What I Thrifted This Month- April//Homeware

Hello everyone!

Welcome to April's thrifty finds. I may have gone a little overboard this month with my bargains.

When I say overboard, giving money to charity is never going to be a bad thing but I did buy some non-essentials this month but on the other hand, I found some things that had been on my charity shop list so that equals out right?

I keep buying things for my house. The problem is I don't have a house yet...yet being the important word. After we've been on our travelling adventure it would be amazing if my boyfriend and I can find our own place. We're both living with our parents at the moment and it's coming up to a year since I moved in the caravan 'just for the summer' haha!

I think it's better to be organised and buy a few, useful things (that you love!) from the charity shop. Instead of moving into a new place and having a mix-match of tat you bought from uni, your parents cast-offs and then having to make an emergency dash to Homesense! See I'm sure my future self will thank me ;)

So without further ado here are my homeware bargains for the month...

Eco Balls
This was definitely the universe pulling me in the right direction. I was talking to my mumma that morning about how many toxic chemicals are in laundry powder and softener and how I was going to look for an alternative. Later that evening, mum comes back from work (she works at Age UK) and she said these came in and she had to buy them for me!
They're they older style Ecozone balls but I used them last night and they're amazing! I do love my washing to smell nice and bizarrely, the fragrance-free smells really clean. I don't know how they do it. I only put them on a cool 15-minute cycle too and all the clothes came out so fresh and so clean. Apparently these balls do up to 1000 washes without detergent and they come with extra refills.

Karrimor Rucksacks
Whilst not technically a home item, these rucksacks will house all of our belongings on our travels!
I have had backpacking rucksacks on my charity shop list for months, I wanted one that was almost new and not too big and my prayers were answered not once but twice! So now my boyfriend and I have matching rucksacks for our adventures -score! I remember watching videos on youtube like what in my backpacking bag or travelling supplies haul. I'm sure you know that travelling gear isn't cheap and one vlogger had said that it had cost her over £400 for all of her stuff! I couldn't believe it would be that expensive but once I started doing research it easily totted up. That kinda money would get me to the other side of the world! So I vowed I would find all my stuff secondhand. I had found a few odd bits that would be useful but I was holding out for a decent rucksack! These are 55L & 65L Karrimor Panther bags they were definitely over £100 each when they were new. They are in fantastic condition and have waterproof covers with them too!

Mason Jar
Since researching more into a zero waste lifestyle I have become a jar fiend. Full blown mason-jar lover haha. I bought a few last month in TKMaxx but this one is a three-litre beast so I couldn't leave it on the shelf. It was only £2 which I think is great as large sizes are usually around £10-15 mark. When I have my beautiful pantry, I think this jar will house all of my bulk-bought oats :)
I think food always looks much more enticing in glass jars rather than mix-matched packets and tins.

Glass Shaker
I understand that the zero waste movement isn't about going out and buying things specifically to be 'zero waste'. There are some things I just don't own and it would be silly to pass up something that will be useful especially when it's secondhand. I've seen a few of my favorite #ecobabes using glass shakers for all sorts, from cleaning products to homemade dry shampoo. So I don't know what I'll put in it yet I know it will come in handy.
I'm a believer in charity shop karma, if you really need something the charity shop will provide it for you, if you don't buy it then and next time it has gone it wasn't meant to be. That's what I thought with this particular item as  when I went back to buy it, it had gone. Saying that I visited the same shop a few weeks later and there was a different, prettier one! Yayy thanks, charity shop gods :)

Paisley Jar
Mmhmm, it's another jar :') This one is paisley and made of ceramic so I needed it. This is another find from mum's charity shop. She is as bad as me I promise haha. I'm not sure entirely what I'm going to put in this one but the pattern is so beautiful.


So I'm going to stop here and I'll show you guys my thrifted clothing finds in my next post! I've found some bohemian gems :) Plus I'm going to talk about my plans to create a charity shop capsule wardrobe and who know's I might even do an old fashioned outfit post.

Have you found any amazing secondhand pieces this month?
Thanks for reading :)
Rachelle xxx

THRIFTERS UNITE: Preston Charity Shop Spree

Hello everyone,

Last month I met up with my fellow charity shop lovers Donna, Charlotte, and Jenni, in my home away from home, Preston.

