Squares and lace.

Hello! I feel like I'm on a bit of roll with my outfits lately, so I have another one to show you! I bought this shirt a couple of months ago when I was on my serious gingham binge and I really love it. It actually feels very preppy & a little bit more androgynous than the blouses I usually wear.

(I tried to match the squares with my unmade bed, which kind of worked?)

Also I can finally show you this lace jacket I bought! I got this forever ago & I wear it so much, it's kind of surprising that it hasn't made it on to here yet. I saw it in an H&M catalogue literally about two years ago but couldn't find it until last winter. I love it so much, it goes with everything. I especially love it with this outfit because of the mixed patterns and shapes. A very preppy, soft but boxy feel, right?

Shirt - Asos, jacket - H&M, skirt - vintage/DIY, hairband - DIY

I took these pictures just after making lots of horrid phone calls, this is my "I'm super stressed about bills, being an adult is awful please make it stop" face. We've had such a nightmare trying to sort out the bills for our new student house, the tenants who lived there before hadn't paid anything for months & owe like £500+ & we've had bailiffs come round to try & get money off us. NOT GOOD. VERY STRESSFUL. I have been hyperventilating lots.

But at least this is a cute outfit, right?

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I'm quite excited/stressed at the moment because I'm sorting out lots of travel plans for August. In the space of two weeks I'm going to be in Manchester, Bath, London, Peterborough (to get a tattoo done!) and then back home. I'm really looking forward to going to London because I've not been in ages, and much as I love being from the North, there are so many art exhibitions & things on there that we just don't get up here. So, if anyone knows of any cool (and preferably cheap/free) things to do there please let me know!

Strawberry shortcake.

Hello! Sorry it's been so long since my last post, I don't really have any exciting excuses, just deadlines, reading, etc etc. Oh, student life!

Trousers! I know! This might be the first time I've ever worn trousers in a post on here? I mean, I can't be bothered to trawl through my archives but trouser sightings on here are pretty rare indeed.

It feels so weird wearing trousers considering I've basically only worn skirts for the past four, maybe more, years of my life, but they are so COMFORTABLE! Like, why didn't anyone tell me?!

I think this is another way that my style is becoming a lot more comfort orientated. Not in a very deliberate way, but I know that I just want things which are easier to wear, ie not skirts that need petticoats underneath, or polyester vintage things that are going to make me sweat all the time. So, I'm not sure which version of me this is (3.0? 4.1?), but I'm kind of enjoying being here.

I got them way back in November (I was shopping with my mum & had been saying how I wanted to buy something other than skirts, then they appeared & fit perfectly. Fate, I tell you.), and then in February (maybe?) I was reading one of my mum's Vogues at home and saw this spread all about gingham as a trend for next Spring/Summer. Now, I'm not saying I'm a trendsetter but, coincidence? I think not. It's just like that time I bought a pink coat in a charity shop for £1 and then next summer they were the ~thing~ to have. Maybe Anna Wintour should start following me round with a notebook, I don't know. Anyway, I've actually become completely obsessed with gingham and have bought two more items in lilac and mint. Classic me. Also love the Meadham Kirchhoff reppin' on the left [heart eyes emoji], my favourite look from that collection.

(I scanned this spread very badly from the runway edit bit of Vogue, then photoshopped it via Paint. You are welcome)

Matching the colour of your jewellery to your hair is pretty standard, right? I went to a Hole tribute gig last month (celebrating 20 years since Live Through This came out! It was amazing! Glitter everywhere! Boys in dresses and tiaras!) and someone has brought a whole bunch of sparkly kid's jewellery for people to take, so naturally I went for the hot pink holographic bracelet. 

Top - ebay, trousers - vintage, shoes - DMs/Amazon, socks - Topshop.

 Such a #fashblogger sorry but I find this really funny!

Blouse - vintage/DIY, cardigan - charity shop, belt - charity shop.

I am so in love with these trousers, they're just so versatile while still being pretty unusual. They seem to go so well with so many things in my wardrobe (fate!) and I can't decide which outfit is my favourite so I took a few extra pictures. So, yeah. Enjoy more of my face!! This one is pretty much my favourite combination of shirt and cardigan, only with these trousers instead of a skirt. When you find a formula, stick to it I guess.

Top & headscarf - both vintage, earrings - H&M, poor lighting - me.

This top is new as well, I bought it just before I came back to Sheffield from my favourite (and like, only decent) vintage shop in Newcastle for very cheap. It's quite oversized and floaty so it doesn't really photograph very well, but I'm kind of obsessed. I love the ridiculous clash of pink and red tones here. Still works though (not that I'd be bothered otherwise, obviously!).

