Basics, Bitch

Huzzah, tis Daisy here with somethin' stylish. My style is generally always fairly busy - I love bright colours, patterns, bold accessories and lots of jewels, so it will come as no surprise that I don't really shop for what the fashion community had dubbed 'basics' or 'wardrobe staples'. If I'm out shopping, in charity shops or highstreet stores or independent shops, I will always gravitated towards the boldest and most unusual pieces - usually with a 60s/70s vibe. However, recently I have had my head turned somewhat by the really simple items that I would usually have ignored.

These garments can be found almost anywhere that sells clothing, from high end to cheap as chips which is one of the things that makes them great. Another is that they will never look dated or old-fashioned, they belong to a magical collection of garments that never go out of style, year on year and most likely never will. You can wear them all together to create cool-looking chic and timeless looks (that really look like you've put in a lot of effort when you haven't) or you can do what I mostly do and mix them in with your big fun pieces to make them a little more wearable - sometimes rainbow floral dungarees just don't go with mustard yellow bat-wing tops!

Here's a little bit of tumblr eye-candy to convince you...

These clothes don't shout, but whisper and yet still manage to make you look the bomb. Now I'm not all the way converted but this little collection of items is definitely enough for me for the time being! Without further rambling lets get into my recent purchases and top wardrobe essentials!  


(Okay I lied, there's a bit more rambling) I have a rant I need to get off my chest and it address's the term 'basic bitch'. I've used it in my title because I like puns but when used as an insult it pisses me off - I absolutely hate hearing women describing other women as 'basic bitches'. Sure I'm not obsessed with Starbucks, Ugg boots and Lush bath bombs but that doesn't make me any better or cooler than people who are. I really enjoy candles and videos of cute animals - does that make me basic?! Can people not like or be passionate about anything anymore? Enthusiasm is not lame and neither is liking things that are popular or 'mainstream' (hate that word too)! Okay, I'm finished.

On with the clothes....

A plain white t-shirt

Charity Shop

This is the most basic and classic of them all. You literally cannot go wrong. I got mine from a charity shop, but its originally from Primark - double cheap! I don't need to say much about this one - we'll let the t-shirt speak for itself.

A good pair of jeans

Topshop

The other half of the perfect couple - the white tee and jeans! Whatever shape takes your fancy a good quality pair of jeans are a must, something I'm only just realising after I spent about four years without any. These are the 'Jamie' pair from Topshop and they are very comfy, I'm also a big fan of what they do for my bum.

A black V-neck

Miss Selfridge

Another classic t-shirt that you can sling on any day of the week and look good. The v-neck seems to add an extra air of cool - I don't know why but I have the idea in my head that cool girls wear v-necks, like they're somehow so much edgier than round! Whats very nice about this one is it has a deep V at the front and the back, showing off some subtly sexy upper back action as well as the boobies at the front - saucy.

A long sleeved crop-top

H&M

I have been totally amazed by the amount of things this top goes with, its almost always in my washing basket because as soon as its clean I wear it again. Its soft, baggy and so easy to just fling on with a jazzy pair of bottoms when I can't be arsed to put an outfit together.

A flared mini-skirt

Charity Shop

Everyone loves a good mini and what could be better than Wimbledon white. You think I'm joking but this is an actual tennis skirt I picked up in a charity shop a few month before they became all the rage and American Apparel started selling them for fifty quid a pop. Flared skirts are really flattering and feminine and show of a healthy amount of leginess in the warmer months. 

A furry waistcoat thing

Bik Bok

Almost any outfit can be elevated to Kate Moss levels of cool rock bohemia with one of these little babies. This transformative power means I have to stop myself from wearing this every day and limit myself to around twice a week. I bought this in London while I was doing my year 10 work experience, proving exactly how much mileage these furry friends have in them.

A proper ladies handbag 

Accessorize

Its taken me 20 years but I finally have a nice, proper handbag. I was never attracted to this sort of structured bag until I spotted this one just before Christmas and fell in love. Its my new baby! It has the power to make all sorts of outfits look more put-together and chic which helps with my tendancy to dress like a five year old/hippy.

A black polo neck

Primark

Polo neck, turtle neck, roll neck - whatever you want to call them, I used to hate them with a passion so strong I thought they were the ugliest things to ever grace the earth. I used to half-joke that they were banned in our house and if my mum so much as caught a whiff of one I would give her a death stare to rival Medusa. However, after their come-back last year I am totally converted, the ban has been lifted and I'm hungry for more! They are surprisingly versatile and insanely chic-looking - I can't get enough. I do however have to pair them with something high-waisted otherwise I end up looking busty in all the wrong ways.

A wooly cardigan

H&M

Another item I cast aside in my foolish youth was the humble cardie. I thought they were dowdy and boring - oh how wrong I was. What I love about this one is that it is long and flowy, giving it the bohemian edge that I love so much and it is amazing for layering as well as on it own. Cardigan - you are a star and I'm sorry I ever doubted you. 

Well thats it from me! Have a lovely weekend,

Daisy.

An Ode to the Great British Charity Shop

Helloo, it's Daisy. So as you may already know I am completely in love with charity shops, wherever I am I cannot go past one without going in and I don't often leave without buying something. Bloggers and youtubers from the US are constantly sharing their plethora of thrift shop purchases however here in the UK I feel like our equivalent, the humble charity shop, doesn't get nearly as much love and affection and I feel it is my mission to try and change that! So without further ado, here is my list of 6 reasons to shop charity...

