20101227

Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present.

Hey everybody, hope you've all had a lovely Christmas! I've eaten waaay too much turkey I may in fact start sprouting feathers
(you know with the whole 'you are what you eat thing'... nope? ok never mind)



I thought I'd show you some of the presents I got from my family; Luella's Guide to English Style, Fisheye lomography camera, 'Two Door Cinema Club' & 'The xx' CDs, Black satchel from Next... I also got some DVDs, iridescent tights, a Union Jack umbrella, velvet leggings, socks, gloves, pyjamas... oh and my mum's paying for my trip to New York in a few months time! New York, like THE New York City! I've never been to America before and I've heard it's going to be absolutely freezing then, so it won't be a super stylish trip as I'll most likely be jet-lagged and bundled up in a mass of layers the whole time, but still, "I'm going to New York!" *squeals with excitement* Ooh, honestly, it's a dream come true...

Btw. I've set up a poll (top left column) 'cuz I was wondering what you awesome people would like to see more of on my blog... photography, fashion, outfit shots, or are you content with my whimsical ramblings? I'd really love to know and it'll only take you a few seconds to vote, so pretty please? I'll love you forever ;) or at least until I get distracted by something shiny... tehe.

Today's Anthem: "Cosmic Love" (acoustic cover) by Florence + the machine.


x x x

20101222

Maybe we forgot, are we awake or not?

Some of my photos from the Designer Catwalk show hosted by OK magazine. The theme of the show was 'red carpet glamour' - oh just the thought of it makes me go weak at the knees... The ballgowns were really beautiful; with trailing scarlet satin wrapped elegantly across the models waif-like frames, the gentle array of flouncing white ruffles wafting like feathers in the breeze, and the sight of the delicate embellishments twinkling beneath the burning spotlights were simply enchanting.
There were a few models wandering down the catwalk in spongebob squarepants dressing gowns, which I didn't quite understand... fluro pink and yellow flannel doesn't exactly translate 'high glamour' in my opinion, but maybe they were trying to convey a sense of playful irony, or perhaps create a whimsical edge against the extravagance of the gowns... either way it was a wonderful show and I'm pretty happy with the photos I managed to take.







... I love the atmosphere at a fashion show. There's something about the anticipation, like an electric buzz pulsating through the air, as the flood lights ignite and the models emerge. That first dress is so crucial. Some say it's the final dress, the one that defines the collection, that's the one that matters most. But for me it's all about the first. It's the one that sets the tone of the entire show. The one that summons the bar of excellence for which all the following pieces must measure up to. The one that silences the crowd and leaves them in a state of awe-inspired captivation, awaiting the wonders of all that follows. It has the power to make or break a show, and that's what fascinates me so. It feels like the still point of the turning world; that moment when the first model steps out, she doesn't lead the revolution, she embodies it. And in that instant the designers vision is brought to life.
Watching the future (of fashion) surface, it's like magic, better even (oh but don't tell tinkerbell I said that ;)

Today's Anthem: "Wish I Stayed" by Ellie Goulding.


x x x

20101218

When we collide we lose ourselves.


Maroon Dress - Topshop . . . Black Cardigan - H&M . . . Blue Blazer - Debenhams . . . Cream Shirt + Tapestry Bag - thrifted.



Hah, I think I look a bit like an air-hostess in this outfit, ahh well that's my tragic attempt at sophistication over then... please excuse my cliche 'panic posing' too. When the self timer starts flashing I'm like a deer in headlights - pretty much stunned and clueless.
I bought that dress last weekend; the colour was irresistible, and the simple cut makes me feel rather reminiscent of Holly Golightly's little black number in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", oh how I love that film...

