Promises, promises….

Did everyone have a good Christmas and New year? We certainly did, you could say we had too much fun and now we're feeling pretty sorry for ourselves and so in annual tradition we've decided we're going to go on a self improvement mission! 2013 was a blast but if you're feeling the financial pinch and post excess blues this January here are some New Year's resolutions and solutions that cost nothing, keep you entertained and teach you some skills in the process!

1: Spend Less On Hair and Beauty

There are literally HUNDREDS of hair tutorials on Youtube. Mostly all you need are a comb, some hair grips, decorative bits (slides, flowers), hairspray and some hair to recreate them yourself at home. Practice really does make perfect and most of these girls have been working on these styles for years. Lisa is one of my favourite youtube teachers, her vast back catalogue, cheeky smile and relaxed attitude really does make following her tutorials super simple and fun. I have no doubt that whatever hairstyle you're looking for she has it covered.

2: Make Do and Mend

Come on, admit it, how much money did you spend on dresses and skirts last year that have never again seen the light of day because they're just a bit too long or need taking in a smudge? We're all guilty of it, it seems like such a good idea at the time and then you just never get around to taking it to the dry cleaners to be altered. Well guess what? Wonderful Youtube to the rescue again! Lots of tutorials to show you how to do everything from threading a needle to tailoring a jacket. They sell packs of cotton and needles at the supermarket so there's no excuse for not being able to sew your own buttons on. 

3: Learn To Cook Like Grandma

Fed up of eating ready meals? Tried every modern World cuisine and frankly a bit bored with it? Not to worry, there is a wealth of (sometimes wild and) wonderful vintage recipes floating about out there. If you don't trust the lurid, green tinged pictures of them displayed in the books head over to The Mid-Century Menu who tests them out so (maybe) you don't have to. Be warned, the recipes are in American measurements but there are tons of online converters that you can utilise. 

http://www.midcenturymenu.com/

4: Get Bootylicious 

Ok so not all of us have either the inclination or desire to be gym bunnies. Some of us have, like, lives, you know but it's always a good idea to keep yourself in some sort of shape and if it's the shape of a pin-up girl, all the better! Here Natalie demonstrates some original vintage work out moves from the 1950s with charm and humour. Much nicer than sweating it out on the elliptical. 

Good luck and Happy New Year! 

Love from LouLou's Vintage Fair

xxx