1. Price

Being a poor and lowly student, I really don't have the funds to splash out on clothes so this one is a biggie for me. Put simply charity shops are DIRT CHEAP! I find on average they charge £5 for things like tops and skirts, £10 for dresses and mere pence for jewellery, making it easy to come away with around four or five items for under twenty quid. Of course these prices are variable, with some charity shops (usually for bigger charities like Oxfam) charging slightly more than others, however they are all significantly cheaper than all the popular high-street and online stores. I love having new clothes and the sweet sweet thrill of the purchase is in no way diminished by the fact that I've only spent a couple of pounds. Charity shops sell both new and old items so you really get the biggest price reductions when buying second-hand high-street or designer items, just last week I picked up a brand new Miss Selfridge dress and a Topshop Unique skirt for £10 and £3.50 respectively - bargain!

2. Charity

Ok, ok this one is obvious but never the less it is a massive plus point. Of course the very function of a charity shop is to raise money for charities, which has to be a positive thing in anyone's book (unless you are a heartless miser). There are hundreds of charities out there that have shops from huge national causes like Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation, to small charities for things like local hospices and animal sanctuaries. These are especially beneficial because you know exactly where the proceeds are going and that the money you spend is going to benefit causes in your local community. These viral charity challenge crazes like the' ice bucket challenge' and the 'no make-up selfie' are all well and good for raising lots of money in a short space of time but by going to charity shops regularly you are constantly donating to good causes without having to be prompted, pressured or 'tagged'. By saving yourself some dosh and shopping second-hand you are donating money that could help cure a crippling disease, give an abandoned dog a home or provide care and support for an elderly person and when you think about it like that, charity shopping is a really worthwhile thing to do.

3. Sticking it to the man

By giving your money to organisations who really need it, you are keeping from handing over all of your hard earned cash to retail giants like Sir Phillip Green and the Arcadia group, which owns stores including Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins. The Arcadia group is owned officially by Green's wife, who resides in Monaco, enabling the company to avoid paying UK tax and keep more money for themselves - naughty, naughty. Unfortunately this and groups like it make millions from British consumers every year without really giving back to the people thy are making all their money from. So in a way, buying clothes from charity shops and attempting to avoid these big companies from time to time is like giving a swift middle finger to the corporations in possibly the most un-anarchistic way possible. I'm not going to pretend I don't buy clothes from big chain shops because I do, however sometimes it is good to think about where our money is going and occasionally making a conscious decision to fill the pockets of worthy causes instead of big companies.

4. Environment and Ethics

With today's culture of throwaway fashion we are going through so many clothes at such a rate we are seriously harming the planet. High-street stores update their stock so often it is hard to keep up, with certain items in one season and straight out the next. Buying clothes from charity shops is like a form of recycling - with you taking someones unwanted things and using them again instead of them being thrown away and this is especially true if you then donate your unwanted items back to a charity shop for someone else to use. With trends moving so fast it is so much better for the environment to keep recycling clothes in this way instead of constantly buying stacks of new ones that, lets face it, you will probably be bored with in a few months anyway.

5.Originality

Now for some pluses from the style perspective. One of the main reasons I love shopping in charity shops is to find items that are different from what I can find in ordinary shops. I have always liked having clothes that no one else has and charity shops are a gold mine of unique treasures waiting to be discovered, with clothes from brands you've never heard of and styles you've never thought to try.  Whenever someone compliments me on an item I am wearing its usually something from a charity shop that someone has particularly noticed because they haven't already seen it on the rails at New Look or scrolling the pages of Missguided. I know many people have the misconception that there is nothing stylish to be bought from charity shops but I promise there are, especially if you're willing to get creative when putting together outfits. To be honest a lot of the things in charity shops could easily be put in a 'Vintage' shop and slapped with a £30 price tag. Granted if you dressed in head to toe second-hand you might end up looking like a bit of a tit, but what I suggest is to mix charity shop items with new pieces, to create looks that are really individual. 

6. The Thrill of the Chase

Finally, what really excites me about charity shops is not knowing what you might come across. Sometimes going round bigger shops can feel a bit 'samey' and uninspiring, with many shops often just presenting a different slant on the same thing. On the other hand, with charity shops you never know what you are getting yourself into! You could find a sixties looking swing dress, a worn band t-shirt or a sleek and sharp pair of trousers - you just never know!  Buying clothes like this can really help create original looks and push you to think outside your comfort zone. Really, nothing pleases me like finding an amazing item, that is fabulous and unique AND costs me less than a fiver and usually I find at least three of these per shopping trip. Yes, often half the stuff in there is hideous but if you wade through the shoulder-padded, lilac blazers and the noughties denim gypsy skirts there are some real gems to be discovered - and hey, maybe those things are your bag!

I hope I have convinced some of you to at least give charity shopping a try! To convince you a little further before I go I thought I'd address two of the most prolific rumours about second-hand clothes:

-NO, no one died in them! (Probably) 

-Yes, they do smell a certain way but that's nothing a couple of washes won't get rid of!

Thanks a lot for reading and go get charity shopping!

-Daisy