All things thrifted!

   

Top: thrifted// jeans: topshop//bag: thrifted//necklace: thrifted// shoes: menorcan sling back espadrilles  

So after my first week of work I took a well earned break in Wales with my folks. I love coming here all year through as it was my weekend home growing up. The autumn is my season here as the crowds have died down and the little seaside towns are peaceful once more. I'm definitely a tourist snob now, having spent my childhood here I dislike holidaymakers as much as the locals! However, you can't beat a bit of sunshine  in Wales, the landscape comes alive and you just feel so much happier with blue sky above your head.

Today I really want to write a post about thrifting. As some of you will know, I'm a staunch thrifter and spend a lot of my time rummaging in charity shops and hunting for bargains on ebay. I was recently introduced to a fantastic new app called Shpock by a friend who knows how much I love a good bargain. About a week after I started using the app, the lovely people at Shpock contacted me and asked me about my bargain hunting habits, so I thought I'd pop my answers in a post for you all to see. 

But first, a little bit about Shpock. I'm a sucker for car boots, but hate the faff of paying loads to pitch up on a rainy Sunday to search for bargains or try to sell your unwanted stuff. Don't get me wrong, they're great fun on a sunny day, but British weather normally let's us down and you get soggy. So ladies and gents, welcome Shpock to your phones. Already popular across Europe, Sphock is like a virtual car boot, you can buy items, make a lower offer on items and list stuff you want to get rid of. The best thing is that Shpock will only show you products which are a certain distance away from you, ie 10km. The postcode of the seller is listed which, considering you pick the items up, is handy. It's a great way of clearing out unwanted bits and bobs without paying postage! 

I've just started using Sphock and have already made a few pounds on some stuff I've sold. Just one piece of advice, remember that if you change your location, the goods listed will change with it! So make sure you know where a seller is based if you want to keep your eye on a product. 

Now, I thought I'd share this outfit with you because of the many thrifted items I've styled it with. It showcases how easy it is to get hold of bits and bobs from charity shops and online. 

My friends always ask me how I find such  gems in these places, so here are my top five tips for happy thrifting. 

1. Make a list - It's very difficult to browse in a place that resembles Aladdin's cave (same goes for ebay) so to make it easy, out together a list of items you're looking for. It could be a vintage necklace or even a crop top, this will help you limit what you search for online and in store. 

2. Set a price - I know it sounds tight, but thrifting can be an expensive hobby. It's great if you're getting a top for £3 instead of £10, but not so great if you then buy four tops at this price. Don't go overboard and you won't be out of pocket. 

3. Think outside the box - Okay, so everyone wants to hit the jackpot and find designer gems and believe me, you do. However some bits you're just not going to unearth for a reasonable price. For example, take a Burberry Mac in a size 12. You're looking at paying about 150 quid for a used one and ain't no sistah got time for that. So, buy a bigger size and get it tailored. My Burberry Mac plus tailor's costs was about 70 quid, it fits just right and it's practically new. 

4. Don't be a shop snob - You've got to be prepared to rummage or take a gamble on an unknown ebay seller. If you get fleeced, you'll know for next time who to avoid. 

5. Don't be a box filler - Take a risk, for a few quid you could look great in that 80s jacket. If it doesn't work out, so what? At least you're not another high street clone!

Find out a little more about Shpock here:  

https://shpock.com/en/ 

All the Day and All of the Night

University is finally at an end and I can get back to blogging. The last post I wrote for Hemlines&Holdups was in April and time has flown since then. I've sat my exams and got my results (2.1 in case you're wondering - yippie!) and graduation is just around the corner. Another week and I'll be starting work in Manchester as a Junior Account Executive and life as a fully-fledged real grown up. Although I'm gutted to leave Lancaster and the student bubble, life is currently very busy and pretty exciting, so I've not had too much time to dwell on my fading youth (sigh), which I guess is a good thing.

Although I'm heading into work, I wont be making the transition to Joseph blouses, cigarette trousers and 'less is more' just yet. In fact, a friend told me recently that my wardrobe was severely lacking colour. Even though I tried to ignore this annoying, yet irrevocably true fact, it's got under my newly-sun tanned skin and I'm going to have to do something about it. Therefore, subconsciously or not I've been adding a little more colour to my wardrobe, slowly breaking up the blacks, navy blues and greys. Anyhow, in the spirit of rainbow hues, I thought I'd share my last little project as Fashion Editor of the student newspaper with you. Lancaster University's SCAN (Student, Comment and News) Fashion section has been my baby for the last year and probably explains my blogging hiatus. Juggling the bi-weekly publication and a dissertation is a mean feat, so unfortunately something had to give. However, my time as editor is at an end (sob) but the last project was truly exciting. 

