Monday 6 February 2012

Magpie Monday - and it was all yellow

I seem to have been colour co-ordinating my purchases again - what's that all about?  Am I so matchy-matchy that I have to buy things that are the same colour?  Guess I must be.

It started with this HUGE roll of ribbon that I picked up in a junk shop.  Just pennies for yards and yards of vintage yellow ribbon.


Yellow is my new favourite colour now.  Bright and sunny like spring flowers.

I've already used quite a bit of this on gift wrapping and it's going to be perfect for Easter gifts and crafts.  Even just to liven up some plain glass jars full of daffodils or baskets of polys.



With the ribbon in my bag already, I was drawn to this vintage skinny rib polo.  I'm hoping I will look cool and retro rather than like a deranged banana, but time will tell.


What I love most about buying second-hand or vintage is the memories invoked.  Just look at this BHS label. It takes me right back to days of shopping with my mum for school uniform.

We didn't sweat in those days

The times when our High Street was populated with stores like Woolies; Littlewoods; C&A and Etam.  When you could do your grocery shopping in the town centre at Safeway or Bejams.  Shoes were brought from Freeman Hardy and Willis (if your mum was with you) or Dolcis (if you were with your mates spending your birthday money).

Happy days of meeting up with giggly girlfriends outside Debenhams and spending the day trying on lipsticks and sneaking sweets from the pick-a-mix at Woolworths.  Making dates with boyfriends from payphones that only cost 10p, and arranging to meet later at Wimpy for a milkshake.  Times before Amazon and itunes, when you could buy vinyl or cassettes from Our Price.  Even Boots and WHSmiths sold singles in those days.

Ahh, free nostalgia with every charity shop purchase.

So, have you had any trips down memory lane recently inspired from a second-hand buy? I'd love you to grab the badge and link up to share what you've found.



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14 comments:

  1. Wish I could wear a polo neck...I already look like a bull dog my neck is so thick!
    That ribbon is fantastic...bet you find so many uses for it!
    Sorry I can't join in this week, but next week hopefully!

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    1. A bull dog??! What are you talking about you crazy gorgeous lady?

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  2. Wow that ribbon is fab! And that amount will last for years.

    Polo necks are always good too - especially when they come with free nostalgia ;-)

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    1. I'm REALLY happy with the ribbon, I'm going to use it for EVERYTHING!

      Here's hoping I can pull off the polo neck!

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  3. Great finds that ribbon will last ages!
    Memory lane oh how i remember going to wimpy's on a saturday after a trip round town with friends checking out etam and woolies etc ;)

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  4. Wow that ribbon, what a steal. Super jealous! Ah the old BHS logo, thanks for the trip down memory lane, I remember all those things. Also lovely to see that the top was made in Britain, don't see that on clothing items these days! x

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  5. That ribbon will be so useful. It is a shame BHS is no longer with us.

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  6. Thanks Chris! You and me should hang out down the precinct one day!!

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  7. I'm another one jealous of polo-neck-wearing abilities. Less a bulldog & more a parcel-shelf here though. The only thing I ever retained from an episode of Trinny & Susanna! We've gone the other way, this week we're all about the future, rather than nostalgia.

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  8. Nothing bought this week to take me on a trip down memory lane - but your ribbon reminds me of the song ' Tie a yellow ribbon' which was a huge hit when I was a child! I could identify so much with what you wrote today. I first saw my husband in a record shop - I was 15 and record shops were the place to find attractive males on a Saturday afternoon when in town with your friends. I spent hours browsing in record shops eyeing up the talent!

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  9. What fun things you could make with the yellow ribbon!

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  10. So pleased to link up for the first time in 2012 I think. Have missed Magpie Monday. Lovely nostalgic post. I loved Dolcis and my shoes as a kid always came from Clarks. Woolies is so much missed for all manner of things. Those were the days, my friend, better ones too in many ways.
    Look forward to you revealing the deranged banana look on the blog.

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  11. goodness me, I would love to find a roll of ribbon like that.... so many uses :)

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