Gold booties are top fun

Todays outfit isn't anything amazing or particularly note-worthy, I just really wanted to wear these boots. I got them in the sale yesterday, should've been £75, got them for £15, what a bargain! There was a lot of them in the shop, despite their ridiculous mark-down. I can only presume people think they're ugly/outlandish, but thats fine, there's definately room for gold boots in my wardrobe. They're a sort of dulled down old gold, the cut out detailing is so pretty and perfect for layering colour underneath, today I opted for red. The bag is actually an antique document holder, with a lion crest type detail. I added two bits of fabric down each side to make it handbag worthy. It has really beautiful detail, inside and out. My top is also interesting, it has some form of royal crest thingy with a crown, velvet drapes and some lions, you know....the sort of things that make a top awesome. My photos are really shitty today, sorry. I basically didn't have much time to get dressed or take photos, I would have added some jewellery, but sadly was lacking the time. Yeah and my hairs all crazy, but who's looking at that anway?

Black vintage jacket, scarf (?), leather gloves (M&S), antique bag, boots (Office), gold cardigan (H&M), red cardigan (H&M), belt (Topshop), vest (Balenciaga), black top (H&M), vintage skirt.

Santa Delivers the Goods

I've not updated in a while, been spending my time eating turkey and doing other festive things. Plus, the room I normally take my outfit photos in has been taken over by my brother for the holidays. All shall get back to normal soon though. Above is my lame, but cute, attempt at a Christmas tree decoration. Yes, it is a ball of cotton wool with glitter on it, and yes, I am proud of him! He's like a little ghost with a halo hiding away in the tree. Look how happy he is! Anyway, I'm sure you're all dying to know what I wore on the big day (that was sarcasm)...I kept it simple, and not too tight, my belly had some expanding to do, so belts were a no no. The dress is from Topshop and the necklace is a vintage pommander. Fringe dresses are everywhere at the moment, but I know I'll be wearing this style for years to come, even when its not 'en vogue'. 

I got lots of lovely presents, the most exciting of which was one of my presents from my parents; an antique gold ring of my choosing. I've only recently branched out into wearing gold jewellery. I'm not sure why, but I was always adverse to it, which is ridiculous because jewellery can be nice whatever colour its metal setting. So I was on the hunt for a gold ring, as I didn't have one, specifically a gold ring with seed pearls. I tried on a few (and wanted them all) but settled for this one as I thought it was quite unusual looking, and it has the added interest of being a mourning ring with a section along the band for hair of the deceased. 

Two little seed pearls, one little diamond, some nice filigree work...it's all lovely. It's a piece from Chester, 1899, and thats all I know about it. As I mentioned, hair would have been braided and inserted into the ring, unfortunately the hair is missing from mine. The picture below shows the back of the ring where the hair would have been visible, and below is a picture I found demonstrating what the hair would have looked like. My parents thought it was all a bit morbid, but I think it's quite lovely. I do wish the hair was still there, but the ring is still pretty by itself. Oh I also read somewhere that pearls in Victorian mourning jewellery represent tears, which is rather sweet, and not at all morbid.  

Image from http://www.morninggloryjewelry.com

Fringe Benefits

There's something great about wearing fringed things. The movement makes you swing about like an idiot (well, me at least). Wearing my fringe dress may have been a bit fancy for the day time, so I restricted myself to just fringing up top. This top is rather longer than the photos show, in fact most of it is hidden, but I like to belt it and have some fringey bits hanging over the belt and cinched waist. The velvet skirt adds another texture to the outfit, something I rarely think about in an outift, as I'm more of a pattern girl than a texture girl. The handbag is one I lusted after for a while, and when I finally got it I never used it much. I think the colours restrict the number of outfits I can wear it with, but I do love it. The shape is so ladylike, and the inside is a gorgeous red. It did just occur to me that the reverse side of it is plain black, so maybe I could get away with carrying it the wrong way round with more outfits? No-one would ever know! (execpt maybe you guys reading this)...so yeah thats it, not a lot to say today...oh maybe I'll just mention one of the necklaces. The longer one with dangly bits is from the V&A, based on a piece in their collection. I forget what era/cultural reference it is based on, but I like it because it looks like mini Faberge eggs hanging down from it, a little Russian reference I immediately jumped on.  

Black vintage jacket, antique lace shawl, shoe boots (KG), handbag (Lulu Guinness), red pom pom gloves (Jarrolds), vintage velvet skirt, vintage belt, fringe top (H&M), roll-neck (H&M).  

Feeling (royal) blue

Having previously ignored the colour blue, as mentioned in this post , I have since become fixated with this sort of royal blue, that is vivid, but not garish. Something about that certain shade of blue in enamel makes me very happy, and I loved this necklace the moment I saw it. You may have noticed I like tassel necklaces, well this one has two whole tassels! Plus, I like the Russian Princess vibe I get from it, a look I often aspire to achieve. As I mentioned the other day, I have a number of vintage little girls coats. This blue one doesn't get much wear, precisely because it is blue, but I loved the detail on it and today was one of those rare days when I actually felt like putting it on. Don't get me wrong, I do like the coat, of course I do, but until recently I wasn't really a blue sort of person. But now I am converted, as long as it is a nice royal blue! The coat has black velvet trims with gold braid, and makes me feel like Princess Anne in the 80's, make of that what you will.

At the weekend I got one of my watches fixed. I was desperate to start wearing it, as it is my only watch with gold hardwear, therefore the only watch I can wear when I am wearing gold jewellery. It has such an adorable face to it, my camera was being a bitch today and not taking good photos, but at the top of the face is a deep blue sky which rotates throughout the day to reveal stars and a moon as the sun goes down, and a smiley sun as the sun rises again. You can sort of see it in the photo below. I had to carry a lot today so needed my huge velvet Gladstone bag. A handle broke the first time I used it (it was secondhand) so I've had to sort of make do with a quick fix for it, as I am certainly not banishing it to the back of my wardrobe, or god forbid, throwing it away.

Vintage coat, vintge bag, leather gloves (Oasis), shoes (Office), vintage dress, cardigan (H&M).

Patterns for your perusal

Some of my favourite patterns, mainly from clothes, but also bags, scarves and there's even a pair of shoes in there! This was pretty fun to do actually, click to enlarge, and enjoy!