My new top

My mum came to visit this week so naturally we went for a potter round the charity shops of St Neots. When I go into a charity shop I always head straight for the dresses as I love a dress and even have an excuse to buy one as I’ve a do coming up in February.

I found some amazing ones including –

• A black Wallis halter neck dress, £8
• An aubergine coast dress, £10
• A black batwing retro dress from St Michael (proper retro) for only £1.99

Great dresses at great prices, but sadly not one of them was in my size.* All I came home with was a top from the sale rail in the Salvation Army shop. I felt a little disheartened, all these lovely clothes and all I got was a lousy t-shirt, but it didn’t last for long.

One of the main reasons I love charity shops is that you can find items that are a bit different and you couldn’t get in a normal shop. My new top is from Next but from a while ago judging by the label, or maybe it’s a retro range that I’m unaware of as it’s retro patterned in brown, and blue with a peter-pan collar. Not everyone’s cup of tea, hence it being on the sale rail, but I thought it rather cute and would look good with jeans or a denim skirt. I love getting a new item of clothing and seeing what else it goes with in my wardrobe, quite often I get it wrong and items I think will go perfectly together look dreadful, but this top did not disappoint. It is incredibly versatile. I teamed it with skinny jeans and heels and got a going out outfit, with a cord skirt it could be smart for work and worn under a black tunic dress it adds an interesting collar.

So I may not have a new posh frock, but I do have a number of new outfits. So far when Ingrid and I have been writing this blog we have talked about clothes for occasions, but charity shops aren’t just for the good times but the everyday too. Oh, and I didn’t tell you the most important thing – it only cost me £1.24!

 Sophie x

PS. If you’re in the St Neots area, are about a size 12 and want a new frock, hit the charity shops now!

*Anyone who read and remembers my owl suit blog post may wonder why I didn’t try to alter the dresses with my sewing machine as I said I’d like to do – good point, this will be the subject of another post.