Take 5… Aside - Five Ways to Wear Vintage and Pre-Loved…
We sent Karen Dobres 5 pieces from ThriftVIP collections, based on her unique preferences, trialling our profiling concept and remote modelling in one go, for the first time….
And that’s not all. In this blog we show you Karen’s take on these 5 pieces and also reveal more about the person behind the clothes; Karen Dobres the amazing woman, championing LewesFC Women
The results are beautiful!
Based on Karen’s colours, shape, style, fit and lifestyle preferences we were able to source a selection of pieces to suit that would work well with Karen’s personality and style. Autumnal jewels such as burnt orange with deep purple, forest greens and earthy browns made up the hand-picked selection sourced locally in and around Nottinghamshire. Based mostly around daywear, all 5 offer transitional dressing options for in-between seasons. So, off went the first package, carefully wrapped and ready to be styled, heading South of the UK. Karen is the very first remote model for ThriftVIP and we think she's done a fantastic job with these pieces. The subtle styling is on point, thanks Karen!
Some of the pieces ready to send off. Our profiling concept will be introduced sometime in the near future and will include access to new-in pieces and rental options. This will enable us to source more often with our customers specific requests in mind which aids the avoidance of dealing with excess over-stock. More about this here.
Karen is one of those special people you meet in life because you’re supposed to
I was fortunate enough to be one of those people. We first connected online, through a campaign Karen was doing about bras, or for want of a lack of, as in bra-freedom! We supported each other in our endeavours and Karen was one of my first customers when I had the Etsy shop with Thrift Generation. Things evolved and Karen kindly agreed to become a remote model for ThriftVIP, so I could also write about her amazing work and back story; to how she became an ambassador for Lewes FC, championing women in football.
I made a brief visit back in March 2018 to pick up the clothes I’d sent for Karen, and to have a chat about how things were progressing with Lewes FC. Then, by March 2020 I was finally going to make it to a game! Alas the dreaded COVID-19 soon put a stop to play, however, now seems as good a time as any to talk about Karen’s endeavours and women’s football in the month of International Women’s Day. But first, here’s a little bit about the club….
Ready to go, only a year after my owner membership expired, but finally I’d got closer to attending my first match…better luck next time. I was ready to go in the mighty Rooks colours of Black and Red.
And it was against Sheffield….who would I have cheered on?!
Meet Karen Dobres…Championing Women & Girls
"I'm mainly championing women's football right now”
Karen relaxes at home during our mini meet back in 2018… thanks for the tea & lovely company!
Karen Dobres, Writer and Co-Director of LewesFC, aka #EqualityFC
“I've been supporting Lewes FC Women since July 2017 when the community-owned football club introduced Equality FC.”
Karen goes on to say that Lewes Women have always played on the same pitch as the men's team (which is unusual in football clubs), but in July 2017 the Club announced that they were going to pay the women's team the same as the men's and give them equal playing budgets. This was unheard of in the male-dominated game of football, and the Club were widely praised for their pioneering stance.
They were also criticised by men who thought that the women shouldn't get the same money because they didn't attract the same crowds to matches, and therefore wouldn't attract the same level of financial sponsorship.
“This was when I began to go around to local women's groups and ask them to come and watch the women's matches in solidarity with the cause of equality, so raising the gate figures at Lewes FC's women's matches.”
So far, so good - they've doubled their gate figures, and more and more women are realising what a great game women's football is.
“Personally, as a woman, I can relate to the game much more than when I watch a men's match. I see the women players as strong and powerful role models, using their bodies to do something they really enjoy. I love encouraging people to come and watch Lewes FC Women play at our ground The Dripping Pan, because I know they'll have a great afternoon.
Did I mention we also have a Prosecco Bar at the women's matches?”
I really like this short film, introducing first timers who might feel a little out of their comfort zone attending their first ever match:
Karen adds, In addition to an equal playing budget, and playing on the same pitch, previous match day posters have featured both the men's and women's fixtures, and for one of the early seasons games, the theme was ‘Famous Couples,’ just to drive the point home.
We are #oneclub and we believe in Equality.
If you can't make a match right now, show your support by becoming an owner from just £40 a year.
Keep updated with all things LewesFC
Below, see examples of past match day posters.
The club have come such a long way since then and continue to thrive. Their posters are so visually appealing and powerful. They really make me want to attend a match. Both edgy and eye-catching, it’s making me feel that football on a larger scale is whatever you make it and things are getting shaken up in an epic way. It can be both rewarding and fun with a layer of cool edginess. It’s a new one for me, and I like it.
So, if you fancy introducing yourself to women's football for the first time, this would be an ideal opportunity.
Glass of Prosecco anyone?
For more about the LewesFC community, take a look at the Lewes FC Women and Lewes FC Facebook pages.
With thanks to Karen for allowing us to share her story, and to LewesFC for being a pioneering club and levelling the playing field.
Best of luck to all the women at Lewes FC and all of their supporters.
Go team!
