outfit photos.  Instead of one nicely photographed outfit, I give you four poorly photographed ones, showing what I wore to work last week.

Wonky Walls & An AWOL Workman

Today, we're supposed to be having our lounge plastered.  I say 'supposed to' because our plasterer is currently driving around the neighbourhood to suspected haunts, searching for his labourer, who is not answering his phone.  This wouldn't have anything to do with the Wales v All Blacks rugby match that was on last night, would it?  Hmm...

So here's how far we've got with the lounge.  That lovely thick '60s style wallpaper is now stripped off (it had to go, sorry to those of you that liked it!!).  The uneven concrete in the fireplace has been chipped out, and we've laid new cement there to give a nice even surface for when we put down a new hearth.  The room has been prepped for plastering, with holes filled, and the shape of the fireplace opening properly revealed (I like the slightly curved top, I hope we can keep it).

Wedding Guest Outfits & Outtakes

Last year I posted some photos here of a beautiful wedding that we were lucky enough to attend for some dear friends.  Then I followed it up with some 'outtakes' here.  The professional photos came back a while ago, and there are a few with me and my Baby in.

I'm wearing a cherry print dress that was a present, with a shrug I bought off Ebay.  Chris is wearing a vintage hat, a Kentucky tie (gift) and a bargain suit that I think was about £2.50 from the car boot sale!

Book Review: Fifties House

Fifties House by Catriona Gray is a wonderful glimpse into mid-century home design, with three main sections, focusing on rooms, houses, and decoration.  The book is a narrated collection of articles taken from 1950's issues of House & Garden magazine,with pages of full colour photographs and illustrations.

Vintage Inspired Wedding Dresses on a Budget: 1930s

There are lots of vintage inspired dresses at the high end of bridal design, such as Jenny Packham's 1920s and 1930s inspired gowns, or Ritva Westenius, but let's be honest that spending thousands of pounds on a dress is beyond reach of most of us mere mortals.

Fear not, there's a HUGE choice of vintage inspired wedding dresses out there, and all of my suggestions below are under £300.  That's right.  You can have vintage glamour on a budget!  Today I'm focusing on the 1930s, and will be back with more inspiration from other decades as soon as I've scoured the web.

1930's Style Bridal Dresses
Think bias cut slinky evening gowns in silks and satins.  Jean Harlow is your inspiration.

This 1930's 'Siren' evening gown from 20th Century Foxy would be a wonderful choice (£280).

Vintage Film Review: From Here to Eternity

I had long-awaited watching this classic film after we picked up a copy on VHS for free in the charity shop.  What an utter disappointment it turned out to be!

The film was released in 1953, based on James Jones' book.  Starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr and Frank Sinatra, it's a tale centred around a military base in Hawaii, before Pearl Harbour plunges everyone into war.

Image from All Posters, where you can buy this poster here.

I looked up some critics' reviews after watching it, and was flabbergasted at how highly they regarded what, to me, was a long, boring film with hammed acting.

A Beret for Bonfire Night

Remember, remember, the 5th of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder treason,

Should ever be forgot.

This year there weren't any local public displays of fireworks to attend, and the bigger ones down the valley are usually on weekends these days, which isn't always convenient. On actual bonfire night then we headed up the nearest hill, parked up with a whole convoy of other cars, and enjoyed the amazing view stretching all the way up, and all the way down, the valley we live in.  Many private firework parties were taking place, so we had a good fireworks show from our vantage point.  We'd brought a flask of hot chocolate (good call, it was freezing up on the hill!) and some giant sparklers, which we couldn't light at first as our lighter failed.

Full skirt 1980's wool coat, charity shop

Scarf, Peacocks

Beret, Accessorize

Gloves, Sainsburys

It was good to get home and warm, with a nice cheesy salmon and veg bake, followed by the first baked apples of the season (a bonfire night essential in our house).

Did you do anything for bonfire night?

Lindybop 'Cassie' Dress for Treorchy Vintage & Craft Fair

I popped to a local event last weekend, the Treorchy Vintage & Craft Fair.  Held in a hall, the fair was 90% craft, with a smattering of vintage clothing and bric-a-brac.

The Revelation of the 1930's Parquet Flooring

It was another weekend of steaming ahead with the DIY.  And look what we have revealed in the lounge - a lovely bit of parquet!



We knew that there was some parquet under there, but weren't sure of its condition.  It's pretty good!  It's a different colour around the edges, and splattered with paint, so will need sanding back with wire wool, reglazing and waxing.  But it should come up lovely with a bit of care!

A Kitty Copeland Cape Dress for Halloween

This fabulous 1970's Kitty Copeland dress was £1 from the car boot sale.  I wore it for a night out with a good friend.

The 3/4 Sleeve Coat Made for Twirling

I love full skirted coats, they are made for swishing and twirling!  This coat is several years old, a Primark buy, and I recently rediscovered it, after it falling out of favour for a while.  I had originally imagined it with elbow length leather gloves, which remain on the 'to-buy' list, but I have started wearing it with long sleeves underneath.