Punk Rawk!

Morning,

It's Wellingborough's carnival weekend this weekend, so for those in the area I recommend giving a cheer to the Horseshoe Inn's pirate-themed float in the parade, looking out for me and the Unorthodox volunteers flyering at Party In The Park, and check out our good friend Ray's band, The Uncle Ray Band, who are playing at midday on Sunday. Oh, and maybe pop in and buy something while you're in town, that would be good too! :)

This week we started our customer gallery on our Facebook page, showing customers rocking their Unorthodox purchases. This one is one of our customers, Sean, who is modelling today's pick of the day. This Worn Free 'as worn by' Joey Ramone Punk Magazine t-shirt is yet another classic WF design. It comes with the tags showing Mr Ramone wearing it way back when, and as always with Worn Free, it's fantastic quality from the awesome California label.

Very excited about our new Death Kitty stock that's coming in soon... they're really becoming an exciting label to be involved with! I know you're going to love their new designs... trust me. :)

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Little Girl - The Banned

Dazzle!

Morning,

Just been picking out the new Death Kitty pieces we'll be getting in stock. Very excited! We have a couple more Max C pieces due in too, so keep popping back!

The pick of the day today is a little something for those cloudy days when you feel like bringing a bit of sunshine into things. This Barry M Dazzle Dust in 76 Yellow is very vibrant, and can be lightly dusted on for a subtle look, or layered for something more intense. Barry M's Dazzle Dusts are probably their most famous product and everyone speaks very highly of them. We have 20 different colours in stock, all with testers so you can see what you think.

Have a good day!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: I Just Wanna Be Loved - Culture Club

And another week begins

Morning,

Hope everyone had a good weekend. From the visitors we had to the shop, it seems the Max C pieces are proving really popular for summer for the ladies, while the Worn Free t-shirts seem to be the pick for the boys.

Just a quick note to draw your attention to our local produce. We strongly believe in supporting the local community, especially it's artists, which is why alongside our big name labels, we also stock brand from within Northamptonshire. These currently include WAM Apparel t-shirts and hoodies, Maddie bags and accessories, JP Jewellery, Louise Berrill artwork, CDs by The Hounds, and perhaps the ultimate local label, Dr Martens. With all of these, we try to strike a fair deal for the producer in order to support and encourage them, and to offer you something that's different and in many cases, limited edition or one-offs. So next time you pop in, take a peek at some of the local bits and pieces, you may find a gem and lots of good karma!

Pick of the day today is this Temporary:Secretary Plate Of Biscuits ring. Cute as anything, the porcelain plate is about 3cm and covered in little tiny biscuits. As they are handmade, they can vary from the picture shown, but they are all very very cute. The ring is adjustable and 'one size fits all' so should suit most people. Guaranteed to make yourself or someone else smile.

Have a good week!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Stay Too Long - Plan B

Belated Saturday Post

Morning (just!),

Sorry, bit late on the blog post today but been sorting through the gorgeous new Maddie pieces we have in. There's a new bag, some brooches that look great on clothes or as bag charms, some hairslides, and some hairbands. Going to tag them up in a minute and get them on display for you all.

This Iska dress is our pick of the day. Yesterday Tahnee made the statement she could get a week's worth of outfits out of this dress and have it look different every time. She then tried it on with a belt, with leggings, with skinny jeans, with cut offs, and managed to prove her point. Personally, I nabbed one of these when they came in and I just like it with a pair of black tights and a shrug. It definitely is a very versatile little dress, and perfect for those days when you're not feeling so confident and want something you can rely on to look good and be comfortable. It's two-tone grey, with the layering effect that's very in, a lovely silky lining, and is really flattering to those who want to emphasise their curves without drawing attention to any lumps and bumps! Definitely a good buy, as far as the Unorthodox girls are concerned!

Right, better get these new Maddie pieces sorted out!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult

Peace Out

Morning,

Got Tahnee and baby Zack in the shop this morning. He seems to be fascinated with the Stargazer lashes.

