Polka

Morning,

It's all a bit mad here today! Our lovely new ethically traded products have arrived so will be getting them all unpacked and out on display, as well as onto the online shop. The incense is really making the shop smell nice! Also, our Spring/Summer collection by Yumi is coming in very very soon and need to get organised! I'm not panicking, I swear!

We added a few new items to the online shop already this week, so make sure you check out:

'Thor' by Dorne Boddington signed original canvas.

RedRock Fashion Ruffle Vest in Grey/Blue.

Keep checking the New In section on the online shop for more of our recent additions.


Pick Of The Day is this Death Kitty Red Polka Dot Skirt. Polka dots are everywhere for spring and this is a great way to wear them with attitude! This piece has a black net underskirt and black lace trim, with a black ribbon in the centre of the waistband. The waist is elasticated so it's comfortable and you can be a bit more flexible on size! Very cute with a pair of leggings! Death Kitty are a London-based label, who are currently striving to keep as much of their production in the UK as possible, to prevent the increasing problem of pollution in industrial areas of China. Currently, about 80% of their items are made in the UK.

View and order the Death Kitty Red Polka Dot Skirt on our online shop.

Have a great Thursday! Off to run round manically so if you're in the area, feel free to come in and point and laugh.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Tempted (94) - Squeeze

The Eyes Have It

Morning,

New in the shop today is a fantastic canvas painted by Dorne Boddington, the talented artist behind the Smashing Glass pieces we stock. Taking inspiration from early comic book art, it's a fantastic painted of Thor (movie coming out soon!). It is now on display in the shop, and available to buy. I'll try to get it photographed and onto the online shop soon.

I'm told our fantastic new ethically traded products will be in towards the end of next week, so looking forward to showing those off to all of you!

Pick Of The Day today are these Stargazer False Eyelashes. Great for adding a little glamour to any look, they are easy to use and the glue is included. Take care of them, and they can be reused multiple times. Available in a variety of styles and colours, we can also order in the Stargazer feather eyelashes specially if that's what you're after (much loved by the burlesque community!). Top tips for application that we've been told include putting eyeshadow on after the lashes (using tissue to stop it falling on the lashes) to help them stick, and putting black eyeliner on the upper lids first so any small gaps between the false lashes and your real ones aren't noticable. Finish with a bit of clear mascara on your natural lashes to bring them into line, and voila, the windows to your soul are all spruced up!

View the range of Stargazer False Eyelashes on our online shop.

Have a great weekend!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Saturday Night - Suede

Sundae Girl

Morning,

I usually try to think of a music-related pun for the blog title that relates to the content in some way. However, today's was just perfect as it was!

Today we're focusing on our artists. Whilst we are predominantly a boutique selling clothes, accessories and cosmetics, we like to support the arts and anyone who has been in our shop can see all the beautiful pieces adorning our walls. Some of these are available on the online shop, some are not as yet. The pieces we have available include small original pieces by Pippa Alice, canvases and smaller originals by Louise Berrill, originals and prints by Richard Stones, canvases, postcards and framed originals by Rebecca Sturdgess, canvases by Anita Hughes, framed prints by Daniel Cheney, photographic canvas prints and postcards by Clive Wagner, not to mentioned beautifully painted glassware from Dorne Boddington's Smashing Glass. With original canvases starting at £12 and going up to £450, there is something for every taste and budget. So don't forget, not only can we help you look like your amazing and unique self, we can help your home reflect that too.

Our Pick Of The Day is one of these gorgeous works of art. Let me introduce you to Sundae Girl by Pippa Alice. Pippa is our only artist currently who isn't based locally. Her pieces have a fantastic whimsical style that is very distinctive. They're all signed originals, created on handmade recycled cotton rag paper. Sundae Girl is approx 11cm x 15.5cm so she's small enough to fit anywhere! Great as a thoughtful gift for a loved one, or just a fantastic treat for yourself and your space.

View Sundae Girl by Pippa Alice on our online shop.

Hope you've all got a great weekend lined up. We're off to Retro-Beat at The Horseshoe down the road to check out The Francis Jetty and Transmission. We'll tell you all about it when we're back to work on Tuesday! In the meantime, have fun!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Empty Room - Bardot

Butterfly

Morning,

The Monsalina Chic dresses have just arrived, so will get them all hung up by tomorrow, ready for your approval. We'll also try to get them photographed and on the online shop as soon as we can. They are three different styles of black dress, one in a jersey fabric and very 60s, one black lace number, and one chiffon Grecian tunic dress. All beautiful!

