Quimella Before You Lose It

Morning,

Almost done with all these excessive holidays! We're open as normal until 5.30pm today, then closed as usual on Sunday and Monday and everything back to normal (or as close as we get to that) on Tuesday.

If you're in the area, make sure you pick up today's Northants Evening Telegraph and cut out our advert. Bring it in store to receive 10% off our range of Yumi clothing.

Pick Of The Day today is one of those Yumi pieces. This is the Yumi Quimella Lace Skirt, £40.00. It's available in basic black, a rich chocolate brown or classic beige. It has a silky underskirt, with a cream lace overskirt. The lace on the hem and the elasticated waistband (good for a bit of give on sizing) are in colours to match the underskirt. The cut of the skirt dips slightly in the middle, to create a great lengthening effect on those of us who have stumpy legs! This is a very versatile Summer piece with an on-trend vintage look, that can be worn for casual or smart, and will still be great later in the year matching with a pair of tights or leggings. Really has to be seen (and felt! Lovely fabric!) to be appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Cover Me With Kisses - Kylie Minogue

Coney Island Baby

Morning,

Well, I'll admit, I'm here at the shop, and not watching the Royal Wedding. We're open until 4pm today so come have a browse if you're at a loose end on your extra day off!

I was interviewed live on BBC Radio Northampton yesterday about the Wellingborough Traders Group and the town centre in general. You can listen to it on iPlayer here, just skip ahead to the 30 minute point to hear the full piece.

Pick Of The Day today is this Worn Free John Lennon New York City T-Shirt, on sale at £25.00. We only have very limited stock of this left and only in a size S so perfect for girls too! This is a fully licensed replica made by California's Worn Free of the original t-shirt John Lennon wore in New York in 1974. It's been one of our most popular Worn Free designs, so make it yours quickly!

Have a great day whatever you're doing!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: How You Remind Me - Nickelback

Curiouser & Curiouser

Morning,

Hmm... not sure what's happened to the weather but I'm optimistic the sun will come back! But if that doesn't brighten your weekend, if you're in the area make sure you buy Saturday's Northants Evening Telegraph for another chance to grab one of our 10% off all Yumi clothing vouchers!

Any exciting plans for tomorrow? If not, pop in or order online. We're open from 10am until 4pm, then all day as usual on Saturday. Come have a browse and a chat!


Caught a bit of the Alice miniseries on Syfy the other day, so that has inspire me to have this Temporary:Secretary Alice In Wonderland Charm Necklace, £25.00, as our Pick Of The Day today. Hand-assembled by the oh so talented TempSec, it's made using brass vintage charms. Looks particularly fantastic with what we call our 'Alice dress', the Max C Bow Button Ruffle Sleeve Dress, but is a lovely piece to compliment any outfit. As this is our last one, order it or come in store before the close of business on Saturday and we'll throw in one of our Indian Glitz Heart Trinket Boxes as a little gift.

Ready for another long weekend?

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Venus As A Boy - Bjork

Hippy Hippy Shake

Morning,

It seems ages since the last blog post, what with various holidays. Just a reminder, we are open today and tomorrow, 9am to 5.30pm, then on Friday we're open from 10am until 4pm for those with a day off and no plans (we promise we won't mention the royal wedding, unless you do!).

Did you pick up a copy of Saturday's Northants Evening Telegraph? If so, bring in our advert to receive 10% off our Yumi Spring/Summer 2011 collection.

Pick Of The Day today are these Stargazer Glitter Shakers, £3.00 each. They're great for any celebration or night out. They come in a variety of colours (we like the black Onyx one, for something different) including a selection of UV ones that glow under UV lights. Not only are these available in store and on our online shop, you can also pick them up on your night out at The Horseshoe, Sheep Street, Wellingborough where we have a little pop up Stargazer shop behind the bar that also includes their fantastic Neon Gel Colours.

Have a great day!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Diamond Rings - Chipmunk feat Emeli Sande

In Flames

Morning,

We're getting ourselves all geared up for Retro-Beat tonight! If you're out on the town this Easter weekend, pop in and get your outfit sorted! Whatever you're doing, have a great Easter!

