prettyneons

SUNDAY SHOE SPLURGE

2012-01-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

Shoes,shoes,shoes I don't know about you?But shoes never fail to make me swoon,sigh and in general squeal silly with sheer excitement.Be it the humble heel,laid back loafers,boyish brogues they all make this girl giddy.Not that any shoe will do,oh no,no I'm not that easy.High expectations and all.Sniffing out the perfect shoe requires concentration,before you make the big step and commit yourself to THAT pair of shoes hold the immediate urge to impulse buy.There is more to consider than just first impressions.Shoe trends are the ficklest out of the fashion lot.Remember last spring/summer when every girl was trotting around in clumsy clogs?It was an Ugg boot repeat,which turned both ugly and quite the shoe epidemic.Fast forward 'tis 2012,clogs kicked off,the reasoning and hype long forgotten about as them once darling pair of shoes are now gathering dust somewhere in a dark neglected space of your wardrobe.Diddums.We've all been there,overwhelmed by in hindsight one pair of stupid studded hookeresque shoes (*insert your own footwear fuck up here*).I've learned via trial and error that to be truly shoe savvy is to snub shoe trends altogether play the ignorance game,just go with the footwear flow and prevent any embarrassing trip ups later on.
With that all cleared up your good to go and grab them brand new shoes.If it's a quick fashion fling your after then sure go score some shoes from Primark,cheap, cheerful,convenient and a no-brainer shoe solution.Yep your have to participate in a competitive round or two of shoe wars involving nudging of elbows and sly shoe shuffling tactics (concealing the last pair of patent peep-toe size 5's behind the arm of slipper boots and so on,yeah you know the one!)with fantastic results not always so guaranteed after just one test drive.When shoe karma snaps back in the form of a,umm snapped and shattered stiletto once so full of promise.I always opt for online shoe shopping,to omit the drama and daunting procedure of discovering that elusive size 5 has completely sold out.Now which pair of these lush shoes should I adopt..?

images courtesy MR.SHOES

DANCING AROUND HER HANDBAG

2012-01-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

How to spot when a girl has one serious bag addiction:when she snubs a night out in favour of snooping and sniffing out the loveliest and latest bags.Handbags,weekend shopper bags,clutch bags,chain bags,over the shoulder bags,satchel bags,mini box bags,granny bags.Casual bags,dressy bags,posh bags,bargain bags.A bag is a bag and if I consider it to offer bags of potential i.e zips,pockets,separate compartments and a nifty little two-way strap (oohh I do appreciate an adaptable bag design feature),then I'm sold.Does such easy persuasion and my blatant lack of willpower towards all things bagish mean I'm some sort of bag slag?
Because hands up,I've been involved in one- bag-stands.Guilty of being unfaithful to more than one bag,on more than one occasion.Several occasions if you must insist on knowing.The ugly truth is,my eyes wonder too much,soon as I believe I've discovered 'the one' thee soul mate of vintage satchel bags.After our first night out together lapping up the attention and style complements,the newness and novelty begins to wear off.Attraction gone,rejection quickly follows and I return to flirting with brand new bag purchases.Disgusting as this bad bag behavior is,I can't help it.Believe me I've attempted to kick this filthy habit,but this bitch of a bag addiction is spiralling way,way out of control.I've lost count of how many bags I own,I've no estimation to offer you.Does it prevent me from pursuing more of the bloody things.Nope.
The potential of becoming a bonkers bag lady,has always been right there.With early tell tale signs,evident from the tender age of five.I would piss all my pocket money away on accessories and handbag sets for all my Barbie dolls.Needless to say Barbie has much to answer for!Aww no,not really.Can't blame Barbie for being the bag slag adult I am today.I may never be able to pin point where my consumption for bags began?It might just remain one of those unsolved big bang mysteries?The only vague conclusion being bags are easy.One size only-every single style suits all solutions.

images courtesy of Peacocks

No effort is required.Browsing bags is easypeasy slacker shopper stuff.Ideal for us shambolic shoppers prone to stress when faced with an array of all too familiar shopping obstacles involved with trying on clothes/shoes and so and so.Stuffy,sweaty,crusty curtain 'changing room' cubicles.Avoided.Dreaded walk of shame (...that ultimate cringe worthy moment when your forced to display your I'm-to-fat-for-that-frock onto the garment reject rail.Super model like shop assistant observing you up and down with the expression of disgust upon her smiley face).Avoided.It's a no brainer nor any wonder why I'm more partial to adopting bags compared to any other fashion item.I am particularly partial to patent quilted effect bags.And I'm such,such a sucker for stripes and bold floral blooms.Hence why then the Peacocks floral stripe bag has had a powerful Must.Buy impact on me.It's the hybrid of all hybrid bags.Could THIS be the one?The bag which finally alters my old bag slag days.No more cheating with chain wild animal print types.Maybe just maybe this bag will tame me?Keeping me forever content.Giving me the stength to fight all future bag temptations that may tease me?Pah!Yeah right.

THE STYLE SCRIMPER

2012-01-26T09:46:00.000-08:00

...Yep,that's me and I confess those carrier bags (see below) are the property of moi.It has been a tough week at work floating in a very uncertain limbo land,stomach in knots worried sick that each day shift may just well be the last time I clock in and out.As all progress on the rescue of Peacocks goes silent...no news is good news,now what idiot spun that line?I tell you who,somebody who wasn't on the verge of redundancy,and trying to dodge this on/off (um isn't the recession back on again here in the UK?)recession.Heck I don't want to even go there,were bemused enough by that tiresome topic,no?Actually I from this moment have banned the R word,lets save such drab discussions for those opinionated intellectual Question Time types-go knock yourselves out.
I want to discuss one thing and one thing only.Sales.Ahh blissful sweet sweet sales.How you make my heart skip a beat.I ended up having the day off as a colleague asked if I could swap shifts with her,and frankly who am I to decline?I kicked my day off by dusting off and updating the old CV,better to be prepared during these competitive career times(...everybody is super eager to snatch that same one bitch of a ladder)CV customised and sprinkled lightly with embellishment I shot some copies off to various job posts.'Cause if you think I'm going to be forced to claim jobseekers you can think again,twice in three years is plenty enough thanks.After three hours it becomes apparent fashion jobs are far and few between,'tis bleak.
I had two options remaining I could slob out in my sweats i.e sagging leggings,slouchy band tee and frayed boyfriend cardie and scoff saturated fat savoury snacks whilst staring at brain dead day time TV,occasionally flicking back and fourth to This Morning with Holly whatshername giggling at nothing much.Nah.
Or I could depart from my comfy sexless sweats,stay away from the snack tin and snap up THOSE sales.Consider it done.