Speaking of filming, Wednesday's video shoot went well, it was freezing but I think we've got all the footage we need. Argh, I've got so much coursework to do over Christmas it's unbelievable! But I suppose whilst every one's stressing about their January exams I'll be locked up in the library lumbered with a ridiculous pile of essays and sketchbooks to complete. I've also got to compose a portfolio for an interview I'm yet to apply for, not because I'm incredibly organised, the total opposite in fact. All other people I'm aware of applying for this course handed in their application's weeks ago and are now calmly awaiting their interviews. The longer I leave this the riskier it gets, but worse case scenario I end up with a gap year. I like to imagine I'd travel and have wild adventures and end up in Swedish tea rooms with bizarre men named Sven and go cliff diving and eat snails, as all the best nomads do... hah, if my imaginary gap year was made into a TV show I like to think it'd be something like "An Idiot Abroad" crossed with "Skins". Oh yessss, I assume you'd all be watching intently? Or not. Most of the shots would just be me harassing strangers, asking random (all be it vaguely inappropriate) questions, and basically making a total idiot out of myself.... so no different from usual then.

(p.s. sorry about not being able to comment on my last post, I turned the comments off by mistake but thanks so much for your lovely messages, you're all adorable! ;) Truth is I've been feeling a little unconfident about my blog recently, I wish I had time to do more outfit posts but my style's all over the place so you're not missing out on much, I've got a few other posts ready in my drafts folder so brace yourselves for whatever randomness makes 'the final cut'... I swear I agonise over what to post or what to say waaaay too much, eurgh I really gota snap outa this...)

(p.p.s you're totally epic if you got through all of that, sorry that I've babbled so much but my mind's in a minor state of chaos.)

Ciao ciao.
x x x

20101214

What we have here is a dreamer, someone totally out of touch with reality.














A post full of pictures that I've kind of fallen in love with. They flow from girly, to sombre to slightly darker, I would have stuck to a certain theme or tone but I couldn't help myself... I think those compass tattoos are pretty awesome, I've never really wanted a tattoo before, but I like this one a lot.

Tomorrow I'm off down to the woods to finish filming scenes for the music video I'm creating for my college media project. It will most likely be freezing cold but fingers crossed it all goes well. The storyline is a bit crazy; my dear friend Rosanna (our starring actress) is meant to wander through the woods, get headbutted by a strange guy, the concussion causes her to fall in love with him, then they look into a mirror (you know, one of those inconspicuous mirrors you happen to find lying discarded against a random log... as you do) and they stare into the alternate reality where they are in fact guinea pigs... because that's ever so likely to happen. I bet I've more than confused you now, but trust me I'm confused too, all I'm getting paid for is turning up... hang on a sec, what? I'm not getting paid?! Pffft, amateurs.... oh yeah I'm running this thing, oops, my mistake.

>> I do not own these images, I've tried to link them back to their source via weheartit.com

(p.s. the song at the top is called "Misguided Ghosts" by Paramore, just in case you were wondering...)
x x x

20101213

I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.


My mum got me this wolf hat a few days ago as an early Christmas present. The label attached to it made me laugh, it described my epic piece of head wear as "elegant, abstract and sophisticated"... hmmm sure, though that's not exactly how I felt whilst wearing it, but hey I think we can agree it's pretty awesome...




I've been listening to 'The xx' lately and I really rather love their "moody-indie-soul" vibe, I've asked for their album for Christmas, along with a few other albums and films like "The Lovely Bones" and "Where the Wild Things Are". There's a zillion other little things I've jotted down on my list to Santa (realistic and unrealistic... pfft, like I'm ever gona get that gorgeous Mandy Coon bunny bag) I guess I'm kinda obsessed with animal-related fashion accessories lately, I might do a post on it if I can gather enough inspiration, but for now I'll leave you with a wonderfully mellow melody from The xx...

Today's anthem: "VCR" by The xx.



x x x

20101211

Clothes Show LIVE @ Birmingham NEC.

I went to the Clothes Show last weekend and it was absolutely amazing! The theme of the main performance was Hollywood Movie Night, and when I went into the theatre I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I was more than pleased by the show. There was a great variety of costumes, impressive choreography, elaborate sub-themes... lots and lots of shirtless men (on and off the catwalk, ooer...)
I was thrilled by the fact that the show was presented by the legendary Gok Wan (who you can just about see in the 5th + 6th photos - he's wearing black jeans and a silver blazer). I was also impressed by the way the director had incorporated the shows sub-themes with current fashion trends such as; the Americana look, shearling & aviator jackets, underwear as outerwear, structured tailoring, the seasonal sequin craze and a wonderful array of luxe evening gowns...