I have lots of things I really want to post about (and lots of work to do avoid), so hopefully I will be back in this internet space soon.

Deckchair life

Hey! Long time no see (sorry sorry sorry!).

I bought this skirt at a vintage fair last weekend, it is several sizes too big but I couldn't say no to something cute in pastel (will I ever?) and it's tied within an inch of its life at the back.

I haven't taken pictures outside for like, ever, and I think it's very obvious why: squinting all over the place and very flyaway hair. But it was SUNNY! Also this gives you the chance to see my Desperate Housewives-esque very plain lawn, including dead trees and shrubs planted by other people.

The stripes really remind me of the ones you see on deckchairs in historic seaside towns, ones from washed out 1950s postcards from Blackpool or Margate. Faded but still resolutely summery. Do they even come in those colours any more?

(Really, really have to get better at hiding that remote, don't I? Anti-professional til the end I guess.)

I've been buying a lot of pieces lately that are a lot more comfortable than things I used to wear. Less polyester nighties and more comfy long skirts and trousers. I feel like I'm in a really transitional period in terms of my style right now, which is why I need to actually get my act together and document it more on here, I don't want to miss it!

Adorable jelly shoes from Asos that are 100% going to be driving my aesthetic this summer. They have them in lots of shades, but obviously the pink was too perfect to ignore.

Blouse - vintage/DIY, skirt - vintage, socks - Topshop, jelly shoes - Asos.

I'm trying to organise my time a bit better recently, spending less time faffing around and actually doing things which I love and that are actually productive. This past week I've been watching all the Wes Anderson films I haven't seen before, organising all my saved likes into a Pinterest (which you can have a look at if you like, but it's mainly for me to collect things so I have a solid set of references) and I've actually been doing some exercises. I've also been planning things for the ~future~, because I have to accept that I am 21 now, apparently. Positive vibes, etc etc.

Predictable.

Hello again! I said I had lots of posts planned and I'm very excited to be sticking to my word. This skirt has to be one of my favourite things I have ever bought. I saw it in Topshop's summer campaign and checked their website pretty much every day until it finally became available.

I was really worried that I had built it up too much in my head & wouldn't like it any more once I could actually close my hands around it, but that was not true at all! I am so in love with this skirt I feel like I need to frame it. The lace is so pretty and has these wonderful pink watercolour splashes across it, as well as tiny gems in blue, pink and green. You can only really see it faintly here, but the underskirt is light green gingham, which is so cute! I try to be really careful about wearing this as it's so nice I really don't want to ruin it, I have paired it with a few things but I always keep coming back to pairing it with this 80s tropical print top as the colours just fit so well.

Top - vintage via ebay, skirt - Topshop, tights - Topshop, brooch/necklace - vintage, cardigan (below) - vintage via Etsy

Very sorry for the absolute state of my room! This corner is just where I bundle everything that just gets in the way. I really want to put a couple of posters up on the wall behind me but I haven't really found any that I like yet, although I have put a few on my Christmas wish list!

When I saw the skirt in person, the little gems instantly reminded me of this vintage brooch. I think it is one of the most fascinating pieces I own but I never really wear it enough as it's pretty heavy and tends to drag my clothes down, I really like threading it onto a necklace chain like this though.

I think this outfit is one of my favourites I have put together in a long time, everything just seemed to come together so effortlessly & looked as if they were made to be worn with each other. Last term in a conversation about Mad Men one of my tutors said that I must watch it (I don't! I probably should!) "because of the way you dress". From the glimpses of the characters' wardrobes I have seen, this outfit does seem like I could have stepped off the set. Very pastel 1950s secretary finds the sequin drawer. Predictable me, basically.

As you may/may not have been able to tell, my hair is slightly different in these photos! I've been trying out setting my hair in rollers & it actually worked quite well this time (although it looked a bit better later in the day)! I still have to work on it a bit, especially at the back, but I really like the way it looks and the way it changes over a few days. Having said that, these photos are from about a month ago & my hair is now blue!

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I'll be back with another post soon, hope you are all well & thank you for reading (:

Pink lady

*FAVOURITE NEW OUTFIT KLAXON*

I bought this playsuit from Etsy very, very impulsively. I was having a casual browse late one night, saw this and decided an hour later (because that's what I call impulsive!) to buy this for myself as a little "yay for doing your first year of uni and yay for getting a 2:1!" present. Treat yo' self, basically. It's one of the most expensive pieces of vintage I've ever bought (most of that was bloody postage costs though!), and I'm so so happy with it! I was really worried about it not fitting, but it looks amazing on me, let's face it.

I love how unusual it is, I've never seen anything quite like this before. It's kind of 1950s Barbie does space travel air hostessing, you know what I mean?

