"today im wearing" - 1950s and mink

As summer comes to a close here in England and the winter months set in which is usually every month of the year. Im trying to wear as much floral and summery outfits and dresses as i can to make the most of it before the fur coats and vintage suites come out to play again in all there glory! So that's why as you can probably tell ive been wearing mass amounts of heels and summer dresses lately but thats all about to go. Which i am sad about because this year has actually been a really good summer well for the UK!

So todays outfit ( i know i start with so alot but im not good with grammar) consists of mass amount of vintage jewellery most likely for charity shops and a vintage summer frock! so here goes another "today im wearing" and today is the amazing 50s dress i picked up in York for £40 and the new mink fur i couldnt resist i also picked up at York which will be perfect for the cold winter months with are fast heading this way! 

Dress - Bowler vintage York £40

Mink fur wrap - Sue Ryder care York £40

Real snakeskin handbag - charity shop around £6

Pearl bracelets £1 each charity shop

both necklaces 79p each salvation army

flower brooch 50p charity shop

vintage couture tights £1 

vintage shoes £3.99 charity shop

pink snood ebay around £6

lots of love original vintage queen xo

inspirations of the week - week two! - Carmen Miranda!

OK, so this is the second week of my inspirations of the week which im planning on doing each week showing which things inspired me and why! however this one is a little late due to lots and lots happening last week. So this week i haven't bee inspired by a lot of things like last week but just one glamorous lady has inspired me this week and thats Carmen Miranda the Brazillian singer/ dancer and actress. I have to totally agree that me and her share the love for more is more! and not doing any thing but halfs when it comes to styling myself. I hate anything minimal and believe styling yourself to the max every single day is the way to go! so this week i have looked to the forever stylish and one of my main fashion inspirations I love the way she wore her quirky fruity head pieces and of course that incredible platform shoe collection shes a girl after my own heart!  and of course you cant forget her love for over the top exquisite head pieces and turban! and you all know im a huge turban lover and lover off all things flamboyant especially in the head wear variety. So Carmen this weeks inspiration goes to you and only you. Because who can live up to her style in one week?

She was a lover of the platform the same as myself! and had pairs made my some of the words best shoe designers with custom fruit, studs and even embellishment! i just hope one day i have a shoe collection amazing as hers!

She also rocked that incredible hair roll!

Known for her incredible talent, beauty and style Carmen Miranda will forever be one of my style icons along with Lucille Ball and Ginger Rogers! and that's why she had to be this weeks one and only inspiration because what else can be put along side her? 

hope you enjoyed the post feel free to comment!

lots of love original vintage queen xo

top 5 tips for dressing classy and stylish.

Today's post is another special post for this blog. Since i have recently been trying to branch out from my usual "today im wearing" posts. So i decided to try something new much like my weekly inspirations posts or my top ten mistakes people make when trying to dress " vintage" and as i tried to get across from that post the same as this one i would just like to say. I am not at all trying to or am at all snobby! about vintage or style i am however a very opinionated person who prides myself on being honest and i am not going to say when i am stating is 100% accurate as theses are only my "opinion". and i am not saying you must dress this way but my these are my person opinion "tips" on how to dress classy and stylish. Wether you an Audrey Hepburn lover or just love classic clean style these tips are for you! and can be worn but anybody of any size!( im not so sure there  for the gentleman) but im 100% sure there for any lady anywhere! and i hope you enjoy my top tips for classic style kept stylish and current.

You dont need to be Blair waldorf owning the upper east side to wear these looks they can be adapted and worn by anyone with any style.

TIP ONE - ONE OR THE OTHER!

If your going to wear a short skirt or dress of the mini variety which is anything way above the knee. The rule is one or the other. For example if you are going to wear a short skirt dont wear a top with to much cleavage. its boobs or legs. This is a simple way to keep it classy wearing any style of dress or fashion. And in keeping with the latest spring summer 14 trends just sprung from the hottest catwalks from the best designers from all over the globe! the likes of Mui Mui have used the classic 1960s mini skirt this season but with a more modern twist worn with boots and a matching tee or the classic mini dress. All kept classic! So if your also a lover of following fashion this look is for you!