With the help of a few vintage shops in Lancaster and the wonderful photographic genius that is Mae Reddaway, I put together a photo shoot on campus to celebrate the university's 50th Anniversary. Opened in 1964, the concept behind the shoot was everything '60s and I just love the result of the team's hard work. 

   

Photos c/o Mae Reddaway 

For a peek at the other snaps, take a look at the SCAN website

Sportswear chic for Spring

Tshirt: Adidas// Jeans: Topshop

Trainers: Nike//Leather Rucksack: vintage

For a suitably casual Saturday I opted for a simple take on the sportswear trend which has stubbornly refused to budge since SS 12. Even if you're a fan of the more traditional, feminine look, I'm afraid to tell you that simple shapes, masculine accessories and trainers *gasp* are here to stay. I've not donned a pair of trainers for casual wear (excluding Converse of course) since my neon trainers, which doubled as football boots for a day at the park. Those days, thankfully, are long gone, however I could not resist these trainers, initially bought for netball, but not the permanent home for my feet. Supportive, stylish and light as a feather, they have changed my whole perception of footwear. I promise I've not turned into an OAP overnight but hey, who says we have to wear uncomfortable shoes day in day out?! I am a big believer in stuffing my size seven soles into a variety of shoes in the hope that one day they'll appear dainty and when shoe shopping, "they'll stretch" is always on the tip of my tongue. Now I'm a trainer convert. No, this doesn't mean I'll be ditching my array of more feminine footwear anytime soon, in fact I've just bought some army green stilettos with heels to kill, but think about it, no bloke would buy a pair of uncomfortable shoes, so why should women ALWAYS opt for the most impractical in the shop? My Adidas v-neck is another more masculine purchase, I promise I'm gradually introducing a little more colour to my otherwise grey day-to-day wardrobe, but I couldn't resist this top which reminds me of the old England kits of the '80s. Paired with my good old ankle grazers from Topshop, I think my look is casual enough to wear during the week, without looking like I'm off to the gym! Accessorized with my denim jacket and leather rucksack, I'm also ticking off the double denim trend, another stubborn style, and the penchant for travelling chic this season.

I've been buying a few little feminine pieces this week, so the next outfit I share with you will be more colourful I promise!

Trust your gut, it'll never lie like the others...

Coat: Warehouse//Dress (worn as top) c/o Bank Fashion*//Skirt: H&M//Shoes: New Look

Coat: vintage//Dress: c/o Bank Fashion*// Shoes: Topshop// Necklace: Next 

photos by Mae Reddaway

November has crept up on me this year. 2013 has flown by and honestly, I can't wait for 2014. A year of sadness and bad memories has to make way for bigger, better and brighter things. All I can do is apologize for my absence and blame third year studies on  my lack of blogging. I'm already working late into the night, hence my post right now, but unfortunately the pile of essays, readings and analyses is never ending. 

Anyhow, the lovely people at Bank fashion decided to surprise me with a couple of pieces from their new ranges to give my little blog a bit of a boost and to lift my mood - believe me it worked! These gorgeous new shift dresses have been a hit with all my friends and I've not had them off since I received them. The cut flatters every shape, the patterns are bang on trend and the quality is good. Easy to dress up or down (or even transform into a top as my first pictures show), these dresses have become a bit of a wardrobe staple for me. 

Prints are still a big tick on the trend[ometer this Autumn/Winter. To add a little interest to your outfits, move away from the typical burgundies, navies and reds we see at this time of year and add some punchy print to your look. I promise it'll brighten up your outfit and your mood! I'm always guilty of sticking to greys and blacks, but this season I've promised myself that I'll brighten up. A bolder, better, more confident version of myself, to go with my new outfit choices. It's my last year of uni and I'm determined to enjoy it, regardless of what's going on in my little world.

Yep so that's me, a paragraph of clothing reviews and cryptic messages after a month of silence, but if you've been a long time reader, what did you expect? 

All my love and the promise that more blog posts will appear very soon.

And we'll remain connected as you're reading out loud

Dress: H&M (S/S12)//Shoes: Urban Outfitters//Necklace & Bangles: vintage/Belt: vintage

I'm not a fan of maxi dresses. There I said it. I know this confession is some sort of blasphemy in our maxi-mad world, but being quite tall, not being a lithe CK model and not being the owner of a fabulous 'rack' I have to admit that they don't look great on me. This one has been sat in my wardrobe for many a moon, becoming a sort of dust sheet or protective cover for my other clothes. I've been avoiding it for so long, but unfortunately this ridiculously hot weather means that my normal summer staples have been worn and worn, so in desperation I've turned to this. 

