Trying Vintage Style without feeling like a try hard

Today I have the charming Trudie from My Vintage Childhood guest posting. I was thrilled when Trudie took up my offer because I don't know a thing about wearing vintage but I have always loved it. 

One of the comments I get a lot from friends, acquaintances and strangers, when I’m complimented on a vintage item or ensemble I might be wearing, is how they too wish they could wear vintage without looking like a try hard. Usually their second comment is when they suggest that they lack the ability to find vintage items that are suitable when op shopping. So with Rachel asking me to pop in to do a guest post, I thought I’d help those who would like the idea of wearing vintage or would like to give it ago, with a few tips and pointers.

Wearing vintage isn’t an all or nothing way of styling. Millions of people have been wearing vintage well before “vintage” became the popular term to refer to anything from a few seasons ago. When I refer to vintage or retro I’m generally referring to anything that is greater than 20 years old. Although I prefer items from the 1950’s – 1970’s, it doesn’t have to be about dressing in head to toe vintage, you can be selective.  So I hope these tips help a little:

Tip 1

If you’re not sure that “vintage” is something you will embrace fully or it will even work with your current style, start small, start with jewellery.  Scope out your local op shops, antiques centres and nanas jewellery box for old bangles, pendants and brooches. You don’t need to spend a fortune; costume jewellery can be picked up inexpensively from op shop and eBay like these brooches and pins that cost me only a few dollars each. I have interesting pieces in my collection and on further investigation of my favourite pieces (which is on loan at the moment to a friend), I discovered it was a 1950’s piece from a costume jewellery designer in Melbourne.  So you truly can pick up genuine, unique pieces that are decades old by searching around. The great thing about jewellery is as women we all like to check out each other’s accessories and complement each other on interesting pieces. So my hottest tip is to give vintage accessories a go first.

 

Tip 2

·         It goes without saying that if you’ve tried jewellery and you’re feeling brave why not give; bags, belts, scarves and shoes a go. There are few things I love more in this world of vintage then gorgeous bags (frocks come first). But a bag is a great investment piece to making an outfit pop. This tooled leather 1970’s bag, sure gets the compliments and works with a modern boho or full fledged vintage hippy look. So don’t be scared, give it ago, mix modern ways of styling with vintage pieces and that way you can still look relevant and on trend but a little unique.

Tip 3 

·         So if you’ve given the jewellery and accessories ago and you’re feeling confident that you can mix those pieces you now have with the modern aspects in your wardrobe, the next step is try some clothing. I would always suggest that you try a dress, there is so much variance in dresses in the world of vintage you can try, and dresses are so easy and versatile. From maxi dresses, houses dresses, day dresses, formal; and more from retro prints to high end vintage designer pieces spanning all the eras, you will surely find something that peaks your interests. Spend some time thinking about the colours, length, fit and prints you like. I’m a flower power lover so I rather fancy the bold colourful prints from the 1960 – 1970’s as well as some retro geometrics. So give some consideration to what you already have in your wardrobe to give you a hint towards the prints and colours you might like.

But now you’re probably asking but where do I find all these items, you’re suggesting Trudie. In fact you’re probably saying you’ve tried op shops and they don’t turn up anything but everyone else’s rejects from last season. If you’re new to trying vintage I’d suggest trying vintage boutiques, antique centres and reputable online dealers. In these situations you know that these business owners are well versed in the world of vintage and curetting a selection which you can be assured is genuinely vintage. Yes you will pay more than op shop prices, but it is a great place to start, even just window shopping to develop an eye for indentifying what you like and what is and isn’t genuinely vintage.  Once you’ve developed your eye for vintage you will be able to spot potential vintage greatness in an op shop at a quick glance.

So there you go I hope that gives those wanting to give vintage a go a starting point to what undoubtedly (at least in my opinion) can become an obsession.  Finally for those in the greater South East Queensland area if you find yourself in Brisbane, a great place to immerse yourself in a world of all things vintage and retro from jewellery, accessories, clothing, home wares, memorabilia and so, so, so much more is the Woolloongabba Antique Centre (otherwise known as the WAC to us crazy vintage lovers).

