How to do TK Maxx

This leather jacket is a dream of a fit and the softest of leather. I think the puff sleeves are a great homage to the eighties and the flat frill is a cute addition to what is a very feminine shape. I came across the jacket in a charity shop in Truro and was happy to pay £20 for something so original and also because it looked as if it was almost new. The jacket is satin lined, but is still very lightweight. 

And the harem pants. Well I've been hankering after a pair of these for months now. I saw a woman wearing a fantastic pair in the early part of the summer and I thought they were my ideal harem pants. They were that heavy duty linen that's also soft, but really substantial. Hers were a kind of lilac colour and I wished later that I'd just asked her where she got them. Anyway they've been on my mind for months, been my search item every time I've been idling away a spare ten minutes on eBay and still no success. Until my recent trip to the mainland.

I wasn't actually looking for harem pants as I went around town last week. I was on a shopping trip yes, but shopping on a budget is more about looking out for interesting pieces rather than the specifics which you might not be able to afford. For me I'd rather have holidays, meals out and treats than expensive clothes, but if I can find great clothes on a shoestring then it's a win, win situation. So after a good morning in the charity shops I headed off into TK Maxx where I'm often lucky in finding something quirky in the shoe department. This time I hit the jackpot with these amazing black harem pants which were just made to measure.

These are a very fine, drapey material, probably man made, but a perfect shape which hangs beautifully. All thoughts of bulky linen faded the minute I clapped eyes on them. The rivets and studs on the waist are actually poppers as the front is a belt that covers the entire front of the trousers and over the zip too. It neatens the waist making for a snug fit. And best of all they have pockets. That whole slouchy, relaxed look can only be achieved if you've got nice, deep pockets. I would never have found them if it wasn't for my friend Bo who showed me the ropes in that big shopping challenge known as TK Maxx. They were on the final clearance rack, marked as a size 16 and I would have passed right over them without her guidance.She taught me how to "do" TK after I told her I found it all a bit overwhelming - 
1 Pick up a trolley as you go in.
2 Put your coat and bag into trolley
3 Start at the front of the store and go through every rack and every size.
4 If you like the look of it (regardless of the size) put it in your trolley.
5 Finish with the shoes and don't try any on, just pop them in the trolley.
6 Hit the changing room.
7 Try on all of one group ie skirts, tops, dresses. Makes for easier and quicker undressing.
8 Once you've whittled it down to your chosen clothes, only then do you take the shoes in to try with them.
9 Finally be brutal with your decision making. Do you really love it? Does it make your heart skip a beat? Don't squander your cash on something that you quite like. Love it or leave it!

And so I've completed the look with this art inspired polo neck and my favourite silver brogues. 

The jewellery today is my Tiffany hearts necklace and two rings I scooped up in the charity shop fest. 

All in all, my mainland trip provided a great wardrobe boost and I hope will keep me and you inspired over the forthcoming months. I would love to hear your thoughts about any of today's pieces - if you're a fan of harem pants or silver brogues, or if you're not. Any feedback or comments, it would be great to hear from you!

Jacket: charity shop. Trousers: TK Maxx. Top: eBay. Shoes: Office. Tiffany silver necklace: charity shop. Rings: charity shop.

Linking with 
Catherine from Not Dressed as Lamb

Shopping, haircut and a fabulous fashionista!

What a bargain!

Eight new jackets - all stocked up for the season ahead.

Just a couple of pairs of shoes to keep me going...

And this is Denise, a fabulous fashionista I met whilst shopping.

Matthew takes a couple of snaps of his handiwork.