Tahnee has chosen today's pick of the day. It's one of our new Maddie bags. Satchel-style, we have a few of these, some with longer straps, other with shorter ones. Each one is handmade and unique. Perfect for accesorising summer outfits, when you don't want a heavy handbag, and maybe for indulging your inner hippy! So celebrate Glasto weekend by supporting local artisans and going back to basics!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Summer Rain (Justin Strauss Mix) - Belinda Carlisle

Essential summer piece

Morning,

Well, football went well! It wasn't as quiet in the shop as I thought it would be during the match, so thank you to everyone who popped in. Bit of a mad rush on Barry M Nail Paint yesterday. I swear by it so if you haven't tried it, give it a go. Everyone says it seems to go on and last better than a lot of the more expensive brands. A customer asked yesterday how our make-up pricing compares to the big high street retailers. We sell the Barry M make-up at the RRP (recommended retail price), as do most of the big high street names (barring any special offers they are running), so you're not out of pocket as a rule, and you get much more good karma from supporting independent shops!

Pick of the day today is another one of our new Max C 'High Summer' collection pieces. This vest top is cream with black lace detail, slight ruching at the front, and a little pearl decoration. It's one of those essential summer pieces that can be dressed up or dressed down. Bows are very in again this summer, but if you don't like things too flouncy, this may well be the top for you. It's got a lovely feel to the material too, that everyone has been commenting on. Let me know what you think.

Hmm... room temperature Diet Coke just isn't very appealing, I've learnt! Please buy more things so I can buy the shop a little fridge!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Codine - Hole

Come on England!

Morning,

Chilling out in the shop this morning, listening to The Freshies and eating Haribo. We will be open during the England World Cup match later, so for those avoiding the football, pop in and have a browse! Although I'll be watching it online!

Our pick of the day today is the first bit of merchandise we have in from a local band. If any other bands are interested in having us stock their stuff, pop in and have a chat. This is a 4-track EP by The Hounds, who play "Hard-rockin', beer drinkin', slide-driven barroom rock 'n' roll", apparently. I really love it, especially the cover of She Does It Right. Anyway, the tracklisting is:

1. Same Old Shit
2. Tush
3. Once Bitten Twice Shy
4. She Does It Right

Support local music and pick up a copy. You can find out more about them on their website.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Something's Burning - The Freshies

Guns might kill people, but t-shirts don't.

Morning,

Shame we're nowhere near Christmas because I bear a stunning resemblance to Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer today! Pesky hayfever!

Have you 'liked' us on Facebook yet? Check out our Unorthodox Facebook page and click 'Like' to be kept up to date on all our bits and pieces. Plus, when we have 250 people liking us, there's going to be an exclusive offer only for our Facebook followers. So when you join up, make sure you use the 'Suggest to friends' link at the top and help us get there that much quicker!

Pick Of The Day today is this Worn Free 'as worn by' Keith Moon (of The Who) t-shirt. The olive colour goes really well with a tan, guys (please be responsible in the sun, etc etc). Comes with the distinctive Worn Free tag showing Mr Moon wearing it, and when and where.

Right, off to find more tissues!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Cars With The Boom - L'Trimm

Summer Solstice

Morning,

Summer solstice today, and the sun is shining (as it should be!). I'm sneezing like mad with hayfever but we'll gloss over that!

Louise Berrill, whose art we have been displaying, has taken her Cityscapes that we had on the walls for an exhibition next weekend, so in the meantime she has lent us some lovely other pieces of her work. Very pretty and lots of blue, so perfect for a summer's day.

Also perfect for a summer's day is our pick of the day today. This maxi dress is one of the new Max C 'High Summer' collection we have in. It's got a gorgeous feather-print on it (feathers being very in this summer) and the colours are beautiful. With an elasticated bandeau-style top, the skirt flows elegantly to the floor, going from blue at the top to a deep red at the bottom. As always, stock is limited, so whether it's for festivals, nights out, days in the park, or holidays, pop in and have a look at this one. When it's gone, it's gone!

Hope everyone is having a good Monday.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: I Know - Pfilbryte

Last Chance!

Morning,

Today is the last day of our get-a-free-Barry-M-Nail-Paint-when-you-buy-any-Iska-dress offer. Get in here quick! We also have our new Max C dresses and tops going onto the racks this morning. I'm just trying to decide how I can move around the furniture to fit another rack in! It's a bit of a funny shaped shop, when you look at it! Want to give all of you plenty of room to browse comfortably, but just need to work out how to do that! Not great at the interior design thing, me.

