Spots!

It was just warm enough to wear this dress on Saturday before a thunder storm with torrential rain drove everyone indoors mid afternoon.

I bought it from a charity shop last autumn for about £2 in an end of summer clearance sale and it found its way to the back of my wardrobe and I forgot about it. It started life in Next.

I am in two minds about keeping it. I quite like the pattern but I am not convinced about the style looks on me. It is also shorter than I prefer.

My teenage daughter, Hannah, quite likes it so I may donate it to her. It will probably look better on a younger person!

Charity Shop Dress

I am so pleased more and more charity shops are now reopening. I couldn't resist a tour of the shops over the weekend, proceeding with caution due to the social distancing and other Covid 19 restrictions.

I bought one sleeveless dress in a purple and white floral design with a black belt and edging. It was new to M & S and cost me £4.50.

I wore it on Sunday afternoon and Hannah took some photos which will also be added to her college portfolio.

Back Again!

I am so pleased to have something to post again!

Our charity shops are opening again with social distancing restrictions. Only two customers are allowed in at the same time and you can't try on garments in the changing rooms. Some of the rails have also been removed to create more space.

As from next week we will have to wear face masks when entering shops.

I could not wait to have a look in my favourite shop as soon as it opened and just had to buy something. I chose this sleeveless summer dress with a largely blue floral pattern. It is a little shorter than I prefer but it only cost £3.00.

We just need some warm summer weather now so that I can wear it.

Hannah got me to wear it on Sunday so that she could complete a photo shoot for a college project - hence the rather strange pose!

Woollen Top.

I am hopeful that our charity shops will be allowed to reopen within the next month with appropriate social distancing arrangements as I am now experiencing real withdrawal symptoms at not being able to browse in my favourite charity shops for nearly 8 weeks now. People's health is far more important of course though as we strive to beat this terrible virus.

One item that I bought some time ago but never got around to posting is this black top in a thin woollen material with a silver leaf pattern around the neck. I would have paid around £2.50 for it and I have worn it several times at weekends.

I am wearing it here with my dark grey trousers.

I hope that you like this top.

Lilac Dress

With charity shops being closed for over six weeks now, I have severe withdrawal symptoms being a charity shop addict. Hopefully the lock down will soon start to be relaxed here in the UK with appropriate safeguards and non-food shops will start to reopen perhaps by the end of this month.

I have been search through pictures taken during the last few years to try to find some outfits that I didn't get around to posting on my blog. I found this lilac patterned dress. It is knee length and sleeveless. Features include the decorative belt and wide pleats.

The colour is not so good in the sideways view which may be why I didn't post earlier. The dress does not have a manufacturer's label but it would have cost me about £4.00 to £4.50. The shoes are Clark's.

Another Dress

I hope that you are all keeping well in these challenging times. It seems like we have been in lock down for ever but it is actually four weeks ago this evening.

I have really missed meeting my friends and colleagues - working from home is not the same (but I don't miss the journey to the office when the roads are congested) but of course it is essential to keep everyone safe.

It is five weeks since the charity shops closed and I think that I am recovering from my withdrawal symptoms of not being able to have my almost daily search for bargains during my lunchtime.

I have found these pictures of yet another turquoise dress that Hannah took probably over a year ago. You couldn't possibly guess that turquoise is my favourite colour.

This dress is knee length, which I prefer, and has a St Michael label. It would have cost me about £4. I found it in the back of my wardrobe after seeing it in these pictures and will definitely wear it again when we can go out and about again this summer.

Summer Dress

With all charity shops currently closed, I have no new finds to show you so I am currently going through some photos that I did not get around to posting last year.

Firstly this summer dress. As regular readers will know, turquoise is one of my favourite colours so I quickly bought this dress as soon as I spotted it in my size. It was priced at £4.00 and I rather liked the pattern.

It was slightly shorter than I would have liked and virtually sleeveless but I thought I could wear it in cooler weather with a cream or white cardigan.

However I was too quick in buying it and should have examined it more carefully as there was a flaw on the back. A slight hole! I am sure not too many people would have noticed it but once I spotted it I would have felt self conscious in wearing it. I donated it back to the shop pointing out the hole and no doubt they put it in their recycling bags.

