Bag Lady...

Hello again guys,

As you may have seen from me tweets, I went shopping around North Laine in Brighton today and just couldn't wait to blog about what I bought! As if I didn't need another excuse, To Be Worn Again have a 50% off everything sale running until the end of September (yes, you read that correctly. Everything half price for a month! Incredible!) so I made visiting both their Brighton stores my top priority...

If you know me, you'll know I have a rather crazy obsession with handbags, but until today I didn't have a decent sized vintage shoulder bag. This is a lovely subtle mushroom colour so it'll go with pretty much any outfit. It's a great size to use for every day and the best thing is it was £15 reduced from £30! I do love a vintage bargain!

My second obsession after handbags? Headscarves! This cute little floral mauve one is lovely soft silk and is the perfect size. It's a great deep shade for autumn and goes well with the bag too. It was an absolute steal at £2 reduced from £4!

Oh, and I couldn't leave without showing you my new shoes! Not vintage, but cute and bargainous none the less - only £5 from Primark! I've been meaning to get some brogues for a long time now so I've finally found the pair for me. Great value, perfect with most of my wardrobe and just in time for autumn!

Lust Worthy Item Of The Week...

Vintage Pink Paisley Silk Scarf. £12, ROXY12 at ASOS Marketplace.

Veuxdoo Child...

Hi vintage followers,

Another day, another discovery and this time it's the newly established Veuxdoo!

Set up just this month, Veuxdoo offers a capsule collection of both modern and vintage fashion with an optional up-cycled twist. Not only that, it has a great selection of jewelery and even a DIY page where you can purchase buttons and customise to your hearts content.

With the some of the best value for money I've come across in a long time, Veuxdoo is my new go-to place to create a complete vintage look at a purse friend price. Here are some of my top Veuxdoo finds...

Vintage Floral Cami, £14.

 

Custom Dip Dye Spike Shorts, £20. Vintage Fine Knit Jumper, £12.

Dual Spike Ring, £5.

Vintage Pleated Midi Skirt, £15.

Vintage Pastel Block Cardi, £24.




Left you wanting more?
Like Veuxdoo on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter or
follow them via Tumblr.

Get Shorty...

I was looking through my (slimmed down) wardrobe the other day for something to wear and realised I was making a huge faux pas: I didn't own a pair of summer shorts, not one! I only owned two pairs of shorts all  together, both more dressy, winter styles. The type you could quite happily dress up with heels, suit jacket and blouse for work.

This had to change...

...So I got down to Beyond Retro in Brighton determined to find the perfect pair of denim shorts. I didn't leave empty handed.

80's high rise, front panel denim shorts, £20. Beyond Retro.

The high rise detail and front panel with buttons is so flattering and unique. They almost have a 1950's look about them.

Looking at them on the hanger, it was hard to tell if they would fit. They looked tiny, despite the fact that they were my size. When I got them in the fitting room however, I unbuttoned the front panel and they looked like they would be miles too big...turns out they fit like they were made to measure. Sold!

Lust Worthy Item Of The Week...

1970's Hot Pink Dress. £28, Tramp Vintage.

Home Sweet Home...

Good Afternoon Vintage Lovers!

And it gives me great pleasure to finally say, welcome to Brighton! Well, Hove actually (a phrase I've come to realise is used frequently about these parts!)

The last three weeks have flown by in a blur and have been a little bit more than stressful, as moving house always is. We finally feel like we're getting somewhere however and I finally feel like we can start calling this place home.

So I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few photos of the last few weeks...

As you can see, it's not been easy getting my wardrobe sorted - there's never enough room! A lot has been given to charity and sold on eBay, but I think I'm getting there. It's all about smart storage...

Some of my vintage handbags are still waiting for a home...

The view from the living room window. You can just about see the sea!

The view at the end of our road. Hove beach at sunset...

When you live by the beach, there's only one thing you can do when the sun shines...needless to say, my tan is coming along very nicely thank you...

An absolutely beautiful image I captured while strolling along Hove promenade one afternoon, as you do...

