Budgets and Spending Them

For the past few weeks I've been trying really hard to keep to a weekly budget. The worst thing ever as a uni student, is to spend all your money first term and then be way to broke just in time for Christmas. So, as it's my FOURTH year as a student, I've decided this is the year I'm gunna be a savey money saver. Here's the general breakdown: £75 a week budget, £15 of that goes towards house and phone bills, then usually about £10 on food, leaving £50 for everything else.

So this week, I decided that instead of going out and wasting money on silly things like drink, I'd spend it on something far more worthy - shoes!

These Topshop lovelies were originally £56, reduced to £30 and then reduced again to £27 with a student card. I'm not one to often splash out on expensive things, but with a £29 saving I just couldn't say no!

Brighton Beach

Last night the boy and I went to a Brighton Beach event at The Wardrobe in Leeds. It was the second of these nights that I've been to and I can't express my love for them enough! Both times I've stayed till lights on and been on that dance floor all damn night. There are also nights in Leicester, Newcastle, Sheffield and the next one in Leeds is on the 26th October. 

 

Shirt - Vintage Kilo Sale

Skirt - 75p Mencap

Tassel loafers - £2.99 Peace Hospice

The Festival of Thrift

Last weekend I headed up to Darlington for the first ever National Festival of Thrift. A two day event all about recycling, upcycling, and all the goodcycling ways of thrifty living. There was a bunch of stalls with gorgeous homeware, workshops teaching crafty skills and some of the best tiffin cake I have ever tried.

Even Max McMurdo (that bloke from Kirsty Allsopo's 'Fill Your House for Free') was there. I saw him mid-building this trailer type thingy.

But it has to be said, my favourite stall of all was this one.

Oh I just couldn't resist... 

That purple dress was originally a floral Laura Ashley number that had been tie dyed. 

I wore:

Dress - £3.99 New Look / thrifted from Mencap

Jumper - £2.89 M&S / thrifted from British Heart Foundation

Duffle coat - £4.99 Miss Selfridge / thrifted from Peace Hospice

Chelsea boots - (gift) Topshop

Chapel of Love

On Saturday night the boy and I went to a wedding reception for his Aunty. The bride looked gorgeous, the band were hilarious and we danced all night. 

I wore:

Dress - £2.49 Mencap

Cardigan - £6 Primark

Shoes - £3 Roland Cartier from Peace Hospice

Collar necklace - £5 Camden Market

Saturday Shopping

There really is nothing better than shopping on a Saturday.

Peplum top - 75p Peace Hospice

Lace top cardigan - gift from Nanna

Jeans - £3.99 British Heart Foundation

Penny Loafers - £2.99 eBay

Necklace - £3.15 Forever 21

This was me getting quite excited when I realised how well my new peplum went with my stripy blazer but decided to save that outfit for another time.

So we popped off into town and inevitably found our way into *dun dun dun* ...Primark. 

Primark really is one of those places that I hate to love. It's like a god damn zoo in there and I always feel so bad for all the clothes strewn across the floor and not looked after properly! Anyone else or is that just me being weird...? Either way, I battled on and picked up these few pieces.

What's that... another maxi? I feel a pattern coming on here.

£5

Does anyone else keep a constant wish list of clothes they'd like? I've started keeping one on my phone to keep me on track with my charity shop hunts, so was pleased to cross off "white and maroon cardigans" from the list.

£6 each

 I've been looking for the perfect parka for about a year now. Did I think I'd find it in Primark? No way, but look at all the detailing on this beauty.

£25

 I'd struggled so much with finding a parka that didn't drown my short lil' self. All the vintage store ones were just huge and looked ridiculous. So hooray for Primark!

So cosy!

I also popped into Superdrug. I love the MUA range there; super cheap but still really good quality products.

£1 

Today's Treasures

So I've been feeling pretty crappy for the last few days with a cold, boo! But I managed to drag myself out to my favourite charity shop, under the theory that a little retail therapy cures everything (even though I should be saving money ahem...)

This little peplum number was new with tags but for some reason was sitting on the 75p rail, happy days! I love love love maroon, especially for Autumn and I think this top will be something I can pair with a lot of things; navy, black or beige jeans, black pencil skirt, cream chiffon skirt, black shorts etc etc ya get me? The possibilities are endless.

Now this beauty was definitely my fav buy of the day - £3.99 for a Topshop maxi. In exactly the same shade of maroon, this is gunna' be an Autumn staple for me. I love wearing maxi dresses casually during the day - to go shopping or pop into Uni - just throw on a jumper, maybe a little shirt collar underneath and bam, comfy easy casual wear. But then, you still have the option to pair it with some killer heels and jewellery for a glamourous evening outfit.  

Check out that sexy low scoop back, yummm.

