ThriftMyStyle Pictures and Outfits for April

Hi everyone! I hope you are all having a great week, sorry for infrequent and sporadic posts, life has been rather hectic and busy and what with work in the mix too blogging has been rather on the back burner.

However I thought I would share some pictures with you from April, starting with a clothes swap event I attended a couple of weeks ago at the East London Fashion Exchange 

Event organisers Elisa and Krissie were on hand to oversee designer, vintage and high street goodies were immediately displayed for instant swapping and whilst I was there a good few ladies came with items to swap, so the rails were constantly being refreshed 

My bargains of the day were a Miss Selfridge floral summer skirt, perfect for pairing with a little vest top and denim waistcoat or jacket for the coming season; I also snaffled this gorgeous tan leather vintage handbag which the lady behind me in the queue had in her items for swapping, I eyed it immediately and couldn't wait to nab it! I've still got a good few stamps left for my next visit at the end of May which I cleverly realised meant I don't have to lug any more clothes next time to get swapping with! 

After leaving the event I had to check out the local charity shop and was so pleased I did, as I found this cute dark apricot broderie anglaise trimmed summer dress by Whistles for just £4.50; up close for a mix of black embroidery and denim, my outfit of the day

Wearing H&M denim waistcoat, thrifted at the boot sale last year; cream tunic with black embroidery from the Salvation Army chairty shop bought a few days before the clothes swap for £2.50; black French Connection capri trousers from my local Sue Ryder charity shop bought about 3 weeks ago for £3 and my trusted orange Birkies. Outfit number two is another charity shop find from March and is an authentic Austrian linen smock blouse for £1 from the St Francis Hospice charity shop, worn with thrifted Gap slim boyfriend jeans found last Autumn from the Salvation Army, £2.99- photobombed by the eldest boy!!

A boot sale find from the beginning of April was this moss crepe Celia Birtwell style print vintage 70s dress for just £1- unlabelled but a fine piece of vintage which fits perfectly for Summer

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend ahead, I hope the weather takes a turn for the better and this long awaited heatwave we've been promised starts to materialise.

I also just want to thank all of you for your continued reading and comments on my blog, I really look forward to your thoughts and opinions and I'll be trying my best to come visit you back as soon as I can xx

Hotter Shoes- Being Spoilt in Style and Comfort

Hi everyone! As you may be aware, the ethos of my blog is generally all thrift related as I shop mainly at charity shops and boot sales for clothes and accessories. Of course I do indulge in retail therapy at high street stores but with a couple of exceptions I have held no particular allegiances to any brands-well, not until I actually stopped and thought about it.

In Autumn 2012 I was introduced properly to Hotter shoes by my mum who for years now has religiously bought her summer and winter shoes from there with no exceptions. It was back then I was looking for a stylish, comfortable and durable work shoe which would see me through the immediate three seasons of Autumn, Winter and Spring. As an early Christmas present from her I chose a pair of black leather desert style ankle boots and then promptly forgot about it until she let me know they had arrived.

Well fast forward another three seasons of Autumn, Winter and to Spring 2014, those boots are gloves for my feet and unbelievably have not worn down (which I've since learnt is a trademark of Hotter's durable soles). They are still as new and I can wear them all day without a murmur of them being uncomfortable or sore for my feet.

So when I was invited to attend Hotter's press evening dinner and presentation at Toms Kitchen, Somerset House I literally jumped at the opportunity- I can honestly say that without realising it, I've sworn allegiance to a company that really does deserve the recognition of being a quality, comfortable and stylish brand.

The evening started off with complimentary champagne and I was pleased as punch to finally meet my gorgeous blogger friend Sharron of Style At Every Age who has been blogging right around the same time as me-six years and who I'd not had the lovely opportunity of meeting before.