But I guess we're just starting to feel grounded after three weeks of total mayhem!


So watch this space guys. Thank you for remaining loyal followers of Fashion Not Rocket Science and check back very soon for my very first vintage post from Brighton!

The Big Relocation...

Hey lovely followers,

I have some great news that I just couldn't wait to share with you all a moment longer. Fashion Rockets HQ is moving down south to the wonderful city of Brighton!

In a months time, Mr. Fashion Rockets (he won't be happy I called him that!) and I will be moving to Hove after four wonderful years in Buckinghamshire.

And this can only mean one thing - I will be living in vintage heaven! I will bring you the very best the home of vintage has to offer and I'll be shopping, living and breathing it and posting it all right here for all you retro lovers to check out! I cannot wait!

So I do hope you'll all enjoy my future posts and continue to follow my antics down in sunny East Sussex because It's Fashion Not Rocket Science is about to get a whole lot better!

Style Me Vintage...

Good evening vintage followers!

Browsing through my Twiitter timeline the other day, I thought I'd take a detour and pay a visit to one of my favourite online vintage stores, Vintage Style Me...

It's a web store I always go back to because not only does it hold an excellent selection of cool, quirky, hand-picked vintage pieces but the prices are pocket friendly too! The site has a great, easy to use layout and you can search by category or simply just browse to your heart's content. Choose from a great selection of both womens and mens vintage plus womens jewellery and a small selection of womens footwear. There are also several trends to choose from. So whether it's summer florals, 80's blouses or a strong denim piece you're after, it's all close to hand. 

As you can see from the pics, the lookbook is stunning, putting together a unique range of different looks and outfit ideas to suit pretty much everyone. I love the look in the black and white photo at the top. Very soshisticated and pretty with a vintage edge. To be honest though, all these looks are just gorgeous! You can also check out the VSM blog by clicking here.

If you love vintage but like me, are working with a limited budget, I'd definitely suggest checking out Vintage Style Me. And as if the prices weren't good enough already, there's more!

To recieve 20% discount off your order simply type in PROMO12 at the checkout or click here for more info!

While you're at it, why not like VSM on Facebook or Follow them on Twitter for lots more exciting news and updates.

She Sells Sea Shells...and other Miscellany...

So, they say Brighton is the home of vintage....

...Luckily, the birth of the internet means geography wasn't an issue in finding these little gems...

To Be Worn Again pride themselves on being the biggest vintage retailer in Brighton and Hove. The website doesn't dissapoint with a cheerful, retro design and an easy to use interface.

Clothing is organised by type and there are several search options making it easy to shop for specific items. In addition, they offer a vintage wholesale service from their warehouse in Worthing

Prices are modest and the range of product is impressive, accessories and dresses esspecially. Well worth popping by in store or online.

Penelope's Portmanteau is a must for any vintage accessory obsessive like myself. Packed to the rafters with handbags, scarves, jewelery and many other vintage treasures, the website alone is true heaven for any vintage lover.

It also boasts designer, novelty, gift and bridal sections with a cute little 'Vintage History Snippets' page.

Tramp Vintage Clothing is anything but, offering an array of glamour, class and ladylike vintage to its customers.

The website has a boutique-y feel to match the in-store shopping experience and despite what the up-market look suggests, prices are very affordable.

From the 20's flapper dress to the 80's power suit, Tramp vintage stocks every glamourous look inbetween and then some.

Lust-Worthy Item Of The Week...

Hello again vintage lovers!

It's certainly been a while! I am very much aware of my lack of posts recently - it's been a long few months, let me tell you. I am currently without a PC/laptop still (this is an ongoing saga as many of you may know!) and therefore am unable to blog as frequently as I'd like. I occasionally use the Blogger iPhone app but to be honest, it just doesn't cut the mustard!

I am however, able to bring you this small (non-vintage, albeit) tit bit from a borrowed laptop. My lust-worthy item of the week and latest purchase. Classic, ladylike, vintage inspired and utterly gorgeous...

Weave Roll-Top Shoulder Bag. £37, River Island.

