Lena Hoschek inspired low cost outfit

I was actually going to show you many high-res Lena Hoschek A/W 2010 pictures as she is presenting the A/W 2011 collection in Berlin fashion week this Wednesday. But my internet keeps playing up so I leave you with only one gorgeous picture and something to smile about.



Photocredit: Lupis Puma



Look at this most beautiful outfit. Now take this Bon Marche skirt, pair with a white shirt and a black cardi and one of those t-bar shoes. And don't forget a beret (Primark sells berets every year for around £2-4). And et voilà the budget end of the high street provides you a Hoschek inspired style.

All 3 t-bar shoes are from Littlewoods and under £35 - the shoe on the far right is very much on top of my wish list.
Such a low heel is just perfect for me!

Granny chic on a budget

Buying more genuine vintage will be a slow process. First of all they are not that easily obtained here and genuine garments from the 40s and 50s are just too expensive at the moment. 70s/80s does 40s/50s is a good start for me but nevertheless still a slow one.

But I do want to expand my wardrobe with a few more staple items like a plain multi-functional tweed skirt or/and classic trousers. And let's not forget more knits. More. And more. I love knits!

And then I had an epiphany! Where do grannys go and buy their granny clothes? Grannys must be on a budget considering their small pensions, right? Apart from the obvious - charity shops - I thought the en vogue place for grannys in Bedford must be Bon Marche. It think it's THE granny shop. So I had a browse through on their website - and I was so surprised!

Not only is it really affordable, I really like it.

A selection of tops and blouses currently on offer:

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I was quite surprised to find pretty skirts

These tweed skirts make my heart beat faster. Must go and get one!
The plain black pencil skirt is just £4 at the moment - clearance sale!

I like these very classic trousers

Surely that awful belt in the middle must be detachable...

Of course Bon Marche offers lovely old lady knits - I dig them

But also surprisingly interesting pieces!

I love this peter pan collar sweater and quite like the ruffle collar on the right

Great dresses!

Some more interesting looking ones

The coats are also worth to be looked at

And I absolutely adore these swimsuits!

I am really not one for a bikini and I like plain nautical swimsuits. They are perfect!

The swim dress is so darling I must go and get one!



BON MARCHE has a clearance sale going on at the moment!

All items shown are below £20 (with the exception of I believe 3 dresses and the coats) and quite a few are under £10.

It is really worth looking at!

Little Miss Bossy will interview Lena Hoschek

I know, I know another post today. But I am really excited about this one!

The beautiful designs of LENA HOSCHEK have been emerging on various vintage blogs in the last year and quite rightly so - she's incredible!

As a fellow Austrian I don't only want to show support and show her newer collection - the spring/summer 2011 catalogue was released today - I will also interview her!

Lena and her team have kindly agreed to answer questions as a video interview - and I give you my fellow lovers of vintage and fashion now the possibility to ask Lena!

If you have a question please leave a comment until Friday next week - I will then sort through and forward the questions to Lena and her equally nice press team.

And then look out for the interview and the video on here!

Please be so kind and spread the word and link back here.

The more support we show this great designer the merrier!

The ladyship herself.
Photocredits: Spooky Sally Cherrymuffin

The spring/summer collection is very rockabilly and features not only pretty frocks....

Photocredits: Lupis Puma



Photocredits: Lupis Puma

.... and adorable summer wear....

Photocredits: Lupis Puma

... but also a lot of fetish!

Photocredits: Lupis Puma



Lena Hoschek eyewear

Photocredits: Robert La Roche

I am in total awe of her winter 2010 catalouge but the new collection is also entirely swoonworthy. Look at the busty and tattooed models! Real women! That alone should inspire some questions!

To tide us over until the interview I will post more pictures of previous collections, more about Lena and her story so far during the next 2 weeks - and please ask away!

Copycat?

Please excuse the waffling this might be a very non-interesting post but I had a comment on Facebook yesterday in which a dear old friend was criticising me for copying style and loosing my own style.

And dear old friend when you read this - I was and am not affronted, I think it's great if we can talk about things openly but nevertheless it made me think so I want to comment on it officially :-)

I was quite baffled by this comment as I didn't understand it.

Who am I copying? Emma (see previous post), other vintage ladies, other blogs? After asking her she told me she misses the old funky colourful Little Miss Bossy who used to mix trends and retro in a very own way.

I still didn't understand because I don't have the feeling that I lost this but tastes and styles evolve over the years just like my mind evolves. You can also broaden your fashion horizon, no?

