Thanks for the Inspiration....ThriftMyStyle 5 Favourite This Season Pieces

Hello everyone! Well it feels great to be back- I'm hoping that this will be my first of fairly regular posts now my mindset is slowly getting back to all things thrift and blog inspired!

I've my wonderful friend Michelle to thank at MyFashionable40s who really kickstarted me back in to action-her latest post here is about her favourite 5 this season pieces which are not just trend led but real style classics that will transcend from season to season- check out her fabulous post and also her very inspiring different daily outfits- she truly rocks casual chic in her own stylishly unique way!

So on to item number one which I actually picked up today whilst doing ahem some Christmas shopping- in keeping with the modern 70s vibe that is currently on trend at the moment, I picked up this 100% wool boho black floppy hat in Primark for a bargainous £8!! This will be a keeper for all seasons barring summer of course but word of warning- have a spare hand ready as the wind has a habit of whipping up under the brim!

Here is a picture of just the hat to give you a better idea of how the brim flops!! I haven't looked but I'm pretty certain that this will be at least double or triple the cost in other leading fashion outlets so if this is your style I would say don't delay and grab one while you can!!

On to item number two which I picked up at the start of the Autumn season in Primark again, from their Tottenham Court Road store. It is lovely and warm and oversized and the perfect colour tartan that is missing from my scarf collection-at just £5 I couldn't say no!

Still on the subject of tartan, last month I found this gorgeous tartan wool vintage cape/poncho in a neighbouring towns Help The Aged charity shop for £5.99- loving the blue as it works so well over my black leather biker jacket and also looks great with dark denim too:

It's quite thick so is a nice different style of layer instead of a scarf and a great way of having some more tartan in my wardrobe.

Item number four was found only yesterday and in keeping with the lace obsession I've had over summer- a really cute black lace shirt which has a lovely all over sheer design and perfect for winter evening dressing and summer day partnered with denim, There is no label inside so not sure if it's current or vintage but was a definite must have from Oxfam for just £2.99:

Onto my last item which is so much inspired by the long style trend of the white tennis shoe- unfortunately my budget doesn't stretch to the lovely Adidas Stan Smiths or even their Superstars, as shown below:

Well as you can see, my chosen Heritage tennis shoe of choice is by legendary British tennis brand Slazenger- I found these in Sports Direct in September and considering they are leather and under £20 I really couldn't leave them behind!!

They have mixed features of the Stan Smiths and the Superstars and for the quality and price they can't be beat, especially as they go with anything and everything!!

So that's my round up of  my favourite five this season- have you already indulged in the tartan, trainer and hat trend yet??

I would just like to say to everyone who follows, reads, comments and doesn't comment that I'm so grateful for your continued friendship and support you've given me- I'm optimistic that next year I'll be back to publishing regularly and most importantly get back to reading what all of you lovely people are upto- I've really missed everyone but I'm hoping that I'll be back on track before too long and thank you all so much for stopping by and catching up!

On that note I will leave you all by wishing each and everyone of you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year- roll on 2015 and I hope you all have a wonderful festive season- see you all very soon!!

Dune Mongolian Scarf & Liberty Tartan Scarf- Scarves of the Week

Hi everyone! I hope you've all had a lovely week so far and like me, looking forward to the weekend. This week has seen me start my official role as a library assistant which I'm really enjoying plus I'm meeting really nice co-workers too, making the transition of starting a new job so much easier!

I'm not sure what I'll be doing this weekend but if the weather turns particularly nasty it will mean having to stay indoors snuggled up watching TV, films and listening to music, whilst catching up with my blog reading and book reading!! 

I thought I would show you this weeks scarf purchases-the first one is my Dune Mongolian shaggy wool scarf/shawl which I treated myself to whilst in London on Saturday:

It really is a scarf of substance and I actually felt naked after taken it off instore to put back the display piece- I love the softness and shagginess of it as I've always wanted a scarf like this for so many past winters. I really would recommend it if you're looking for a shawl like item over a variety of different coats and jackets this winter-it really blocks out the cold and looks really nice on too.

My second scarf was an accidental find whilst in town early this week, as I'm trying not to spend anything on myself after my splurges this month. I was really only trying to browse my local Salvation Army but it's always the way-when you don't want to see anything or are watching the pennies, something always shows up! Thankfully when I saw this scarf, it was well worth buying and I couldn't leave it behind for just £1.99:

A pure wool black and white tartan scarf which is immaculate and still has the original Liberty paper sticker on it too:

I'm so chuffed to find this one as I don't have a monochrome scarf and this fits the current tartan trend perfectly. It's a lovely length and width and it looks like one of those items that has been bought and not used and donated to charity, waiting for me to swoop and buy!!

I keep saying it, but I'm really on a strict (ish) self imposed thrift and shopping curfew-apart from maybe getting a new pair of black trousers or jeans for work that will be my only spending for the forseeable, but I can never say never.....sigh!!

