Beware the bad ebayer...

A cautionary tale.

Remember the pretty pink tuxedo dress I purchased a while ago? How excited was I when it finally arrived today! I say finally, but it obviously wasn't going to get here any sooner since they only posted it yesterday ie over a week after the auction ended...and I know 'cause it says on the parcel. That's not even my beef with these people. This dress, advertised as in "good vintage condition" and as having "no flaws" is covered in stains, the type that will not wash out and also full of holes! I mean really, don't lie about it, if it's in rubbish condition say so. I definatly wouldn't have paid what I did for this mess. I tried to photograph the dress but it doesn't work too well, you'll have to take my word for it! Oh and the hem, which they described as "unfinished" has been wonkily cut with blunt scissors and is frayed to within an inch of its life, pffft!

Char x x x

Work it out

Hey!

I've been playing around today with more casual ways of wearing suit jackets, as promised! Another Olsen-suit-outfit appeared before me today on my beloved fashion is spinach, you too can feast your eyes here. I won't post the photo here as I feel that two Olsen posts in a row is a bit much, I like how they dress most of the time but let's not get crazy. So my own way of "dressing down" the suit, god I hate that expression, are here.

The "I heart NY":

I heart NY t-shirt - New York duh (I actually wear this more as PJs, to be honest!), pinafore - vintage via ebay, tights - Tesco, ankle socks - tightsplease, shoe boots - Some shop in NY (not an intentional theme, I swear!), suit jacket - H&M

The Olsen inspired

Suit jacket - H&M, t-shirt and skirt - H&M, tights - Tesco, shoes - vintage Carvela via ebay.

Let me know what you guys think! I prefer the second one for sure, it's just more flattering, the first one looked better in my head...

Below is a truly shocking picture of the outfit I wore to my Mum's last night for dinner, I put the photo up anyway 'cause I liked the outfit even though it's hard to see here. And yeah, I know, leggings are sick (not the good kind) but I was too hot for tights and too hairy for bare legs, deal with!

Shoes - Debenhams, Leggings (ew) - New Look, Dress - vintage via ebay (I think it's handmade, there are no labels and it has this awesome 80's pattern of tiny red, green and blue dots. When I have a new washing machine again I'll re-wear it and get a good photo!). Belt - H&M, Green top - asos, about a million years ago...nowt interesting on my wrist, hair bobbles! So I said I went to my Mum's for dinner last night (we had chinese, score!) because my younger brother (who everyone calls "lil bruv" since he used to work with us) just got back from Morocco, he was away for like a month and had a proper adventure etc etc. Jelous, moi? He brought me back a present, it's so sweet, observe for yourself...

It's a charm bracelet thing with three Hands of Fatima on it, and a tiny bell which jingles when I move, it's obnoxious and that's why I love it, my keys do the same thanks to a Hello Kitty charm. According to the source of all my knowledge on everything, wikipedia, the Hand of Fatima offers protection from the "evil eye". That might be neccessary in some Edinburgh clubs, I tells ya!

Recently many of my objects of lust have been t-shirts, which is unusual for me since I'm not really a "jeans and a t-shirt" kind of girl. I love t-shirts on other people but for some reason I always tend to look/feel scruffy! Maybe it's 'cause I don't iron. Ever. I went to work yesterday in a cotton shirt, unironed, it was not pretty. In fact it looked like it had been slept in. Cast your eyes on these etsy bad-boys:

Yeah, that's the awesome American Apparel tri-blend, it's a men's one but I think the slouchiness would work. They have lady's too, find them here.

This is love! I really like deer for some reason (and no, it's not bambi 'cause I don't think I ever saw it as a child...) but yeah, this rocks. I also like how they've styled it, especially the legwarmer/socks. Find it here. There are similar legwarmer/socks at tightsplease.

I am so getting these when I get paid, they shall replace the ski pants which, sadly, were too short for me! Gutted, but I actually might like these even better! In black though, I think, to begin with anyways...

it's been a long one!

Char x x x

More than just 9 to 5...

Hey!
I've been searching for ways to make my suit jackets (of which I now have 4!) more casual so that, after my summer of hard work, they won't be totally useless garments wasting precious wardrobe space (my wardrobe already has an overflow carpark in the form of a clothes rail).

I'm actually loving Ashley Olsen's entire outfit here, frugal fashionista suggested recreating it with this grey sheer jumper thing from asos which I am officially in love with. I love most grey things and almost all sheer things...This would also make good use of the skirt I can no longer wear to work as I was told twice last time that it was "too short", pah!
I'm certain this would look a million times bettter without that hideous necklace too...

Char x x x

A new favourite

Hey!

Whilst doing my usual rounds of other blogs, I remembered my deep-seated love for modcloth and decided to check it out again, a bad idea considering I'm trying my hardest not to spend any money! One thing that caught my eye was this awesome swan top, by Motel.

