Just call me Kelly Kildare

In honour of Saint Patrick's Day I decided to squeeze in to my Irish dancing frock and pretend that my name is Kelly Kildare. 

There's just enough room in this dress for my lungs to keep functioning properly so they'll be no binging on colcannon & Guinness, as for dancing and listening to fabulous folk music...bring it on!

I'd been on the hunt for a traditional Irish dancing dress for ages but on eBay they were always either too small or too expensive.

I couldn't believe my luck when I stumbled upon this beauty at a car boot sale a few years ago.

It was more than affordable, the chap selling it said that he was happy to let it go cheap if he knew it was going to a loving home.

I love the fabulously bright cherry red colour.

It came complete with cape sash and crochet collar, I simply couldn't have asked for more!

Sure it's not in mint condition, it's got a few nibbles and marks here and there but it is worth every single penny that I paid for it!

Just look at the Celtic knot applique & embroidery...stunning!

It's been very dreich outside today and the drizzle has been pretty much constant.

We'd run out of bird seed, so we popped to poundland to get a few more bags.

On the way back we stopped off to feed Lilo and friends. 

They weren't that interested  today cause I think they'd already had their fill.

Sometimes we don't bother going up on a Saturday or Sunday cause there are so many other people feeding the birds over the weekend but I do like to pop up if it's a particularly cold or damp day, just in case.

It's been rather windy lately & my flimsy fine hair is being swept in all directions making me feel like The Baldy Man :)

I don't use hairspray so I guess I'll just have to live with it...

Today's Ensemble:

Traditional Irish dancing dress, vintage 50s velvet jacket, Victorian style lace-up boots,  Celtic  folk art inspired earrings, patterned tights, gloves & Frocktasia black rose headdress.

Hope you've all had a fabulous weekend...

 Beannacht Lá Fhéile Pádraig!

Today's tune is by one of my all time favourite Irish singer songwriters Luka Bloom, enjoy :)

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

The Saints Go Marching Out...

I nipped out earlier to get some squidgy skull sweeties and was quite taken aback by the sheer speed of  which Christmas is now replacing Halloween in the aisles. 

I thought that maybe they'd have a wee sale on all the Halloween stuff for a week or so; this is what they usually do for Easter and Christmas but I was wrong. 

Gone were the plastic spiders, coffin shaped trick or treat buckets and skull goblets & in their place a metallic rainbow of tinsel, blingy baubles and Santa ornaments that look as if they were painted by someone with a bad case of the DTs.

I'm still very much in a Halloween kind of mood, it is All Saints' Eve over in Sweden today (which also happens to be my beloved mother's birthday) and All Saint's Day on Saturday, so I'm sticking with the darkly delicious gothness for a bit longer, Christmas kitsch can wait!

Vintage 70s Kati by Laura Phillips lace dress, 90s velvet platform boots, scarlet harlot wiggy-woo & Dear Darkness  headdress.

I bagged the above frock about a year ago from a vintage dealer friend. 

It would be perfect for a gothic bride, it's stunning!

I have a few vintage Kati by Laura Phillips frocks and the other day I happened upon the green twin of the one below on eBay...

I really can't justify (nor afford) spending almost £100 on a dress right now, so I'll just have to make do with my red one for now.

I do actually have a pair of Kati dress twins already, 

so I guess I shouldn't bemoan things too much...

I scored both of these on eBay last year :)

I've banned myself from buying anything on eBay for a bit cause I'm trying to save the pennies for our rescue diver course in spring.

It's only hard cause I still torment myself browsing by for frocks on eBay every now and again.

Whilst on the subject of browsing fabulous stuff on the net, I'm gearing up for another store update this weekend...

any sequin sluts out there will wet their panties in delight, just saying!

I'll keep you's posted :)

Have a fabulous Friday!

Lot's of love,

Jennie

xXx

The Frocktasia Sale

The FROCKTASIA sale is now on, with loads of reduced items in the shop :)

Like this awesome dashiki print dress for a mere £15 or this stunning handcrafted Moroccan leather bag for £30...

 No less than thirty frocks are up for grabs in the sale, none of which cost more than £30.

This sassy vintage 60s dress with sheer chiffon sleeves & lurex trim was reduced from £35 to £30...

Camo is the print of choice for the fashion army this autumn. 

Topshop are currently punting out a Camo army jacket for £48. 

The Frocktasia version is not only kinder on the pocket at £35 but also unique with its hand painted SMILEY on the back. 

Bags of bags and most of them with a price-tag of £30 down from £40.

The wicked Frocktasia 'Grumpy Suns' earrings are now £20.

Another Frocktasia handmade item that is up for grabs in the sale is this goth-tastic chiffon rose crown headdress for £25 which will look awesome teamed with this 90s dead-stock Ralph Lauren velvet dress that has been reduced from £40 to a bargainous £30...

I think there is something for everyone...

a magnificent motely mix of unique handpicked vintage garments,  brilliantly bohemian genuine leather bags and wicked one-of-a-kind handmade accessories :) 

Lot's of love,

Jennie

xXx

Frocktasia's Mohairy Midsummer

It's been a while since my last installment, just haven't had the time nor the inclination lately :(

However I thought that as it's midsummer already, I'd better do at least one posting before June ends :)

So far summer has been a a story of starts and stops, just when you think you can push the tights & jumpers to the back of the wardrobe temperatures take a nose dive and I'm back sporting my trusty grey beanie.

We have had a few cracking days though so I guess I shouldn't complain too much...this is England after all!

We had planned to get out of London this weekend, pitch our new tent somewhere on the coast and just sit on a beach and chill-out but we decided against it as the weather forecast pretty much spelled rain in bold capital letters for most of the country.

We did go for a wee walk along an urban nature trail to forage some elderflowers and snap some pics instead.

I brought with me a few of my current wardrobe faves and a couple of bits that I have made/revamped recently... 

I love this quirky 80s mohair jumper that I bought on eBay a few years ago.

It's super comfy and it goes really well with my bright orange revamped cut-offs...

These denim cut-offs were made from a pair of hubby's old jeans.

I tie-dyed them with Dylon and embellished them with faux-gems salvaged from a top that I got from the car boot sale.

The kick-ass Steve Madden boots were also a car boot sale buy from a few years ago.

Whilst on the subject of  fabulous car booty buys...

I bagged this frigging awesome camo jacket from the car boot sale a while back.

I absolutely love camo jackets and I love Bob Marley so for me this jacket is DA BOMB!

I bought this refashioned desert camo jacket from a shop in Camden a few years back.

It's fabulously fitted :)

The vintage Moschino belt was a second hand market find, the 80s aviator sunnies where dead-stock off eBay and the funky handmade African earrings were a pressie from my folks.

I made the headdress from a bunch of  deconstructed chiffon scrunchies fashioned into cabbage rose shapes and mounted on a wide padded Alice band...

My trusty grey knitted beanie...

...that I'm rocking a helluva lot more than I should be doing considering it's late June!

Never mind, there is still time for summer to sort itself out and when it does I'll be on the first coast bound train out of here, armed with my tent and sleeping bag, I can't wait ;)

Hope you are all having a wonderful Midsummer weekend.

Lot's of love,

Jennie

xXx