So I call your name, the only thing I know.

Vintage silk shirt: £1.99, via charity shop. Vintage leather midi pencil skirt: £3, via charity shop (similar). The Kooples leather jacket: not less than a fiver. Bally chelsea boots: £8, via charity shop. Patent bag: 20p, via charity shop.

Think of this post as an ode to the charity shop. It's been a while since I wore top to toe second hand, but a few weeks ago I found this leather pencil skirt for less than a Pret salad and it reminded me why I always end up heading back to those friendly little stores. As a student, my blog used to document my usual charity shop outfits, but when I moved to Munich things started to get more high street again. A quick browse of the rails of my local charity shop on the way to buy a pint of milk (a girl needs tea, okay) proved to me, yet again, that sometimes you need a little more than asos premier to find something a little special. Admittedly, I need to alter this pencil skirt a little, but where else would you find a real leather pencil skirt for such a tiny price tag?

I decided to debut this little number on a day trip to Ipswich, a town I hadn't visited for a good five years. It's an odd place, but I do appreciate its charm, even down to the statue of Cardinal Wolsey. Just a little bit outside of the town centre is this charming road of old buildings, so we found this suitably warm-toned bookshop to browse before dinner and snap a few photos of my new-to-me outfit. Now, to think of more places nearby to explore...

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We've got so good at pretending.

Dahlia stripy co-ord: £35. Clarks sandals: via Cloggs. Vintage saddle bag: won in Claire's giveaway. Emerald and white topaz ring: c/o Gemporia. Michael Kors Paige sunglasses.

It feels like forever ago (crikey) that I was doing my Art A Level, but four years on and I'm still as much of a fine art fangirl as I ever was, so when a trip to the scenes of John Constable's art works was suggested I grabbed it with both hands, and made sure that there'd be cake somewhere along the way. There's a National Trust spot at Flatford Mill which is where John Constable grew up and honed his skills before becoming a member of the Royal Academy, and after your walks around the area lapping up those Suffolk views there's a tea room (cake) and gift shop (cider) for you to while away an afternoon in. We skipped the aforementioned tearoom upon seeing the queue in favour of the Essex Rose in nearby village Dedham because neither could we pass up an opportunity to try another Tiptree tearoom nor be away from our beloved Essex for too much time in one go. You may have seen my instagram of the pastel coloured buildings, but if you missed it just know that Dedham is the prettiest little village around, and I'll definitely be bombing back up the A12 sometime soon.

For our little country excursion, I decided to debut my first ever co-ord and I have to say I'm rather taken by the trend. I picked up this stripy co-ord in the Dahlia sample sale (although I'd argue that it was just a sale with a few random bits and bobs on an extra rail, but never mind), and I'd like to think it looks okay on, even if the top's a little long #shortgirlproblems. After this small victory of trying something new and it working, I've been on the hunt for my next matchy matchy set. Despite being overwhelmed with the new season stuff at Oasis (you guys are gonna love it), right now Ark have got a load of co ords new-in that are really catching my eye, and I'm planning to pick up this top and bottoms set in store when I pop up to Liverpool next weekend. Because if I can get something that suits me and I feel happy in, it's totally fine to buy an entire wardrobe of them, right?

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