The North(ish) Lass

Explore the North.

Category: Artisans & Shopping

  • The Perfect Outfit for every Event

    The Perfect Outfit for every Event

    After my article about The Exchange, Lancaster I wanted to have a chance to really rummage around among some of the amazing clothes and accessories that they have available. So I decided it would be interesting to see what outfits I might be able to put together for upcoming events in North. So, if you’re looking for ideas for events and festivals look no further!

    Festivals and one-off events are one of the biggest sources of throwaway fashion. Every year about 7.5 Million Festival outfits are single use. With that amount, you could give everyone living in Jamaica, Lithuania, and Cyprus a new outfit… and still have 500,000 outfits left over! The problem with these outfits is that they’re often not made to last more than one festival, and can break easily… and because they’re so cheap, it’s not “worth” repairing them, so they end up in the bin. This accelerated production of garments puts massive stress on raw materials, water, and energy. So, instead, why not go and get a piece that’s going to last for years and can be worn again and again?

    A big thank you to Izzy and The Exchange for helping me pick out/put these outfits together. NOTE: All outfit items were available when I picked them out on Saturday 2nd August, and may have sold in the week since. If you like any of these items, don’t hang about, either get down to the Exchange or drop them a message on Instagram to reserve them.

    1940s Weekend/Vintage

    Whilst the Exchange often has vintage pieces in, I couldn’t see/find anything that was exactly 1940s Vintage vibe that would have been perfect for the Lytham 1940s Weekend (Saturday 16th/Sunday 17th August), so instead I found these two pairs of shoes that had a cute Mary-Jane vibe that could work well with a 1940s dress! There were also some vintage brooches and earrings on display that could add a unique addition to any outfit.

    Russell & Bromley – Size 4 – £45 (RRP £200+)

    Clarks – Size 6.5 – £26.50

    Leeds Festival

    Leeds Festival takes place on August Bank Holiday weekend and with these two choice outfits you’ll be ready for anything!

    Boho Look

    This one was picked out by Izzy as to what she would wear to Leeds Festival for a more Boho look…

    Lanvin Sunglasses – £80 (RRP £180+)
    Cream Boho Shirt – M – £24.50
    Mango Suede Shorts – UKS8 – £40
    Le Chameau Wellies – S5 – £98.50 (RRP £160+)
    All Saints shoulder bag in oxblood – £70 (RRP £229)

    Rock ‘N’ Roll Look

    This one was picked out by me for a bit more of a Rock and Roll kind of vibe!

    Rino & Pelle Leather Jacket – UKS8 – £48.50 (RRP £85+)
    The Kooples Tank & Skirt – XS – £40 each (RRP £120+ each)
    Dune Shoes – S 6.5/7 – £30 (RRP £79+)

    Fresher’s Week

    Fresher’s Week is usually the last week in September or the first week in October, and with this cosy jumper & jeans combo you’ll be ready for those early autumn temperatures.

    Kenzo Jumper – M – £45 (I loved this jumper, it looked so cosy!) (RRP £270+)
    AGOLDE Balloon Jeans – 29″ waist – £45 (RRP £320+)
    Tory Burch Flats – S5 – £65 (RRP £225+)

    Flower Show/Garden Fair

    Hobbs Flower Print Dress – UKS16 – £26.50 (RRP £169+)
    Office Sandals in Brown – S6 – £28 (RRP £59+)
    Fat Face Fedora – £15 (RRP £25)

    Lancashire Game and Country Festival

    Saturday 6th/Sunday 7th September 2025 at Scorton Showground.

    Light Barbour Jacket in Blue – UKS8 – £65 (RRP £112+)
    Polo Trousers by Ralph Lauren – XS – £39.50 (RRP £175+)
    Tod’s Loafers – S5 – £245 (RRP £695)

    Blackpool Illuminations/Light Up Lancaster

    I also wanted to include something a bit warmer as we approach the end of summer, so here’s an idea for something to keep you a bit more snug to go and see Blackpool Illuminations (end of September) or Light Up Lancaster (November (might need a scarf for that one too!!).

