The Stylist's Rail: Bargain Hunting and Cocktail Sipping Galore

A shiny new fashion event hit the Hoxton Hotel in East London this weekend; The Stylist's Rail was a vintage-meets-new-designers shopping experience, complete with cocktails and goodie bags for the crowds of attendees. I went along to sip and shop (sometimes simultaneously) and report back for you.

 Guests were greeted by quirky displays set against rails of pre-loved or brand new clothing and accessories.

 I couldn't resist snapping these passport covers by Elsie & Fred, made by customising brightly coloured pieces of leather. In fact, I ended up buying the top one.

 A trader showed off her amazingly versatile silk scarves, made in batches of 180.

There was a real mixture of styles available, meaning that you were in no danger of leaving the event empty-handed. From rock chick fringed black leathers to 60s PVC and suede skirts, there was something to appeal to even the pickiest vintage shopper, whilst the new brands on show offered really interesting accessories and outfits, including delicate gold bespoke jewellery and grungy sheer dresses.

 These vintage knitwear pieces caught my roving eye.

 Cocktails were kindly provided by Bloom.

 As you can see, we had rather generous glasses. Chin chin!

The cocktail element of the event was a real bonus. Whilst I'm not normally a fan of gin, I can definitely recommend a G&T made with Bloom, a dry London variety, and served with a strawberry. However, juggling shopping purchases and a glass became something of a balancing act for most of us!

 There was even a DJ to get the party started.

 My +1 was one of my best friends, Katherine, who enjoyed her G&T as well.

 This retro shoe line-up shows just how diverse the stock was at the vintage stalls.

 One of the key considerations when buying vintage at events like The Stylist's Rail is to really go through the rails with a fine tooth comb, so you don't miss anything. We found it helped to do a circuit of all the stalls a few times, just to make sure we saw everything available, and we looked out for eye-catching patterns and textures.

 Jewellery on sale was affordable, blinged up and trendy.

 Some of the pricier pieces were worth splashing out on. I would definitely have taken the plunge and bought these unusual brogue-style trainers (£68) if they'd been in my size.

 Incredibly, this Dolce & Gabbana coat was only £235.

 When checking out designer bargains, it's worth remembering that these items are going to generally be of better quality than your average high street vintage pick, so you won't really be able to haggle as much, because the price will be reflecting the brand name. Also, there will probably be someone willing to give the stallholder the offer they're looking for, so if you really want it then just go ahead and make that designer piece yours.

 A Prada denim twill handbag hung from the rails.

 These colourful bomber jackets were a photo opportunity waiting to happen.

If you wanted something more futuristic and less vintage, this stallholder was happy to oblige.

Having seen the success of this event, I'm sure The Stylist's Rail will be delivering more fashion injections to the people of East London, and I'm looking forward to a similarly eclectic mix of brands and retro bargains.

Newsflash: Primark is available at ASOS!

I can hear the sigh of relief being breathed by cash-strapped fashionistas across the land: finally, Primark has dipped its toes into the scary world of online retail, bringing its pocket money-friendly prices to an even wider audience. 

 Bargain-hunters, your prayers have been answered. 

[All images via ASOS.com]

As someone whose home town doesn't have a Primarni to its name, I'll be relieved not to have to schlep my way to the nearest store in order to get my fix, especially when the items I've been lusting after in magazines aren't always reliably stocked in my local branch (but rest assured, there will always be an inexplicably plentiful supply of comedy onesies doing the rounds and being abandoned on the shop floor, amid the detritus...). It can also be maddening knowing that Primark offers the product that I want, but for some reason its entire stock is in sizes 8-10, for no apparent reason other than to taunt me. Pfft. Well, with ASOS to the rescue, surely things will turn a corner, knowing how efficient and successful the web retail giant is - even at a content marketing event last week, two speakers chose to use the website as an example of great strategic marketing, and rightfully so. 

 One of the six products currently available; the parka.

