Dream £30 Outfit

I have decided to do an extra post this week so that I can enter the competition over at the fabulous Nastasha Bailie’s. The challenge is to put together an outfit for £30  using any and all of the range available on Clothing at Tesco. The best look will get £30 to spend over at Florence and Fred.

I confess that I have more than a few outfits from Tesco as rather cunningly they place their clothes right in the middle of all the shopping aisle’s and how can one fail to walk past without having some bargain outfit catch one’s eye? Well, this one can’t! Clearly, buying clothes in a supermarket is not the most classy of things to do but class schmarse. as you know I don’t think it matters where you buy your clothes, it’s not what you wear it’s how you wear them!

My vintage, classic looks loving eye will always gaze longingly at an item of clothing that evokes a connection to the fashion eras that I love.  Do I really have to tell you which eras they are? Really?  If that’s the case, you haven’t been following this little blog long enough and you have some catching up to do But just for you, the 40′s, 50′s and 60′s are my favourite fashion eras.

With this in mind I cast my eye over Tesco’s clothing and wondered whether this outfit is the one for me for £30 or less.

If I was aspiring to look as gorgeous as Dita Von Teese (well, try to) I would go for this:

£16.00

£12.00

TOTAL: £28.00

I ALWAYS aspire to look as stunningly turned out as Audrey Hepburn did:

£14.40

£15.00

TOTAL £29.60

‘The hills are alive, with the Sound of Music……la,la,la,la’ (sang in best choir voice).

Having a chirpy, love my children, we will sing like the Von Trapps day (in which we indulge often) I would definitely go for this little number – so cute!

£18.00

£10.00

TOTAL: £28.00

I adore all three of these outfits but today I am definitely aspiring to be as gorgeous and sexy as Dita Von Teese, so my choice will have to be outfit number one.

If you haven’t had a look at Tesco’s clothing and you are on a tight budget I highly recommend you have a look – they have lots of gorgeous dresses.

Fingers crossed I win my dream £30 outfit.

Lottie -x-

Vintage Knitting

I am finally nearing the end of my Victory Jumper knitting marathon.  This jumper was started back in January and here we are in mid May and it’s still not finished.  Admittedly there have been weeks at a time when I haven’t worked on it and many occasions when I have given up hope altogether that I could ever get through it, but this evening I shall complete the back and I am hoping that with a lot of work I can get the sleeves finished this week and be finally wearing it next week (provided it fits of course – we all know my track record when it comes to making things that actually fit!).

Already my mind is wandering onto new and even more ambitious projects.  I have without doubt lost my marbles recently as I can barely knit a scarf.  The damned Victory jumper will live up to its name if it ever gets finished as it will be a huge victory against the odds of my useless knitting skills.  Take last night, I only undid the work twice – that was a good night! Some may ask why I bother?  All I can reply is that I don’t really know but I love it, find it very therapeutic and actually enjoy the challenge based on the fact I am so crap at it it is a miracle when I complete something. Miracles afterall, are worth celebrating.

So, my mind is still wandering.  I have MiL on the case with a super cute loopy bolero jacket.  She is knitting away and has no doubt finished it, given she has had two weeks.  I long for the days when I can churn out knitwear as she can.  However, I can’t and so I am facing a new challenge shortly that shall no doubt drive me (and MiL my advisor) mental and leave The Magician and FiL in hysterics at my poor but committed attempts to crack on.

So, what’s next?  How about one of these adorable bits:

You may be wondering why I want to knit a wedding dress.  Well, I have no idea.  Clearly, being married, I have no need for one but I just love the thought that people used to knit wedding dresses and am intrigued at how stunning this photograph is and desperately want to know is it possible to recreate that?  This has to be beyond my basic knitting ability but I am actually tempted to try.  It may be the only thing I knit for the rest of my life, it will take me that long, but imagine if I did it? Hmmm…….what I would do with it after I had actually made it is another story.  What does one do with a knitted wedding dress??

This is perhaps more sensible.  For one, I might actually finish it in this decade of my life and two I would actually wear it upon completion.

I LOVE this – would prefer it in red or green though.  I am seriously tempted to get MiL on the case with this one.  If anyone else out there fancies knitting it for me and selling it i’m your lady!

