I'm not buying it

Pay day has come and gone.

 

Detoxing is nearly done.

 

The little extension between posts is down to me finding this process really hard. I haven't been putting myself in the way of temptation like I usually would. Still, the devil on my shoulder has been doing overtime!

Wills Moody was nearly my undoing (photo by Tori Mayo)

Over the bank holiday weekend I had a stall at the Wills Moody Jumble Sale at The Lexington in Islington. I love this place. There's always a really good mix of vintage and cool high street fashion at proper jumble prices.

I knew this would be torture for me as I wouldn't be able to resist taking a peak at the other stalls.

M&S cardigan,  resisted at only £3 (photo by Tori Mayo)

I spotted a couple of pairs of gorgeous cat eye spectacle frames, a 70s handmade summer top, elastic gladiator flats, a Chanel-style jacket, blue brocade belt and a gold bracelet.

Blue brocade belt, on sale at £5 (by Tori Mayo)

70s handmade wrap top, £10 (photo by Tori Mayo)

When the going gets tough the tough get swapping. I bent the rules. I might have mentioned the 'I'm not buying it' detox to some of the stall holders and that I'd be open to swapping things from my stall.

The seller of the bracelet was happy to swap it for a hair band and the belt owner came over at the 11th hour and negotiated an exchange for a pair of cocktail glasses. I have to be honest with regard to the 70s top. I asked the seller for her details so I could buy it at a later date. To my surprise she suggested I take it with me and pay for it at the end of the challenge. So no money changed hands and I was very touched by her trusting nature.

I managed to sell the cropped trousers of my last post. But I'm keen to get them replaced pronto.

Clearly I'm finding this tough and wangling my way around it at every turn. 

It was a real buzz to get new things from the jumble sale. Still, I'll admit to looking on the internet with a view to picking up a few things I've been watching once this experiment is over. It's like I have a mental check list of clothes I want and I can't rest until I've acted on my thoughts. This is especially true when I'm looking to replace something I've really loved and got my money's worth out of.

Many of them are one offs so I haven't wanted to draw too much attention to them in case they get snapped up by my fellow enthusiasts!

I have to share this one with you though. It's so cute!

Vintage bathing suit

I've got a trip to Greece coming up soon. A pair of Aldo gold gladiator sandals at £6.99 would be perfect. I'm praying they are still in the charity shop next week!!

So, there's only two days left to go.

I'm winning so far - just.

Watch this space for the post challenge analysis.

Moth matters

How heartbreaking is it when you dig out your favourite cashmere only to find it peppered with holes and material which disintegrates in your hands? Or you've popped along to a jumble sale or car boot, unearthed a musty vintage gem only to find moth larvae happily feeding off the fibres. Not exactly the best house guest.

Moths are literally eating away at the vintage fabric of society.

These infuriating eating machines like nothing better than wool, silk and even synthetic fibres so it's these pieces you should be looking to protect.

Moths tend to emerge from their cocoons in spring/early summer but these days as houses remain at a warmer temperature throughout the year they're pretty much a moth Mecca around all year round. 

They're drawn to the dark recesses of your wardrobe as well as human skin, hair and sweat on clothes.

The critters stay in the cocoon for about two months so check your clothing on a regular basis and remove any you spot at this stage.

So it's definitely worth casting an eagle eye over your clothes regularly to check if any moths have bedded in.

Lavender and cedarwood are meant to repel moths but I've seen a massive colony of eggs laid all over lavender bags like a scene straight out of Alien.

Whether you're buying vintage clothes or checking on your treasured threads, here's what to look for:

• Small light brown moths
• Tiny mustard seed like red/brown dots which are eggs
• 1cm long transparent, tubular cocoons with the dark brown dot of the caterpillars head often visible inside
• Traces of cob-web/snail trail-like remains of their cocoons which they've emerged from
• Little, wiggly, cream caterpillars like maggots

Google images has got it covered if you can bring yourself to look! 

Here's what to do about it:

• Place sticky pheromone moth strips around the room
• Dry clean delicate fabrics
• Use moth balls (but they smell real bad)
• Sachets of moth repellent placed between garments or in the pockets.
• Spray clothes with moth repellent
• Have your precious winter fabrics/clothes dry cleaned and packed into moth proof bags before putting them away for the summer
• Ensure your moth-attracting fabrics are clean and clear of human hair, skin and sweat before putting them in drawers or in the wardrobe

Sadly it may take several years to wipe out these winged invaders but best to get on top of the situation before it gets completely out of hand.