Last summer we met up in Ormskirk for a successful day of thrifting so we thought it was about time we did it again!

In my personal opinion, I think the charity shops on the outskirts of Preston are much better than the city centre ones so we jumped in a black cab and headed to Tulketh Mill. Firstly we went to Barnardos where we found a few bargains. I had a strict list to guide me-which I later completely ignored haha. In Barnardos I picked up a mustard, ribbed roll neck jumper. I'm obsessed with mustard at the moment and so are the rest of the gals!

They have a huge Sue Ryder there which we perused for ages. The vintage section was brilliant and they had lots of items on the £1 rail too. I found a lovely vintage St Michael midi skirt. It's electric blue and A-line shape for a bargain price of £2.75, I think it would've been more if it was on the vintage rail but it was just in with all the high street skirts so I did well there! We all hovered around the craft tables, lots of back issues of Molly Makes and huge collections of buttons was enough to get us all in a crafty state of mind. I think we all came away with purchases from Sue Ryder.

I can't remember the name of the next charity shop but I think only Jenni found a bargain in this one as it was a bit more expensive and there were signs saying no photography which we thought was odd. Anyway, the shop looked lovely but it wasn't our day there.

Unfortunately, the other three charity shops on that road were closed. We presumed that they would find it difficult to find willing volunteers to open on Saturdays. Plus one of my favourite charity shops on that road had completely closed down :(
As it was raining we decided to get a taxi to Plungington road, the next street of bargain charity shops.
When we rung a taxi they said it would be 20 minutes so we decided to hop in the pub for a swift half pint and a natter. Anyway, as soon as we ordered our drinks the taxi turned up and wasn't best pleased. So we decided to stay in the pub a little longer and catch up.
We then used a different taxi company and went on our merry way to Plungy (as the locals call it!)

Cheers!

I used to live on Plungington in my uni days so I was a regular to the charity shops. Cancer care on the corner used to be my fave with lots of vintage pieces for under £3 plus regular half price sales! This time I didn't find anything but Charlotte seemed to find lots!
Again as we moved on another of the charity shops on the list was closed. Age concern was next. I never used to find anything in this little shop and that day it was no different. Jenni found a cute little vintage dress with Doris written on the label but after much deliberation, she decided to leave it behind.

Next up was Salvation Army, I always used to find fab vintage items in here too. As I was flicking through rails I found the most beautiful, paisley bomber jacket. It's a corduroy material with mustard, olive and burnt orange tones. Ideal! The only thing was it was on the hanger with a matching waistcoat which I knew I would never ever wear. So at the till I politely asked if I could just take the jacket for the princely sum of £3 which was the price for both. Outright the man said no, that wouldn't be possible coz they had to go as a set or he'd get told off. In my head what does it matter if you separate them, the next person to come along and see the waistcoat would never know there was a beautiful matching bomber jacket, who even wears a waistcoat and a bomber jacket together?!
So after a while, he agreed to sell me just the jacket for £2, so that was strange but a huge bargain!
When we got out the shop I asked the rest of the ladies if it was unreasonable to separate items in that case. We all agreed that if you're getting more money and more stock that why wouldn't you. Obviously some things are meant to go together but in this case, it was very random!

Feeling rather hungry at this point (it was coming to 3pm time flies when you're thrifting!) we decided to go to my favourite place in  Preston, The Ferret!
This used to be my local and although it's been revamped since it's grunge gig days it's still brilliant. Plus now they offer lots of delicious food and 5 vegan options-wowza!
So I opted for a chickpea something (memory fails me!) and an Old J rum. Totally delicious and the rest of the gals really enjoyed it too.

*drools*

With our bellies full and our purses almost empty we waddled into town to check out the city centre charity shops. I think we were all pretty much thrifted out at this point as I don't remember anyone snagging any bargains. We said our goodbyes and after a little Starbucks coconut milk latte I headed to catch my train!

My little haul :)

It's always so lovely to catch up with Charlotte, Donna & Jenni, we all love charity shops and second-hand yet we all have totally different styles which makes it more fun. Plus it's blogging that's brought us all together. I definitely can't wait for our next thrifty date :)

Have you found any amazing charity shop finds lately?

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xx

#CheapNChicChallenge: 22/30 AUTUMNAL CHARITY SHOP FINDS!

