Old Skool Boater

Hello there!  Thanks for all your kind advice and empathy over my dancing lack of confidence crisis- it IS comforting to know that these things improve with age and also that I am not alone in it. I appreciate each and every word you kind ladies and gents (I love the fact I can say that!!!) write to me each time you visit- you make blogging the community and kind place it is.

Greetings from the cool tree in my local park! I absolutely adore this tree- not sure what sort it is but it is huge! I adore the texture and walking around it, looking at the all the nobbles and lines that show its age and wisdom!  If I could find my wretched tripod,  (WOMOTM can I please have that spare you offered next time I come up?) I would totally come over here to take photos occasionally as it's such a nice spot. It's by the pitch-and-put golf course and you can be there for several minutes without anyone passing!

I like lots of aspects of this outfit and wanted to share them (sorry if that bores you and sorry WOMOTM, I know you don't like these posts!)  - firstly, the chambray dress. I really liked the chambray 'trend' (dare I say that word- not sure what I am talking about really or whether it was a trend in the world at large or just in blog world?!) last summer and really like the idea of a chambray dress but didn't really like anything in the shops at the time, nor wanted to pay much for something.  I found this ruffly dress in a charity shop just before Easter for about £3 so was super chuffed!CBC liked it too which is always a bonus! It proves that all good things come to those who wait!

I added the stripy cardigan which was bought several years ago now- I like its 'old skool' appearance and I was always a little smug that I bought it from the Primark aged 12-13 collection- it was £3 cheaper than the adult equivalent and had red buttons (more fun) instead of navy!
Purple tights and Converse added to the old-skool look (not sure how exactly the tights are old skool but movin' on...).  These Converse have a story too. I bought these in Bali last time I was there in 2005.  I went off with my friend Emily one day and we both went into Matahari, a big shopping centre and department store in Denpasar, and both bought trainers- me these and she purple Vans (she LOVES purple more than me!) and then we both bought LOST series 1 and 2 on DVD and I got to see what happened at the end of series 2 in England before it came on TV (which was good as I was actually away when it viewed!).  We were so happy at our purchases- which were bought for about £7 in local currency. We then went to Jalan Sulawesi which is a HUGE street full of material shops! When we got back to the hotel and the rest of our Gamelan group, they asked where we'd been and we shuffled around and shared our purchases to the envy of others!  I realise that I haven't actually worn my black/red Converse on this blog since Easter 2010 (here- at Hever Castle)

Cat's eye sunglasses that I found in a drawer recently (they hurt- bit too tight! I have a big head?) and newly washed, unbrushed, undried hair gave me a nice messy look!). There was also a binoculars necklace which evidently annoyed me as I took it off by the second photo!

Finally the piece-de-resistance:  A straw boater.  Remember I said that all good things come to those who wait?  Well, I have wanted a straw boater for ages. Considering my epic hat collection (over 60 hats- not counted exactly though!), I didn't have a short-brimmed boater (Mum does but she's not giving it over).  I have seen them on ASOS etc but thought they were a bit too expensive. Others in shops have often been too small.
Well, when I was clearing, sorting and tidying at Grandad's house the week before half-term, I was clearing the spare room and in the top of a cupboard I found this straw boater AND another hat (which will be saved for another post). I was SOO pleased- something else I wanted but now I have one that belonged to either my Grandad or Nan! It could even be an old school boater! Nobody else was interested in it so it was ALL miiiiiiiiine*. It has a black ribbon round it but when I was dressing that day, I suddenly thought to wrap my Chambray polka dot wired headband round the brim to give it a different look!
It needs a little putting together, one of the straw seams is working a little loose- any millinery ideas for getting the layers to stick together greatly appreciated (glue? Needle and thread? Other?)

I was lucky that my friend M came out to visit CBC and I in our new home last Thursday - she took my photo by my favourite tree and then I took hers! It was really nice to have her- she's such a great friend, someone who is honest, kind, generous and so interested. She is also INCREDIBLY organised and motivated- these are good attributes for me to aspire to since I am not!  She'll always tell you what she thinks and will be honest and she's so generous. She saw that our old church needed a new hoover for doing the cleaning and just went out and bought a Dyson. Saw a gap and filled it- no fuss, no big deal, just did it.  She was also the painter of the squirrel on our wall- her wedding present to us! She gave me her art portfolio and we got to choose which painting we wanted which she then had framed! It was perfect for us as we love red squirrels and CBC has a cute red squirrel postcard display in his study!  I first met her at church. She used to go to the 8.00am service for a few months when joining our church and then came to a few 10.30 services. I shook hands with her at the Peace a few times and then finally, having really wanted to get to know her, chased her out of the church as she was leaving one Sunday to say hi and introduce myself properly. She always tells people that's how we met! She always laughs about it!

We went to a local arts, crafts and artisan place for lunch and to look around and then we came back to our house for a tour.  CBC then went off for a cycle and we walked over to the local park for several laps of the lake. I like keen walkers and she is certainly one of those!
 
I'll be seeing her again on the 29th of June for my concert at St John's Smith Square, Westminster.  It's going to be a great concert so get yourself to London and come along to it!!! Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Tickets available from www.sjss.org


Do you have any recent made friends (well, we've been friends for 5-ish years now) who you have made and you just get on so well with?

Hugs to all x

Linking to Hat attack with the amazing true hat fanatic Judith AKA Style Crone!!


Next, with the totally cool Bella at Citizen Rosebud who is giving me a wave of nostalgia with her 90's photos!

Thirdly with the fabulous Fashion item Friday with Renae at Simple Sequins


* Cue manic Dictator, Herbert Von Takeoverzevorld, Mwa ha ha ha ha laughter!