I recently had a little jaunt to the mainland which wouldn't be complete without a quick rush around the shops and a visit to the hairdresser. As you can see both of these were accomplished with great success and I even had the pleasure of meeting up with Denise when I was scouring the racks in TK Maxx. I complimented her on her great hat as we were standing side by side, and when she stepped back to speak to me I was bowled over by her fantastic outfit. Now this lady really does know how to put an outfit together! Denise went on to tell me that she wears the hat to protect her eyes as she has a severe degenerative condition affected by the light. When I complimented her on how wonderful she looked she told me she's 62 and says she wants to make an effort every day and how it's a shame that so many older women just can't be bothered. She wasn't sure about being photographed for my blog as she kept on repeating I'm 62, I'm 62. "So what?" I answered, "I'm 57 and clearly should be taking lessons from you." Denise dresses to please herself, and takes such pride in her clothes. She went on to tell me that the suit she was wearing belonged to her grandmother. What a wonderful lady. I hope that everyone she meets enjoys the effort she has taken just to pop out to her local shops. Well done Denise - what a pleasure it was to meet such a fabulous fashionista!

Pink brogues

Cooler days mean adding the extra layer of cardi/jacket/coat and this morning all I really needed was this lightweight trenchcoat. I love the pastel shades of yellow and pink which I've picked up in my accessories. The trench was a unexpected find in Primark. I sometimes have a wander through there when I pop in to buy work jeans for Steve. My initial reaction is often of panic as it's so busy and always stuffed full to the point that I don't know where to start. Anyway this coat was hanging on the end of a rack all on it's own so I didn't have to do much rummaging. I think it's a take on a more upmarket brand and not badly done either.

And the pink patent brogues are worth a mention too. I bought them recently from the online H&M sale and they popped up when I added something else to my basket. What a clever ploy to give you suggestions of what to wear with your chosen items! I wouldn't have gone looking for pink anything, but these just looked so cute. I thought I might take fright when I saw them in the flesh as I was worried that they might be bubblegum pink, but this is muted enough for me to wear. I've teamed them up with a couple of odd things which I've never been worn before. I class these as non outfit clothes, just-in-case casuals which are on standby when I don't know what to wear. I tried the oriental print top on and decided to mix the look up with the straight legged crops. So today I'm doing checks, stripes, flower print and accent colours of yellow and pink. It's pretty much a surprise get-up for me, a real mish mash, but I like it.

Trenchcoat: Primark. Trousers: charity shop. Top: charity shop. Brogues: H&M. Scarf: M&S. Bag: charity shop. Shell pendant: charity shop. Art deco flower braclet and ring: Dorothy Perkins. Multi colour ring: old.

Summer/autumn?

I'm sure we all get those days when you just can't find anything to wear. Well, today was one of these. The weather is just beginning to change from the warmth of a summer's morning to having that little chill in the air, and that was what threw me. Do I dress with an air of optimism, hoping that summer hasn't quite left us? Or is this the first day of me conceding that autumn is on it's way?

So after a bit of rooting about in my wardrobe I came up with this new combo. The textured top was in the H&M sale for only £4. Mustard is a good colour for my skin tone and I also bought it in a cream version too - can't really go wrong with that, can you? And the skirt was a charity shop find from a couple of years ago, but I've only worn once before. I'm never sure about midi length in skirts or dresses as I think you need to be quite tall to carry the look off. I will however, happily wear cropped trousers or culottes of the same length without these reservations. Where's the logic in that I wonder?

I suppose a midi skirt can also look a touch on the frumpy side and with this in mind I decided to throw in the wild card of the leopard print heels. These are just the thing to lift the outfit out of the doldrums and put a spring in my step. I like the mix of the geometric pattern with the pony skin leopard shoes as it's a bit unexpected, a little quirky and that appeals to me. The shell pendant was another charity shop find and it works to have a simple piece to sit against the texture of the top.

By the end of our photo shoot the cloud has blown away just in time for us to regroup and take a few final snaps with some blue sky in the background. It could almost pass for a summer's day, don't you think? Fingers crossed we might be heading for an Indian summer...

Skirt: charity shop. Top: H&M. Shoes: TK Maxx. Flower ring and bracelet: Dorothy Perkins. Brass cuff: Rose Cecil. Perspex ring: gift.