Some Favourite Bargain Spots

I like to shop around when it comes to charity shop shopping to find the best places with the most interesting items.  Things I look out for are:

1. Look how the shop is arranged, sometimes items are arranged in colour sometimes in size. Its a lot easier to shop in the colour arranged shops if you don't like to rummage too much.  Just use your eye along the rails and pick out colours and patterns you like rather than looking through every piece of clothing.  I like to look at every piece in case I miss a gem, but not everyone is the same.

2. I go to either affluent or creative areas to find items that either are more expensive or suit my style.  So for example I like to go to the charity shops in Leamington Spa and Stratford-uponAvon as there is quite a lot of designer items that have hardly ever been worn.  Shakespeare's Hospice in Stratford-upon-Avon even has a rail labeled 'Posh Pieces'.  Some still have the original labels on.  The smaller villages outside of the larger towns are sometimes just as good but a bit cheaper.  Another of my favourite spots is the Oxfam shop in Moseley Birmingham as the area is a creative hotspot and I can find lots of quirky individual pieces.

3.  When you have found a fantastic gem be sure to check things like crotches and arm pits for staining and wear.  The items do get thoroughly checked by the shop staff but it doesn't hurt to make sure.

Hi and welcome to the Shanty House Blog.  Here you can expect to find largely advice on styling yourself into designer trends for pittance.  Also lots of tips on little ways to revamp old bits and bobs of clothing into new pieces or outfits.  

I started out when I was young about 10 years old making clothes for my Barbie.  I couldn’t afford the packs of Barbie clothing with my £1 pocket money I got a week, so I started cutting up my old clothes and sewing them into dolls outfits.  I then found at 16 years old, that my pocket money (still £1 a week) wasn’t enough to afford fabulous outfits for myself and so started slap dashing myself new pieces of clothing together from old stuff too.  From there I’ve not been able to stop and I make things here and there when they come to mind, or if somebody nice I've met would like something in particular.

I got myself a gig on the C4 show ‘SuperScrimpers‘ and started up this blog to share some of the things I did on the show and other projects too.  

You’ll find all sorts that I’m inspired by; photography, designer looks and trends, street style and other brands and labels that I’ve discovered.  Also advice on how to style charity shop clothing into fashionable catwalk trends, and the best places to go to get what your looking for.  

I hope you enjoy the blog and hopefully pick up some tips.  Please leave as many comments as you like and send through any thrifty tips you may have followed or thought of yourself.  

Bye Bye 

Bex from Shanty House   

Pastel Paradise

Catwalk Trends...

Pastel trends 2012 gave us a fresh look for our spring/summer wardrobes and thankfully they are here again for 2013! 

Peaches and cream, lilacs and mint greens, pastel pinks and mid tone blues in clothing, bags and shoes. Our whole wardrobe can be filled with light pretty romantic colours and patterns. 

But it doesn't have to cost a fortune!.....

Mulberry-Spring-Summer-2013
This outfit is beautiful the I adore the addition of pattern to the light colours
and I love the colours from the set too!

Here are some of the coolest celebs stepping out in their pastel outfits.
The tone of pink on trend is more a mid tone than a pastel.
Mixing pastels with mid tone colours
 (deeper than pastel but not as bright as brights)
helps to add richness to the look.

Photo - http-//static.lindex.com/Archive/Umbraco/1897249/celebs-in-pastels

The catwalk is bringing us beautiful pastel pinks, blues and greens
in wonderfully feminine flowing fabrics

Photo - http-//lustrelife.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Pastels

 Now for the Charity Shop Copy....

Here I've styled a nice simple mix of soft blues and pinks.
All the fabrics are floaty and soft adding that femininity
we saw in the catwalk trends for the season
I've brought in pattern with the blouse and then used
block colours of pastel pink and mid tone blue that tie in with it.
Don't shy away from wearing pastel trousers.
Most people stay safe and wear the darker colours
at the bottom of their outfits.
Do the opposite and get a more designer/celeb look
that stands out from the crowd.

I found this blouse in a charity shop and on closer inspection found that it was hand made!
It only cost me £2.50.
The blue top was just £1.99, and the trousers were £3

Remember...Pick up the key points from the trends and copy them in your own way.

This way you can get the look but do not have to spend a fortune.

For this trend its, pattern, pastels and mid tones mixed. 

Check out some more pastel trends to copy here....

http://www.elle.com/fashion/trend-reports/spring-2013-trends#slide-1

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-articles/pastel-shoes-bags-accessories-trend-1212#slide-1