I have been gone from my home country for nearly 6 years and I guess I keep forgetting that. My dear old friends don't see me very often and are all completely missing out on the biggest influence in my life - my child. My personal style had already drastically changed when I left home (I changed haircolour to find a job faster) and also when I met Mr. Bossy shortly after. It was not neccessary anymore to dress that "loudly". I also lost a lot of weight and suddenly fit into high street stuff. This was exciting. There was no need anymore to customise things I could just go out and buy them!

But of course my good friends from back home always kept the memory and did not see me change or better evolve first hand.

In May 2008 I blogged THIS - so this whole changing of style is not a sudden thing. But I went home for visits in between, my friend in question saw me a few times in recent years. Some of the pics in my header are from 2007. I was honestly very surprised by her comment to say the least.

And then when I went to bed it dawned on me what she meant and I understood. I guess her point was if I'd go authentic vintage, which is based on other women of former times no denying that, than I would lose my own personal quirkiness. And yes she ist totally right in that. Absolutely and a 100%. But exactly for this reason I don't want to go authentic vintage on a strict daily basis because indeed I could see my own style personality fading. But sometimes I like it. Very much so.

So all along we had been on the same page. I think what led to the misunderstanding was my "new years resolution" to have a vintagey feel every day and fully commit to vintage hair. I don't see anything wrong with tweaking your style every now and then. At the moment I feel so attracted to the 40s because of the elegance. And yes elegance is newish to me. The late 50s and early 60s will propably always be my favourite area and the most flattering to my body and hair shape. They are much more "me" but I can still have a dabble in other eras too, can't I? Who knows maybe in a few years time I am suddenly very interested in the 20s or 30s - which I am not so much at the moment.

There is one very important reason why this is all being so broadcasted at the moment. I still breastfeed my son but I don't have to whip them out at every possible moment anymore. I also used to exclusively carry him in a sling and only recently started using a buggy. And that's the main reason - being freed of fabric slung around me or not having to dress all easy access anymore means I can explore again.

And I am SO enjoying this!

Style Icon on screen: Emma Pillsbury

First of all - UK readers:

Here might be Glee spoilers as season 2 is well on it's way on FOX in the states and I have already watched it online.

I am a Gleek.

Only through Glee Beyonce and the likes find their way to my ears without me wincing or turning it off.

I am so hooked on the gripping story lines and I think all the young actors (and the older ones) are doing a marvelous job. But most of all I could swoon over the styling of the show all the time.

There's one clear stand-out character. And that is - of course - Emma Pillsbury.

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Emma is the guidance counsellor of the school and one of the most complex characters. She divides her day between her OCDs, handing out pamphlets, giving advice and drooling over Will (well at least she used to) and buying the most incredible clothes. Her wardrobe presents an eclectic vintage, modern, prim and proper but still cheerful mix. Simply adorable. Emma somehow manages to mix the 70s (look at that flick of her hair in season 1 and all those pussybows) with a flair of the 50s and still looks so immaculately modern and fresh. At the beginning of season 1 she seemed to always go for one colour and wear many items in different tones - and it worked! Later on she combined more colours but never more than 3.

Bows, bows, bows. Emma sometimes sports 3-4 bows within one single outfit.

I love bows. Amongst polkadots and fruit prints (she's got cherry earrings!) my most favourite thing.  

Miss Pillsbury has an amazing collection of cardigans. In every episode she appears there's for sure more than just one cardigan to admire.

This is only a very very small selection of some of her cardigans. I think sometimes she wears vintage cardigans and sometimes modern day ones. Please note the most fantastic Mary Poppins one (by Forever 21) - second from the right at the bottom. Mary Poppins on a cardigan - it's just dreamy!

Emma always wears skirts or dresses. Full stop. As seen above in the bow collage she either wears uni coloured pencil skirts (especially one with bows by J.Crew, she wears that one in many colours) or floral ones (the only items in her wardrobe I am not keen on) or colourful A-line skirts like these ones. Or polkadotted ones! Emma also has signature shoes - these beautiful Mary Janes - "Penelope" by J.Crew which she has at least in those 2 colours.

Obviously she needs coats to match her cute outfits - I particularily like the green stripey Kate Spade coat.

And when she emerged in THAT wedding dress (by J.Crew) I looked about the same as Will - wide eyed, gasping for air and ready to lick the telly (though in a puppy kind of way, I wouldn't want to scare Emma with any dirtyness)

Miss Pillsbury (or shall I call her Mrs. Howell? No I simply refuse) also has an amazing collection of jewllery

Emma often wears huge vintage enamel flower brooches or beaded necklaces with big enamel flowers attached. There's so much jewllery like this on Etsy at the moment!

