Oxfam in Lisbon

Shorts & Shirt: Oxfam, Shoes: Office, Sunglasses: H&M (Similar)

As the taxi driver drove away from the airport towards the centre of Lisbon I started to fall in love. Walls were no longer plain. They were covered in colourful tiles and I was in picture heaven. Suffice to say I got snap happy per-retty quickly! A few hours later my phone feed was full of tiles, me posing in front of tiles and um, me holding up pasties de nata in front of tiles. All of which are now filling my Instagram feed! There's something about all the bright colours that make photos look instantly more vibrant, exciting and just goddam wonderful. Now running out of tile infested pictures rapidly, I'm on the look out for my next holiday destination. A new holiday priority added to the list of my usual 'must-have' requirements (comfortable accomodation/central location etc) is how many colourful walls are there per square mile. I'm not having much luck so if you know any locations that will match my patterned Oxfam shorts then please send recommendations my virtual way!  

Oxfam Staples

Jumper: Topshop (Old but Similar), Skirt & Belt: Oxfam, Shoes: Converse, Bag: Modalu (Old but Similar)

Having worn this skirt many a times since picking it up from Oxfam, I'm surprised that this is it's first appearance over on this little corner of the internet. I found it in my local Oxfam towards the end of last year and ended up wearing it on a much too regular basis to work with tights and a roll-neck. Now, with the sun out I can replace the heavy knits with well, a slightly thinner knit! It's definitely one of those things that I will be reaching for from my wardrobe for a long ol' time - it's the dream skirt for a lazy dresser (me) because it goes with bloomin' everything!

It was Saturday I decided to wear my new spring/summer weekend uniform (this Oxfam skirt with alternating knit/band t-shirt/smart shirt). After a little mooch around the charity shops I ended up back home checking the Oxfam website for some more staples to see me through the hotter months comfortably. Never a website to disappoint, I found a few bits to ponder over in my virtual shopping basket including floaty wide leg trousers (because it's the floatier, the better when overheating at work), a beaut of a crochet cardigan (definitely not a staple but would fill the 70's gap in my wardrobe) and a blush pink jumper with frill cuffs because it just ticks every single jumper shaped box!

Charity Shop Gingham

Shirt: Barnardo's, Jumpsuit & Bag: Oxfam, Shoes: Converse 

I've got a bit of a thing for gingham at the moment. Last year I picked up a short sleeve shirt from Sue Ryder after a live streaming session of London Fashion Week and instantly falling for all clothes Henry Holland. The show featured a hell'uva lot of gingham gorgeousness. It was only a matter of time before all things white with a little pink/blue/red check filtered down to the high-street. One of the (many, many) great things about second-hand shopping is that you don't need to wait until loved looks and lust-worthy items from London Fashion Week find their way into Topshop/Miss Selfridge/New Look. You can often find touches of the catwalk looks for less in the always exciting, forever varied second hand shops. By visiting often, or typing in keyword into websites such as Oxfam or eBay, you can usually get in on the trend per-retty much straight away. On a route around Barnardo's a few weeks ago, I spotted this gingham shirt hidden amongst the rails and was more than happy to part with a few quid to make it mine! With it not being quite warm enough to pair this shirt with cut-off denim shorts and sandals, accessorised with a Pina Colada (a gal can dream, ey?) I decided to wear it with the jumpsuit I picked up in my Haulternative for the bloomin' amazing #FoundinOxfam campaign. 

Have you picked up any new favourites from those wonderful charity shops lately? 

Green Dreams #FoundinOxfam

Long Shirt, T-Shirt & Bag: Oxfam, Culottes: H&M, Boots: Shoe Zone

When curating my last post for Fashion Revolution, I got thinking about the charity shop items I ended up wearing the most. Towards the end of the last year, it was my Sue Ryder, black jumpsuit. Looking back it seems to have been the most unexpected items I end up wearing the most. My top tip for charity shopping is always to be open minded. Expect the unexpected. The paisley, long shirt I initially thought I would struggle to pair with things but actually went with so many outfits. The brown, stiletto boots which filled the 'comfortable, but dressy boots' gap in my wardrobe. The dark green velvet kimono which adds a little dressiness to even the scruffiest of outfits. These all turned out to be some of my absolute favourites which initially I had um-ed and ah-ed about in the shop. Apprehensive they would be one-off items and I would fall out of love with them. I feel as though this full length, green shirt is another such item. Having picked it up as part of my video for the #FoundinOxfam campaign, I thought I would wear it when I was tanned (which is 2 weeks in the average year) or when I went out for a little evening out (which is 5 evenings in the average year). However, I found it was the perfect cover-up to throw on to complete most of my staple outfits. With a bit of red lipstick and I was ready to go-go.

To see what else I picked up in Oxfam you can see the video here. And if you buy anything in Oxfam (which I fully support, ahem), share it on Twitter and Instagram using #FoundinOxfam so I can have a little nose!

