RetroDec

A few weeks ago, I won a competition run by online shop RetroDec, a first for me in approximately 21 years. Obviously I was excited.

Not as excited as when I found out that the lovely Helen that runs RetroDec wanted to use my picture on her website, and definitely not as excited as when I took a little look at the goodies available. Not that this in any way implies I wasn't hugely excited in the first place!

Helen, who even though we've only spoken via the internet (who can remember a life before?!) I already adore, set up RetroDec herself (I'm always in awe of successful business women) in order to be able to look after her two kids, this being her third. I love the fact she will only stock items she loves, and after having a good old nosey, let me tell you, this lady has some good taste! She now runs RetroDec with the help of a Friday-Night Elvis, also known as Jimmy, her partner, and her two small children, 13 months and 6 years old, in charge of cello tape and operations respectively, no one is a slacker in this family!

Helen gave up a successful interior design career to get her vintage on, and obviously this was a good move! And as Helen herself told me:

"I LOVE RetroDec because I LOVE my customers - they are all so cool and interact with us on Facebook and Twitter! I wish I had started this 10 years ago (...)
A lot of the products are hand made by some really special people (mostly ladies) and its fantastic to work with such talented and genuinely lovely people....and have such great and quirky items."


I of course had to place an order (shocking I know), and this is the adorable Dolly Cool necklace I got, and wore yesterday with my awesome new outfit:

I also got an adorable little stash tin, and inside I found a little sugar skull keyring, this woman already knows me too well :)


But, enough of the Helen-adoring, I do recommend RetroDec highly, the prices are absolutely reasonable,  the selection of items is the right balance between quirky and needed (though in my case I need quirky items too). Payment and delivery is pain-free and fast, and if you have any questions Helen is never further than a tweet/facebook message/email away.


Of course there are some more items I have my eye on...

Go shop!

x

Rainy Saturday Outfit 2 Of The Day At Circus Fest

I have just returned from a very wet and windy journey home, after visiting Professor Vanessa's Wonder Show, part of Circus Fest held at the Roundhouse in Camden. To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I had a fab time! The whole show is set around old style sideshows, such as "The Girl in the Fishbowl"(hilarious), "The Butterfly Girl" (weird), "The Mummy" (as Georgia said: "It's not a show until a small child cries") and so forth. These side shows were placed around a centre stage, which had regular acts itself, from aerial artists to what can only be described as bug acrobatics. Yes, thats people dressed as bugs being acrobatic. Rather weird, but definitely wonderful!

As I knew I'd be going out tonight, I decided, in my usual post-challenge ways, that I should just buy a new outfit (much to the man flesh's disapproval). So here's the beauty:

Unfortunately, you can't see the true beauty of the skirt (which cost me a fortune I can't REALLY justify), but it has a big black satin bow just below the bum, and some roushing (I'm really not entirely sure thats even a word), leading to a fishtail, which has a very light pink colour on the inside, courtesy of FairyGothmother. This I teamed with a Buttoned Blazer from Collectif, a plain strappy top, some lovely black wedges with pink flowers from Dolly Dare (more on those later), a black bandana, and a Dolly Cool necklace I got from RetroDec, one of my new favourite shops ( post on this also to follow, most likely tomorrow).

I LOVE the skirt!!!

x

Rainy Saturday Outfit 1

I'm sorry I didnt post yesterday, a well deserved day off, that turned into cleaning all day, nothing that usually requires make up or decent clothes...

As you know, Ive been avoiding my beloved 3/4 lengths due to the awful we're having here in the big smoke, but I could do it no more. Luckily I managed to convince the man flesh to give me a lift to the station, so I was drier than I could've been. Nonetheless, it is a failry simple thrown together outfit, mainly as the lovely Georgia and I are going to Professor Vanessa's Wondershow at the Roundhouse tonight, part of Circus Fest, thus I have done some awesome shopping and acquired some simply AWESOME things. More about that later :)

My red Next 3/4 lengths, the stripey top is also Next, and my Collectif Anchor cardigan.

I look a bit strange and evil, partly due to the awfulness of my camera phone, and also as I havent got my usual eyebrows.I forgot to sharpen my eyebrow pencil, so I had to make do with black eyeliner, which I always did before going blonde, now I seem a bit evil...