After the show we went around the pop-up shops, which were a bit like giant market stalls. It was a total frenzy! Verrrry difficult to navigate through, as frantic people were rushing about in all directions, but I managed to acquire a few items, including; an LED belt (which I'm giving to my brother for Christmas), a gorgeous red box-bag, and an iridescent black tutu skirt - which turned out to be slightly see-through but at least I can use it to add volume beneath some of my more basic skirts / dresses.
x x x

20101210

I was always set to self destruct, yeah...


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Sorry for the brief disappearance but I've had a pretty hectic week, and after an immense amount of sleep I finally feel refreshed and ready to post about my epic adventure-isms...
Well the masquerade ball (last Friday) was wonderful, just as I had hoped, except for the part where all of the photos on Abi's camera got deleted... Oh grr, but at least there's this one which was taken just before we left.
"Cheesy toothpaste commercial smile - Check!" ;)
...It really was an incredible night - I mean the food was terrible and the dancing was just embarrassing, but it was definitely a night to remember... Stepping out of our silver chariot (the taxi we happened to steal at the end of the night) our feet became completely submerged by 6 inches of snow outside Abi's house. We must have looked totally becrazed stumbling up her driveway in pitch blackness.
I'll do a post with my Clothes Show photos tomorrow hopefully. I'm meant to be going Christmas shopping, but I've been feeling so lethargic lately (I'm blaming it on the weather) that I might spend the entire day in bed watching box sets, drinking hot chocolate and eating marshmallows. Ohh life is good.

(p.s. thank you all for the lovely comments on my recent posts! I'm a total cyber-snail but I hope to get round to replying at the weekend when I've made progress on my college coursework and those ever looming deadlines... until then TTFN! ;)
x x x

20101204

Now where did I park my pumpkin?

Just a quick post because... I'm off to the masquerede ball tonight! Cinderella had a carriage and glass slippers, I however, have my 'badass boots' and the number 34 bus (which is a bit like Cinderella's pumpkin carriage, because it is infact orange, verrry orange.)
I might not be posting again for a few days because I'm sleeping over at Abi's house, and I'm going to Clothes Show Live at the weekend and by the end of it all I'll most likely be a frantic, exhausted, unstylish mess (no different from usual then...) Ooh but I'm really excited about it though because I've never been to Clothes Show before! Will any of you be attending??

Alright then lovlies I better go as a night of magic and masquerede awaits, so for now I bid thee "Bon nuit!" ;)
Image via icanteachyouhowtodoit

Plastic Jungle - Miike Snow.

x x x

20101203

What I wish I was wearing right now...


Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last few posts, I'm a little behind on replying to comments and I've got a busy weekend ahead but I promise to get back to you all as soon I get a free moment - which might even be tomorrow seeing as college is closed once again because of the snow. I would be overjoyed by this news but I need to get on with my cwk which can only be accessed on the college mac's ;( grrrr "sn-oh no!"

I've been spending way to long on polyvore these days but I really had to share this one... I love this outfit, it's a little different from my usual style, but I feel that since starting this blog my style has started to evolve, just a little bit. I don't really know how to define my personal style, other than 'British' (because I am ;) and ever so slightly whimsical.
... Alexa Mulberry, Acne jeans, studded lace-ups, Alexander McQueen clutch bag (ahh, in my dreams), oh and that silver cardigan is actually for men, but I see no problem with wearing it... casual slouchy style + awesome sparkly thread, it's like the definition of laid back glamour ;)
x x x

20101201

Bear with me for a moment.



