Archive for the ‘Vintage’ Category
-
Thrifty frames & Curious walls
Hanging artwork on the wall without a frame is evil. It’s like arranging roses in a vase without water.
This is something I’ve just recently come to understand. For the longest time, I’ve treated my art work (and walls!) as most students do - a poster here, a photo there…hmmm… some more there… some bits of tape, perhaps some glue and voila! Nice. Now let’s hit the pub.
A fraction of my unframed photography, previously taped to the wall...
I love photography and having amassed a large collection of photos through the past few years, I’m always on the look out for frames. Empty frames. Frames with pictures, paintings. Frames of all sizes and shapes. Old frames, new frames. Great frames can be as interesting and decorative as the artwork itself! Read full post
-
Notes on New Challenges: Catwalk Fashion
Burberry
Rachelle has send us a challenge, and Oola Moola is on the case! She’s asked Oola Moola..
“…to recreate a very now on trend look straight from
the catwalk using pieces sourced only from charity shops … good
luck! x”Straight from the catwalk… hmmm, maybe I’m being a bit of an optimist…(& a fabulous copy cat!), but … Read full post
Posted in Bargains & Markets, Fashion, Vintage
-
How the DIY wedding adventure began…
It all started in a midwestern high school way back in ‘97. Seriously. However, there were eleven years of romantic whimsy and wanton deviance of all sorts between our awkward adolescent fumbles and a two-week courtship in December ‘08 that led to an impassioned engagement and subsequent whirlwind wedding taking place this month (and, no, I’m not preggers, before the thought even enters your mind)!
Which, in very short form, brings us to here and now, with my fingers furiously and nimbly crafting away as my mind goes through a mini-checklist of ‘to dos’ for the forthcoming DIY nuptials.
Getting married is hard work (but the prep is satisfying too and I am silly excited to become Mrs. Teas). No doubt about it, dears. Even with shed loads of dosh, I bet it’s still a full-time job. The minutiae of it all boggles the mind. The Future Husband (henceforth referred to as FH) and I decided to do it on a temporal (out of necessity) and monetary budget (out of principle. I would rather die than spend a mint on a wedding), having only four months and limited finances to pull it off. Now, if you truly wanted to do DIY, you could just elope and carry a crate of wine to a mate’s house for a cozy party but doing that would have broken my mother’s heart and I don’t want that on my conscience. If elopement’s not an option, then I’m hoping my blow-by-blow posts might shed some light on how to make a wedding look fabulous without costing a fortune and leaving you insolvent before the words ‘I do’ even leave your lips.
The challenge: spend as little as possible while creating a stylish, intimate wedding by hand where possible; maintain my sanity; have a good time (I outright refuse to be so stressed out that I don’t enjoy the lead up to the big day or the day itself. What’s the point if I don’t enjoy it!?).
The checklist:
- Booze
- Cake
- Centerpieces
- Decor
- Dress
- Flowers
- Food
- Games
- Glasses/utensils, etc.
- Guest book
- Guest Favors
- Hair and makeup
- Honeymoon
- Invitations
- Judges
- Marriage license
- Music
- Parents gifts
- Photographer
- Rings
- Suit
- Tables/chairs, etc.
- Thank you cards
- Venue
- Vows
(You’ll notice a few things missing, like ridiculous engagement ring, rehearsal dinner, bridal party and all its trimmings, shower et al. The first and easiest way to cut down on the price of your wedding is to cut out all the unnecessary faff.)
And now the fun begins. Tools needed are: elbow grease, creativity, an eye for bargains and a well of personal favours. To date, we’ve nearly completed our wedding checklist for just shy of $10,000 (approx. £6,000. Sounds like a lot but add up everything and it’s a steal, really). The average cost of a wedding in American in 2009 is apparently $30,000 says the Bridal Assoc. of America. (And let’s be honest… I don’t know many who’ve spent even close to 30K… as FH has said, 100K is just an entry figure in the parlance of so many people. Stats are misguiding and this one is a national average and thus includes the full spectrum of weddings. Plus, it doesn’t include the price of engagement rings, which men spend too much on.) So, in reality, we’ve planned ours on a fraction of the typical spend on a big wedding nowadays (we still have 100 people coming. Big families).
And it’s friggin’ fun.
How are we doing it? Visit this space to find out.
(We’ll break down the numbers below for you post by post as they’re written since this in a sort of reverse chronological order.)
