First Vintage Korean Purchase

It finally arrived. Pay day!

It was a very anticipated and rewarding day for all of the new recruits here in Daegu.

Everyone ran to take pictures and print out pictures of their bank accounts as we are now all millionaires. Only in Won but who cares, the principal is kind of the same.

I desperately needed clothes. I know ladies seem to say this a lot (and a lot of blokes I know too) but I really did.

I was allowed one suitcase for the year and it was mainly filled with laptops, home comforts such as pictures and sheets (since they don’t sell sheets as we know it in Korea) so my clothes, especially the pretty vintage ones, were put into storage.

A lot it seems have migrated into my sister’s closet for safe keeping?!

I did bring a few choice pieces but mainly things that will work for a Korean teacher’s wardrobe which mainly translates as ‘Don’t show chest at all’.

I am so sick of wearing the same clothes that when payday came I ran out to the shops as fast as my in need of new shoes feet could carry me.

I had spied the vintage section of town while out traveling in my first week and I was intrigued.

All were basement shops and all were huge! Packed to the rafters with hundreds of different items. Lots of 70’s and 80’s but a lot of the stuff in their was easily adaptable or made in the 80’s to look 40’s which out in Korea is good enough for me.

As well as pretty things I have been looking for practical comfy things. Being an animator in the UK meant every day was jeans and t-shirt if I wanted so I tried to dress up but here is the exact reverse and I’m craving baggy jumpers and t-shirts.

I found a few purchases that will keep me entertained for a while.

A fantastic 70’s denim shirt, A stripped long sleeve top perfect for my K-pop classes (more on this later!) and a lovely double zipped black pencil skirt.

I was in clothes heaven.

The greatest thing about all of these finds was that they were stupidly cheap.

Clothes in Korea vary. You can go to underground malls and get lovely clothes for dirt cheap or you can go to the Lotte department store and spend the equivalent of 50,000 dollars on a fur coat. 

This shop was really great and luckily had a changing room (another rarity around here) to help me pick what suited me best.

I did arrive in Korea realizing my style was already 60% Korean. They love peter pan collars, they love bows and dots and they love quirky designs. All in all I am almost mistaken for a Korean daily. This isn’t helped with my dark hair and massive glasses which although unique even in London are common place around this area.

I never expected to find this area in Korea but I love exploring it. Who knows, I might have more vintage purchases here than I did in the UK,

I have already taught some Koreans to Jive on nights out and I’m looking into Lindy hop classes. The newest purchase I made was last night and it was a lovely electric curling iron so now there’s nothing to stop me getting my ‘Heyworth’ on. This place is the vintage home away from home.

Cherry Blossoms

The blossoms are so pretty. the bugs, not so much.

Welcome to Korea

Well I finally did it!

I packed up all of my things (leaving much too many pretty things behind!) and got on  a plane to South Korea. I also brought along my new best friend. Im learning how to use itso forgive the bad editing and photos for a while.

I've been here for 3 weeks now and it does feel like home.
My little flat is slightly bigger than a lot of London studio flats so i'm perfectly at home.

The place i'll be working for the year is called Daepyong and is a middle school. This was a bit of a shock to the system since I was hoping and requested to teach young children but after my first week of teaching I can saftly say that they are as cute and cheeky as I could possible want. I love them to bits already.

I haven't had a chance to explore much apart from the local bars which have been VERY explored. I also happened to stumble into a vintage shopping area which blew my mind as I had completly let myself believe I wouldn't be finding any new additions for my collection here.
I need to explore properly but so far I'm loving it here.

This isn't a long post as i'm just about to go out to recover from the 'quiet' night last night. The cure for a hangover is surely kimbap (korean sushi) and Norabong (Korean karaoke?!).

Welcome to Korea everyone x

A quick thought

So, it is extremely late and I'm in bed (and should be fast asleep).
At the moment my life is a to-do list. I'm moving to a different country very soon and excited by the prospect but I'm sick of being in a world of planning.
I'm craving routine!
I'm also in morning about leaving beautiful London. I want to see the world more than anything but feel part of me has to say good bye to these young early 20's London years. The plan is to travel for 3/4 years.
. Year 1: teach in Korea
. Year 2: animate in oz
. Year 3: animate in Canada
. Year 4: New York... Even just for a month I want to live in New York!

It's all so exciting and the path ahead is nothing but possibility but on these last few weeks its hard to navigate through the goodbyes, packing, organising and (quite painfully) getting rid of so many clothes . It's like Christmas for my sister who's the same size as me.

 It's been weird to not have new year resolutions or get a gym membership as I know I'm leaving.
Things have been on hold for so long and I'm anxious for things to begin..... but sad too.