We'll be shut Sunday and Monday (as usual) and we will be reopening on Tuesday at 12pm until 5.30pm (because I'm moving house and need to go sign bits of paper!).

Our models Matt and Tahnee popped in yesterday and showed us the scan pictures of their new baby boy (expected October). Their son Zack is already a charming regular visitor to the shop, so very excited for them. So congratulations guys!

Also, make sure you grab a copy of today's Northants Evening Telegraph if you're in the area. Just bring in our advert to get 10% off Yumi clothes!

Pick Of The Day today is this Spiral Direct Phoenix Rising T-Shirt, £15.00. It has a fantastic phoenix print on the front, with a contrasting print on the reverse. It's a really great piece, and we only have one left! Perfect if you're planning on rising from the flames!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: In Sleep - Lissie

Belle Of The Ball

Morning,

Enjoying your holidays? We're looking forward to a great weekend and some awesome music at The Horseshoe down the road. It's Retro-Beat on Saturday with The Liabilities playing live, then on Sunday it's Nico'ZZ supported by The Aviation Society. 3 great bands so can't wait! If you're in the area, well worth checking them all out!

The sunshine seems to be creating lots of love for the Yumi Kenna Swallow Maxi Dress. The pink one is most popular at the moment, but there's lots of attention going to the navy version too, so if you love it, make it yours. What's more, if you're in the area, get a copy of Saturday's Northants Evening Telegraph and look out for our advert in the photography supplement. Bring that ad in with you to get 10% off all our of Yumi clothing.


Pick Of The Day is perfect for the wedding and prom season coming up. This Special Evening SENVA39 Dress in black, £55.00, is just beautiful. It has a corset-style back laced up with ribbon for the perfect fit, and adjustable straps. The top part of the dress is embroidered with sequins, and the skirt is layered and decorated with fabric roses at the front. It also comes with the matching shawl. Perfect, non?

Well, have a great day if you're on holiday, and either pop in store to see us or get ordering on our online shop and we'll sort out all your Easter fashion needs!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Let's Stick Together - KT Tunstall

Who The F*ck Is Alice?

Morning,

Been a bit of a hectic one already this morning. Remember, if you're out shopping or doing a bit of online retail therapy over this weekend, we're open 10am till 4.30pm tomorrow, and all day on Saturday, so pop in store or order online and we'll get it sent straight out to you. Wherever possible, our mail order items are sent out First Class Signed For in the UK, to ensure they get there quickly and safely. For overseas, we always send First Class and try to use a method that requires a signature on delivery. Once the item is sent, you will receive your tracking details via PayPal so you can keep tabs on it too!

I know the weather has been nice the last couple of days, but the shop is located on a side of the street that doesn't get any sun. This means it's nice and cool for weary shoppers, but I'm yet to stop wearing a cardigan all day! So while everyone else is getting sunburn (please tan responsibly!), I'm looking like Casper The Friendly Ghost. Oh well, I'm going for pale and interesting!

Busy day yesterday. As well as customers and browsers, we had lots of visitors. I like to think of Unorthodox as being a bit of a community. So Patrick came in to park his bike in the back room, Matt came in to borrow my sim card, Goth Dave popped in for a chat, as did Carly and baby Leo, and Tracie and Caitlin, as well as others. It's one of the nicest parts of being here. It's great when our repeat customers stop by and let us know how they're getting on with their purchases or make suggestions.

Pick Of The Day today is this Rubertine Art Airbrushed Alice Cooper T-Shirt, £25.00. Made in strictly limited numbers, this was airbrushed by hand by local artist Carmen, and is part of a range of t-shirts featuring heroes and icons. It's a work of art you can wear.

Have a great day (especially if it's your last one at work for a few days!).

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Magnatron - Kenickie

You're Still On Your GameBoy

Morning,

Planning on finishing reading C.J. Stone's The Last Of The Hippies today before moving on to Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (also have Emma Donoghue's Room to start as well). A big thank you to all the friends who pop in with books I can borrow!