Pick of the day is one of the new Max C handbags. Max C's bag line is becoming very renowned with celebs and magazines, so we thought we'd see what you think by offering this one to you. It's cream and black, a touch of 60s chic, and comes with a shoulder strap in case that's how you prefer to carry it. Very smart, great quality, all the tags. As with all of our stock, we only buy in a limited number of most items in order to maintain their exclusivity and keep our customers looking individual and unique (as far as we can!).

On that note, we're also starting a gallery on our Facebook page of all of our lovely customers. So if you've bought something from Unorthodox, be it clothes, accessories, hair dye or make-up, send us a photo of you wearing it with your name, what you're wearing, and when/where the photo was taken. The e-mail address for the shop is kat@unorthodoxshop.co.uk

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Steppin - Chicken Lips

Match Day

Morning,

Apparently some of the new Max C items we're getting in are on their way to us now. Will let you know as soon as they're in but I reckon we've handpicked some lovely pieces from their High Summer collection.

Temporary:Secretary is a definite favourite of ours at Unorthodox, and seems to be very popular with our customers too. These are the now legendary Keep Calm And Carry On necklaces. Available in both plain and vintage (with the flower design on them), we have a range of colours in stock, but only one of each so be quick! Perfect for those expecting exam results this summer, those not expecting the World Cup results they want, or just those dealing with the stresses of every day life!

It's just typical that when I dress for sun, I get a cloudy day and chilly legs!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Nobody Else - Take That

Roll on the weekend

Morning,

This week seems to be flying by! If you want an extra helping hand getting ready for the weekend, remember, our special offer is still on. All together now, "Choose a free Barry M Nail Paint when you buy an Iska dress". I'd rather say it too often, than risk any of you not knowing about it!

Today's pick of the day is this Maddie 'Ladies Who Lunch' bag. It's a handmade little bag, small enough to be cute and convenient, big enough to fit in all your essentials for the day (and, obviously, your lunch). We have them in a variety of prints, and as they're handmade, each one is different. Maddie is one of our local labels, so you'd have a struggle tracking these down anywhere else. Support local artisans, support local independent shops, buy a bag! :)

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Falling - Semisonic

Pretty Green (just not that one)

Morning,

The new pavement across the street is looking quite art deco. Really liking it! Not liking the noise so much!

Pick of the day today is this Barry M Nail Paint in #304 Mint Green. Beyonce has been pictured lately with mint green talons, so why not get in on it for summer? Pastel colours look especially great on people with darker skin or a tan. And remember, until the close of business on Saturday, you can pick this or any other Barry M Nail Paint that we have in stock as a free gift when you buy any Iska dress (while stocks last). So why not try a colour you wouldn't normally go for? Go on, take the chance of a freebie to experiment!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Dfo2 (Short Edit) - Alec Empire

Say It With Roses

Morning,

Wow, hair dyes are flying out the door this week! Must be the season for it. Quite tempted to have a change myself.

Thought I'd pick something a bit romantic today for pick of the day. This Temporary:Secretary filigree rose ring does the job. It's a beautiful red rose on an adjustable filigree ring (so if it's a gift, no nasty sizes to be caught out by!). Lasts a lot longer than real roses too (as well as being considerably cheaper!). So whether you want to treat yourself and team it up with red nails, or you want to make a romantic gesture, come have a look at this one.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Shooting Fish - Stanislas Syrewicz

Good news for the Monday blues

Morning,

First off, we've decided to extend this weekend's special offer that was available to our Facebook fans. It is now available to everyone and will run until the close of business on Saturday 19th June 2010. When you buy any Iska dress, you get to choose a free Barry M Nail Paint! While stocks last. So let your friends know, and come down and try one on, see what you think.

Our pick of the day is these Death Kitty Skull Rose leggings. They are cropped leggings with a great skull rose and bones print, perfect for indulging your inner pirate! We have them in S/M and M/L so why not try them on and see how you can easily make any outfit a bit more interesting!

Hope that helped with the Monday morning blues!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Because The Night - Patti Smith

En-ger-land

Morning,

First England World Cup match tonight! Followed by Bungee at The Horseshoe, down the road from the shop. Think I might buy myself one of our Iska dresses for the occasion! And don't forget to check our Facebook page for the special offer... it ends at the close of business today so get in there quick!