To those who think that Primark might seem like a very low-end acquisition for the brand, you only have to consider ASOS' target market (young women who want to stay on-trend) and its origins as a provider of celebrity-infused fashion. It's not long since the website began stocking high street labels like River Island, Motel and Lipsy, so Primark feels like a natural addition to the brand directory as ASOS continues being relevant to, and in the price range of, recession-crippled Brits. Whilst its high-end efforts such as the Black range are laudable, what keeps the site at the top of shoppers' online bookmarks is its affordability - the idea that you, too, can have a piece of the pie for less, even if you're a student or you're on a very tight budget. 

I definitely feel that this is a step in the right direction. Having Primarni on the books can only add to ASOS' reputation as the go-to site for British women, especially if it means you can replace the jumble sale feel of rush hour Primark with the sleek and sophisticated feel of the online retailer's homepage. And as for the perfect first purchase from this shopping marriage, I'd have to choose the studded parka (£22) - great for festivals, taking into consideration the high risk of crap British summer weather along the way...

Exploring Reykjavik's Kolaportid Flea Market

I returned from a trip to Reykjavik a week ago, but I'm still in a bit of an Icelandic bubble, to be honest. The city blew me away with its colourful buildings, quirky bars and super-friendly people - these guys would probably give you a kidney if you asked nicely enough. There were also some fantastic shops, but the one thing that stopped me splurging too much was the price.

 A peek into the bustling hub of Kolaportid.

This way to menswear, sir.

Without any sort of Topshop/Primark/New Look equivalents dotted along the main streets of Laugavegur and Hverfisgata, I was instead faced with some difficult decisions. Should I spend £120 on an Icelandic woolen jumper or £150 on a butterfly-print scarf from the posh department store, Atmo? Somehow I couldn't quite do it. I knew there would be a cheaper alternative somewhere, and lo and behold I found it at the Kolaportid flea market, which is held every weekend in a warehouse between the Old Harbour and the Harpa Concert Hall. It's free to wander around, but make sure you bring some money, as you're likely to be parting with some cash along the way.

Trolls and Victorian dolls vie for attention.

Want a cover for your mobile or a copy of a Tintin DVD? Sorted.

The stalls in the main market area contained everything from toys and books to clothing. As with most UK flea markets, there was an army surplus area, where you could pick up cheap bags, badges and jackets that were ripe for being customised.

 Raise your leg if you like a bargain.

Take your pick from the books on offer.

Meanwhile, the rest of the warehouse was dedicated to food, though much of it wasn't very vegetarian-friendly. Luckily my friend and I don't get too squeamish and don't mind meat, but if you're not partial to it then I'd skip this bit. We saw a pig's head just casually plonked on top of someone's stall, whilst some squirm-inducing entrails sat below it. We then headed round to the fish area, hoping to see some hakarl (putrefied shark meat, supposedly an Icelandic delicacy), but they were fresh out of it, so we skipped to the confectionery department, where there was some kind of treat called an Olsen-Olsen - perhaps the candy equivalent of the Olsen twins?

 Wake up and smell the fish.

Spot the Olsen twins in the centre.

My best bargain was a book on palmistry, which cost me about £1 and is probably going to involve some painstaking translation work with the help of Google, but I reckon it'll be worth it.

This translates, quite sweetly, as 'Promise Readings'.

If you want to visit the market then you'll find it at Tryggvagotu 19 in 101 Reykjavik, open from 11am-5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Why I've Been Buying Less... And It's Not Because I'm Sensible.

The last major shopping trip I had was on 30th December. For me, this is incredibly unusual - normally the cravings to buy are kicking in all the time, nearly as much as the cravings that tell me to eat that next chocolate bar... but enough about my issues. The thing is, aside from buying some comedy bunting and a massive skull moneybox, I've been pretty - gulp - restrained. But why?

 [Image via Getty Images].

