40 plus blogger

My vintage buy of the week

| blueskygirlie

Welcome to a new semi regular blog! As you may know I run a business on Etsy selling vintage items and often end up keeping things I fall in love with.

In these blogs I will share what I’ve bought and why (hopefully) it was a good buy! 

Todays item is a dress I just fell in love with the minute I saw it. Made in the Netherlands in the late 1970’s/early 80s it is by the brand Suku San and is in a bold colbalt blue polyester crepe.  At the same time I also picked up an unusual twisted vintage belt so the outfit is full on vintage which is unusual for me.


What I loved the most though was the draped front and split sleeves. Its so stylish and feels great on, plus the whole outfit cost me less than £5!  Comfort and style…hoorah! 

blue vintage 1979s 70s dress by blogger blueskygirlie via Always a Blue Sky Girl fashion blog
What do you think? Its definitely going to be one of my favourite dresses in my wardrobe.

Dress & Belt – Tomorrows People charity shop

(Tomorrows People is a charity in Kent that helps unemployed people get work experience and become confident to find a permanent job)

What bargains have you found recently in the world of charity and vintage shops? I would love to know…

To shop my Etsy Shop click here

To shop my eBay shop (where vintage clothing ends up) shop here

To follow my Instagram (where most of my buys get shared first) follow me here

Look out more more vintage buys in coming weeks…

Secretary Chic

| blueskygirlie

“Here is your coffee Mr Smith, would you like me to finish that filing?”

OK, the traditional secretary doesnt exist anymore but the prim yet sexy look still can. I’m a great fan of the TV show Mad Men and this look as a Joan vibe to it (without the amazing bosom sadly!). Its a cute, preppy look thats often replicated by Kate Spade or J Crew too, favourites of mine and is perfect for a day in the office.   

This is one of those looks that has been pulled together from existing pieces and doesnt require a shopping trip (hoorah says my bank manager!). Its really just based around a great vintage skirt I got for £3 in a charity shop – these type of skirts are easily found and look rubbish on the hanger – the type of skirt your Nana would of worn, but styled right look great.     

I love the removable white bow I got from River Island after Christmas taking a plain white shirt from Matalan and making it both feminine and smart.  A preppy slipover jumper and ankle boots keep the look from looking too vintage (which I hate)…    

So next time you walk past a charity shop filled with 1960’s polyester skirts maybe its worth a second look, what do you think?

Bow – River Island
Blouse – Matalan
Jumper – Benetton
Skirt – Vintage
Shoes – New Look

InstaNatural Argan Oil Beauty Review

| blueskygirlie

I have been using a new organic range as part of my beauty routine for a while now.  I have reviewed quite a few of InstaNaturals products now (find the blogs here and here) and I have now tried out some of their Argan Oil products.
As a 43 year old who wants to look 33 (!) I do make sure I follow a good beauty regime and InstaNatural say their products are great if you have sensitive skin as the entire product line is made without alcohols, parabens and sulfates that can be irritating to the skin and none of the products are tested on animals.  In todays blog I share my thoughts on 3 of their Argan Oil based products…InstaNatural Organic Argan Oil Multipurpose mosturiser for hair, face, skin & nails – £16.95/120ml

Details: 100% pure and Eco certified Moroccan Argan Oil.  

I have been using Argan oil for a while now and really like its simplicity and multi usefulness…well I did until I realised the cheaper ‘Argan’ oil I was using had 9 other non natural (ie chemical) ingredients in it! This oil from InstaNatural is 100% pure, in a large size (which lasts ages) and is in a nice glass bottle with a pump. It feels great and worked wonders taming my thick curly hair particularly before blow drying. Use it sparingly as (maybe because its so pure) a little goes a long way and needs to be able soak in…otherwise it will make hair greasy.  InstaNatural say it is therapeutic for every skin condition and also great for Acne, dry scalps, split ends, frizzy hair, stretch marks, nail cuticles & more!  I used it on dryer areas of my skin too – knees, elbows etc and it softened them nicely as well as creating a nice ‘glow’ of my skin, great if you’re going out and showing a bit more skin than normal. With this being 100% organic/ natural there is no perfume to it, in fact it smells as you’d expect – slightly oily, but I’d much rather that than use all the chemicals I was inadvertently using before.