Total spent: £6,280 ($9,500 at today’s exchange rate)
Total saved: £13,554 (based on the average cost of an American wedding at today’s exchange rate)
-
How to win big (and save loads) on Ebay
Here are the beloved Marni boots I scored on Ebay a couple of months ago. They’re exactly what I was after: flat heels and over the knee in a rich chocolate brown. If I bought them in-store I would have payed £850. On Ebay I paid just £53. They are seriously the best boots I’ve ever owned, but it took a little time (and Ebay savvy) to get my mits on them.
Here are my top tips for scoring big on Ebay:
• If you’re after a specific item, do your research first. Make sure you’re aware of its actual retail value.
• Resist the urge to bid on the very first thing you find. Spend a couple of weeks watching similar items on Ebay first and see how much they go for. For instance, I’ve been watching Anglepoise lamps on Ebay for the past couple of months. It’s been really interesting to see not only how much they go for, but the variety of lamps on offer – varying from very poor condition to completely re-conditioned and brand-spanking new! When I eventually come to bid on a lamp I’ll be much more confident about how much I can expect to pay.
• Save searches to your Ebay profile and sign up for daily emails alerting you to new auctions. I’ve currently saved 92 searches to my profile, and get about 40 emails a day! (I know it’s a lot but I just quickly scan the auctions for any outstanding gems.)
• Include mis-spellings in your saved searches, such as Mui Mui (instead of Miu Miu) and Vivenne Westwood (instead of Vivienne Westwood). It’s amazing how many people get the spelling wrong in their auctions – and how they’re easily overlooked.
• To avoid missing out at the last second, make sure you snipe by using a service like Just Snipe. It may be a wee bit naughty and not exactly in the spirit of Ebay, but let’s face it, everyone does it and Ebay doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. A snipe service will put in a bid during the last few seconds of the auction (which is extremely difficult and quite frantic when you try to do it manually). All you need to do is nominate your maximum bid and it will do all the work for you.
Total spent: £53
Value of boots: £850
Total saved: £797What’s your best buy on Ebay? Got any top tips of your own?
Posted in Bargains & Markets, Fashion, Vintage
-
Where can you find an off-the-peg designer wedding dress for under £500 [Part 2]
In our bid to find the ultimate dream gowns for under 500 quid, we stumbled across some truly amazing high street options. Take Coast, for instance. They’ve got an entire section dedicated to weddings and occasion wear, and we spotted some absolutely drop-dead gorgeous styles. Karen Millen is also a great go-to option for frocks that you can wear again on a big night out (ensuring maximum wear-for-cost value).
You may also like to check out You and Your Wedding, which has a comprehensive wedding dress section. Check out the wedding dresses under £750 for more inspiration!
As promised, here are our top six wedding dresses for under £500. We’ve picked dresses that will suit every style of wedding, from traditional church nuptials to more laid-back and casual affairs…
Top row from left to right:
Verona silk organza frill dress, £150, from Coast.
Japanese paper cotton strapless dress, featuring big bouquet origami detail at the front, £500, by Designers Remix from Net-a-porter.
Mancini tulle dress featuring full skirt and corsage of ivory blooms and ribbons in sage, ivory and lemon, £160, from Coast.
Bottom row from left to right:
DAY Birger et Mikkelsen taupe silk gown with bead-embellished neckline, £300, from Net-a-porter.
Thurley silk gown with lace detailing, £555 (OK, a tad over budget but it’s drop-dead stunning!), exclusively available from Net-a-porter.
Angel grecian-style maxi dress £275, from Coast.If you decide to go down the off-the-peg road, it might be a good idea to take your dress to a tailor to get it altered for a better fit. Also, if you need extra support and your dress doesn’t have any in-built corsetry, you may want to consider getting fitted for a corset or basque at a specialist lingerie store like Rigby & Peller, who have in-store experts with an eagle-eye for ultimate fit. Make sure you take along your dress to your appointment so they can ensure you get the right cut and style. And control pants-of-steel are also an excellent wear-again investment, especially if your dress is sleek or bias-cut.
Happy wedding days!
-
Where can you find an off-the-peg designer wedding dress for under £500?
Thanks to Jenbug for sending us this challenge, which initially sounded completely scary considering the average bride in the UK shells out £826 on her dream dress. But once we started looking around we soon discovered thet there are many beautiful budget-friendly options around to choose from.
Firstly, keep in mind that there are many factors that go into the expense of a wedding dress. With a bespoke gown, you’re paying for the hours of work that go into the various stages of getting an exact fit, as well as extensive corsetry and hand-finished details such as beading and embroidery.