Pin up pose/outtake, you decide. Also sorry for the mess on my bed! I am the laziest human ever and my tidying regime basically consists of moving things from my floor to the bed and back again when I need to sleep.

The buttons on the back are so adorable!

It has been quite tricky to undo in a rush though, so leaving plenty of time before bathroom breaks is a definite must!

Back view. The shorts have little straps, so the legs can be either rolled up or down! I definitely prefer them shorter for now, but we'll see. It also came with an adorable detachable belt which adds a lovely bit of waist detail.

Me being really happy with how great my wardrobe is right now. I have to say I haven't worn a piece of clothing that makes me feel as confident as this does in a long while. I just love it! It makes me feel powerful but also cute as hell, and I think it's important to own clothes like that.

Speaking of clothes! I'm selling a few pieces on ebay that I've been hoarding, they're really lovely but they just don't fit me and I can't bring myself to alter them! There's some beautiful vintage pieces and some Topshop, River Island & Primark cuties too. Have a look here!

(I know all I post is outfit posts these days but I just have so many pieces I love that I haven't shown you yet! I'm going to do a details post of a very beautiful dress I bought a few months ago, and then I will sort out some posts before I go back to Sheffield. Peace and love, peace and love)

Moonrise kingdom.

Hello again! I have another outfit post for you all, shock horror! This is sort of Part Two of my Alteration Series (if we're going to be fancy and give it a name).

You know some outfits that just seem to fit perfectly together, but still feel amazingly effortless at the same time? Yeah. This one. I really like all of these elements together, the colours of the headscarf and the skirt match almost exactly, and the heritage style prints of the skirt and the top (which I appreciate is bloody hard to actually see), plaid and toile de jouy, go together surprisingly well. I actually got two compliments from two women at two separate bus stops on this look, so thank you small town ladies!

Front.

I bought this skirt in a charity shop for £7 a few months ago, and it was so long it was past my feet! Last week, me & my mum took it in a bit at the waist and then shortened it a fair bit. I'd been mulling over for a while about whether to keep it more or less the same length or to change it completely, as I know some people think it's very taboo to alter any vintage garment beyond recognition. I was speaking to my mum about this and she said that although vintage fashion is a Really Big Thing now, actually it has been around for years and people have always altered clothes to be slightly different than the garment it was before. I have not really altered that many vintage items beyond repairing them slightly, or altering them to fit me. The pieces that I have changed the most have either been charity shop buys, like this one, or very plain blouses. It's a tricky one though, as I would never like to alter a really beautiful, fragile item or something with any real value, sentimental or sartorial. What do you think?

Back view, the pattern on my top is (rather annoyingly) much brighter on the back. Damn you Topshop and your dreadful quality control.

Top - Erdem for Topshop, skirt - vintage/charity shop, headscarf - you know the drill.

The skirt is quite unusual as it has all these little plates with agricultural scenes on them. They kind of remind me of Brownie or Scout badges, hence the eyeliner as I felt like a weird Suzy Bishop/Sam Shakusky hybrid.

(Also for some reason all the pictures I took came out very dark, so the only decent ones I had were all of me doing the same pose, very sorry!)

Things I have been busy with/doing since we last spoke:

1. Buying a fair bit of new make up, which is very unlike me! I might post about it on here, if that's the kind of thing people would be interested in reading? I'm determined to start wearing make up more often, which you might be able to tell from the eyeliner I'm wearing in these photos.

2. Started writing some articles about feminism for a magazine my friend from uni is starting up. The first one is a piece about burlesque dancing, and the other is going to be a background piece/interview with a long term reader of the feminist magazine Spare Rib as a precursor to its impending relaunch/rebranding. I really need to get on with this because I've been putting off writing them for ages now, but I feel like I'm at the point where I have too much to say so it feels difficult to actually get it out of my head and onto (electronic) paper.

3. Sorting out my ticket for Tramlines! A festival in Sheffield where three of my favourite bands happen to be playing on the same day, and it's only £6! Very excited and being very dorky by writing out the times and stages all of the bands I want to see are on so I don't miss them.

4. I moved into my new house in Sheffield, which is lovely! It's very clean and bright and I live on the top floor which is almost like a penthouse flat. I have a skylight and sloping walls/ceilings and it is the room in the house everyone wanted, so, yay for that! Also I discovered that the house has an old abandoned toilet outside with a gargoyle on the roof! SO COOL! If you follow me on Instagram (@strawberry_charlotte) you'll probably have heard me blabbering on about this already, but I really was very excited. Also, my new room looks like it will be good for outfit pictures, so get ready for more blogging from Sheffield!