Being the bonkers fashion deprived female I am,I dash *remember to BREATHE* in the direction of the nearest cash machine,convert to religion (any one shall do at this exact moment in time)say my prays out loud,'Please God let there be more than nill available,oh God let my wages be in that damn hole.PLEASE.'Kaaahhh-chiing,starving for those juicy sales I punch in my hush-hush digits and discover I have the ability to actually run (and my old P.E teacher said I'd never be the athletic sort.HA!In.Your.Face...alright it was way over ten years ago.So let it go)as in not dragging my feet and breaking into a mild sweat.Suddenly I recall the last sale anti-climax from weeks and weeks back: walked away empty handed.The only one investment being a cheese melt baguette from the bakers.Tragic as that last shopping experience was,I won't be defeated or allow messy untidy sale rails intimidate me.No not this time,I've had the breakfast of champions (coffee and chocolate.Obvs.)and I'm hitting those sales HARD.
Hundreds of sale rails invaded,I wear these purple/blue bruises(everyone is flexing their fresh pay day slip it would seem?)with tremendous pride.As this style scrimper
(£40.00 was all I had to work with) done good.Saving £40.00 on a (once very pricey) Dorohthy P's winter cape coat was definitely the highstreet highlight of all highstreet highlights.My purchases came all guilt free too,with the knowledge that my transactions have had a positive if tiny impact upon the cash strapped economy.It's Okay my'ickle poor fragile economy.Your welcome.Any time,any time.

pics by prettyneons

I CAN'T STOP STARING

2012-01-25T08:47:00.000-08:00

Yep I've swooned over the Zinser several times before,my style stalking kicked off two/three years ago and ever since you can always stumble upon Gillian Zinser somewhere on my blog.
Zinser style stalking is so contagious I even had to issue a girl crush warning posts and posts and POSTS back...travel back in time to 2010,when I was hooked on 90210.My obsession with the unrealistic yet sun drenched glossy teen drama didn't go unnoticed either.However being in my 20's and all,I had some explaining to do.I blamed the reason for my 90210 addiction on surfer tomboy chic Ivy.So this year I made a pledge,well,two pledges...
1.To ditch teen trash tv i.e 90210 as it will turn my brain in to mush.
2.Stop,stop,STOP wasting so much time declaring much style lurvin to the Zinser i.e Gillian Zinser posts banned.
Failed.Big time.As the temptation returned once more.I was bored and that's when a programme reminder for 90210 (hmm who set that one up?) flashed upon the screen.If only I could blame my little teenage sister-that I don't have.With one zap of the remote control,the Gillian gawking returned.My BIG staring problem,it would seem...

HIJACK HER WARDROBE!

2012-01-21T08:44:00.000-08:00

As my last post was so very hefty,this afternoon I'm keeping things nice and light with a far more shallow style and easier to digest post.You know the average sort of fashion blog stuff?That includes a declaration of vain love for a complete strangers outfits combined with rather large portions of wardrobe envy
...Jameela Jamil never before have I felt so compelled to trespass all over someones wardrobe.This girls style is a hoot and refreshing too.Far from serious and contrived there's no hints of stylist influence slash strict do's-and-don'ts instructions and what is this?She ISN'T emancipated either.Hooraahs!Good on the girl too.Because,is it just me or is the whole protruding bones and that general emancipated 'trendy' *insert fucked up* fashion thingy old and VERY dull now?Like it has always been.I must say though JJ's gobsmacking gorgeous good looks are a bit ridiculous and irritating.*Stress* this is only when ones having an urghh-every-item-of-clothing-looks- plain- stupid-on-me day.Oh just in case you were in need of some style evidence...I've compiled a selection of images by roaming around various blogs,magazines etc and pinching their pictures.Sorry.And thank you.
...One more thing-I'm swaying towards a fringe right now.

images various sources.

IS THIS THE RETURN TO OZ?THE GRASS IS DEAD AND THE SKY HAS CLAWS.

2012-01-19T07:14:00.000-08:00

Gulp.My future isn't looking too pretty right now.This blog has always been about fashion/style and all the fun I'm having whilst attempting to carve out a career within the fast and obviously fickle fashion industry.However for today's post I'm making a rare exception,and getting all serious on you.So if things get too heavy by all means flick through some other light and fluffy fashion blog,I won't be offended.If I can't spill out my concerns for my (defunct?)fashion career here.Where can I let it all out?As prettyneons is all my own blog,I don't need no permission to go a head with my worries,and so I shall rant away.Whether you stick with me is entirely up to you my fashion followers?