But the most important - to me - jewllery she wears are her sweater guards. I adore them. I have to thank Miss Pillsbury for bringing them to my attention. I liked them so much on her that I got myself one and that led to my vintage journey. So basically it's all her fault.

A.d.or.a.b.l.e.! I also love it when she clips them to her collar!

 Obviously Emma Pillsbury is a fictional character played by the incredibly cute actress Jayma Mays.

So who is behind Emmas - or Glees - incredible styling? Costume designer Lou Eyrich who did Nip/Tuck (which I found very stylish) before Glee. I love this woman - such great work.

I love it how Lou recycles all the clothes - on Glee you will see staple items many a times but mostly combined differently - like a real person would do. The characters have obviously their favourite pieces!

And many of those just mentioned have the most tremendous wardrobe - i.e. Kurt. But my second favourite is Rachel - in season 1 Rachel had a great mix of granny-toddler going on (it worked!) but in season 2 she upgraded a bit to a more polished version of herself.

She actually wears a lot of similar items to Emma but styled very differently.

Like this beautiful Marc Jacobs dress - Emma more grown up pairs a cardi, a belt, a brooch and her trusted MJs whereas Rachel prefers loud matching tights and flats. Same dress in a different colour scheme but such a different look!



I love Emma. SO adorable. She's with Carrie Bradshaw my most favourite style icon on screen - ever. And I am for sure not the only one of this opinion - if you type Emma Pillsbury into Google "clothes" is the first suggestion. Emma Pillsbury has a whole worshipping following which is led by one of the most fantastic blogs I have come across. Please have a look at "WHAT WOULD EMMA PILLSBURY WEAR" - the ladies who've set this blog up have put their heart and soul into research, they live and breathe Emma. There are guest writers who channel Emma on a daily basis and reproduce her outfits - amazing pictures. One of them also gives a tremendously heplful "Gleebay" update - she searches for Emmas (and some of Rachels and Quinns) outfits on Ebay and posts the links. Truly marvelous!



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Sadly in season 2 there's not much Emma to admire. Admittedly the whole Kurt storyline is very touching and gripping but I miss Emma and Will. Yes I loved Uncle Jesse when he was Uncle Jesse but now I want Will! And I don't like it that they are only touching upon their relationship on the surface. It's kind of lost in the glee club tornado of emotions though it was such a shocker when she got married. I truly heart Will Schuester and hopefully they find a way to each other again! She seems to have loosened up a lot - it also shows in her wardrobe. She looks much less prim and proper in season 2. Well what we get to see of her. I do have to say I dislike her hair - whereas it was her perfect 70s flick before it now seems to have curled up and looks sometimes quite untidy throughout various episodes. Very un-Emma! Let's hope the second half of season 2 has more Emma clothes and more Emma hearting Will to offer!

I leave you now with a great quote by Jayma Mays and some links of Emmas favourite labels!

"Within one episode, Emma could be disinfecting a pencil sharpener, offering advice, and dealing with overwhelming feelings for Will Schuester...What am I saying? I really just love the clothes."

J.Crew - http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp

Anthropologie - http://www.anthropologie.eu/uk/page/home

Marc Jacobs - http://www.marcjacobs.com/

Forever 21 - http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Index.aspx?BR=F21

Kate Spade - http://www.katespade.com/home/index.jsp

Milly - http://www.millyny.com/

Nanette Lepore - http://www.nanettelepore.com/

And even though she's not so much on Emmas linklist (though not to forget the cherry earrings!) but the whole Glee cast (their show dresses!) she NEEDS a mention because I love her

Betsey Johnson - http://www.betseyjohnson.com/home/index.jsp

The great revelation

Yesterday I made the decision which Mr. Bossy has been trying to convince me of for years. Though for very different reasons. To downsize my wardrobe and sell a whole lot of items that are just sitting there. His reason to urge me on is to have more room and mine are - well mine are obvious. I want to sell so I can buy more vintage. Simple maths.

I rummaged around in my cupboard and actually had quite the revelation. I have no clue why I pussyfooted around committing to daily vintagey outfits because most of my wardrobe is anyway 50s inspired. That said I have hardly any genuine vintage items but I have a ton of big skirts and cardigans. I even have 2 pencil skirts I had for about 13 years but hardly ever wore, I was actually quite excited about 2 particular outfits I found! I always loved the 50s I just never made the concious effort to pair hair with clothes in a vintage style on a daily basis. And as I said before the 40s are new to me.