 Aloha,

I'm hoping you are enjoying the #CheapNChicChallenge so far. I've got just one more week left & I have a few great posts lined up for you, including an exciting giveaway-so stay tuned! I shot these photos a few weeks ago when it was actually still summery. I am dressed 'neck-to-knee' in charity shop finds! I thought I'd style an outfit that has a vintage feel but still nods to the trends for Autumn.

Coat, Jumper Belt, Skirt -All Charity Shop Finds

Boots-New Look

The coat is my fuzzy lil bear baby. I bought it from a charity shop in St Annes where everything was only £1! The only downside was on that fateful day it was about 25 degrees out & I'd just been to the beach & the last thing on my mind was a huge furry coat. However this is a prime example of shopping for upcoming seasons. If I wanted to get an over-sized furry coat in the height of winter I'd definitely expect to pay more! It's originally from BHS & is a size XXL, again not my size but I want it to fit over 3 jumpers & a scarf :) 

The jumper was from the same charity shop (so again only a quid!) I'm a little bit obsessed with roll neck jumpers & the bright orange shade is perfect for Autumn. When I wear it with my glasses I do feel a little bit like Velma from Scooby Doo but I think it's a strong look :)

The Houndstooth skirt is an original 1960s St Michael found in a charity shop in Cleveleys. I can't remember how much this one was but it's a pretty snug fit! I'm a fan of houndstooth & I don't think  a pencil skirt ever really goes out of fashion.

The belt was 50p from St Catherines Hospice in Preston. I love the detailing to the buckle, it's almost a bit cowboy/western inspired. I tend to buy black belts so this brown one is a welcome addition to my wardrobe.

Have you found any amazing autumnal charity shop pieces?
Thanks for reading :)
Rachelle xxx

#CheapNChicChallenge: 8/30 Ideas To Shake Up Your Wardrobe

Hello everyone :)

I hope you are excited for the second week of the challenge! I thought I'd share some prompts to give you a bit of inspiration.  I'd love it if you could leave a comment or even share your posts/photos using the #CheapNChicChallenge hash tag.

The Under £10 Outfit
Can you make up the majority of your outfit for under a tenner? Maybe exclude underwear and shoes but how about the rest? When you look amazing (if you say so yourself) in a cheap outfit it's a kinda justified smugness you're allowed to experience ;) Show us your best cheapy outfit as an instasnap or a blog post.

The 'Thanks It Was My Mom's From The 80s'
Everyone has seen Mean Girls and I love the quote 'Thanks it was my moms in the 80s...ooh vintage' but lets not dig out the 'Ugliest effing skirt I've ever seen' and lets raid our parents wardrobes! I have borrowed a vintage Levis denim shirt from my mum that I wear all the time! My mum isn't really that bothered about shopping & fashion but I bet some of you have super stylish mummas who have some vintage gems in their wardrobes or even better some 'Glam Nans' who can never throw anything away. Offer to help them sort their wardrobes and adopt the best bits as your own, free fashion with a lovely bit of history.

The Altered Beast 

Who used to play Altered Beast on the Megadrive? The main message from that game is if you want to be a dragon-you can, or maybe a bear? It's possible! Anyway everyone has something in their wardrobe that could benefit from a little tweaking. Whether you decide to DIY it yourself or send it on a little holiday to the tailors share with us your new and revamped piece!

The 'I Made It Myself'
There is no better feeling than when someone compliments you on something and you have created it yourself, same with clothes :) I'm not suggesting you whip up a ballgown (although that would be awesome) but how about finding a vintage pattern and attempting to sew a simple garment. There are hundreds of tutorials online for the most novice fashion designer.

My favourite GIF everrrr

The car booty looty
One of my personal favourites, show off your ultimate car boot/flea market finds! It's often the place to find the best bargains, other peoples castoffs can be great, as Macklemore says 'one mans trash that's another mans come-up' come up is cool right?

I hope this post has giving you a few wardrobe ideas or you've at least enjoyed the GIFS!

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx

#CheapNChicChallenge: 5/30 How To Re-create Upcoming A/W Trends With Second-hand Finds

Hello!