Argan Oil Leave in hair treatment – £11.95/120ml

Details: 100% Pure & Organic Argan Oil, Coconut Oil & Carrot Seed Oil.

Having quite thick wavy long hair, Argan oil is something I do often use in my hair to try to tame the frizz. Used sparingly this treatment by InstaNatural can be really beneficial for dry hair, or dry/split ends in particular. However if you use too much your hair will end up greasy – it took me a while to get the amount right as you don’t need more than two pumps of product to make your hair feel soft and shiny. If your hair gets tangled easily after washing I’d recommend this too.

This is an easy to apply lightweight oil which comes in a large pump action glass bottle and is filled with ingredients such as grapeseed oil, olive oil, jojoba oil and shea butter and has a mild scent. Overall I liked its effects and would recommend as a twice weekly treatment rather than daily to create shiny, frizz free, nourished hair.

img_4157InstaNatural Superior Hydration Argan Oil Hair Mask – £14.94/240ml

Details: Organic Argan Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Vitamin B5 & Green Tea.

This is a deep conditioning hair mask in a large tub with a screw on lid. The conditioner is thick but easy to apply from the tub – I worked it through my long hair paying particular attention to the ends as these are quite dry and left it on for about 10-15 minutes. The product has a lovely sweet smell to it, and it rinsed out well and did not leave my hair feeling greasy at all. Afterwards my hair was left feeling very soft and smooth. The hair mask has ingredients such as Argan Oil, Japanese Green Tea, Amino Acid Complex, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil and Vitamin B5 and is totally organic like all InstaNatural products.

Overall I liked its effects and would recommend as a weekly treatment to create shiny, frizz free, nourished hair particularly if you blow dry or straighten your hair a lot. Its gorgeous aroma lasts and was remarked upon very positively by my partner which was nice too!

The range is sold exclusively in the UK via Amazon.co.uk – find the full range here. All prices correct on Amazon at time of posting.

All products – InstaNatural via Amazon*

Still sweet on Suede…

| blueskygirlie

I do like wearing real suede and leather. Wearing them always creates a luxe look that you just cant get any other way – however this makes the items expensive.

I wasn’t  planning on buying a suede skirt but it just happened…it was a bargain in the Debenhams sale for 70% off and I couldnt say no!

The skirt is from the Red Herring range and I’m wearing a UK12. To be honest it was the only one left so I didnt get a choice. Size wise its a little loose around the waist but pretty fitted on the hips so I’d say its true to size.


With a skirt like this I find it best to make it the focus of the outfit. I’ve done this by co-ordinating it with just black…this also makes it a more flattering look as the bulky suede plus the buttons is not the most disguising for my rounded tum! An M&Co fitted roll neck jumper, plus black tights and boots create a slightly retro, 1960’s look I think looks pretty stylish.



As I was at work that day, my hair and make up was a messy (ish) bun and relatively neutral make-up with just a splash of bright colour on my lips.I like a bun for days when I haven’t washed my hair or can’t be bothered to straighten it (hey, I am a working mum with a business on the side!) and use a bun donut underneath to create a more striking look. These can be picked up really cheaply in Wilkinsons or Boots and make a real difference. Just pull your hair into a ponytail, add the donut and then use hair-pins to fix your hair around it.

This classic suede skirt is going to become a wardrobe staple I can tell…

Jumper – M&Co.

Earings – New Look

Skirt – Red Herring @ Debenhams

Boots – Store TwentyOne

Alice in Wonderland at the British Library

| blueskygirlie

One of my favourite books in the world is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll. In fact not just the book – I love the ideas, the illustrations, the history and the endless versions of it that have been created.  When I heard the British Library were having an exhibition dedicated to it I just had to go. 

    

From the British Library website: 
“Happy Birthday Alice! To celebrate 150 years of the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, this exhibition explores how Alice has captured our imaginations for so many years. Although the story has been adapted, appropriated, re-imagined and re-illustrated since its conception, we are still enchanted by Carroll’s original, much loved story, which continues to inspire new generations of writers and illustrators.

