Malones Vintage

A fellow performer, and a good friend of mine, has always made us feel rather envious of her amazing eye for vintage.
Be it clothes, accessories, or even homeware, she has an amazing knack for finding the most amazing pieces, which she has spent years travelling and hoarding for the last few years.
It was only about one year ago when Missy Malone finally revealed to me her plans and reasons for such collecting, and very exciting for me, a fellow avid vintage lover, it turned out that her goal was to set up a vintage boutique, Malones Vintage!
After seeing the pieces she had collected, and sometimes instagrammed I awaited the store with much excitement, knowing it was going to be an Aladdins cave of delights.



Now the store is live on Etsy, and also travelling the country for various trade shows, I can confirm it really is a treasure haul of delights, and has one of the best collections of vintage in the UK.
As well as the pieces acquired from a good eye, Missy sells items snapped up by fellow performers, myself included (if you like my style, keep an eye on her shop!) so it's always high quality amazing finds.


Recently a parcel arrived from Missy, containing an early 60's green dress, an era of fashion I really do love more than any, where the best of the 50's styles remained, but with more colour, flair, and of course, legs!
It's such a beautiful dress, with the details being both understated and eye catching.
It's been kept in very good condition too and Missy takes great care to ensure each item is either in good quality, or will take the time to repair items.


Of course this meant I had to get some photo's in it, and as Malones Vintage is full of high brand label vintage wear, as well as it's high quality non label vintage pieces, where better to go that London's street, devoted to amazing Vintage Pieces, Portobello Road.
I had a lot of compliments while wearing this dress from people in the street, I felt great wearing it but then it seemed to somehow spread a bit of colour into others lives and gaining me a lot of smiles and compliments!



Malones Vintage is regularly updated on the Etsy store, will items also popping up on the Facebook Fan Page. You can also find Malones Vintage in various vintage events, and trade shows around the country. I will leave the dates where you can find their stalls at the end of this post!
The main stock as always with vintage is ladies wear, but there is also mens wear available, and home wear too, so you can treat yourself, your other half, and pick up something for the home too.



There is a lot more items that will be popping up on their store, including some pieces from my own wardrobe which I shall link to as I see them on my Twitter and Facbook (links below), unless they are nabbed at a fair or market beforehand...!
This is one shop to bookmark and check frequently, some items on there I would happily give a home to so you may have to race me for those items.

Missy with one of my dresses!
You can find Malones Vintage Online, or at the following events! 


I shall be whipping out this dress a few times this Summer, while keeping an eye out on any other items Missy may have acquired and I can fit into, tiny isn't always good for vintage finds!
I also love these photos, in the most non vain way I can declare that...!

Here Comes the Summer....!


When you live in busy London, you are left with a few choices when the sun finally pops out.
Do you go to the local park and deal with the many families?
Hole up in a beer garden, despite not drinking....kinda boring actually.
Get stuck in tourist trap hell somewhere?
Or do as we did, and jump a train to Brighton Beach!


As we have a few friends who live down in Brighton we like to pop by every now and then, but as sadly trains cost £16 each it's a pricey day out, so we can't go as often as we would like.
I love to visit, it's full of so many quirky little shops, cute cafes, and much more it's a great escape from London and sometimes it's just great to get out of a city that's always on the go to a more relaxed sea side town.


I decided to pull on a very deckchair inspired coordinating set from MissGuided, which has quickly become a favourite for me lately while shopping for summer wear.
There's a huge amount of variety on there, and for great prices too. I had previously dismissed it as a shop I was probably "Too old for" but I never really dress my age.
This outfit was very much a risk for me, it's so different to everything else in my wardrobe, but as I can match each item with others or, like here, wear as one outfit I figured it was worth a try!


I love the pop art and matched it with my Quay Sunglasses from ASOS, which I love as do so many of you guys do too! 
I kept the rest of the outfit fairly simple, as it's a very bold print, teaming it with my Primark clutch, which will soon need replacing as £10 handbags don't last forever, and I have been over using it lately. I have my eye one some, which are all sadly unaffordable.
I also threw on my Lee Cooper pumps, they look identical to converse low tops, but due to converse now being owned by Nike, and their well known manufacturing habits, I refuse to buy from them.
These shoes look just the same, and are great for running around in.
The best bit? They cost me a tiny £15.00 from Sports Direct!


