Swish magazine

swish.

Swish that thrift!

April 2014

Spring Into The New Season

Punk Pastels Thrift Shop Style!

Wear your spoon on your sleeve!

Internet meets world- Thrifting

advice from your favourite bloggers

Top 5 Thrift Finds swishcover.indd 1

Meet Amina Habeeb, your thrift style goddess

Franklin Tree: How they turned thrifting into a business?

SURVIVE the

thrifting madness!

Thrift shop survival guide

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swish.

April 2014

Edge it up!

Tick all the trends this season with funky prints and 90’s throwbacks. p 13

Features-

Amina Habeeb- Our style crush of the month p.20 Wear your spoon on your sleevep.26 Franklin Tree- How they turned thrifting into a business? p.34

AdviceThrift events survival guide- Tackle your way through the madness p.10 Top 5 thrift finds- Shop this seasons

trends p.19

Thrift like a blogger- Thrifting

advice from your favourite bloggers

p.30

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swish..

April 2014

Fashion

How toSlouchy top-p.42 Star style-p.44

Reviews East end thrift store- p.32 Blitz- p.33

Fun 20 outfit challenge- p. 12 Quiz- p.8

Competition!

Win a polaroid Tired of digital and want to go back to the old days, celebrating the first issue of swish, you can get a chance to win a vintage polaroid camera to snap your memories in an old-school style. All you have to do is send us a picture of your best vintage outfit for a chance to win at swish.co.uk.

On the cover Yellow Knit turtleneck jumper just £1.99 from a local British Red Cross charity shop.

Paired with high waisted grey wash denim trousers, £15 from River Island on sale.

Lace-up grey kitten heels, £5 from Matalan Yellow minisahel , £5 from Primark See more at: http://cheapandcheerfulshopper.com

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S

o you like thrifting, finding a bargain but also keeping that street style.

Swish brings you all the latest trends for your thrifting needs. Who knew jewelry could be made out of cutlery and you could make your own business from thrifting? In this issue we introduce you to the latest vintage designers. There’s a range of DIY’s to spark your creative side and to make your own vintage jewelry at home. Swish magazine offers thrifted fashion guidance and should be your style bible when it comes to being thrifty whether you’re a beginner or an expert- this magazine will cater to your fashion needs bringing you inspiration and advice to thrifted fashion.

Hanaa Foura

Abby Ward

Ariana Khushal

Keri Ventre

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readers letters.

editor’s letter.

r.

readers letters.

You asked and Georgia from ‘fortheloveofthrift’ answered!

I’m plus size; will I find anything at a thrift store?

It doesn’t matter what size you are, you can find anything in a thrift store! Everything is donated and depending on the quality of the product it will be put out on the shop floor. Have a look on every rail and try it on!

Should I bring anything with me when I’m thrifting?

I would suggest a shopping bag (a cotton tote or a few carrier bags) as most charity shops will charge for carrier bags.

Next up I would suggest taking a list of things and you can cross off any items you might find!

I feel weird about wearing someone else’s clothes. Is thrifting sanitary?

After buying anything from a charity shop or second hand store, I always chuck it straight in the washing machine, unless, of course, it’s a precious vintage find that might need hand washing. The charity shop that I volunteered in we would check every item to see if it was good enough to go out on the shop floor.

How do I find a good thrift store in my area?

I would google ‘chairty shops and your local town/village (e.g. Leeds/Otley)’ and go have a look around! I am very lucky to have a street full of charity shops that is only about a ten minute walk from my house.

I live in a small town; will I find good stuff at my thrift store?

All items are donated so I’d just keep having a look as donations will come in every day! Look at every rail and you might just find a little something that is your style!

Have you got any thrifty advice or questions? Contact us at swish@gmail.com swish.co.uk 7

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Quiz

What style decade are you?

Take this quiz to find out which trend decade you should be wearing this season...

Cinched in waists is your most flattering cut of clothing

NO

YES Bold eyeliner and bright lippy over a

YES

NO

bare face anyday

NO

You would prefer

Your style is super

to go to a muddy

feminine

festival in favour of a

NO NO

sophiticated party

YES

You love watching re-runs of SATC to

NO

drool over Carrie’s wardrobe?

YES

Your Ipod full of nineties classics: TLC, RUN-DMC and No Doubt… ?

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50’s

Fun and flirty like the pin up’s of the day, you ooze old-school glamour and take inspiration from style icons such as Kelly Osborne.

Calf-length skirts, tie-neck scarfs and bright lippy are your core style statements.

YES

20’s NO

ES

You know how to

YES

make an entrance - you’re not afraid to be out there

You love feeling free in baggy clothing

YES

Your style era has evolved from the glitz and glamour of the roaring twenties. The decade when people knew how to throw a good party, your style is luxurious and OTT. Think Carey Mulligan in The Great Gatsby, dropped waist lines, feathers and sequins headto-toe. More definitely is more in your case.

