Thursday 28 June 2012

Jumble sale loot!

I went to my favourite jumble sale the weekend before last and have only now got round to surveying my loot from my adverntures (see picture below). I love jumble sales as they have some much to offer and at prices from 20p for an item of clothing they are really accessable to all budgets.

I tend to have a strategy when I go to jumble sales, i.e. something that I am particularly looking for so that I don't get too overwhelmed and either come away with nothing or come away with so much that I don't have room to store it or have an idea of what I want to do with it. I think there should also be an understanding between people that you should not buy more than your fair share, therefore ensuring that there is enough to go round. I do sell on some of the stuff I buy on eBay or carboot if I don't end up wearing or upcycling them but I don't go out with that as my primary goal, it is sometimes just a welcome additional bonus.

My mum tends to come to jumble sales with me and will help me in my search for whatever it is that week that I am looking for. So last time I was looking for green fabric to make leaves for a tree I am making (my projects extend beyond those which I can wear!) as you can see from the picture I wasn't successful in terms of that goal but an on-going favourite of mine is buttons so I was really pleased at the tin and bag I got for a grand total of £2.50. Buttons are great and can be used to decorate tops, shirts, jumpers etc. I also have used them to make a collar for my friend who is obsessed with buttons and also personalise a bag with her name.

I also got a waistcoat which I will just wear as it is, a scarf which again I will just wash and wear, two jumpers (one very retro looking) and a coat for which I have big plans and will divulge in another post! The jumpers I will keep if they fit, if not I am sure the red and grey one will sell on eBay as a great vintage top and go on to fund further jumble, carboot and charity shop bargains. Oh and I also got a little blue fabric belt which is brilliant as it is one of those ones that you can make as small or big as you like.

My loot includes buttons a scarf, a waistcoat and jumpers.

Friday 22 June 2012

Upcycling and recycling past fashions

Today I am wearing my favourite customised polka dot skirt. I bought this skirt from a Charity shop for £2.99 and just love the print on the fabric. Originally the skirt was calf length, a look which I really can't rock, but I liked the print so much that I thought I would see if I could make it into a dress. My initial idea was to widen the waist band and have it as a boob tube type dress that I would just pull in by wearing a belt. As with my of my ideas that didn't really work out, I quickly realised that I wouldn't ever get round to wearing like that and that it was too nice to waist on my whims so I set about making it into a skirt that I would be able to add to my every day work wardrobe.

I simply got another one of my skirts and used it as a template with regards to length and cut my new skirt about two centimetres longer so that I would have an adequate hem. I then simply hemmed the skirt by running the sewing machine round the bottom and there I had my skirt! Fortunately it fit me round the waist so the job was done! (warning - with vintage clothes it is worth trying them on because the sizing is very different to the sizing used in many high street shops, this skirt is a size 14 and I normally wear a size 10 skirt!).

The next best thing about this skirt, after the print, was there was so much fabric left over. Around the time I was working on the alterations to the skirt one of my friends at the time was due to give birth to a baby girl. I decided that instead of buying her a gift that I would like to make her something special. My friend Kate is a very funky girl and I knew she would love my skirt so I decided to make a little girls dress from the remaining fabric. I used a free template which I found online and my miniature creation was born! I have to say I was very proud of my little dress and thought it was a great way to recycle.



Recycling and upcycling an old skirt by shortening it
Shortening the skirt

Finished recycled and upcycled skirt being worn for work
Finished project!

Wednesday 20 June 2012

Celeb Fashion Pick Jessica Alba in Glamour Magazine

I came across a feature on Glamour magazines website featuring "Jessica Alba's Best Looks". I really like Jessica's style and love that there is a "real" quality to the things that she wears as well as still giving us that injection of glamour and designer style when needed. I have picked out three of my favourite "out and about"looks from the Glamour line up, to see the full article follow this link glamour.co.uk

Jessica Alba in a sophisticted city look
This whole look is so sophisticated, I love it!

Jessica Alba in leather biker style jacket, jeans and biker boots
I will always have a place in my heart for the
whole biker chick look. This jacket is great with
the different tones and pieces of fabric used to
create a worn vintage feel. Also loving the boots! 

Jessica Alba in casual jeans and mac outfit
Simple, stylish and effortless


Tuesday 19 June 2012

Underwater love

This is another picture I took on my iPhone of something I liked the look of the 10/06/2012 issue of 'Fabulous' (free with the Sun newspaper on a Saturday's). I love shift dresses, especially for work and I think that this tropical fish tank print one is just amazing, I really havne't seen anything like it before on my fashion related travels and certainly think that it would be one of those items of clothing that would get people taking! I doubt this dress will be in Primark for long, but will keep an eye out for it never the less!

A little tip from me to you - If I miss things in the shops or they have sold out then I tend to keep searching on eBay or charity shops until I find them. Things tend to appear on eBay very quickly but I once found a dress that I had tried on in River Island, but didn't buy because I didn't have the occassion to spend the money, in a charity shop for around £5. That was less than a month after I had tried it on in the shop! It would have been rude not to buy it and I still have it and wear it now.

Back to the tropical dress though, I would love to see someone wearing this dress so please keep me posted if you see anyone wearing it!  

Aquarium print shift dress from Primark

Sunday 17 June 2012

Fashion pick - swimsuit

I love the free magazines that come with the Sunday papers. They feature some great clothes from the highstreet which are affordable and accessible to all. I have a habit of seeing things in these magazines and taking pictures of them on my phone so that when i go shopping i can hunt them down!

I really like this cut out design one from Primark featured in the 10/06/12 fabulous magazine. Great colours and print :-) now just need to have a reason to buy it, like a summer holiday maybe???

Aztec style Swimsuit from Primark

Friday 15 June 2012

Jumble sale fun

Like a lot of people (and probably most of you reading what is attempting to be a fashion themed blog) I love clothes and having myriad of choices when it comes to deciding what to wear is something which pleases me no end (and makes me a little less than punctual...). But like most people I have limited funds on which to spend on my clothing "habit" so I have developed an affection and respect for charity shops and jumble sales for the opportunity they give me to get my fix but not "break my bank". I find jumble sales to be excellent places to buy items that I can then customise, if you have only spent 20p on something you don't mind cutting it to pieces in the hope you can create something fabulous! This dress is one of my favourite recent jumble sale 20p finds :-)

Bird print shirt dress in blue and white

Thursday 14 June 2012

Welcome one and all!

So, welcome to my blog! I have started this blog as a way of sharing my fashion and creative themed adventures and the treasures that I find. Perhaps it will inspire you to go out and hunt through charity shops, rummage at jumble and car boot sales as well as hitting the high street and getting inspiration from the glossy magazines (like me) or perhaps you will just like to share my adventures through my blog. Either way I don't mind, I just hope you enjoy :)

There is so much in the way of fashion and creativity out there and I guess I just wanted a platform to share my findings and possiblly a project or two. So I apologise if I am perhaps a little indulgent at times, but my intentions are good!

ENJOY & SHARE,
Love Little Bundy xxx