Sunday 18 October 2009

i don't generally...




do photos of myself on my blog (actually avoid them like the plague anyway, i'm just not photogenic in any shape or form, so please don't laugh, ok?) but on friday i went trawling the charity shop in town (my favourite one; we have 3, all with varying degrees of decent gear) for the folksy upcycle christmas competition. well, i'd got arthur in tow and he was not happy with yet another visit to it (to be fair i drag him in there at least 3 times a week) i did manage to buy yet another beautiful and large vintage plate for the princely sum of £2...but i'm digressing...as i was dragged out, i noticed on a clothes rack a fantastic dull green and pink printed cotton dress, and next to it a beautiful one in emerald green...but no, i was not allowed to linger...

i then woke up yesterday morning, all of a dither - why didn't i ignore my child, gather the dresses up in my sweaty hands and buy them? why? so i threw on some clothes and hotfooted it into town praying they hadn't been sold...and they hadn't! i paid the huge sum of £4.50 for each one, and discovered that the green printed one is a vintage frank usher, the emerald green one from jean allen london.

when i got home, i tried them both on - they fit like a ruddy dream! right shape, right length, everything perfect. now, in all fairness, the green print (very seventies, amazing detail on the sleeves) is quite unusual in a kind of margot from the good life meets tess of the d'urbervilles sort of way and i'm not entirely sure where i could wear it around here without being mocked and quite likely stoned to death, but the fabric is simply to die for. it was £4.50 people! maybe if i was auditioning for a part in little house on the prairie... but the emerald green? oh my god. it's pleated from just under the bust to the floor and quite frankly i'd wear it in sainsburys and i simply wouldn't care about the chavs taking the piss. i actually can't wait to wear it somewhere posh and for me to tell someone: "this dress? yes, i know, it is beautiful, isn't it? vintage. £4.50."

12 comments:

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Nellie and Neo said...

You look fantastic in both dresses! My favourite though is the emerald green dress, its stunning & a bargain!!!!

Unknown said...

i think your smile says it all really... ;)
and how lucky are you that they hadn't sold!? if that was me someone would have whipped them out from under my nose if i'd blinked!!!
you really should wear it to sainsbury's, at least once... :)
emma
x

Swirlyarts said...

Oooooh I really like both dresses and would wear both too. I'm used to remarks from some mums at school now so I wouldn't care! And I also take great delight in telling people that my shoes, skirt, whatever only cost x amount!

Kate said...

Great finds! I love the emerald green dress and think the colour really suits you.

Jeanette said...

Both dresses are fab, you look stunning in the emerald green dress, and remind me of Sally Thomsett from Man About The House in the second pic...so pretty hot in a 70's way. (that's a compiment btw!)

monda-loves said...

I love both dresses but the first green one is beautiful - you lucky lucky lady!

Monda
x

Tara @ Aquamarine Art said...

I'm not very good at vintage but that first one looks effing amazing on you!

Anna Betts said...

Wooo sexy ladaaaay! Nice finds there missy, when are we next tag team charity shopping? Emmaus is calling.... hey you won't believe this but in Portugal the hotel I stayed in was about 20 paces away from a massive Emmaus, one of only two in the whole country - what are the freakin' chances???? xx
ps massive congrats with the gallison stuff!

Claire Caudwell said...

I totally love your blog and work...

Francesca said...

yes i'm loving the stepford wives nature of the flowery one! but the green one is really gorgeous, fits and suits you perfectly. and so brave of you to share!

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

Wowza! Check you out in that emerald green number. Makes any occasion a special occasion!

Conversation Pieces said...

So jealous of that first dress... it's unbelievably gorgeous!