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An amazingly kind US friend made my week by sending me two more pairs of Aerie pyjama trousers! They are so comfortable, and I love the plaids. We've agreed to go to AE together next time I get to go and visit her in the States. Incidentally, AE are currently offering 20% off + free US shipping all weekend. I won't be taking advantage of this promotion but I had fun with a little fantasy shopping spree this morning. Topshop are also offering free UK shipping, but I'll probably sit that one out too.

Anyway, assorted links I've bookmarked over the past week:

Some picks from the Vogue Covers Archive at Tilly and the Buttons. The August 1957 one is my favourite, because the model reminds me of Audrey Hepburn:
The Me-Made-March challenge at So, Zo - an interesting blog challenge for people who make and/or refashion clothes. I won't be signing up, but maybe this'll spur me on to tackle some of the sewing projects I've planned?

Anjali of Goldenmeans and Tara B. of Little Girl Big Closet collaborated on how to create a working closet, a post full of fantastic advice. I immediately divided my wishlist into "wants" and "needs" and that alone proved useful.

Some Mori Girl inspiration: Aoi Yu in Jille magazine at Mori Girl, and ideas for tropical Mori Girl looks at Fern & Fawn.

An interview with writer Alice Carey at Advanced Style.

Sleeves and Proportion: Inspiration from Vintage and Modern Fashion at With a Modern Twist.

An awesome eBay-focused thrifting guide and follow-up by Nudemuse.

Orange for Everybody at Fashion for Giants. I'm wedded to my cool, dark colours and normally don't even think about wearing orange, but this thorough, inclusive guide has opened up possibilities.

Labels: links

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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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(A major deadline for me just got extended, so I have a little breathing room, hence the posting.)

A few promotions just landed in my inbox: American Eagle is offering $10 off $50 or more with code 39746382 until Feb 1st; take 25% off everything at Aerie when you buy two or more bras with code 83689238; and there's free shipping for a limited time (until Jan 31st, according to coupon sites) at Uniqlo.co.uk.

I'm not going to be using the AE or Aerie codes, but the Uniqlo offer is tempting. (One of my favourite things about Uniqlo is that they give detailed measurements for every item in every size. How awesome is that? More retailers should do this.) This tee comes dangerously close to fulfilling the "Navy Tee in a Ridiculously Specific Style" item on my wishlist. 

I finally signed up for Nectar points. I won't accrue very many of them, but if I do all my UK-based online shopping through Nectar and use Ebates for US-based stores, I should save a few pence over time

Please excuse the rambling low-content post! Today was sort of tiring and I can't wait to go to sleep. Here are some more exciting things to read. :)

L. at Academichic considers the implications of wearing tartan. Thoughtful posts like this are always good to read, but this one is particularly interesting to me because I'm Scottish.

Aging Gracefully and Levels of Style at Already Pretty. Not only does Sal write great posts, she has a talent for sparking discussion.

How I Want To Shop: A Shopping Flowchart at Orchids in Buttonholes. This one got bookmarked.

Calico Critters (aka Sylvanian Families) at Fern & Fawn. When I logged on this morning, hunched over the computer, coffee in hand, trying to gear up for the tasks ahead, I saw this in my feed reader and my day got that little bit better. And cuter.

Layering with Skirts (I've got to try this) at Fashion for Nerds, and another one from Already Pretty, Layering without Lumps. I need to re-read these myself, because I seemingly can't remember "put tights on under jeans when it's freezing".

Labels: coupon codes, links, saving and spending, uniqlo

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