But I was genuinely amazed at the quality of some of the designer dresses I found, including the Elizabeth Emanuel range at Bhs, which are all priced at £495 (see pic above). I was equally impressed with the Star by Julian McDonald range at Debenhams (see right, for £200).If I had my time again I may be inclined to splash the 500 quid on a gorgeous cream or white dress by a fabulous designer such as Vivienne Westwood or Philip Lim, which are both available from Selfridges. In fact, Selfridges stocks an excellent range of wedding-worthy frocks under £495 – keep an eye out for designers such as Malene Birger, Milly, Westwood Red Label, Maje, Tibi, Paul & Joe and Haute Hippie. A quick whirl around the shop floor also revealed some gorgeous cream or white options including a Vivienne Westwood Anglomania white cotton corset ribbed dress for £340 and a Marc by Marc Jacobs one-shouldered embroidered dress for £310.
The best thing about a ‘non-traditional’ wedding dress is that you could get more than one wear out of it – not to mention wearing a fabulous designer on your wedding day. Matches is also an excellent source for affordable designer frocks. This divine silk crepe shift by Freda would look ‘60s-style simple and chic for a city wedding – a total steal at £98. And I really like this flirty crochet dress by Diane von Furstenberg.
Then there is this heavenly Roksanda Ilincic silk satin gown (see right) from Net-a-porter.com, which is slightly over budget at £625, but still excellent value for your wedding day.And although it may not be exactly “designer”, there are many stunning vintage wedding dresses that come in well under budget. I love the fabulous fifties wedding gowns from Love Miss Daisy, like this breathtaking ballerina-length dress with delicate ivory French lace for £390.
Tomorrow: our top six wedding dresses under £500.
-
Day trip to Paris for £50 [Part 3]
I’m back from Paris – and despite the fact that I “failed” the challenge by exceeding the £50 budget before setting foot in France, I think I did fairly well by only spending a grand total of €11.20 on the day. I enjoyed a glorious day of the very best that Paris has to offer in terms of sight-seeing, shopping and eating local food. (You could definitely get by on less than €10 a day in Paris, but unfortunately the hot weather got the better of me and I succumbed to the lure a €2.50 strawberry icecream on Ile St Louis.)
I saved money by packing my own bottle of water and preparing a “grazing” box of nuts, dried fruit and bits of chocolate I found in the pantry. This really helped as the pound has taken quite a beating in recent months – for instance, a latte will set you back around €3.80, whilst the asking price from a bistro for a glass of Coke is €5. I could have prepared a packed lunch as well, but part of the challenge was that I actually eat local food, so that was out of the question.
Here’s how my day panned out:
7.15am Departed St Pancras International on Eurostar.
9.30am Arrived at Gare du Nord station in Paris.
9.45am Purchased a single Metro ticket (€1.60) to the Marais.
10am Arrived in the Marais and spent some time window-shopping and picking up a few items for my picnic lunch. I found a bakery, patisserie and fromagerie on rue de Bretagne, and spent a total of €5.50. This was actually a really good, budget-wise move, as I had enough bread and cheese for both lunch and dinner – score!
12 noon. Headed to the Musée Carnavalet, which offers free admission. Spent a couple of hours checking out the extensive collection devoted entirely to the history of Paris. The beautiful manicured hedge garden was also a highlight – like a mini Versailles! – and provided a valuable resting stop in between all the history and art.
2pm. Found the most gorgeous little park just opposite Musee Carnavalet on rue des Francs Bourgeois for my picnic lunch. The cheese and baguette went down a treat – with lots left over for afternoon munchings and dinner! (So much more affordable and thrifty than getting a single take-away Croque Monsieur for €6.50.)
2.30pm. Walked back through the Marais towards the Seine, stopping to look at a few discount and vintage shops. If you’re up for a fashion bargain, you might like to check out these shops:
Free ‘P’ Star Bretonnerie – cheap vintage fashion (see below). Climb the ladder to the little loft area and rummage through the €5 handbags. 8 rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie
La Belle Epoque – vintage fashion. 10 rue du Poitou
Come on Eileen – vintage fashion. 16 rue des Taillandiers
L’Habileur – discounted second-hand designer fashion, including A.P.C. and Vanessa Bruno. 44 rue de Poitou
3pm – Walked across Pont Louis Philippe to Ile St Louis, stopping to admire the Seine in the afternoon sunshine. Joined the queue at Berthillon for a delicious €2.50 fraise glacee (strawberry icecream).