I made this skirt a few months ago from some faux velvet I bought from a market stall. Out of all my DIY's it's probably the most successful 'cuz I wear it quite a lot of the time. I love the textured appearance, and the colour, which sortof reminds me of purple quality street wrappers. Ooh and speaking of chocolate, I got to open the first window of my advent calendar this morning! It shouldn't be that exciting, but I still feel like a little kid at heart ;)

College is closed (again) today because of the snow, which means I'll be spending the rest of my Wednesday browsing blogs, drinking hot chocolate, and watching a Gossip Girl box set. Ahh, bliss.



Bear bobble hat - River Island . . . Scarf - Zara . . . Tee & tights - Topshop . . . Skirt - made by me . . . Leopard fedora - Peacocks.
x x x

20101129

10 things I love.

I was tagged by the lovely Purdy from Kittenish Behaviour to post a list of "10 things I love", and these are the things I chose...

1. My Canon EOS 500D - it helps me to take some amazing photographs and the quality's way superior to any other camera I've used in the past. I would definitely recommend it to any aspiring photographers out there (who just happen to have a fair amount of cash to spare... but trust me, it's well worth the money!)

2. (500) Days of Summer. The more I watch this film the more I love it. In a way I feel a lot like Summer Finn, and in a way I don't. There are many characters I've felt connected to in the past from books I've read or films I've watched. I suppose I just love the escapism of it all.


3. Polaroids - there's something about them that feels a little more sincere than modern photo practices, which can be edited in excess, whereas Polaroids have that raw sense of nostalgic sentiment behind every shot.

4. Tights. I love decorative pairs soo much right now but it breaks my heart when they get laddered. Either way I don't think I could live without black opaque tights - they're a wardrobe staple for me, especially in winter.

5. Red hair - I've never dyed my hair before (except for one summer when I was 13, my hair got sun bleached and I ended up with blonde streaks, haha) But I really want to dye my hair red, just slightly, I fancy a change...

6. Topshop - I don't care if it sounds cliche, but I love topshop! I don't buy clothes from there all the time, sometimes I just go in too look around and gather inspiration, ('cuz lets face it, as a student I'm not made of money...) but oh their clothes are just so pretty it's hard to resist! Here are my current faves from their website...

7. Bokeh filters. I want a set for Christmas! They're a type of camera attachment, that create a really pretty effect by contorting blurred lights into fun shapes, such as hearts, stars, butterflies, etc.

8. Outer space. I look up at the sky at night and the stars remind me of how small I am, of how much more there is out there and that however I'm feeling there's probably an alien somewhere who's miffed off because he's forgotten where he parked his spaceship and he wants to get home before Planet-X-Factor starts, haha... I don't care if it sounds dorky but I'm fascinated by the stars, those unexplainable moments when science and magic seem to collide, and the whole idea of finding my place in this universe.

9. That there's still magic in the world. It happens at the wildest moments, in the unlikeliest of places. If you search for it too hard you might just miss it. Sometimes you just have to stop looking and let it find you.

10. Giles Deacon S/S 2010 collection. I know this was launched over a year ago but it's always in my heart. I absolutely adore his metallic dinosaur bags - they embody a whimsical sense of youthfulness; taking inspiration from the past and incorporating visions of the future to create something bold, quirky and ridiculously awesome.



Now I'm going to tag these beautiful bloggers to create their own post of 10 things they love...
Abi from True Colours
Maria from Mary And Her Dreams
Lexi from Quirky Explosion
Ruth from The Ruth Chronicles
Amy from Forever Curiouser
Panda from Studmuffin
Elle from noraspy
Jan from Peanutbutter Fairytales
Nicole from lies and ignorant faces
Kate from Thistle & Weeds
Charlotte from The Tea Drinking English Rose

...and of course any of you out there who want to have a go at this, I tag you too! If you create a post of your own be sure to drop me a comment 'cuz I'd love to learn more about the amazing people who read my blog.

(Images 1,4,9,10 were taken by me, 7 via topshop.com, 11 & 12 from my google reader, 2,3,5,6,8 found via weheartit.com and are linked back to their sources.)

x x x