My Top Sassy Smart Suits (ft. Dolly & Dotty)

Aloha, lovelies! Apologies for the lack of blog posts recently. I went to visit my family, then got the flu (thanks Mum!) then got food poisoning so luck has not been on my side! I have just started to feel human again so I am back for some more regular posting. If you want to stay up to date with me and my goings on feel free to follow me on my instagram which is @amberrosetheron as I post there a lot. I have also been busy writing some articles for Vintage Life Magazine which is super exciting. I don't think I announced it on here but I am one of Vintage Life mag's new regular columnists so I will be published in there on a monthly basis which makes me all giddy with excitement! Wheeeeeee!

Anyway, on with today's blog post! I was recently asked by a friend if I knew of any nice suits that she could wear to work that had a retro vibe to them so she still felt herself whilst also looking professional. So, I thought it would make sense to list them all for you here as they can be tricky to find in the retro market. I was very kindly sent a gorgeous skirt suit by Dolly & Dotty who are an affordable UK-based brand who I love which I will also show you on here at the end of the post as I am absolutely in love with it. I am also wearing my gorgeous favourite black heels by Hotter shoes. The most comfortable heels I have ever worn!

Autumn/Winter Vintage Style Inspiration!

It's the 1st of October... That means three things - We're basically in Autumn (Despite the ever-changing British weather!), HALLOOOWWEEEN and Christmas (yes I said it) is just around the corner. I know everyone and their Mother says this, but where the heck has 2014 gone!? Seriously!
Anyway, with the colder months fast approaching it means you're going to have to dust off your cardigans and dig out your jumpers before the chill well and truly arrives! I have to admit, I love autumn/winter - there are fewer things better for me than coming home from cold winters day, peeling off all of your layers, lighting a cozy candle, making a hot chocolate (and yes, I'll have the cream & marshmellows too, ahem!) and snuggling under a blankie. Tell me that doesn't sound heavenly?
For the days that you can't remain in your pajamas *siiigh* I have concocted a little post to give you some maroon-hued inspiration for outfits during the autumn... Or fall as the American's say!

A Week Of Outfits (+Update!)

Oh goodness me! I've been MIA (Unpacking, working, becoming an Aunty). I am really going to start making blogging a regular thing as I do really enjoy it. I've got a few projects in the works (Working with Tesco's Opticians, giveaways, tutorials, OOTD's) which is spurring me on to stay on top of regular blog posts. I've had a blog make-over! Do you like? I certainly do! My gorgeous boyfriend made me a fabulous new blog header to go with my new blog name Atomic Amber. I just felt like my original blog name was a tad too long and I don't think it reflected me and my blog well enough.
I finally have a garden which means I can do detailed OOTD's and take full length pictures for here. What's news? Well I got my picture published in Perfectly PinUp Magazine (Purchase here). Here's a very proud pointy finger... Right in the middle too! ;-D

Vintage Doll Q&A: A Vintage Vanity

Good day, you gorgeous people! In March, I started a little Q&A series where I will (hopefully!) get my favourite retro Gal's to answer a set of questions I have conjured up. Firstly, I have got the amazing Jennifer from A Vintage Vanity - who is one of my all time favourite Youtubers (Click here to go to her channel!). She is so charismatic and a real joy to watch. Her links are all at the bottom of the page :-) She does amazing tutorials and my personal fav is her 'Its Tea Time' series! So let's be nosey and have a little peek into her lovely life!

 