Our Pick Of The Day today is this beautiful Butterfly Vase by Smashing Glass. Smashing Glass is all handpainted by local artist Dorne Boddington, so each piece is unique and collectable. They are always much admired, and most people never stop at just one! This vase is a beautiful blue with a gorgeous butterfly design. Perfect for thinking of warmer times!

Smashing Glass by Dorne Boddington Butterfly Vase on www.unorthodoxshop.com.

Ready for the weekend? If not, we're sure we can help!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: The Time Has Come - PP Arnold

Cherry Cherry

Morning,

Getting started on our Xmas card writing today, and hopefully going to make it out later to stock up on Xmas decorations to make the shop all pretty.

Like our glassware? Well Smashing Glass by Dorne Boddington is featuring in an exhibition at The Castle arts centre in Wellingborough throughout December, so if you're about, pop in and marvel!

We had our first celebrity spotting today. Ok, well it was the actor who played Sam in Neighbours and Lachy in Home & Away in the early 90s, and he is in panto in Wellingborough so not that shocking, but still, he walked past this morning. I tried not to stare. That's made my week.

New arrivals yesterday included Stargazer Glitter Shakers (including UV ones), Stargazer Neon Gel Colour wash-out UV hair colour, Barry M Instant Nail Effects, Barry M Liquid Eyeliner in Pink, and new Barry M Dazzle Dust colour N0.102 Burgundy Noir. They're all up on the online shop as well. Also, the Glitter Shakers and Neon Gel Colours will be available behind the bar in the Horseshoe Inn down the road from the weekend, so if you get halfway through your night out and think it's missing something, you can sort it then and there!

Pick Of The Day are perfect for this weather if you want to keep warm and stay on your feet! These are the Dr Martens 1460 8-Eye Boot in Cherry Red, possibly the most iconic DMs ever. If you've never had a pair of Cherry Reds, or you have but they've gone to the DM box in the sky (and it takes a lot before you have to retire a pair of Dr Martens!), now is the time to grab them. We sell them at the RRP, which means it's usually the same as buying them from Dr Martens themselves, but be warned, that RRP is being raised in January, so get in quick to get them at these prices!

Dr Marten 1460 8-Eye Boot in Cherry Red on www.unorthodoxshop.com.

Feeling festive yet?

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Clint Eastwood - Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra

Belle Of The Ball

Morning,

First up, we have a special offer ready to launch for you once our Facebook page gets up to 350 followers. We're pretty close now, so help us and yourselves out by making sure you visit our Facebook page, click like, and suggest it to any friends you think might be interested or share it as a link on your profile. The special offer will apply online and in store, so we'll make sure you don't miss out!

Those of you who have started their Xmas shopping seem to be loving our Smashing Glass pieces. As each one is unique, make sure you get it before it's gone!

Rebecca Sturdgess' artwork is now up in the shop and we'll try to get it photographed an onto the online shop soon. Each piece is a signed original, in a variety of formats ranging from canvases to framed pieces, in many different styles and influences (loving the Japanese themed pieces). With prices starting at £12, they're perfect presents that will never be replicated.

Pick Of The Day today is this absolutely gorgeous Special Evening dress. We're running a special offer on all of our Special Evening dresses this festive season, meaning you can pick up any of them for only £55 each! This one is gorgeous, and also available in red. With an elasticated back and adjustable straps, this fits like it was made for you, and comes with the matching shawl (shown). Beautifully made, this is a classic prom dress that is perfect for all your parties this festive season, and will look just as nice in a garden as you sip on some Pimms next summer (Pimms optional).

Special Evening SENOA43 Dress in Light Pink on www.unorthodoxshop.com.

Hope you're having a good week!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Sweat (A La La La La Long) - Inner Circle

Black Cats

Morning,

Just a quick note for those out there trying to hunt down the Barry M Instant Nail Effects (out of stock in a lot of places) that we have some limited stock in, so it's first come first served. We're marvelling at it! Check out the video tutorial.

Also, for customers who can make it in to the shop, we'll be handing out reusable Shop Local bags (while stocks last). A great way of carrying your essentials whilst reducing waste and promoting local business.

Pick Of The Day today is in keeping with Halloween this weekend. Let these black cats cross your path with this beautiful handpainted square vase from Smashing Glass by Dorne Boddington. All of Dorne's work is unique, and we have a wide selection in store with most available from our online shop. You can also view her glassware at an exhibition at The Castle Theatre in Wellingborough throughout December.