Here's hoping you all have a lovely weekend and what with the Festive Season and my new job I may not be around as often to blog new posts and comment back, but I always take pleasure in reading your blogs via bloglovin' and google+ to see what you are all up to in the style and fashion blogosphere!

Scarf Fever.....My Current Obesessions of the Moment

Hi everyone! I hope you've all had a great week, it really feels like it has flown by-which is a good thing, being on the cusp of the weekend! I've been really good this week with getting myself organised- putting things on ebay, filing away months old paperwork and bills and getting round to my 'to do' list of ringing around companies that I've been putting off doing. Just when I think all the current bills have been sorted and paid for, I get a reminder from the DVLA for the road tax due at the end of the month- so any style items in double figures that I've been eyeing up will either have to come out of ebay sales or just wait.

So with this in mind I indulged this week in one of my two style obsessions-scarves. My other obsession is denim and jeans but my scarf addiction is currently the one that has been taking over recently.

With my love of leopardprint showing no signs of abating I had to get a scarf that featured it in big print and the viscose one below was just £4 from the scarf man in our local shopping centre. I'm now lusting over a tiny print one so that may well make an appearance in the wardrobe over the weekend if I venture back into town-highly likely!

My other purchase earlier this week was this 100% French navy pashmina scarf by Tie Rack from my local Sue Ryder charity shop for just £3.99. I have quite a lot of printed scarves so for a plain one to appear is just perfect- I have a plain black wool pashmina scarf and it's so versatile and stylish and for me a necessity to have so I'm sure the navy one will be worn loads. The bright pink pashmina is one pulled out of my summer scarf collection and put with the Autumn scarves. I won't be doing the pink coat/jacket trend this season (unless I spy a fabulous vintage one of course) so this scarf will add a great pop of colour on days when I fancy something vibrant on:

What are your style obsessions at the moment? Are they items that can comfortably fit into the budget or are you saving for something in particular or special?

Wishing you all a lovely weekend whatever you get up to, I'm going to try and get stuck into at least one of my books in the reading pile- which has since grown due to some library books borrowed midweek (not sure why I can't cope with what I've got, but hey-ho!). I may even venture out for a little thrifting trip too, my budget of £5 to £10 a week can really reap dividends if I'm lucky!! 

Thrift Inspiration......One Scarf In, One Jacket Out

Hi everyone!! Like a lot of style and fashion bloggers I have been reorganising and sorting out my wardrobe for Autumn and Winter over the past few weeks. I recently sold my Kate Moss for Topshop Liberty print jacket on ebay as it was too small (alas I have gained some weight which I should address by regular exercise but am still slow to gain any inspiration for this)-anyhow the jacket was too small and surplus to requirements and it gave me some ammunition and funds to put towards a new seasonal purchase.

I've been inspired by a few style bloggers recently who like me have a scarf addiction and have been wearing the new berry tones in existing scarves they have or by their new purchases. I decided that I wanted to get a statement scarf such as the Mulberry one I got last Christmas. 

Requirements for the new one included pure wool content, cream and berry hues with black if possible and I really did want a heritage brand thrown in for good measure. My local T K Maxx is generally a walk-thru from one side of the town to the other, but yesterday as I was walking through I had the brainwave to check out the scarves and I'm so pleased I did. After searching through the racks I found the perfect one for me which ticked all the boxes:

This scarf is by Aquascutum and has the cream, black and berry colours I wanted, plus it's 100% wool. It's wider than a normal scarf but smaller than a shawl, so will provide perfect coverage for colder spells:

The price was spot on too- for a heritage brand such as Aquascutum I would have expected to pay at least double what I did, so when I saw the price tag at £24.99 I was really pleased and knew I would be taking it home with me. 

This was a perfect swap for me, I now have the scarf I wanted and the jacket has gone to a new home. Reassessing and selling what you don't want in your wardrobe is a great way to raise funds for potential new purchases-will you be doing this for Autumn and Winter, or have you done so already?

Accessories: It's all in the details-From Machu Picchu to Me

Hi everyone! As the weather has been pretty awful lately, I've been focusing on how the little details such as accessories and colours can make a difference to an outfit.

Last month I found an awesome tote bag at the boot sale, all the way from Peru- Macchu Picchu to be precise. I do love authentically made pieces from South America and what drew me to this particular bag was the colours- fuchsia pink and orange, perfect for Spring and Summer:

I just love the style too- a tote is the perfect bag for this season and it's barely been used- it would have been rude not to have bought it for a bargainous £2, no?

I paired it with my current favourite scarf of the moment, a Primark buy a couple of months ago which is a watercolour floral style which I'm really loving for now- it's quietly vibrant and understated in a mix of colours and it seems to go with practically all of my outfits- I've worn it here with my thrifted black leather biker jacket by Primark too:

What are your favourite bags and accessories of the moment- are you all about colours, or are you sticking to neutrals?