Of course, I've heard of Motel before and maybe even seen some of their stuff in shops but somehow it never really registered on my radar before now. I wasn't even aware that it was actually a British company. We can safely say that once I have money and am allowed to spend it, I'll be buying this bad boy. On a whim, I then checked out the Motel website. There I found a feast of lust-worthy items, behold!


According to the website, Motel was born from a trip thrifting up and down the West Coast of America, what an awesome story and totally a vibe which I think they've captured in their clothes. When I get paid, I am definatly going to purchase something...

Also, I'm going to add a list of online shops, any suggestions?

Char x x x

ps My washing machine has been broken for over a week, I'm running out of clothes! A new one arrives on Thursday, thankfully.

It's been a while...

Hey!
Sorry for the distinct lack of post-age around here at the moment! Sea and I are both working a lot, which means no outfit posts and very little in the way of inspiration, sad but true. It does, however, mean that money and therefore purchases lie on the horizon (damn challenge!). I'm also feeling a bit constrained by the strict dress code at work, I was told twice t'other day that my skirt was too short...I mean it's long compared to many of my others! Ahh well.


Today I went with some friends who were getting tattoos. Nope, I didn't get anything but I am considering it as theirs both turned out ace. I like the idea of leaving an interesting corpse, slightly morid though it may be! This is what I wore today, yes heels during the day! A very rare occurance for me, I just don't have the stamina. I actually have very weak feet, even flats mess them up, grrrr! I don't know why I look like I'm frantically waving in this photo...

Dress - H&M (it makes me look at least 4 and a half months pregnant, 8 and a half without a belt). Shoes - Vintage Carvela via ebay, trousers and belt - H&M. The first appearance this year of my naked pale legs, a nerve-racking time indeed...

On Saturday, Sea mentioned we had been planning to go and see Sex and the City. It was the nicest day ever though so we ended up at a friend's with cider and I think that was actually a better plan. Definately this week sometime though, I feel like I'm the only one who hasn't seen it yet! This is what I wore:

Dress - ebay (some Japanese store) Grey t-shirt (underneath) - whisper it...Logo. Now shake off the nasty feeling that gave you. Tights - tightsplease, socks - Topshop sale! Shoes - ancient Topshop, they're wrecked, bangles - various.
Tiny ballerina necklace - Topshop (I heart this necklace, I used to dance too so it's appropriate!), Pearls (faux, unfortunatly) - vintage via ebay. I like pearls but I can very rarely wear them without looking very yah.

Hopefully normal posting will return soon!

Char x x x

recent buys.

I am wishing all the best to Char and her challenge! I think maybe I should do the same as my bank balance seems to be slowing decreasing as I type this. Hmm, it will certainly be worth while in long term I can imagine!
Anyway; heres today's outfit;

Teamed with;

THE comfiest slippers ever.
OK, I did not do much today apart from clean so this is why i'm in me comfies! I love lazy-ish days.
I have some recent buys to show off too;

SQUEAH! Yet again, more shoes!(Dorothy Perkins). I'm having a bit of an obsession with black heels at the moment. Hurrah! Hopefully I will be wearing these when we go see Sex and the City movie tomorrow. Oh I CANNOT wait to see it, mainly for Mr Big/John James Preston. Lol alright, that isnt a MAIN reason, but its a little guilty pleasure!

Just because they were cute. Cant wait to team these with a fab grey dress I've got my eye on from eBay. (These were from good ol' H&M).
And finally, I've ordered this from American Apparel;

Cant wait for it to arrive, I've been needing something like this to throw over outfits when it gets a bit windy/chilly - which is about 98% of the time here in Edinburgh!

OH and one more thing, another picture of a model in her own clothes, loooove it;

So that is it for just now. I must stop spending!! Maybe...

Sea x.x.

The Challenge

Things are about to get ugly. I have devised a "challenge" for myself, which basically entails no shopping until *gulp* July! It's really more of a depressing reality of skintness and debt, but calling it a "challenge" will perhaps prevent maddening Hamlet-like craziness and a descent into madness and horrible documentary-on-channel-4 style poverty...too far? I like to shop! The aquisition of new things makes my life complete, I am a consumerist! So yes, I have no money, mainly due to my inability to just not shop. Challenge is like a competition, against myself, and in the words of Monica "That's the best kind!", so yeah "In your face last year's me!". Actually, if I wasn't me, I'd put money on my failure, for sure.

Also, another smaller challenge is not wearing cardigans for a week. Tough since my wardrobe is 90% cardigans...

Wish me luck! Tomorrow is the first official day of The Challenge.

Char x x x

Eye of the tiger, obviously. Tigers don't shop, good Challenge mascot!