I've been looking for a good winter coat for three or four years now. Every autumn I had high hopes that this year I'd find what I was looking for, for a price I was willing to pay, and each year up 'til now I've been disappointed. I didn't really know what sort of coat I was looking for, but knew I'd know when I found it. It had to be something reasonably smart but not too posh. A coat that would be just the thing to wear out when the occasion demanded something a bit nicer than my 10-year-old fleece or my £6.00 charity shop coat from four years ago. Finally, on Friday I found something I quite like.
I suppose it's more of a jacket than a coat but it's reasonably smart, a nice quality good-proportion-of-wool fabric, and it fits! What's more it was 20% off - which meant I saved £12. I knew from various promotional e-mails that the 'large lady shop' (OK, lets just whisper 'Evans') was having 20% off all items on Friday so I thought it would be worth the bus fare to Basildon to see if this year, at last, I could find that all-elusive coat. I must have tried on every coat they had in the shop - and didn't like any of them except the one I bought. I could have done without the epaulettes but was not going to let those stop me finally ending my loooooooong search for a coat. Of course, now I don't want to wear it for fear of spoiling it, so set off this morning in my usual red fleece. I'll just have to leave it hanging up where I can see it so that I can admire it from afar.
Of course, whilst in Basildon I did a quick trawl of the charity shops - useless, and called in at the church 'Bargain Box' Friday sale. A hunt through their 'linens' box turned up trumps with a couple of lovely vintage aprons like the one below (now listed on ebay)
And a very nice vintage boxed set of Irish linen rose-print tray cloth and napkins. I was tempted to list this on ebay too, but finally decided to keep hold of it for myself. I'm thinking the cloth would make a very nice cushion cover, and the napkins would always come in handy.
All in all, I came home feeling very pleased with myself, and for the first time in ages felt the bus fare was very well spent.
the swing jacket is lovely- you've got to wear it now, don't leave it languishing in the back of the wardrobe!
The traycloth will make a pretty cushion, perhaps use the napkins in some sort of patchwork?
Posted by: sharie | 12/02/2008 at 05:53 AM