New in at Godiva: more wintry goodies!

Our winter stock is coming in thick and fast! It's always exciting to come into the shop in the morning and see what new things have arrived since I was last in. At the moment it feels as though there's a new delivery every day, so there's lots to look forward to!

Rowanjoy Jessie dress, £75; Rowanjoy Bridget cape top, £65; Rowanjoy mega pleat skirt, £65. Items available in store, alternatively shop Rowanjoy online here

Rowanjoy's new Autumn/Winter "Wallflower" collection has been a big hit on social media and in store too: we sold out of one of the dresses on the very first day! Since then she's been busy making up some more 'Jessie' dresses - which form part of her permanent collection - in some new colourful fabrics. The green and yellow one is my favourite; it reminds me of a backgammon board, but it's actually really flattering with the yellow triangles making your waist look teeny tiny! Rowan's also made up these gorgeous mega pleat skirts in a combination of wool and brightly-patterned cotton.

 

Paperthinks long tote, £60; Paperthinks shopper, £65; Paperthinks envelope bag, £50; Paperthinks purse, £35. All items available in store, alternatively shop Paperthinks online here

Last week saw a huge new delivery from Paperthinks: totes, handbags, shoulder bags and purses in so many beautiful colours! If you haven't come across them before, Paperthinks are a UK brand who recycle offcuts and scraps from the leather industry by grinding them down and shredding with rubber. This reformed and recycled leather is then coated with bright, beautiful colours and made into the bags and purses that you see here. Paperthinks reduce waste from the leather industry, save animals and use a lamination technique to get vibrant colours, instead of using harmful chemicals. That's something we can definitely get behind!

The Style London sequin dress, £40; The Style London tapestry skirt, £24; The Style London tailored coat, £49.50. All items available in store, alternatively shop The Style London online here

Just in time for the party season, we've had some lovely sparkly and shimmery pieces in from The Style London! The gold and black sequinned shift dresses have 3/4 length sleeves, perfect for keeping a little warmer during the cold winter evenings. They're also very versatile, and can be worn as a top underneath a skirt, as seen here! I've completely fallen in love with the skirt too, it has this gorgeous textured tapestry effect and a flattering A-line shape.

Jenny Deans Canty studs, £25; Jenny Deans Canty pearl studs, £37.50; Jenny Deans small Canty earrings, £50; Jenny Deans Canty spiral earrings, £87.50. All available in store, alternatively shop Jenny Deans online here

Jenny Deans' jewellery is absolutely exquisite, hand-crafted in Edinburgh from sterling silver and freshwater pearls. We stock her "Daisy" collection - a selection of bracelets, earrings and necklaces adorned with silver daisy petals that can be hand-stamped with dates or names - and we've recently had some new pieces from her "Canty" collection in. I love the earrings: gentle spiral studs, available with or without the pearl, and two styles of drop earrings. So beautiful!

Silk Purse Sow's Ear earrings, £10; SPSE lockets, £20; SPSE brooch, £9. Available in store, alternatively shop Silk Purse Sow's Ear online here

I always look forward to a delivery from Silk Purse Sow's Ear: a box full of an amazing variety of necklaces, earrings and brooches, with barely two the same! The most recent delivery was no exception, with some old favourite pieces (I immediately scooped up one of the lockets) and some new designs too. I love the gold geometric stud earrings, and the running fox brooch is adorable too.

Turtle Doves cashmere wrist warmers, £22. Available in store

Earlier today we had a special delivery from Turtle Doves - a whole bag full of these beautiful colourful wrist warmers! They're each made from a recycled 100% cashmere jumper, so they're super soft and perfect for keeping your hands warm all day long. Fingerless gloves and wrist warmers are perfect for wearing indoors during the day time as well as when you're out and about, because your fingers are still free to type away at a keyboard or pop the kettle on for a cup of tea!

And besides all this, we've uploaded a whole load of vintage goodies onto our online shop! Take a look at our 'New Arrivals' section to view all the pieces, or browse my favourites below...