For example Amber rose. Wears a short skirt/tube dress and teams it with a simple white tee and gilet which still keeps it "quite" classy and still stylish.

TOP TIPS STYLE ICON! BLAIR WALDORF (Leighton Meester)

I know this isnt technically a tip! but in my opinion one of the wearers of classic style is of course got to be Blair Waldorf or Leighton Meester her style throughout five seasons of gossip girl is always classic but still incredible stylish and fashionable. She is seen to wear simple looks like the classic pencil skirt and short sleeved skirt combo with a classic heel. Also she abides but rule one one or the other boobs or legs.. as she is seen to wear patterned or coloured tights if she is wearing short dresses or skirts.

TOP TIP 3 - THE CLASSIC LITTLE BLACK DRESS FOR ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

Wether your a size 0 or a size 30 any luscious lady can pull of the classic little black dress or the lbd! worn by the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe back in the day! it is still as popular as ever today! making an appearance on the runways almost every season and worn for any occasion day or night. This classic little black dress is still a classic and still as on trend as ever and can be worn in any way but any size lady!

it was also brought back a few seasons ago but Chanel at fashion week with a pair or white knee high boots

It can be worn by the classic style lady with the simple pearl necklace and a black flat or court shoe or by the more adventurous with a statement necklace or colour popped with a bright shoe and handbag! it really is for anyone with any style.

You can mix and match your accessories when wearing the little black dress. You can keep it simple with a simple pearl necklace, up do and black stilettos or you can adapt and keep it cute and preppy with a simple ballet flat or even with a tan brogue and a over sized handbag for a casual day look. Or you can steal courtney and chloes style by adding clashing coloured accessories such as pink and yellow! vit really is adaptable for day and night and for any occasion and it will always be a classic staple for every wardrobe.

even Marilyn loved the LBD!

TIP 4 - MONOCHROME

monochrome which is of course only wearing black and white garments or wearing them together. Monochrome was also very popular in the 1960s as well as colour blocking it was worn as dresses with black and white grids or mixing black and white patterned clothing together.

Personally monochrome isnt for me! but if you love simplicity and clean dressing it is definitely the look for you! it can be worn both day and night and can be worn right from spring to winter. And can be made up of so many simple garments. It will forever be a classic look and will forever look sophisticated and a classic staple look. However monochrome has to be worn correctly to look right and is difficult to pull off ( i know because i cant) but here are some ways you can wear..

Monochrome was massive for AW 13 with key 1960s elements from moschino. And the classic monochrome look from Marc Jacobs. The monochrome trend also trickled down from runways to the streets with key monochrome looks coming from the elite in street style. And the monochrome trend has continued through to AW 14! so its official monochrome is here to stay and as much as i hate anything colourless and basic like this trend .It isnt going any where soon so im just going to have to deal with it and embrace this trend even though i wont be wearing it. But the monochrome trend in my opinion if worn right it will forever be a classic look.

Moschino AW/13

Street style

moschino AW/13

Street style

TIP 5 - THE FIGURE HUGGING DRESS

My next and final tip for classy dressing has got to be the figure hugging dress. With inspirations from the 1950s when women dressed like women! no baggy t shirts and track suite bottoms. The era of the shapely women. Women dressed and looked like women and frankly showed off what they had! it was all about the waist and curves and thats why i love the figure hugging dress. And a main inspiration for this tip is of course the hit show mad men! and in my opinion the most glamorous and curvaceous lady Joan. And of course like any tip for dressing classy the dress cant show off to much but at the same time shouldnt show off to little and definatly shouldnt be mini skirt length. But anyways here is some photos of how to wear the figure hugging dress. This is why i believe this dress is classic and will always be a classic wardrobe staple.