Have you ever made mistakes when buying clothes?

Rebecca's Story

I am sure some of you must be wondering about the name of my blog so now I have plenty of time on my hands and not that many new items of clothing to show you I thought I would post a recap of my story which dates back to Autumn 2013.

I grew up in a Christian environment where we attended Church each Sunday. My family were not overly religious but my mother always wore skirts and dresses and I followed suit. A number of other girls in my school who became my best friends also always wore skirts and dresses and we never really considered the need or had any desire to wear trousers or jeans.

In early October, one of my two closest friends announced that she had been considering buying a pair of trousers. My other friend and I were somewhat surprised as we had not given the subject that much thought. I had never really had any strong desire to wear trousers but did not have any objection to women who did. I was simply content wearing my skirts.

I do not believe women's trousers contravene the teachings of Deuteronomy 22.5 "that woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man...." as they are specifically designed for the female body.

I was, however, surprised how smart my friend looked in trousers and that started to sew the thought in my mind of wondering whether I should follow suit.

The question of whether I should start wearing trousers occupied my thoughts for several weeks.

Several things happened to help me make up my mind.

Firstly, I started to work part time in an accountancy office. My family were now growing up and at school all day so I felt I was able to work a few hours in the middle of the day without harming their welfare. I was there when they left the house in the morning and there when they returned in late afternoon. I could work from home or take leave during school holidays.

I wore a white blouse and knee length black or grey skirt to the office but it was a noticeable that the other women, who were of a similar age to me, all regularly wore black trousers. After a week or so, one of my colleagues asked me why I didn't wear trousers to work and she was very surprised when I told her that I never had any and had never worn them. The other girls joined in and they all said how comfortable trousers were to wear, how practical they were for various activities and how warm they were in winter. I told them that I had managed to carry out all sorts of tasks in skirts throughout my life without any problems but it just gave me further food for thought, no doubt as I was already considering the idea. Previously I would have dismissed the subject from my mind very quickly.

Secondly, Lisa my other friend who was a skirts/dresses only wearer bought a pair of grey trousers. I didn't realise that she wore jeans and trousers for a while when she was away at Uni so it was not such a big step for her. Like Marie, my other friend, I could not deny that trousers suited her. Lisa knew I was considering wearing trousers as well and knew that I was having real difficulty in making a decision.

I discussed the issue at length with my husband and he told me that it was my decision. He did not mind if I wanted to wear trousers and he would support whichever conclusion I came to.

Lisa invited me around for coffee on a day when I didn't have to go into the office. We are about the same size in clothes and she suggested that I try on her trousers to see how they felt and so that I could see what I looked like in them. I, at first, laughed at the suggestion but Lisa knew how the matter was troubling me and eventually persuaded me to change in her bathroom. I knew that she would not take no for an answer and felt that it would be better than trying on trousers for the first time in a shop changing room!

Lisa's trousers fitted me quite well but they did feel really strange. My legs felt strange when I walked encased in material and there was a different sensation with tighter material around my bottom. Lisa took some photos to mark the momentous occasion and also to let me judge on how appropriate my possible new look might be.

The trousers were a very modest cut with fairly wide legs. They were actually surprisingly comfortable. I did have some modesty concerns however. I was concerned that attention would be drawn to my crotch area from the front and also I was worried about the emphasis on my bottom from the rear. I was not used to my bottom being so prominent in clothing.

Lisa finally convinced me that I should buy a pair of trousers and offered to come with me to the local shopping centre. I knew that I wanted black trousers suitable for wearing to the office and that they should be fairly modest in style to accord with my normal choice of clothing. We had done some research on line and knew which shops would give a reasonable selection to choose from.

We spent nearly an hour searching what seemed endless rails of ladies trousers and me disappearing into changing rooms. Eventually, I discovered a pair in M & S which fitted well, were a modest cut and very comfortable. They were not the cheapest (nearly £35.00) but were good quality and I felt happy with them. I was really excited when I left the shop clutching the green carrier - I had my own trousers! I felt like a child at Christmas rather than a grown women in her 30s.

