Charity Shop Loving

Been dying to do some some posts recently, have loads of new things to share. I just started a new job so have been pretty busy recently working and spending my discount. Anyway, thought I'd do a post on charity shopping as quite a lot of things I wear are from them. 

I admit it, I am a secret hoarder. I can't bare the thought of throwing away clothes. Fashion repeats all the time, so why buy the same thing that everyone else has when you can wear a version that you used to own once upon a time. I always fall back in love with old clothes I once hated a few years ago but kept hold of, or items my mum luckly kept since the 80s. This is probably why I love charity shopping so much.

 I know charity shop shopping isn't for everyone,a bit like sale shopping. You do have to go through a lot of rubbish to find something worth while, but once you do its so much more exciting. I'm aware I sound like a massive saddo.

So I thought I'd write a few rules I mostly stick too when shopping in charity shops for anyone who's not sure where to start:

1) Go to nice areas- I normally find nicer brands in posher places even if they are a bit more expensive.

2)Don't go in looking for something in particular-. I swear whenever I want a new jumper/a certain print ect there is nothing like it, and I end up not getting anything because i'm too busy hunting for it. 

3)Don't buy everything because it's cheap- So many times I say 'oh its only £5', then I continue to buy 5 other things that I'm not massively keen on when I could have spent that money on something I'd love and will actually wear. So hard not to get carried away.

4)Try stuff on- I almost always try stuff on otherwise half the time I get it home and decide I never want to wear it because it fits weird,

5)Don't just stick to looking in your gender/size- Half the things I buy are mens or a size 16.

6)Wash before you wear-Pretty obvs, who knows where its been. My boyfriend always tells me someone probably died in what I wear, which is just a lovely thought.

I don't care if I smell like old ladies, old ladies are cute. 

These are some of my fave new buys from charity shops recently, if I could wear this swede skirt everyday I would.-So beautiful. The colour is amazing, and swede is definitely one of my fave fabrics right now. I don't tend to wear too much second hand things together but I thought I'd wear a few things from charity shops together to show you don't always have to look like a nan or a hipster from Camden. 

 I love the neck line on this jumper, such a cute little detail.

Jumper/Top/Skirt/Bag/watch-Various Charity shops

heels-Public Desire

Boots-Topshop

Jacket-Topshop

Ps yes I do sometimes look at old ladies outfits for inspo, I hope I'm a trndy nan when I'm 80.

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Monsoon boots on

First of all apologies, I appear to have brought the monsoon season in SE Asia back to England, what is going on?! I've been dying to do a post on these trousers for ages, so finally here it is. If I could wear these everyday and night I would, they are just so comfortable and fab!

The only detail i'm not so keen on is the elasticated waist band, so prefer to pair with a baggy top/jumper (mine are a size too big so don't cinch in at the waist.) However I do think they could also be dressed up with some casual heels and a tighter cropped top if you prefer so show a bit of shape unlike me, 

This jumper is another Topshop item i've been loving recently. If you follow my blog, you'll know i'm a major Polo neck addict, and this is my new number one.The zip detail is what won me over, this therefore makes it perfectly acceptable to add yet another neutral jumper to my vast collection. Anyway whats not to love? Khaki- check, Loose fitted-Check, Silver hardware-check

Jumper and Trousers-Topshop

Boots-H&m

Bag-Zara

Sunglasses-Cotton on

More yellow...

 More yellow, I know, I cant get enough! I'm making the most of the final rays of summer (which happened to go behind a cloud as I went to take these photos-typical). This top is such a cute basic piece, which can easily be dressed up or down, 

 I bought these culottes right before I went travelling, and I still love them 5 months later. I have had a few strange looks with the complements,but I cant help but love a marmite outfit. They have been worn in 30.C in Asia right through to the minus numbers in New Zealand. Such a great versatile piece which will no doubt see me right though winter under layers upon layers.

 I love the contrast of the yellow against the navy in these pieces. When I wear bright colours I prefer to keep shapes and patterns simple. The frayed edges of both top and bottoms match, adding the perfect amount of detail for me.

 Note to self, take hands out pockets for at least one photo!