70’s

You’re a music loving, tree hugging hippy. Wide leg flairs, burnt out orange shades and circular sunnies are your wardrobe essentials. Chanel Vanessa Hudgens’ Coachella festival style for inspiration but be sure to dress for a cooler climate this side of the pond.

90’s YES

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Your style is dedicated to the era you love, the 90’s are back and in full spin, so dig out those crop tops, chokers and anything plaid and you’ll be looking cool. Think Kate Moss wearing a barely-there slip dress circa 1992 and you’ll be on the right track.

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Advice

Thrift Events Survival Guide Whether you’re new to thrifting and find the experience a little daunting, or a veteran looking to hone your thift shopping skills, then read on to find out Swish’s top tip for surviving thrift

By Abby Ward The early bird catches the worm – Arrive at the thrift shop as early as you can, people will start queuing up from the early hours of the morning to be the first to be let loose in the shop and bag the best bargains. Sometimes they give freebies or exclusive discounts for the first people in the queue, so it’s definitely worth losing a few hours of sleep to beat your competitors to the start line.

Come prepared to take home a haul – invest in a shopping trolley, you know the kind that old ladies have for doing their grocery shopping?

It’s far from a fashion

statement but thrift shopping can be quite heavy work since most of the events operate on a ‘fill a bag for a fixed price’ deal, so a set of wheels to drag it all home in is a must!

No more mister nice guy - this is not the time to be polite or courteous to the other shoppers, you have to be ruthless to get what you want.

People will shove, pull, push and worst of all, grab things you already had your eye on. You have to be quick, keep your cool and stand your ground. Don’t worry too much if you have to let something go though, either way you will come home

with loads of bargains, that sequined crop-top is not worth getting a black eye for!

Grab now think later – There’s no time limit so feel free to have a good rummage to uncover some hidden gems. You see something you like the colour, cut or pattern of, then pick it up!

You can always stop and rethink items before you leave the store.

Grab whatever takes your fancy and try it all on at the end, there’s no point wasting money on clothes that don’t fit or don’t suit you, so make your selection wisely.

Fold. Roll. Scrunch – make the most of your

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Advice bag by making everything as small as possible and squeezing it into the bag. If your bag still has room left to fill, take another look round and grab something for a friend, to sell on eBay, or to customise into something you do like.

Keep your eyes peeled - don’t forget to check the floor, thrift shops are never orderly or tidy and things tend to get picked up then dropped on the floor and forgotten. Swish doesn’t condone crawling around the floor, but you might want to try this around the changing

room area, where loads of cool items are left behind.

Even though you came for the bargains in the ‘fill a bag’ section, don’t neglect the individually priced pieces. They might be a bit pricier but they’re still a steal compared with high street shops, so have a browse of the nonsale rails - once you’ve fought to fill your bag that is…

What the experts say...

“I bring my Ipod and a flask of hot tea to keep me going if you I want to get in the queue really early” - Tamara, Textiles student from Manchester “If I’m really going for it, I bring a small suitcase to lug it all home in!”

- Molly, vintage shop assistant from London “Even when you think you can’t get anymore in your bag try and shove something else in - the shops don’t usually mind if its spilling out a little bit” Jared, Fashion student “I try absolutely everything on because you can never tell from looking at thrift shop clothes whether they will fit or not” - Catarina, Bartender from Spain

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20 Pound Challenge Inspired by YouTube thrift shop outfit trends, Swish takes on the £20 outfit challenge to find an awesome outfit for only £20.

Game on!

Dubbed “the last fair deal in town”, the East End Thrift store is one of London’s biggest and cheapest vintage shops and is definitely worth a look around.

Open 7 days a week the large, former work shop offers their customers a huge variety of fashionable second hand clothing, amongst odd vint a g e piece.

I arrived just before 11am, the time the shop opened its doors and I was not surprised to see an eager queue of people already forming outside.

(it literally was like riding a wave only I had no surfboard and instead of sea I got people!) the first thing I saw were free £20 bag promotions. To give you a gist of how the East End Thrift store usually works, when you go into the store you get the option of £10 or £20 bags. You fill them to the top with whatever you find and pay the fixed price. You get the idea.

They often do promotions, and at the time I went they happened to have the £20 promotion deal, as in the first 10 people into the store would get a £20 bag for free. That’s £20 worth of clothes for free - no wonder there was a stampede! Sadly, I wasn’t lucky enough to be within the first ten to enter the store. I did however, get a lot of enjoyment watching people frantically push each other out of the way in the hope of getting the free bag.

self a rather nice leather sleeved bomber jacket, at £10 it was a total bargain.

I also found a delightful checked shirt for £5 and a pair of trendy denim shorts, also £5. Paired with my Converse and tights to complete the outfit I managed to find myself a killer outfit, and at £20 (don’t include my shoes here) I bagged myself a couple of bargains in the process.

Result!

Suffice to say I had a brilliant day, dodging clothes being thrown around (I took a few sequin tops to the face), finding some really great vintage fashion finds (some for less than £10 too - total bargain) and chatting to other bargain hunters who were very friendly (you’d be surprised in an atmosphere of survival of the fittest!)

