practical.

And speaking of neon pops...

Weekday dress//H&M dress (underneath)+leggings+boots+necklace//New Look belt//hat bought in Oz...

(One of) My impractical and so-not-wintery Weekday dress(es). It's a bit see through and the side splits are a bit high and it just calls out for layering. So. Layered it is.

With a squinty expression.

I just can't look normal in photos.

week-end days.

Weather report: still cold.
I shopped and saw Drive yesterday. Many layers were worn, most of which you can't see.

vintage slip dress+boots+burberry trench+fur collar//2nd hand shirt+jumper//reality studio scarf//2nd hand/ebay rings

(1 pair of leggings, 1 pair of tights, 2 pairs of socks, black tshirt. still chilly.)

I went to Weekday - for some reason I hadn't realised there was a shop here despite having walked past the one at Friedrichstraße several times, but that has now been rectified. There was a sale on.

Two dresses at 10€ a pop were purchased (Calf-length tight navy jersey number//full length rose silk dress with side seam slits to thigh height and a waist tie).

And almost these shoes, too, but they didn't have a 38, and of course the 37 was too small and the 39 too big.

But they were so affordable and so...silver.

Still in my head, and heart.

nightwear.

I've worn this 'dress' before but rarely do I wear it full length. Usually pinned up somehow and drape-y.

I have been wearing it for bed every night since I took these photos. I keep getting too hot though. Remember kids: 70s-tastic polyester makes you sweat, even when you're sleeping.

vintage 70s slip as dress//2nd hand boots+coat+fur//zara cardi//topshop belt+bodysuit (underneath)//h&m necklace

And I don't know why I can't look at the camera.

I didn't even wear the fur outside, I changed into the scarf from the last outfit post. I did get asked if I was cold on Sunday, wearing this (went for a mid afternoon brunch - I know, the very idea is contradictory - and coffee which turned into a beer in an interesting bar before I ran out of money), but it was an almost-summery 7 degrees so, no, I was not.

The cardi I bought with my birthday money, I suppose - it was a mere 15 euros in t'sale at Zara, and the only thing I bought despite trekking my way around two huge Humana stores and H&M as well. Must be getting more picky in my old age.

sunday, sunday.

Busy working week = sleepy evenings.
Saturday = couch-surfing organised bike rides and amazing apple strudel.
Sunday = too hot. I'm going to go ahead and assume this is a weekly thing since I have seen no evidence to the contrary...

This week was a trip to Mauerpark. (the link will take you to google maps, incase you'll be in Berlin soon/ever and want to go.)

I went in search of a bike, but even though there was lots of choice, they were all too big for my tiny legs or too expensive, so I just bought these awesome boots (for a mere €15), and a beer (!) and sat on the grass to read for a bit in the blazing sun.

Most enjoyable. Mauerpark is a huge bustling market - especially on a day like today - and was really too busy today, when I got there around 2pm. I was advised by a girl I met yesterday that the afternoon was better - people are just setting up at 11am, which is in direct opposition to flea markets/car boots in the UK, non?

There were lots of food and drink places, and a couple of man made beaches with deck chairs AND EVERYTHING in the middle with drinks stalls (selling beer, wine, and spirits as well as coffee and soft drinks), plus stalls for everything from vintage clothes to random old crockery (I dubbed one huge stall 'where kitsch comes to die'.), but I'd definitely recommend it for leather goods. So many stalls selling gorgeous, affordable leather bags (mostly vintage) and everyone was up for haggling.

double leopard-y.

BAD PUN KLAXON.

primark cardi//2nd hand top+shoes//topshop trousers//H&M socks

Look, it's a picture of me!

I've moved home and stupidly spent my last money ebay-ing these leopard heels a la Mulberry, but they are lovely.

The trousers are new to the blog too, because I haven't done an outfit post since I bought them in March (April?).