I've been meaning to dye my hair for days now but something always keeps coming up. I will do it tonight! Going to finish off the last of my Stargazer hair dye in Violet, then switch to something else next time. I used their Rouge one before and that was great, but tempted to try a new colour entirely. Coral Blue maybe? Any opinions out there?

Pick Of The Day today is this awesome RedRock Fashion GameBoy Necklace, £7.00. A great bit of 80s retro, it's on a long chain and made of hama beads. RedRock are a fantastic up and coming label coming up with bright, casual, fun clothing and accessories. Get 'em while we mere mortals can still afford 'em!

Enjoy the sunshine!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Mambo No.5 (A Little Bit Of...) (Extended Mix) - Lou Bega

Flat Pack

Morning,

Hope you all had a good weekend. Thought we'd let you know our opening hours for the bank holidays coming up. We will be open as normal, and closed on the Mondays as usual, except for Good Friday (22nd) when we will be open 10am to 4.30pm, Tuesday 26th when we will be opening at midday until 5.30pm, and Royal Wedding day (29th) when we will be open 10am till 4pm. I apologise if any of this causes an inconvenience (and to be fair, I'm moving house that week, so I need to grab some spare hours here and there to do that!).

We were also mentioned in the Northants Evening Telegraph again the other day (yeah, yeah, just call me rentaquote). This time it was commenting on a flyering campaign run by another local town, Corby, trying to persuade Wellingborough's shoppers to go over there instead. Think the headline Corby tactics anger Kettering and Wellingborough in store wars might be a bit melodramatic but is probably infinitely more attention-grabbing than 'Traders slightly miffed'. :)


Pick Of The Day for today is a little bargain and a great way of support local artists. This Cat Flat by R.L. Sturdgess Postcard Set, £2.00 for a pack of 6, is taken from the Cat Flat comic book designed by local artist and Unorthodox model Rebecca. Drawn in an anime style, they are perfect for sending out your thank you notes for all those Easter eggs you're anticipating!

Enjoy the sun (or whatever weather you have where you are!).

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!) (Remix) - Blu Cantrell feat Foxy Brown

Purple People Eater

Morning,

It's Saturday! Which means several things: for our in-store shoppers, it's your last day to get your Stargazer hair dyes for only £4.00. Also, for those in the Wellingborough area, make sure you get your copy of the Northants Evening Telegraph today and look out for our advert. Just bring it in with you to get 10% off all Yumi clothing.

Today's Pick Of The Day is this gorgeous piece of hand drawn, signed, original artwork by Pippa Alice. This is The Purple House, and all Pippa Alice pieces have now been reduced to only £20 each. It is on handmade recycled cotton rag paper, and measures approximately 11x15.5cm so it's a small and perfectly formed piece for decorating any space.

Have a great weekend!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Atrocity Exhibition - Joy Division

Life In Mono

Morning,

You know how I was talking about all that planning meeting stuff yesterday? You can check out the full story from the Northants Evening Telegraph. Also, make sure you get your copy of the ET tomorrow and look out for our advert. You'll get 10% off all Yumi clothing if you bring the advert in the shop with you!

We have now sold out of the Max C 'Damien' Skull-Studded handbag in Khaki that we featured as Pick Of The Day yesterday, but we still have one left in Grey so if you fancy one, snap that up now!

Pick Of The Day today is this Monsalina Chic Black & White Mini Dress. Perfect for nights out, Summer cocktail parties, or proms, this is only left in a few sizes and is on sale (as is the white with black detail version). Beautifully made and a really classy example of monochrome chic, this dress has an elasticated back so it fits like it was made for you, and it also comes with clear plastic shoulder straps that can be attached to the dress or to a multiway bra, if you choose. Curvier ladies who may usually shrink away from off the shoulder numbers or shiny materials should really give this one a shot (and we still have size 16 available), as it is surprisingly flattering (we always make an effort to stock clothes that don't just look good on tiny girls... because I'm not one!).