How gorgeous and glamorous is that? Wow!

I need this top in my life.

I’m feint with desire.

Gosh! We can see her brassiere – how risque!!

Now tell me you’re not all gagging to grab some needles and learn how to knit – or, like me, knit better?  Aren’t they amazing?  I am making it my life’s work to own every single item i’ve shown on here, either knitted by myself or some other kind hearted souls. Can any of you knit?  If so, what do you knit? Go on – make me jealous with your astounding skills, I expect to be thoroughly shown up.

All of these patterns are available for pennies on the wonderful Vintage Knitted Couture

I’m off to get my chores done so I can knit away tonight. I promise, my finished masterpiece will be revealed next week!

Lottie -x-

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I do! I like them, Sam-I-am!

She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain. (1873)
~ Louisa May Alcott ~

I confess, and probably unsurprisingly to most, that I am fully in touch with my inner child and regularly allow her much indulgence. In the main this comes in the form of reading children’s books, from Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree to older child reads such as A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, Lord of the Rings Trilogy by Tolkien, The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, Septimus Heap Series by Angie Sage, anything Arthurian and many others.  If they feature magic i’m there!  I love books in general but I alternate my grown up reads with children’s books.

At the moment I have a slight penchant for Vampire stories along with many teenagers.  Yes, I too revelled in The Twilight Series and I am currently revelling in the Immortals Series by Alyson Noel. They definitely pacify the part of me that still longs for those heady days of teenage lust and carefree depression, a contradiction in terms but absolutely a fact of teenage life.

When I look back, I am so impressed again
with the life-giving power of literature.
If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of
myself in the world, I would do that again by reading,
just as I did when I was young.
~ Maya Angelou ~

Clearly, having a 6 year old and 4 year old is allowing me to indulge this passion further. We are currently working our way through The Faraway Tree series of books.  Who can fail to love Saucepan Man, Moon-Face and Silky the Fairy? If you are yet to read these delightful and magical stories then your life isn’t lived and you must buy them immediately.

Another favourite I am waiting to introduce is Children of Green Knowe by Lucy Boston.  It’s a little dark for my children at the moment but I remember getting it for Christmas one year and reading it non stop throughout one day as I loved it so much. Lucy Boston lived just up the road from us and I am yet to visit her house which is open to the public, something that must be rectified this summer.

I am Sam

I am Sam

Sam I am

Do you like green eggs and ham?

Far and away the Lottie Family favourite stories at the moment are anything by Dr. Seuss, with our runaway favourite being Green Eggs and Ham.  My children adore this story and they, and The Magician and I, have not bored of it despite many readings over the past year since it was first discovered.  There’s something brilliant about this story that I defy any child or adult not to love.  It has to be said that it is all in the reading, but read well (Mummy is the clear favourite to read this story in the Lottie house!), it is magical. It is particularly fab for fussy eaters.

Whilst at my table top sale I managed to pick up this brand new copy of this wonderful story for the extortionate amount of 20p.  A travesty really as this book is worth more in every way.

You do not like them,

So you say.

Try them! Try them!

And you may.

Try them and you may, I say.

I would like to give this away to someone who is yet to be introduced to the delights of Dr Seuss be they adult or child.  It really is a beautiful book, especially as a bedtime story.

I do so like

green eggs and ham!

Thank you!

Thank you,

Sam-I-am!

If you would like to receive this copy of this book just leave a comment and I shall add your name to the draw which Boo Bear and I shall do on Thursday. I would love to hear what your favourite children’s story are.  What do you love to read to your children? What do you love to read yourself that is really meant for a younger audience?

Can’t wait to give this one away.

Happy reading.

Lottie -x-

PS – due to you lovely people signing up to read my blog by email on your blog readers The Magician has given me permission to get my new blog designed.  Watch this space – it will be here soon.  Thank you! You are all fab for helping me make it happen (I didn’t make the 100 but my daily readership has increased considerably enough to convince him that it is worth me carrying on) xxx

Saturday’s Story – so much excitement

I am writing this post having come down from cloud nine to now be sitting at the computer still a quiver with excitement. I feel like I have won the lottery! My joy at this afternoon has left me in tears, an emotional wreck, elated, joyful and truly, truly amazed that such awesomeness exists in this life.  ‘What happened?’ I hear you ask.  ‘What on earth is it?’ I hear you exclaim.  My life changing moment this Saturday, my awesome experience was……………………dresses.  Yes, you did hear right, I am a quiver with excitement over dresses………………..are you really that surprised?