5. I am also in the process of listing new pieces in my shop! I have been neglecting it for the past few months because of uni and other things, but I really want to make & sell more pretty things this summer. Please have a look here! (:

Let's go swimming.

Hello! I have another outfit post for you today, with another new/old addition to my wardrobe.

These rather wonderful vintage shorts! I love these, and I feel like they perfectly match my aesthetic at the moment. I realise that's a really pretentious ~fashun~ thing to say, but I love the pastel block illustration and I feel like it really fits with my personal reclaiming and championing of femininity through clothing. I'm also trying to break out of my own cycle of clothes buying at the moment too, by choosing things that are slightly different to what I'm wearing right now. I feel like for the past few months, maybe even this whole year, I have been quite restrictive in the way I choose clothes, not buying anything that doesn't fit with how I want to present myself. Not that I've actually bought much! I do want to change this a bit more though, by just relaxing a bit more and being more creative with colour and silhouette. It might not be a change noticeable to anyone but me, but I think that's fine. The way we perceive and think of ourselves will always be different to the way others view us, literally here in the case of how I dress myself. These shorts seem like a nice bridge between the pastel-obsessed me and the still pastel-obsessed, but slightly more relaxed me. The shape is not something I have really worn before, but I like them and I think they look really lovely with this blouse.

The print in close up. It's a repeated pattern of three swimmers in slightly different styles of pink, blue and turquoise swimsuits and pink and turquoise swimming caps. I just love the print, and I've never seen anything like it before. The shorts feel pretty modern, so I don't think they're any earlier than the 80s, but I still feel like they are an homage to those 1940s and 1950s postcard swimsuit babes.

(all images via Google)

I bought these shorts for an amazingly cheap £6.50 in a beautiful vintage warehouse me and my friends from Sheffield found. We went there for a photo shoot for a very exciting magazine my friend is setting up. Each issue is going to have a theme, and the first is feminism, so basically my ideal theme! The photo shoot (starring me!) was a twist on the idea of the vintage housewife being a thing of the past; me in a vintage kitchen with smeared lipstick, holding a potato masher and growling menacingly. I haven't seen the pictures yet, but Sam is very talented so I am looking forward to it!

Shorts - vintage, blouse - vintage/DIY, cardigan - Tesco, shoes - H&M, socks - Topshop.

Also, I am so excited about these shoes! I was browsing in H&M the other week and saw them in the sale, the only pair left and in my size! An absolute stroke of luck considering I've been looking for a pair like this for a while.

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As I'm sure lots of you know, Google Friend Connect will no longer exist on Monday! So if you want to stay updated with my blog, please follow via Bloglovin. Thank you! (:

Also, I thought it was about time I made an email for the blog! So if you wish to contact me (and I am quite friendly, I promise!), the address is charlotte.kook@gmail.com.

Valley of the doll.

Hello! I am back in Newcastle for the summer now, and I have lots of plans that I am determined to carry out before September. One of my plans is to learn how to properly alter clothes, instead of just handing things to my mum when it all gets too difficult! I've bought lots of clothes in the past, mostly vintage, just because they're pretty and not because they actually fit, so this summer I am going to try to alter them all on my own.

This dress is the first piece I have finished! Well, my mum helped A LOT but I'm slowly learning. I bought this for £7.99 in a charity shop just round the corner from my student accommodation, I really will  miss being just a two minute walk from a thrift shop!

It has a cool spotty pattern which really reminds me of hospital gowns. Which, in a strange kind of way, I quite like. It feels like a costume from a weird 1960s psychological thriller film.

It has a really 1950s housewife vibe (although my mum says it's definitely from the 1980s), which I think really works with the hospital patient/thriller type thing. Very Stepford Wives, I feel.

I watched Addams Family Values for the umpteenth time yesterday which I think really influenced my thoughts about this outfit. I really love the character of Debbie, like the way she is dressed as the typical, demure 1950s housewife, but turns out to be a warped serial killer. I really love that subversion of the submissive wife trope.

 My hair is really hilarious at this point. It really needs cutting, bleaching and redyeing, but as I am currently trying to get a job I think I'm going to have to make the difficult move back to brown. The pink era could be over!

More housewife vibes from this glow in the dark ironing ghost my brother got from a Kinder egg like 15 years ago. I made this into a necklace a few years ago, I think it's so adorable.

Pin up girl poses forever. (Open bathroom door ruining everything forever)
Hopefully be back soon, I have several new clothing items which I am excited to post about! Also, I realised I recently reached over 300 followers on this blog, which is so amazing thank you everyone!  Although I have no idea what is going to happen when Google Friend Connect disappears, so who knows what will happen then!