Have a great weekend. Remember, you have until tomorrow to take advantage of our in-store offer on Stargazer hair dyes (all colours back in stock), reduced to only £4.00 each, and online shoppers that registered with our site before Tuesday morning have until Sunday to use their 10% discount code (see earlier blog entries if you missed it).

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix) - Gorillaz

Voodoo Glow Skulls

This was written this morning but due to technical gremlins, it's not being posted until now. Sorry!

Morning,

I've been trying to do my bit as a responsible local business owner, so last night I spoke (alongside other shop owners) at a council planning committee meeting against the application to change the use of one of the empty shops in town so it could become a bookies. Fortunately, the councillors agreed with us, and we stopped it. Personally, I reckon Wellingborough needs more shops, not another bookies! Anyway, it was really nervewracking, but attending the planning meeting was a really interesting experience. I was moving watching people waiting for decisions on home extensions, etc. I kept looking at their anxious faces while they waited for a group of old men (well, they all were!) to wave their hands and decide something that whilst minor to everyone else, was really important to them. It was like a real life soap opera! I recommend everyone attends a planning meeting once in their life. Although I should think once would be enough!


Pick Of The Day today is this Max C London 'Damien' Skull-Studded Handbag in Khaki, £35.00. I can definitely recommend this one as I have it, and I've been using it daily for months now (the sign of a quality bag is that you can fill it with junk, drag it everywhere, and it still looks fantastic, which this does). We also have these available in Grey, but there is only one left in the Khaki. It has a zip on the main compartment, as well as 2 internal pockets, one with a zip. The straps are threaded through to give it that great slouch look, and the silver-coloured skulls that cover the main section are subtle but really original. The black version of this bag (now sold out, I'm afraid) was featured in Heat magazine. Max C, whilst they make lovely clothes, are probably best known for their bags at the moment, which are fantastically designed and really good quality (thus making this great value).

Have a great day!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Whatever It Takes - P.O.D.

Brooching The Subject

Morning,

Did you register on our online shop before yesterday morning? Have you used your 10% discount code yet? It's valid until the end of Sunday! Just enter GIFT10 at checkout.

Just changed the window display to add one of our Yumi Malin Blazers. Black and grey blazers with white trim are everywhere at the moment, and these are a great version with rosebud buttons. They look fantastic as they are but extra special when you add our Pick of The Day...

Pick Of The Day are these handmade Maddie Corsage Brooches, £4.00. We only have a couple of designs left now so be quick. These are a great way of adding a little Springtime floral to an outfit, and look especially great on bags and blazers (see above). An affordable way of giving a piece of clothing a revamp.

Have a great day.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Macarena - Los Del Rio

Everything Zen

Morning,

Hope you all had a good weekend!

Just placed our Stargazer order for more hair dye. So as an added bonus, I will keep our in store offer for hair dyes at £4.00 each until they arrive. For those shopping online, as we promised, we have launched a discount code for those already registered with our online shop. Just enter GIFT10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

We were in yesterday's Northants Evening Telegraph, in their fantastic fashion and shopping section Spree, talking about the colours for this season. Check out Jill Robinson's article, Return Of Colour. If you're looking for brights this season, make sure you have a look at our pieces by RedRock Fashion.

Pick Of The Day today is this handmade, one-off JP Jewellery Buddha Necklace. This is a unisex piece, with a distinctive chunky chain and a wooden buddha pendant. Great if you need a little extra good karma. As it's a handmade, one-off, you'll have to be quick because when it's gone, it's gone!

Have a great day! Enjoy your discount codes!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: We Are Family (Sure Is Pure Remix Edit) - Sister Sledge

Fuzzbubble

Morning,

It's Saturday! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it's the Grand National today (not a fan, but there's a bookies across the road, so can't help but notice). For those shopping in store, we still have the special offer on our Stargazer hair dyes with them reduced to only £4.00 a box. For those doing their retail therapy online, register with the site before 9am on Tuesday, then look out for the 10% discount code to be announced on our Facebook page and Twitter.

Think our photographer Brian Chapman has a couple of shoots going on at the shop today, possibly with a new model, Rhianne, and one for The Liabilities. Then we're off to Retro-Beat tonight to see Roundhouse and Ali Blake playing live. If you're about, make sure you check it out.