Thank you so much Trudie for sharing with us. You can find Trudie at My Vintage Childhood. 

Get her Chic....

The lovely Sonia and Melinda from Shop-Me-Chic asked me to participate in their series, Get Her Chic. I love this site and this series, so I was thrilled to be included. Lola the photo bombing dog wanted to share her Doggy chic too.

Please drop by and say hello.

http://shop-me-chic.com/2012/10/03/get-her-chic-rachel-from-redcliffe-style/

Wow your guests with a cheats dessert

I am excited. I have a guest post at the awesome Veggiemama blog. Please drop by, visit and say hello.

http://www.theveggiemama.com/2012/09/guest-post-wow-your-guests-with-cheats.html

Getting ready after the gym

Today I have a guest post at my lovely friend Kimba's blog Kimba Likes. Please pop over visit, say hello and have a look around.

Kimbalikes.com/how-to-get-ready-after-the-gym-redcliffe-style

My Obsession...

I am very happy to tell you that I have a guest post today on the wonderful Styling You.  Please visit and say hello.

Here is the link:

http://www.stylingyou.com.au/2012/08/do-you-obsess-about-clothes/

5 Breastfeeding Fashion Tips

Today Talia from The Climbing Tree and Number 19 is guest posting. I am thrilled that she has chosen to write about her fashion tips for breastfeeding mums. 

Talia's Top Five Breastfeeding Fashion Tips

Hey lovely readers, I'm Talia (T'lia) from The Climbing Tree & Number 19. I'm no fashion expert, in fact, I'm only just now delving into the world of fashion at 25 years old.  When I was pregnant, fashion was FUN. I'm one of the people who just loves being pregnant and showing off my belly. But once my son was born I suddenly had nothing to wear! I am a determined public breastfeeder, but that doesn't mean I want the whole world to see my ladies! I was on a quest to find my new breastfeeding friendly style! I've had six months practice now, and I think I've got things pretty under control. I am happy with how I'm dressing most days, possibly a first in my life! Woo! So here are my top breastfeeding fashion tips.

Singlet tops
I wear a singlet top (or one of those bra tops) under every top I wear now. Because I was pregnant in summer, I basically lived in singlet tops, and have quite a collection! I have nearly ever colour you can imagine, but the best ones for breastfeeding wear are black, light grey and dark grey.

When you are feeing, you can pull your regular top up, and the singlet down - so your mummy tummy is not showing to the world, and neither are the tops of your boobs!

Scarves
Another great cover up, particularly good if you're wearing a button up top, and need a bit of extra cover.  When Lior was little I fould it a good sun protector too in cause we weren't sitting in an ideal place for feeding. Scarves are also great for creating slimming visual lines!

Button up tops
I don't wear them exclusively (the singlet top idea makes wearing all tops accessible), but they're still a really handy item to have. My only problem with them is unbuttoning it fast enough when the baby is in a tizz!

A good bra
Sorry of this is TMI, but I find that breastfeeding makes my bra size fluctuate every few days. It's crazy, and getting a good fitting bra is really important to give you the right support, and keep them save and comfy.

A baby
Seriously. No one cares what you're wearing when you've got a cute baby cuddled into you!


Thank you so much Talia for stopping by and sharing your tips.

Please visit her blogs at  The Climbing Tree & Number 19.

Stylish Thoughts...

At Blogopolis I attend the Imogen Lamport workshop. Imogen is a successful personal stylist and image consultant and her blog is Inside Out Style. Imogen talked about idea sourcing and content creating. This was a fantastic, informative and useful workshop.

After the workshop I took a deep breath, popped a mint, pulled up my tights and approached her. She was so lovely and kind and gave me her card.

As a direct result of attending Blogopolis and meeting awesome people and I now have a post on her blog Inside Out Style about my Stylish Thoughts. How awesome is that!!