We loved our day in Brighton, and plan to visit again very soon, and hopefully get to hang around for a few days rather than rushing in and out.
Hopefully on that day it'll be a lot less windy, as you can see I was rather wind swept!
Do you have a sunny hide away spot?

Hypothetical Wedding Dramas...


We hope you enjoy this video, with my first ever, very special guest....My Future Husband!
I had to edit out a lot of us arguing over Doctor Who story lines, and Edd's swearing, which he will hopefully remember to not do next time!
Send us your questions below, and we shall try to make a video reply for your hypothetical wedding dramas, and situations.
And Edd...!

May's Glossybox review, where we decide its Quality, not Quantity after all.....

I know this is a bit late, most people have already received their May's glossy boxes, but due to being away when it was attempted to be delivered, I've only just got mine!
The email I received from Glossybox claimed that 4 out of the 5 products would be full sized, and with some added extras too, and yes this is a claim they did keep!


Working alongside Superdrug, who are now celebrating 50 years on the high street, Mays box was a special celebratory design, and with products inside that you can of course pick up at your local Superdrug (or Boots....cos you get more points...).


After checking out what other people got, it seemed the variety of the products was a lot more vast in comparison to previous, where only one or two of the items would be the same.
I saw a few things I would have liked to try, and a lot of things I really have no use or interest in at all.
Guess which items I received....!?


All the items aren't really exciting products at all, they may be practical but when you sign up to these beauty boxes, you aren't really looking for a practical item you either already use, or have no reason or longing to.
The times were also of a cheaper quality compared to previous boxes, where the items were samples but of a better quality product you may have never heard of.


One of the first items I saw was the huge Vaseline spray moisturiser, which the guide referred to as a Handbag Saviour. 
I wouldn't carry around such a large product in my handbag! 
I gave it a try, and it does smell nice, and does the job but it is an odd sensation to spray on and rub in, but as my leg skin does category under lizard due to either being covered up or in the sun.
I will use this, purely because I should really, tho I have plenty of lovely Soap and Glory creams I'm just too forgetful to use up.
The second item I screwed up my nose at instantly. 
This £2.99 tub of Solait self tanning face cream.......I'm naturally very pale, and I do not ever, and never ever ever will use fake tans.
On the forms you fill to specify what product types you would prefer, I made no suggestion I would ever be interested in such a product, it also seems quite rude.
You actually sent a scouser fake tan.
Stereotyping much?
I'll admit I've not really paid any attention to this Garnier body oil, just that it's an oil in a sachet and I think that would just end terribly.


Another think I must have selected on the form was my hair type. It's straight, like poker straight and naturally dries that way without any input from me. In fact it is so poker straight, and boring that the last thing I would ever need or use, would be a bottle of Frizz Ease...
Seriously? A full bottle of a product that is absolutely useless to me.
The Scholl footmask, while of course not really being a product that would fill anyone with excitement and glee, will probably be useful as feet are gross.
I'll try it out, but I wouldn't have bought it myself, especially not at £7.99 a bottle.
Sorry people who like feet, I just don't think they're worth this effort!


Of course one sample sized product snuck in, which I'm pretty sure was in my last box too....?!
I just don't try samples tho, I think perfume is one of those things you kinda stumble across and use for years. 
No one I know say they chose a perfume because of a sample such as this, or those reelable ones in magazines. Does that type of marketing really work?
I don't know this brand, only referred to as B. but just from a quick glance at the bottom and seeing it labelled as "Coral" I knew this product wouldn't work for me.
I just don't suit these colours at all, in fact every make up product I have received from Glossybox has been entirely the wrong colour for my skin tone, type, or style.
I of course tried it, and the consistency is nice but the colour is so wrong, even Edd looked and told me to take it off immediately.
Anyone wear Orange lipstick...? Want one? Only been used once?! Sigh...

As I have enough "Glossydots" for reviewing the products online, I can get one more for free, but then my subscription is over.
I chased the thrill the first box came with, which was actually pretty okay, the colours were wrong as usual but I didn't open my box to immediate disappointment every month.
It may only be £10 a month, but I'd rather spend that on one or two full sized products I actually wanted, would use, and in colours that suited me.

Getting my Hollywood On...