We were shown through to the restaurant where the presentation was being held and where we were dining. The lovely Alex Longmore who is not only Hotter's style ambassador, but a stylist in her own right within the celebrity world gave a super presentation of the brand's history, concept and an intensive styling brief of how Hotter shoes and sandals can be worn and as such are key ingredients of being stylish without compromising on comfort or durablity. Features such as nude tones, florals, metallics and pastels are all part of Hotters amazing collection of summer shoes and sandals in canvas, leather or suede and as most of their footwear are made in the UK in their factory in Lancashire you really are buying into a fabulous British brand which I truly believe beats it's competitors hands down.

I was kindly given the opportunity to review a pair of Hotter shoes and I chose the pewter Singapore wedges, in a wide fitting size 7.5. I've tried them on and of course with the torrential rain we've had I've not had the chance to wear them properly but they fit like a glove and I was desperate to indulge in some metallics for the coming Summer season: 

They feature a gladiator style upper, a mid wedge heel and adjustable strap:

They are a fantastic style to go with boho style dressing, denim or monochromes- I am really chuffed with my choice and judging by my black shoes that I have already I know these will be a keeper for many summers to come.

I met some wonderful ladies and it was great to catch up with my lovely friend Mrs TNMA and to meet hosts Caroline of Wingfield PR and Lisa, Marketing Executive of Hotter Shoes.

Although I met new acquaintances, it was like being with old and dear friends as my dining companions were extremely attentive, chatty and entertaining-I had such a good laugh and indulged in some wonderful conversations it was a shame the evening had to end! 

A massive thank you to Wingfield PR and Hotter Shoes for a truly amazing evening, my wonderful sandals and  more importantly, a realisation that brand allegiance with Hotter shoes really has hooked me- not only do they have a wonderful website to shop from, they have 63 hotter stores nationwide and are available in over 200 independent retailers. With a top style ambassador on board they really are on point with style and comfort in equal measure and honestly need to be worn to appreciate how excellent they are. 

If they're good enough for my mum then they've more than earned my seal of approval!! Whether you're looking for loafers, heels, sandals, boots or trainers I wholly recommend you check out Hotter first- you won't be disappointed!!

Wishing you all a fabulous bank holiday weekend and I hope to catch up with you all very soon too!

Outfit Post & Current ThriftMyStyle Summer Style Obsessions- Lace, Embroidery, Espadrilles and Denim

 Hi everyone! After hearing the weather report on Wednesday evening for Thursday to Saturday I was really ready to embrace summer dressing-bare legs, dress and some summer sun ready to sit out in and enjoy. Alas, the outfit was there on Thursday but definitely no summer sun to radiate in! 

Style obsessions are currently lace, embroidery and denim and in various mixes for good measure. This outfit features a thrift find from last Sunday- a Gap slim fit denim jacket in exactly the shade I've been looking for this coming summer. I was at a local boot sale on Sunday and saw it on a ladies rail, so I asked the price and she said £2. Definitely cheap enough but for some reason I said to her 'Will you take £1.50?' We both burst out laughing at the same time and I'm sure it was because of my cheek but she said yes and off I went!

I'm wearing one of my items from the clothes swap party a couple of months ago, a Topshop blush pink lace dress. It's sleeveless and backless and is an ideal length for me and so perfect as a daytime summer dress if I wear it with denim. I'm also wearing some tan sandals which I thrifted a couple of summers ago- they are Clarks and were from my local Sue Ryder charity shop for around £8:

My new pinterest board, Crafted Style-Embroidery, Lace et Al is quickly expanding with images of everything embroidered, lace and summer boho orientated:

With this inspiration in mind I stopped off in another local town for a spot of charity shop thrifting this morning as the boot sale didn't appeal weatherwise and found this charming embroidered lace cotton camisole by Fat Face in the £1 Sense charity shop:

It's a replacement for one I stupidly put in the charity shop bag a couple of years ago for no good reason and will be perfect under denim jackets and waistcoats and summer blazers too.

Another style inspiration that's been hot on my mind are espadrilles and slides so how chuffed I was to find an unusual mix of the two earlier as well- they are Pare Gabia espadrilles made in France and were in the Sue Ryder charity shop for £3.95:

Brand new too and a much needed addition to my summer wardrobe, these will get worn a lot and will go with so much that I have already.