board by prettyneons images courtesy of Peacocks

So in case you don't already know I'm part of the Peacocks team.Holding.Breath.I continue to be part of Peacocks.However the future is as unstable as a broken stiletto heel,I'm feeling wobbly.Never have been too brilliant on heels.I,like so many/too many others are very very worried for our future.I had ambitious plans to take 2012 by storm,I began at the bottom of Peacocks getting to grips with the ins and outs of fashion retail,as a shop girl which is enjoyable,challenging and all the bits inbetween.My long term goal?To get a step on that elusive career ladder(you know the one you hear so much about whilst in higher education?Juggling numerous tight dead lines with waitress shifts etc's),and maybe hopefully achieve a creative role within Peacocks head office.Until I woke up in a messy complicated nightmare (you've seen,heard,read the news so I'll spare you the dull details)which has turned my world up side down and inside out.Completely.Peacocks hasn't yet gone to pot,and hopefully the powers that be(the banks,obvs?)will for once except social responsibility and not just concentrate on being financially responsible when it suits them...yada yada yada.
Umm obviously I have to prepare myself for the worst of outcomes,though there's a part of me that is determined to remain slightly deluded,with my head staying put firmly in the sand.Preparing myself for the worst involves another premature reunion with Jobseekers Plus,as I've nobody to keep me and I don't wish to be kept either.I'm all to familiar with jobseekers.Since gaining a first in fashion and graduating three years back this will be my fourth time I've been made redundant.You've no idea how much I hope I never have to scribble in to that little green jobseeking booklet.NO IDEA.Oddly I feel luckier than most,who graduated around about the same time as me,and have failed to find any sort of job at all triggering a tragic array of knock on effects.From eating disorders desperate for some kind of control to depression,anxiety and a general over whelming feeling of being a total loser slash failure.In short.Unemployment simply sucks.Big time sucks...

However bleak my future seems,I've got to remain focused on my fashion ambitions and not become a cop-out 'victim' of higher education combined with this on/off on again bitch of a recession.Right this minute I've no back up plan,because I ran out of them things many moons ago.I lack the clarity at this moment in time to consider other career options,assuming there are any of those?Fashion is literally all I know.
My only other interests being art,film,music,subculture and err coffee.I could easily cut it at some coffee shop whilst I ponder my next move.Going straight back to THAT drawing board pestering any fashion'insiders'who may be in the know,more than I am.I fear internship'in is inevitable and the most likely entrance in to the fashion vortex.*Huff*
Paid internships are very few and even further between,I'd need a bland day job to save up for any possible internship role,and from past experience I'm aware it may lead to nothing.If a job were to open up it is most likely to be given to the girl with famous/rich generics.Three months down the line wasted running around like a headless chicken clutching everybodys cappauccino i.e another DWP(Devil Wears Prada)repeat-minus the Hollywood happy ending.Am I sounding jaded?Because that's exactly what I am.
Cross out* and correct*
...what I'm slowly becoming with the whole fashion thanng.Is it too late in life to consider joining the circus or something?I excel at balancing on a tight rope!
Insert crazy laugh here.
By-the-by if your still with me and reading this rant of mine?Good on you!I've decided your awesome.A nice little light weight fashion feature for you tomorrow.

P.S...I/we at Peacocks are still in need of THAT fashion favour.Pronto!MWWWA's x

FASHION FAVOUR...PRONTO!

2012-01-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

All my style savvy readers I need to ask you a huge massive favour,I know plenty of prettyneon readers are potty for Peacocks as evident in the past when my inbox has exploded with Pearl Lowe/Peacocks luvin,so please if you wish to see any more Peacocks and Pearl Lowe previews be a STYLE SAVER and sway the powers that be to pull Peacocks out from an early grave.Come on now girls (...and boys?)I don't ask for much,help save thousands from a dismal day out to jobseekers centre.Plus do you want to see more Pearl Lowe collections or not,huh?The fashion highlight of the year only second to London fashion week,a yearly fixture on many of your calenders,hell it's pretty much become an event!So let such Peacocks fashion moments continue to flourish...

images courtesy of Peacocks

ZOOEY AND THE BUNNY

2012-01-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

images courtesy of Mandy Coon

Ah Zooey and how you never fail to impress with your quirky random style choices (illustrated above)hence why I choose to style stalk you,eh the minimum of twice a week.Perhaps more sometimes.On some occasions.Does that sound creepy?Whatever.Anyway whoa take a looksee at what I discovered whilst doing my daily Deschanel style stalking rounds today...she's only rocking the Mandy Coon's (both adorable yet slightly sinister) bunny bag.Jealous?Much.Wait up-'tis Zooey Deschanel,THERE IS NO WAY to avoid such jealousy that's why the girl is a girl crush...*crushing*

BEAUTS TO BEAT THE BLUES

2012-01-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

Okay so some bored science boffins with nothing better to do?Reckon today the 16 Jan is the most depressing day of the year for most of us.Jeez,you know I'm baffled how did they reach such conclusion?Ah yes that's right it's still another two weeks until pay day swings round,and comfort eating isn't even an option as all the nice Christmas chocs have been consumed left only with rock hard toffees and orange creams-revolting.Adding to that misery,Ri have new arrivals
Yes as in brand-spanking-new and all so special shoes and bags...the pain,oh the pain and the agonising wait.Just developed a twitch.How many hours are there to go until pay day again?Come on answer that doom impending smug 'scientists'.Pah!All I know is the wait involves several egg timers and tears as my size shall soon become out of stock...why did I torture myself for?When all I had to do was avoid the favourites* upon my screen.I should of slam shut my laptop and walked away happily oblivious.Now I'm not so oblivious,I've entered dangerous territory-I'm in the know.Knowledge is a powerful thing and destructive for a girl with such little willpower,reckless with money and seduced way too easily by hand bags.Remember this is why all your friends have saved up for a flat and you remain at home,sitting on the sofa tolerating tv shows such as Four In a Bed.Meh,then again when I get bored with whatever's on the box,I can always go sit inside my wardrobe adoring my stash of bags.Justified.Alright so it really isn't,but have you seen Ri's new arrivals.Have ya,have ya?Laser cut out clutch.Gasp...Lust.At.First.Sight(see said lust below),the heart dress of which I do completely heart.Like I've never hearted before,and THOSE geo print jeans which are an investment,why?Because they double up as a colouring book,thus encouraging the inner artist to express herself,thus Okay so thus nothing.I simply like the damn jeans...