I also came home with a brilliant outfit so I guess you could say I passed the

Sifting through endless rails of colourful clothing, dodging the odd shirt being thrown in my face and people desperately grabbing items around my head, I managed to find my-

Once the doors were opened and I had finished riding a tide of eager people

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SS14 e g d p Your go-to spring 2014 guide to inspire you on your next thrift shopping trip. Will you sport that logo top or go girly in florals?

Whatever you go for will definitely be in trend this season.

Words: Hanaa Foura

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theatticpeople 2014

Don’t wanna commit to floral clothing. accesorise instead!

Asos 2014

KaBloom!

Mulberry 2014

‘Florals for spring.

Outstounding.’Meryl Streep once said sarcastly, but once again florals Asos are back to bloom up your ward2014 robe, but with an edge. Incorporate girly florals with bold leathers and studs to edge up your spring attire.

Asos 2014

Dress up florals with jeans and sneakers for a grily yet adrogynous look.

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Asos 2014

Asos 2014

Asos 2014

Asos 2014

90s’ denim is back

Dungarees,denim and logo tops, yes the 90s are back on trend so pop down to your local thrift store and stock up for the new season. Pair with funky Doc Martens for a casual laidback style.

Play it cool with and oversized top paired with dungarees or go short with a croptop also. swishcover.indd 15

Primark 2014 04/03/2014 20:10:36

Newlook 2014

Mono-pastel

Nothing can be more polar opposites than these two but when put together they bring the perfect blend of transitioning your winter attire to spring brightening up the darkness. Just add pops of pastels to a monochrome ensemble and you’re good to go.

Newlook 2014 Asos 2014

Asos 2014 Asos 2014

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Primark 2014

Asos 2014

Pop Art prints

Bring out your arty side to splash colour into your eclectic wardrobe for a fun spring look. Pair with denim and on black to add that pop of colour and spruce up your thrift style.

Asos 2014

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Top five thrift finds.

There’s a common misconception that vintage clothing or clothes found in charity shops are not as of high quality than in the high street stores, of course that’s true because they’re second hand. However this is not always the case, Ariana Khushal took on the challenge to find ‘Top 5 Thrift Finds’ that you could rock this season.

Clothing that looks like high end fashion and is expensive can be bought in any shop, but the way you style an item of piece of clothing is what matters the most.

1. First thing that’s big this season is printed pants; we dug through ‘the east end thrift store’ and found this gem that features a monochrome pattern which can be paired with pastel accessories to achieve the mono-pastel trend. Because the print isn’t too loud you can dress it up with a blazer and shirt or just pop on a t-shirt for a lazy day in.

2. Bomber jackets are making a comeback and paired with one of the biggest trend this spring, florals, you’re bound to tick all the style boxes with this piece.

We found it for 10 pound which is a steal and once again it’s very versatile and paired with a chunky chain necklace, denim and high tops and gives you a retro 90s look.

Tip: This cardigan can be worn with plain black jeans and plain white top, to highlight the cardigan shape and its patterns.

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3. As I mentioned earlier florals are back once again and to put a spin on things, we found a floral crop top which is ig this season and can be paired with shorts and doc martins to create juxtaposition in the outfit for a cute yet edgy look.

Tip: Pattern clothing is best worn with another piece of clothing that is plain but because the floral pattern in this top is subdued you can be creative and go for patterned bottoms as well as long as the patterns complement each other.

5. The perfect combination is mixing a sparkly top with knits to create a fun relaxed look this spring.

We found this grey jumper that offered both of these qualities with pastel pink sparkly shoulders against a light grey knit jumper creating a girly look this season.

Tip: For a girlier look pair this jumper with a pink ruffle styled skirt and converse for a casual girly look or pair with denim shorts and a blazer to turn this girl jumper into an androgynous chic style.

4. We found a few pieces that are great for prominently day time looks so we looked for some vibrant pieces that can be worn in the evening.

After ‘The Great Gatsby’ was released, 1920’s style has made a big influence to the spring 2014 trends so luckily we found these gorgeous tops, one was embellished with white beading and had a flapper s t y l e scallop design on the bottom of the t-shirt which was one of the best vin-

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Style Crush

Introducing Amina Habeeb Stylist, blogger and major style crush Amina Habeeb from Cheap’n’Cheerful Shopper is an expert thrifter.

WORDS:HANAA FOURA PHOTOGRAPHY: AMINA HABEEB

Ever wanted to pursue your dream career but you’re too scared to quit your old one? Well you kind of don’t have to.

Swish editor Hanaa Foura speaks to Amina Habeeb who balances out one job in the day and her dream career as a hobby at night, and no she isn’t batman.

Amina Habeeb is a selfproclaimed stylist, blogger and personal shopper who also runs a YouTube channel under the name “Cheap and Cheerful Shopper”. Her mission is “to empower like-minded

shoppers to discover new and exciting ways to shop for more for amazingly less!” She offers outfit of the days, talks about the latest trends and how you can get the celebrity style for less and creates videos in all the best thrift shops all over England so you know exactly what to look for and where. She truly is a fashion savior to the student community or really anyone who doesn’t want to spend a ton on their excessive shopping habits yet still manages to keep up to date with fashion trends.

