Booty at the booty...

So while I have not blogged I have of course bought new things.  Plenty of time to go around charity shops and antique shops (I work at a school which is why I get the time off) means new purchases to show off.  

Firstly I went to a new (to me) carboot sale at Pannel in Harrogate.  This is on a Sunday at 8am onwards.  I was not overwhelmed by it but did pick up this DKNY T-shirt for a bargain 50p!  It is really nice quality (28% wool) and is hardly worn.  It is a keeper.

At the same carboot I spotted this hanging off somebody's car.  Tip - people tend to put their good stuff behind them on their car so always look up and check what is there.  This is a 'Vivienne Westwood for the Sock Shop' Leotard. I am pretty sure that this is from the mid 90's (correct me if I am wrong) and proves that designer collaborations are nothing new.  It was a total find for £5.00.

I also picked up a red cashmere jumper (M&S) for £3.99 at a charity shop and an amazing vintage disco dress.  The charity shop had saved up all its vintage items and I timed my visit well to get the pick.  I did find a hole in it later on which is a lesson in checking things before you buy them, which I am terrible at.

On Sunday I went to Wetherby carboot which is huge.  As soon as I walked in, at the first stall stood this vintage Anya Hindmarch bag.  For £4.00 it came home with me.

In London I spotted this under the glass counter, another tip, always look here as the staff at the shop put what they perceive to be the good stuff here.  I was not sure what it was if I am honest but really liked it anyway and googled it afterwards..... it is a currency wallet. The other side has a yellow and green zip on it.  £7.99 from Oxfam in Angel, £160 from Smythson.

WARNING THIS MAY NOT BE SAFE FOR WORK!

So the booty in the title refers to this!  It is a planter from the 1960's and again came from Wetherby on Sunday.  Another bit of proof that you really never know what you will come home with.  There were two ladies there who were going to go to London for a vintage fair but decided to take it to the carboot when the weather forecast for the South was bad. The stall was amazing (I should have got pictures) but this stood out.  I did not have enough money (rooky error) but my co-pilot HH would not see me go without it and spotted me £20.  This is a lot more then I usually spend on carboot items but I knocked her down from £25 and I just love it, it makes me laugh.

Ready for the front and back view?!

I have had a HUGE clearout as well.  My wardrobe was getting to the point where it was depressing me with the amount of things that I did not wear for one reason of another so I started there.  It got a bit addictive and I found myself carting bags of things to the charity shop on a weekly basis.  I even got my husband to finally clear out his wardrobe.  I am still getting rid of things now, it is quite cathartic. 

My main rules are:

• If I have not worn it for over a year it goes, unless it is jeans or a coat.
• I only need one, I tend to buy the same thing over and over when I should just get the best one. 
• If in doubt get rid of it.  Yes this sometimes leads to regrets but let someone else enjoy it.
• Once it is in the bag, no going back.  I usually take it to the charity shop that day so that I cannot rummage.
• Gift aid, not only does it raise loads more money for the charity, they also write to you and tell you what they raised with your things.  This really is just to make you feel good.  
• I Ebay the top price stuff so that I can treat myself after the clearout.  

So getting rid of things is also making me want to buy less and is helping to see where I go wrong.  A lot of time I just buy things in a charity shop because they are cheap and designer and not because they are my style.  They just end up boomeranging back to where they came from.  From now on I am going to try and buy things that I will wear.  My new rule is "If I would not buy it for £50 I won't buy it for £4", this is unlikely to stand.