KAZOO SPY: Lily and Vintage Dresses

‘Floopy – that’s how I’d describe my style’ says Lily. ‘A bit like Phoebe from friends. But less tie-dye, yes, a lot less tie-dye’. The girl I’m chatting to stands out for having something special about her style - vintage dresses. Whilst the designer ones come out for black tie dinners, those that cost only a couple of pounds are perfect for festivals. However, this devotion to vintage dresses does not detract from variety. ‘What I wear one day will be very different to what I wear the next’. There’s a sheer white lace mini, a summery chiffon midi, a floral black kimono-dress, and a Diesel denim-look one, to name a few.
 

Midnight blue and in velvet - hands up who wants this diesel dress



The kimono dress - also perfect for fancy dress

But WHY vintage, I ask. First up, they are cheaper than buying new dresses. Second, when it comes to vintage you’re more likely to get creative. Cutting and customising that brand new Zara dress? Sacrilegious. As for vintage, there’s far more scope to make a piece of clothing something quirky and different. Oh, and there’s the added bonus of having a antiques father which means that beads, buttons and lace are in endless supply. ‘Also, if it’s vintage, no one else has it!’

We get on to how she gets hold of these gems. This is where Lily – and indeed anyone living in Shrewsbury – is particularly lucky. ‘New to You’ is a store where people bring in worn designer clothes and get a share of the money when sold. It was there, and in the multitude of charity shops surrounding her, that Lily slowly built up a treasure chest of vintage dresses.

Folded proud - the dungaree dress

Since Fashion Kazoo is all about clothes in everyday life, I ask her what’s been her best moment wearing this item of clothing. The answer was somewhat surprising. ‘It was a moment when I wore my maxi patchwork dungaree dress (above). One of my friends laughed at it, but I didn’t care. In fact it showed me more than ever that you can wear what you like, and not worry about what anyone thinks’. Here’s a girl proud of being a bit different. At school, being ‘the Jack Will’s girl’ who copied everything was never the aim. And, if her vintage dresses are anything to go by, there’s no danger of that happening any time soon.

WHEN I SAY FASHION YOU SAY 'SELF EXPRESSION (AND SOMETIMES A MEANS OF PROCRASTINATION....)'

Lily Taylor recently completed a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature at The University of Oxford. She is particularly fond of poetry, tapas bars and making films.