I know the look isn't something you'd throw on for the shops, but for drinks or dinner in the evening I have to say it's not as horrible as I envisaged. I couldn't cope with the fabric hanging loose, I'm quite curvy so the belt helps to accentuate my best bit and hide my tummy (the lack of exercise I've had this summer is frankly disgusting; slobbing out in the sun with a beer so much more appealing than a jog!) and these gorgeous heels (Urban Outfitters sale £30 quid - bargain!) help posture-wise, leaving me laughing in the face of the humble control pants (celebratory chocs and wine time).

My accessories are all vintage finds and the belt has been stolen from mum (got to the love free vintage goodies from the parents!) 

I'm currently up in Leicester for the start of my two week work placement with Next HQ - wish me luck!

90's refresh

T-shirt:: vintage// Leggings: M&S// Hi-tops: Converse// Leather Backpack: Charity shop 

Most of the outfits I post on my blog are pretty formal, so today I thought I'd try something different and see what you all think. I picked up this t-shirt in the men's section of one of my local charity shops for £2 at the weekend; it's an old theme park shirt from the early nineties. Although it's a little oversized, I fell in love with the colour and think it brightens up my rather pale complexion (I really need some sun!), plus it'll be uuber comfy for revision-wear when I get back to uni. 

I've paired this shirt with my faithful hi-tops, which I'll be taking to Edinburgh this weekend. My lovely best mate and I have planned to see as much as possible in three days, so we'll be doing A LOT of walking. I should really take this leather backpack with me, it's such a useful piece (also pretty damn stylish) to have, but of course I'm going to be irrational and take my newest bag with me - a gorgeous brown leather satchel which I'll be sure to share with you at some point! 

Hope you're all enjoying the Easter break!

Power dressing like a pro

Dress: Vintage// Handbag: Vintage// Shoes: Zara// Chain: Thrifted

I've been lacking the motivation to blog this week, so apologies for the lack of posts! I feel like it could be something to do with the 12,500 words-worth of essays that I had to hand in on Friday and therefore the diet of energy drinks and junk food that I'd been surviving on for a couple of weeks to get the essays done. Unfortunately, I've found that a horrible side affect of this diet is the penchant for wine that slowly develops; the lady at the corner shop near my uni house now knows me as 'wine girl' and has taken to commenting on my choice of plonk. This relationship really isn't healthy and I honestly wouldn't recommend 'buying local' when it comes to booze! 

Anyhoo, I'm home for Easter (yay!) and felt today that it was perfectly acceptable to rummage through mum's fabulous wardrobe to find some gems. This amazing velvet emerald-coloured dress was alongside some other gorgeous vintage pieces which my mum rocked back in the day; it's been hidden away for so long that I thought I'd give it an airing, dress up as Patsy from Ab Fab (sans cigarette and bouffant hair) and take some pics in the frrrreezing cold!

Recently, I've been very 'charity shop and vintage heavy' post-wise and I am conscious that the high street really isn't 'bigged-up' enough on here. Well, I PROMISE that when I can schedule a shopping spree in I shall throw money at clothes... (standard Heidi behaviour really.)

p.s. I know my hair looks AWFUL at the minute, but I know my lovely hairdresser would go crazy if I let anyone else touch it, so I'm wearing exuberant hats until my appointment in the next week or so. 

Cinnamon sticks and candy canes...

Jumper: TK Maxx// Jacket: Jovonnista//Leggings: Store TwentyOne//
Bag: Vintage// Shoes: River Island

Yes lovelies, winter is upon us! I'm back in Lancaster for my second year of uni and let me tell you, it hasn't been half cold! I've brought a fair few jumpers with me this time (last year I was totally unprepared for the winter weather that hits the West coast - I'm nice and protected in Cheshire!) but when I stumbled upon this gorgeous knitted treat in Lanc's TK Maxx whilst shopping with friends, I couldn't resist a cheeky purchase pre freshers week! 

Although I found this jumper in the men's section, I have to stay it's a pretty feminine piece, with the berry detail and the grey marl coloured wool used for the neck and shoulder section! It's such a great piece teamed with leggings (and disco pants!) for lectures as it keeps you toasty warm (especially with my gorgeous Topshop parka on top) when outside and can be layered up and pulled off when in class. 

This look is a pretty simple one, with my trusty spiked ballet flats, black leggings and leather jacket, which I won in a Jovonnista, London comp a while back! I have to admit that the finished product isn't very adventurous, but it's something you can throw on when your stuck for outfit ideas and running late for the bus!

Again, the picture quality is terrible - I'm gonna have to get the boyf to pop round during the day and take some photos for me, so I can only apologise once more and blame the hectic first week of uni I've had (they really don't give you a break in second year!) 

Anyhow, off to watch Downton Abbey and paint my nails - cannot wait for a bit of 'me time.' Hope you all had wonderful weekends and hope you keep a lookout for an exciting post which I should have up by next week. 