Ho hum.

let it snow.

as it has been for the past week or so. the snow keeps falling off our roof so we have to pretty much climb over a wall of snow to get from our front door to the path... sigh.

i started out wearing lots of layers with my fur coat and being far too hot (i know, wtf), and gradually wore less and less layers underneath it until I was literally only wearing a dress and the coat (and tights and 3 pairs of socks and wellies, but still).

still too hot.

so today, my next thickest winter coat, plus scarf, plus earmuffs (my ears get significantly colder than any part of me by A LONG WAY.), then lots of layers again.

STILL. TOO. HOT.

at least, on the way to uni and during the day; layers much appreciated walking home at 7pm...

coat + wellies from ebay//charity shop shirt//zara jumper//vintage shorts//

ear muffs were either a present from my friend or i borrowed them from her in college and never gave them back. let's call them stolen?//

h&m mittens//asos hand...thing

oh yeah, the hand thing...

literally the first time i've ever seen something on a blog (the blog in question would be 5 inch & up) and exclaimed out loud to no one in particular "WHERE CAN I GET THAT?!? I MUST HAVE IT NOW! IT'S ONLY 12 QUID! I DON'T THINK I CAN AFFORD THAT BUT I DON'T CARE"

thank you ASOS - the S/M appears to be sold out, but note the gaps in the middle/index finger bands; i had to make them myself. all three rings are the same size... i ask you, who the hell has the same size index, middle and ring fingers? the M/L would've been far too big for my ring finger, but the S/M was too small for the other two. not to be beaten, i brought out the scissors (yes, really) and sorted that bad boy out.

thought the slits might get on my nerves by the end of the day, but this slightly less cumbersome than my other (vintage, silver) hand thing and now i have hand things in two colours, so i may be encumbered by hand adornments on pretty much any occasion.

score.

army green.

vintage army jumper as bought at the Hey Baby Chief Panda pop-up...
ridiculously pale skin + awkward poses.

stupid flash.

topshop jeans//peacocks boots//H&M leopard socks//vintage necklace//H&M rings

ankle length.

eurgh, face.

i joined a netball team today. for real.

i own zero pairs of trainers.

this is going to go well.

vintage dress//zara jumper//priceless boots//thrifted blazer//matalan (?) belt

you may recall this dress from last time i went to london, and the jumper is new (along with a grey/cream intarsia number, also from zara, and a pair of vintage armani jeans. score!); and i probably shouldn't have bought any of those things, but i live in newcastle and own, what, 2 jumpers?

it is cold up north.

more knitwear was necessary.

i like floaty skirts with jumpers. yes. a riff on my number one trend for a/w, right?

fyi i'm playing centre. because i am too short to play any other position competently. i believe my words were something to the effect of "if i can't play centre then there's no point me bring on the team..."

tynemouth market.

vintage coats - lots of leather + fur, plus a £5 rail off camera//

my outfit, plus vintage Burberry coat as found on said £5 rail... vintage skirt+gloves from ebay//H&M tee//primark socks//asos boots//random hoodie

posh jams stall. jam lady liked my nails//

fresh bread stall//

cakes, scones and pies//

heaps of vintage earrings and niknaks...//

...and buttons...//

...and crockery and stuff. all on the same stall//

POLLY POCKETS! i got really excited and started exclaiming "I HAD THAT ONE! AND THAT ONE! to no one in particular. i did have about half of these... oh, childhood.//

two different jewellery stalls//

war memorabilia//

vintage stall + sheepskin gloves. i tried one on; looked like a bear//

a bunch of war photography books//

food haul - fresh bread, scone, raspberry+vodka jam//

NOMNOM//

Brideshead Revisited and buttons//

little silver + black ring, £2. snake ring, £1

today was a good day.

there was also a woman at one of the vintage-y stalls wearing a huge purple hat with 3 equally huge lilac feathers protruding from it. it was amazing. if she hadn't been busy i'd have got a picture... but she did say she loved my skirt. score!

also, the jam is lush, the coat is amazing, and the rings are awesome. and i bought Elle in town afterwards.