Pick Of The Day are these bright, handmade Irene Mosedale Felt & Wood Necklaces, £10.00. They are long beaded strings and they look fantastic with maxi dresses. The wooden beads are interspersed with larger fuzzy felt ones, so they're really tactile too. Great if you love this season's bright colours but don't want to take the plunge to deep! As they are handmade, each is slightly different, and due to the limited availability of the felt beads, these and their matching bracelets are becoming quite sought after.

Have a great weekend whatever you're up to. Just shout if you need us.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Sad Day - Kyo

Heart-Shaped Box

Morning,

We are launching a special offer next week. On Tuesday morning, we'll announce a discount code to get 10% off on our online shop. The code will be announced on our Facebook page and on our Twitter, as well as on here. To make sure the code works for you, all you have to do is register on our online shop before 9am on Tuesday. Just click here to get registered.

Lovely sunny Friday today, and everyone seems to have come out early. Not usually so busy first thing but helps wake me up so thank you to everyone who has popped in already!

Went out for dinner last night to Little India in nearby Earls Barton so still feeling stuffed and sleepy today. Really enjoyed it, but Saffron in Wellingborough is still my favourite Indian restaurant for the time being. Then promptly got home and fell asleep on the sofa watching Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. It's a very rock and roll lifestyle we lead!

Pick Of The Day today are these ethically traded Indian Glitz Trinket Boxes, £3.50 each, available in pink, purple or turquoise. These make perfect little gifts or are a great way of keeping your little bits and bobs safe and tidy. They are heart-shaped metal boxes, fully lined, and decorated with multicoloured sequins and bells. Just beautiful!

Have a great day. Catch you tomorrow.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Time To Party - Craig David

An Eye For An Eye

Morning,

I've declared Winter over and bought out my pink Raybans. That's the official sign of Spring. :)

Going to be doing some price reductions later, so keep your eyes open for those!

Yesterday I finished reading Kate Atkinson's Started Early, Took My Dog. I'd not read any of her books before, and it was quite an interesting novel, if not particularly earth-shattering. Might give some of her other books a go. Bit of a holiday read, if you're going away this Summer. I have now started on The Last Of The Hippies by CJ Stone that our photographer Brian has loaned to me.

Today's Pick Of The Day is one of the most distinctive types of Dr Marten available. If you really love them, say it loud and proud with these Dr Marten 1B60 20-Eye Zip Boots in Cherry Red, £120.00 (also available in black). They have a zip on the inside leg so you won't spend forever getting in and out of them, as well! These look especially awesome with one of our Death Kitty skirts!

Have a great day. Almost Friday!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: The Devil Walks In The Sand - The Cooper Temple Clause

They're creepy and they're kooky...

Morning,

Well, we have our Stargazer hair colour offer going in store (not available online, this offer, sorry, but we will sort you out with something equally brilliant very soon!). This week only, get your hair colours for only £4.00 (reduced from £5.50)! It is while stocks last, and some colours have already sold out, but at this price it's a great chance to try something new! But if you're not feeling adventurous, don't worry, we'll be reordering all the sold out colours next week, so hang on in there. :)


Pick Of The Day today is this D'n'J Reversible Bag in Halloween Print/Black, £14.00. It may seem a little unseasonal, but it's perfect if you want to buck the floral trend this summer. Handmade, one side has a Halloween print featuring witches, ghosts, spiderwebs and pumpkins, or turn it inside out for a plain black bag. It's the perfect size for lunches, books, or just carrying your bits and bobs around, and light enough to be perfect for summer. So get in touch with your inner Wednesday Addams and make every day Halloween.

Have a good day!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Detroit Style - A1 People

Lovecats

Morning,

Big thank you to @funkyninjadoo for sharing her Dazzle Dust tips with us on the comments section of Saturday's blog post!

Hope everyone had a good weekend. We're launching a special offer (in store only, I'm afraid, on this one) on our Stargazer Semi-Permanent Conditioning Hair Colours later today. Keep your eyes open on our Facebook page or our Twitter feed for more information on that.