Personally I like themed outfits or dressing for the occassion. And as Season 2 of Glee (finally) started yesterday in the UK I felt very Emma Pillsburyish today. I went to my regular La Leche League meeting in the morning but even though no glamour is needed there I can still channel a bit of Emma!

Who will be my next featured style icon tomorrow by the way.

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 First I have to say I really need to get a new camera if I keep doing outfit posts because this is just dreadful. And how do I do this when Mr. Bossy is back to work on normal weekdays?

Terrible pics.

This skirt is one of my most beloved items ever. I bought it about 5 years ago at H&M. The red, white and navy flowery print resembles a bit folklore to me and the fabric is a textured cotton which is thick enough in winter and light enough in summer - I wear this skirt quite a lot. The cardigan though is new. Hurrah for Christmas! It's actually Primark but the most perfect little cardigan - navy, a white bow (I ♥ bows) and a perfect 50s cut. Add a little red belt and all good to go!

And yes I am aware that my 90s penny loafers are not the ideal pairing but I love them. I like their weird nerdy grannyish "chic" and they are so bloody comfortable. I do heels only now and then. On heels I can't chase after my cannon ball child, I can't carry and juggle toddler and 15 things safely and simply I just can't survive in them all day.

And brogues I can't count to my possessions yet. But soon.

The lovely new coat is also Primark, cheap as chips anyway but had so many threads fraying (easily snipped off) that they gave me a discount. Mr. Bossy actually found it and chose it - and did I mention I love Christmas? Yes another present or to be precise - the last item I spent the last of my Christmas money on.

Pinned to the new coat is this adorable 1940s brooch. It is just beautiful. Came with the UK sale on Ebay I mentioned in previous posts.

Sod it!

2 Posts ago I was blabbing on about big curls for playgroup are too much. But if the fabulous Ashley of Lisa Freemont Street can do a VIDEO on how to be glamorous in hospital after giving birth (seriously - how loveably crazy is that?) I can most certainly do curls at playgroup.

So I thought sod it and pin curled my hair last night.

With only my second try I have already learned so much now thanks to all the great blogs out there. This time I didn't do it as tight and didn't roll it up too close to my head. And there you go - no afro but beautiful curls all ready to go! Actually brushing out curls and shaping them around my hand is much more relaxing and easier than trying to get a pretty ponytail up on my head - so really not more effort than usual on a monday morning.

The pictures I took around lunchtime after I was already out and about for a while - by then the curls drooped a bit but not much.

As mentioned before I only started my vintage journey so dressing accordingly every day means pulling out what is (or passes as) vintage inspired. These very old slacks from New Look are so much more comfy than tight jeans and are my most wide-legged pair of trousers. For now they work. The cardigan is a newer aquisition from Oasis, when I bought it I wasn't sure about the colour, I normally wear block colours, but surprisingly the colour enhances my paleness in a beautiful way and does not wash me out as I had feared.
And look how beautifully my engagement ring has caught the light!

For the outtake gallery - my little gnome really tries to get in all the pictures. To get one just by myself is a matter of milliseconds and good luck. I actually need to find a good spot for the self timer. Today Mr. Bossy was home but usually by the time he gets home it's so dark that my crappy old camera only manages the most horrendous pictures with a flash.

You may have noticed the brooch I am wearing.

I ebayed a little while ago two lots (estate sales) - one by one I will show you all of my treasures.



This flower pin came all the way from the states. I am in love with it, I wear it nearly every time I wear something black.



I might aswell also show you the other flower pin from the same sale which is currently pinned to my black coat.

I never cared much for jewllery. If it wasn't made from plastic and shaped like a strawberry or apple. Or any other fruit. Or like Hello Kitty. I always said to everyone - the day I like jewllery I start getting old. Well I must be really getting old now not only the wrinkles slowly emerging are proving this but also my new obsession with vintage costume jewllery. I am in love with goldtone brooches, sweater guards, glove and scarf clips mostly from the 40s and 50s. SO beautiful! I always appreciated art deco jewllery because my mother always had a thing for it but I myself was never interested in it. But that's my next exploration after fashion and accessories - the history of jewllery.

No privacy here it seems

In my quest to broaden my blog audience I decided not to blog about my child anymore, I took down all the pictures on the sidebar and was even contemplating to remove all the old posts. Privacy reasons.

But I can't help it. I have to show another picture.

Before he's all grown up. :-)

Home is where the vintage heart is - Part I

I am so excited! I have blogged more this year than the whole of 2010! Last year was a shit year. Excuse my french but that's about it in a nut shell. Big things should have happened, crap things happened instead.