    Massimo Dutti Leather Jacket – Size S/M – £80 (RRP £299)
    M&S Mesh Shirt in cream – M – £20
    Topshop Corduroy in cream – UKS12 – £22.50

    Obviously this is just a very small selection of what is available, and you’ve really got to go for a rummage to truly appreciate everything that is available. For example one of things I found was a gorgeous Balmain mini dress. It was HEAVY with beading and beautifully detailed and was on sale for £145. Considering that (looking at the Balmain website) their mini dresses currently retail for anywhere between £1,500 to a shocking £15,000(!!!!), this is an absolute steal. Sadly, it was a size XS and would probably have gone up one of my legs and that’s about it! But if you’re petite or want to give an amazing present for a petite friend/family member – that dress would be perfect. And there’s so many more things like in there, you’ve just got to go looking! Isn’t that so much better than a fast fashion item that will fall apart after one wear?

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  • Welcome to Cartmel

    Welcome to Cartmel

    Famous for it’s racecourse, fine dining, and of course, its Sticky Toffee Pudding, this little village on the edge of the Lake District is punching well above it’s weight when it comes to things to see and do, as well as being in a gorgeous natural location. I often like to go to Cartmel when I’ve been to Holker Hall (which is just down the road), to have a wander around the independent shops and cafes, or to have a moment’s quiet in the priory before enjoying an ice cream.

    On a logistical note, when there race days are scheduled Cartmel gets very busy, and even on regular days parking is a bit of a struggle. If you’re very lucky, you might get parked in the middle of the village, but it is very limited. As a general rule, parking is on the racecourse, and visitors then walk into the village.

    So, without further ado, here’s my things to do in Cartmel…

    Visit The Priory

    Cartmel Priory is over eight hundred years old. It was founded by William Marshal (sometimes known by the moniker of “The Greatest Knight”) in 1190 following his return from Crusade in the Holy Land. He gifted the land around the Priory to the monks situated there to provide for it’s upkeep.

    One of the interesting things found in Cartmel Priory, despite them being installed at a later date, is some of the stained glass windows on the left hand side of the nave clearly make reference to Islamic style architecture, depicting a building akin to the Hagia Sofia. Whoever commissioned or made these windows must have either seen, or being inspired by, Near-Eastern architecture, as the image is unlike any building found in England at that time.

    There are a couple of other curiosities to find in the Priory if you visit. Can you find them? Have a bit of a treasure hunt with the following list!

    • The gravestone with a “pirate ship-esque” skull-and-cross-bones inlaid on the surface.
    • The musket shot holes, in the outside of one of the doors, supposedly fired by angry Parliamentarians during the civil war of the 17th century, when they were denied entry to The Priory for provisions.
    • The knight’s tomb with the faded medieval image painted on the underside of the ceiling of the tomb (you have to crane your neck to see this one, this might give you a clue!).
    • The “Anglo-Saxon” cross in the graveyard, which is a monument to those who served during WW1.
    • The 16th century wooden misericords complete with 16th century graffiti carved in, assumedly left there by a bored choir boy centuries ago.

    Have a pint in the Cavendish Arms

    The Cavendish Arms sits next to the River Eea (how do you pronounce that? I tend to just go with “Uhhh” which is definitely not right!), and is a lovely spot to sit and have a drink on a warm summer’s day, and watch the water flow.

    Personal aside – my grandfather had his retirement meal at the Cavendish Arms, back in the 1980s – as a joke his colleagues ordered him two of everything on the meat platter – two tomahawks, two racks of ribs, two sausages etc. etc. Not one to back down from a challenge, my grandad gamely ate it all. He thought it would be rude not too.

    Now I wouldn’t try anything close to that, but the food at the pub is delicious, and a lovely place to sit and enjoy the day.

    Check out the Independent Shops

    Cartmel boasts several lovely independent shops, including a Vintage store (my favourite!), Unsworth Yard (a deli/wine shop/brewery), an antiquarian bookstore, and the Larch Tree (a gift/clothing/toy store).