1960s dress, £50 (buy here)

1970s dress, £30 (buy here)

1970s dress, £30 (buy here)

Mickey Mouse jumper, £30 (buy here)

 

1980s jumper, £20 (buy here)

Wolf jumper, £28 (buy here)

Vintage style inspiration: Downton Abbey

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of weeks, you'll know that Downton Abbey is back on our screens. Each series I find myself questioning why I actually sit down to watch it week after week: the storylines are so predictable it's like I've written them myself, I don't feel any particular empathy for any of the characters, and my boyfriend laughs at me and leaves the room every time I switch over to STV on a Sunday evening.

But, aside from the Dowager Countess's snappy one-liners, the one thing that keeps me coming back every week is the costume department. My love for Downton Abbey's period style is second only to that of Mad Men (especially early-series Betty Draper, swoon!) and the costume designers must have the best job scouring archives and vintage shops for just the right pieces. Especially since the series started out in the Edwardian era, passing through the roaring 20s and now finding itself in the 30s, with the different social classes and economic statuses to portray.

I think Downton style can be pretty easily translated into a modern wardrobe, too. Now I'm not talking beaded evening dresses with opera-length silk gloves and elegant hairpieces - unless that's your thing, of course. But taking elements - a slim tweed jacket, set of pearls, or a silk blouse for example - and pairing them with more up-to-date pieces is a sure-fire win in my book. And the best thing? You can find the originals in any vintage shop; including, of course, Godiva!

This navy and white patterned dress, with its drop waist and sailor-style collar, is evocative of the easier-to-wear, more relaxed, almost sporty dresses that young women in the 1920s started to wear. Far more comfortable than those stiff Edwardian corsets! I can imagine Lady Edith wearing something like this on one of her trips to the village, paired with some lace-up ankle boots and a cosy wool coat.

I can see one of the Crawley sisters in this dress, too! The muted colour palette, delicate floral pattern and slightly sheer fabric are all details that you'd find in dresses from the period, and I think the sweet ruffles at the shoulder and handkerchief hem are nice little twists on the style.

All the ladies at Downton have an array of pretty silk blouses, much like this lovely pale pink one. The mandarin collar is nice and comfortable, and the embroidered bib adds plenty of visual interest. A string of pearls is all that's needed to finish it off!

I love this white blouse too, with its pretty lace trim down the front. But the real star of the show is this fabulous black and white embroidered tunic jacket - just amazing! I thought it looked familiar when I first spotted it, and then I remembered: it's very similar to this embroidered jacket worn by Cora! I reckon she'd be a fan of this one too.

Of course, no Downton wardrobe would be complete without some countryside attire! For brisk walks through the fields, working with the pigs or hunting and shooting expeditions, the Crawley family and friends are never seen without a trusty tweed jacket. We've had so many different colours and styles in already this autumn, but I love the classic browns in this jacket. A pretty silk scarf instantly makes it look more feminine.

And for those days where a tweed jacket won't suffice, opt for a long wool coat instead! This particular one has a lovely softness about it, especially when worn with these supple white leather gloves and another pretty silk scarf.

January Sale at Godiva Boutique

Happy New Year to all our lovely readers! We hope that 2014 has treated you well so far.

The sale at Godiva Boutique this January is huge and there are bargains to be had from most of our designers, and ALL our vintage stock. Just the thing to get rid of your January blues.

In the designer sale section we have Goldie London, Mosey & Lark, Oops, Johari, The Style, Rowanjoy, Bellfield and Pop Boutique. And the fantastic Mollie Brown has reduced all of her tops, skirts and dresses by a whopping 30%!

To make way for summer vintage (coming soon) we have reduced everything! Dresses, Coats, Ski Jackets, Jumpers, Winter Boots and Blouses are all in the sale so you are sure to find something special. Don't forget we also have a men's section.

Online the clearance page has new items added every week, so if you don't live in Edinburgh you can still get in on the action.

Don't say we're not good to you :)

Rowanjoy Ladybird Dress Was £195 Now £125

Bellfield Swallow Denim Shirt. Was £30 Now £22

Goldie Faux Leather Jacket. Was £85 Now £65

Mosey & Lark Raincoat. Was £160 Now £128

Mollie Brown Pencil Skirt. Was £48 Now £33.60

Mollie Brown Shift Dress. Was £50 Now £35

Mollie Brown Velvet Collar Vest. Was £35 Now £24.50

Vintage 80's Jumper. Was £24 Now £14

Love From,
The Godiva Gals
xxx