Autumn/fall 2009

Winter coat - Glasgow, Scotland, Marie Curie Cancer Care thrift shop
Skirt - Goodwill, East Village, NYC
Shoes - Salvation army, Williamsburg, NYC
Autumn leaves - Central Park

Coney island baby

In NYC you can feel a little nip in the air signalling that summer is ending, EEEeeeek! There are loads of things to see and do and there are summer clothes I haven't even worn yet. In an attempt to do the things we've been procrastinating for ages, the boyfriend and I set off on an impromptu "Do everything weekend". First and foremost on the list - Coney Island.

Wow. I get that funny NYC feeling that I've been here before having seen it in the movies and on TV so many times. It is a sight to behold. Trashy, over the top, fun and community oriented, all in one. The beach is full of families and the water seems crowded with grannies, aunties, fat men in Tshirts, muscular men in tattoos and snotty children. We stroll around taking in all the sights. I'm wearing a red dress I bought at a fleamarket in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

From the beach we head over to Wonder Wheel, the large ferris wheel. Feeling brave we get onto the cyclone - frankly just to be able to say that we have done it. 90 secs on the ricketiest roller coaster and we go through the feelings of elation, fear and dread. And then it's over and our legs are shaky and we cannot stop giggling. Then of course we have a Nathan hot dog and then the freak show - with ALIVE acts from Serpentina (lady with large snake), a sword swallower and fire swallower, a bendy woman on an electric chair and other assorted oddities.

I'm afraid there was no thrifting done in Coney Island - although imagine the crazy goodies you would find there!

The next day, we head to Governor's island and rent bicycles. The views of Manhattan are amazing - this is a must do summer trip. It is 5 minutes away from the city and it feels you are miles away.

I'm all thrifted in a red silk dress I got at the greenflea, handbag and bangle (from junk man at the greenflea) and shoes from a thrift store on the Upper East Side (the Spence Chaplin thrift store).

And guess what?? There are no thrift stores on Governor's island. That should come as no surprise because this enigmatic piece of prime NYC real estate is uninhabited and exclusively for public purposes.

A thrifted dress fror the perfect English wedding

My friends Rob and Pippa got married two weekends ago in Norfolk, England. It was the perfect English summer wedding.

This is the room they got married in, in a gorgeous old country Manor, the sunlight flooding in. I cried, I couldn't help it, I always cry at weddings!

I wore a dress I thrifted last year from a thrift store in the East Village, NYC, for a grand $15. The dusk pink handbag is also thrifted, from the British Heart Foundation Charity shop in Somerset, England.

After dancing the night away, the next day, my boyfriend and I went on a walk from our little village of Cley-upon-sea. We came upon a 'cockle van' next to the sea port where all the sail boats were anchored. Our lunch will go down as one of my all time memorable meals. Deliciously simple seafood, oysters, the smell and taste of sea and perfect company.




The perfect end to a perfect weekend.

The once in a lifetime Salvation Army find

As part of my two week holiday in England, I take my mom, a thrift store junkie like me, thrifting at the Salvation Army shop off Oxford Street in London.

You can try on clothes behind a flimsy looking curtain on a shower ring. Picture my mom and me squeezed together shoehorning our ways into respective dresses whilst avoiding flashing the men perusing the men's section next to us with a vagrant boob or bottom. Yikes.

My mom tries on a dress, with a geometric blue print on it - sighs and gives me the wise advice that "ladies over the age of 40 should never wear puff sleeves". I take that is a no then. Then it is my turn, I manage to try my dress avoiding indecent exposure by having my mom clutch the curtains closed. It is a winner. Mom just goes OOOOoooooooooo and I think, gosh that is pretty nice. We put our clothes back on, and my mom treats me to the dress, we leave triumphant. A gorgeous Laura Ashley - with a 50% discount on the thrift shop price- a grand total of £12.50 (£20).

The fabric is gorgeous with the loveliest floral print.

I love it when you try on some thrift and it fits like a glove. I think this is a pretty fenomenal find. I cannot wait to wear it!

Such is the beauty of thrifting, you must sift through loads of random things until you can find that diamond. What are your once in a lifetime thrift finds?

The London Salvation Army shop is large, with women's and men's clothes, homewares, books, shoes, and also accessories.

Address: 18 Great Peter Street

For the love of thrift rating (from 1 to 10):
Selection: 7
Presentation: 7
Niceness of staff: 7

Bargain factor (ie pricing): 8

Thrift turnover: unknown

Trainspotting

Shoes - thrifted at Housing Works (Upper west side)

Scarf - thrifted at Hell's kitchen flea market
Handbag- thrifted in English charity shop

Cardigan - thrifted at Housing works (Gramercy)