    I love going for a mooch around the Vintage store, because there’s some truly interesting things in there. It’s not just for vintage and preloved clothing, there’s also home goods, toys, antiques, and furniture, all higgledy-piggledy to have a rummage through and see what treasures can be found. In the past I’ve bought earrings and a 1940s dress from the store, and continue to love and use both!

    Unsworth Yard deli does a lovely selection of local produce, including stocking all of the products of Cartmel Cheeses. Last time I was in there, a friend of mine bought some lovely relishes and sauces as a present.

    Have an Ice Cream at Hales of Cartmel

    Claiming to have the “largest selection of scooping ice creams,” Hales of Cartmel certainly has plenty of different flavours to choose from. Last time I went, I had a double scoop of salted caramel and peach melba… delicious!

    However will you choose?!

    You’ll notice – conspicuous by its absence – I haven’t mentioned L’Enclume or Rogan & Co. That isn’t for any reason other than that I’m going to do a separate post about the fine dining options in Cartmel.

    What’s your favourite thing about Cartmel? Have you visited the beautiful village? What did you get up to?

    If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more content like this, please subscribe below for a weekly email about exciting events and people across the region! Share this article with friends and family who also love our local area and the beauty of The North…

    The Northish Lass: Building a Northern Network of great places, people, and products across the region. If you’d like to get in touch email bryony@thenorthishlass.co.uk or follow/message on Instagram for more information!

  • A Day Out In Corbridge (Part One)

    A Day Out In Corbridge (Part One)

    Corbridge is a beautiful village just outside Hexham in Northumberland, that has been settled since the Roman period, and has impressive Roman ruins that can be explored (read Part Two for more information about the Roman History of the town). It’s also full of independent shops, and interesting historic buildings and architecture that I love to have a mooch around when I’m in the village.

    My favourite way to a start a day in Corbridge is to have breakfast at Grant’s Bakery and Patisserie where you can get the most amazing cakes and pastries to either eat in or take away. Last time I was there, I had a croissant stuffed with ham and cheese with a béchamel sauce with a little bit of added Dijon mustard. It was seriously tasty. The parentals indulged in a Croque Monsieur each, and these weren’t the paltry portions you might get in a chain café somewhere – these were absolutely enormous and would definitely set you up for the the day to come! There is also a huge display cabinet of cakes and pastries, including the famous Northumberland Pasty! We bought three cakes to treat ourselves for later in the day, and these were beautifully wrapped up and boxed for us.

    The only downside of the bakery and café is that there is no in-house toilet, but given there’s only about eight seats inside, perhaps they’re not required to provide them. Corbridge does have free public bathrooms just up the road from the bakery, but if you’re disabled it might be a bit of a trek to reach them.

    Following breakfast, there’s some lovely independent shops to have a look around, include several fashion shops, a florist, and my personal two favourites – a Vintage at the Tower, and Forum Books which conveniently are right next to each other. As someone who can’t have pierced ears, I love the vintage store, as they’re one of the only places I’ve found with a wide selection of clip-on earrings. I have bought many from their really cool vintage selection, from large costume jewellery designs, to more subtle goldwork. They also have preloved clothing along with vintage homewares, and other interesting assorted curiosities.

    Just next door is my favourite shop in Corbridge – Forum Books. Inside a converted chapel building, it’s an independent bookstore that I just love to go and have a good browse whenever I’m in the town. The only thing that does sometimes get me is that they don’t separate by most genres through the fiction/non-fiction (there are some collections that are separate), but most are mixed together, organised by author. In a way, this is a clever way of doing things, because rather than being able to go straight for the history section, or just look at fantasy, you have to look through the whole shelf, potentially finding other authors and books that catch your eye along the way. It is a beautiful bookstore, and I love having a good mooch. If you need something specific, the friendly staff are incredibly helpful and will find out whether they have what you need, or order it in if they don’t. I have spent many a happy hour in there, browsing along the shelves. I got a book voucher for Christmas ’24 and literally started at one end of the shelves and made my way along them, looking for anything caught my eye. Since starting in Corbridge, Forum Books has expanded into two more locations – The Accidental Bookshop in Alnwick, and the bound in Whitley Bay, so there’s other places to explore as well.