As a personal shopper, she offers style consultations, wardrobe revamping and item searchers for when you need something for a specific event but on a budget.

This girl does it all when it comes to fashion, you would think that she was born to work in the industry, but Amina never intended to go into the fashion industry or even saw it as a future for herself. At university she studied Occupational Therapy at resulting in her becoming an occupational ther-

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“Never buy anything full price, I refuse to buy anything full price on the high street�

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Style Crush apist by day, she does enjoy her job but states that “having somewhere to be creative and help people” is also rewarding.

Amina is our style crush of the season with her eclectic fashion sense and as she describes it “ lack of shame and ability to take risks” when it comes to styling. She aims to create outfits that look edgy and high end for incredibly low prices, even cheaper than the high street.

So what’s her secret to these amazingly cheap yet fashionable outfits?

“You have to have a good imagination, it’s not like topshop or river island where they style the clothing for you on mannequins and the way

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that they lay the clothing on the rails where they put certain pieces together to help you to know how to style things, “says Amina.

“Which is great but what happens is that everyone starts to look the same because everyone is following trends and looking like the real life mannequins. Whereas in thrift shops everything is random, you may find a random belt there and a top elsewhere, everything is all over the place. So you may think to yourself ‘how on earth am I even going to style this?’ So you need to be open and play with different styles and ideas.

It’s so cheap that you

might as well take the plunge and see how you can make the top work and try it out with other stuff you have at home so you can alter it to your own personal style. It also helps if you have your own personal style because then that just saves you from buying loads and loads of random things that you probably won’t wear and waste money on.”

She has an impeccable sense of style and claims to have never bought something for full price, if she can do it why can’t we, here are her three tips to becoming a ‘Cheep and Cheerful Shopper’.

Check out Amina at : http://cheapandcheerfulshopper.com/

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Never pay for anything fall price – “I refuse to buy anything full price in high street stores, if I go into topshop I always go into the sales section, and if there aren’t any sales going on, then I’m not buying anything, because you find that three months later that same item of clothing has gone done by a big percentage and other people would have spent a lot more on that specific item of clothing.”

Buy online- “For example when it’s the end of summer and everything tends to go on sale during those times I love to go shopping because everything is super cheap.

I would definitely stock up on those items like a £3 top or shorts and you would know by the following summer you would have more than enough items ready and you find that trends tend to repeat themselves anyway and even if they don’t, you have something that’s different than everybody else because you brought it last year in the sale which makes it unique since people won’t be able to get it again.”

Buy ahead of time- “Because sometimes you go into a store and something that isn’t on sale in store can be online. You also tend to find more stock online as well and one of the things I tend to do is if I’m looking for something specific such as leather leggings, I would search online first before I try to find it in the high street stores because sometimes on Ebay or even the high street store websites they have different items that they don’t sell in store.

Definitely go to the websites first, especially during the sale times instead of rummaging through clothes and have people fighting you for clothes.” swish.co.uk 23

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Style Crush

Amina’s Spring 2014 Style file Amina describes her style as vintageretro-grunge-chic-funk and since she is an expert at finding inexpensive clothes, here are our top spring picks.

Skirt, £3, Primark Vintage 80’s style jacket £19, east end charity shop Red court shoes, £10,Primark

Painted high-waisted Jeans, 85p Sue Ryder Charity Shop,Dagenham Leather and mesh cap, £2.99,Ebay Spaghetti strap top, £2.50, Primark Varsity style jacket, £12, Mark One in Dagenham White panel loose-fit bottoms, £4 from thrift shop in Dagenham.

Shoes, £10, Primark

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Feature

Wear your spoon on your sleeve

Meet Julie Dixion, the art extraordinaire who takes ordinary everyday objects and turns them into beautiful pieces of art.

Julie runs Scrappo Worko, a business which makes hand-made jewellery made from recycled silver and other metals in Cumbria, UK. She’s been perfecting her craft for 40 years and says that her 40 years of life skills has helped to perfect her craft and mistakes made have helped her to improve as she has learnt not to make the same mistake twice.

She has a B.A hons degree in fashion and textiles from The University of Birmingham. “I was lucky my college were into mixing media and seeing how far you can push materials so were quite happy for me to explore other depths such as silversmithing, sculpture and fine art to broaden my skills and enable me to incorporate them into my designs.”

Before starting Scrappo Worko she worked as a theatrical designer until she moved to Cumbria in 2000. She worked for a local authority for a while before “luckily” being made redundant and decided to return to what she considers she does best and loves most, “creativity.” and experiment and not to be afraid of tackling anything.”