3.15pm – Crossed Pont St Louis and watched street buskers for a bit of free entertainment. Stopped for a rest in the square at the back of Notre Dame, which is also a great place to pass some (free) time in Paris. I made a beeline for the seats under the shady avenue of trees.
3.30pm – Visited Notre Dame, which is free entry (although you have to pay if you want to go up the towers) – and marvelled at the stained glass windows and vaulted arches. Amazing building.
4.30pm – Crossed to the Left Bank and browsed legendary bookshop Shakespeare & Co. (Tip: the upstairs window gives you one of the best (free!) views of Notre Dame. There are also lots of chairs and benches for (free!) reading.
5pm – Wandered around the back streets of the Left Bank, visiting tiny churches and looking in shop windows, before getting another single Metro ticket (€1.60) back to Gare du Nord station to catch the Eurostar back to London.
TOTAL SPENT: £70.20
USUAL COST OF DAY TRIP TO PARIS:
£309 (Fully-flexible standard Eurostar fare)
£15 (Standard bistro lunch for one)
£20 (Standard bistro dinner for one)
£5.80 (One day Mobilis Metro ticket)
––––
£349.70
TOTAL SAVED: £279.60Take a look at the video of my glorious €11.20 day in Paris…
Oola Moola goes to Paris from OolaMoola on Vimeo.Posted in Entertainment, Fashion, Food, Travel, Vintage
-
Car boot sales – the best for thrifty booty
Last weekend, my challenge was to put a car boot sale to the Oola Moola thrift test, so I headed off to one of London’s biggest in Battersea. My objective was to see what I could get for 10 quid, and to be honest, I didn’t really expect to be blown away by what was on offer. However, I was not only pleasantly surprised by the volume of quality thrift, but the prices were also extremely reasonable. (It’s an interesting sign of the times when one is used to paying high prices for other people’s tat.) But Battersea offered loads of bargainous gems, including vintage costume jewellery brooches for 50p, old Gina and Prada shoes for £20, and antique pewter for a couple of quid.
For a full directory of car boot sales in the UK, head over to carbootjunction.com.
If you’re thinking of visiting your local car boot sale over the long weekend, you might like to read my tips for success:
- Get there early.
- Be prepared to rummage – and haggle for a better deal.
- If the seller doesn’t want to reduce the price on a single item, try asking them to do a deal on a couple of items (e.g. “Would you take £10 for the dress and the brooch?”)
- Go with an idea in mind of what you’re after, and what price you’d expect to pay elsewhere (ie. you don’t want to pay antique shop prices.)
- Sunny days will be busiest – so cloudy, drizzly days are your best bet for coming away with a good haul.
- Don’t forget to take a couple of canvas shopping bags for all your thrifty finds.
I really loved having a good nosey around all the stalls, and I managed to pick up some really great bargains. I’ve had my eye vintage dog on wheels for a couple of years, and I finally got one! The asking price was £8, but I managed to get it for £6 - although I had to give him a bath when I got home! I also picked up a couple of vintage English chocolate tins for £1, and a pair of vintage ‘Empire Made’ cotton gloves for £2 (I talked them down from £3). To round it all off, I picked up a couple of old books (Oliver Twist and an English guide to birds, with the most beautiful colour illustrations) for another £1. Pretty good haul, don’t you think?
Battersea car boot sale
Battersea Technology College
Battersea Park Road, London SW11
Every Sunday from 1.30pm.
-
The best thrifty investment
Here at Oola Moola we’re always on the hunt for clever thrifty tips, budget buys and easily-digestible money management advice. So we were naturally thrilled to discover that the latest book by author India Knight, The Thrift Book: Live well and spend less, rather brilliantly ticks all the right boxes.India’s known for her exquisite taste and sense of style – after all, she penned a book all about shopping! So she’s quite the expert guide in showing you exactly how to dress on a budget (and still look fab); make your own awesome gifts; travel the world with very little money, and grow your own delicious food.
And more. So much more, in fact, that you’ll just have to run out and buy it. But be warned – you might just surprise yourself and save quite a lot of moolah!
Posted in Beauty, Crafting, Decor, Entertainment, Fashion, Food, Gifts, Health & Fitness, Travel, Vintage
-
DIY tutorial of the week: Make a dress out of a pillowcase
I’ve been scouring the web for the ultimate in Make Do and Mend. And I think this genius tutorial for making a dress out of a pillowcase pretty much fits the bill.
Marceline over at Asking for Trouble shows you how to work some magic on an old pillowcase in very clear, easy-to-follow steps. All you need is a sewing machine, a pillowcase and some basic sewing skills. Read full post