images courtesy of Riverisland

...and I have such a huge,massive,craving for THOSE geo print jeans,RIGHT NOW!Firstly I must evaluate my money situation and find a sensible solution.
Assessing situation-skint.
Solution-there isn't one
...yet.
think,think,think they say you we only know how to use thirty percent of our brain.I could be the one to stun scientists,whilst I problem solve how to get my paws on THEM JEANS. without receiving hate mail from my bank and without breaking the law.
*Light bulb moment.
Could apply for a store card,buy the jeans and pay it off later.Hmm,store cards are sly and I've witnessed how they've destroyed my friend;two years later she still continues to pay off for a maxi dress,now one very,very expensive maxi dress.Store cards?Shudder.I could get in touch with the powers that be at Riverisland and convince them to post me a pair.Is that bonkers?Do you know what I don't care how crazy ambitious that idea sounds.I will beg,I will grovel,I will blag my way to them geo print jeans.
Update to follow,err assuming Riverisland don't spam my request that is?

NO SWEAT STYLE...

2012-01-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

Is there really such thing?I really get a sick kick out of working out whether it be cycling,dancing,skipping the yin an Yang's of yoga or the gym.I love it.All of it.Well there is one exception to exercising I really,really dislike...no not squats or the sting of sit-ups but how style somehow ends up abandoned at the gym entrance,along with make-up rituals (kiss goodbye to that lipstick),accessories (bad accidents occur when you mix necklaces and rowing machines together)and any sort of height extending footwear.Hey flats!Thanks for reminding me and all these other sweaty strangers how much of a short arse I actually am.Yes,yes I'm nothing other than a four foot something fake.Now if you don't mind I'm going to cruel inside my gym locker,away from the shame of being such a shortie.Urgh.The expense of a gym membership,and what does it get me huh?Elastic embarrassment in the form of Lycra,revealing a multitude of hang ups and sins which I strive daily to conceal.By choosing garments and shapes that magically make such dodgy lumps and bumpy body parts dissolve.Erm kinda.But this isn't no ordinary environment is it?This is the gym we are talking about,where anything goes.Like trainers,jersey joggers and drab grey tee's.Shudder*.To roll with the rest who are here happily body pumping their mince pies away,whilst sporting trackie bottoms and stretch vest tops?Hmm I don't know,if I'm down with that?The situation in this mirror covered hall,is,well it's damn awkward.In a first date sort of awkwardness...keeping things casual yet looking killer too,without appearing too eager.Wanting to stand out yet blend in at the same time.Have I achieved this or am I tipping the style scales in my band tee (MGMT) and silver leggings,and pink silk head scarf?There's a fellow fat fighter working out
opposite me,trying to contain her amusement with my gym get-up.She's one of them hardcore Nike whores both in and out of the gym...if you know what I mean?Perhaps I'm jealous?Why can't I rock a pair of Nikes and starchy trackie bottoms in such a shameless manner.Oh yeah that's right.Because I'm not insane!The gym is never going to be a place where style and sweat meet and come together in harmony.The fitness world needs a fashion icon...Tamaya?Could she become the style inspiration that the all so stern and serious gym fashionphobic people need?The motivation to ditch those dull as dishwater workout rags straight from the Nike'ie nineties and instead replace the Lycra for lipstick and lashings of false eye lashes.Don't compromise your style for a couple of star jumps right?.And bring on the Tamaya style revolution like right NOW no?

image:Tamaya.Courtesy of channel 4

DISCOUNTS DRAMAS & DELUSIONS

2012-01-10T06:03:00.000-08:00

When attending January sales,a girl starts off with such bright optimism,encouraged by sale articles and magazines 'fab frocks for £5.00' dreams and other seducing promotions are fed to us via fabulous high quality fashion magazine pages.Each page so glossy and full of big promises the subliminal messages rapidly race to our brain cells which light up instantly in magpie reaction to all the pretty and sparkling fashion goodies.Before you can say Selfridges,the media brain washing has kicked into full effect...ready-get-set.Go!Dizzy with excitement,and delusions of grandeur thanks to magazines 'best buys' features.Not that your aware of the up and coming disappointment as of yet.For now all you have is plenty of ideas,high expectations and great beliefs from all your highstreet faves.

Aww's the sweet naivety you share with hundreds of other eager shoppers.But who could blame you?New year sale events hold such high hopes,hopes and dreams which you've built up for weeks.After navigating around the sale rails for five minutes,the harsh reality begins to sink in as you fail to see your size anywhere.Not hiding at the back of sales arms,not tucked and tangled up with any T-shirts and the floor, though littered with clothes shows no promise either.Not yet deflated by your first sale stop you remain determined,just a rocky start right?No bigg'ie,dust yourself off and try again.Two hours and twenty minutes in and maybe just possibly third time lucky this is it,this is your moment of retail glory.Your gonna bag that bargain,Biiiitccch!Revising/editing hit list items inside your head,and feeling a little less optimistic yet still sort of deluded enough to march straight over to the jeans sale...