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She has is current crafty f taught he sic skills s “I told he experime afraid of She draw ration fro and tries to be infl people’s to push am blesse a good a agination est when fullest pot simplicity

Feature

She has a daughter who is currently following in her crafty footsteps. Having taught her most of the basic skills she needs to know “I told her to go away and experiment and not to be afraid of tackling anything.”

She draws most of her inspiration from industrial waste and tries her hardest not to be influenced by other people’s work, preferring to push the boundaries. “I am blessed with the gift of a good and boundless imagination and am happiest when I’m pushing it to its fullest potential. I do like the simplicity of Scandinavian

design, but really do prefer to stretch myself and try and do the impossible.”

She loves to create “quirkiness” by mixing several different areas of arts and crafts together. “I like to push materials to the limit and explore the unknown. I love breaking all the rules.” Although she hasn’t struggled with working with a particular piece of equipment but material-wise she found setting a cow’s tooth into sterling silver quite a challenge but loved doing it. The most expensive piece of art that she’s sold is £50 as she likes

to “keep my work affordable for everyone.” She often also donates some of her work to charities as “how do you put a price on art?? I prefer to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy a piece of my work. I am not greedy or materialistic. I just love to create.”

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Quick step-by-step guide to making art out of an old spoon.

Equipment needed: A hammer, pliers, file, a sock wrench, wire cutters/tin snips and an old spoon with some form of decorative handle.

1)Firstly to cut the spoon you need to find an existing ring to get the correct. Next you need to find a socket which fits snuggly inside the ring. Measure the ring’s circumference with a tape measure before cutting the spoon’s handle to that length using the wire cutters/tin snips. Round out the edges using a file.

2)Next you need to bend your spoon. Firstly lay your spoon onto the socket. To prevent scratches use a piece of heave fabric to cover your spoon. Hold your spoon with pliers and slowly bend it around the socket. Next carefully tap the end using a hammer.

3)Polishing your creation could help to make the final effect more aesthetically pleasing.

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You can visit Julie’s website at http://www.scrappoworko. co.uk/

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Advice

THRIFT LIKE A BLOGGER Ever wonder what someone else’s wardrobe looks like? Yeah we can be a little nosey sometimes but that’s the good thing about blogs, they don’t make you feel guilty about it. We have scoured the digital world of blogging to find you the most fashionable, thrifty bloggers out there and there thrifty advice; you could say we did the hard part so you can thank us later.

Katie from “TheQuickRedFox” and she developed her love for thrifting during her university years where it’s economically friendly and you get some unique finds. Her top thrifting tip is “Don't go for the easy find.

Those charity shops on a city centre high street know their customer and often have things like 'vintage rails' and what you'll find isn't particularly cheap.

Get yourself to an area where you aren't the typical customer. My favourite charity shop is an Age UK in my hometown. Vintage isn't really a concept they're aware of there and things that I think are amazing are often seen as plain 'old' by the volunteers and they price accordingly!” She also says that another way you can ‘thrift’ and save money on clothing as a student is to organise “clothes swap party with your friends. Something they might not love anymore may just be your cup of tea. Open a few bottles of wine and it makes for a great night in too!”

“I'll often spend money on good quality shoes or a great pair of jeans and team them with quirky thrifted printed shirts and tops. My style is quite eclectic but mostly casual with a bit of an 80s twist!”

Top five spring items:

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•High-waisted black trousers •Dr Martens boots •A black maxi dress •A great handbag •Vintage denim jacket

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Advice Georgia Shipley a 17-year-old from Leeds runs ‘Fortheloveof-thrift’ she writes about her thrifty tips and shares her thrift finds to hundreds of followers. Georgia has spent a lot of her time volunteering at her local charity shop and says that’s what inspired her to start thrifting and “give back to the community with every payment you make when you buy something.”

Georgia’s number 1 tip when starting out at the thrift store or charity shop is “to not be afraid to have a rummage around” she says the best things are usually hidden and can be found in every corner of the shop. “Look in the most unusual place in the shop for example if there’s a little trinket, look inside because then you may find a vintage brooches/jewelry,” says Georgia.

Top five spring items: •Black skinny jeans •Leather jacket •Stylish ankle boots •A warm, wear-with-everything sweater •A fail-safe dress that goes from day to night and suits your shape

Top five spring items: •Pastel fine knit jumpers •Floral skirts •Boyfriend jeans •Oversized denim jackets

As if thrift stores weren’t cheap as it is but these three tips guarantee a bigger wallet as well as a bigger wardrobe. 1. You can cut off the price by shopping around to find the best deal, 2.

“Flex that student card and don’t buy until you’ve checked for voucher codes.” Says Camilla Delacoe. “You can also be a bit cheeky and if there’s a flaw in the item of clothing show the staff as they might take the price down and you could probably repair it yourself at home.” Camilla is a youtuber/ blogger from ‘sheheartsthehighstreet.co.uk’ with 100s of subscribers. Shebegan thrifting as a uni student as “it seemed more economical to try and find cool pieces in the charity shops.”