Also reason why I didn't feel like blogging or sharing.

So 2011 will be better, I am SO motivated. I'll turn my life around, I'll get more organised, life will be great again! I am currently giving myself a make-over (much blogged about already) - but also in attitude. I will share more about this in the future.

The blog also had a revitalisation and I am so buzzed about it. It gives me great motivation and within the last month I gained over 30 followers - silly thing to make you happy but it does, just last week over 20!

In 2010 I really didn't want to craft, didn't know what to blog about, thought I never get to my vintage goals anyway... I shan't drone on about 2010 anymore I promise!

And now I have so many ideas for the blog up my sleeve, my mind is boggling! I am planning quite a few series, the style icon series I have already started, I want to feature vintage blog heroes but also real life ones I find locally and the one I am most excited about I am starting with this post:

Home is where the vintage heart is!

I'll source local (or surrounding area, I don't live in a big city) vintage sellers/shops/venues and blog about them to promote and spread the vintage love - the series will start with a fayre I am going to tell you about in a minute, then a vintage seller in Bedford I have already chatted to about it, a burlesque shop in Bedford and also the Bedford Burlesque Club. Soon you'll know more!

I also plan lot's more hair posts, maybe even day to day wear and let's not forget a pinch of baking and crocheting! I think I like my main focus on vintage but I really don't want to forget my love for kawaii!

Ok enough rambling. Let's get to the point!

I was so excited to find out about this:

ORIGINATE, creative craft and vintage fayre

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Flitwick is a village very near me and nearly all my in-laws happen to live there! So it's kind of my home turf!

The fayre in the village hall is combining crafting with vintage clothing sellers - seriously this is paradise for me! I found out too late about it otherwise I would get myself a stall to sell a bit of my own crochet stuff and whip up some 40s snoods as my very own vintage inspired part to sell. But with the sleeping troubles my little boy is going through at the moment there is just no way to crochet enough. But never mind the lovely lady who is organising this great event told me there will be another one in April if this one goes well.

So please come, browse and buy!

If you happen to be a crafter or a vintage seller - a stall costs £15 and she's not fully booked yet, e-mail Donna at dlkurly@yahoo.com. Admission for the public is free!

Flitwick is a village in Bedfordshire north of junction 12 on the M1 so in easy reach for all around!

HERE's how you get there and more info about the location!

How to do vintage inspired hair in a few minutes - with straight hair!

I have dead straight hair. I am taking to the idea of pin curling my hair more often and sleeping on the set but I still doubt I will do it every three days.

Apart from that - I have serious difficulties in showing up in time for all our morning appointments as it is. And I go to toddler playgroups most mornings - though I always had a tendency to overdress and for sure have no problem with this - big curls or rolls at playgroup is even a bit too much for me :-)

So what's the solution? Rosie is!



Rosie the Riveter was an American feminist icon during WWII - she represented the female factory workers who took over the predominantly male roles in the factories while the men had gone to war. This image by J. Howard Miller became associated with Rosie but originally she was a fictional character in a song. Nevertheless is THIS picture the inspiration for many!



And the Rosie style is so easy to do - a much closer interpretation I have shown HERE but it took much more effort than today.

This is an even easier version.

This is obviously no make-up tutorial - I looked after my friends kids today so yours truly sans make-up was good enough for the kiddos!

And this is all you need:

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I normally tie a much smaller square scarf folded into a triangle around my head - this quite long and large vintage beauty was a lovely gift from Mr. Bossys sister and her fiancee (who is very much into vintage herself hence the great resourcing - I think the scarf is from the 80s, polkadots were very trendy then aswell, the brand is St. Michaels). The long long shape was a new thing for my head. You'll also need a hair band, a few kirby grips and some of those hair clips (how do you call them?)



Tie your hair into a high ponytail, if you don't have a fringe/bangs leave out a small section at the front.

Put the fringe or the section of hair back into a pompadour, if teasing is needed - well tease happily away, secure with kirby grips (I put them criss cross).

Part the ponytail in many smaller sections, roll each section around your finger and pin down with those black clips (or whatever you prefer - any clip will do, I find those hold up the best and are so easy to use, easier than kirby grips).

Fold the scarf in half and tie around your head, let it sit right behind the pompadour and right behind your ears. I like to secure it with a few kirby grips. Today I tied the scarf twice around my head as I didn't need to dress up, but I also like a big bow on my head!

Et voilà - done in just a few minutes. With this look I like it if it looks a bit messy, stray hair is fine to me.
It adds to the playfulness of that look methinks!