Second Hand Rose

"Even clothes I'm wearing

someone wore before.

It's no wonder that I feel abused,

I never get a thing that ain't been used.

I'm wearing second hand hats,

Second hand clothes,

That's why they call me

Second hand Rose."

~ James F Hanley

My vintage wardrobe is growing, slowly but surely. Up to now, I have heavily favoured pieces from the 1970s, but this latest addition to my little collection is a whole decade older.

This gorgeous 1960s mini dress is from Peekaboo Vintage. A great take on the classic LBD, it is brightened up beautifully by a colourful, striped waistband and pretty, slit sleeves in rich shades of purple, red, orange, white, black and green. A deep, plunging neckline takes it from sweet to sexy, and a removable double rose pin on the chest draws all eyes to a sultry flash of cleavage.

I styled my dress with a great pair of turquoise Miu Miu shoes. The lush colour clashes beautifully with the dress; I love a funky colour clash, if it's good enough for Sex And The City's Carrie Bradshaw, it's good enough for me.

Get The Look:

Dress: 1960s Vintage Dress (similar)

Shoes: Miu Miu Python Effect Leather Pumps in turquoise (similar)

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Bound Up In Leather

"Thoughts, hopes, dreams,

My deepest secrets hidden forever.

A place to put my souls desires, 

My heart bound up in leather"

~ Alyssa

My new found love of vintage clothing is definitely becoming a bit of a thing. I have discovered some of the most amazing, unique, one-off pieces, all of them bought for a fraction of the prices I've previously spent on clothes. This gorgeous leather jacket is the latest addition to my tiny, albeit growing, vintage collection.

Hailing from the 1970's, in a black and red colour-way, with an edgy Country & Western vibe, this jacket is the epitome of cool! Made from the softest leather, it features two front pockets, front zip closure, red patch detail to the front and back, and gorgeous contrasting cream stitching throughout. It is a unique, one-of-a-kind jacket from my favourite fashion era and I love it!

You can't help but wonder about the story behind such a great old jacket. Who owned it? How did they wear it? Are they still alive today? Did they love it as much as I do? How did it end up for sale at Peekaboo Vintage? My mind goes into overdrive, wondering and imagining, and I am always so happy to become the next part of the story.

I styled my jacket with one of the first Emma Manley designs I ever bought; the timeless Slasher dress (blogged here) and the most amazing Isabel Marant boots on the planet.

Get The Look:

Jacket: Peekaboo Vintage Leather Jacket (similar)

Dress: Manley 'Slasher' Dress (similar)

Boots: Isabel Marant 'Andrew' Boots in black
Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Dress Up - The Best Of 2015

"Pearls & boas, dressed to the nines,

Lipstick on pursed lips, trying to stay in the lines.

Big wobbly high heels, on tiny, precious feet,

Little girls playing dress-up, aren't they sweet!"

~ Laura Taylor Mark

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©
Anna Saverimuttu Photography ©
Mike Lawrence © 
Additional Photos: Phill Griffith & David Ufton   

I'm Wearing Your Dress

"I'm wearing your dress.

Found amongst the rails of second hand clothes,

bought for a second hand price.

I'm wondering who you were,

As I stroke the ancient fabric

With its tear-stained hem,

Alive with memories and a timeless charm.

Styles come and go but something beautiful remains,
Because I'm wearing your dress."

~ Fiona Ufton ©

Always late to the party, I am only just beginning to get into the idea of wearing vintage clothing. Given how much I love a 1970s look, this surprises everyone who knows me. Two things have always held me back though; 1. that second hand thing, and 2. there are just so many gorgeous 70s style clothes out there to buy brand spanking new.

I stumbled across Peekaboo, an online vintage boutique, completely by chance the other day (thank you Twitter!) and as I perused their very lovely range of clothing, I saw this absolutely adorable 1970s mini dress. Its ridiculously purse friendly price encouraged me to take a chance on a vintage purchase, so I ordered it. It arrived a couple of days later, beautifully packaged, and I am absolutely delighted with it. Quite besotted actually, it is lush!

A genuine vintage mini dress from the 1970s, it is brightly coloured in rich shades of reds, pinks and oranges. The all over pattern is one of olden day warriors battling on horse-back (I defy you to find anything like that on the High Street!). In a cute baby doll style with a deep v-neckline and long sleeves elasticated at the cuff, it is a one-off, completely unique dress that I am so happy to add to my increasingly eclectic wardrobe! I styled my pretty dress with another cool vintage piece (oh there's no stopping me now!), a gorgeous tan coloured, tooled finish 1970s shoulder bag. This was a great online find from Beyond Retro, the celebrity go-to vintage shop, and once again, the affordable price of such a beautiful bag was quite unbelievable.

Sticking with the 70s theme, I added a great pair of tan heels from Reiss; I bought these shoes many seasons ago, they are still going strong and they always add a cool, retro vibe to an outfit.

Get The Look:

Dress: Peekaboo Vintage 1970s Dress (similar)

Shoes: Reiss 'Cedar' Wood Platforms in cognac (similar)
Bag: Beyond Retro Vintage 1970s Tooled Finish Shoulder Bag in tan (similar)
Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©