One of her favourite pieces in her wardrobe was thrifted which she wore to London Fashion week and people couldn’t believe it was from a charity shop so “go consistently and don’t be disheartened if you don’t find anything right away, just keep trying,” says Camilla. She describes her style as Grungy. Futuristic. Biker. Edgy. Vintage.

So if you want to check out her thrifted fashion sense head over to Camilla Delacoe’s channel on YouTube. swish.co.uk 31

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Reviews

PSST

Get The

Our in-house expert Abby Ward investigates the coolest thrift stores

East End Thrift Store

The legendary cult vintage merchandiser, East End Thrift Store (EETS), is no urban myth. Last week Swish went down to check out the ware’s in one of the most infamous thrift stores in London’s gritty east end.

A converted old Stepney warehouse, tucked away down a side alley, is functional but by no means a visual attraction like some of the other more quirky thrift or vintage stores in London. Whilst the walls are bare, EETS is a functional space, it’s there for the hearty thrifters looking for a bargain and not for the tourists wanting to gawk at the memorabilia – only true lovers of thrift clothing seek out this store and they

mean business. The owners come from the Topman talent pool so they know a trend when they see one. The store is filled with hanging rails full of handpicked vintage clothing at the lowest prices you’ll find. EETS proves that vintage clothing can come at a nifty thrifty price as long as you’re prepared to get stuck in and sift through the crowded and jumbled piles and rails of garments. Keep your eyes peeled for the odd designer piece, they’ll be hidden amongst all the other clothing but there are some real gems in this store if you look hard enough.

Best For

Denim: shirts, jackets, dungarees and party frocks.

Best time to go

The nearest tube station is Stepney Green and the store is a short walk from there.

How to find it

Thrift events held most weeks. Join their mailing list or follow them on Facebook to hear about the latest sales and jumble events for your diaries.

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Reviews

he Low Down on...

Blitz This is a one of a kind vintage department store, within a glorious former furniture factory. It offers a thrift shopping experience that is second to none. If you fancy an enjoyable day out thrifting in the capital with friends, Blitz’s cool quirky décor, beautifully laid-out spacious twolevel store, book collection and a café to boot, could keep you in there for hours.

Perusing the vintage goods is made easy, there are strategically placed shoes and accessories next to well-organised pieces -

great for finding outfit inspiration as you shop. A word of warning though, there are a few pricier items dotted around so if you see something that looks too good to be true, it must just be.

The staff are friendly and helpful despite their grungy exterior and the clothes are properly cleaned before being put on the rail so if you prefer, that it is worth the extra pennies.

Best For

Silk scarves, brogues and statement jewellery.

How to find it

The nearest tube station is Shoreditch high street and the store is situated down a side road off Brick Lane.

Best time to go Go on an off-peak time when it’s quiet during the week so you can have a good look for bargains

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Spotlight on

Hanaa meets

Franklin Tree Huna and Lynn founders of ‘Franklin Tree’ have started their business to venture off their boring career paths and try something new.

They describe their business as “A smorgasbord of vintage and handmade finds” which started only two years ago. They now have a market stall in the Vintage Market in Brick Lane. Hanaa Foura meets up with upcoming vintage designers to speak about their journey and the obstacles they faced in order to follow their dreams.

What is the concept behind Franklin tree?

Lynn: We design clothing and sell vintage items that we find; obviously with vintage items it’s a little bit more difficult to suit this generation in terms of the fit and the style. We also like individual items and we don’t want to conform too much to the high street and looking the same as everyone else. There’s so much throwaway fashion these days and everyone’s so fickle they want to change their style constantly so it’s like keeping with that idea where we want to have choice but we’re also sticking to styles that work for the modern body. We don’t wear corsets anymore and some people still want to appreciate that vin-

tage style, so we wanted to make it a bit more modern and current to incorporate vintage style with our lifestyles so that’s our key market, we always try to keep a vintage style but make it more current.

Where did it all begin?

Lynn: From a love of fashion really, I know that sounds kind of cheesy but every girl has this sort of side, where they like to dress up and buy clothes and they love to try different looks so I think for both of us it was kind of like an accumulation of so much clothing. We wanted to think of an output where we can get rid of some clothes in an eco-friendly way.

You know when you buy something that’s new but it’s too late to return it but you kind of don’t want to give it to charity and you want to make some money of it, because everyone runs on such a tight budget these days. So that’s the mentality that we had, we got a few friends together and said who doesn’t have clothes in their wardrobe that they want to get and it just expanded from there, where we thought we could actually do this as a job because we love fashion and we thought why not. We also kind of fell into it because we both

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have a ally dr thing were Huna: handb lot of o our pe pleme how w extra s Lynn: friends lar tas of the one w

Spotlight on Franklin tree designs 2014

starting their own business and bringing something out that’s unique.

have a creative background but we’ve never really dreamt of having our own company or something like that so we kind of just fell into it. We were at the right place at the right time I guess.

Huna: We both started making jewellery and handbags at school, we learnt how to sew and a lot of other creative things and that’s why both of our personalities work together because we complement each other’s talents well, which helped is how we started the business because we have that extra support, an extra person to be there for you.