Today's post is to inspire you to give a nod to the upcoming trends even in your second hand finds! With London Fashion week fast approaching, the 'fash-pack' will be eyeing up the catwalks for the next big thing. We all know that fashion comes and goes so it makes sense that you can find pieces that reflect upcoming styles that were around the first time it happened. I'm not saying you will find exact replicas of the catwalk looks in your local charity shop (if you do you are a lucky thang!) but if you take details for the looks and are prepared to have a good rummage it's definitely possible to recreate the upcoming trends in a way that makes it your own...

 Sixties Revival: The sixties is always a fun era to replicate through fashion. Full of graphic, bold prints, mini-skirts and space-age silhouettes. Pair with a beehive do' & some winged liner & there you have it! 

It comes and goes a lot in the fashion world, whilst it's not likely that you'll find an original 60s minidress, it is likely that you can find something that will encapsulate the look! 

Orange & hot pink were big on the catwalk, look out for psychedelic prints, polka dots & polo necks to recreate the look. If you're looking for a night-time option statement circle sequins were a common detail this season and the charity shops are usually full of sequin numbers!

Folksy Layering: Oh the shearling, aviator coat, what a winter staple you are. Hopefully last years aviator jacket should have enough life left in it to be revamped, if not check out your local vintage shop/fairs as you can find some amazing 80s style shearling jackets that would be perfect for this look. 

Folky patterns have been everywhere this summer, in maxi dresses & kimonos but British winter is coming, we will surely freeze to death if we don't add about 20 layers! Charity shops are amazing for finding an eclectic mix of patterns, nothing there has been strategically planned as a collection so creating your own mix-matched/pattern-clash outfit is easy! Keep to similar tones to avoid the 'I've just bought ANY pattern look'. Winning patterns are paisley, brocade, ikat & florals for a bohemian style. Add a thick chunky scarf & a beanie hat for colder days. 

Velvet: Ooh swooshy, slinky soft velvet, you are one of my favourite winter trends. Velvet always comes back out for winter as it's such a versatile 'luxe' fabric. I would say a good 25% of my wardrobe is velvet :)
The good news is charity shops are full of the stuff! Velvet trousers that could be easily altered to a style you prefer, velvet leopard-print t-shirts if that's your thing (I have two!) & the odd velvet cocktail dress. As long as you don't mind people involuntarily stroking you than velvet is the best!

Over-sized Knitwear: In the colder months you can't beat an over-sized knitted jumper to snuggle up to. On the catwalk models were cocooned in huge knits, some with roll necks, other with arran details. What I will say is head to the men's section of the charity shop, vintage shop/car boot-wherever you may be & raid the manly knitwear! Men's jumpers in a L or XL look amazing as jumper dresses when worn with thick tights & boots. It's the whole effortless, 'I'm borrowing my boyfriends clothes' kinda look. It sounds obvious if you're looking for an oversized-fit but make sure you look at all of the sizes in the women's too. I've bought size 18/20/22 clothes in the past to achieve a cosy winter look. I wouldn't advise going for something that will totally swamp you but a well placed belt can always bring the look together.

Checks & Tartan: Again checks/tartan are a popular choice this A/W.  Last year I found loads of checked pieces in the charity shops & there are usually a lot to choose from. It's a classic, heritage print and looks as great on a thick wool coat as it does a cotton skirt. I have several hangers worth of tartan treasures which have served me well but I can never resist a new-to-me addition, I'm a bit bored with the classic red tartan after witnessing the entire 14-18 year old population wearing tartan-print dresses & leggings last winter but a green or blue palette still excites me :) Again charity shops are usually brimming with the print. It's always amazing if you can find a real Scottish tartan or a Burberry-esque check. I bought a green check coat last year which is one of my favourite winter pieces for under a fiver!

Matching Co-ords: This is one trend that I have never actually dipped my toe into! I really loved the crop top & skater skirt combos I've been seeing this summer especially the fruity-printed ones! The upcoming months call for warmer fabric & more of it! A matching jumper & pencil skirt is a look I'm going to try! This one is a little trickier as it's not often there will be a matching  vintage crop jumper & skater skirt but if you use your imagination there are loads of matching suit blazers & skirts that could be tweaked to make a gorgeous set of co-ords! Alternatively there are often long, vintage dresses that could be reworked by a tailor (of yourself if you're a sewing machine whizz) basically given the chop & turned into a skirt & top.