ThriftMyStyle Outfit Post....Khaki and red style

 Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend-the weather is still so cold but we have been lucky where I live in that there has been no snow-as yet!! Out and about this weekend I thought I would wear my latest purchase, my khaki camo leopardprint and rose print scarf- mixing my two favourite winter colours of khaki and red. It was only £4 from Primark and is my current favourite scarf-I've worn it a few times already.

I am also wearing my khaki cap by Nobis which was a Christmas present from eldest son, my khaki H&M fur lined parka jacket and my trusty Pavers boots.

As you can see I've added some pops of red to my outfit-my red cross body saddle style bag and my red leather and leopardprint gloves from Marks and Spencer which were bought last Autumn.

As much as I love black I am drawn to adding some colour into my outfits for winter and it's hard to beat red. Khaki is one of my favourite trans-seasonal colours, it is so versatile and stylish in my opinion.

What are your favourite colours for winter?

I am linking this post to the lovely Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for inclusion to her wonderful Visible Monday  posts.

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead!

My favourite scarves of 2012

Hi everyone!! I thought I would do a 'show and tell' of my favourite scarves that were either bought, thrifted or given as gifts to me in 2012. As you may already know I am a denim addict-more of that is on my dedicated style blog Live To Love Denim but my other current style addiction is scarves. I love them in all colours, designs and materials and no matter if they are high street or designer they all add that something extra to outfits and stand the test of sizing issues and trends.

This first scarf was a pre Christmas buy by myself from H&M instore. It had been reduced to £4 and I love how it can be worn not only as a scarf but as a shawl/cape too. It is currently still on sale online here for £5:

My second scarf was from early 2012 and is a striped grey, baby pink and brown one by Hobbs, which I thrifted from my local Sue Ryder charity shop for just under £4. I wore it earlier with my brown Per Una down puffa coat and brown Pavers boots and it is the perfect neckwear of choice now the weather has dipped:

My next scarf was a Christmas present from my lovely mum when we spied it in the men's section of Marks & Spencer just before Christmas. It is available in a different colourway on line and what I love about it is that it is red tartan check, pure lambswool and was made in Great Britain. I wore it solidly over Christmas and New Year but am now giving it a little rest! The men's style to me worked out better quality than the ladies alternative-there was an orange and pink check scarf which was also lambswool, made in Great Britain but was actually smaller in length and width and was £25, so dearer than this one which was £19.50.

My next one is a blue leopardprint and star print scarf by Guess and was a present from my lovely son which he received in a goody bag from Guess at their Spring/Summer 2013 press day. I love the mix of the 2 prints  and is a great year round scarf:

This scarf was a present mid 2012 from a lovely friend and is actually by Burberry. It is a wool mix and has a gold thread running through it-it is very long and again is perfect as a year round scarf, definitely one of my firm favourites:

Of course my other favourite scarves from last year are my Mulberry scarf from Liberty's and my Liberty wool wrap scarf that I got in October.

I need to now enjoy wearing all of these and put them on a strict rotation! Have you got any favourite scarves that you purchased or was given as a present? Are scarves a passion for you?

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, apparently we have snow on the way but at least I am ready for it!!

Animal Colour Prints

According to the Guardian, coloured animal prints are 'bang on trend'. They feature from Designers through to the High Street

Topshop, £70

ASOS, £10

Christopher Kane at Net-A-Porter, £695

Warehouse, £40

I've tapped into this trend by investing in some pashmina/scarfs, which were only £2 each at my local ethnic High Street shop.

They are the perfect companion to a denim or leather jacket, plus a good enough reason to put away the winter scarves too!

Scarf and Belts-vintage and new

This is my Cacharel scarf that I bought yesterday-it is so pretty, with pictures of birds all over it-very summery!!

This is how I wore it today

I also love belts.

This is the vintage gold chain one that I bought at Saturdays boot sale for £3

This red cinch belt was only £2 from Primark, when I went shopping on Monday.
This black leather one was £3.50, which has gold horsebit details along it-this was the belt I bought yesterday!

My Scarf Collection!!

Gorgeous bloggers Ida and Karima always accessorize their outfits so beautifully, especially with scarves and this inspired me to show you my scarf collection so far. I don't wear them as often as I want to and hopefully by getting them out and having them on show, will inspire me to incorporate them into my outfit selection more often.

Well, I got off to a good start on Saturday, as I wore my Missoni scarf to Bruges!!


Here are my selection of scarves, from left to right from the back:green and orange silk floral square by Jaeger, green and pale blue silk long scarf by Orla Kiely, pink and leopard print silk long scarf by Marks & Spencer, orange and purple wool scarf by Missoni, navy and cream print silk scarf by Hermes, grey multi colour geometric silk square by Libertys, cream and pale blue silk Italy scarf, wine floral triangular scarf by Mary Quant and black star print long scarf by Primark. Also at the back, my Moschino perfume box turned into scarf box!!

On my future thrifting trips , I will look out for more scarfs as they are generally very cheap to buy and there is a variety of different styles, colours and patterns just waiting to be found!!

Thanks for your inspiration Ida and Karima!!