Recent Charity Shop Chic purchases...

My clothes buying has seemed to decrease slightly in recent weeks (who knows why! Hopefully it will be back on form soon) and I have been drawn to the 'bric-a-brac' section of Charity Shops much more than I used to be. My bedroom is turning into an overfilled 'Aladdin's Cave' as I keep adding little bits of old furniture, ornaments and random bits of interest; with those, and all the clothes I have now, I think I may need a bigger bedroom...

Here are a few recent bits that I just could not resist...

Two uber cute, lunchbox/suitcase style, storage boxes; I have no idea what they are supposed to be used for, or how old they are, but the are wonderfully retro in red, and have a lovely delicate blue pattern inside; great for storing away old bits and bobs!

Next up, my obsession with photo frames continues...

It's an addiction that started a few weeks ago and I just can't kick it! I am drawn to rummaging through the boxes of old photo frames, to see if there are any pretty frames, or even interesting pictures; and these are what I found.

Lastly are a few books I got; Charity Shops are a great place to find books as they are cheap (so if it's not your cup of tea, you won't be too out of pocket), they are usually in pretty good condition and there are a lot to chose from. Also once you've read the books, you can give them back to a Charity Shop for someone else to enjoy!

Two hilarious books; one by Mitchell and Webb, and another by Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant on Karl Pilkington, I did actually 'LOL' as one may say. 'A Child Called It' which is completely at the other end of the emotion scale, and is a book I have been meaning to read. And finally the autobiography of Keith Richards; I had heard that after reading chapter one of this book, it is hard to believe he is still alive...that's got to be an interesting read! Plus my Dad, being a huge fan of the Rolling Stones, will love it.

...And a little extra piece I had forgotten about...

A reproduction of old advertisements made into a jigsaw puzzle! I am fascinated by vintage adverts, they always look so very chic. So this is now hanging on my wall. Lovely.

Spring / Summer 2011: Floaty florals.

Pretty much all the fashion magazines and clothing advertisements seem to be awash with beautiful floaty fabrics; skirts, tops and dresses galore, I think they may be trying to tell us that summer is on its way! From ditsy prints, to painterly florals, the soft and wispy fabrics are full of summer romance and cannot fail to get you in the mood for summer fun.

H&M advertisment

D&G advertisement

Paul & Joe show

So here is my Charity Shop Chic find; a fabulously, floaty, floral (woah alliteration!) skirt for a mere £2. No alteration was needed and it fits the trend perfectly!

Top: Hong Kong market
Skirt: Charity Shop
Watch: Casio
Parrot Necklace: Gift

This weeks top picks from online Charity Shops...

This week my top picks are from the Cancer Research Online Charity Shop. Their shop has lots of sections to chose from so you can spend some charitable moolah on some wonderful little bits ranging from Fashion, to Homeware and even Flowers! So here are my pick of the best this week...


This real leather jacket is a steal at £30; everyone needs a decent leather jacket in their wardrobe, and this one is a great cropped style that will perfectly grunge up any outfit, including this next pick...


A floral jumpsuit for just £13.50; bang on the Summer trends with the floral pattern, and the 70's style jumpsuit vibe. Love it.

Alas, this jacket and jumpsuit have been snapped up already so are no longer for sale! But I still put them up as they are great Charity Shop finds.


Next up is this fabulous textured jumper for £12 which you can still buy here; it would look great with a pair of skinnies, in particular some leathers to mix smooth with rugged.

Recent Charity Shop Chic purchases...

Last week on a random little excursion to Gloucester and Tewkesbury (beautiful Cathedral and Abbey) I couldn't stop myself having a good look around all the Charity Shops to see what that part of the country had to offer! And what a little beauty I found...


Another wonderful camel coat; I pulled the very 80's shoulder pads out to update it, and now it has a great relaxed yet structured look. And the best thing about it was the cost, it was, wait for it...ONE ENGLISH POUND. Unbelievable.

Here are some designer and high street matches...

Hussein Chalayan


Gucci


Topshop Camel Mohair Mixed Boyfriend Coat £95

And back in my local charity shops I had a weekend rummage and found these great trousers...

Crop top: Charity Shop
Trousers: Charity Shop
Belt: Primark
Heels: Matalan
I have been looking for some camel coloured trousers ever since they started appearing in all the magazines and shops, but could never find any good high waisted ones to fit nicely around my waist and rather larger proportioned derriere. Charity shop to the rescue and here they are! Perfect.

This weeks top picks from online Charity Shops...

What with the world being so high tech nowadays and life pretty much revolving around the internet, you do not even need to leave the comfort of your own home to find yourself a Charity Shop Chic purchase. So I thought I would pick out the best of what the online Charity Shops have to offer and the great thing is you can actually purchase them right now yourselves! (Bearing in mind that there will only be one of them as it is still a Charity Shop, but hey, that's the beauty of charity shop shopping, so snap them up quick!)

The Oxfam Online Shop is a great place to start online Charity Shopping; it has a variety of sections from the 'Second Hand Store', which is basically a Charity Shop on the internet, to the 'Ethical Collection', which sells a collection of beautiful little fair trade goodies, and finally 'Oxfam unwrapped' which is an amazing idea where you can purchase a gift to give to those who need it most, from feeding a family for as little as £7 up to building a whole classroom for £1700. So whether you want a little something special for yourself, or someone else, they are all great gifts which will make a huge difference to someone.

So let's get shopping!...

First up, a similar skirt to my own recent Charity Shop Chic purchase;

a vintage, black, full length skirt, with pleating and a high waist to fit the body perfectly, at £29.99 it is a bit pricey Charity Shop wise, but it is Vintage Radley so technically it's a steal! Get it here

Next is a little Raspberry beauty, bang on trend with the bright colour and I imagine very comfortable, AND only £2.99. Get it quick!


I am drawn to leopard print like a moth to a flame, so here is a travel bag which I personally would use as a clutch! It is £9.99 and even has an integral mirror - perfect for a night out?!


Next up, an ASOS belt for £5.99, it is a simple, brown leather belt, which is a staple wardrobe piece that goes with everything.


Lastly, a little guilty pleasure;

a Spice Girls edition Polaroid camera!! Amaze! It is fabulously brash in its bright pink and blue casing and in working order. Instant cameras are so very fashionable and produce great retro snaps instantly. £49.00. I want it!