My Vintage dress story

Hello everybody

So this is a post I have been meaning to do for a while. Since last year to be honest. I was inspired by Tracey Ellis Ross. She actually did a few  fashion related videos on her YouTube channel and one of them happened to be a video about her vintage dresses and the story behind each dress she shared Today I will just be sharing 4 dresses from my vintage dress collection. They don't really have any stories behind them yet as I have no where to go. However I will be sharing some of my ideas on how I would wear each dress.

Let me start by saying that I find vintage dresses easier to style. I think there are a lot more options for me. Dresses from the past make me feel more feminine.

1)This is an 80s number. 

Thisdress has shoulder pads, double breast buttons , a bold print and what I call a fish tail pleated bottom. This  dress is very typical of the 80s. The 80s were about exaggerated loud clothing and accessories.What I like about this dress is how it compliments my body shape. The dress stops at the right part of my legs. It makes me look more proportional. I have really big thighs and hips with skinny legs. This dress hides this well. With the help of shaping underwear ( I would recommend you get yourself some) this dress makes me look more curvy. I also like the sleeves and where they stop on my arms. The sleeves cover the fleshiest parts of my arm. The fish tail skirt is very on trend for this season. What is there not to like about this dress. This dress has a nautical feel to it with the double breast buttons and the collar. The print of this dress is actually bold blue flowers with subtle white polka dots that blend in well with the cream base of the dress.

I would wear this dress a number of ways :

• a night out when I want to be a bit more classy
• To work with a black fitted blazer and some black shoes ( not forgetting black tights) 
• on a date
• formal event

2) The 60s number. 

 Lately I have been drawn to varying shades of purple.

I can't tell you how much I love this dress. When I saw it I immediately thought of work. This dress would be perfect for work. It is made of quite thick material and it would be perfect for an autumn / winter work look.

3 The Unknown Era 

I'm not sure what era this dress is from but I love it. ( help me date it?) This is another dress I would wear to work. I bought it with some work like shoes. This dress is great for work because of the length, the colour and the fact that it covers my bust well. I have this problem with my bust.  Unless a top or dress has a high neckline , cleavage will pop out. There is no chance of that happening with this dress. I see this dress as a great transition piece because of it's colour. I would describe this dress as an earthy mint green. It is great for autumn and spring.

 This dress can be worn as/to/on :

• a day dress with simple sandals
• formal event dress it up with sparkly bits and bobs
• Work
• A date

4)My 1950s style dress

Well You guys have seen this dress before. I know I have said this about each dress but I really do love them all. A popular silhouette in the 1950s was the full skirt and wasp waist. This dress features a full skirt and a wasp waist. It would suite any figuring. Hiding problem areas for us curvier ladies and creating the illusion of  a curves for those without. I love this dress because of the bold print and they way it compliments my shape. This dress is very much a day to day dress. I would personally wear it to work ( nothing a fitted black blazer can't fix). I'd wear it on a date and on a sunny day with a pair of cute sandal and a cute bag.

 This particular look is very much inspired by Ulyana Sergeenko.

Well I really hope you enjoyed this post. I am thinking of doing a post on how I would style each dress i.e work, date or formal event. Let me know in the comments section if you would be interested in seeing this. ( I'll probably do it anyways). I know I take quite a few breaks from my blog but this girl is trying to figure out her life. 

Have a lovely week and look out for my next post which may be about what I would pack for a holiday.

Love

Tiwi. 

OOTD: Day trip

Hello lovelies

So I have been aol for a while. I'm working on some great things I promise it will be well worth the silence. So this weekend one of my friend's came down to visit me and we went to Leeds for a little day trip.

I went for one of my favourite dresses. I have had it for 5 or 6 years ( since 6th form) and I don't see myself getting rid of it anytime soon. I found this beautiful white blazer in a charity shop and I wanted to test wear it. You could call my outfit a ladies who lunch outfit with  a neon twist.

Just a reminder. Check out my Tiwi's Closet Store www.tiwiscloset.bigcartel.com. We are having a sale that ends on the 17th. 20% off everything.

Have a productive week

Love

Tiwi x

My 5 Key accessories

I was inspired by Beauty Crush on YouTube to do this post. Accessories for me personally are what help add a bit of my personality to an outfit.

My five key accessories are :

A black clutch

Black goes with absolutely everything so in my opinion you can't go wrong with black. I think it is well worth investing in a black clutch bag if you haven't. If you can find one with added detailing then that would be even better. For instance if your clutch has a removable chain or strap. This means you will be able to get maximum wear out of your  clutch. My two clutch bags shared below both come with a chain  that can easily tucked in or worn out. Which means I can go from day to night with both. Another added extra detail is the size of each clutch : both are over sized which makes using them versatile. If you are like me and you carry a pair of flats on a night out then an over sized clutch bag is a great thing to invest in.

Gold jewelry

 Gold for me is a timeless colour. It is elegant and glamorous and that is why I am so in love with gold jewelry. In my opinion you can't go wrong with it. Gold is versatile which means I can pair it with anything.

