#NaBloPoMo November 6th: GreenEarth, A Greener Look at Dry Cleaning

Today, I thought I would share a little post on an exciting development in the world of...dry cleaning!

I was recently contacted about a new national campaign from Johnsons, The Dry Cleaners.  Recently, Johnsons have launched a new dry cleaning service called GreenEarth, which is both innovative in its technology and much kinder to the environment.

As one of the best known dry cleaning companies UK, Johnsons provides a one-stop shop for dry cleaning and clothing maintenance needs; but they are also a founding member of the latest dry cleaning campaign, GreenEarth, and are the only national dry cleaning company that is licensed to offer the GreenEarth technology in its stores across the UK.  The technology, a process that uses a bi-product of sand that doesn't chemically interact with fabrics, is not only greener and safer for the environment, it is also proven to be softer and kinder on skin and clothes.

I was really excited to hear about this new technology, which is available for consumers to use RIGHT NOW!  Dry cleaning has always been something of a concern for me, as the harsh chemicals used to dry clean clothes, are harmful to the environment and can also be tough on the clothes themselves.

I'm lucky to own some beautiful garments, which I have preciously maintained and looked after since my days in fashion retail.  I believe in keeping these items in mint condition - which often comes with a hefty dry cleaning bill!  Through experimentation, Johnsons have discovered that the new GreenEarth process has proven to keep clothes looking newer for much longer, with little abrasion to other components such as zips and buttons.   Not only that, but GreenEarth technology breaks down into natural elements if released into the environment which, in turn, makes it much safer for the environment.

Recent trend research, commissioned by Johnsons, has suggested that consumers are, thankfully, changing the way in which they buy their clothes - research that has really interested me, specifically since the launch of my Frugally Fabulous Year Challenge.  It seems that, in light of tough economic times and with less disposable income, more and more people are beginning to put their hard earned cash into higher priced, classic clothing that will stand the test of time, as opposed to fast fashion pieces that will, no doubt, be thrown out in a matter of months.  With more expensive fabrics, the need to maintain and care for them can often mean more trips to the dry cleaners - which is why Johnsons are so pleased to be able to offer a service such as GreenEarth that supports this change in consumer behaviour, emphasising the importance of durability and sustainability in their wardrobes; whilst not compromising our environment.

Why not drop in your local Johnsons to test out the new service and do something for the environment today?  Your clothes may just thank you for it!

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Johnsons and have not been paid for this post.

Peachy Challenge: The Frugally Fabulous Year!

Well, we are nearly into the middle of October and my 30-day spending ban has officially come to an end!  I did pretty well, really well actually, I managed to save a little towards my 'Wellies' fund - an I am no longer lusting over Hunters (but that's another post, for another time).

The spending ban really got me thinking recently about our spending habits in the UK and I don't make it any secret that I'm a little anti-mass consumerism, when it comes to shopping.  So I got to thinking (in a very Carrie Bradshaw manner), could I do a whole year without buying clothes from mass global conglomerates??  Here's why I think I should, let alone could....