You can find her blog Inside Out Style and my post here ..

Insideoutstyleblog.com/2012/07/stylish-thoughts-redcliffe-style.html

A Couch Potato's Guide....

Today I have a guest post over at Happy House Wifey as part of her Monday Motivation series. I have written a couch potato's guide for getting into exercise.

Please visit and say hello.

Tips on Supermarket Shopping

I have asked some wonderful local bloggers to write guest posts and I have the extremely funny and charming Lisa from Mrs BC's house of Chaos guest posting today. Lisa is one of my favourite bloggers and I know you will love her as much as I do....

Hello! I blog over at Mrs BC’s house of Chaos, but today I am sharing some pearls of wisdom for you here, at Redcliffe Style.

I was going to give you my style tips, considering this is a stylish blog, but that could be considered slightly fraudulent as I really don’t have any. It would be a very short post – 
  leggings; 
  thongs, ballet flats or boots (seasonal);  
  hopefully nice shirt that covers your lady bumps; 
  cardigan if required.
Thanks for having me!


No, I thought I might share some hints on something I was clearly born to do, something I spend hours and hours doing, something I have done in different states and different countries. Something I practise every single day.


Tips on Supermarket Shopping

1.    Shopping is hard work, so reward yourself. I like to sit down and read a glossy magazine, but I can’t do that after shopping or my frozen items will thaw. It’s also hard to shop for new shoes or have a cocktail with a full trolley by your side, so think ahead and get your reward first!

2.    Find a supermarket you like and get to know it intimately. Know where everything is so you don’t waste time wandering about. Write your shopping list in order of your trolleys route, so you don’t waste time searching for things.  

3.    Don’t shop on an empty stomach, because you will buy all sorts of so called food stuffs that you don’t need and can’t afford. If you can’t avoid it, at least buy a coffee and a little sustenance to get you through the aisles.

4.    Handle a trolley like you handle a car, with confidence and mastery. If you hold your head high and stride purposefully, people will jump out of your way.

5.    Its one thing to avoid trolley rage, but it is another thing entirely to take any unnecessary nonsense from people who have no business in the supermarket (looking at you, retired husbands) at the very least, a snippy look will give them something to discuss at bowls besides the weather; so really, you are doing them a service.

6.    If your favourite brand is on special, buy only as much as you can store. Sounds simple, but how much toilet paper can you fit in your bathroom
?

7.    Generic brands are great. I never used to think so, but now I love them. I started off with basics like flour and soda water, and then expanded to other items. My current favourites are Woolworth’s cocoa powder which is like Dutch process cocoa, and chicken nuggets. Yes! Chicken nuggets! Get over it!

8.    Check out the supermarkets secret timetable. What day is the meat on sale? When do they mark down the seafood? Sometimes the trolley traffic flow changes depending on the day or hour. Sometimes (if you are in the city) there is an unofficial singles night, and it probably won’t be Thursday or Friday night. On singles night, it might be a special code to put bananas in your trolley, so, umm...it pays to be aware Mmkay?

9.    Most supermarkets are pretty good at keeping their shelves stocked, but if you want it and the shelf is empty, ask a shop assistant to get it off the top shelf, or look out the back. They might not want to, but it is their job so they are obliged.

10. At the checkout, let the person with 4 items go ahead of you and your full trolley. Make sure you smile nicely at them. The shop assistant will think you are a lovely person and won’t be so reluctant to look out the back for you next time. The retired husband you offended back in aisle 2 will decide it must have been his fault after all. His wife, who has been listening to him complain all this time will decide he has finally lost the plot and leave him at home next time. Supermarket karma is a funny thing!

Happy shopping!

Mrs BC

xx


You can find Lisa at Mrs BC House of Chaos and on Facebook. Make sure you drop by and say hello.

Inspiration....