Lynn: We’ve been lucky because we’ve been friends for so many years and we have quite similar tastes when it comes to fashion. But at the end of the day I always promote it, I think that anyone who has a creative bone should think about

Have you faced any struggles setting up the business?

Huna: Oh many, many umm Lynn: Financially I think is the biggest struggle because we quit our jobs and take on our own business as our full time occupation so we did expect a pay cut, we did get times where we worried about making the wrong decision and whether we should’ve pursued our dreams.

You have to make those sacrifices but then the effects of it outweigh the bad parts because you have full control over your life.

Huna: We’re doing something that we really love and have always dreamt of.

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What influences your designs?

Huna: When we walk around, we love to take inspiration from things we see so if we go shopping and find great patterns that we want to work with, even with wallpaper (Huna laughs) it can be anything really.

Lynn: It really is, anything you come across in your life is inspiring, I see fashion like art you get inspired by all sorts of things and Huna and I don’t actually keep up with designers, I don’t look at what they’re doing at the moment because I don’t want to be given influence by them because I want to create our own unique style.

Huna: And it can be difficult to keep up with fashion because it’s always moving so we get inspiration from what’s around us and from each other to keep it unique and attainable to our customers.

Would you say your designs reflect your own personal style?

Lynn: Umm sometimes, I think it’s hard to say that it reflects our own style because with the realities of life you do have to do things where your own personal style has to move to one side

because you think commercially on a business side of things sometimes your own personal style may not be for everyone’s taste. So in that sense when we think about what we have on the market sometimes it’s a balance so we have to cater to our main demographic.

Huna: We’re much more creative with our designs as opposed to what we wear, if we were younger we’ll probably where our designs. (LAUGHS) What’s your relationship like as two friends working on a business?

Lynn: We’re just really good friends, we’ve been friends for 26 years so we’re practically sisters.

I think we’ve been very lucky in the sense that we get along so well so it’s makes it easier to work with someone you’re so close with.

For people who want to pursue a career similar to yours or something that they’ve dreamt of but are scared to pur-

sue it, what advice do you have for them?

Both: Go for it!

Huna: No matter if you doubt yourself or have any downfalls, if it’s your passion then go for it.

If it’s your dream go for it 150 percent because I think honestly if you are young and have the time start now make a plan, because one thing I do regret is not starting young enough. Everyone’s going to make mistakes, there are going to be things that don’t go as planned like we always had designs that never worked out to begin with but you learnt from them and if it’s the right decision for you at the time then just do it.

Lynn: It always makes you a better person as well because you learn from the process, no one starts off perfect at it and you learn as you go along with your plans. If you don’t go for it you’ll always wonder what would have happened if you did go for your dreams, in the end it’s

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Spotlight on your life and you have control over it so just do what makes you happy.

Huna: Not everyone is going to be 100 percent behind you but as long as you start and you try your best then that’s all you do.

Have you had any people who were against your plans to transitioning careers to something less stable and predictable for a job?

Lynn: Definitely loads of people, I think my family. I come from a very traditional family and my parents expected me to become a doctor so when I first went to art school they were already questioning that decision and then I told them I wanted to quit

my job and do a market stall and they questioned whether I’ll be able to support myself. And obviously it’s just out of care and worry because it’s your family but the support sometimes was never there so you just have to have enough support in yourself.

Huna: And we’re lucky because we have each to support as friends so we make sure we’re making the right decision and we’re in it together.

When creating your designs, how long does it take to think of a concept and create it?

Lynn: There’s a lot of experimenting involved, our design are totally experimental and we’ve never written anything down, it’s all in the head

for us, because we’ve known each other for so long so we know once we’ve explained our ideas to each other we get what we mean. We usually bounce ideas off each other because of our friendship it’s easy to be truthful and experiment with our ideas. I think it’s the best way for us, because we’ve done loads of designs and not all of them work so by being experimental you can come across something completely different from what you originally planned that will work.

Visit Franklin Tree in Brick lane or check out their online boutique https://marketplace. asos.com/boutique/ franklintree

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Tranformation from winter to spring

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m

Advice Transitioning from winter to spring can be a tricky situation for your wardrobe and can be a tough decision between the different styles you may want to go for. The problem may be that you want to experiment but have no idea how to and just want to break free of the winter dark colours and heavy fabrics.

Winter clothing can be dull and boring mostly consisting of colours such as grey, black and white.

To make a transformation from winter to spring you need to think bright and add colourful splashes of colour. To help you out, here are some great ideas for taking winter clothing and reworking them into pieces perfect for warmer weather.

1. Jeans: -You need to choose the best jeans that will fit you comfortably in the hips and thighs. Remember that baggy jeans will become baggy shorts, and tight jeans will be tight shorts. You need to choose the perfect length for your new shorts. You will need to put the jeans

back on and draw the cut-off point with chalk, then carefully cut along the line of the trace that was made by a chalk or soap. The last step is the decoration, use sandpaper, a grater or steel wool to “destroy” them, give them that trendy look.