Leaping Through The Lanes...

I always feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia when I come back to my old home town of North Walsham in Norfolk. It is, so I've been told, the oldest settlement in Britain dating back to the 1300's. This is obviously, a more recent photo but it's not changed much and looks almost the same today.

It's where I lived and grew up until the age of 19 and so every time I come back to visit family, the memories come flooding back. As does wandering The Lanes in Norwich, some 15 miles further south. I spent a great deal of time there as a teenager and always preferred the older part of the city to the brand new shopping centres.

So now I'm back for the week and the vintage scene in the city has blossomed into something quite beautiful. Several vintage clothing stores have popped up over the last few years so here's what happened when I went shopping...

The only way I can describe Goldfinches Vintage is like a time-warped aladdin's cave, jam packed full of retro goodies with handbags, scarves, purses, sunglasses, jewellery and of course clothes, popping out of every possible nook and cranny.

What completes the atmosphere is the decoration. Accessories are displayed in old style suitcases and even an old walkman is attached to a pair of high waisted cut-offs. The small details are what really gives this store its unique edge.

In my opinion, this place has the best collection of vintage accessories I have come across in a long time. I didn't go away empty handed of course, and after having a lovely chat with a couple of the girls behind the counter, purchased a fabulous 1960's navy faux leather box bag.

I then headed down the slope and round the corner to Prim Vintage. The store has a lovely, spacious boutique-y feel with classic floorboards under foot and the clothes displayed neatly on open rails around the walls and across the window space.

It was an absolute pleasure taking a leisurely peruse through the rails of clothes which had so obviously been carefully hand-picked to showcase the very best in retro fashion. But given my irrational obsession with accessories, I was drawn to the colourful array of vintage scarves looped round the stair banister and ended up purchasing a beautiful pastel pink, floral printed number for a very reasonable £5. What a bargain!

Lust-Worthy Item Of The Week...

1960's Leather box bag, £26. Martha's Closet.

Minty Fresh...

It's official, Mint Vintage is one of my top vintage London hot spots. With a store on Earlham Street (not far from Covent Garden) and an e-shop at ASOS Marketplace, there are two ways to shop their incredible collection of both men's and women's vintage threads.

Opt for 'net shopping however, and you forfeit the opportunity to explore their cavernous basement, jam packed full of bags, hats, shoes and sunglasses galore. An absolute dream come true for a vintage-aholic such as myself!

And if that wasn't enough for you, check out their blog for more info. So, here are just a few of the pre-loved pieces that caught my eye...

Beige clasp handbag, £30.

Striped blouse, £35.

Brown ankle boots, £40.

Brown box bag, £40.

Embroidered bustier top, £40.

Purple jumpsuit, £125.

Vintage Laura Ashley tweed jacket, £65.

Vintage print scarf, £12.

Multi-coloured sequin dress, £95.

Red pleated skirt, £35.

I Should Batoko...

Hello vintage lovers!

Now, as you may (or may not) know, I spend a large proportion of my time tweeting and scouring Twitter for all things vintage. So when indie fashion website Batoko started following me, I clicked on their web link straight away. And so began my new love affair.

With a great range of both true vintage and new, vintage inspired clothing, accessories and shoes, Batoko is quite simply brilliant. And with their official batoko.com blog Yes I Dress, you will never be stuck for inspiration again.

So, here are just some of my fave picks from this fabulous site. Which, lets face it, is pretty much everything! (Above, Electric Zebra sweater dress, £38.)

Aztec tee, £22.

'Cosmic Splash' pants, £28.

Feather wrap ring, £8.

Leopard jumpsuit, £28.

Asymmetric hem skirt, £38.

Studded shoulder sweater, £28.

Leopard and snake bag, £44.

Vintage metallic plait sweater, £38.

Leopard bubble skirt, £34.

Sheer asymmetric blouse, £30.

'Tribal Shield' ring, £8.

Vintage leopard skirt, £17.

'Peace' necklace, £10.

'Starstruck' mini sweater dress, £34.