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I went charity-shop browsing yesterday, and found this adorable girl's dress:
There was no label of any kind, so it might have been handmade. Unfortunately it was too small for me, but it's inspired me to dream up similar dresses for summer.

This was a quiet week for me, and I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped, but after a few months of stress and health problems I think I needed to recharge mentally and physically. I made myself stay indoors on Thursday because I'd been coming back exhausted every time I went for a walk. I did make some progress on my wardrobe overhaul, figured out my clothing budget for the next couple of months, and crossed off another wishlist item: warm, thick tights for cold-weather wear. I got these ones from John Lewis' girls' range in charcoal grey, at £7.75 for a pack of two. They're totally opaque and very soft, so I'm pleased.

I planned to hit H&M today, but as it's raining and I don't feel like facing the Sunday afternoon crowds, I'm staying in. I've been reading Dynamic Anatomy (NB: affiliate link) by Burne Hogarth and copying some of the amazing illustrations - whilst that's no substitute for drawing from life, it's a good adjunct, I think. (Also, I'm a nerd and I just like learning what all the muscles are called, etc.)

Some links I've collected over the past week:

Beautiful indoor planters at Fern & Fawn. I used to keep mosses and little ferns in a couple of small containers, and I'm inspired to do something similar again.

Questions on feminism and fur, by L. at Academichic - another considered and thought-provoking post. The comments are well worth reading as well, as readers share varied and interesting perspectives.

Four ways to refresh your existing wardrobe, at the Daily Telegraph. I'm never sure what to think of trend-focused fashion media (who gets to decide what's "in", and why should I care?) but I can't deny being pleased to see pink, tweed and Uniqlo on the list. I think I'll pass on "the colours we are supposed to be wanting now", though - "... orange, cobalt, lime, emerald and fuchsia".

Style, authorship and stereotypes, by Andrea of A Cat of Impossible Colour, guest-posting at Already Pretty; a powerful and elegant rebuttal of the idea that women with an interest in clothes must be "shallow, vain, a bit dim or unpleasantly female in some way." In a similar vein, Nerd Girls Rule at Eat the Damn Cake. I just love this one.

Back in May last year, Sally of Already Pretty asked, what are your figure flattery priorities? I read this, thought "wait, I get to decide for myself what flatters me?", and it felt kind of liberating, honestly.

DIY Embellished Tees at Academichic - great tips and inspiration. E. just posted a great guide to refashioning clothes, too. I'll be referring to both these links as my stack of clothes to alter/embellish grows.

Labels: charity shops, links

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January was quite a busy month, last week especially. Now that a crucial deadline is out of the way, though, I can concentrate on other things. I've been a bit stressed out and under the weather, so I'm trying to get my normal energy levels back. Walking a lot is part of my usual routine, and I'm keeping up with it even though I don't always feel like it. Yesterday I went on what turned out to be a 4-mile trek round some charity shops, and that may have been a little bit much, but it felt good to get some exercise and fresh air.

Shopping-wise, it wasn't the most successful trip. I feel bad criticising charity shops - they're raising money for good causes, and many of the staff are unpaid volunteers - but it always frustrates me a little when none of the stock is organised by size. If a rack of clothing is five or six feet long and jam-packed, I may not bother hunting through it for the one or two things that might fit me. (I know, I can hardly complain about things not being organised...)

But anyway, I went back through H&M on the way home, and bought MORE BOWS.


My wardrobe organisation efforts continue. Last night I made a go at sorting through my jewellery and, more dauntingly, my fabric stash drawer. As I've just acquired a number of old clothes to repurpose for sewing, I badly need to make room in there. Happily, my stack of things to donate/sell/recycle is slowly growing.

Labels: charity shops, hair accessories, hm

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Charity shop browsing yesterday. I didn't end up buying anything, but here's what I tried on:

- Two calf-length pleated wool skirts, one plain grey, one grey plaid. They fit, but the length seemed a bit too matronly on me, especially with the cardi/sweater combination I had on. I'm having second thoughts, though. The plain one paired with heels and a long, slouchy sweater could work, especially with the right accessories.
 Excuse the roughness of this sketch. I think I drew the skirt with more flare than it has, but it gets the basic idea across. Maybe I'll go back to the shop and give it another try; at £3, it would be a pretty good deal if I could make it work. ETA: unfortunately, it had some small marks that didn't look like they would be removable. I'm glad I went back to try it because I know that length looks okay on me now.

- An ankle-length sack coat by Hobbs, wool/cashmere/angora blend, charcoal grey. It was gorgeous; unfortunately, I was swamped by it, and there are limits to how much fabric a tailor can take in. My hunt for an elegant 1950s-style sack coat continues.

Labels: charity shops

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