Unfortunately the sun shows no sign of returning any time soon where I am and my feet are freezing- I may have to get the socks and boots out  ;- (

What is on your style radar at the moment- are you shopping for summer and if so do you have current obsessions of the moment?

Have a lovely Easter weekend and I hope the sun is shining for the rest of you, wherever you are!!

Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibition, Barbican Centre London

 Hi everyone! I was fortunate to be gifted some tickets for the fabulous Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Barbican Centre in London. Lovely blogger friend Kate of Twisted Skirt and I decided to go last Saturday and we met just before midday for our timed viewing at 12pm. 

Jean Paul Gaultier was born in 1952 in Arcueil, a suburb of Paris. He grew up thinking and creating for his future career as a fashion designer and was suitably inspired by magazines, 60s TV programmes and films from the interwar period. Gaultier is self taught and discovered the tradition and skills of haute couture by working at the fashion houses of Pierre Cardin and Jean Patou between 1970-1974. He set up his own company in 1976 with a womens ready to wear line and adding a mens collection in 1983. In 1997 he opened his own couture house showing 2 collections a year and from 2004-2010, 4 collections a year including two other for Hermes. Gaultier is best known for his love and design staple, the Breton stripe. He is also a master worker of denim, tartan and sequins and not forgetting his expertise and precision in using feathers, which see beautiful and labour intensive haute couture pieces that are just totally magnificent and awe inspiring.

I've picked my favourite photos from the collection and could of easily added more- I took around 80 and these made the final cut! I do so hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed the exhibition- I can honestly say he is a true style icon of our times and his clothes are forever inspiring throughout past decades and for decades to come and I would definitely recommend you visiting the exhibition especially if you are a fan of his work, you will not be disappointed. The exhibition also covered his work for Madonna and Kylie Minogue for their world tours-the outfits are just spectacular viewed close up.

The mannequin here has Jean Paul Gaultier's face transposed onto it as did quite a lot of the mannequins throughout the exhibition-it was eerily spectacular!!

How could I not wear my favourite Jean Paul Gaultier baroque embroidered denim jacket and JPG top to see the exhibition??!!

This outfit of biker jacket and tutu skirt is from his first pret a porter collection in 1977- nearly 40 years old but still so inspiring for trends of today

Kate of Twisted Skirt!

Jean Paul Gaultier used to appear in the 90s cult series, Eurotrash and here is his Spitting Image puppet!!

The shop afterwards was amazing, I really could of let loose with the debit card but decided to be good!!

As I said before, my chosen outfit of the day was my 90s Jean Paul Gaultier Baroque denim jacket, Jean Paul Gaultier body con top (originally a tube dress) and my DKNY black crepe loose fit trousers with black leather flat sandals, all thrifted.

I do hope you enjoyed the pictures and a big thanks to Barclaycard for being able to enjoy this memorable and awe inspiring exhibition.

I hope you all have a really good Easter weekend whatever you get up to!!

Boot Sale Buyer and Seller Tips- The ThriftMyStyle Way!

Hi everyone!!  I hope you are all enjoying the week so far- for us mums it's Easter school holidays and my youngest is enjoying a well deserved break, where as I'm working on and off over these two weeks!

I thought I would revisit a post from last year as it's not long now for the boot sale season to be fully up and running and I for one can't wait!! These pictures are from a popular Saturday boot sale not far from where I live and is held at Chigwell Rise in Essex. As our shed is again fit to burst this Spring I don't think it will be long before we're having our next sale to clear out more accumulated clutter!

