Vintage joy!

Hurrah for a sunny start to the day and the opportunity to nip outdoors in a frock! The weather here was frosty first thing on Sunday morning, but I think we got away lightly in comparison with some places in the UK where they were under inches snow. I lost no time in putting an outfit together so that I could capture some golden rays and inject some joy into my day.

This vintage dress has lived in my wardrobe for years now; I bought this piece in my favourite charity shop in Harrogate and think that may have been three years ago. I love the huge shoulder pads and the frilled finish around them, giving that top heavy look to flatter the waist and hips by comparison. The pleated insert below and the shirred elastic waist all go to make a Diane Freis dress worthy of its current price tag of around £200 (not the £25 I paid for it).

I took my lead from the pattern of saddles and equine paraphernalia and added my red vintage boots to complete the cowgirl theme. The gold link chain was from Primark and rings are preloved. The corset belt is very ancient but accentuates the waist.

The leather cowboy boots are also vintage (from the 90's) and cost me all of £10 - what a brilliant bargain! The chiseled toes do pinch if worn all day however which is probably why they ended up in a charity shop.

Red glitter tights and Radley sunglasses complete the look.

I was listening to Michael Ball on Radio 2 while I was getting dressed for these shots and it heartened me to hear him urge us to find ways to keep happy and enrich our lives during lock-down. His suggestions range from keeping a journal, taking up a musical instrument, writing letters to distant family or even just dressing up for the sake of it - oh how grand to have my whimsical hobby validated by this lovely, lovely man!

I do hope you're bearing up at the moment and beg to remind you to be kind to yourself, as much as you are to others. Getting outside once a day is a Godsend for me and my sea swimming really has come into its own this time. I'm reading a fascinating book called The Wim Hoff Method that explains the science behind cold water exposure. The book goes on to justify a lifestyle choice that I made some eight years ago when I was unwell and consequently I swam my way back into robust health. Sure, you can say that it's preaching to the converted, but for me, I'm pleased to find out the physiological changes that go on as a result of my daily swims. Maybe I'm not so mad after all!

Yes, I know that sea swimming isn't for everyone, but Wim is also a big advocate of a 30 second burst of cold at the end of your daily shower... Hey, you can't blame me for trying eh?

                                                                        Anna x