Retro Reviews: Bow And Crossbones

Here I have another lovely company to review for you! Bow And Crossbones are possibly the best vintage reproduction jewellery brand I have ever come across! There is something for everyone - whether it's a gorgeous lucite glitter brooch or a pair of bamboo hoops. I challenge you to visit their site www.bowandcrossbones.com and not come away with a 'want list' as long as your arm! They also sell kitsch homeware, gifts, accessories and cute Pin-Up/Rockabilly clothing.
I was lucky enough to be sent some picks from their store which arrived super fast and were packaged beautifully. For me, that is really important (the packaging, that is), I just feel if I am going to be treating myself I want the whole works! Especially when it comes to jewellery - there is no point having a beautiful necklace if it comes in a boring old plastic packet! (Okay - there is a point... It is still a beautiful necklace! Hell! I just love a bit of packaging! Call me materialistic!).
I received four items - A pair of silver glitter domed lucite studs, a pair of white & blue confetti lucite domed clip ons, a green double orchid hair flower and a pair of burnt bamboo hoop earrings! I was spoilt :-) Of course, as soon as my package arrived I wore everything straight away - naturally! On the day, I paired my bamboo hoops with orchid hair piece and it looked spiffing if I do say so myself. I also wear both in my Betty Grable Hair Tutorial so I think it's pretty evident I love the combination.
Cam from Bow And Crossbones asked me what my preference was on the earrings as she offers studs and clip on's which I personally think is really lovely as it's refreshing to actually have an option. I told her that she could send me one of each if she'd like so then I can say which is my favorite. I have super sensitive ears which is a pain in the ahem, but I get worried that clip on's aren't as secure as studs - HOWEVER I am relived and surprised to find that I really enjoyed the clip on's and dare I say prefer them! They felt secure as anything but at the same time didn't pinch too hard or hurt at all. Perfect for Gal's like me who's ears flair up at the sight of a stud or if you just don't have your ears pierced.

Pin Up Style On A Budget: Swimwear Edition!

I've been a very bad blogger! But I've promised myself I am going to start blogging much more regularly and consistently! Now that I've made myself a new header and shuffled a few things around, I feel much happier with my blog layout :-) What do you think?
I've been doing a few photo shoots (hence new header image) which has been so much fun! I've been absolutely loving it! I've been helping my lovely friend Tanya (search Tanya T Images on Facebook and give her a like as her photography is amazing!) build her portfolio - so it's a win win for both of us! I really want to start doing some hair tutorials and things like that but I don't know if people will be interested/I'm confident enough/any excuse but I do really want to. No complicated or difficult styles... Just some nice simple easy do's which everyone can master and do everyday! Hmmm maybe I will. A few people have also told me I should think about making a Youtube channel, but I think that's a long way away for now! Let's master taking photo's of myself doing hair styles first, haha!

Anyway, back to where we were! Pin Up Style On A Budget! Feel like I haven't done one of these in a while and I know they are quite insightful and it's handy to see what gems are already available in your local shopping centre! This one is going to show all the gorgeous swimwear that is on the high street that I feel has a retro vibe!  Let's begin...

Vintage Doll Q&A: Myself! ;-D

Hola! Two posts in one day, by golly! I am starting up a little Q&A series where I will *hopefully* get all my favorite Vintage-inspired bloggers/hairdressers or just general Dolls (Well as many of them as I can persuade to!) to answer a series of questions because well I am just very nosey  interested ;-D. I think it will be fun to compare answers between different bloggers (and myself!) and see if us Ladies learn a little something new! Anyway, let me know what you think and also if you'd like to be part of this little interview series.

I thought it's only right if I actually answer the questions myself... So here we go!

How long have you been dressing vintage?

I have worn vintage clothing for about 5ish years now, but only have properly starting embracing the 'pin-up' vintage look for just over a year now.

What made you want to start dressing this way?

 Where do I start? I love everything about this style! It is so feminine and ladylike. It has no restrictions or rules! It's like a big vintage party and everyone is invited!

40's or 50's?

 It depends. I like to incorporate a bit of both. However, in Spring/Summer I'm much more 50's and in Autumn/Winter I'm more 40s.

Favorite colour? 

Pink, green and red.

5 staples every vintage girl should own?

A variety of circle skirts. A good well-fitting wiggle dress. Swing dresses. Nylon hair scarves. Red lipstick!

Signature hair do'?

 Oh goodness, however it turns out in the morning! Does that count? Normally it's just a brushed out curl with either a side roll or  high 'wave' fringe.

Authentic or Reproduction?

 A healthy mix of both. They both have their pros and cons. Authentic is unique and normally one of a kind but Repro is easily available and comes in all sizes.

Your biggest style icon?

 Diana Dors and Betty Grable.

Tea or coffee?

 Tea. Tea. Tea. Tea.

Best tip for anyone who wants to start embracing vintage/pin up style?

 Invest in a few staple pieces (read above answer) and DO YOUR RESEARCH. Find out what style you like the most - whether is pin up, classic, rockabilly, alternative etc.

Dream classic car?

 A pink Cadillac Convertible.

Favorite place to shop? 

 Charity shops and eBay

To accessorize or not to accessorize?

 Meh, I'm very much a 'not to', but this year is my goal to become a full on accessorizer.

Cash or Presley?