Fashion Revolution Week: Haulternative III

In April 2014 I heard about a campaign (led by Fashion Revolution) calling for us to ask fashion brands where our clothes came from or, in short, #whomademyclothes. The campaign was launched because in the previous year, on April 24th 2013, the Rana Plaza collapsed. This resulted in 1,138 people losing their lives. Many more people were injured. The Rana Plaza had been supplying clothes to the western market. I remember watching the news showing the aftermath of the collapse and feeling completely helpless. I began to question where our clothes were coming from. I began to think that it didn't make sense that a T-Shirt can cost less than a morning coffee. How were clothes becoming so cheap to buy? Journalist Lucy Siegle points out that 'fast fashion isn't free. Someone somewhere is paying'. It was in April 2013 that 1,138 mothers/fathers/sons/daughters/sisters/brothers paid the ultimate price for fast fashion. The collapse of the Rana Plaza wasn't even an isolated incident as far as fashion disasters go. Six months prior a fire in another factory killed 112 people.

I find this topic hard to write about. I find it hard because it's so important. Something has to be done which is why I fully support Fashion Revolution. They are calling for change. They are calling for greater transparency within the fashion industry so we can ensure that companies are not exploiting those who make the clothes. The change could mean a safer fashion industry that values people and the environment whilst still being fun, creative and bloomin' exciting for all those involved, from designer to maker to consumer.

Last year (and the year before!) I got involved by doing a 'haulternative'. A 'haulternative' is an alternative haul, showing that you can refresh your wardrobe without buying new clothes from the high-street. I have always based my 'haulternative' on charity shopping and other second-hand purchases. So, for the third year running, here is my version of a 'haulternative'. A collection of my favourite second-hand outfits over the past 12 months.

Spring 

Last spring I was all about the comfort. I was completing an HNC in Costume and was spending a lotta lotta time sewing, fighting with mannequins and fitting big ol' dresses so comfort was key. The blue floral shirt was perfect because it was as comfortable as they come. It's slouchy but colourful and kind of looks like some sort of outfit effort has been made when thrown on. It was an Oxfam purchase and is currently featured on Oxfam's website as part of their #FoundinOxfam campaign.

The cardigan is possibly my favourite colour EVER. Spotted immediately as I walked into a Cancer Research UK shop last spring, it proved to be the perfect cover up for those in-between weather days. It then went on to be the perfect layering piece throughout autumn/winter when I wanted to add a little colour to those predominately grey/black outfits. 

Summer

Summer is the season I usually find hardest to dress for. I can never remember what I wore the year before and usually end up wearing inappropriately warm clothes more suitable for autumn/winter. The Oxfam floral shirt saw me through summer (as it did spring). The check blue shorts were also an old favourite that I dug out on the warmer days because I loved them as much as I did when I picked them up in Oxfam many, many years ago. 

Summer charity shop purchases included the pink floral shorts (which became a firm favourite), the gingham shirt (which goes with absolutely everything) and the silk floral skirt which, as well as wearing with a shirt and being a bit of a smartie pants (as I did here), I also enjoyed wearing with a dark grey/black band t-shirt for a slightly more dressed down look. Finally I picked up the denim studded shirt because I saw it in my local All Aboard and it was too brilliantly unique to leave! 

Autumn 

With Autumn came a whole lot of velvet. I re-wore (many a times) my purple shirt which my friend got me from Oxfam a few years ago. I also picked up a maxi, dark blue, velvet dress which, being strappy, was perfect for layering over t-shirts and jumpers (as I did with the grey roll-neck photographed).

I also picked up a few favourite jumpsuits. The black culotte jumpsuit was a Sue Ryder purchase and was possibly the thing I wore most last year. I dressed it down with converse and big ol' jumpers for the day but also wore it out in the evenings a hell'uva lot with high boots and shirts undernearth. I started a new job towards the end of the year and think my colleagues may have thought this was the only item of clothing I owned until 2017. The black floral jumpsuit was a Barnardo's purchase and was autumn dressing at it's easiest. Thrown on over a roll-neck knit with a leather jacket and it was ready to go. For the lazy dresser like me, it's bloody perfect.

Occasionally, I head into London to mooch around the vintage shops and it was last October that I picked up the cosiest dark green jumper (worn above with jeans). By upcycling an old jumper, Rokit modernised it and I know I'm going to wear it for years to come. 

Winter

On New Years Eve I picked up one of my biggest bargains of 2016. The heavily embellished, beaded top (in the second picture of this section) rang through the till at £3.50 at the most perfect time. A few hours later I put it on and it saw me through to 2017 wonderfully with a tulle black skirt and super-duper high shoes. Other favourite purchases made in the winter included the polka dot skirt (and shirt) from Barnardo's and the green jumper and patchwork dress, both Oxfam! 

As well as picking up new favourites in winter, I continued to wear the black, culotte jumpsuit because it was super easy for layering. Another layering number I spotted in my local Cancer Research UK was the khaki suede calf-length coat. After a little um-ing and ah-ing I snapped it up, and I'm so glad I did. I have worn it so much. As well as going with pretty much all of my outfits, it's something I haven't seen on the high-street, making it that little extra special. It's unique and the fact that buying it meant donating to charity makes it all the more special!