TTFN (ta-ta for now)

101 Dalmatians

Top: Mango//Trousers: H&M//Bag: Vintage//Shoes: River Island

Hello lovelies! Hope you're all well and smiling! I've had a very busy, but productive few days - getting ready to return to uni for my second year is so exciting but also so much prep! Anyway, at the weekend I thought I'd reward myself with a few little treats - think I'm overexcited about my up-and-coming birthday (FYI 4th September, I'll be 20. *gasp*)

So I popped into H&M and snapped up these little beauties. I mentioned these gorgeous trousers in a previous post (click here to see!) and it got to the point where I was dreaming about them; in short I HAD to have them. Afterwards I thought I'd have a browse in River Island, giving me another opportunity to oggle their leather-sleeved coat which I'm lusting after, but instead I fell head-over-heels with these little beauties, black spiked loafers. 

One of my guy friends said they looked like "Lady GaGa shoes," but I was on such a new shoe high it didn't even dampen my spirits. They are officially my shoe of the season and River Island has not disappointed on the quality. The shoes are luxe inside, keeping my little peepers nice and cosy, however the spikes are sharp...I guess this could be both positive and negative, there's a slight chance they could accidentally spike you, or your friends, or anyone around you...but arguably, if you were being chased by a crazy psychopath, at least you'd have a weapon. 

Ah well, I love them and if you pop into River Island and try a pair, I'm sure you'll be as obsessed as me. 

Have a good week - I'm a busy bee once again, what with working and socialising, but I promise to get AT LEAST one other post in this week. Hopefully I'll have time to attempt a D.I.Y dip-dye at some point, so watch out for that.

Lotsa' love

Welcome to the jungle

Top: Vero Moda// Necklace: Accessorize//Baxter Jeans: Topshop, Bag: Mulberry// Stacked pumps: Charity shop//Bracelets and Rings: Vintage

 So today's weather was lovely - beautiful sunshine, but blustery enough that I opted for jeans instead of my too-short shorts. I bought this top yesterday, it was hidden away in a little boutique right at the back of the sale rail. I snapped it up for £7.00. I'd previously seen the top in a number of magazines, including Look (my fave) but hadn't got round to buying it. Guess that it was a purchase that was meant to be!

I teamed it with my Baxter jeans that I dug out of my overflowing wardrobe the other week, during my  "clear out." You know the situation, the "ohmygodIdidn'tknowIownedthese!" Yeah, unfortunately, my love of clothes means that, as my mum says "you forget what you own!" Ah well, at least we've been reunited and at a great time too; having just had to throw my other Baxter babies for getting too 'holey.'

The shoes are growing on me. I LOVED them in the shop, got them home and was, after showing my boyfriend, a little bit more reserved about them. However, the stacked heel and floral print has finally won me round and it's safe to say, they wont be coming off my feet for a while (ew.)

My Mulberry is my baby and it comes everywhere with me, so I'm surprised I've not featured it sooner. Ah well, all I have to say is that it's gorgeous and I've used it everyday, without fail, since my 18th birthday. Definitely an investment. Definitely not an excuse to not buy more handbags.

On the bright side, it's payday next week!

Lots'a love

Birthday Wishlist!

L-R:
 Dixi Jewellery Mia twisted rainbow stacking rings £6.00// Timex Watch (sold by Next) £55// The Vintage Set Camo jacket £25.00// Glamorous UK black organza sheer dotty blouse £22.99// H&M Dalmatian-print trousers £9.99// MotelRocks Zena Bodycon mini £35.00// Daisy Does Jewellery gold crystal bracelet £15.00// MAC Lipstick in Russian Red £14.00// Dixi Jewellery Kisa Sunshine Druzy Ring £15.00 

So on September 4th I'm gonna be the big 2-0 (I mean twenty) which is pretty scary let me tell you. I still get asked for I.D when I buy lottery tickets, never mind booze (FYI, in the U.K you have to be 16 to  have a little gamble on the national lottery, so it's pretty embarrassing that I really don't look my age!)

Anyway, scary numbers aside, I thought I'd compile a wishlist and, having recently joined twitter, I'm being followed by all sorts of lovely websites which I've found some amazing stuff on. Seriously, before heading to the same shops, have a quick look on these websites and I guarantee you'll find some unique and exciting buys.

The sites I've listed here are: 

www.shopdixi.com

www.next.co.uk

www.thevintageset.com

www.glamorousuk.com

www.hm.com

www.motelrocks.com

www.daisydoes.net

www.maccosmetics.co.uk

So if I end up with any of these little beauties on my big day, I will be one happy bunny. If you're looking for presents, or just a little treat for yourself, check these sites out here.

Happy Wednesday!