I'm not one for making New Year's Resolutions; in fact, New Year's Eve normally makes me feel pretty dejected, after realising all of the things I didn't achieve in the last 12 months, but this time it was different. As someone who works in travel and is currently focusing on several different projects, I'm finding that more and more of my time is spent checking out travel bloggers, lusting over photo spreads in Lonely Planet Traveller and getting envious. Things came to a head when I spent the early hours of New Year's Day chatting to several people who were much more travelled than I am - you know, the ones who have actually been to all of those places you see in the pages of Elle; the place behind the US Vogue shoot that made my heart skip a beat (it was a piece called El Dorado, in the September 2012 issue). It was then that I decided that 2013 would be the year I'd travel a hell of a lot more. 

What really sealed the deal was when I began to measure the cost of all the clothing I never get round to wearing, then I put that against the price of travel (after taking the stuff down to the charity shop, obvs). I dread to think how much I waste in a year, but already I've managed to cut down and actually think, then double think, about whether I seriously need what I'm buying or if I just think it's bloody hilarious and might be worth a laugh if I wear it for one night, which probably equates to 2/3 of the contents of my wardrobe. You could say I'm employing the kind of values championed by Mary Portas, to buy less and buy better, but I don't know whether I'll necessarily always make investment buys; the main goal is to just minimise the crap and put it towards experiences. 

I've also recently started a travel blog, so I don't keep bombarding you all with irrelevant content. You're welcome. 

Ready to travel.

[Image my own].

One of the things I did invest in recently was a JW Anderson paisley quilted t-shirt, in the Topshop sale. I'd had my eye on it for a while, but suddenly I had a real reason for buying it: I'm going to Iceland in early May, with one of my best friends, for a girly city break in Reykjavik. Perhaps JW Anderson didn't have whale watching and island hopping in mind when he designed the piece, but I'm sure it will come in handy as a practical layer for Iceland's early summer temperatures. In Reykjavik itself I doubt I'll be doing much shopping at all, as it's pretty expensive, but I'm hoping to treat myself to some more affordable bits and bobs from the city's flea market - as long as they're useful and not just impulse buys. Ditto my forthcoming trip to Rome - I have my eye on a few vintage stores, but fully expect to return empty-handed due to the not-so-pocket-friendly prices, but I've also done my flea market research too. 

I don't honestly know if I can keep up frugal shopping all year round, especially as we're only just ending the first month of the experiment, but hopefully in 12 months' time I'll be telling you about the fashionable destinations I've visited and not the bulging bin bags I've taken to the charity shop. Fingers crossed...

The 99p Dress by OMG: A Fashion Marketing Masterclass

Raising eyebrows but ticking the trend boxes, this dress costs just 99p.

[Image via OMG Fashion].

If you dig beneath the glossy surface of retail, one of the most obvious marketing tactics to draw people in is to offer certain products as 'loss leaders'. These are the heavily discounted items that you're not making money on - in fact, you'll more than likely be selling them at a loss - but they drive new customers into the shop who then end up buying a shed-load of items along with that dirt-cheap t-shirt or DVD, so everyone goes home happy. One of the most obvious cases of this is the newly available dress by OMG Fashion (nope, I hadn't heard of them either) which was put on sale for just 99p today. No, that's not a typo. I want to explore the positives - basically their marketing strategy - and the negatives, as well as the best counter-argument that I believe charity shops and environmentally-friendly retailers could launch. 

Marketing Gold

So much traffic was generated to the website that it crashed and the item is now marked on the homepage as 'Out of stock until further notice'. Although many of the shoppers may have only snapped up the bargain and not been tempted by its much pricier neighbours, such as the bandage dress for a grossly inflated £59, the majority probably stuck something else in their virtual basket too, so the loss wouldn't have been astronomical to the company. What's more, they've managed to generate a heap of publicity with their marketing tactic, generating traffic and purchases. It's blatant and obvious and a bit cheap, but you can't deny that it works.

