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The past fortnight has been a rushed one. Before we could finish the sentence “Maybe a holiday abroad would be nice this year”, we had Florence and Tuscany booked, paid for and pretty much all planned. I do tend to run away with an idea once it grabs me.

Anyway as part of my organisation, and influenced by the unreliable but very apparent presence of the sun this week, I decided to begin my holiday clothing fantasies. These tend to be clouded in a 1980s Flake advert haze, where I have clean, shiny hair (must be a fantasy) and beautiful non-mountain bike bruised legs (yep, dreaming) peeping out of well made, unique and fantastic dresses (oh really, fantasies are so much better than the real thing).

A fantasy indeed. What with missing April’s spectacular Vintage Village fair at Stockport’s Market Hall, and what with being too short on time for a comforting charity shop jaunt, I decided to have a go at online shopping from a high street chain (several swear words in one sentence there).

Actually I am over-egging this slightly. I regularly shop online, and have done a few times from a high street chain, but what with recently having so much luck with vintage and charity shop finds, I felt this was a last resort.

And indeed it was. Yesterday the bundle arrived, I was filled with dressing up session joy, for approximately 2 seconds. Once I actually got the stuff on, that was soon replaced by intense disappointment. Suddenly my Cadbury’s Flake fantasies were replaced with Carry On style scenes where some beauty finds her clothes ripped and mucky to the sound of a deep trombone.

The buttons wouldn’t undo for me to get the things on, then wouldn’t do up again, the buttons were hanging off, the lace frills were unravelling, the material was naff and see through. Considering several of the items I had cost over £30 a piece, I did not feel nice or special in any of it. In fact it felt as though after one wash it would be looking as old and tatty as something I’d wear while cleaning (though I have to admit, I usually don’t wear these things while cleaning as they make me feel too scruffy and so instead clean in my nice clothes and just get them dirty. Sod it!).

Anyway the convenience of ordering online removed, I now have to hulk the whole lot back to the shop for a well needed refund. Times are hard (I consider lack of clothing satisfaction a raw deal indeed) I want more time to trowel through my regularly reliable charity shops and a good session at Vintage Village once it returns in May. I may have to venture to online vintage boutiques. Only the crumbliest, flakiest determination can stop me. Alas, those Flake fantasies may be mine.

Today I listened to: A genius playlist based on Fortunate Son by Creedance Clearwater Revival (same as yesterday, it was pretty cool, funky 60s and sort of summery)

I know I have taken far too many pics of Lilly, but you have to admit it, she is a gorgeous lil cat. Today sat by me while I wrote, the sun was shining in and highlighting the beautiful yellow tones in her eyes. It matches her collar beautifully.
© Anne Louise Kershaw