I tried them on again at home and kept looking at myself in the mirror. I kept on doing a double take - I was wearing trousers! I wondered what the reaction would be when my husband and children first saw me. The children just exclaimed "Wow!" and were left with their mouths open and then said "you look like all the other mums now" My husband thought that I looked great and wondered why I had not bought some trousers sooner.

I still had reservations at wearing them in public. I was conscious at strangers being able to look at my crotch area and at my bottom. I am sure that it was due to my Christian upbringing. I concluded that it would be best to wear a long shirt or tunic to conceal those more delicate areas at least at first until I got used to wearing them in public.

My first appearance in trousers in the office resulted in more gasps of astonishment and cries of "but you don't do trousers!" I was pleased that I was now like the other girls in trousers but it still felt odd with material encasing my legs after a lifetime of skirts!

Here I am in my "new" office attire.

I hope that this story did not bore you too much and it may even inspire some of you to step outside of your comfort zone!

Memories of Summer

Just a quick post this week in these difficult times. I am now working from home and avoiding going out to the town centre unless it is essential. Many of my favourite charity shops have closed as the volunteers are retired people. 

I don't think I have posted on this summer dress before. I bought it some two years ago for about £4.50 and this photo was taken in the summer of 2018. It was a warm day and I did not need a cardigan!

It is slightly shorter than I would have preferred and I am wearing it with my white sandals and white necklace.

Hopefully by the time summer fully arrives, life will be getting back to normality and we will be able to enjoy life outdoors once again.

In the meantime - take care and stay safe!

Padded Jacket

I hope you are all keeping safe and well in these difficult times.

I had been looking for a waterproof padded jacket for some time and was really pleased to find this one in a charity shop last week for £4.50.

As you can see it is in navy blue and has a zip fastening - reinforced with poppers.

It was good to get a little sunshine to enable Hannah to take these photos out in the park and it is also encouraging to see some Spring blossom at last.

Turquoise Top

I have not had much luck with finds in my local charity shops recently but last week I did buy this top. Most people will know that my favourite colour is turquoise so I just could not resist it for £2.50!

I am wearing it here with a necklace that I have had for many years and which matches perfectly colour wise.

I wore the top on a visit to a furniture exhibition yesterday. I just had to try out this futuristic seat (it was too small to be a hammock!). I am not sure if I would have one in my home though.

I wore the top with jeans. It is now over a year since my daughter, Hannah, bought me my first pair of jeans at the grand old age of 38 and I must admit I find them surprisingly comfortable and I wear them most weekends!

My shoes were bought new from Clarks.

Looking Ahead

We have had several really bad storms with high winds and torrential rain during recent weeks here in the UK which has sadly resulted in hundreds of people having their homes flooded as swollen rivers over top their banks. Luckily we live on higher ground which is unlikely to flood but we will be praying for those poor people who have lost all their possessions and will be having a collection for them at Church on Sunday.

I am looking forward to better weather with spring now less than a month away. I bought this dress for just £2.50 last weekend on a charity shop half price rail. I may have to wait a while before I can wear it but at that price I couldn't resist buying it. It is maybe two inches shorter than I would have liked. It started life in Marks and Spencer and it is in a wool/polyester mix. 

What do you think?

Mauve Dress

I bought this mauve dress this week in my favourite charity shop for £4.50. It is knee length with short sleeves and started its life in Marks & Spencer.

I rather like the colour and the button detailing. I am sure I will be wearing it regularly during the summer.

For those of you who are wondering, my husband was just out of sight with a warm coat which I put on as soon as Hannah had finished taking these pictures!

White Top

My latest charity shop purchase is this white top. It has half sleeves and interesting details to the front together with with a belt and bow which my husband likes as he says that it shows off my figure!

The top cost me £2.00 and the label is "Barwin" which I must admit is new to me. I am wearing it with one of my black office skirts and black Clarks shoes.

Pale Pink Top

I found this top in a charity shop a few days ago for £2.00. It looks white in the pictures but it is actually a very pale pink. It also has horizontal features incorporated in the material which adds interest. The material is composite with wool being the major component making it quite warm and ideal for this time of the year. I have worn it extensively over this weekend.