Smashing Glass by Dorne Boddington Square Cat Vase on www.unorthodoxshop.com.

All ready for Halloween? Remember, we have Stargazer hair colours, false lases, plenty of mad colours and glitter from Barry M, and our Death Kitty range of clothes if you're stuck for ideas.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: B-Boy Bouillabaisse - Beastie Boys

Snow White

Morning,

Just in case you hadn't noticed, we now have lots of the Smashing Glass by Dorne Boddington glassware available on the online shop now. Perfect for gifts this festive season, or just brightening up your space. We also have new framed, signed, limited edition prints by artist Daniel Cheney (check the New In section) for sale. Going to add prints by artist Richard Stones later, and work on some colour charts for our Barry M collection (I am aware it's a bit difficult to pick off the website just by colour name/number alone, and I am trying to sort it out, I promise).

Pick Of The Day today is a perfect party dress for the weekend or the festive season. This Monsalina Chic White & Black Mini Dress is so simple and yet so eyecatching. It's also available in black with white detail. It's beautifully made from a gorgeous silky fabric, and comes with clear straps that can be attached to the dress or a multiway bra. The elasticated panel at the back means it fits as if it were made for you. It's available in sizes 6 to 16.

Monsalina Chic White & Black Mini Dress on www.unorthodoxshop.com.

Right, better get back to work!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Ready Or Not - The Course

Everybody Wants To Be A Cat

Morning

Got a couple of new pieces in this morning from Dorne Boddington's Smashing Glass range. They both feature cats, and one of them is coming up in a minute as our Pick of the Day. Our new Max C maxi dresses should be in tomorrow. As the last lot sold out so quickly, better get in quick with these!

This is the Smashing Glass piece I was telling you about. All the gorgeous colours that you'd associate with Dorne's work, but this time, with added kitties. These black cats with green eyes are chilling out all around the vase. Hand painted, it's completely unique, and it's priced at £28. We also have a larger vase version in a similar style with more cats on it. So grab a lucky black cat (or several!) and brighten up your space at the same time!

Off to sort the coathangers. It's an exciting life!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: How Does It Feel, Now You're On Your Own - Neil's Children

Abstract

Morning,

Sorry if I don't make much sense today. We had the first photoshoot for our upcoming online shop last night. It went really well, but it meant I was at the shop from 8.30 in the morning until 10.30 last night so I'm shattered today! Yesterday we used the first of our models, Tahnee and Steve, and once the photos are ready we'll introduce them to you on here. I think they help represent Unorthodox really well, and they made the clothes look awesome! As did our brilliant photographer Brian. More shoots later in the week with more models so looks like I'll be feeling tired for a while!

Pick of the day today is another piece of Smashing Glass by Dorne Boddington. Dorne is a local artist, specialising in portrait painting, but she also produces fantastic hand painted glass pieces. This large abstract vase is gorgeous. You can't tell in the picture how wonderful it looks when light hits it. I can stare at it for hours (so far, I think I've spotted a chicken and a dragon in the patterns but that could just be the tiredness again!). Completely one-off (I don't think anyone could replicate this in a million years!), it'd be a gorgeous addition to anyone's space.

It might also be worth mentioning that we currently have a special offer on just for a our Facebook followers. All the details are on our Facebook page.

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Chemistry - Semisonic

Heart Of Glass

Morning,

It's carnival day so gearing up to watch the parade come past the shop. Whether you're in Wellingborough for this, or off at Pride, or Hop Farm Festival, or any of the myriad of events this weekend, we hope you enjoy yourselves!

Yesterday we got in some beautiful glassware. The collection is called Smashing Glass and is by local artist Dorne Boddington. They are really brightening up the shop. We have vases, candle goblets, candle bowls, lantens, fruit bowls, trinket boxes (I really want to use the phase 'objet d'art' but that might be a step too far into the pretentious!). All the ones that are designed for candles come with them and are ready to shine.

So somewhat predictably, the pick of the day had to be some of the Smashing Glass. This large Buddha bowl is one of my personal favourites. It catches your eye at a distance but it's not until you get up close you can appreciate all the intricate details and the hours of work that must have gone into it. It's absolutely stunning. We can't guarantee good karma if you buy it, but you'd be supporting local artists and independent retail at the same time, so we think you'd definitely deserve some. :)

Have a good weekend!

Kat

Now Playing In The Shop: Bad Valentine - Transvision Vamp