so the plan for the rest of the day is:

a) eat jam... already done

b) do some work

c) watch x factor

d) eat more jam; read Elle and the Vice mag i've had lying around for days

greased lightning.

recently acquired one large tartan skirt and THE jacket.

when worn together i resemble some sort of sandy/danny hybrid, right?

i don't know what's up with my camera taking blurry pics all of a sudden...

vintage skirt+jacket//new look boots//H&M tee//primark socks

also, this is what my nails look like right now.

although, this photo is from monday night....

mostly, they've been described as 'blendy' and 'green' by people. thanks? they are pretty badass, but of course, they are starting to chip. booo.

gothic granny.

...would be an accurate description of this outfit, non?

river island lace body//thrifted dress+coat//priceless boots//primark ring

one of my loan purchases - i bought the lacy body from the river island post (and the leopard socks. managed to resist all of the boots. still want the snakeskin/suede wedges though... sigh.) and will be wearing it with pretty much everything, all the time.

this same outfit got drenched on the way home.

thanks, rain!

blue jeans.

work-work-working.

sleep-sleep-sleeping, according to this pic. *shrug*

topshop jeans+socks//H&M shirt+jacket+necklaces//thrifted shoes//primark ring//claire's accessories ring//vintage ring+brooch

fringe is re-dyed, bird theme has been grabbed and ran with (socks, ring, brooch), new jeans are being worn. it's a whole new uni year.

THE boots.

you might have noticed me mentioning, just a little, my search for 2 pairs of perfect boots for the winter - THE tan chelsea boot and THE goth boot. it's not like i don't have an abundance of boots, not to mention shoes, but both these things were necessary right?

as if to prove my love for ebay, both perfect pairs popped up and i won them within 2 days of each other. WHO'DA THUNK IT?

comfiest. shoe. ever. i think they're kinda cushioned and they literally go with everything (see below), which is awesome. also they're half a size too big, so i can don a thick sock with them. AND they have grips, making them the most practical shoe i own. WINTER BOOT WIN!

throw them on with jeans and a fur collared coat! throw them on with sequins and a jumper and a parka! why the hell not!?

as for the goth boots, well...

i think my eyes popped out of my head when i saw these on eebs; even more so when i won them for under 20 quid. they, also, are remarkably comfy (i think it's the platform; they're aren't really that high in the foot angle sense) and they are awesome.

i reckon there are three ways you can do the goth boot - embrace the goth (BLACK, BLACK, MORE BLACK. maybe some grey.), go for the contrast/lolita look with the frilliest, girliest dress you can find, or do none of the above and just whack some stripes and a parka on it. also, note new rings and peach/blue nails.

shakuhachi dress//uniqlo cardi//H&M+vintage necklaces//topshop tights//parka+rings; primark

also new/perfect red lipstick; models own OF COURSE, new favourite brand in the world, IN THE WORLD.

recent scores.

both charity shop-based and ebay-based. one leather bra top, one lace maxi, and one pair of shoes.

note a) the lack of face - i couldn't take a photo without looking odd and b) the air of fetish around the whole thing...

thrifted vintage maxi+shoes//ebayed top+jacket//primark belt+tights//diy-ed shorts//necklaces = thrifted or gifted from ana!

i reckon the top treads a very fine line between "brilliant" and "questionable", but mostly i was thrilled to find a bra top that fit. they might well be all over the high street but they're either for the smaller chested lady or they go by sizes (8, 10, 12, etc) so anything fitting the bosom wouldn't fit the back. le sigh. always trust vintage - although i totally did have to sew it in at the back. but, whatever. it's leather, i wasn't going to let a little thing like it being too big stand in my way.

the dress, on the other hand, fit like a glove but it SO delicate and already had holes in it... no worry. remember what i said about british style being a bit rough around the edges?

and so begins my gothic autumn/winter! *awaits the arrival of THE goth boots in the post*