Did you see us in the Good Taste supplement in Saturday's Northamptonshire papers? I gave my words of wisdom (hmm!) on what looks to go for this Spring/Summer and they featured our gorgeous Yumi Ormanda Floral Lace Skirt.

Pick Of The Day today is this punky Death Kitty Red Tartan Skirt, £15.00. We showed off the Purple Tartan version a few weeks ago. We only have 1 left in the red, so if you're a size Small, this is your lucky day so get in quick and make this yours! It has a black net underskirt, and the Death Kitty logo safety pinned to the front. Cute, tough and perfectly punky.

Have a great day.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Isolation - Joy Division

Razzle Dazzle

Morning,

We've made it to the weekend! It's not looking too bad out there so get out and support your local indie shops (or, if you're just not in the mood or you don't have any local independents, check out our online shop).

Feeling quite chilled out so far today, just drinking my coffee, listening to the iPod, writing this, then sorting out the internet orders.

Pick Of The Day today are the classic and award-winning Barry M Dazzle Dusts, £4.59 (that's the RRP, meaning we're no more expensive than most big stockists). They are make-up bag essentials and a little goes a long way, meaning they last ages and like all Barry M, they're great value for money and not tested on animals. Apply to your eyelids with a small brush, and leave subtle and shimmering or layer for more colour. For those who don't like misplaced glitter, you can hold a tissue or facewipe under your eye to stop any loose bits falling onto your cheek. Our other top Dazzle Dust tip is to apply a small amount of Vaseline to your eyelid first to help keep it in place. See, we're full of little pearls of wisdom! We have a selection of colours in stock, picked for either their popularity or because we think they're stand-out fantastic, so we've rifled through the range to bring you the best. It's ok, it was no trouble. :)

Have a great weekend!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: As Sure As The Sun - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

It's A Knockout

Morning,

Just given the counter a bit of a polish. I love our counter. Not sure how old it is but the metal plaque on it states it was made by Shopfittings (Manchester) Ltd, Manchester 4. Not sure when the postcodes changed but I think that makes it at least 50 years old (but I'm happy to be corrected if anyone else can help!). It's an old drapers counter. The best thing about it is that I think we were fated to have it. When I was looking at counters to buy, most of the affordable ones were just MDF boxes. Pete said it was a shame we couldn't find one like the old drapers counter they used to have in Milestones on Cambridge Street. Now I don't remember Milestones, but it was a clothes shop in Wellingborough in the 80s/90s (again, I think, feel free to correct me). Anyway, I got increasingly annoyed as Pete extolled the virtues of this apparently fantastic counter I couldn't afford anything like. Then, a day later, we ran into the bloke who had owned Milestones in town, Pete not having seen him for about a decade. In the course of conversation, it transpired he still had the counter (it was in his garage acting as a vegetable rack) and he agreed to sell it to us. Hence, the antique counter. Admittedly, the glass on top is a little scratched and there are signs in the wood that it was once attacked by hungry bugs (they're not there now, I checked!), but it's really distinctive, and even still has the little brass ruler measuring out a yard on the top. All in all, it's Unorthodox, and that's what we like. So yes, that's Friday story time for you!


Today's Pick Of The Day is expertly modelled here by Steve, but since we have it in sizes ranging from XS to L, I think it's perfect for the ladies too. This is the Worn Free Joan Jett Knockout T-Shirt, now on sale at £25.00. It's a replica of the original Knockout t-shirt worn by Joan Jett in New York, 1981, as shown on the distinctive Worn Free tag. California's Worn Free produce brilliant fully licensed t-shirts that are fantastic quality (mine have lasted ages and washed really well), and this is a great way of showing your love of an artist without the obvious band t-shirts. Or I suppose it's just great if you like boxing. If you like boxing *and* Joan Jett, it's just too damn perfect! So get this and settle down with The Runaways on DVD or start dancing around to I Love Rock N Roll.

It's Friday! Oh, you noticed? :)

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Chinese Rocks - Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers