Declutter!!

Well, I've been meaning to have a sort out of my stuff for a little while-I'm not a hoarder and anything I feel vaguely off about is a candidate for the charity shop.

I like to have a declutter if not every month, then every other month, although I did have a bit of one at the beginning of October.

It is the charity shops gain after all. Apparently, charities are having it hard at the moment-people worldwide are more in need than ever and some people who donate regularly are either lowering or stopping their regular contributions as the recession begins to set in. A good enough reason for all of you to declutter too and give the charity shops your unwanted things!!

I've got rid of 4 shirts, 4 bags, 2 pairs of jeans (cut offs), a skirt, a hoody and a pair of shoes. Plus some of Christophers bits that are no longer to his liking.

So a full bag to go and I feel better to have let some stuff go that I won't miss.

Do you declutter or are you a hoarder?

UPDATED TO ADD-Oops, after my 20/80 syndrome post, I said I may get rid of some my stuff. All of the stuff for charity is NOT my vintage or designer pieces-I've listened to good advice and intend on keeping these pieces for a long time to come!!

Vintage Fashion, Bagels, Modern Art and Boutiques-E1

Well, as I'm not going to boot sales at the weekends now, I was at a loss of what to do. On Tuesday Christopher had a school trip to the Tate Modern on the South Bank. He really enjoyed it and he bought a book on street art and also wants to go back next week (as it's school holidays) for another look around and to buy the 2nd volume of the street art book.

Well, as we all decided that we could eat a hot salt beef and mustard bagel, we hit Brick Lane for our lunchtime hit and also a wander round to view the street art (grafitti, really!)

I've not been around here on a Saturday and was surprised to see a handful of shops open. One of those was Sam Greenberg Vintage, which I had a lovely browse around. I spied some things, but I'm not buying at the moment-amongst the names was a Courreges padded raincoat for £35, a Guy Laroche coat for £35, a Bill Blass tweed dress and a gorgeous cream crepe and gold beaded Neiman Marcus dress for £35. The two coats were really dirty though, its surprising some of these places don't clean their items first. Mind you, the boy who worked there said, there was no electricity, no hot water, so no heating!!

Hey Rob, who's the superhero?

Another shop we went into was really timewarped in the 60s and 70s, some lovely stuff here-clothes, ornaments, furniture and these great 'Top of the Pops' pictures!!


Of course, I thought I would layer up today, so here are my new tights, my boots from last weeks boot sale, my black Warehouse knitted dress with bell sleeves and my hand knitted gilet-oh, I do feel cosy, haha!!

So, we duly took some pictures of the street art going on around E1 and then went and got our bagels-very nice too!!

While we were in the area, I had a look in Start, Rivington Street, a very stylish boutique in Hoxton. Prices were totally out of my league, but I did enjoy the look around!!

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday-now I will go and chill out-I have a lovely week off now!

Keeping cosy in style this winter!

I posted earlier this week of the dilemmas faced in my 20/80 syndrome-I received excellent advice, all gratefully received and I do intend taking it all on board. Which is why I also acted on the lovely Marian at House of Style's advice. As a fellow UK blogger, she is also aware how cold it gets over here and I am really not a fan of cold wintry weather, draughts and chills. So, when she suggested I wear my lovely dresses, but with woolly tights and boots, and then layers of cardi or gilet and coat, I thought, yes, I can do this!!

So, off I trotted to my local Marks and Spencers this afternoon and picked up the brown tights in the 2nd picture-they are cotton rich thermal opaque tights with wool for £6 and also come in black.

The 1st picture is of the Autograph merino wool blend tights which are £9-they come in navy, grey, black and brown-I will get the grey ones very soon. Click on my title link which will take you directly to M&S online store, for these and other lovely winter warmers!!

I can't wait to get cosy, haha!! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Ooh, shiny shiny!!!

I may have mentioned on more than one occasion how much I love leggings. Well, a couple of weeks ago, I was on and off Topshops website and kept peeking at these lame snakeskin wet look leggings. Anyhow, after a couple of days I succumbed to temptation and bought them!! I'm glad I did, as they fit really well and they are now out of stock. Plus, I got in before my self imposed 'no more clothes for a while' ban.

I intend on wearing these on my Xmas night out with work friends. I will wear them with my black merino wool boyfriend cardi-belted, black heeled ankle boots or my Giles Deacon for New Look studded sandals and not sure yet about what top underneath!! We are going for a meal, so just as well these have stretch to them-haha!!

Do you have any Xmas nights out planned-more importantly, do you have the outfit planned yet!!

Premio Dardos-Blog Award

The lovely Nothing Elegant nominated me for the above award. In her post, this best describes the awards intent:

This award is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing...that's the general idea.

Here it is, more eloquently, in Portuguese: O conceito deste prémio passa por reconhecer valores culturais, éticos, literários e pessoais, transmitidos de forma criativa e original nos pedacinhos rabiscados por cada blogueiro que o receba.

So, the rules are to pass this on to 15 other bloggers who deserve this-in my opinion, everyone who left comments on my 20/80 Syndrome post are all worthy of the award for the excellent advice they passed on to me, so here you are:

Emily-Cupcakes and Cashmere

Kate-Make Do and Mend

Fashion Dreamer

Nic-Shes Dressing Up

Ladies who Lunch

Vain and Vapid

Fashion Herald

Dana (MoDana)

Lenya-Fashion Loving Stylist

Anny

WendyB

Sandra@Debutante Clothing

Secretista

Pam

Cal

Charlotte

Saray

Savvy mode

Ren-Make Up by Renren

And Marian-for her late entry, haha!!

Much deserved, thanks gals!!