Here we are again! Today I want to focus on fashion as we head towards the winter season and start to think about cosiness and wrapping up.  Today is a beautiful autumnal day, so let's get on with it. There's an awful lot of choice out there on the high street right now, not to mention what's available online. So what do you think about vintage, you know, good old fashioned second hand? I've been a big fan since I was about 17 and in the sixth form, when you could suddenly lose the school uniform and start to express yourself. In the 1980's you could pick up the most amazing pieces, from 1940's utility suits that looked a million dolllars, to winkle picker shoes in fabulous condition.

The suit above is a 1980's Warehouse piece and as we've all noticed, the tailored jacket and pencil skirt are back to being hot property with a vengeance! This required a little courage to wear back in the day and would require even more now, but if I had the right occasion, I'd still give it a go!

This suit above is by a company called Washouse Modes and is from the 1990's . It's noticeably less decadant in terms of material than the 1980's suit and suitably pared down in terms of colour and shoulder pad!! Like any quality piece, it has stood the test of time and could be worn now as easily as it was worn nearly 20 years ago.

So now we have something really special! I bought this suit from a charity shop and it's vintage 1940's. It comes from a time of 'make do and mend', a wartime ethos, where utilising fabric that may not have necessarily been considered appropriate was quite commonplace. I did wear this suit during the 1990's and it was unspeakably stylish and beautifully tailored. It's amazing what you can pick up and even more amazing to see how 'what goes around comes around'!! Enjoy your thrift shop foraging.xx