Ahh we'll, now begins the 'last time' blow outs. Drinks at Gilbert Scott's, dancing at Madam Jojos and a final vintage tour of London.

After all it's a girls perfect excuse to get those vintage purchases I just won't find any where else!

Song of the Night

Love this song
Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford

I'm making my way through Mad Men. I have watched 3 series in about a week. It is safe to say: I'm addicted!
This song was in the credits.
I think it would be the song I did a Burlesque routine too if I ever got a chance.
I have loved it for a long time but only seemed to get 4 episodes in every time. By the time I got to watch another i'd have forgotten and had to start again.

I love every second though. New favourite!

Heres some Mad Men prettiness for you:

Dress for Sale

Hello Ladies,
I am selling this lovely dress from Collectif.
I bought it last year and never got around to changing it for another size. I love it and wish it fit but alas it doesn't.

Here is the EBAY sale.

It needs a good home
x

Waist Training

Waist training is something that has appealed to me for a long time. I am a avid fan and follower of the London Burlesque scene as well as the international one.

The tiny waists and lovely silhouettes are not only extremely sexy but very empowering.

Wearing a corset is purely for me. No one knows its there, It helps my back problems and improves my posture.

The idea to actually start waist training instead of just wearing one occasionally was something I researched thoroughly.

People instant reaction is 'You'll need ribs removed', 'It stops you being able to breath'. 'It will squish your organs'.

Firstly all of these are myths.

There is no such procedure as having your ribs removed. The bottom ribs are made to adjust. They move with your torso. Years of people hearing about rib removal have caused this myth to be a firm idea in peoples minds.

I have read on peoples blogs that it reduces your breathing capacity by 60%. This again is a complete fabrication. If you were an extreme corset (and by extreme I'm talking over 4 inches of difference) you would at the most experience 20% diminished breathing capacity and that's if you went for a jog, not just walking around your home. Lastly is the myth it will destroy your organs.

Most medical problems caused by corsets were experienced years ago by children wearing them. Corseting is something that is meant to alter the shape of your body so it shouldn't be done by someone whose body is still growing. I would recommend waiting until 21 to start but people like Dita Von Teese have been tight lacing since 18 and are fine.

Your organs are made to shift. Wearing an extremely tight corset will make your organs move less when they would if you were pregnant. Years ago people were very malnourished and had short life spans. Men died of organ diseases such as ruptured livers and dislodged kidneys as much as corseted woman.

 Medically there is no proof that waist training does any harm if done correctly. It is similar to drinking alcohol. If done in exsess and done constantly it will harm you but that could be said of weight training or many other things. In moderation and with the correct method waist training is perfectly safe.



My waist training corset is a steel boned, 6 clasped under bust model from www.corsets.co.uk and I love it. It was in their sale so was a bargain.

My rule while training is its not a race and I'm only doing it for me so if one day I want to take it off after one hour instead of two, so be it.

Listen to your body. you wouldn't run 26 miles the first day of marathon training so don't expect your body to preform miracles.

Without my corset I have a 26 inch waist which I am happy with anyway. Like I said, corseting should be about wanting to do it for fun and not expecting it to be a weight watchers substitute.

When I put the corset on my waist is 27 inches without it being pulled in.The corset adds inches because of the metal boning. My aim is 24 (Then i'll have monroes measurments :D)



My tips would be:

1. Wear a top or vest under your corset - This is a great tip as it stops chaffing of the skin and is comfier.

2. slightly tighten, wait 10 mins then tighten again- This has been the best tip I've received. A new corset is like new shoes. It takes time to get settled. The material needs to stretch and relax. For the first week I am hardly tightening it for 10 mins. Your body gets warmed up and it is much easier and comfier to tighten. About half hour later I might tighten it a bit more.

3. Don't rush! - my schedule is 2 weeks for 2 hours, 2 weeks for 3 hours and then slowly gaining 'wearing time'.

4. Results disappear - so you've worn it for two hours, you are happy to take it off (and believe me, taking it off will feel amazing for the first few weeks). You measure your waist and dance around when its gone down by two inches. A few hours later you go to show your friend and you are back to your original waist size. Waist training isn't a fast process but it is fun and if patient those effects will last longer.

5. Some days you don't want to wear it - then don't! its your body and you need to be comfy.

6. Moisturise after wearing - this will make sure you don't have any marks and yours skin stays soft.



I hope these tips help you guys. I am still a beginner and only wearing it because I love how it feels.

I hope these tips might help some of you.I'm in no way an expert and I understand that there is such a huge vat of research that I may have missed a point or two. I am just giving my humble and mostly silly opinion

xxxx

Day 1 without corset

Day 1 with corset

Day 5 

Day 7 24 inches

Screen Godesses

This is a fantastic documentary about all of the alluring ladies of the silver screen.
It has all of the greats. Rita Hayworth and Grace Kelly (some of my personal favourites) as well as a host of others from Greta Garbo to Marlene Dietrich.
A plus point to the documentary is that its voiced by Downton Abbey's Elizbeth McGovern.

