Thrift Inspiration, Double Denim's New Dawn at Grazia

I've noticed that nearly everyone is being very frugal and thrifty as we start the new year and two of my last purchases of 2011-just after Christmas, were a denim shirt and some coloured denim skinny jeans. These are items that I can wear now and also in the summer and will always be on trend.

So after getting my New Years Grazia on Thursday for just £1 as I used the prior editions discount voucher, I was pleased to see my new purchases were totally inspirational for Grazias fashion feature-Denim's New Dawn:

There is a lot of double denim going on, a trend that really took off last year and not only is blue denim featured, coloured denim is in the mix too:

The feature suitably inspired todays casual outfit, which is my denim shirt by H&M, scarlet red denim skinny jeans by Next and purple wool cardigan which I bought a couple of years ago from Uniqlo and is still going strong. The shirt and jeans were thrifted from my local Sue Ryder charity shop-both came to less than a tenner too!!

I'm on the look out for another feminine cut denim shirt with gold rivet fastenings, this one has silver and is short sleeved, making it a really versatile item for winter and summer, as are the coloured skinny jeans.

What is on your style radar for the new summer season?

Cocoon coats, Vintage v Modern

Cocoon coats have been in style for decades now and the earliest picture I can see is from Balenciagas Fall 1954 collection, featuring this rather fashionable cocoon design:

Fast forward more than half a century and Prada have the style in their Autumn/Winter 2011 collection-the shape and cut is so easily such a style classic, reinvented by different designers virtually every decade in plain or printed versions:

Before I realised the coccon coat was back in fashion this winter, I had bought this 1960s heritage green version for my vintage fashion fair stall. It had not sold all year and I decided to try it on last month as an alternative day winter coat and its been in my own wardrobe ever since!

Lisa Armstrong did an article on cocoon coats last month, featuring an Etro claret version and I do agree with her that they are such a style which tend to go with skirts or trousers and have the added bonus of allowing thick jumpers underneath without creating extra bulk.

Here is my Aquascutum coat in action with skinny jeans-its a perfect day coat and I really love the colour too:

What style of coat are you currently in this winter?

Gucci vintage handbag- Christmas present to me!

A big hello to you all!! I do so hope you all had a very Happy Christmas and are enjoying the rest of the holidays- fortunately for me, I am not back until next Tuesday-hurrah!!

Before Christmas, I was really excited to find a gorgeous vintage Gucci handbag which is in a classic flapover style- bang on trend for this season too!!

The first picture is the Gucci 1973 medium flap bag, with double G detail, currently available on Gucci's website now for £1520-totally gorgeous, but well out of my price range! It just goes to show how style does goes round in a cycle-the two designs of these handbags are so very similar, decades on:

Which is why I always love designer vintage pieces-for a fraction of the price and with its clean classic lines, this is certainly a real style investment purchase which will never date:

I love the gold G clasp fastener and as well as a few compartments it also has the added feature of a detachable strap so it can be used as a clutch too! With my Chanel no5 parfum from hubby for Christmas too I've been very fortunate indeed!!

I hope you all received some really lovely presents this Christmas and I'd like to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year and a peaceful and successful 2012. Many thanks to all my readers who either read, comment or follow-your views are very much appreciated and please feel free to chat to me on twitter too-I've just signed up!!

Tissavel Vintage v Talitha at MyTheresa and Happy Christmas too!!

Of course at this time of year, faux fur is an instant style piece to be worn and keep you snug and when I saw this Rachel Zoe 'Talitha' coat which was available at MyTheresa for £435, I thought I must start wearing my vintage version by Tissavel bought earlier this year

Talitha coat by Rachel Zoe

This is me wearing my version last winter and I'll certainly be wearing it again this season too. What I like about both coats are they are perfect day to night coats as by evening they will go so well with a LBD underneath.

This will most probably be my last post of 2011-my laptop is currently being repaired so service is more intermittent than usual!! I will endeavour to read and try and leave comments for all of you lovely bloggers over the festive season though.

In the meantime, wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a very Thrifty and Stylish 2012-however you will be wearing it, have a fabulous one!!!

Mixing Vintage with Modern-Faux Fur and Miss Worth

Hi everyone, I hope you are all having a great week so far! One of my key pieces for winter so far has been this faux fur winter white gilet by New Look, which I thrifted last year at the boot sale for only £2.

I'm wearing it with another high street favourite of mine, this fluffy black jumper by River Island, which I purchased last year brand new. Both pieces are teamed with my vintage 50s skirt by Miss Worth-originally a dress, but altered into a skirt to make it a versatile and key item in my wardrobe.

My black Clarks boots complete this winter look and black and winter white are definitely my favourite colour pallettes at the moment.

What is your favourite colours to wear this winter season?