As our Death Kitty range is proving so popular, I thought I'd have this 'Siri' skirt as the pick of the day. It's of a style I'm terming 'cutepunk' and I think so much of the Death Kitty collection come into that category. Good value, great quality, and fantastic designs, I totally understand why their clothes are flying out the door. This skirt has the DK logo safety pinned to it, black netting at the edge, and a great purple tartan. It also looks great teamed with the Death Kitty skull and rose leggings we have in, too. Or just go for classic fishnets!

Right, time to finish my coffee!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: The Prettiest Star - David Bowie

Our very first special offer

Morning,

Thought I'd give you a heads up on our very first special offer. Details are over on our Facebook page so head on over there, click 'Like' and have a look. But be quick, it only runs for today and tomorrow.

Pick of the day today is this WAM Apparel 'Yes Sir' t-shirt. I've talked about WAM Apparel before on here, but they are a local Northamptonshire label, the t-shirts are screen printed, and all limited edition. I love the talking hats on this one. If you want something a bit kooky, this is it. The sizing is men's but I'm sure the ladies would love it too.

World Cup starts today! Very excited!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Found A Cure (Full Intention Club Mix) - Ultra Nate

Art For Art's Sake

Morning,

I just got my first catalogue that referenced Christmas displays. I will be honest with you now, I have given no thought to Christmas displays. Because it's June! Oh dear, maybe I should start planning. Anyone want to dress up as an elf? :)

Pick of the day today is another fantastic piece of Pippa Alice artwork. It's called The Houses On The Hill. This is a signed original, hand drawn and coloured, A6 in size, on handmade recycled cotton rag paper. We have several of her pieces in stock, so come have a look. It's a great chance to own a little piece of original art for you to frame and put up wherever you like (or they'd make a great gift). If you come in store, they are displayed in our counter. As always, if you don't see what you want, just ask!

Right, better start thinking about Christmas then. :P

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Ambling Alp - Yeasayer

Almost There

Morning,

Well, reaction to the new dresses seems positive. Thank you to everyone who has commented on our Facebook or popped in. Always good to get feedback! As always, if you can't see the size or style you are looking for, just ask! I may have it stashed away, or I may be able to get you one, or at least I know what to get more of next time!

Since I've been banging on about dresses so much, I thought I'd go with a pick of the day that may appeal to the men. This is another one of our Worn Free t-shirts. I've already gone on before about what great quality they are, how they're fully licensed replicas of t-shirts worn by icons, and how much I love them, so I won't bore you with that again. This one is 'as worn by' John Lennon. Nice, non?

In a few hours we'll be half way to the weekend, so hang on in there, people!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: BBC Radio 1 Mini Mix - SBTRKT

You shall go to the ball

Afternoon,

Yes, blog post is a lot later today (as was our Facebooking and Tweeting), but I wanted to get our new Iska dresses out on display. We currently have in 3 new styles from them, and all three are very Sex And The City (especially the black and pink one. You'll know it when you see it!). I think I may have to try on a couple of them later! A big thank you to Carly for helping sort them all out! Also had Steve and Paul from The Liabilities rehearsing upstairs earlier. Sounded great!

So at last, the pick of the day. Iska (obviously). Pure 80s retro this one, with block colour, gold piping on the sleeves, butterfly print, and the belt. There's a lot of dresses with this shape coming out at the moment, and this is my favourite of all that I saw. Is it possible to be retro and fashion-forward at the same time? I also have Barry M nail paints that match the colours of the dress pretty closely, if you fancy being creative! I'll admit, the dress does take a bit of guts, but it's definitely one for the fashionistas.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the afternoon and I'll try not to be so late tomorrow!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Bring It On Down - Oasis

Summer of soccer

Morning,

This week I should have the new Iska dresses in so looking forward to that one! Taking a sneak peak at Dr Martens new Autumn/Winter collection later as well, so it's not a bad start to the week.

You may or may not have noticed (HA!) but the World Cup starts this weekend. So if you're planning on being loud and proud in your support for England, why not take it all the way and try these red Stargazer false eyelashes? Hell, we have red nail polish, red lipgloss, red lipstick, red hair dye... we can kit you out! But if you're not an England fan, we do have these lashes available in other colours (the blue is particularly nice, if you're a lamenting Scotland fan or maybe you're backing France). If you're not into football at all, it's probably going to be a tough few weeks for you, but you might as well glam up for them, so pop in and check out the full range of lashes.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Gangsta Bitches - Eve feat Da Brat & Trina

Bag yourself a bargain!