About this time last year hubby decided to do one with a selection of vintage items, antiques and general household items that we no longer wanted and I decided to go along to be an early bird to catch some goodies. This was the view from our window queuing to get in at 5 am on Saturday morning, so cold yet so lovely to see the mist and dawn rising over the fields so early:

Once he had paid the pitch money to get in (£12) he started to set up while I decided to wander around and wait for people to start setting up and selling. As you can tell from the frost, it was freezing cold and I was glad I had my layers of a tee, sweatshirt, scarf, gloves, boots, socks and parka on, with my hood glued to my head for the first couple of hours!! First tip of the day, make sure you wear layers- as the morning proceeds, you will start to lose them but they will be well needed the earlier you start. Second tip-if you are doing a boot sale then it's also a good idea to bring a thermos flask of tea or coffee and some home made sandwiches to keep you going for the duration as you won't want to end up spending your hard earned cash on food at the site.

I haven't been to a boot sale so early for years, so it was glorious to see the dawn rise and take pictures of the red sky beckoning a new day ahead:

Another useful tip is to make sure you take a fair amount of change and some carrier bags with you- no one will be too happy to be greeted with a £10 or £20 note at 6:30 in the morning and having your own bags will save time to dash on to the next eagerly sought after bargain too! So by about 6:45 a lot of stalls were set up and buyers were descending on sellers like their lives depended on it-what a frenzy!! I didn't know whether to elbow my way in or wait my turn and a crucial tip here-definitely do both to get those all important early bird bargains!!

The boot sale is held in two adjoining fields so it was good to cross over every so often to catch new sellers setting up. Make a point of checking them out as soon as possible as you may miss out if you carry on looking at stalls that are already well set up. Another tip-if it is very early don't always buy on the first price that a seller says (unless your heart is set on the item of course) as in a couple of hours they may well be welcome to a bit of haggling. Also when we actually do a boot sale we never mark up prices on our items-buyers as I well know love to not only get a bargain but haggle too, plus it gives you the opportunity to have a chat with them.

Just because items are cheap does not necessarily mean they should be bought for the sake of it-in the heat of the moment it is tempting to buy up everything you see because of the low prices but you do still need to be selective about the labels and items you choose. If you do see something that you are in two minds over, then do buy it-going back for it means it won't be there later!! Also just because something has a designer label in it does not always make it a must buy and constitute good value for money-it's only worth buying if it's going to mix in successfully with the rest of your own wardrobe and be worn regularly.

Don't be afraid to have a go at haggling yourself either- if you're reasonable in the offers you make and are polite and friendly it's odds on you will get that item for cheaper but if not, at least you asked! Don't be put off by something if it is a bit dirty or has some loose stitching-this is an ideal way to haggle and it's not hard to do some cleaning or a repair job on your chosen item when you get home.

 By mid morning the layers of scarves, hats and gloves were gone-it's amazing what a difference a few hours makes!! As you can see the sunshine there was positively glorious by midday, even if parts of the field were still waterlogged-another tip, make sure you wear your walking boots or wellies if the weather has been previously rainy, the fields can still be squelchy and muddy even if the skies are blue! If you're not in a hurry another invaluable tip is to go around the boot sale again- buyers have a habit of not putting everything out initially and a disregarded stall first time around may reap you a bargain buy on your next visit.

When I look around I tend to look at clothes and accessories- another good tip is to check out mens wear stalls as I've found really good buys such as belts and tees that can easily be unisex items. I love looking out for handbags too, boot sales are great for finding good quality leather handbags-both designer and vintage for really reasonable prices.

We packed up shortly after midday and headed to our local supermarket to stock up on some fresh crusty rolls, sausages and pure orange juice for a home made brunch for when we got home. Boot sales can be expensive for eating out and you don't always get quality food for the money, so we just had cups of tea and some fresh donuts there and ate at home. 

You can use google to find local boot sales near to you as well as checking out your local paper too- I would certainly recommend them whether you are a seller or a buyer and getting there early regardless will inevitably set you up for a good morning of bargain hunting-you can be back home again for around 1 pm to enjoy your afternoon, so what's not to love?!!

Have a great weekend whatever you get upto-I'll be checking out my local paper this week to see what ones have started up this year in my area. Do you have you any plans to visit a boot sale this season?