Financial Issues - Fair Wage vs. The Recession

Strangely, one of the biggest gripes that the public had was that the dress was likely to have been made in a sweatshop by impoverished children; something that shoppers don't normally worry about when they buy from notorious sweatshop labour abusers like Gap and Nike. Somehow it's only when the price we pay is low, rather than grossly inflated, that we are exposed as buying into the exploitation of workers, as if the 99p dress is the source of all evil. Well, I don't think it is (though it may be symptomatic).

The thing is, though Britain may have been labelled as being 'out of the recession', for many of us we are really, really not. If someone offered you a Christmas party outfit for less than the price of Heat Magazine, well, it might be quite tempting, especially considering the amount you'd be spending on the rest of your evening. Although I do like to be ethical where I can, such as being a member of Amnesty, and I've worked with several ethical labels in my career, I'm not going to deny that I shop in H&M and Primark too. I can certainly see the financial appeal of this piece, whether it sits comfortably with me or not. It's fun and flirty and it would suit young girls who want to let their hair down and forget financial issues. However, I do think it presents a golden opportunity for ethical organisations to get their own back.

Sweet Charity - How to Challenge OMG

The way that charity shops should tackle publicity such as this, which emphasises the convenience of throwaway fashion, is to take on the 99p challenge. I think a great counter-argument would be to up-cycle dresses in charity shops, spending 99p on the materials to engineer the up-cycling, such as second-hand buttons, remnants of fabric, sequins, vegetable dye, wax for a batik effect, etc. Meanwhile, ethical labels could blog about the dress and its negative impact, then create pieces that make the wearer feel a million dollars rather than under a quid.

As you can see, the dress really did spark a lot of mixed thoughts for me. I won't be buying it, though I'm not going to pretend that I'm some kind of ethical goddess, because I'm also partial to the lure of the incredibly cheap high street and online retailers. Whether you go and buy it or not, you have to admit that it's a controversial move and one that is undeniably interesting to both fashion lovers and haters.

Tips for Buying Second-Hand Designer Clothes

It's no secret that I covet certain designer pieces more than is considered healthy (yes, I'm looking at you, McQ draped tartan dress and Vivienne Westwood pirate boots...) but, try as I might, I haven't yet managed to do one of those fashion diets where you live off economy baked beans and fresh air for eighteen months in order to save up for a Chanel handbag. The thing is, I just like eating and buying cheap crap too much to show that kind of religious devotion. 

If you're anything like me and you don't plan on robbing a bank or marrying a senile millionaire anytime soon then you might like to consider second-hand designer sales - nicely bridging that gap between paying full whack on your credit card or going on eBay and being conned into buying a fake. This is also a great idea if you're looking for something from previous seasons which may now be in your price range. So, here's a guide to the hottest cut-price sites where you can find some verified Versus or genuine Gucci.

The Vestiaire Collective

A slick website with a buzzing online community, The Vestiaire Collective is one to watch. If you're not able to afford an item you can still add it to your wishlist, which is a nice touch and makes you feel more involved, and you can also follow an item's price reductions in case you're able to get it for a discounted rate.

A taster of the website: my search for Celine included these options

• Pros: Tons of stock from across Europe means that there's a high chance you'll find what you're looking for. Items are individually verified so don't panic about being lumbered with an expensive copy of the real thing - you're getting the original.
• Cons: Photo quality varies so some products look less desirable than others if they have been caught at an unflattering angle.

Dresser Online

Created by Sally Ormsby, a stylist who has experience in the music industry, The Dresser was established in 1986 as a business and the website complements the physical shop near Marble Arch in London. Garnering some serious fashion press and appearing in the re-launched Clothes Show TV program, the store itself becomes accessible to a bigger audience thanks to the handy website.  