Sunglasses

Hello my name is Tiwi and I am a sunglasses hoarder/ addict . Yes guys. My last sun glass count was well over 40 plus pairs . I am the kind of girl who loves variety in her closet. If I love one pair of shoes and it comes in different colours. Best believe I will be buying the same shoes in all the different available colours. It doesn't help that my eyes and the sunlight are at war.

Shopper bag

If you guys have been following my blog long enough you would know that my brown battered Zara shopper bag usually features in my OOTDs. Let me be honest with you guys. I have never been a big fan of bags but lately I have been trying to build a sensible collection. I have fallen in love with  shopper bags because you can carry a lot of stuff in them .  I'm one of those women who travel with the world in their hand bag. So despite having a big small hand bag collection big hand bags are quickly becoming my thing. I've recently bought a burgundy one from new look to replace the Zara one. My biggest problem when it comes to bag shopping is quality.A bag can look nice but if it looks badly made or low quality I just can't buy it.

Belts

You can't go wrong with a belt ( well you can). Belts can take  your outfit to the next level if worn correctly. Belts can make you recreate a whole new outfit and that's why I had to add them to my top 5. They help  hold up your pants in style and they can help you hide problem areas when you layer your clothes correctly. You can do so many tricks with a belt. ( I'm talking about clothes related tricks).

I hope you found this helpful. What are your top 5 accessories?
Please check out my last post. It was about Tiwi's Closet the online store. You can look at it here

Tiwi's Closet : Now open

What is Tiwi's Closet ?

Tiwi's Closet is a movement. I call it a movement because it won't just be about a girl selling vintage clothes online. I want to use my love for fashion to change the world. That's my purpose in life. The online store is only the beginning.

What do we currently provide

Tiwi's Closet specialise in women's fashion.  We currently sell vintage inspired clothing and accessories. You can find us at www.tiwiscloset.bigcartel.com . At Tiwi's Closet everything is hand picked with a vision in mind which we hope you can see in our existing work.

The reason we say 'vintage inspired' is because not everything we sell is authentic vintage. Some of our clothes have a vintage look but are from your everyday shops.


In the near future Tiwi's Closet hopes to  provide a stylist, personal shopper and image consultant service.

Background
It's taken me 3 years to finally realise and act on my dreams. I have a gift for picking up things and making them work together and that is exactly what I do with Tiwi's Closet. That is what makes Tiwi's Closet different.

The concept Tiwi's Closet began 3 years ago. This was about 8 months after I started blogging. It started out with me selling clothes and other accessories out of my uni flat. Initially it was a one time event and I thought it would be a raving success. I didn't actually how much work went into putting on such an event and I learnt a lot from those experiences.  I think I made £35 the first market. I held these markets 3 times and the amount I made just kept getting smaller and smaller.

Tiwi's Closet then went on to take part in some fashion shows. People were already seeing Tiwi's Closet as a brand and I was resisting as I didn't have that much confidence in my ability at the time. I have been surrounded by the most amazing people who have helped and encouraged me. That is one of the most important things when you start something. You have to have people around you who push you and see the greatness in you. Believe me if it wasn't for my support system I don't think Tiwi's Closet would be here today.

The Process

As I mentioned already every thing in Tiwi's closet is hand picked with a vision in mind. What makes us different is the styling process and the buying process.

The way I put things together is influenced by my personal style. I am also inspired by different fashion eras. This year I am in love with the 1950s. Last year it was the 1980s. I am constantly learning in being inspired. I am inspired by things I see around, colours, buildings, you name it. I am especially in love with fashion mavericks like  Ulyana Sergeenko , Solange , June Ambrose and Temi Dollface. I want to create that with Tiwi's Closet.

I hope Today's post will give you an insight on what we have to offer. 

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

Charlotte Stewart Photography

This is only the beginning. I will be doing weekly updates on Tiwi's Closet. I can promise it will be exciting. 

On one last note I am looking for a model to work with on a regular basis. You must be able to get to Skipton. You must be over 16, between a size 6 and 16 and female. 

Email me : tiwigondwe@gmail.com 

You can follow the Tiwi's Closet Movement on the following platforms :

Facebook : www.facebook.com/thetiwisclosetcollection

Instagram : tiwiscloset

Twitter : @tiwiscloset

If you have any questions about Tiwi's Closet don't be afraid to ask

Love

Tiwi

Styling my Bantu Knot out

OOTD: walk about SKipton

Hello everybody

I know , I know I have been aol for 2 weeks.

I just wanted to stop by and share an outfit I wore to church. Very simple everyday look. I love my new found relationship with jeans :). When I can't be bothered to think to much. I just slip on some jeans and the rest happens. It was a bit too warm for the jumper but Skipton weather can be a bit tricky to dress for. Do you like my 'bangs'?

What I am wearing : 

Jumper : Primark

Shoes: Topshop

jeans: New look 

bag: new look

accessories : Riverisland, aldo and H&M.