To be honest, I am, as I didn’t realise until recently how deep my passion runs and writing this blog and Twitter have allowed it to come out into my life at full pelt, no holds barred I BLOODY LOVE DRESSES! Particularly the vintage kind, particularly the kind that walked into my life today.

Here’s my Saturday Story.

This morning I woke feeling slightly worse for wear after a lovely night out with friends.  I had little expectation of the day as The Magician is feeling poorly, the kids were amusing themselves and I knew that this afternoon I had what was potentially going to be a very dull afternoon at a school table top sale, to look forward to.

I went along to said table top sale with high hopes of selling copious amounts of the hairbands and hairclips that I have got somewhat carried away making.  My hopes were sorely dashed, although not altogether surprisingly so, when approximately 20 people walked through the door.  It has to be said that most of those 20 people did in fact purchase one of my hairclips/hairbands but not exactly the kind of turnout we were hoping for and definitely disappointing.

After an hour I got bored and given the opportunity to root around peoples tat i’m not one to stand by and ignore.  So off I went rummaging and duly spent far more than I made.  I gladly purchased a beautiful set of brand new books of the Narnia Stories, which I had fully intended on buying myself and my boys at some point.  I also purchased yet another beautiful copy of Dr Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham – by far and away the Lottie family favourite. In addition I made my sister’s day by find a whole load of suitably aged and well labelled girls clothes for her to sell in her E-Bay shop, so all in all a fairly succesful spending spree (we shall forget that I was there to make money).

Towards the end I stumbled across this cute little 40′s style sailor dress with pretty cardigan which I haggled down to £7.50 despite them being brand new with tags (I have become a haggler – OH MY GOD – I have become a rummaging, secondhand buying haggler – what is happening to me???):

So, coming away happy with my buys yet disappointed with the sale I decided to finally dump the kids junk that I was also trying to sell, at Oxfam on my way home.

I popped into Oxfam and the lady behind the counter who knows me quite well now as I go in once a week for a little rummage ( I know, I know, but this story is the moral of this little addiction!).  She grabs me and says ‘before you go you HAVE to see this’, ‘oho’ I thought ‘here we go’…..  I went on to discover these:

The lady sends me over to a rail and shows me a dress, the third one down, for which I naturally go gaga, I then discover there are six more, handmade, original 1960′s pieces there! I’m  afraid the following photographs do not do these pieces justice at all, they are handmade to an amazing finish, truly original and fit amazingly:

I shall be keeping this one as it is GORGEOUS on and was clearly made for me, I have never tried anything on that fits so perfectly. I’d say it’s probably early 70′s, possibly late 60′s.

This one is a keeper too but the photograph does it no justice whatsoever so I need a photo shoot with it.  It is simply gorgeous on, so flattering, a really beautiful early 60′s shape, tightly fitted around the bust with a high neck line and long sleeves and flowing from the hips.  So easy to wear day or night, amazing, I can’t wait to have it on.

The finish on this truly sixties dress is stunning. Unfortunately it has a ciggarette burn on the lap of the dress but it is so long and the burn is low enough that the dress could be taken up, still be of the right style and lose the cigarette burn.  Alternatively some material could be pinched from the 3 inch hem and glued in place behind the hole.  The pattern is so busy that it wouldn’t be noticeable. This dress fits me beautifully, the belt cinches it in at the waist.  The belt needs fixing but is all there and again, very well made the buckle has just worked loose.  I shall be selling this one as although I ADORE it, I know I shall never go anywhere where I could wear it

This dress is also stunning but a little large for me.  I’d say a 12. Perfectly of its time.  I shall be selling this one.

I’m not sure what to make of this one as it’s too big for me and as a result wholly unflattering, but i’m sure on the right figure, which I would guess at a 12 or 14 (need to measure it) it would look great as it is as equally well made as the rest and definitely of its time. I shall be selling this one.