Best of luck in your quest!

I'm not buying it

Today was close, very close, within a gnat's crotchet of caving close.

I had a long day, a commute from hell and managed to ruin my dinner.

When I'm passing time I often browse ebay on the off chance some of the things I've been looking for might just be there. Lo and behold, today of all days I struck it lucky, or not as this month I won't be buying anything stylish.

I've got a fabulous pair of cropped trousers which are few years old now and I really love them. They were always a little on the tight side but I've resigned myself to buying the next size up if I can find them. The old pair are on the pile to sell at a jumble sale in a couple of weeks. So in my mind if I find a pair they are just replacing old for new. I've looked day in day out for a replacement pair and bingo - today I spotted some on ebay.

Coming in at around £6 with postage they are a steal. Ordinarily I'd bid on them without question, especially after a day like today. Not this month.

It's so frustrating not to be able to keep my original intentions for those trousers alive.

Seems it's masochist May for me. Last weekend I took myself down to Crystal Palace to visit a pal and of course a few vintage shops. The south London spot is something of a Mecca for vintage furniture and clothes stores. I looked in at the collectors market, Vintage Hart - the tiny vintage shop in the front of the White Hart pub, Vien clothes shop and tea room and ID Furniture & Lighting on Church Road.

Gerald Kelly Saw Ohn Nyum Tretchikoff print (photo by Tori Mayo)

This was staring me in the face as soon as I walked through the door of the 20th Century design shop. 

I first came across this Gerald Kelly Saw Ohn Nyum Tretchikoff print in the Notting Hill Exchange bric-a-brac shop. At the time it was being sold for £80. I didn't buy it then but did win one on ebay for about £50. When I got it I was disappointed with colours of the reproduction and re sold it on ebay at a loss. So there she was, haunting me. The colours in this version were just right and the frame was perfect too. Just shows it's best to buy these thing where you can really see them and not from ebay.

Pleased to say that this time I resisted. 

This is a real test alright!

I'm not buying it

So, May 1 has come and gone and here's where I'm at.

So far so splendid.

I realise I should have started this experiment from pay day and not the 1st of the month which I did as a nice obvious start date. 

I did go to the Wills Moody jumble sale in Islington just before the trial and picked up a cashmere cardigan with a fur collar for £10 which could have set me back around £100 in vintage shops I've seen them. I was also swayed by a dress from a high street store that I've had my eye on for ages which was only £3.

Since May 1 I probably haven't put myself in as many tempting situations as I usually would. Still, over the bank holiday I ventured via some boutiques, a boot sale - and so it begins.

Check the progress of my pins at http://pinterest.com/hackneyotter/im-not-buying-it/

Shopping on the first day of summer, I could easily have been down nearly £40 on either of these two beauties. They're both just my colours, one offs in my mind and not too pricey all things considered.

Dress £35 (photo by Tori Mayo)

Skirt £38 (photo by Tori Mayo)

I also spotted these navy shoes in Beyond Retro. Not too shabby at £18 and perfect for summer swing dancing.

Blue pumps £18, Beyond Retro (photo by Tori Mayo)

I couldn't help but notice this little number on sale on Facebook which would also be swell for my holiday next month.

Vintage swimming costume, $78, Ooh La La! Vintage Swap and Sell Shop, facebook.

Whenever I'm in the market for something practical I still like to feel I unearthed it or discovered a unique version. The need suddenly feels ever greater when something really special presents itself.

I could use a new mobile phone cover and I feel I hit the jackpot at the Princess May boot sale on Kingsland Road. I met a lovely Greek lady selling these charming covers. 

made-to-order iPhone cover £12-£14 (photo by Tori Mayo)

She incorporates photos and illustrations from her granddad's postcard collection into the kind of old-school covers I'd like to have had on my Major Morgan or Speak & Spell.

Postcard used for iPhone cover design (photo by Tori Mayo)

Meeting the lady herself and hearing how she turned something so personal into an adorable product was a really endearing experience.

I don't think I'll be able to stop myself from buying one of these once this experiment officially ends...

It's this part of shopping I find really difficult not to indulge in.

Still, no slip-ups so far.

I have to realise there will always be nice things out there and I need to learn to detach a sense of self I see in those which tempt me...