There we have it, I hope this post has given you a bit of inspiration so you feel confident in re-creating catwalk looks with your second-hand finds :)

Keep me updated with your finds & outfits by using the #CheapNChicChallenge on Twitter & Instagram, 

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx

Things That Make Me Happy: 'What's In Your Pocket?' edition!

When asked to be involved in Money Supermarket's 'Whats In Your Pocket?' challenge I was very excited as it's such a nice concept. Basically Money Supermarket discovered that finding long-lost money is one of lifes greatest 'little wins'! It's definitely a good feeling! So they surprised several bloggers and very kindly gave me £20 to recreate this feeling.  It couldn't have come at a better time as I'm skint again this month. Working 20 hours a week literally just covers rent/bills and train fare booo! So it was lovely to have the extra cash to treat myself :)

Another thing that I have discovered in the last year or two is that I get a real buzz out of bargain hunting. I'm not the sort of girl to scrimp and save yet I'm not irresponsible with my money! So I knew that this challenge would put my money saving skills to the test and I'm aimed to get as many feel good things as I could for £20 that will brighten up the days until payday! So here is what I spent the money on...

A trip to The Butterfly House £7.20

On Valentines day I visited The butterfly house in Lancaster. I actually went there on a second date, so being the modern day woman I paid for my date too (aww). The building is at the very top of Williamson's park set behind the beautiful memorial. They have lots of species of butterflies, reptiles and birds. Usually they have small mammals too but that area was undergoing refurbishment when we visited so no bunnies for me! The Butterfly House itself is like a little tropical paradise and with the butterflies fluttering around it was quite romantic! It made a difference from the FREEZING cold weather outside but at least the sunshine was out. I think it's a stunning place and for just £3.60 each it was definitely worth the (very steep) walk!

Dr Stuart's'Skin Purify' tea £1.99 

I've always had issues with my skin and at times it does get me down so my friend at work recommended these Dr Stuarts 'Skin Purify' teabags from Holland and Barrett.  I've been drinking a couple of cups of everyday & I do think my skin is starting to clear up a little bit too! I always think about investing in expensive skincare products but its crazy how the little things like herbal tea, fresh air and extra water can do the world of good too! £1.99 for 15 teabags is a bargain considering if i was out and about a tea from Costa is around the same price!

Charity Shop Clothing 

I wanted a new outfit for an impromptu night out with some of my best friends who I hadn't seen for months! However even if i were to shop in Primark that would create a big dent in my £20 and as I didn't really need anything I decided to hit the charity shops of Lancaster and indulge in some guilt-free shopping. If anything I prefer shopping in charity shops compared to the high street as I like finding individual pieces and knowing that the money from my purchase is helping others is always a great feeling :)

Dress £5.99 from Age UK

This gorgeous Apricot dress was my first find. It's monochrome which is all the rage this Spring and it is made from really lovely, thick, flocked fabric with a paisley-esque pattern. It looks brand new and when I looked on the Apricot website I found it was still retailing for £26! I love it when that happens! Also when the girls arrived we each had a black and white dress, completely by accident but hey, it's nice to co-ordinate ;)

Vintage Russell & Bromley boots from The Salvation Army £4.99!

These little beauties are amazing! I spied them on the shelf and thought they looked pretty cute as i'd been on the hunt for some vintage lace-up boots for a while now. When I turned them over to check the size I was pleasantly surprised: firstly that they were in my size hurrah! Secondly they were the prestigious, luxury footwear brand-Russell & Bromley and last but not least they were only £4.99!

So there are my cheap yet very cheerful buys that I got for just slightly over £20! It's cured my need for a shopping fix whilst the money goes towards helping others, enabled me to visit a lovely local attraction and the tea is making me feel healthier! Thanks to Money Supermarket for contacting me to be involved in this challenge!

What would you spend £20 on to cheer you up?

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx

Outfit Of The Day: I'M SO GLAD THAT I LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THERE ARE OCTOBERS

 Shirt Dress: C/O Bench

Faux Leather Jacket: C/O Bench

Tights: Happy Socks via TKMaxx

Hunters: Stolen from Mum

Hat-Accessorize

Scarf-Charity Shop

Lipstick: Eurydice by Illamasqua

So I have to admit Bench is a brand that hasn't really been on my radar for a while. I remember doing a fashion show at secondary school for Bench & Hooch and wearing the massive slogan hoodies that Bench are pretty well known for. However when I checked out their latest lookbook for the A/W collection I was pleasantly surprised, it's laidback, street style vibe and gorgeous coats and knitwear really appealed to me.