Top-Zara

Cullotes, bag, shoes-Topshop

Injecting a bit of colour for "summer"

This rain is not helping my holiday blues, however i'm so happy to be back in clothes I like wearing!
Words can not describe how excited I was to shop for the first time in months- I may have gone a tad over board.. I have more shopping bags than carpet right now.

I enjoying how seventies everything is at the moment, and I'm loving bright warm tones! In the hope of bringing back the summer I thought i'd inject a bit of yellow into my life.

I find this weather the hardest to dress for when its constantly grey and rainy but still warm, I always find bare legs and a thin jumper are an easy go to. If you're not keen on a whole bright outfit, keep it neutral and pair a simple bright staple, such as a skirt/top/jacket or even just an accessory.

This skirt is one of my favorite things in my wardrobe atm, its so versatile for day or evening, and the little slit at the front is such a cute little detail. 

Jumper-Urban Outfitters

Skirt-Topshop

Bag-Zara

Shoes-Topshop

Thailand photo diary

So I recently got back from my four month trip around South East Asia/ New Zealand, and it was amazing! I experienced so much more than I could have imagined and met so many wonderful people.If you ever get the time off work or are in-between education and you have the money, there is nothing more I would recommend than to travel different parts of the world. 

I've met so many people travelling alone, as a couple, with friends all having the best time. I went with my boyfriend of 3 years, we had so much fun together even if I did want to pull his hair (and beard) out half the time. I think its such an amazing experience to go though with someone you love, but I definitely wouldn't be afraid to travel alone in the future.

 I was debating for a while whether to write a travel post as I always have stuck to fashion so far, and my clothing on this trip was far from stylish. But I will put together a little photo diary for most of the places I visited. 

Some of the beautiful temples in Chang Mai.  

I spent a week at 'Elephant nature park' in Chaing Mai, sadly one of the only humane elephant sanctuary's in Thailand. We spent the week as Elephant keepers preparing food, feeding, cleaning them and the park and just spending time with them and the all the other rescued animals that they look after. There is no riding, as the sanctuary is for the benefit of the elephants not for humans. 

 All the Elephants are rescued from tourism and logging (which is now illegal) and I've learnt so much about them and all their individual stories, i've come back as such an animal activist (if i wasn't enough already before).

I will try not to go into too much on here, but if you're going to Thailand and you want to see elephants, please look into it carefully before. 

All tourism trades take young elephants and put them through the 'crush' to 'break their spirit'. For 3 days or more they are caged alone, with no food or water, and are tortured by people including children, with weapons. Until after 3 days, covered in injuries and their own waste, they are 'submissive' to humans. The are then forced to be ridden every day, beg in the streets, or preform tricks for money. 

Many 'Sanctuarys' say they do not chain their elephants, use hooks, and they ride bare back, but this is not always true, and they most likely will have gone through the crush and have been tortured once. I know some are changing and being taught to use verbal commands and respect the elephants so hopefully things will change.

Most of the elephants had been through tourism trade at ENP and now have mental issues, as well and physical, such as deformed legs, dislocated hips and blindness. But look how happy they are now!

I'm so glad I didn't foolishly take part in an elephant trek without realizing how wrong it was, as many people ive met have done in the past without realizing. So I wanted to share all this so people don't make that mistake.

Visiting ENP was one of my best weeks ever.

How beautiful is Wat Rong Khun temple in Chiang Rai

Last stop in Thailand was a few days on Koh Tao island. The water and beaches are so beautiful, even though it wasn't the best weather when we were there- that's what you get for going to SE Asia on the edge of monsoon season. There is also lots of night life if your into that on holiday, but is overall one of the more chilled islands of Thailand. Also one of the best spots to learn how to scuba dive, which we didn't have time to do before we flew out sadly :(

Last thing on Thailand, cats are everywhere! I may have slyly left the door open now and again when I wanted to be joined by a few cats in my room. I cant get enough of how cute and small they are all over Asia, better than the fat viscous ones in England! I had my rabies jab, what could go wrong.

Almost all photos are mine, if not they are stolen from my boyfriend-Insta: Lumberash. Hopefully people like this post, Ill get around to editing and post the next one up soon! 

My instagram is Yasgrottick