1. Lifestyle Change - Having undergone a HUGE lifestyle change since having Daisy, FRUGAL really is FABULOUS in our world at the moment - a combined love of vintage and moving ahead in these economic times, means we love creating a beautiful but simple life over here at Peachy Towers.  No, babies don't cost the earth but, in November, I officially become an at-home Mum, Freelancing Wordsmith and a seller of quirky crafty wares - what better time than now to relish in the art of being frugally fabulous?
2. Personal tastes - Last month I wrote a little post about Ditching the Jeans and finding my own personal style again.  I totally coin my unique look as 'The Modern Gothic Librarian' and I take great inspiration from people women such as Dita Von Teese in my style.  I am heavily influenced by the 1930s and 1940s, which can invariably mean I find it hard to find anything that I like or I feel comfortable in, in high street stores (a common problem faced by us on the cusp of the thirties I feel).  Neither do I want to look like every other person walking down the street.  I've often relied on wondrous charity shop caverns and eBay to shape my image - so why not make more of a statement about it?
3. Ethics vs Purse Strings - It really bothers me that most people pay little or no attention to where their clothes are made or who by.  We are incredibly lucky, in the UK, to be reasonably sheltered from some of the hideous truths about how our clothes are made.  But that doesn't mean these problems don't exist - Primark may well be winning awards left, right and centre for bringing affordable fashion to the masses; but it doesn't change the fact that they use sweatshops and, if you remember the coincidentally under-reported fire in a Bangladesh factory this year, their staff are poorly treated (figures suggest that a Bangladeshi employee for Primark makes less than half a living wage each month).  I think it is important, as a consumer, to be able to make informed choices about how we shop and where our clothes come from. 
4. Make, Do and Mend - As a huge fan of all things craft, I am really keen to learn how to dress-make.  I think it would be amazing to become self-sufficient in creating my own wardrobe, so the Frugally Fabulous Year challenge would be a great way of developing my sewing skills and learning to create some truly unique clothes!  Customising and upcycling are also such great ways of breathing new life into things, without having to spend hundreds!  For a while, I have been really keen to explore how to create a more sustainable way of life and blog about it - I can't wait to start putting more of it into practice.
5. Wardrobe vs Wants - As an ex-employee of the fashion retail world, I do have some fantastic dresses in my closet that I am slowly starting to fit back into!  It is a truth universally acknowledged, that most women only wear 10% of their wardrobe.  So when it comes to finding that special outfit - can I root something out that I've worn in a while?  Can I upcycle a beloved old garment or find a new way to wear it?  Wardrobe vs Wants challenge accepted!  

So here it is....my challenge, The Frugally Fabulous Year.  And here are the rules
1. In the Frugally Fabulous Year, I am aiming not to purchase any new clothes for myself from the high street.  This is strictly for MYSELF, clothes for Daisy do not count, neither do gifts!
2. Tights and underwear are not included - but will still buy from more 'responsibly sourced' outlets.
3. Throughout the Frugally Fabulous year - posts will include Wardrobes vs Wants and Looks for Less updates.  I want to show how great you can look on a very frugal budget.
4. At the end I will tot up a total annual saving from not purchasing from high street stores, not to mention what I will do with the saved cash! Kerching!

I'm surprisingly quite excited about this challenge and would love to hear your feedback about it!  Better still - if you are feeling frugal why not join me for a month or two and see how you go?  Interested?  Comment below with your email address and I'll get in touch!

Here's to being Frugally Fabulous
E x

Outfit Post - Ditching The Jeans

One of my favourite outfits - Back in the Whistles St John's Wood Days!

Admittedly it's been a while since I did a fashion post.  I absolutely love finding quirky things to wear, that really reflect my self-coined 'Modern Gothic Librarian' image!  I'm not really much of a mainstream shopper and I would love to hear from other late twenty-thirty somethings who, like myself, feel as if high street stores are really not catering for our age range anymore??!!

Here I am in Croatia, 2011 - Holiday Chic

Anyway...that's another post for another time!  My style lies in a love of vintage and a love of the romantic gothic look.  I've always had one rule when it comes to image - I've never wanted to look like anyone else!  From my heady days as a velvet-skirt and Doctor Martens-adorning goth, to my stint as a bottle blonde with a wardrobe heavily influenced by the Harajuku movement; the key to me has always been individuality.

Having a baby will always means thinking more practically about what you wear - dry-clean clothes become the enemy and sky-scraper heels are just a huge no-no (unless you're Victoria Beckham, it would seem).  But I never wanted becoming a Mother to completely swallow my identity and, over the last few months, I realised I was beginning to feel a little less 'Mumm-me' and a little more 'Mummy'.  Why?  Well...I was living in my black skinny jeans!