Come and see Lewis Carroll’s original manuscript with hand-drawn illustrations, alongside stunning editions by Mervyn Peake, Ralph Steadman, Leonard Weisgard, Arthur Rackham, Salvador Dali and others.
Discover how Lewis Carroll’s story has been re-imagined, re-interpreted and re-illustrated over the last 150 years with newly commissioned articles, a selection of manuscripts, reviews and literature relating to Alice in Wonderland”.

You start by taking a journey through a pop up of mirrors and maze walls all peppered with Alice in Wonderland quotes and various illustration from books across the 150 years of its publication.  

  
You then enter the exhibition itself which showcases everything from the first edition, details and photos of the original Alice; Alice Liddell, examples of all the different illustrations that have been done over the last 100+ years, plus original art, vintage toys and of course, the ‘Disneyfied’ Alice and her merchandise.

My favourite thing had to be the original diary and then handmade book (complete with hand drawn illustrations) by Charles Dodgson (the real name of Lewis Carroll) that he made Alice as a present after that afternoon of storytelling…for a fan like me it was just breaktaking to see it.
 
 
 Plus there’s a fab pop up Alice in Wonderland shop with lots of fabulous quirky items.  

Its definitely worth a visit whether you are a fan or not and its wonderful that it is free for the nation to enjoy. Thank goodness for the patrons of the arts whose donations make this sort of thing possible. 

The exhibition is in the library foyer, is free to get in to and runs until 17th April.

The British Library is at 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB – nearest Tube Kings Cross/St Pancras. 

The Vogue 100 Exhibition – National Portrait Gallery, London

| blueskygirlie

As part of my birthday celebrations myself and my boyfriend had a great day out in London recently and I got to do one of the things I love doing – visiting art galleries.  The Vogue 100 exhibition had been on my ‘to do’ list since it opened in February and I was thrilled to be able to go and see it.  But the question is, is it worth seeing?

Once you enter the exhibition through pillars of different Vogue covers you are faced with this huge image of the late great Lee McQueen and a stark room with a  small selection of the past 100 years most iconic images from which you can then access the different areas grouped by decade.

The layout is quite a strange one as it doesnt run in chronological order so I made my way to the ‘century of magazines’ area first and then worked forward from the 1920’s finally ending in the film area.

I went into to one of the end rooms first  – The ‘Century of Magazines’ room

This room showed a copy of Vogue from every year of the 100 years it has been in publication…including the very first copy (pictured). It is breathtaking to see how a publication can represent its era, carry on through two world wars, touch politics, feminism and the changes to the world that happened during that time but still be a great fashion magazine.

 Another great room was ‘The Planning Room’ 

In this room you entered a darkened space with negatives from all eras presented on top of light boxes and series’ of shoot images being projected on the wall showing how many shots the Vogue team would see before they picked ‘the one’.

  

And then there were the rooms of the different decades…

My highlights

The 1920s/30s –

Aristocracy mixed with silent film stars and glamour girls. Many of the images looked as modern now as they did 100 years ago…


The 1940s – against all the glamour the starkness of these reportage shots from the WW2 really made you realise Vogue was never just a frivolous fashion magazine…

And seeing key fashion illustrations in real life, remembering they had been done at the time and were of the most contemporary fashions.

The 1950’s – this room held some of the most glamorous photos including original by Cecil Beaton and Norman Parkinson…

The 1960s – Probably my favourite era, style wise, I loved the tone of this room with its retro textured wallpaper and full wall shot of David Hockney, his assistant and glamorous model Maudie James in his studio by Cecil Beaton…

 

The 1970’s – a strange mix of glamour, sexist sterotyping and the grungy beginnings of punk rock. Probably my least favourite of all the rooms although this Helmut Newton pic taken the year I was born stood out…

The 1980s – Big, brash and bold was the order of the day in this room…

The 1990’s- a key time in British fashion with film stars and artists suddenly taking up as many shots as the models and the grungy ‘Heroin Chic’ style starting to appear…