Recently I spent a day pretending to be a Hollywood Starlet, and only had to go as far as Liverpool...!
Christine Collections is the place to check out for any Marilyn Monroe wannabe, impersonator, or even if you just wanted that amazing fancy dress costume no one else could top, and just fancied being one of the worlds biggest sex icons, she's your gal.
Working previously as a Marilyn impersonator, Christine started to make her own costumes for her day job, cutting patterns for figure hugging gowns, battling with sequins, feathers, and fringing, and learning how to create some of Hollywoods most famous gowns, she has now become one of the top makers of Marilyn dresses, dressing people all over the world in iconic gowns.

American born Christine has set up shop in Liverpool, UK, where she has started to branch out into prom dresses, bridal, and other costumes which are all recognisably inspired by movie starlets from the golden era of Hollywood.
One such venture is the reason I visited them last time I was north, a day of being styled, coiffed, and photographed in some of these amazing costumes, and it is a new service available from Christine's Collections.


When we first spoke of this service, she kindly asked me if there was any particular starlet I would like to embody on the day, and only one popped to mind.
For years people have mentioned Rita Hayworth to me, saying I reminded them so much of her, I wish I did look more like her as she is one of my favourite musical actresses, having such beauty and grace at all times.
I couldn't wait to embody one of my performing idols, after growing up watching her films, and dreaming of performing her dance numbers, and wearing her gowns, one of those wishes finally came true thanks to Christine.


Photographed by Nick Price in a studio just a short walk from Christine's studio, we started with the Rita look, the classic Gilda poster, and the film that made Rita's career.
As she is smoking in the poster, I posed with a cigarette, but it wasn't lit!
I actually managed to quite earlier this year so didn't dare tempt myself, and all smoke has been digitally added!

The next two looks we tried were so very different for me, and as you may have guessed what with Christine starting with Marilyn costumes, I got my Marilyn on...!


Nick was kind enough to take some behind the scenes photo's with my camera so I could show the outfits in full colour as well, tho I know, my hair isn't right!!
Wigs never work on me, I always have a few millimetres of my own hair poking out so we decided to go with my natural hair, and make it as similar as possible to the styles Marilyn wore with the original looks.
This is a lesser known Marilyn dress, actually from her first film at the age of 19 called Ladies of the Chorus, where she very aptly, played a burlesque dancer!
It made sense that I modelled this one!


The Final look is a more well known Marilyn number, from a much loved film, The Seven Year Itch...and no, it's not that one!!
This is the dress worn in the fantasy sequence of the film, and is a stunning number.
I felt very in character when wearing this one, if I could, this is one I would have just in case I even needed a jaw dropping stunning gown to wear, why don't we have more occasions for such things!


Okay so I'll probably never make an impersonator, so I won't give up the day job, but a girl can dream, can't she?!


This was such a fun day, and it would be perfect day for a hen do, birthday treat, or just because it's a Tuesday, so why not?!
These costumes are all available to order alongside so many more classic dresses from Christine's online store, and you can make an appointment to visit her at her workshop for any particular design you lust for.


She's done an amazing job on these costumes, and I wish I could dress up in classic hollywood style every day.
Would I stand out too much in this if I wore it to Tesco...?!
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Love Ur Look at House of Fraser

Earlier this week, we were invited to the launch of Love Ur Look, an up and coming designer that will transport you back to a time of petticoats, martini's, and drive throughs.
When I received an email from Ronke about her designs with a link to her website, I had a peek and immediately fell in love with these fun, quirky designs, embodying the best of the 50's while also adding something very fresh and new to the reproduction designs I've seen popping up for the past few years.
With a different take on 50's fashion, they seem more unique and somehow more authentic while still being completely wearable, and what's best? They are also ethical, with up cycled trims and fabrics!


Love Ur Look is a one woman company, managed by Ronke Fashola and she is someone who knows exactly what she's talking about.
Running this store alongside her own professional stylist company, Stylizers.co.uk, and working as a lecturer at the London College of Fashion, she knows fashion inside and out, and has turned her hand to designing this new range of ethically made cute as anything dresses.
As well as her extensive knowledge of how to style and design, Ronke is also listening constantly to what her customers want from her designs, tweaking and working on every new range to bring out designs that suit, flatter, and are loved by everyone, and only getting better with every passing season.