This Jackie Kennedy style suit is just a dream.  It is stunning and fits me so perfectly that I couldn’t possibly part with it.  I am not sure whether I will wear it as a two piece as it makes me look quite old, although i’m sure with the right accessories it would look amazing.  I have the perfect vintage blouse and shoes to go with it too.  I LOVE it.  The skirt isn’t lined as they tended not to back then as they all wore petticoats.  It is a scratchy tweed so I shall definitely be investing in a petticoat (oh, what a shame…i’m not sure I can cope with purchasing yet another beautiful garment).

This beautiful jacket also had a skirt with it but unfortunately it was supposedly ruined so the shop threw it out.  It is a beautifully lined jacket.  I am not sure whether I shall keep it as I am not sure it is the best fit on me, however I do adore it so may find it hard to part with.

I’d say this is an 80′s shirt waister dress complete with shoulder pads and said amazing dressmaker had got older and slightly bigger as this is most definitely a 12, possibly a 14, although it is a loose style so hard to tell, I shall have to measure it.  It is a beautiful silky material and very well made once again.  It is not my style. I don’t do 80′s clothes, so I shall definitely be selling this one.

I got these magic clothes, magic because they’re original, beautifully, probably professionally hand made, and so lovely, really, these photos do them no justice, for an incredibly £30 for the lot! There was also an amazing 50′s wedding dress for which they wanted £10.  I ummed and ahhhed but I shall be going back on Monday for it and selling it.

You and I know that these clothes are worth a tonne more than £30, more like at least £30 each.  So, firstly, I need some advice.  How much do I sell those I want to sell for? Do I mend/alter them as needed or do I sell them as is? Where is best to sell them? Ebay? Etsy? Does anybody want them?  I shall happily sell them to any of you for a reasonable price.  I need to make some money on them in order to prove to OH that i’ve not lost my marbles and also to raise cash for my new wizzy blog.

All in all, although, coming to the end of this post (two hours later) I am calmer and more reasonable, I still can not get over what an amazing afternoon I had and how much fun vintage shopping is.  Perhaps I have the bug?

Lottie -x-

Think Frock It’s Friday

This week i’ve been thinking about my earliest influences on my desire to dress the way I do.  Without doubt my Gromma had a lot to do with it, however,I realise that even as a young girl I was influenced by what I saw on television, much the same as youngsters are today.  However, I would say that my role models were slightly more wholesome than many we see today!

Who loved this?:

This was definitely one of my favourites as a child and as I get older I still love watching it.

Elizabeth Montgomery who played Samantha in Bewitched epitomised everything I wanted to be when I grew up.  She was beautiful, glamorous, charming, quirky, eccentric, magical and best of all a housewife with all of those qualities. I could quite happily spend a day watching Bewitched, in fact, I might one day soon.

If you too were inspired by Samantha or you love the looks from the 50′s/60′s then you will love Natasha Bailie. I met Natasha on Twitter (@natashabailie) and she is equally as glamorous, beautiful and charming as Samantha and to make her even more interesting she sells the most beautiful vintage dresses of these eras.

Meet Natasha (click on the image to learn more about her – after you’ve read this post!):

Look at these ‘to die for’ dresses she is currently selling (I am sooooooo in need of every single one!).  Click on the image for more details:

All of these gorgeous dresses and more can be found at www.natashabailie.com.  Nastasha has been a doll and given all of my readers the fantastic opportunity for a 10 per cent DISCOUNT. Just quote the words ‘Friday Frocks’ and the discount is yours.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this weeks Think Frock It’s Friday.  I have been so bowled over by the response to this and how excited you are all getting about wearing dresses.  I have had so many encouraging and lovely comments/tweets it has been amazing.  You can not imagine how much doing this and having such an amazing response means to me. Only 18 months ago I honestly believed I may never be able to wear a dress again and although it wasn’t the most  worrying thing about my health condition it was a pretty huge deal to me.  I am A1 now and loving the fact that I can thoroughly indulge my love of frocks with so many brilliant people.  You gorgeous ladies (and fellas ) ROCK!

I am going to be upgrading and getting myself a wizzy new blog space very soon in order for me to host what I think is going to be an awesome online event for you dress lovers out there so watch this space!

Do tell me your dress wearing stories, we, my readers and I, love hearing them.  Follow #thinkfrock on Twitter and follow my list of ‘Think Friday It’s Frock’ followers on my Twitter Homepage.

