The Kindness of Strangers

2 Outfit posts in 2 days.

Is that lazy? I’m not sure, but I’m busy getting some nice posts lined up so you can stay entertained while I’m on holiday next week. Did you even know I’m on holiday next week? No? Well, now you do!

This is actually an outfit from the weekend, for some nice early evening drinks on Friday actually. Drinks that turned into late night drinks and meant I wasn’t as bright and perky on Saturday as I’d planned. It’s also an outfit only possible thanks to the kindness of strangers as the skirt and pearls were a prize and a gift respectively.

❤ Jumper - River Island circa 2001 ❤ Bambi Liberty Skirt - Monica ❤ Shoes - eBay ❤
❤ Pearls - Gift from Shallow on a Shoestring ❤

The string of pearls is a beautiful blush pink colour and were a gift from Sharon of Shallow on a Shoestring who emailed me out of the blue and simply offered to send them to me. She also sent me a Guinness keyring that doubles as bottle opener, proving she must be a regular reader who knows my penchant for beer and picnics!

The skirt I won. It came from French store Monica who ran a little competition a while back to giveaway this beautiful Bambi skirt when they reached a certain number of followers on Twitter and picked me at random.

It has beautiful hand painted deer in red on a pale pink cotton fabric that is then embellished with sequins with a red net underskirt. But I’ll be honest, never in a million years would I have bought this particular skirt for myself.

Once I had it I left in languishing in my wardrobe for a while with no idea how to style it. Although it was a perfect fit and very pretty the skirt itself is so dramatic that it needs little in the way of fussy tops, shoes or hair before it looks overdone. Pale colours seemed too excessively girly, and black felt like it would be too heavy.

In a hurry on Friday and short of clothes that weren’t already in the wash basket I decided to try it with black, and I actually really liked it. The red seemed to anchor the skirt enough that black didn’t seem too heavy with such a girly pale pink skirt, and then the blush pink pearls and open toed shoes gave it a bit of balance and a slightly pin up vibe.

So, not only is this outfit a thank you to the generosity of strangers, it’s a lesson to try things and experiment with your wardrobe more.

14 replies on “The Kindness of Strangers”
  1. says: Pixie

    That skirt is absolutely lush. Went to try and get my mitts on one but it’s $200 – a little out of my budget for now! Gorgeous.

    1. says: Retro Chick

      hem, well, yes.

      I mentioned I WON it right? 😉 I don’t own any $200 skirts I’ve bought!

      It is all hand painted and hand beaded, so a lot of work went into it.

  2. says: Aimee

    I love the skirt. Lovely and summery. Reminds me of my childhood, not sure why!

    Are the shoes from New Look? I am sure I had them but put them in a charity bag as they were just too high. Gorgeous shoes wishing I’d not slung them now!

  3. says: heidikins

    Long time reader, possibly first time commenting. But I love love LOVE those shoes! Swoon!

    The skirt is fantastic, but if I had to steal one thing from this outfit it would definitely be the shoes.

    xox

  4. says: Michelle

    That skirt is gorgeous – it looks kind of Russian folk-sy to me. I can see how it’d be hard to work with styling wise, but I think you did a good job & you look super cute 🙂

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