The jeans were new from Primark. They were described as "comfort fit" and that had proved to be very accurate. Regular readers will know that I never wore jeans until a year ago when I gave into my daughter's nagging to "get with it". I must admit I was pleasantly surprised at how versatile they are and I think this is my fourth pair!

Are you a regular jeans wearer?

Stripes

Apologies for a lack of posts recently. I managed to catch a cold which developed into a chest infection and I was confined to the house for some ten days, unable to visit any charity shops. I was getting severe withdrawal symptoms so was really pleased when we had a mild sunny afternoon yesterday and I ventured outside.

I just had to buy something and settled on this black and white striped top which I am wearing in the photos with my black trousers and shoes.

The top cost me £1.25 and is a wool mix which is actually fairly warm.

Hannah took the photos as project forming part of her photography course work which explains the rather strange background. They were actually taken in my hall - it being too cold for outside photo shoots at the moment.

Looking Back at 2019

2019 has been quite a challenge to me as my teenage daughter has become far more fashion conscious and continually nags her mother to "get more with it!"

My biggest leap into the unknown was about a year ago when Hannah finally persuaded me to start wearing jeans. I had always resisted as I was not keen on the image and when I tried on a pair several years ago, they did not feel that comfortable.

However this pair of straight leg jeans she bought me were a good fit and I must admit I found them comfortable to wear. I gradually wore them more frequently at weekends and actually bought some more pairs, secondhand, from charity shops to wear when gardening!

I continued to visit charity shops most days - I am always afraid that I might miss something if I don't. I may be becoming more selective as I am now resisting the urge to buy an item "as I may find it useful one day" and just buy items that I know I am going to wear.

Of course I make mistakes as there is not always time to try things on. I sometimes find items don't fit as I thought they would or don't really suit me. These get donated back but as they only cost a few pounds it doesn't break the bank and of course a good cause benefits once more.

Looking forward to 2020 - I expect more of the same unless Hannah persuades her mother (who will turn 40) to try some more "with it" outfits.

A Happy and Healthy New Year to all my readers.

Faux Leather

I never thought I would ever consider wearing anything like this but my teenage daughter dared me to buy these faux leather trousers when we were spending some time in charity shops last Saturday. They were in my size and were on a sale rail at £2.00.

The deal was that I would buy them and wear them if she agreed to do the washing up for a week. I am sure that she thought I would never go through with it but the pictures prove otherwise! My husband's comments when he saw me in them cannot be reproduced here!

I must admit that I have not worn them in the street where I might be seen by people that know me but I didn't specify where I would wear them and I wore them for a day around the house and back garden. Yes - Hannah kept her side of the bargain and the dishes are being washed!

The trousers are surprisingly not that uncomfortable but I am not sure that they look that great on a woman approaching her 40th birthday. They will be donated back to a charity shop in the new year so that another good cause can benefit from them.

I had some fun with them though and I now know how Olivia Newton-John felt in Grease.

We are now planning to attend our local Christmas festivities such as Carol Services, a Winter Solstice Ceremony and a Lantern and Carol Singing event in a park.

I would like to wish all my blogging friends a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

New Trousers

I was only saying recently that it is not easy to find a pair of trousers in a charity shop which fit well.

I was therefore surprised to find this pair of Primark label trousers in royal blue in my size which fitted perfectly when I tried them on. They cost me £3.00 and they are in perfect condition, probably seldom worn by the original owner!

I have been wearing trousers most days now that the weather has become really cold so this pair will be a useful addition to my wardrobe.

Are you a regular trouser wearer in the winter?

More Turquoise

This photo was taken a month or so ago before the leaves started to change colour and fall.

Regular readers of my blog will know that my favourite colour is turquoise. I was thrilled to find this knee length skirt in my size in a charity shop for £3.50. It has a St Michael label and I have a feeling it is a few years old.

I bought the top with its vivid turquoise and black design earlier in the year for about £3.00 but did not wear it until I paired it with the skirt.

I am sure I will wear this combination again when the weather warms up in the spring.