I am sorry if you aren't in Britain and I'm tempting you with this documentary but if you are in the uk then get on the iplayer toot sweet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01pjlhv/Arena_Screen_Goddesses/

for those who might miss out on this, here is some lovely ladies to inspire your day.
A clip of the beautiful and confident Rita and some lovely images below.

Greta Garbo

Rita Heyworth

Clara Bow

Its a Wonderful Christmas

As everyone else will tell you, Christmas really is a lovely time of year.

Everyone is planning on seeing friends and family. Eating good food and dancing like crazy people.
Theres something magic about wrapping up warm and all of the fairy lights everywhere.

I am a big kid but I am normally smiling from start to finish at christmas.

I am feeling extra lucky this year as I wasn't meant to be in the uk this winter. My plans to move abroad to Korea in August fell through (and by gove i'm glad they did). Im now leaving in feburary but i'm so glad I have been allowed to spend the time with my family.

Last week I was lucky enought to find some tickets to a local cinema showing of 'Its A Wonderful Life'. Although I am a lover of all things christmas and old hollywood I am ashamed to say I have never seen this film. This is even more of a shocking fact when you know that my surrogate grandmother is Jimmy Stewarts first cousin!!!Her grandson looks exactly like him and entertains me for hours with his ridiculously good impression of him.

So sitting down in a old cinema to watch this film was a big moment.

The red curtains opened and I think I may have cried the whole way through. From pure happiness and sadness. It truely is the most magical film.

George Bailey is my new hero and my new favourite moment in a film is definitely:
"Is this your bad ear George? I'll love you forever George Bailey."

I'm home with my family with the tree up and the mince pies open and it feels like a truely wonderful time. My family are particulaly special to me and spending time with them is always side splittingly fun. All we need now is my brother to arrive from Scotland and we will have the whole team.

(in the meantime my sister, mum and I will have to make do with another viewing of 'The Muppets Christmas Carol' and 'Elf'...oh poor us :D)

Merry Christmas everyone! (old family photo)

Liebster Award

I was extremely excited recently to get a message from the lovely Retro Mum  who has a lovely blog 'La Vie En Rose'
She nominated me for a Liebster award which made my day. This is just a little hobby that I wish I could devote more time to so getting messages make me so happy as I didn't realise any one but me was listening to my ramblings.
Her blog 'La Vie En Rose'' (which is one of my favourite songs) is an inspiring read with beatiful insights and pictures to match.

Here are the rules of the award:

1) Link and follow the blogger who awarded you

2) Blog about the award

3) Give the award to five others (preferably with less than 200 followers)

4) Answer the 11 questions I've asked at the bottom of this post, and then give 11 of your own to the bloggers you've awarded!

So those are the rules. There are few things more insightful than answering questions. It makes you always consider such strange things you've maybe not thought about for a long time. 

 1.) When did you start collecting vintage pieces and why?

I like most, fell into a love of vintage. I stood back from my wardrobe one day to realise all the items I was buying were high street copies of other eras. While my friends got inspiration from modern television and magazines, I was drawn to smokey bar singers and 50's movie starlets. Once I moved to London I realised there were actually places that made these clothes intentionally and since then my wallets been lighter. Places such as Collectif and Vivian of Holloway make me feel like a lady but I am already craving real vintage items. I'm only a beginner but I am loving every second of finding my feet.

2.) What reactions do you get from others when you are out dressed to the nines?

I'm from a tiny town in Wales where you get looked at funny if you don't buy something from the three shops on the high street. This isn't something I noticed until I went home last christmas in low key 50's clothes and people looked at me like I was in fancy dress. This , suprisingly, doesn't bother me too much and I do mean suprisingly since I use to be the most nervous and insecure person around. Vintage clothes and hair make me feel like a lady and make me feel i've finally found my place in the world. I walk with more confidence and feel on top of the world. In London I get nothing but lovely comments. If you have confidence I think people react off it. 

  3.) Who is your favorite designer of the 40's - 60's?

 Jaques Fath is king. The mission is to own one of his dresses.

4.) How do you describe your style?

 Lazy days I normally go for Kookie Preppy Geek but if I want a little boost I will go for Vintage Glamour. 40's, 50's and recently a love of early 60's is my favourite. 

5.) What type of other hobby's do you have?

I am a Animator and Writer by trade so lots of drawing and scribbling goes with the job but I am also addicted to film and television (HBO especially). Recently I have gotten into Roller Derby. Its something I'd love to be part of but I may be the most accident prone person without wheels on my feet. 