 Eeeeeeeeee. This is hard. Like asking would you rather have your heart or your brain removed haha! I love them equally.

Are you looking forward to any events this year?

 Urm, not that I can think of. Would like to go to Goodwood but nothing is planned yet!

Summer or Winter gal?

 Summer. All. The. Damn. Way. Where are my sunnies?

Dream holiday?

 American road trip

 Can you recommend any retro-inspired blogs?

Yes (THIS ONE OBVIOUSLY, tehe!)

www.diaryofavintagegirl.com

www.junebugsandgeorgiapeaches.blogspot.co.uk

www.abrightonbelle.blogspot.com

 Phew! And we are FINISHED. I must get emailing now and find some proper gals to answer my questions! :-)

I hope you enjoyed! And maybe found out something new and pointless! Yay!

With love,

5 Reasons Why I Can't Wait For Spring/Summer!

Admittedly, here in the UK you can't guarentee there is even going to be a spring or summer - especially with the weather that we've had recently (floods,torrential rain, 70mph winds!). However, the last couple of days (give or take a rainy morning or two) have been bloody magnificent! Clear skies, only a slight breeze and sunshine! The flowers are blooming and that's a sure sign things are on their way to bikinis on the beach.

I am your typical Brit - moan when it's too hot, moan when it's too cold. But when it comes down to it - I LOVE a good ol' bit of sunshine! I like it even more now that I live a stones throw from the beach in East Sussex. Anyway, I thought I'd get everyone a bit more excited for the sun-sun-sun by telling you all the reasons why I am buzzing for a some vitamin D!
So put away your fur and dust off your halter necks because Spring is just around the corner!

Florals

Whether it's a pretty dress or a show-off hair accessory - nothing screams Spring more than covering yourself in anything flower-related. I love to wear hair flowers to spruce up a 'do and it doesn't feel quite right to sport a cluster of lilies when its raining (although, that still doesn't stop me!). 

My Guide To Pin Up Finds On eBay: How To

Now, not to blow my own trumpet, but I do regard myself as quite an eBay connoisseur and have been using eBay for over 5 years. Whenever I post my 'eBay finds' posts or post a treasure I've found online on Instagram, I seem to get asked 'how do you find these things?' or 'what do I search to find things like this?' so I thought I'd just make it easier and do a blog post on how to find the best things on eBay because it isn't always as easy as just searching 'Vintage dress'! I tend to go for the more Buy It Now option as opposed to Auction and I normally am looking for more Pin Up/Reproduction over authentic vintage (which is typically easier to find in Auctions).
So, here is my collection of best tips on finding the best bargains on eBay!

I think one of the best things to know is keywords - Know what you're searching for

Think outside of the box. Not all dresses are going to be listed as 'Pin Up' or 'Rockabilly'... However if you click the 'Search in description' box when using these words your search will be a lot more productive. A lot of my purchases and best finds are going to come from Hong Kong and similar countries - shipping is usually free or very cheap so if you don't mind waiting an extra week or two and would rather pay less then I suggest filtering your search to sellers just outside the UK.

Retro Homeware On The Highstreet

Long time no speak! I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and a beautiful New Years! I was gifted the most fantasic microwave (yes, you read that right!) for Christmas from my Dad. I saw it on the Wilkinsons website and instantly fell in love! I'm sure you will too when you see it! And I'm sure if it was in an expensive kitchenware shop, you'd be expecting to pay well over £100 for it. I, however, found it for the unbelievable price of just £50! If any of you follow me on Instagram, I'm sure you will have already seen it, but here is my perfect microwave (I never thought I be pairing those two words together!)



It looks even better in real life!

And here's how it looks in my kitchen :-)

Vintage Style On A Budget: eBay/Amazon Edition

Goodness me! You girls must be getting sick of my bargain ramblings BUT I just can't help myself. I just know that if there was another blog like this I would read it all the time (Is that vain?) - because I am forever on the hunt for vintage/pin up-style clothes for a fraction of the price as brands like Collectif and Hell Bunny. Let's face it- it is coming up to Christmas and I cannot be treating myself to dresses, let alone expensive ones!

I have shopping (and selling!) on eBay for YEAARS! I am the Queen. I can spend hours flicking from page to page and am known to take bidding wars quite seriously. There are a LOT of gems on there and it is just a matter of finding them by using the right key words and search techniques. Don't worry I am not going to post anything that is an 'Auction' because that would be a bit silly as by the time you will have read this, the listing will have probably ended! Also it wouldn't be fair if three girls were after the same dress as only one could be the winner! So I have only chosen modern clothing that is new, have Buy It Now prices and multiple sizes and stock.