As I mentioned in my last post, Bench very kindly let me pick a couple of items so I could style them in an outfit post.

The dress is super easy to throw on, I didn't own a shirt dress before-hand and I really like the colours of the check pattern. The jacket is going to be my new wardrobe staple! I love leather jackets and even though its faux leather it feels incredibly soft & the contrasting knitted fabric makes it really comfortable to wear. Another awesome thing is the collar, it zips off so you can wear it like a casual biker style or a more slick, collarless neckline. It's the little details that I really love about the new A/W collection. 

It was a little nippy in the Lake District today so my favourite old man scarf came out of storage as did the hat but they weren't worn for long as the sunshine must have tried a bit harder and I did warm up :) 

We went for a walk in Cartmel woods today & they look so, so pretty at this time of year! Cartmel may be boring but it is very pretty :)

Right now on the Bench website students can get a generous 25% off with a NUS card or you can get 10% off  your order by using the code: SELFMADE12

Let me know your thoughts on the new collection, did you used to wear Bench when you were younger?

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx

Outfit Of The Day: I'M BLUE

Cropped tee-Tesco (dyed by me!) Shorts-Charity shop (see my DIY post here)

Tights-Henry Holland via TKMaxx

Silver Earrings-Vintage

Velvet Belt: charity shop-20p!

Velvet boots-ASOS sale £19.50! 

Rings-Vintage, local jewellers , Ebay and stolen from mum!

Here's a quick outfit post for y'all!
Sorry I've been quiet on here for a while I've been in Cornwall (pics to follow!) and working at a local festival plus I've been a super busy bee looking for jobs and somewhere to live in Manchester, being back at mums is driving me up the wall, that combined with too many episodes of 'homes under the hammer' & 'country house rescue' are making me yearn for my own place again...

If anyone is fancying a move to Manchester or is looking for a housemate there lemme know!
Hope you're all well :)
Thanks for reading,
Rachelle xxx

Outfit of the day-HEARTS & TEAPOTS

Leather Jacket-New Look

Heart Jumper-Flea Market

Teapot Necklace-Gift

Heart Belt-Charity Shop

Waterfall skirt-Charity shop then customised by me!

Leopard Tights-ASOS

Pink High-Tops-Ted Baker via TKMaxx!

Hello!

Just a quick outfit post today! I actually wore this yesterday, I thought the heart print was appropriate for valentines day :)

I just wanted to show you lovely lot the skirt I customised last week! I took an old pleated midi-skirt that were all the rage last year and literally cut a semi-circle shape from the front section which has left me with a lovely waterfall style shape. These skirts and dresses are all over the place at the moment but this is a cheap and super-easy way to update an old skirt!

I'm still finding new settings on the camera I got for my birthday and the top photos were taken with my 'posterize' setting which I think is pretty awesome!

Did you all have a nice valentines day? What do you think of the waterfall/asymmetric skirts? I much prefer them to the old maxi and midi styles :)

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle xxx

THRIFTY: Five ways to re-invent your wardrobe for under a fiver!

Hi everyone!

I've been having a bit of a thrifty week this week so I thought I'd share a couple of tips with y'all :) I really wish I'd taken some before & after pictures of the clothes that I've customised but I totally forgot until it was too late! I'll remember in future though! As someone who is always skint but always on the hunt for a bargain and always dreaming of an extensive wardrobe I thought I'd start doing more *thrifty* inspired posts.

I hope you enjoy...

Dye 

Dying is such a satisfying way to change items in your wardrobe. In go boring, faded, ugly fabrics and out come vibrant clothes with a new lease of life! I have been experimenting with dye recently, there were a few things I'd picked up second hand and the fit was right but the colour wasn't my cup of tea. I had some cream , bootcut cord trousers (vom) that cost £2 in the charity shop, I bought them because they were a tall leg length and I really struggle to find trousers that are long enough for me. My grandma had altered them into skinnier style and then I dyed them black! Hey Presto-new trousers for next to nothing. Dylon have a large range of colours that you can pick up in a haberdashery or on eBay for roughly £3 and its fairly easy when you follow the instructions on the packet. Also another point is it is quite unpredictable. don't expect everything to come out the exact same shade as it varies greatly. I dyed a blue silk shirt with some 'burlesque red' dye and its turned out to be a purple tie-dye effect-which looks awesome in my opinion but it might not be the desired effect.

