This sleeveless jacket is one of my favourite reworks and I’m gutted that I made it before I started Red shoes… and so didn’t document it’s transformation! Doh!  No before piccies I’m afraid.

I bought it in a Chazzer Shazzer as a costume for a small man who I used to ‘do comedy with’.  It was always a ladieee’s jacket but I simply took the faux gold buttons off and he wore it, whilst playing Kenton Bainbridge of Bainbridge Hall, for a good couple of years.  When the time eventually came for the small man to leave the world of comedy and train as a teacher he returned the jacket to yours truly.  I had no clue as to what I wanted to do with it then and there but I kept it for when a jolt of inspiration would hit me.

A year later it arrived….

(reworked chazzer shazzer sleeveless jacket, reworked m&s pink vest, may skirt, orla kiely belt, m&s zebra mules and sunnies, sample sale rucksack from hk)

The sleeveless jacket my friends….A pointless piece of clothing really but…(everyone together now) WE DON’T LIKE WASTE…

I needed patience for this job because I had to unpick the sleeves, take them off and then sew it all up again.  Tough job but I stuck The Wire on and made friends with my stitch picker.  I changed the buttons, took it in and VOILA! A new tweed, sleeveless jacket.

Now, I do have to be careful when I wear it because with tweed (as well as tarten, corduroy, wool) you don’t want to end up looking like Bibi Bainbridge, lady of the house.

You need to juxtapose (Ohhhhh…big word!) your ‘old fashionedness’ with the polar opposite. Do you know what I mean?  I couldn’t wear jeans because I would have looked like I was off to the stables and I couldn’t have worn a similar coloured ‘nice cotton skirt’ because I would have looked like I was taking Tabitha and Mungo up to the village to pick up Mummy. 

I opted for a black version of this May skirt, a leather rucksack, some neon pink nail varnish and a zebra print mule…

And this is where we start the fun my darling Shoelets because it’s quiz time!! YEAH!!!!!!!!! I can hear Tim whooping away!

Look after your clothes (and shoes) and you will have those beauties for years to come so…your question today is:

For which party were these zebra print mools per-chased:

1) March 1998: Party took place in 1a St. Pauls road, Whithington, Manchester.  Most of the performing arts course at Salford were invited – only my group of people turned up.  That would be 10 people.  I had short cropped hair and Bestie From The TV fell down the stairs.

2) July 1999: Party took place at Furness road, Fallowfield , Manchester and had an 80’s theme.  I went as a Grange Hill girl and Bobbi went as Michael Flatley.  We started off in the pub and then, thankfully, more than 10 people came back to the house.

3) November 1999: Party took place at Daisy Bank road, Victoria park, Manchester.  Sister With Massive Laugh and Bro Dude came up from London for it.  The small man, who initially owned the tweed jacket, spent most of the party trying to break into a car (someone had left their keys in it) and then had to break up a fight between two women who towered above him.

What say you? 

Answers will be announced on Friday….haven’t decided what the prize is going to be yet but it’ll be another good one.

Ps. Foot modelling took place at Laura Lee Jewellery in Covent Garden.  Only professionals do it so do not try at home.

Posted in Did It Myself, Didn't I, Inspiration, Mixology, Outfit city, Quiz me?!, Tricks of the trade