Jeans Riverisland

Rummaging,and riffling through flares,bootcuts,skinnys and coloured jeans.Your arms ache you've just discovered upper arm muscles you were oblivious to before this desperate bid for those olive green polka-dot jeans in size 14.Elusive size 14,you consider an uncomfortable compromise though a necessary one.Opt for a size 12 in the polka-dots,suck your stomach in,and do not consume wheat based products for a while.Now all you need to do is hold your breath whilst the polka-dot jean hunt is back on again.Stress levels are rising,along with paranoia as you catch glimpse of a girl clutching hold of THOSE jeans,the jeans which should be yours.Gawking over at her tall slender size 10 frame she's giving you the evils and looking down at you in disgust as your pushing your way through the size 12-14 sale rail.Of course she isn't giving you the evils nor judging, you've just developed a mild case of envy.Does she have to look so smug with herself?Forcing your attention else where,as smug girl strolls into the changing room waving around the polka-dot jeans in not only olive green but hot pink.Your.On.The.Edge.Admitting defeat on this occasion,you try your luck with the bags.Horaahs you've stumbled upon a beaut of a bag,a mini satchel leather box bag in orange and grey to be specific,swoon.What!?Eekk there's a 70% off sticker slapped and plastered all over it.HA.Take that.You've beaten smug girl,as yes shopping the sales has just become an Olympic style competition.So,so close to the finishing line and completely drained,your plastic is at the ready,finally ready to purchase your bargain vintage look-a-likie bag.The total flashes up in front of your eyes,and in one bleep of the assistants scanner your dreams have been once more shattered.There is no 70% off.They lied to you.The bag in question is indeed full price.You've come so far,and beaten so many demons exiting this shop empty handed is not an option.Plus smug girl has just finished paying for her polka-dot jeans x 2...aahhh you shall not be defeated and leave this place a loser,and as painful as the experience is you decide to buy the full price bag.Receipt reads the savings you've made today...none,zero,nowt,nothing,no savings at all.Shoddy sales!

SALES & SUSPENSE

2012-01-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

Oohh the suspense of the much anticipated January sales,the excitement begins to kick in 'round about October,others are counting the days down to Xmas,whilst most us girls are only concerned with ticking off the festive period altogether and targeting those sale rails to snag us something a little special at a bank account happy price.Yep the new year sales are Disneyland for grown up girls,the adrenalin is that of a hundred cans of red bull,and of course red bull also being the fuel of choice pre-sales shopping.Browsing the sales requires much more than a sharp eye for style,a girl needs tactics,stamina and a sharpened stiletto heel (for self defense,more on that later),got that?Your good to go,err almost...

There's several different types of sale shopper,some are savvy others are seriously
unorganised and scatty,wondering around in a daze struggling to navigate through the sale fog-don't allow those sale banners intimidate you!Also do try and resist the temptation to impulse buy and make hasty decision's.Bright coloured skinny jeans,yes a bargain at ten quid,however have skinny jeans ever been apart of your staple style diet?If no,why adopt such a tricky trend now.Sales are a golden opportunity to bulk up on your bff fashion items.Sales however really aren't a great time to begin experimenting with the normally unforbidden,trespassing on unfamiliar territory.Stay within the restrictions of your style comfort zone.Or else your be flooded with regret once you return home and empty out the contents of your shopping bag as it suddenly dawns on you what an utter mistake you've made,with nothing but long lists of reciepts to constantly remind you of your failings,all of which added up rapidly and has left you with a starved,hollow purse.*Stings like a bitch.
Make the January sales your best friend not a messy,complicated situation one which echo's a cheap one night stand.Do.Not.Set yourself a time scale,your setting yourself up for a disaster otherwise.Bunk off wherever your suppose to be,aim to reach the shop doors before sunrise and go it alone.Yes alone,as in not with a friend,because your stress levels will at some point hit steam-coming-out-of-ears peek and nobody wishes to witness that,oh and you'll probably reveal your greedy (Topshop shoes make a girl do funny things) ugly side too that even your closest pal would be oblivious to.For sale shopping a girl has to fly solo,and if any of your girlfriends are offended assure them you still love them and it doesn't spell out the end to any other future shopping/coffee dates.They'll understand your on a one woman mission and if not pick them up a little something from their fave shop to win back their affection.Friends sorted.

Next up self-defense.Believe it or not there are bigger fashion bitches than you,so be warned and be prepared.'Tis time to toughen up,looking the part helps scare off any stiff competition.Ditch any delicate florals or pretty,pretty ditsy details.Pull yourself together,look sharp and repeat to yourself,'any gold dust fashion finds shall be mine'put on your best kick arse footwear and pull on some leather for good measure khol those eyes too!Ready?
Wait,wait,wait... keep a spare pair of shoes in your bag,make them a stiletto and if anyone dare snatch that leather satchel bag out the palm of your hand a pronto poke should do the trick.Ah I wouldn't call it aggression.Violence sounds so thugish.Hmmm...precaution,should you have to use it.Now shoulders back,because you attend to do some damage at that sale.

WINTER JOY

2011-12-06T08:01:00.000-08:00

This chilly time of year is my absolute favourite for topping up on the accessories especially winter accessories.My one golden rule being the more crazy and colourful the better.These days are dark,drab and in general pretty damn bleak.Colour injection is a must.Oh what do you know?It is the most perfect excuse to have a sly shopping splurge,what?A girls got to keep warm.That's my excuse...fail proof and quite convincing,no?
However going into town is really not an option right now,I don't find the thought of battling and elbowing my way through the festive stampede of panicked people,only to discover my size isn't available,much appealing.My last shopping trip was a total anti-climax,I mean my shopping list wasn't that too ambitious.All I was after were some bright kooky knits,patterned sweaters and a couple of cool yet cosy winter hats.What did I find?Grey/cream/black cable knits (sorry I just nodded off),and a whole bunch of suspicious and disturbing panda/bear beanies.Oh yes let's not forget the array of fluffy trapper hats complete with very wonky animal ears.Animal cruelty surely?Whatever the fuck it is the animals are offended.Stop.It.Now.
Yep my last failed shopping trip shall not be forgotten any time soon,lesson learned move on...I've one style stop that I love to browse for all my winter warmers and unlike most high street there's not a lazy eyed panda beanie insight oh joy* for that!Umm's now I just need to narrow down my findings and choose something,this could take a while...

