Why Vintage Rocks!

Very much getting in the vintage buzz at the moment and appreciating the detail and quality of older pieces. Take this beautiful 1970’s 2-in-1 dress for example…

How many pleated midi skirts did we see all summer on the streets? Here is the original real deal. It’s funny how trends keep coming back again and again. Vintage doesn’t mean old-fashioned. In fact, it can mean quite the opposite. Right now this burnt orange colour is also very popular and that’s nothing new either. If you’re clever about it, vintage can be offer a unique take on a current trend and set you apart from everyone else.

I must admit though I have very little patience when it comes to big vintage stores that require a lot of time to root through rails and rails of clothes. Also the musty smell puts me off! I prefer stores who select their vintage pieces carefully.

I also get tired of the typical vintage East London combo of ripped Levi shorts, oversized faded t-shirts and bomber jackets complete with thick rimmed glasses, of course! If you are really interested in vintage, there are much more special items to be found.

Some sites I’d like to recommend are Gary Pepper, Bitter Root and also the vintage section on Etsy.

I would love to hear from you if there are other good online sites where you buy vintage.

This dress has been sourced by Holly from Miss Patina. It will be for sale on their website soon. The blazer is from their Autumn Winter 2011 collection and is up there now. The hat and bag are vintage too.

Have a great weekend!

Sarah xx

Back to Black

Hi folks,

Didn’t get to write this post yesterday as it was a super hectic day – I uploaded the pics through a WordPress app while at a gig!

It’s only recently as I’m getting older that I’m starting to appreciate the colour black. Before, I thought it was pretty boring but now I really think it’s essential to have several classic black pieces in your wardrobe. Last night, I had about 30 mins to get ready for a gig (hence why I eliminated my make-up free face from the photo!) and was standing in front of my wardrobe panicking thinking What am I going to wear?!! as the clock was ticking – however throwing on this black dress with a smart blazer worked instantly without too much thought – everyone needs outfits like these!

I am also a big fan of sheer tights – I think they work well in that transitional summer/autumn period when opaque tights might look too heavy. I think these are a stylish option, yet still sexy. These are 20 denier and are from Next.

I’m currently singing with The Big Girls Blues Band in London (http://www.thebiggirlsbluesband.co.uk/) and as there are three singers at any gig we usually stick to black in order to coordinate easily so I’ve been trying to integrate more of this colour into my wardrobe. When I used to sing in other bands where I was the only singer or only female presence(!), I really enjoyed dressing up and hardly ever wore black but I must say I think black looks professional and hardly ever fails.

There are lots of things to take into account when you are dressing for a gig – number one – SHOES and answering the question -can you stand comfortably for two hours PLUS in them?! These ankle boots I’m wearing are perfect – they were £15 in H&M and are mid height in heel. Next, you have to consider the comfortability of what you’re wearing  like is your skirt too short to dance in? Do you feel confident? Is the material you’re wearing too heavy? It’s all fine looking at yourself in the mirror and giving an outfit the ‘all clear’ but it feels alot different in a crowded venue, dancing your socks off and having sweat marks = FAIL! This dress I’m wearing from Zara is really comfy, not too short, not too tight and it has a mesh overlay with little rose patterns.

I think a great idea for a clothing collection would be one based on famous female singers and their on stage looks – like Annie Lennox, Debbie Harry, Stevie Nicks etc. I’d like to get a bit more ‘rock chick’ with my look but I’m not too sure it would suit my personality – I’ll have to start hanging out more in Camden and Shoreditch for a bit of inspiration(!) I’d also like to add some vintage pieces as well to my wardrobe – there are some great vintage stores in Brick Lane and Angel. I’ll keep you posted with any finds I have!

I’ve included a single picture of this blazer I recently got from Zara – I’m really in love with it! I wanted a well structured blazer in a quality material that looked expensive. I think this is great value at €49.95 – it’s super warm, probably even a bit too warm for this time of the year but I know I’ll get so much wear out of it when it gets colder.

Well – these are my ramblings for today! Thanks for reading – if you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at saz_goodwin@hotmail.com or leave a comment below!

Have a great day xx

P.S (I’m writing this on Sunday so you may have to wait until tomorrow for another post as I am currently in my PJ’s and they are nothing exciting to be looking at!)