The Creative Directory: Lily & The Lamplight

                                       

In a sentence:

Indulge in the sepia toned paisley paradise of the 60's with these handmade, vintage inspired gems from Lancashire!





Shop the goods:

 'JANE' ZIG ZAG DRESS

 'NANCY' TILE SHIFT



        

'NANCY' RED TILE SHIFT

'BETTY' TAHITI TWO PIECE

 'BETTY' TROPICAL TWO PIECE

'EDIE' DALMATIAN PRINT MINI

My Favourite:

If you've got a penchant for paisley this is clearly something for you. I really love the retro vibes you get from these pieces, they'll no doubt turn some heads down the street!

They're designed in Blackburn, Lancashire. The vintage fabrics are chosen and fashioned into a delicious mix of retro garments with a modern edge. Harmonise the look with big earrings and even bigger hair.

I'm trying to decide if I could get away with wearing one of those two piece bikinis, not sure I would with such pale skin though!



Where you can find them:

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2014 In Outfits

Merry Christmas everyone! Crikey I've been so consumed by flaming puddings, fine port and finishing Breaking Bad (anyone else in love with Mike?) that I forgot this weeks Five Favourite Reads!
Anyhoo, onwards!
This year has seen the very beginnings of this blog. It's one year birthday is coming up next month and yet I'm still not sure what I'd categorise it as. Lifestyle most likely, I definitely had the intention of making it more of a fashion and outfits blog to begin with though, there's even been a what Ben wore.
They've been dotted here are there and I've learned a lot about how to set up an outfit shoot - preferably without the camera balancing on a drainpipe with the student neighbours watching out their windows!
Seeing as 2014 is coming to a close I thought I would round up my faves from this year, in lovely chronological order. I'm writing off the downright terrible ones and celebrating the alright ones.

So here we go, don't worry it probably wont be a very long post.

Peach Tea

Vintage Inspired

A Touch of Turquoise

Tularosa Lady

OK In The Woods

It's Cold Out There

Raiding Mum's Wardrobe

I do love a good outfit post. It's so satisfying to plan it, set it all up and actually take the photos and then be able to share what you've done afterwards. I'm constantly inspired by all your fashion posts aswell so I'm looking forward to seeing what else you've got. I hope you've all had a wonderfully merry time so far, I'm sure we'll all have loads of new gear to share with the world, I know I've got a very attractive pair of Timberlands coming my way!  

You can see a collection of my outfits on my Lookbook.  

oxoxo

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Raiding Mum's Wardrobe

I used to love looking through my mum's wardrobe when I was younger. She has a thing for purple and velvet so it all seemed very funky to me, it's also where her vast shoe collection is. I've learnt from her to always keep the box so they stay in good condition when you put them away. Now that I'm older, and have grown up to have the same shoe size (yesss!) it's all the more fun to have a look through those boxes. 

This vintage fur coat , fake of course, is really special to me. Again, it's from my mum's wardrobe and it's one that she bought from a catalogue in the 70's when she was 23 and now I'm wearing it at 23! I love that it's got a history within the family. If I have a daughter and she ends up having the same style as me I'll make sure to save it for her too.

Come to think of it this whole outfit is vintage. The shoes will no doubt have been bought twenty years or so ago and the dress you've seen before here and is from a vintage shop here in Sheffield. I wore this dress so much when we were in Brussels, I'm transported back every time I wear it now!

Coat - Vintage

Dress - Vintage

Shoes - Vintage

On another note, I love how white my hair looks in these photos but alas it's not quite as light as that in reality. Must have been the natural daylight. This is the kind of pearl blonde that I'm aiming for though so I'm not far off now, one more dye I reckon, hopefully in time for Christmas!

oxoxo

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Candy Cane Child

All through my childhood and teenage years I've been a huge tomboy. My mum always put me in dungarees or trousers because there was just no point in putting me in a dress. I've spent a hell of a lot of time up trees and making dens.
When I was 11, me and my best friend loved The White Stripes so much that we vowed to only ever wear red, white and black for the rest of our days. Then I went through my 'alternative' period in my teens where we all loved The Strokes, The Libertines, Kings of Leon etc. The Strokes are actually the reason I bought my first pair of Converse!
So you see all my idols were men. I wanted to be just like them, and this subsequently is why I own this man's shirt from Top Man. It didn't even cross my mind at the time (about 8 years ago) to find a woman's version. To me it was just a cool shirt. Red with white stripes, how could I not!?

I'm posting about it today because it's days are numbered. It has six days left to be exact. I'm going to an event on Friday called Don't Bin It, Snip & Trim It! with my friend Claire. It's gonna be an evening of cutting up old clothes that have had their day and re styling them into something new, like a purse or a cushion cover or whatever.

So fare thee well old friend, well I can't say I remember ever wearing you actually. Nevermore shall I look like some kind of butcher/barber shop/50's ice cream server!

I shall hopefully style it into something new on Friday so I'll keep you all posted on how it turns out unless it's a complete write off. But I'd probably tell you about that too.