Tip: It's best to dye natural fabrics such as cotton, silk & wool as it doesn't work on polyester or acrylic.

Change Buttons 

I bought a lovely velvet blazer from the charity shop, admittedly it was only from New Look in the first place but the buttons on it looked really cheap and plasticy. I thought the cheapest way to jazz it up was to add some new buttons. It only has two buttons anyway so it was initially a cheap job! I went to Abakhan-my local haberdashery and picked up the only tube of buttons without a price and obviously I picked up the most expensive ones in the shop! I chose this design & they were £1.19 each (which is quite a bit more compared to the other designs they stocked) but they have definitely made the blazer look more chic with a vintage style! Buttons range from anything from 10p-£5 each depending on detail & what it's made of. Another fun idea is to mix & match buttons on a cardigan or blouse to make it a bit more interesting.

Tip: Snip off a button you're replacing and take it with you so you can choose one a similar size, otherwise you have to start changing the button holes and that's a bit more complicated!

Scissor-Happy

Buy some fabric scissors (or even better borrow your gran's) and get snipping! Cut the sleeves off old tees and turn them into slouchy vests, cut an unflattering neckline into a cute and casual scoop neck. Take those bootcut jeans you haven't worn for ages and turn them into denim shorts or hotpants if you're daring enough!

 If you prefer get the ruler & chalk out if you want to be precise. I like the freehand results but not everyone does.
Tip: There are loads of tutorials online demonstrating how to cut more complex patterns into clothing. My favourite was this skull cut-out tee!

Online Tutorials

There are loads of sites on the internet that have video tutorials on how to revamp old clothes into something new and shiny. There are a lot of 'no-sew' tutorials if you're not the best with a needle and thread otherwise  blow the dust off the sewing machine and get stuck in! From simple things to hemming a dress or more difficult projects such as following a pattern to completely rework an item, the information is all there and its free!

Tip: Youtube/Threadbanger/Cutoutandkeep are my favourites :)

Mum's/sister's/ friend's wardrobe

If you are bored of your wardrobe, go and raid someone elses! It helps if you ask the person beforehand!! You could do a swap of unwanted clothes or even organise a swapping party. I've never actually taken part in a 'swishing' party but I'd love to! Encourage friends and family to have a clear-out of their wardrobe, as they say 'ones person's 'trash' is another person's treasure!' Adopt a piece of clothing that they no longer wear and give it a new happy life!
Tip: Alternatively all have a big sort out, make an ebay/car boot pile and split the earnings between you so you can buy new clothes :)

Do you have any other great tips for revamping old clothes? Link me to your favourite youtubers or diy bloggers!

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx

Outfit of the day-HAPPINESS PREFERRED

 Scarf-Peacocks(about 5 years ago )

Angora cardigan-Charity shop

Vest-Levis

Black top (worn underneath) -Primark

Skirt-H&M

Tights-can't remember!

Dr Martens-Ebay

BRRR how cold is it today?! The answer is too cold for my liking! I wore my parka on top of this outfit when I popped to the supermarket and the charity shop. My cardigan is super-warm as it's made from angora and lambswool, I picked it up a couple of weeks ago from the charity shop for a bargainous £2 :) My Dr Martens are also sheepskin-lined so they keep my toes nice and toasty even if they do rub after a while :(

This wall is outside my house and I think it looks pretty cool as a backdrop! The sun was setting so we didn't have long to take the pictures. My lovely housemate Jess took the pics for me today and most of them are of me laughing my head off or being silly! So these were the pick of the bunch haha, not the best but I'm kinda getting the hang of it. Its deffo easier having someone else take the pics instead of relying on a tripod!

The moon looked lovely peeking through the bare trees!

'Hey, HEEYYY can you see my breath? Does it look all cool and smoky?'

 'No, you look stupid'

What are you wearing to keep you warm? I hope it snows :)

Hello to all my new followers *waves*

Thank you for reading :)

Rachelle xxx