I picked up this simple black shoulder bag for £2.99, as I'd managed to break the strap on my other one and had been nicking my Mum's all Summer! When I first picked it up I noticed straight away how beautifully soft it was. When I got home, I googled the label brand "JFW" (never heard of it?) and found out that they don't really exist anymore but all their bags were made of real leather - not bad for £2.99.

Picked up this candle for 95p. Can never have too many candles as far as I'm concerned.

Last but not least, I picked up this bathroom bin. Don't worry,  this is not what I usually pick up on my charity shop hauls, but as I'm moving into my new house next weekend, which before now didn't have any bins, I thought this would be a practical use of £1.50. (And if you look closely you can see my little top knot in the reflection!)

Today's Treasures

I found these records in the South Oxhey 'Media Only' Peace Hospice. Each was £1 apart from the Otis Redding one which was randomly £4 - not entirely sure why (other than it's a great album), maybe the volunteer pricing them was a big fan. Either way, I've been looking for four more records to join the two I already have up on my wall in Leeds, so was happy to pay the extra few quid as I'd finally found some all in the same shop. They make such a great alternative to posters especially as "vintage" artwork has become increasingly popular and is selling at such a high prices on Ebay etc. Also, it's a great way to show off my love of 60s soul and motown. 

Today's Treasures

Whilst food shopping in Asda I stumbled upon this American Apparel style, navy velvet headband. All for a whopping £1.50.

Northern Roadtrip

For the past few days, the family and I have been on a little road trip around Britain. First stop was at my new house in Leeds, to pick out a few pieces of furniture from ikea.  

This plain desk was reduced to a tenner - can't really argue with that!

Next, we moved onto Northallerton (North Yorkshire) to visit my Nanna, and then onto Morecambe (Lancashire coast) to visit a whole host of cousins. 

We stayed in a quaint little seaside hotel on Morecambe Bay and it had some ridiculously kitsch kitchenware. 

It really was like stepping into a town that time forgot. 

And of course, what would any trip be without a little charity shopping! We pootled along to Morecambe High St with the promise of a "everything for £1.99" Barnado's. 

Today's Treasures

Don't you just love it when you get a package in the post? Even when I'm expecting it, I still get all giddy and excited and rip it open like it's Christmas - just call me a Marvelette cos' I love the postman!

This beauty cost me a whopping £5.99 (including p+p) on Ebay - quite pricey for me to be honest but I just couldn't resist the bright barbie pink colour. I love the big pointy 60s collar, button up front and matching belt and can't wait to wear this while the nice weather is still holding out!

The Vintage Kilo Sale

Here's a sneaky peek at all the lovely bargains I picked up last weekend, when the boy and I made a trip to The Vintage Kilo Sale event in Bethnal Green. Some of the dresses are a little long on me and will need a wizz through the sewing machine, but in the next few weeks I'll be posting some OOTDs with better pictures featuring my new buys.

I first discovered these events late last year and have been hooked ever since. You pay a pound entry fee for the chance to rummage through TONNES of good quality vintage clothing - and when I say rummage, I really do mean rummage: there are bins as tall as me, stuffed full a clothes, that you practically have to fall into to reach the bottom. Dignified, it is not, but for £15 a kilo it really is worth it. 

The first Kilo Sale event we went to was held in a dingy underground nightclub in Leeds, not the ideal location for cramming in a bunch of vintage-hungry thrifters. This one, however, was held in York Hall, a lovely spacious building with plenty of light. 

There are dates for other kilo sales held all over the country, so if you haven't checked them out yet, get on it!

My top tips for any kilo newbies would be:

• Wear something you can easily try on clothes with. It's not always straight forward to just read the size label on vintage clothing and there are rarely any changing rooms, so everyone clusters into corners to wriggle and shimmy into their finds without flashing any flesh. To save yourself from the embarrassment wear leggings or tights and a strappy top under your outfit.
• Go with a friend. There aren't mirrors so it's pretty vital to have someone who can take a photo of you in some of the outfits you're less sure about. Although, make sure they're just as much of a thrifting fanatic as you are! There's nothing worse than having a friend slumped in the corner painted-all-over in boredom, whilst your head-first in a clothes bin. 
• Top up your kilo bags with light materials - chiffon headscarves are something I wear all the time and they weigh practically nothing.
• Bring a drink, and maybe even a snack! They replenish the rails constantly throughout the day, so even once you've got to the end of all the racks and bins, you may as well just start at the beginning again. 
• Enjoy yourself! We sometimes play a game called, find the ugliest item and pretend you're seriously considering buying it. That's the best bit about real vintage clothing - you can find some absolute gems but wow you can find some absolute horrors as well. 

Today's Treasures

I found all of these goodies at the Mencap Charity Shop on St Albans Road in Watford.

Dress - £2.49

Shoes - £1

Bag - 99p

Shirt - 50p

Top - 50p