images Joythestore

STYLE SLOG

2011-11-23T08:39:00.000-08:00

Every year around this chilly time,I experience SSAD.Seasonal.Style.Affect.Drought.
In other words 'tis depressing times right this moment my fellow fashion victim peeps(whop look at me dropping a retro word...does anyone still say peeps?),a sorry phase I fail miserably at avoiding every winter,i.e organising my wardrobe for the fierce bbbbrrrrrr's of winter.Stuck in a state of denial.I drag out the use of spring/summer dresses/skirts/play suits/shorts/chiffon blouses e-t-c's for as long as I possibly can,for as long as my body will tolerate.Today there is no ignoring the plummeting temperatures outside.Seeing my own breath escape from the mouth became a constant reminder that winter has indeed arrived,she's here and she's bullying me into ditching my summer wardrobe by torturing my legs and knees with frost bite.Ouch.It stings like a bitch.Huff.
The thought of having to put my summer threads away and into to hibernation is sending me into deep depression.Bye bye's my beloved summer beaut's such as the head scarf (I'm down one now,as my favourite vintage pink poodle print silk scarf blew away.Yesterday afternoon when mother nature cruelly snatched it off me unexpectedly.*Cries into pillow),sleeveless dresses,floaty fabrics,peep toe pumps and my ice cream print sun glasses.
Do excuse me whilst I dab the stream of tears running down my face.
Ugrgh.Slog,I need to consider buying for the many cold days and general numbness which is ultimately going to come my way.The candy coloured chiffon's I collected over the summer time ain't gonna cut it and protect me from the harsh December elements.Here is where I always lack the inspiration and that kick start oompphh if you like?The encouragement to run into the shops.Purse at the ready and get stuck into winter clothes shopping.When all the high street has to offer me is a dismal display of the same tiresome LBD'S,embellished body-cons,and fucking frightening animal patterned jumpers...their not kooky,not kitch and most the time such knitwear only resembles messy,ugly road kill.Leave it alone.That includes the demented looking panda hats too.Is it any wonder the high street makes me shudder this time of year?

BOARD:PRETTYNEONS

Hello!Look around.Everywhere you turn it's festive tack,after more festive tack.Okay fashion we get it.Understood it's almost Xmas.The part I don't understand is why you seem to believe were all eager to pull ourselves into some horrid OTT sequin Lycra number.Or plonk a wonky eyed/eared panda or fox on our head?Baffling.
I'm not willing to compromise my existing style to keep snug,or exchange all pretty attractive things for plain old practicality.
So lets all hail ASOS and throw a big thank you hug around the ASOS angels,for their awsome winter warmers.An almighty explosion of fun bright colours,giant polka-dots,leopard print collars and playful pom pom scarfs.December needn't be a drag,nor does winter have to equal a sloggish style drought.With this array of Asos winter warmers (above)I'm about ready to embrace the season of bbbbbbbrrrrr's.

WHOOPS I JUST BECAME OBSESSED...

2011-11-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

As far as tv series go I can take them or leave them i.e Mad Men...not fussed.
Ah ha so you think I'm trying to be awkward and all controversial with my dislike towards Mad Men,well,I'm not it simply bored me to tears the styling/costume not enough to with hold my attention.The styling in Gossip Girl had me temporarily smitten,I'd secretly flick over and tune in to teen tv just out of curiosity,'Oohh what will Blair and the goss girls be wearing?'Young Blair's(series one)kooky prep ensembles convinced me to give head/hair accessories and bright lipstick a whirl.Cringe worthy huh?When a tv show becomes a form of inspiration...
I.look.Ridiculous.In.Alice bands.Never repeat that mistake again.Moving on swiftly,don't forget to remember:never allow another glossy American tv series fool you.Oh look.Whoops I've been sucked in by Pan Am.Yep once again I'm styling myself under the influence of a slick,styled American tv series.BBC 2 I hate you right now,for introducing me to the likes of Kate(Kelli Garner)and her ultra glam,perfect Pan Am posse.Those drop dead gorgeous girls you see below?Yeah that's them-obvs.

images google

I've an instant and insane screaming style craving for dainty shoes(strictly kitten heels only)over sized cat eye shaped sunnies (what!?Sun glasses may be required for this December...what with global warming bubbling away)peek-a-boo petticoats,soft pastel coloured accessories,silk scarves,box hand bags,blouses,bows and finally shit loads of feminine,frilly, flirty and very fitted vintage dresses.Pan Am is hardcore vintage porn,which frankly needs to be censored.'Tis not for the faint hearted nor the weak willed.In fact word of advice.Avoid watching Pan Am if you are prone to vintage binges and want to keep your bank account healthy.For this vintage junkie it's gone too far,it's too late I blame Kate(swoons,the secret Pan Am spy)for what is about to become,heck already is my new tv obsession and huge,huge girl crush.
Is my crush on Kate premature,it only being two episodes in and all?Nah.Should I begin dressing under the influence?Get all experimental with orange blusher and rock prom-dresses in the day?Yes.Will I ever learn my lesson with these attractive American tv shows?No.Because damn iiiittt!They're too seductive.

THE BOY OR THE BROGUE?

2011-11-18T09:48:00.000-08:00

Gasp!Did anyone else catch the feature in Femail?The one about how most us gals ditch our style once we've departed from singleton to settled down with a serious long term boy?No,no,no.NO surely not ladies?Who on earth investigates such pressing *cough* matters?I refuse to believe any fashion slut would give up the fashion/style game to please her anti-Vogue-bashing boyfriend,what and resort to a pair of comfy yet ugly as hell ugg boots and slouchy jogger bottom combo.Yikes.Love is blind,huh?
The feature (for those of you who have better things to do other than read the femail section in the mail),compiled a 'case study' (...hold up,so there are women who are willing to compromise their individual style for a T-shirt and jean bloke,eh?)of ten ladies who cut their love affair with their favourite fashion items short.To keep their boy all pleased.Baffling,absolutely and completely.
Love is a compromise and the best of times,but rejecting your beloved heels for a him?Really?REALLY?Tuts all the way...
Him's will come and go,wardrobes my love struck females will forever remain loyal and play a big part in your life.Umm depending on what level/scale of materialistic your at?Me honestly I'm probably somewhere inbetween a five,sixish outta ten.
Have no shame!...my very own fashion flirts with brogues have often caused some friction with the males.Case study one.The science boy.Yes,we were both doomed from the start whilst he debates over molecules and I over MiuMiu:I heard of that age old opposites attract theory and went with it Okay?