I am so happy to have a guest post at Farmer's Wifey today. I am writing about what inspires me.

www.farmerswifey.com/2012/06/what-inspires-you

The Losing Battle

I have a guest post over at Hello Owl this week. I am talking about the losing battle - house cleaning.

www.helloowl.com.au/2012/06/fighting-a-losing-battle

Styled for Reality

I have asked some wonderful local bloggers to write guest posts and I have the awesome and ridiculously funny Michelle aka Blundermum guest posting today. I spit my coffee at the screen laughing whenever I read a new Blundermum post. Here she is....

There’s a discrepancy between fiction and reality we need to address.

Namely, how well dressed people on TV are. They’re not just well styled, but they’re actually fully dressed at all times! Perhaps I’ve been raised in a semi-nudist colony, but if one my friends dropped by to invite me to the movies, this is how the scene would play out:

Friend: Hey, you want to go to a movie?
Me: Hmm, yeah. Suppose. I just need to put on a bra.
Friend: And clean pants.
Me: *looks down at crusted cornflake patch* Huh. When did that happen? Yes, and clean pants.
Me: Can you find my left sneaker?

Etc. Then we miss the session and end up strolling through the shops instead, buying more clothes we won’t wear at home. Or anywhere. I probably still forgot to brush my hair. None of this grabbing-a-jacket-that-was-strategically-hung-by-the-door-and-setting-off business.

In reality, leaving the house is hard work. Then I’ll spend the entire time wishing I could go home and peel off those skinny jeans and finally eat something. If I could be bothered wearing heels, they would come off first, but only because I would have fallen up the stairs and through the door onto my bum, into perfect shoe removing position.

That’s if I make it home alive, some days I suspect my scarf is out to get me. Not only does it drop itself in my coffee, and get stuck in my seatbelt, it actually tightens like a boa constrictor in high winds. 

They never show that on TV.

Women on TV also never get a static zap from synthetic fibres. They never get their watch snagged on their blouse while sneaking a boob scratch, resulting in a severe wardrobe malfunction.

And they never get out of their pyjamas at lunch time, purely for the purpose of putting on a fluffier set instead.

TV has been setting an impossible standard of style and I object. I object as vehemently as someone wearing Elmo pyjamas at 2pm on a Monday afternoon possibly can.

Please drop by and visit Michelle's blog, Blundermum. You won't regret it.

Redcliffe Envy

I have asked some wonderful local bloggers to do some guest posts and I am thrilled that the wonderful Jos from Sew, cook, laugh & live is my first guest poster. Jos is so funny, charming and clever and her blog is full of wonderful recipes, crafts, sewing and more. You will love it as much as I do.

Hi there! My name is Jos & I have a blog called Sew, cook, laugh & live.

I have to tell you all something, I have Redcliffe envy.

I don’t live in Redcliffe, I do live in the Moreton Bay shire though.

But, I do spend most of my free time at Redcliffe.

I mean, who wouldn’t?

We love to take walks along the beach looking for shells.

 We even take our 4 legged member of the family with us!

The lagoon, ahhhhhh, the lagoon.

We spend so much time at the lagoon during the school holidays that I think we all start to grow flippers!

Did I mention that we like to collect shells?

Ok, I am a little obsessed with shells!

The bike paths & walking paths at Redcliffe are the best! You get a spectacular view of the ocean & the kids love it because they get to wet their toes when we are finished!

Now the best part is....

All of the events!

Our family fave is the Festival of Sails followed closely by the Kite Fest.

Oh hang on, did I mention the food?

 Who wouldn’t want to grab a magazine & have morning tea here?

Now do you see why I have Redcliffe envy?

{yes, we even have our family photo’s taken at the beach!}

 {family photo’s taken at Scarborough}

Thanks to Rachel for letting me guest post on her blog today!

Jos  xx

Please make sure you take the time to stop by Sew, cook, laugh & live for recipes, craft, sewing & all things homemade! You'll love it!!

Love Luc...

I have a guest post over at Love Luc today. I am talking about one of my favourite beauty products for her Global Beauty Series.

Follow the link here loveluc.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/global-beauty-in-review-australia