The 2000s and onwards – it is quite breathtaking to see so many iconic images in one place – the curation was perfect and you really ‘felt’ each decade and its subtle changes…

img_7965-1

And finally (of course!) the shop

Look at these amazing Biscuiteers biscuits!  The Vogue 100 book was great too but I’ve got to be honest I’m not going to buy it for a ‘special price’ of £35 in the gallery when Amazon have it for £26. The vintage copies of Vogue on sale (from £35) were tempting though… 

I just adored this exhibition and would definitely recommend a trip. It runs until 22nd May 2016 and adult tickets are £17.00 each.  If youve been I’d love to know your thoughts…

National Portrait Gallery

St Martin’s Place
London
WC2H 0HE
020 7306 0055

Opening hours

Daily 10.00 – 18.00
Thursdays and Fridays until 21.00.
Last admission to the exhibition is one hour before the Gallery closes.
Exiting commences ten minutes before the closing time.

Easter Bank Holiday Weekend Inspiration

| blueskygirlie

Happy Easter! What ever your personal beliefs, this weekend in the UK is a double bank holiday weekend for most of us that we can spend with our families, hopefully seeing some sunshine, having fun and treating ourselves to lots of naughty food.  I’m a great believer in seizing any free time I have and making the most of it while creating some great memories at the same time. However that is easier said than done – in todays blog I share some things I do to acheive just that. 

Start the day right

Make a healthy breakfast exciting using boiled eggs (well it is Easter!) and some carefully chosen egg cups – I love this stylish cutie by Buddy and Bear or try Etsy or NotOntheHighStreet.com for similar contemporary designs. For a more eclectic look, seek out vintage ones and create a mismatched set.

 photo Buddy and Bear via EtsyUK 

Or maybe choose not so healthy… Creme egg stacked pancakes, you say? Easy to make (one egg per stack was enough sweetness for us) and very, very indulgent.  Yes it’s laden with calories but for one day over Easter it makes an amazing treat! 

Dress for it     

Spring means we can start dressing in pastels and cute prints again so lets embrace it. Spend Easter digging out some of your summer clothing and styling them up to feel and look great.  I love being able to get out of dark jumpers and boots and embrace something more joyful! Fingers crossed the sun shines too…        

Get crafty

More free time means more time for activities! I do like a project with the kids – for Roald Dahl day Reuben and I made this Mr Twit beard as seen below and this Easter I want to make some of these amazing giant origami rabbits that I saw on the wonderful Oh Happy Day blog. Find the tutorial here.   Photo via Oh Happy Day

Have an egg and spoon race

Want to get the kids off their games consoles/TV’s and out into the fresh air? An egg and spoon race is easy to do and you dont need to buy anything. We use plastic toy eggs (find race sets in most Easter seasonal aisles) but you can easily use chocolate or hard boiled versions instead.  On your marks, get set, GO!!!

 

Make and bake

If the weathers not so good, another great activity is to bake cakes or make some other special treats to share. We recently made homemade Lemonade as a family (à la Diary of a Wimpy kid) which the boys loved doing and often make cakes over Easter (see our 4yr olds nursery-made offering from this week below). This year we’ve made Spring themed fairy cakes together and I’m sure they will all get gobbled up soon. 

   

  
 

Go for a special day out 

Ok, it can be expensive to go on big days out but across the two weeks of the school Easter holiday we always try and fit one day trip in. Look for 2 for 1 offers, discount codes or free events – whether its to a theme park, zoo or just the beach or play area its perfect for making those special memories. And lets be honest – who doesn’t want to act like a kid again for the day?!?

     Do an Easter Egg Hunt

Easter wouldn’t be Easter without chocolate eggs but I do like my kids to work for them! Last year we hid them throughout the house and garden and our three boys had to follow clues to track them down…they loved it! We will do the same this Sunday, as well as give them a couple of their favourite chocolate bar eggs too.

 
Do some exercise

After all that indulgence some hard work is required to balance all those calories out…I know it’s boring but if you eat lots of chocolate and treats you have to exercise. As someone whos lost a lot of weight and now exercises regularly I will make sure, holiday or not, I’ll run my usual 5k run. As well as meaning you dont put on weight its great to de-stress, have some ‘me-time’ and clear your head and for me, Spring is THE best season to run in.