Glam air kisses and love to all

Lottie -x-

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Amazing Stamps

Today the Post Office have launched this amazing range of stamps to celebrate 70 years since the Blitz.  I think they are absolutely gorgeous and shall be going out to buy a stock today and can guarantee that all of my letters shall have them on from now.  They will be on sale for a year.

Just had to post about them as I truly LOVE them. I’m now running late – whoops.

Lottie -x-

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Lottie Loves Poppy Valentine

I spent this morning baking with eight six-year olds and came into the house covered in flour, absolutely shattered (it’s tiring stuff baking with six-year olds) and feeling far from my aspiring glamorous self. Mooching through the front door I tripped over a pink parcel which has absolutely made my day, in fact it has made my week, quite possibly my month and definitely inspired and re-motivated me to get through this tiring day.

Inside was this:

I know! How gorgeous is that? Unfortunately I can’t take a photograph of myself in it and these photographs don’t do it justice but it is really beautiful and so flattering on. I shall get The Magician to take a photograph of me in it at some point and show it off properly.  Better still it is a gift! A beautiful, amazing gift from the gorgeous Claire from Poppy Valentine.

I ‘met’ Claire on Twitter (@poppyvalentine) through our mutual love of vintage clothes and we have struck up quite a friendship.  She doesn’t tweet lots but when she does have something to say she says it with passion and is incredibly supportive.  She is a gem and I am so glad to have ‘met’ her that I fully intend to meet her in person.

Claire sells her own designed clothes, handbags and accessories made from exquisite vintage fabrics at her shop, Poppy Valentine, which has recently opened in Norwich.

‘The Poppy Valentine Vintage Range represents the beauty of authentic vintage fabrics. In our boutique/studio in Portobello rd, Notting Hill, each product is lovingly handcrafted and the fabric personally sourced. We look for feminine florals of the 40’s, the abstract barkcloth prints of the 50’s, bohemian hippy chic of the 60’s and the psychedelic swirls of the 70’s. We’ve always loved British kitchen sink dramas from the 1960s and some of the style names are a tribute to the actresses of that era, along with iconic women from the past 60 years. The fabrics used are from our stock of vintage fabrics we’ve been collecting for over 20 years. We’re constantly scouring antique markets and clambering around in rolls of fabrics in thrift shops for new prints.

The “feel special” factor is created by the fact that every Poppy Valentine product is a limited edition, and quite often a one off.’

I featured one of these dresses on my ‘Put Your Best Frock Forward‘ post and I had such an amazing response to it that in thanks Claire asked if she could send me a dress from her label ‘Curious Lily’.  I replied ‘NO!’ The reason being that I don’t promote people on my blog for money or gifts and certainly don’t expect any remuneration of any kind. For starters I just don’t have enough readers to expect such things and besides, I write about what I love not what other people want me to write about and I want to keep it that way.  Claire, with equal forcefulness said ‘I want to and I will so unless you want a dress the wrong size you better tell me your size’, well, words to that effect. That told me! I gratefully accepted and then, I must confess, waited  in excited anticipation of my dress’ arrival.

Poppy Valentine is Claire’s range made from Vintage fabrics.  ‘Curious Lily’ is Claire’s range made from modern fabrics but vintage patterns.  As you know, I adore the vintage look and although I can fully appreciate vintage fabrics it makes no difference to me whether they are vintage or not as long as the dress is of a vintage style. Unfortunately this range isn’t on her website at the moment but it can be found in her Norwich shop – I feel a tweet up coming on

So, there you have it.  An impromptu and premature ‘Think Frock It’s Friday’ post but I couldn’t not post about this amazing gift which has made me oh so very happy   I am now off to sit and stare at it (I would wear it but it’s too cold!).

I’ll be back on Friday with a very exciting ‘Think Frock It’s Friday’.

Lottie -x-

PS – don’t forget to add the ‘Think Frock It’s Friday’ button to your blog if you are following.  Do let me know though as I would like to add those blogs to my blogroll and my ‘Think Frock It’s Friday Page’. If you’re on Twitter follow me @lottieloves1 and also say hi so I can add you to my ‘Think Frock It’s Friday’ Twitter List. xxx