Suggestion: - Standard short length would be at about 3-4 inches from the knee. These are perfect for the beach.

2. Denim Jacket: - All you need for this look is a pair of sharp scissors and an old denim jacket. Go over the sleeves and allow at least 5 cm in case of an error that may occur. After the sleeves are cut off go over the edges to remove all the fabric near the edges.

If you want to decorate it you splash some paint for a pop of colour or add studs, which can be found at most fabric stores.

Suggestion:-Once you’ve finished and your new vest is ready it will go perfectly with a long dress and some boots to give a bohemian vibe to your look.

3. Boots: -Mark the length you want your ankle boots to be, it may be 5 cm longer or 5 cm shorter. You can either cut them straight using a ruler or cut them with the slight slope to add some originality. Then your ankle boots are ready. To decorate use feathers or pieces of material to wrap around the base of the boot, this will spice up your boring footwear.

Suggestion: - One of the easiest ways to wear ankle boots is to pair black shoes with black tights (or a black dress).

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DIY:

How to slouchy tops

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How-to.

Spring is just around the corner and the biggest problem when thrifting is finding something that fits. You find that perfect printed crop top but it’s five sizes too big.

The slouchy t-shirt is versatile and never goes out of style. You can dress it up with a pencil skirt or dress it down with a pair of skinnies and some Converse. So here’s how to create your own slouchy T with any piece of fabric you have lying around the house, it can also be customized in length and width, depending on whether you want a crop top or a longer fit. It’s super easy to make and you can create a variety of different cuts and patterns, which is cheaper than buying one on the high street.

Step 1: Fold the fabric in half and measure it against yourself in front of a mirror to find out where to cut out your shape in length whether you want it short for a crop top or longer. Also measure out the width to make sure it fits the lengths of your arms.

Mark where you want to cut it with chalk and lay it on the floor keeping it folded and cut to your desired length.

Step 2: To cut out the neck make sure to measure the width of the fabric and find the central point, measure four inches forward from that point and four inches back then make you markings. For example, 20 can be the central point so measures four inches forward, which is 24, and four inches back, which is 16.

Mark each point with chalk and cut a semi circle in the space on the front half of the fabric and then cut the fabric behind a bit shorter to create a neckline. Flatten out the fabric to make sure the neckline is smooth.

Step 3: Fold it back in half and now to create the baggy sleeves cut out an upside down ‘L’ shape on each side which should look like a t-shirt but with a really wide body. Flip the top inside out and sew up the sides that you cut for the arms. Alternatively if you aren’t great at sewing you could just use fabric glue.

What you will need: • • • • •

Fabric- 2mx2m Scissors Measuring tape Fabric glue or thread and needle Chalk

Additional Step: You can enjoy your t-shirt, as it is, however if you also want to hit two birds with one stone you can create another spring trend by cutting down the middle of your t-shirt from the neckline to create a slouchy Kimono style cardigan. Sew up the edges to make it look tidy and there you have it you’ve just created two of the most versatile pieces for this season with just a piece of fabric.

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How-to.

D o I t Y ourself Star Style The step by step guide to making your own style pieces

Firstly, lay the silk scarf over you head and take each of the ends in your hands.

Now cross each of the scarf ends over each other, taking care to sit the scarf just above your eyebrows.

Twist the ends of the scarf around each other to create the knot keeping your grip firm.

Holding everything in place on your head, bring the end round to the back of your head and tie a regular knot.

Finally, tidy up the look into a sleek turban by tucking in the ends of the scarf discreetly into the folds of the turban. Take care making sure the ends are firmly in place and won’t fall out. Now you’re ready to rock your thrifted silk scarf turban.

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le

Thrifted scarf: found in the East End Thrift Store, Stepney.

er you of the

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Dress Your Guy

Top five mens fashion trends for Spring 2014

1)Floral Print: Florals are leading the way for men’s print of the season ranging from abstract sketches to subtle patterns. If your guy is unsure about this particular print tell him to start off in small amounts in neutral colours.

2)Light layers: During the summer months light layers are always appreciated. For an extra edgy look why not get your guy to match a light cardigan over a cotton shirt.

3)Grey suit: The grey-to-go suit is the shade of the summer. It is easy on the eyes and will keep your guy looking fresh, especially in concrete and cement eyes. Be sure to make sure your guy avoids charcoal.

4)Two-Tone shoes: The two-toned complimenting or contrasting coloured shoes are one of the most fashionable trends for the spring collection.

If your guy is unsure what colours to go for tan and blue, white and black and tan and grey are the in-colours of the season.

Naill Hunch, 18, Student Glasses:Rayban.

Braces: Topman.

Floral Shirt: charity shop.

Jeans: Vintage Camden shop.

Socks: Primark Shoes: Doc martins swishcover.indd 46

5)The colour pink: The colour pink was worn all over the catwalks this season. A simple pink shirt worn down with a standard pair of every day jeans will keep your guy looking fresh and fashionable this season.

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