  
 

So make the most of those extra days of fun with the people you care for the most and make this Easter one to remember!

All photos via my Instagram unless otherwise stated. Follow me on Instagram for lots more here.

ASOS Bridal

| blueskygirlie

Regular readers to this blog may know I got engaged last year and am currently saving up to get married. As this is my second time around I am definitely not planning to spend as much money on a dress as I did in my early 30’s (over £1500 not including accessories and definitely not including underwear) so when I heard ASOS were introducing a Bridal section I was interested to say the least…

Then I saw this Instagram post and I was REALLY interested! Lots of embellishment, with a boho vibe, yet still fashionable and stylish – the first collection is looking perfect for brides like me who want to look fashionable on their wedding day too.

In todays blog I show you my top 10 picks from the range – ASOS has grown up and is ready to commit and and its looking fantastic!

Lace Panelled Maxi Dress – £120.00  Kimono Deep V Fishtail Maxi Dress – £120.00

   Chi Chi London Bridal Tulle Maxi Dress – £65 

To liven things up how about wearing a jacket over your wedding dress?  I love this look particularly for a bohemian style outdoor wedding.

A Star Is Born Bridal Embellished Trophy Jacket – £160.00


And then there’s the shoes…

ASOS PASSIONATE Heeled Sandals – £45.00   

ASOS PRICELESS Embellished Pointed High Heels – £50.00   

And you can’t forget to buy some special underwear…yes this set is expensive but its just beautiful and you have to bring out the big guns for your wedding night!

Skivvies For Love & Lemons Ophelia Bra – £100.00
Skivvies For Love & Lemons Ophelia High Waist Brief – £130


And maybe add some cute (but sexy) nightwear too…

Bluebella Julianna Pyjama Set – £44.00

And finally a bag is handy to keep a lipstick, mirror and probably these days a phone…

ASOS Flower and Pearl Box Clutch Bag – £40 ASOS Flap Over Embellished Clutch Bag – £32.00

So what do you think? Prices range from £8 to £350 and is sized from UK4-18 plus theres some Petite and Curve options too.

Look out for more gorgeous styles to come too.  These are the images Hello Fashion Monthly shared… 

I wont be choosing my dress for a while yet but ASOS will definitely now be somewhere I will look when I’m ready.

All photos via ASOS – find the full range here.

Birthday Buys: BooHoo jersey draped dress

| blueskygirlie

March is my birthday month and I usually spend it shopping!

Ah, if only! However I do get to choose a few bits as presents plus spend any birthday money on some treats for myself and over the next few weeks I will share some my the choices I’ve made this year…dont tell anyone but I turned 43 🙈.

I picked this dress (the Carolina) as a dress I could wear to the office and also dress up for an evening look. The chesnut colour is really nice – a burnt orange/reddish brown and it is made from a mid weight jersey. For sizing I went for a UK12 so it wasnt too tight as the jersey is quite unforgiving to lumps and bumps. 

The main design feature that made me choose it is the unusual handkerchief design skirt. The tight, high-necked top half is perfectly balanced by the flowing skirt and the tie belt cinches your waist in nicely – perfect for a curvy petite girl like me!    I wore it here with knee length boots and statement earrings both from Primark and pulled my hair back,finishing it with a plait.       

It does have a couple of downsides – as I mentioned the jersey is quite unforgiving so lacy underwear is out – a t-shirt bra worked fine though. I love the high neck but being jersey once you’ve pulled it over your head (the dress has no zips or fastenings) it stretches a little and isn’t as snug around my neck as I’d like. This is easily fixed though with a tiny safety pin in the back of the collar pulling it taught.

I’ve already worn this dress both to work and for a night out and it’s got lots of compliments.  For just £10 (its been reduced from £15) its an absolute bargain!  Find it on the BooHoo website here and its also available in black or khaki.

Look out for my next ‘Birthday Buys’ blog coming soon!

Dress – BooHoo.com
Earrings – Primark
Boots – Primark