    Stay tuned for Part Two of A Day Out in Corbridge where I look at all the amazing historical things there are to do in the town…

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  • The Exchange Lancaster – Vintage & PreLoved Clothing

    The Exchange Lancaster – Vintage & PreLoved Clothing

    What does The Exchange stock?

    Situated on the corner of Common Garden Street and King Street, The Exchange Lancaster (Instagram Link) is a beautifully curated preloved boutique store where the sustainability conscience fashion lover can find designer gems and unique pieces to suit all styles and price points. The vintage and preloved shop has been in business since 2010, showcasing sustainable style for a decade-and-a-half.

    I will be honest here, I am on a bit of a personal campaign against fast fashion and fashion waste (along with many other people and organisations!), and I have an intense dislike for companies such as T*mu and Sh*in (asterisked to stop flagging on search engines), among others. Fast Fashion is one of the biggest polluters on the planet; cheap clothes come with an astronomical environmental and human cost and I really hope that the more people learn about the terrible practices and costs of these companies, the less they will use them. We already have enough clothing on the planet to clothe everyone for the next sixty years, we do not need more unethical and wasteful fast fashion that will collapse after you wear it once. Anyway, this article wasn’t supposed to be a piece about how terrible fast fashion is; it’s about the beauty of reusing and re-loving the clothing that is already out there. Because this is such a soapbox issue for me, I really love solutions such as The Exchange which encourage reusing good quality high street clothing, and finding vintage pieces to love for many years to come. Creating this circular fashion economy is the best way to stop waste entering landfill and also having unique and interesting outfits to choose from whenever you open your wardrobe!

    How does it all work?

    The Exchange takes in seasonal pieces from members of the public, and takes in those that are in good condition and that they think will resell. There is a huge selection of clothing and it’s wonderful to go searching through the rails to find pieces you love. This selection can range from high end high street brands like Whistles, Reiss, and All Saints, to labels such as Versace, Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Mulberry. All designer pieces are professionally authenticated by the highly knowledgeable staff who have been collectively working in the fashion space for decades. Reflecting this range of options, the price points range from £10 up to several hundreds for designer bags (that would originally have retailed for £1000s).

    The Exchange isn’t just a place for fashionistas looking for a good buy; it’s also a good place for those whose wardrobes have gotten a little full, and want to make some money in reselling. Of course there are apps for that kind of thing, but The Exchange takes all the work out of it and will almost certainly get you a better price than you could sell it for in-app. The way it works is you take in what you want to sell (it must be in good condition/well-made), the shop will take the pieces they like the look of – agreeing a price that you’d be happy to sell it for – before taking it off your hands. The shop will then keep the pieces for six-ten weeks (depending on what it is/stock turnover/discussion etc.) and try and sell it. Once it’s sold, you will get 50% of the sale price back. Some customers take this as a payment, others prefer to leave it as a store credit on their account for the next time they’re searching for a preloved treasure of their own!

    A couple of my favourite pieces came from The Exchange, including a Radley bag with tags still on that would have retailed for £250 that I picked up for £60. I also wanted to find something sparkly for when I went to see Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour last year, so The Exchange was my first port of call to look for something unique. If you’re prepared to go digging, there’s some amazing things to find!

    The collection is constantly changing. The dedicated and knowledgeable staff in the shop are always rotating the stock, looking for exciting new items and curating different looks for the displays. If you have an account and let them know the kind of things you like/are looking for they’ll get in touch if something comes in that they think you’ll love!

    The shop is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am-5pm. Tel 01524 65456 or message the shop on Facebook/Instagram to get in touch.

    If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more content like this, please subscribe below for a weekly email about exciting events and people across the region! Share this article with friends and family who also love our local area and the beauty of The North…

    The Northish Lass: Building a Northern Network of great places, people, and products across the region. If you’d like to get in touch email bryony@thenorthishlass.co.uk or follow/message on Instagram for more information!