JEANS ARE NOT IN MY GENES

I think jeans look great on other people, I am often envious of those who can pull on a t-shirt and jeans and instantly look awesome.  They are practical, versatile and a great staple for any wardrobe, except, it seems, mine!  I'm a dress-girl, I've said it a hundred times and I stick by it.  It is somewhat disconcerting to have a wardrobe full of dresses that I just can't wear right now; but either way I HAD to do something about this minor wardrobe malfunction and start the process of getting back to Emma: Mumm-me.

Not my bag!!

So I decided it was time, to ditch the jeans!  A big step for me - they saw me through my maternity and beyond, teamed with my Mum Mafia uniform of breton stripes; but if I was ever to feel that familiar sense of self-balance, they just HAD to go!  

INJECTING NEW LIFE

I've done a sneaky bit of shopping recently - my budget wasn't huge, but my mental health was thoroughly thankful for it! I found some beautiful pieces at reasonable prices, dresses that could be layered up as we head into Autumn, plus a gorgeous grungy chenille shaggy cardigan that I'm already getting a lot of wear out of! 

Collars and Pearls - What Would Dita Do?!

Over the next few weeks I'll post some outfits from my swag - skater dresses teamed with vintage belts, tea dresses and images of me finally feeling like I'm starting to be 'me' again. 

OLD CLOTHES NEW TRICKS


Part of the trick of feeling good in your clothes, is to find how to 'love' your old ones again! Which is never easy when you're wardrobe consists of 70% dry-clean only dresses, that you haven't a hope of fitting into.  YET.  So I've decided to really start looking at what I already have and the different ways in which I can try wearing some of my favourite garments - I'll try and inspire with some posts in the coming weeks!

What, this old thing? From my Whistles collection!

It had become too easy to shove my jeans on in the mornings and I've had to really force myself to push my boundaries and find 'me' again in my clothes.  It has worked though, slowly but surely, I'm seeing 'Mumm-me' in the mirror again!

Follow my blog for more updates and outfit posts as I search for the 'perfect' post pregnancy wardrobe!

Outfit Post - The Vintage Playsuit: A Stylish Way Out of a Post Pregnancy Melt-Down

Since having Daisy, it has become my very strong belief that an image crisis, even in the most self-assured woman, is all but inevitable.  Nobody likes to admit this, why would you?  But when you are suddenly heavier, bigger, less fit than you used to be, not to mention in need of a post pregnancy wardrobe, I think new mums are more than allowed to encounter one or two wardrobe meltdowns.

I've always been quite confident in my style, the one thing that's remained the same since I was able to think 'fashion' for myself, is that I've never wanted to look like anyone else; i've inhabited my own style - from my heady college goth days to my current vintage-inspired rockabilly look.  But it  has surprised me just how many near-panic attacks I've had at opening the wardrobe and not being able to wear everything in it, just yet.  I'm dressing for a slightly different body shape and they say it takes up to a year for a woman's body to return to normal, after giving birth.  To add insult to injury, my first night out is coming up and I don't know what I'm going to wear! So, what to do in the meantime?

REGROUP, DON'T CHUCK
I'm not quick to chuck out clothes, I've purchased and gained some fabulous items through my years in fashion retail and I do treat my wardrobe as a long-term investment.  Cheap and cheerful works sometimes, but I love to hunt out classic, timeless pieces that will suit me for years to come.  However depressing it is that only about 30% may fit me right now, it is incentive enough that my other beautiful items will be kicked back into action, in a short while.  In the meantime, I ask myself, what fits, what doesn't fit and what am I missing to emulate my style for now?

WHAT DEFINES YOUR STYLE?
Are you a dress fan?  Do you feel most comfortable in trousers?  Is there something missing in your wardrobe?  I took a good, hard, look at my wardrobe and, at the time, the answer was glaringly obvious.  I spent 99% of my time in my black skinnies, but all I really want to wear are dresses! So it was time to start looking for practical dresses, with a vintage twist, to re-ignite some yearned-for femininity.