Kim Kardashian is also a fan of the figure hugging dress which she usually wears just above or below the knee.

Mad Men

Well heres to the end of another post. As always i hoped you enjoyed this post i know its a little different to what i normally do but i wanted to try something as little bit different to what i normally do to mix it up a little! but feel free to comment and let me know what you think. And let me know if theres any classic wardrobe staples ive missed! hope you liked!

much love - original vintage queen xo

Trip to York - vintage finds!

So as you all know it was my birthday last week! i turned 19 so decided it was time for a tip to York for the day. To hunt down the best vintage bargains in both the vintage and charity shops. It was a beautiful day and thankfully no rain! and it only took just over 45 minutes on the train from Durham! york minster was incredible however having to pay to get in was crazy! and because im a student means in a bit of a cheap skate so passed on having to pay to get in and just gave it a miss. And continued to shop instead! we found some amazing vintage vintage shops and one which we didn't even know was there and just stumbled upon. Which ended up being the one with the best finds! we also found one called priestleys which was incredible a little on the pricey side for me but if i had the sort of money they are asking for i would have defiantly spent it in there! with clothing from all era and of amazing quality and condition. They also had the most beautiful 1940s snakeskin platforms and some amazing vintage hats! however they weren't for sale! ( not as if i would have been able to afford them anyways) the reviews on the web said they the owner was rude. However they were very pleasant to us! but maybe he was having a good day! we also enjoyed a lovely meal at Bella Italia before heading home on the train. So overall it was a perfect day with lots of bargains found and great weather which is very rare here in England. Anyway i will get on with the post.. heres my vintage finds of the day!

This was on of my first finds of the day and when i saw it i knew i had to have it. Im a major sucker for anything oriental so this amazing vintage hand painted Chinese dress with two side slits was a need in my wardrobe. And it was only 14.99 from oxfam from there small vintage section.

Well i didnt exactly pick up this bangle in York but it was a gift from my mam from when she was out doing some charity shopping herself. But i got it yesterday so added it into this finds! im unsure of the price but it was from a charity shop.

This belt was an amazing find from Sure Ryder. A charity shop which has its own vintage section upstairs! it was amazing with lots of great vintage items. I picked this belt up from there in there sale basket for only 50p but with a little bit of button stitching it will be as good as new! BARGAIN!

These oriental shoes where also a gift from my mam from barnardos for £2 and will go perfectly with my new oriental dress!

These amazing long olive green vintage gloves where also from the Sue Ryder charity shop and they where only £5! they will be perfect for the winter!

This has got to be my favourite find of the day! also from the Sue Ryder charity shop and it was only £40! it is mink and has 12 mink tails and two mink heads on it! and as you all know i am massive vintage fur lover so when i spotted this i knew i needed it in my collection and for only £40 it was a steal!

I picked up this amazing 1950s necklace, earrings and brooch set from the Sue Ryder charity shop for £17.50 it was still in perfect condition with no stones missing and it was a treat from my love for my birthday!

I picked up this 1950s necklace from the Antique centre for £13 and it is still in perfect condition for its age!

This brooch was also from the Antique centre and it was only £4.50

I  couldn't  resist this super cute "sad sam" ornament from the pdsa charity shop! im a sucker for any cute ornaments! so i had to have this one and for only £2.50 why not?

This amazing find was from Bowler vintage which we just happened to stumble upon accidently while looking for another vintage shop. I tried this dress on and knew instantly it was made for me. It is very very rare that i find a vintage dress from the 50s that finds me perfectly and this one does! it also has a really cute sash detail on the back and a ruffled stomach detailing which slims the stomach its perfect! and it was a great price for a 50s piece for £60 and the fit is well worth that price.

I also picked up this 1950s dress from bowler vintage and it was also a perfect fit! it is hand painted and it has a amazing neck detailing! and for £40!