Anyone else ever dreamed of being a man?!

oxoxo

Autumn Wardrobe Wishlist

A new season is upon us, which means it's time to hang up our bright colours, sunny florals and cute sandals and appreciate them once again as we merely flick past and reach for the woolens. Or not, of course you can wear whatever you want, whenever you want! If you wanna keep rocking the crop tops throughout the rest of the year then go for it, you may regret it but whatever, just do you!

But it is undeniably getting darker earlier and so my style shall follow suit. It's jumpers, coats, jeans and boots season and I for one couldn't be happier! So much so that I've been dreaming up my autumn wardrobe wishlist. So here we go, I've only done two otherwise this post would have been never ending. This first one I'm calling Autumn Chic, ooh la la!

Autumn Wardrobe Wishlist: Autumn Chic by saltdeep featuring yellow tights

Some of the outfit details are made up of similar items I've found that are more £ than £££...        

1.  Asos long sleeved crop top with turtle neck

2.  Rosaspina Vintage Girda skirt in chestnut      

3.  Timberland Earthkeepers Chukka Boots

4.  Modcloth mustard yellow tights

5.  Burgundy leather clutch  

6.  Forever 21 wool beret
               

This in my opinion is the best and easiest time of the year to dress chic. High necklines, long sleeves and a beret sounds perfect to me! I love to add a burst of colour to a dark outfit with jewellery and turquoise has to be my favourite. The colour palette of this outfit is just gorgeous, and it reminds me, I must get myself some mustard tights!


and number two:

Autumn Wardrobe Wishlist: Seasonal Colours by saltdeep featuring lace high heel booties

1.  Yumi tweet tweet shirt
2.  Lucky Brand lace front boots
3.  Hobbs tian skirt
4.  Zac Zac Posen leather bag
5.  Black Five lapel coat

This one is so October. The last of the green leaves making way for halloween. (Eee halloween!) This, I would say, is my kind of casual. I'd like to think that the Lauren Bacall in me wouldn't tolerate anything more casual than this (although she definitely does).
Anyhoo, I really need that bag!

So what autumn styles have you been dreaming up?

oxoxo

Tularosa Lady

My God what weather! We're in the middle of a heat wave here and I don't think I can take it anymore!  And here's someone who wants to go to Arizona - yeah right! My blood's too thick for South Yorkshire it seems, nevermind the desert.

Anyway, as you can see these photos were taken a wee while ago before the big trim. I know, I need to develope my films more often, which means I need to use the damn things more often! Saying that though, I have noticed I've been reaching for the Minolta a lot more lately.

I suppose this outfit should be dedicated to my beloved clothing colleagues of times gone by. The whole thing (almost) is after all from Sainsbury's which is a million miles away from the Mexican border where I feel I belong when wearing it! Alongside Pat Garrett...or should I say Alias.

Top - Tu by Sainsbury's (Similar here)

Maxi Skirt - Tu by Sainsbury's

Brooch - Vintage from Filibuster & Booth (Similar here)

Hat - Topshop

Photo's taken with a Konica Minolta Dynax 3000i

oxoxo

Honey Hued Delights

Good morning, the sun is shining! I'm so pleased that spring has finally broken through and the world is getting colourful again. The best Spring colour in my opinion is yellow... more specifically mustard. I'm a bit in love with it at the moment and I think red hair suits it quite well too.
I've been on a bit of a ModCloth binge recently and I've found and pinned many a mustard delight. Mostly shoes and dresses that are all waiting patiently in my shopping basket. Oh how I'd love them all!

The T bar wedges I can't get over. They're beautiful and definitely destined to be mine if they ever get my size in. Now, which to buy second...

Left to right they are:
Mustard Cayenne Sandal
Skipping Through The City Flat by Bait Footwear
Curious Columnist Dress by Dear Creatures
Show Me The Honey Dress
Haute Harmony Wedge
Seychelles Scout Flat

xoxo

What I Wore: Vintage Chic

Spring has sprung and therefore I can justify wearing nude tights! (Even though it is still cold and incredibly windy). Oh well! I'm channeling my inner Bacall in this outfit. The purple top is one of my favourite items of clothing that I own. I'm a sucker for a high neckline and deep rich colours. It's also really soft and has the sweetest peep hole fastening at the back. Also, wearing it with one of many pairs of art nouveau earrings.

The skirt is vintage and also a favourite. I saw it and I had to have it. A smart/casual/chic kind of day.

Top - Oasis

Skirt - Vintage from Cow

Big Earrings!

From Rue B

I love love love big earrings! If it's big and loud, I'll hang it from my ears, and if it can be described as art nouveau too then that's just perfect!
I must say, the majority of the earrings in my jewellery collection were not actually bought by me. The ever generous Ben, who knows my love for them only too well, has been kind enough to keep adorning my ears. Luckily for me he's also an avid appreciator of beautiful jewellery and has the same taste as me. He's just not a wearer of it, so that's my job!

 Here are some of my favourites

From Piggy

By Adriana Allen

From Jantar

From York Market

I'm a sucker for enamelling on jewellery, I loved doing it on my silversmithing course and it features heavily in my own jewellery designs. I also love art nouveau anything, especially jewellery, so the Alphonse Mucha ones were a great birthday present from my good friend Beth.

ginger's washing out already :(