Most-Lusted Autumn/Winter Shoes

Hola! Now, I think that a lot of Girls find it hard to locate shoes that look good, are affordable, comfortable AND fit in with their vintage style clothes... So here is my wish list of Autumn/Winter shoes - Which are all readily in the UK!

Vintage Style On A Budget: Part 1

So, I have been meaning to do this post for a while as it incorporates two things that I completely adore - Vintage style AND affordability. Now, when I say 'vintage style' that can range from rockabilly to pin up to classic vintage as I feel my fashion spreads across all of those (However, I have spoken about that in a previous post!) so I should have at least SOMETHING that suits your taste here! I am an avid eBay shopper so a lot of my bargains will be from there. Although, I have only listed things that are Buy It Now from sellers that have a large stock of the items and the listing has a very long time left (In most cases, when the item finishes, the seller usually just relists again). I have been shopping second hand for years now and there are fewer things in life that get me as excited as discovering a perfect find for a perfect price (£4 and under, hehe!). I found a Collectif Anchor Skirt in my size in a charity shop for £2. I am rather lucky when it comes to charity shopping, but good things come to those who wait!

Vintage In The Winter - Warm AND Glamorous?!

When I first starting dressing in the Vintage style, living in England, one of the first things that crossed my mind was how do I pull off this look in the colder months!? However, as time has gone on, I have become very much excited to dress for Autumn/Winter. From faux fur to berets, I am going to tell you what I will be wearing when the temperature drops!

Embracing The Vintage Style

Now, I know that the 'vintage style' isn't for everyone, all I know is that it is one of the best decisions that I have ever made! I am by no means an expert on it, but I know I would have found a post like this very handy whilst I was making my style transition. I am basically going to ramble about my opinions and discuss what I know about dressing in the 1940s/1950s style.

And for any girls that are thinking about a vintage style change, there will be a list of things, such as clothes and make up, that I think are essential for achieving the perfect vintage look! :-)

Wish List - September



This is a collection of things that I am greatly lusting after. I am very excited for autumn/winter as I feel there is something so glamorous about wearing a sassy fur collar (faux, of course) with a cute cardigan. You also don't have to worry about your make up melting down your face! I'll just have to aquire a nice umbrella.
I don't usually shop in Topshop and if I do it is when things are heavily reduced, and even then it's pushing my budget, haha! However, I took a visit into my local store and I was surprised to see many items I reallllllly wanted. They have a LookBook called 'Margot's World' and it features all kinds of vintage-inspired ice-cream coloured delights and lots of fluffy jumpers (my favourite!). As you can imagine, this is the part of Topshop that I was in love with, so a few of my lusts are from this collection. Right, anyway! Back to the wish list...

Favorite Vintage Girls!

Here is a little collection of Girls who embrace the vintage style who I absolutely love (stalker?). Anyway, I'll leave you with a link to their instagram as that is where I probably follow them (..not in real life) so you can check these lovely ladies out for yourself! :-)

Various Outfits

Here are a few of my outfits that I've been loving over the past few weeks. I got all of these of my instagram, which is @amberrosetheron - it is my most used social networking site and I'm sure 80% of my readers (if I even get any haha!) will be from instagram. I've included information of where my outfit is from underneath each image, but feel free to ask me any questions etc :-)

 Top- Vintage
Capris- Matalan

Nice to meet you!

I should probably introduce myself...
I'm Amber Rose,I am 18 years old and I recently completed my Fashion & Clothing course which meant II could persue my dream of living by the (Sussex) seaside with my much loved Boyfriend. Over the recent good few months, I aquired a completely new style... I have always loved vintage but was mainly into a more 'street' (cringe!) look. Think gold chains, camo print, Nikes and bomber jackets. However, now I think I have found my true style and era - 1940's/1950's. So, therefore this blog will be all about highstreet finds that I feel do a really good job of embracing the vintage style- because let's face it, most people my age are on a budget and I know this style can be very expensive, with brands like Hell Bunny and Vivien Of Holloway being the most popular (and  most expensive ££). I will also be talking about make-up, hair and general OOTD and activities.

So, lets hope I can keep this blog up with regular postings and shinanigans! :-)

With love,
Amber Rose

xx