A FUSSY MUM ON A BUDGET
Bargain hunting has become something of a passion for me, I love the thrill of finding bargains for house, home or wardrobe but have not always had the inclination to root through charity shop, some people have 'the knack' but it's something I'm still working on.  eBay is always a great place for clothing bargains and I've had some success with both buying and selling before, but it can be hit or miss depending on when you're looking.

The High Street offers great clothes at competitive prices, but I'm not feeling a lot of the 90s fashions right now, they're not very 'me', neither do they flatter my shape (before or after birth, to be honest)

Luckily for me, the vintage shop COW, in Nottingham offers a fantastic range of vintage and upcycled clothing in their new-ish two storey store.  They saved my bacon with this lovely upcycled vintage playsuit, priced at a very reasonable £17 - which I have paired here with a pair of chunky platform heels to contrast with the feminine florals.

My other half affectionately refers to this as my 'Goodnight Sweetheart' dress, which I take as a compliment.  The buttoned front is great for feeding and the frilled top creates a cap sleeve as I don't like to show off too much of my upper arms.  All in all, a very comfortable number that I can pair with flats or my clogs (loves of my life) during the day or dress up for the evening.  It's a lovely light fabric, perfect for Summer or layering in winter. 

Well done COW - you are now my one-stop shop for post-pregnancy style! Shop COW's latest collections online or, if you are lucky enough to live near one of their stores in Notts, Birmingham, Manchester or Sheffield, make sure you pop in.

http://www.wearecow.com/shop

Stay tuned for more post-pregnancy inspiration on Life is Peachy.  Do you have a go-to style or a favourite shop?  Where do you think is good for post-pregnancy clothing?

A Whole Lotta Love.....

It is a truth universally acknowledged (albeit, if the universe consisted of me, my other half and a legion of First Aid Kit fans), that Sweden is where it's at!  Not only does it boast a certain flat-pack furniture empire, a storming music scene (the aforementioned 'Kit, Lykke Li and Euro-sensation Robyn) and significant man-candy points (Al Skarsgard); it seems to know its stuff when it comes to footwear...in the form of Lotta from Stockholm traditional clogs!

Being a short-hat, at a mere 5"2, the warmer climes can present something of a dilemma in terms of footwear, especially for those of us whose style edges more towards the 'vintage inspired' end of the fashion spectrum.  Season after season there are hundreds of gladiators, brogues and wedges that do not compliment my seasonal knee-length dress addiction, neither do they compliment my fear of looking 'short and dumpy'.  We've done pumps to death and our underfeet have all suffered with the iconic Topshop nude ballerinas and skinny jeans combi.  

On the other hand, when I'm looking for something to give me a 'lift', heels and fashion and I are no longer seeing eye to eye.  That is, I no longer see eye to eye with the skyscraper heels and wedges that tower above me! It has taken me nearly 29 years to admit it, but there are some shoes that really are just designed to look beautiful.

After endlessly trawling the Internet for a 'go-between' stylish sandal with an innoffensive heel that doesn't make me trot like Bambi on ice, I stumbled across Swedish clogs.  Fashionista Blogs are going crazy for them, Office are stocking Swedish Hasbeens AND Lotta from Stockholm exists!

A Swedish native, now living in the UK, Lotta has built up her brand from her own fascination with clogs back in the 70s.  And there is no better time that now to invest in a pair with the strong 70s revival trend back again for Summer.  Not only that but at prices starting at £52.50 with free UK delivery on offer, they are some of the most reasonable clogs on the market

I bought a pair of cherry red peep toe clogs, with a 7cm heel they are the perfect height for walks with the pram and they compliment almost every outfit, including my skinnies and kneelength dresses.  With a wooden sole, I wasn't expecting them to be as instantly comfortable; the ergonomic design of the sole feels amazing, not to mention you feel as if you are walking 'properly'!  Finally, a perfect blend of style, femininity and practicality.  A triumph for women everywhere!  Head to their website to check out the various styles and colours....you can thank me later!

  www.lottafromstockholm.co.uk