Well, apologies for the break in posts, I went back home to the sunny Midlands for the weekend, and, well, basically didn’t come back. Until last night, when the gods of fate or karma or [insert your chosen belief here] decided to punish me by making a journey that should have ended around lunchtime drag on via late connections at Manchester Piccadilly, freezing cold queues at York station, sweltering bus rides to Darlington station and delightful (or not so much) bragging teenagers in the train vestibule to Newcastle, last until 5.30pm. Seriously, when will boys learn how ridiculous they sound bragging to a carriage-full of strangers about trying to pay for shots with chewing gum, being picked up by the police and having to go home in a taxi cos Dad was too drunk to fetch them? While simultaneously checking their hair every time someone comes out of the bathroom, and occasionally nipping in to smooth it down with water? Yet another affirmation that I’m getting old came in the form of my desperate desire to shout “Pull your freaking trousers up – nobody here wants to see your mum-still-buys-me-Tesco-multi-pack boxers”!

Rant over, I did have quite a successful shopping day in the charity shops of the Birmingham suburbs on Saturday. I was actually forced to be picky as there were an abundance of possible bargains. But my favourites were these fabulous scarves spotted by Nat to fit in with the circus-theme I told her I was indulging. The scarves create an interesting ruffish look I plan to use to full effect on a couple of skirts and either a dress or t-shirt. I picked up three initially, one blue, one purple and one gold. I’m keeping the blue to recreate a Proenza Schouler feel at a later date.

I also grabbed these hair scrunchies, reduced to £1 each, which I plan to wear layered with chunky bangles to mirror the ruffles on my wrists. Wrists-ruffles, if you will!

Finally, some outfit shots for you. I never quite got around to posting on Friday, so voila. I’ve been looking for a way to wear this gorgeous blouse for some time, and was overjoyed to find this simple black tank in a charity shop last week. The blouse is cream and sheer, with a fabulous full round collar with lace edging. The skirt gave the outfit a nice 70s feel for day wear (shame the shirt collar was playing up!) and I changed into jeans before jumping on the train down to Birmingham.

Incidentally, the journey down to Birmingham was a treat in itself, what with drunken squaddies trying to ply me (and the rest of the patrons) with warm beer and scotch party eggs, and a lovely lass with whom I had a short but sweet chat about corsetry before she had to get off at Sheffield. Should she by any bizarre twist of fate read this, the name of the company I couldn’t remember was Angels Carrying Savage Weapons.