6.) Do you have a favorite place to shop online or local?

Local is normally where I shop. As mentioned before , I love Vivian of Holloway and Collectif but Camden and London have so many lovely little boutiques to shop in. Now I just need to money to go with it.

7.) What are your go-to vintage pieces in your wardrobe?

My black boned halter neck dress is a recent favourite but I also love my WKD garter and stockings. They make every day feel fancy

8.) What is your signature lip color?

This is my lip colour. Rockalily Rockette Red. Unfortunatly Ree Ree , the lady who makes it has opened a fantastic hair salon so isn't selling lots of it anymore but you can still pick some up if you go to the website or go to the shop.

9.) What pinup or starlet are you most like or you look up to as inspiration?

Its always upset me that I look nothing like any celebrity. As a young girl I added this up to mean I didn't look pretty. I think when I started wearing lipstick and wearing my hair in curls I was slightly hiding behind it all but in the end it became me. 

The ladies I look up to are:

Grace Kelly

  Dita Von Tease

Betty Page

Zooey Dechanel

and although we all love her, its for a good reason.
Miss Monroe

 10.) What is your favorite perfume or fragrance?

I love Perfume!!! I love going on smelling spree's. Right now its a mix between jean paul gaultier, Jimmy Choo and Flower by Kenzo. I will experiment until I have a baby and then pick one. I want my baby to recognise my smell.

  11.) What beauty look from the era do you love the most? Hairstyles, moon mani, seamed stockings, etc.

Toss up between the hair (rolled up do is my everyday wear but my hair refuses to let me curl it) and seamed stockings. I love them. In fact I love it all: pencil skirts, lipstick, heels. Its all to pretty to leave out. 

Phew that was an epic answering session . What lovely questions.

The bloggers I would like to give this award to are:

 The Vintage Minx

The Retro Doll

Life As Twiggy

Gracefully Vintage

Wishing Will Make It So

And my questions are:

1) What was it that made you love vintage glamour?

2) Who is your fashion crush and why?

3)  What is your favourite piece of clothing or item in your wardrobe?

4)  What is your favourite film?

5) What makes your feel like a lady? 

6) What is your Signature Cocktail?

7) If you could have any job, what would it be?

8) For all those vintage new comers , what tips and tricks have you learnt about make up/clothing/style?

9) Favourite place in the world?

10) Who would your dream dinner guest be (dead or alive)?

11) What is your favourite Era?

 

Thank you again to the lovely Retro Mum and also to The War Bride as I was a little stuck for questions and borrowed some from them. 

xxxx

 

Happy Feet

One important lesson i'm learning more and more as I get older is the importance of wonderment.
I am lucky enough to know that wonderment makes every day better.
My mum use to randomly put music on as loud as possible in the living room, Michael Jackson or any musical song was our favourite, and we would dance like no one was watching.

We would jive, jump and happily jig about for hours. If we weren't dancing we were singing on the top of our lungs (our poor neighbours)
This sadly faded in my teenage years when I become so painfully aware of other peoples opinions.
In fact I'm ashamed to say that a few times as a grumpy teenager I would walk away embarresed from my mum's dancing at family partys.

One day in university I think something snapped inside of me and the childlike love of dance suddenly hit me like a brick wall. Unfortunatly only I had it so I had to lead the way with my friends and invent the 'I can embarres you more' dance game. Which is hilerious drunk or sober.
It occured to me recently that all of my friendship groups are great dancers. Let me clarify that by saying that to me a great dance is someone that goes crazy and pulls the more ridiculous moves possible.
But no matter how silly they will always be the best memories with my friends.
Its been a while since i've had one of these nights and while walking through a london train station recently I was stuck by the urge to break into song. Just to see what would happen.
Obviously I didn't but I just wish the world had more sparkle in it sometimes.

 Nearer christmas the importance of enjoying every small moment is crucial. The small wonders in life are what keep us going. Which is why things such as Instagram and Pinterest make me so happy. It makes everyone aware of the small things.
Other things you should embrase and try to be a part of or watch as much as possible include:
. Flash mobs
.Singing at any occasion (older and cheesier the song the better)
.Dancing like no ones watching
.Getting dressed up for no good reason.
.Drinking from champagne flutes as much as possible (even if its just appletizer in it)
. Make a meal look pretty
.Wear those heels
.The muppets!

This weekend is my first christmas gathering. A 4 course meal and a dance with my mum and sister. We all couldn't be more excited.
So moral of this random post.
Always dance as you will always remember the times you danced and if its silly then it will always be more fun.
So here is a little man that is the leader of the pack when it comes to having a good time.
Take it away Kermit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk4mTINkZlU