Morning,

Oh, I'm loving the sunshine! Shame I'm indoors really, but to be honest, I love it in Unorthodox (although I may be getting restless by about 4pm!).

I've had this dress as pick of the day before but now the sun is shining I thought it was worth having it again. Especially since I've noticed that a lot of the big online retailers are charging £42 for it, and Unorthodox's price is only £35 (plus, come in store and you have no postage and packing charges, you can try it on, and you get it immediately!). It's by Max C, has been photographed on celebrities, and is very cute. With a drop waste, flattering gathering above the bow, and huge pockets (very in), it can be dressed up for evenings, or worn out in the sunshine as a casual day piece. Max C clothes only go up to a UK size 14, however given the loose fit of the dress, I've seen a few size 16 ladies try it on and look great, so well worth a look. If you're unsure of anything, just ask! It's what I'm here for!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: I'm A Wonderful Thing, Baby - Kid Creole & The Coconuts

Time for a bit of glitter

Morning,

This week seems to have gone quickly (the bank holiday helped, I think!). Spent yesterday evening with our wonderful photographer, Brian, who very patiently took pictures of all the accessories for the website. So soon you won't have to put up with my sketchy photos! Speaking of which...

Since it's almost the weekend, I thought it was time to encourage you all to treat yourselves. We do have some lovely dresses and jewellery in stock for going out in, but if you're on a budget but fancy a little pick-me-up, may I propose this Barry M lipgloss from our make-up stand. This one is No. 9 and it's glittery and red and smells absolutely gorgeous! We also have assorted Barry M Lip Paints, Dazzle Dusts, Nail Paints, Glossy Tubes, Eyeliners etc etc so if this doesn't take your fancy, we almost certainly have something that will! Come have a play with the testers and see what you think!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: You And Me - Black Wednesday

Bit of a Max C thing today

Morning,

If you've got this week's Heat magazine, you will see Sophie Ellis Bextor in it wearing a Max C dress and cardigan. I love the Max C pieces we have in at the moment (more coming in soon) so not surprising to see them on a bit of a fashionista like Ms E-B. They really are a great label and we are very proud to stock them.

So, on that theme, it seemed only right to have a Max C item as our pick of the day. This grey peacock clasp belt is very vintage-looking. The peacock design is subtle, but decorative, and the shade of grey means it will go with so many things (especially in summer, when black belts can look a bit heavy).

Starting on getting the photos done for the website tonight! Very exciting, and can't wait until it's all online and ready to go!

Hope the sun is shining where you are today!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Surrender - JJ72

I love the smell of tar in the morning

Morning,

Pick of the day today is this WAM Apparel 'Snarling Dog' t-shirt. I showcased the hoodie version a few weeks ago (and we still have a couple of those in stock if you liked it). WAM Apparel are a local label, as I explained in an earlier blog posting. The t-shirt is screen printed, and limited edition. We also have a couple of other WAM Apparel t-shirt designs in at the moment, so have a look. This one seems to get the most attention though.

Have you had a look at our Dr Martens catalogue yet? We don't have the Autumn/Winter collection in stock yet, but we can take orders. Pop in and have a look.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: What'cha Gonna Do (Beatmasters Vocal 7") - Eternal

Post-Bank Holiday

Morning

Hope everyone enjoyed the bank holiday weekend.

We got some more JP Jewellery pieces in on Saturday. We now have some more earrings and a couple of bracelets. With prices starting at £5, they're a great collection. If you want something a little more kitschy cute, there is the Temporary:Secretary jewellery as well, which has been proving really popular, especially the Cupcake & Donut charm bracelet, where we now only have 2 left, one in silver and one in gold.

Pick of the day is this Death Kitty logo t-shirt. We have it in white/black as pictured, and also in pink/black and red/black. It has detachable sleeves on chains, and great safety pin detail. All in all, it's perfectly punk, and a great way of showing your love of the label. I have to say, Death Kitty are one of my favourites. Great designs, great quality, and the prices are really pretty darn good too! Even if you're style isn't particularly alternative, there are plenty of pieces that can be mixed and matched to suit any look.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Suffering - Psyren