Second outfit and review to follow later!!

x

Black and White Nautical

Nothing hugely spectacular today, the weather just isn't allowing it. But, ever since the end of The Challenge, I have been exceptional at treating myself... The Tattoo Show was possibly the worst, but at least that shit last forever - value for money, surely (or so I tell myself).

One of the things I treated myself to, is this adorable necklace from Dolly Cool, I just can't resist anything with anchor, and in the 100s of anchor related products I own, I do not have anything similar to this:

Adorable isn't it!

...and what better excuse to wear my Collectif anchor cardigan! (+ M&S 3/4 lengths and a stripy top for good measure). I still have a few things I have treated myself to, or have indeed been treated to by the man flesh, so keep your eyes peeled for more posts!

x

Green Times Version 2.0

I love wearing high waisted skirts, and by now it should be obvious how I feel about all things 3/4 length, however, considering the weather I was presented with today however, just no. Nothing could've convinced me to have any shape of leg out and about, or wear pumps which would instantly become soggy. No, no, no. This is where my favourite Road jeans come in, and as I am still in love (and will continue to be) with my new Zombie Squad Jacket, another green, yet reasonably dry outfit had to be created.

The green bandana makes a repeat performance, though tied differently, with my cheap ASDA cardigan I have had for a small lifetime, and one of my awesome new necklaces (it reads "Zombie") the man flesh got me from Kreepsville666 (he is a good one!). I shall endeavour to branch out from green tomorrow, but no promises!

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Green Times

Nothing brightens a day quite like receiving a parcel of the retail therapy kind. Today was such a day. After I blogged about the Toxico Zombie Squad Jacket, I just had to have it, so welcome to my green themed outfit for today:

I just couldn't help colour-coordinate today, hence my green Collectif Leo cardigan and green bandana. It was a bit cold for 3/4 lengths today, but I just couldn't face sweaty cling film shins, so the tattoos got some air.

Now I just need to find a similar outfit for tomorrow, because I'm definitely wearing the jacket again, I love it!

x

The Great British Tattoo Show

Sometimes, working for Collectif gives you some awesome things to go and do, such as working on the stall at The Great British Tattoo Show.

I was "worried" I wouldn't be able to get tattooed. As a tattoo-addict, I couldn't possibly go to a Tattoo Convention and come back un-inked!

Luckily, as there were 3 of us at the stall, my job largely consisted of spreading the Collectif word, meaning I was able to squeeze in some ink.

In fact, I got inked within the first hour of getting there :) Mind the swollen scumminess, my thumbs aren't very happy at the moment. It quite difficult to not scrape/touch/ scratch your thumbs in day to day life.


I'm usually crazy loyal to my tattoo artist (and I still am), mainly coz he is super awesome, and I've known him for years, but I have found another one I'm happy with. Enter Will Corvidae Sparling, this crazy little man:

I've been to a few Tattoo Convention, and in terms of getting tattoos on the fly, this one was pretty good, many of the artists attending had free slots, but this may have also been because the show wasn't as busy as I expected it to be, even though it was Sunday. I spoke to a few people whilst I was there, and to be honest, I think it could've been a bit better advertised (I think it was mainly in Tattoo magazines, which not everyone reads, including me), especially as it was the first ever Great British Tattoo Show. 

Nonetheless, there was plenty to do. The lovely Sinead came down to see me, and of course to get some ink as well.

I'm naturally head to toe in Collectif, Dolores Hibiscus Dress, and Katie Hibiscus Cardigan. The necklace is vintage from Shrewd. Sinead is wearing the Toxico Zombie Squad jacket I mentioned a little while, I have now ordered it too, in the hope that they still have some in stock, then we can be an actual squad :)

Whilst there, I also met the lovely Natalie from INFIprint (they go up to a 5XL!), and bought some awesome hoodies and t-shirts,  I was trying to make it up to the man flesh that I was getting inked and he wasn't, but unfortunately, I bought too smaller stuff, I still got some goodies though.

As expected, it was also completely impossible to walk past Kastaways, an official Iron Fist stockist, especially as I've wanted a bag for ages, and Perch who runs the store with his wife, is lovely, here is my purchase:

I do love it when a bag comes in a cool bag, I'm a sucker for these things!

As Sinead and I had been talking about getting a joint tattoo, we ended up returning to Will's stand, and got these awesome Sweet Vs Zombie cupcakes.

All in all, a pretty successful day, and I have Bournemouth Ink coming up next month, this time not for work, but only tattooing pleasure :)

x