Vintage Playsuit || Outfit Post

I love clothes (obviously) and I love styling my own outfits. There's just something so refreshing about creating/styling an outfit, particularly one that you feel to be unique and expressive of your personality and who you are as a person. However, doing this can be pretty time consuming and can be a lot of effort. I've found the bets things to wear when in a rush, or if you simply can't be bothered etc are either dresses or playsuits. They are one item and only require you to pick shoes (and accessories if you so desire.) There is no need to stress over whether 'that top' will go with 'those jeans/skirt/shorts' etc etc and generally they are effortlessly stylish.

I went through a stage of never wearing dresses accept on formal occasions. They made me feel to girly and for some reason made me feel as though I was immensely over-dressed for whatever I was doing. So for about a year (I think) I didn't wear dresses casually, bus over the past couple of years I've started to refund my love for them, they are so so easy to wear and incredibly comfy. However I was then introduced to playsuits. 

Playsuits came in to fashion a couple of years ago as what I remember to be a "summer essential"… To be honest, at first I didn't really get it. Why would I want to wear a dress with shorts that meant having to completely strip when wanting to the bathroom? Surely they're not very comfortable I thought. Well I was proven wrong when I bought my first playsuit a couple of years back form Accessorize: it was navy blue with this pretty white detail on the chest. I still have it but I've worn in so much that there are hundreds of holes everywhere and it's most definitely on its way out ): 

Anyway, since then I've absolutely adored playsuits, they are possibly one of the comfiest things ever and they have the simplicity and style of a dress, but with the liberty of movement. You don't have to worry about it flying up in a gust of wind, or worrying that you're possibly showing a bit too much when sat down or sprawled across the sofa. 

Do you remember that post I did about the vintage stall in my local market ran by the wonderful Isabel? (If you didn't see it, you can read it here.) Well I regularly make visits to the stall and I had my eye on this playsuit for about a month, but every time I went to the stall I never seemed to have any money on me. However, on Friday I finished my last AS Level Exam and was in town with my friends and made a trip to see Isabel. Oddly enough the playsuit was still there and I actually had money on me so I decided to treat myself for finishing my exams. I tell myself that it because of Fate that the playsuit was still there and therefore I had to buy it.

So here is the playsuit which I bought for £20. The material (I think) is silk, or at least a very similar material such as satin. Admittedly when I bought it, it was huge. But to be honest I like buying things big because I either keep them and wear them baggy and oversized, or I alter them to fit me - I like the challenge… There were pockets on the sides which I heartbreakingly had to get rid of in order to take in the sides, but annoyingly there wasn't really another way around it so I had to say bye bye to the pockets. I think I will be living in this and my two piece all summer.

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|| Isabel's Retro Inspired Clothing Market-Stall ||

The quiet Cotswold town of Cirencester is famous for its markets, ranging from the Home & Garden ones, to the Crafts Market, to the Italian Food Market and the regular market held Monday and Friday in the middle of town. 

Isabel

Over the past few months a new stall has recently started to catch my eye, particularly due to it being relitively new, and I have to say I absolutely adore it. It is a retro inspired clothing stall run by the fabulous Isabel.

"6 months ago I was a stuffy suit wearing business woman (area manager ) working for boots and apple. I changed my lifestyle and now follow my passion." 

When asked what her favourite thing about vintage/retro clothing, Isabel simply replied with: "I love the styles through the years, and the feminine glamour." I have to completely agree with her here as my favourite thing about vintage clothing is how much it changed throughout the years, and how it is still changing right before us.

One of the things that massively drew me toward Isabel's stall was how quickly her stock grew. I remember the first day I went to visit it and the range of clothing was small but wonderful, and as the weeks have passed the about of pieces has grown massively. 

The stall contains a range of pieces from various decades such as 1920's flapper dresses, to 1940's skirts and blazers, to 1970's inspired dresses. The collection of fur coats is extensive, with many being real fur and other being faux-fur and in various different colours, tones, styles and cuts - one suitable for everyone. You will also be delighted to hear that the clothes are all at amazing prices.

This particular dress I am utterly in love with. The rich purple is gorgeous, and the velvet is so soft it almost slips through your fingers. I didn't get round to trying it on (I was too busy taking pictures and i was also freezing) but fI definitely think I will next as it is at an amazing price of £20.

Definition of vintage (putting aside wine option):

1. being of a specified vintage: vintage wine.

2. representing the high quality of a past time; classic: vintage movies.

3. of, imitating, or being a style or fashion of the past; retro: vintage clothing.

4. being the best of its kind; choice: vintage Shakespeare.

5. old-fashioned or obsolete.


For me there's something so wonderful and exciting about vintage clothing. It's a way of celebrating art and history in one single item, there can be so much unknown history within one dress.
It represents a lasting interest and importance along with a air of class and maturity not found among much of the current fashion.

I suppose the definition of vintage is fluid in a way. The term has being taken up by the advertising and marketing industry and has become a term that is used for clothing that is just inspired by a certain era. I personally believe that a dress made in 2010, but made to look like a 1960's dress in not vintage, however is certainly is vintage-inspired or retro-inspired. I believe that real vintage is pure and dates back to the time is was made and was in fashion, I believe it comes with history and a story.
It is apparently known that anything older than 100 years is perceived to be antique, not vintage. This therefore means that everything eventually becomes antique which I think is a nice thought.

More pictures below.

|| DIY || Fixing that broken zip on your favourite shorts ||

A few months back I bought these pair of shorts from this store called Willow, which in just a few words is absolutely amazing and is by far my favourite shop.

Anyway, along with its ethnic clothing, accessories and 'homey-wear' it also stocks Retro Kitten clothing, and I bought these shorts from that very section in the shop. They were £15 (quite a bit more money than what I normally spend on clothes but I really needed some new shorts, and non-high-waisted-shorts look awful on me.)

I immediately fell in love with them, and they are unbelievably comfortable and go with literally everything I own, so they were an excellent purchase.

As you can see they are black corduroy that is slightly faded and high waisted with a slight turn up on the thigh.