...All was well with science boy and I,we bonded over Sci-fi and Simon Peg films his ramblings of atoms and other bits of science stuff (ignorance can be the ultimate best friend at times)both amused and intrigued me.One titchy prob-lem-ohh's he was yet to discover I worked in the fashion industry...keeping it a temporary dirty little secret for fear of instantly being stereotyped,though I do a pretty good job of doing that myself,"Vogue?" quizzed SB when he investigated my book shelf.
Deep breath give the ghost up time.Come clean,spill it confess all the fashion industry.A yadda,yadda,yadda...and wait for the mockery.Right on cue the cute (to begin with anyway)fashion taunts and teasing began.SB couldn't appreciate my weekly fix of glossy fashion magazines,or understand the mathematics behind highstreet,vintage and thrift,"Them shoes are funny looking you know,those ones with the laces the school teacher thingy shoes,yeah I don't like them.I hate them actually."

illustration flickr

Brogues I explained to SB are my beloved choice of footwear and here to stay stuck for all eternity in my style diet sticking like molecules.Learn to love the brogue or tolerate and just keep mouth shut so we can continue where ever us may be going?Not very far at all,"So you read this fashion trend crap and go shopping to dress up and look like the skinny skeleton girls right?Doesn't it become exhausting being a fashion victim?" Ah,no he didn't.SB attempted to sway me away from such fashion victimzines.I tried to convert him from National Geographic to Nylon,I enjoy an unrealistic challenge and seeing him frown over fashion jargon was a big plus too.One Sunday afternoon SB crossed the line.That's right he trespassed over and into my wardrobe,scooped up my piles of "school teacher footwear" and cruelly pushed them towards the dark black corners of my wardrobe.Boy or the brogues was never going to be an option.The boy had to go.Pronto,like lightening speed.The brogues stayed put!

PICKING ON PINK

2011-10-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Pink the stuff of seven year old girls dreams and dolls houses.Pink the only colour in the colour wheel that is subject to ageism.Pink poor,poor colour pink often finds itself (or herself,hmm?) tied up with THAT classic stereotype:*clue in close relation to the whole dumb blonde one...shall we blame her,the world famous Barbie doll?The colour pink isn't sophisticated,it's silly in comparison to all the other hundreds of colours,and after one has exited their childhood years the colour pink should be erased,packed up,abandoned and all together forgotten about along with Ken and Barbie.Alas pink is the only colour (to my knowledge),which has become somewhat a bit of a taboo.I know for sure I'm not the only woman who is a wee bit obsessed with the colour.There's lots of us out there who swoon over a LPD (little pink dress)and have easily more than two pink items stashed away somewhere in the wardrobe.Hiding no doubt behind or underneath the more grown up shades of fashions.Why do we feel so compelled to conceal our love for all things painted pink?Will it ever be socially acceptable to blatantly boast of being completely smitten and tingled...pink?Or will we(my fellow pink fans) be mocked and she (pink) be forever dismissed as nothing other than uncool and destined only for an eternity of plastic-fantastic Barbieness?
Wrong.Seems she our secret favourite colour may just be having a mini fashion moment,horrahs!This time shes returned all grown up in lace,leather,metal studs and killer heels.So Barbie back off,pink just got too hot for you to handle...

board prettyneons

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

2011-10-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

'Was my suggestion really that absurd?',I ask myself as one of my customers enters the changing room looking a wee bit daunted by the prospect of test driving (so to speak) a dash of deep magenta,to spike up her selection of black-on-black winter warmer basics.I'm not dissing those essential A/W basics at some point or other they will become our best friend as we layer up,preparing ourselves for the inevitable snow blizzards,however why opt for the black skinny jeans when you can enjoy a sharp hit of super brights?Waiting the other side of the changing room door,I suspect the woman is not much impressed by my decision to,let's go with edit?Her original garment options of black-on-black-on- top- of- yet- more -black,I felt compelled to intervene on the simple basis that as a fashion sales/style advisor I'm sick to death of spotting women taking the easy A/W option of black,urgh frustrating.Hello ladies black isn't even a colour,come on!
"Wow,it works,Mmm I've changed my mind I'm leaving black behind...thought I'd look daft in such a bold colour this time of the year and everything.Thanks very much for being a great,great help!"Panic over with,she likes and I'm chuffed to see her take the coloured skinny jeans over to the till point,leaving behind the many shades of erm,black on the rejection clothes rail...

board prettyneons

Why do we find it so very difficult to bin the black?Okay it's pouring it down outside,still must we allow such miserable weather conditions dampen and distort our crush on colour?When the weather is bleak I can't help but crank up the colour volume,the higher and brighter the better job it does of distracting my attention from the thick blackish grey clouds that loom up above my head.To eliminate and altogether erase colours from our A/W style diet fails to make any logic to me...swapping reds,pinks,blues,yellows etc's for sorry shades of grey?Self inflicting seasonal affect disorder on ourselves and our colour/print deprived wardrobe,eh,what is all that about?Why is not wearing black such a stubborn style/fashion hurdle that many of us can't grasp thus tumbling into a depressing downward spiral of darks-blues,greys,b-l-a-c-k-s forever playing it safe.Sticking like glue to our good old,trusty,reliable and familiar autumn/winter plain cardigans and of course black jeans/leggings and jeggings let us not forget those biege ugg boots.YAWN'AH.Is it not about time we depart from traditional dull A/W trend and traditions?I'm not demanding you to dive into an array of loud clashing prints and neon wellies (though that does sound like fun and very appealing),dip your toes into coloured opaques,coat your nails with gold varnish paint,buy that bright blue duffel coat.If your a little autumn/winter colour timid and fearful of fully committing yourself to such high doses of colour and print?Why not experiment and dabble with the humble accessory?When your feeling more confident and brave,step into a pair of killer red suede shoe boots.Before you know it your soon be not-wearing-black.Boom.On the bright side you have arrived.