• Pros: Prices are incredibly reasonable, such as £80 for a graphic print Dolce & Gabbana bag and £95 for Miu Miu heels, all of which are in top-notch condition. If you want something then get in there quick!
• Cons: The website layout is a little small in terms of typeface and image sizes on overviews so you might be squinting quite a bit.

Oxfam

This great British charity isn't just good for stocking up on paperback books and cool Christmas presents (their alternative Christmas catalogue is brilliant for a friend who has absolutely everything, though). The Oxfam website has a strong selection of clothing in both the main Womenswear section and the Vintage range, where I spotted Aquascutum and Jaeger, amongst others.

An example of my finds, all reasonably priced.

• Pros: You're supporting a brilliant cause and giving something back, whilst grabbing a bargain; an Aquascutum trench is just £80 and will last decades. It's easy to get specific in your request, searching by colour, brand or amount of wear.
• Cons: If you want really high-end brands then it might be better to visit the charity's shops in affluent parts of London, such as the Kings Road branch of Oxfam, where I spotted lots of designer labels on a trip there earlier this year.

Champagne and Lemonade

Branding itself as a 'luxury online fashion broker', Champagne and Lemonade takes pre-owned clothing and accessories and then professionally dry-cleans them before placing on the website. Customer satisfaction is aided by the policy of unlimited free returns, so it's easy to impulse buy knowing you can be flexible.

• Pros: There are some more affordable high-end brands including Acne, Paul + Joe Sister and T by Alexander Wang. One particular section will appeal to fussy buyers: 'Never Once Worn!'. This means you're the one to break in those new shoes or that amazing jacket, not a previous owner.
• Cons: If a designer is out of stock then it directs you to a blank page, which can be a little uninspiring. To keep customers converting into sales (sorry, I'm in website technicality mode) it would be worth considering some kind of overview of previously sold items, which will keep people excited about what kind of pieces have been available in the past.

If you have any other suggestions, I'd welcome them. This is just an introduction to some of the sites out there for picking up second-hand purchases, and hopefully they'll inspire you to think outside the box when it comes to buying luxury brands. Happy shopping!

It's Raining Clothes: Free Delivery at Urban Outfitters

A quick update with a juicy discount for you all: Urban Outfitters is offering free standard delivery with all orders placed online. Yep, just like the shopaholics in the image above, you could be one step closer to this season's new arrivals (only some kindly delivery man or woman takes it to your door for you. Talk about silver service). 

Here's the all-important code, valid until midnight on Sunday 1st July 2012:

FR33

If you've been eyeing up a little something online then now's the time to take it from your virtual shopping basket to your floordrobe. 

Happy shopping!

[Image via Tumblr.com].

Brighton Vintage Fair Photo Essay, Part II

 A flash of this season's lilac, but vintage style.

 1950s Riviera chic - this is how summer should be.

 The scarab beetle design of this clutch bag caught my eye.

 The view from the glove section...

 More sunglasses than you can shake a stick at.

 Nice bit of Coronation kitsch, in time for the Jubilee celebrations.

 A very quick snap of a stallholder (her very sweet child is just out of shot).

 A flamingo would set you back just a few quid here. Brilliantly quirky.

 Another very quick snap, this time of a dapper bloke who went for a flat cap and waistcoat look.

These playing cards formed the perfect backdrop to some paste jewellery.

Brighton Vintage Fair Photo Essay, Part I

 The entrance to Brighton's Vintage Fair today, featuring a period car.

 

 A visitor gazes at the costume jewellery on offer.

 These stallholders were brilliantly dressed and coiffed. I'm in love with the grey hat!

 Rock around the clock... 1950s chic on a mannequin.

 Trinkets caught the light at this stall.

 My best photo of the day: vintage shoes lined up for prospective buyers.

 The bargain of the fair: round tortoiseshell sunglasses for £5.

Dress: COS.

Lipstick: Accessorize.

I couldn't resist the print of this 1970s dress - Jazz Age flapper with a Clarice Cliff edge.

[All photos my own. Please ask before reproducing].