Monday saw the launch of Pop at HOF, where a range of pop up shops which are all independently ran, opened their stalls on the ground floor of House of Fraser, and where these indie companies will be staying for two weeks, running from the 12th until the 26th of May.
We popped in to see Love Ur Look on their very first day of trading, and check out their adorable stall just past the perfumeries of HoF. 
Their stall caught my eye before I had even made it across the room, with such eye-catching designs they are easy to spot, and easy to choose at least five dressed you want before you actually reach the stall.


It is fantastic that House of Fraser are championing such a theme, and the evidence of the event was clear throughout the inside and outside of the store.
Hopefully other businesses will take suit in a time where people want to buy from independent smaller businesses rather than the many corporations that have taken over the high street.


Luckily for Ronke, the striped theme and pink structure matches her designs perfectly, and it looks utterly fantastic in an otherwise standard looking department store.
I met and talked to Ronke all about Love Ur Look, and the history of the company.
Launching only two years ago, it's one of the fresher companies on the reproduction style scene, and have avoided the trap of designs similar to others that I've seen before, bringing out an entirely unique collection that would be instantly recognisable as one of their items.
We had a lovely chat, but I kept being distracted....
I couldn't stop making eye contact with this particular dress, and we tried to figure out Macaroons, or cakes? Either way, delicious!


I couldn't stop going through the clothes, every design is so different, and has so many different styles too that you could fill your wardrobe without people realising that they are new designs, and not original vintage items.
We grabbed an armful of dresses, and off we went to play dress up!


Every girl loves Polka Dots, and this dress is no exception to the rule.
With it's practical and perfect atomic housewife look, I immediately fell in love with it, and I think Edd did too, maybe in the hopes I would keep the house spotless and act accordingly...!
I love any dress that comes with pockets, we don't get treated to them often enough, and the pockets on this dress are also incorporated into the design perfectly.
This is of course called the Polka Dot Tea Dress, and it's the perfect every day dress, that makes me want to dance and spin around in, and maybe I will even clean the house....!
(If I get given this in return, Edd...?!)


Next I came over all 40's cute farm owners daughter, the one that sings while she feeds the pigs, and catches the farm hands eye? Yeah, that one.
Country Gal Chic was never a look I thought I could pull off, but vintage it up a bit, and I'll happily collect the eggs and milk the cows.
Then again, maybe not...vegan thing...
I couldn't help but feel all girly in this, I'm sure I giggled more and skipped into position.
It's amazing the feeling a dress can have on you, and this Gingham number really bought out a summery happier Harrie, I just need the summer now!




Of course I had to try on the Macaroon Dress! As the fabric on this style is limited it's not going to be around for long, and is currently only available at the pop up store.
Fingers crossed more can be sourced and it'll make it into the online boutique, but if not this cut and style of dress is available in other prints.
I love the way the back buttons, it's such a lovely touch and makes it look all the more authentic.
I don't think these will last long at all in store, and be snapped up by some lucky lucky ladies!
If you can, get there quick!!


The Wiggle Dresses had a very different effect on me, going from the girl next door, to the vamp your mother told you to keep away from.
The cross front reminded me of Marilyn Monroe in Niagara and The Seven Year Itch.
I prefer the more fitted vintage styles when I go out, most of my vintage steals are more fitted numbers than circle skirts, tho I can easily appreciate both.
The sunglasses print gives a great contrast to the cut, and somehow made it seem just more interesting as a whole.



 Ronke was kind enough to gift me this amazing Rose Print Wiggle Dress, and I'm so absolutely in love with this design and print.
I felt great while wearing it, and Edd couldn't take the photo's without the occasional "oof!" so it's safe to say this has the all round thumbs up from both of us!
I want to do an outfit post in this, but I feel the need to be somewhere classical such as Paris, or Rome  to match the classic style, and unlimited sexiness this dress brings.
La Dolce Vita, now in colour!


The Last dress I tried was this City Print Dress, tho it reminds me more of a seaside town, and made me long to wear this on a hot sunny day on Brighton Beach!
You can all imagine it too, right?!
Ronke is manning the stall wearing her own designs (of course, if I could I would!) and this is the Floral Square Tea Dress.
Ronke was so lovely to talk to, we shared many laughs and got along very easily.
The colourfulness and playfulness of her designs make sense as her personality matches completely, and it was such a fun day, with some hilarious outtake photos!

Keep an eye out for Love Ur Look, as they do have pop up stores popping up all over London, and sometimes beyond! You may get to fall in love with their designs in person, but if not, there's always Online Dating!
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