Keep an eye out for updates on the site for future games on LewesFc Women Twitter page
A recent match poster featuring LewesFC defender, Caitlin Hayes as Boudicca. The games are on hold for now, but the spirit lives on. “Caitlin is an absolute warrior of a defender.” (Karen)
A great capture of the team celebrating, by the official club photographer, James Boyes.
With thanks to Karen for sending this amazing shot
Karen gives us the low down on how to wear 5 pieces of Vintage & Pre-loved...
Thanks, Charlie for creating these images, putting the concept of remote modelling right out there!
Karen was a model during the 90's and has walked for a lot of designers we both admire and respect, such as Vivienne Westwood and Zandra Rhodes. She was Ally Cappellino's house model for many years doing lots of shows. Karen walked in Hussen Chalayan's first show and took part in a BBC One documentary about his paper dresses.... all lovely people, she recalls.
The main part of her life, however was devoted to her career as Manager of the in-house counselling service for PolyGram Records. A varied role which consisted of counselling, marketing and organising other counsellors remotely, due to the multi-site offices. They thought her fashion experience would be of good use in an industry where there is all too easy access to drug and alcohol abuse, as well as helping others to maintain relationships due to unusual hours and travel.
If you ever have the pleasure of meeting Karen, you will no doubt realise that she is meant to do this work. A kind and gentle soul with the tenacity and strength of character to put purpose and fairness into her work, whilst relentless in her endeavours for equality and fairness for all.
Her move back to London prior to the managerial role had set the ball rolling. Combining a modelling career with counsellor training meant Karen had to restrict her modelling work due to the work load and nature of the counselling course, which took priority.
Having utilised modelling to fund the counsellor training, it had provided a stepping stone. This was led via a voluntary role with the Samaritans in the evening; and preferring this to her day job at the time, (working for the Essex Chronicle), Karen set her path to a new purpose.
They are almost polar opposites in terms of the private nature of counselling compared to the visual aspect of the modelling world.
Isn’t it amazing how our lives unfold.
Karen very kindly agreed to take some time out to model remotely for us and write a few things about the pieces we sent….
Take Five… Aside:
Vintage Factory Girl Dress
“One of the reasons I like wearing vintage is because I love a good fantasy.
This dress transported me to ‘Made in Dagenham’ and, having tried it on, I felt a sense of the Rita O’Grady about my person for the rest of the afternoon.
Very stylish, with or without backcombing or a headscarf tied under the chin.”
Dark Green Bib Top:
“This would look cool either over a vest or plain long-sleeved top, but I wore it all on its own. I got over the wrongs of naval-baring over the age of 40 long ago, and I enjoyed the bra-freedom that comes with a bibbed top. Unusual one-off vintage find: classic ThriftVIP.”
Terry’s All Gold Jacket
“When this jacket says ‘Instant Glamour’ it’s not lying. I threw it over jeans and a vest and it would have walked me into a swanky club any night of the week, no problem. I just wore it for these photos though, and took it off quickly as I needed some shopping and was unsure that the freezer section of Tesco could cope with that kind of radiance. Should you buy it, and pop out in it, be sure to write in and show Thrift the paparrazi shots.”
Slinky Global Traveller Vintage Dress
“Look, I’m a sucker for the 70’s. Anything Abba-themed or with Boho Chic in the title and I’m there.
This dress is what the cool girls wear at hippie festivals, and it fit just right - like Barry Gibbs trousers, accentuating all the positives.
Stretchy, high-necked, maxi–length, with a strong pattern in warm autumnal shades: so I was rightly smitten. Dear Reader, I bought it. Snapped it up.” #SorryNotSorry
Gaia Olive Green Leather Gilet
“According to those I live with this belted leather gilet, worn with big sleeves, made me look like a cross between a pirate and Dick Whittington. According to me, I looked cool. I liked the gilet styled with nothing underneath too – which is probably how I’d wear it. With sunglasses. And maybe half a smile. But, cross my heart, no dandy highway men were involved in the shooting of this piece.”
Thank you so much, Karen for your take on these pieces from our collections.
You look superb and bring such inspiration and radiant qualities to them.
As always, your writing style is brilliant and lively, I adore it. The Barry Gibbs comment still makes me chuckle! I’m so happy you wanted to purchase one of these pieces too, which proves the unique profiling concept will work in the future.
I’m delighted that we managed to source at least one piece that ticked all the boxes!
We look forward to thrifting for ThriftVIP Lovers too in the near future. Watch this space
Karen Dobres styles and models a Leather Gilet from the ThriftVIP collections
You can find out more about Karen and her work across her social media profiles, on Instagram & Twitter
Read her article about Why Social Purpose is Good For Business on the Brighton Chamber website.
If you’re interested to follow Karen’s foray back into fashion modelling, The Observer wrote a piece about it, right at the same time we wrote this blog for the phase one site, back in 2018. Read it here
I also found this article about age diversity on Vogue online earlier this year
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.
I’d love your feedback, so feel free to write any constructive and supportive comments below.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Madeleine x