AUTUMN HEARTS

2011-10-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

I adore autumn!There's numerous reasons why I heart this chilly season I love how the pavement is graffitied by mother nature with splashes of orange,reds,yellows and coppers courtesy of the delicate leafs which shower down,an exciting reminder that Halloween and fire work night is around the corner.Enough of the tree hugging deep musings...on a more shallow style note,autumn indicates the end of a wave of fashion sins (stop reading now if your a maxi kinda gal)i.e tiresome 'classic' summer statement pieces.Which never fail to utterly bore the hell out of me.Leaving the wardrobe and I feeling a bit jaded and bemused.Paisley printed maxi dresses, espadrilles,and tribal themed accessories I'm talking to you!Meh meh meh-meh.
That's all I wish to say to you lot.I really hope those fashion magazine A/W trend predictions fall flat on their face...maxi dresses following right through to autumn:don't go spoil my autumn fun trend setters.And boooooo to the maxi massive crews out there who insist on keeping this trend going strong,just please take a moment to consider the under average height woman (*cough* yes that would be bitter I)for the maxi causes nothing other than misery for us.For they will forever be out of bounds,due to the hazardous indications involved.Tripping and tumbling over the long hem...it's about time us shorties and maxi haters unite,kick up a fuss and crank up the A/W trend rebellion.Say no to maxi skirts,maxi dresses and the maxi mania in general,it taunts us all summer long and to discover it may just stick around and taunt us during autumn/winter is like Vogues idea of a sick,sick joke.
Whilst it's still mild and ever so slightly sunny outside be bold,be brave and do the unthinkable my friends...go short.Allow opaque and knitted tights to be your new best friend,yes there's a very high and real possibility of receiving amused frowns from strangers.And yes they will regard and write you off as being both highly delusional and stuck in a state of seasonal denial as you shiver after work waiting for your train/bus/taxi to roll up and save your knees and ankles from frost bite.But were in this fashion revolution together,I'll go first with this Mondays totally weather inappropriate outfit (see below).

images prettyneons

My items...
Heart print skirt,£4.50 thrift
Blouse,£8.00,Peacocks
Shoulder purse,£3.00,thrift

TAKE AWAY STYLE

2011-10-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

Clock watching something I excel at come almost lunch time at work.Eyes fixated on the clock stalking the big hand as it Very.Slowly.Ticks away and around every second going just that tiny bit slower than the last,'tut.Has the clock just froze?Come on already budge,move just please do something,ah time stop being stubborn.'
Okay ten minutes to pass,keep busy must keep busy or else time will draaaaaag out,hmm what to do with myself..?I'll divert my attention to,to..to the bloody clock again...urgh nope no good them minutes aren't passing by as quick as I'd like right now.If them minutes are even passing at all?I may just grab a ladder,climb up and give that frigging smug clock a good shake,perhaps that will encourage the big hand to finally hit the old 12 o'clock.May receive some funny looks though,so best not.
Yikes did you see that?It moved the big hand actually moved,them tick tocks are getting louder and it's like music to my ears.Tick tock tick tock tick...1pm laters I'm outta here folks!
Run upstairs,two steps at a time invade locker grab jacket,bag,purse and ready-set-go!Tis lunch time and I am starrrving.For a sale.My feet pound the pavement,one problem.I'm not the only one on a lunch break,and other busy working ants keep getting in my way,move it.This girl is on a mission.And if you don't step to one side,out of my way things will get ugly.Come on,come on keep a moving peoples stop blocking my route.Route being Newlook by-the-by just don't tell Peacocks I'm having an dirty little affair with out retail enemy/competition on the sly at lunch time.
You may call it infidelity,I prefer to think of myself as a hero of the highstreet? We all have targets/budgets to meet which is tough during these cash strapped times
and I'm doing my very best to keep those tills ringing for all!Besides I'm smitten with several floaty pieces at Newlook,pieces my purse wouldn't allow me to stretch to during those bygone summer months.I don't find the idea of abusing store cards much appealing(such evil store card is currently both dominating and destroying my
fashion addict friends life,ever partial to shoes and now paying more than triple the original price for a pair of suede platform booties dating far back as July.
Pro tip* wait my wise ones,sales are never too far away your time will come.Store cards are not your new best friend,she will stab you in the back and possibly erase your bank account too)signing up to a store card is, essentially signing up for a debt death sentence!Anyhoo's I see it,I see it!Ekk the big bright red sale banner splashed across the stores window,swoon heart is beating faster,the suspense is killing me.Here I am,I've arrived and only for a split second do I consider turning around and out using my cash for it's original purpose-lunch,'umm sandwich or sales..?'the scale in my head is tilting towards the sales,my mild hunger pains shall not over ride this decision,meh I'll grab a smoothie on my sprint back to work.
Time is running away whilst I speed through the rails desperate to find a bird print silk blouse I kept crushing on back in August.I discard all other temptations that stick out from the bulging sale rails poking me in the arm almost gaining my attention testing my willpower but failing as I remain focused on the task at hand...snagging that bird blouse which surely must be hiding somewhere within all these reductions.Come out,come out where ever you are?Well what do you know I spot one on the rejection rail by the fitting rooms,anticipation is crippling,'If there's a God or any good in this world,birdie top will be my size.' Squinting one eye half closed I gingerly flip reverse the swing ticket and choose to ignore the size 10 hanger.Pretty please be on the incorrect clothes hanger...I can't look.I have to look,'keep your shit together,and whatever you do do-not-cry if the tag reveals the ugly truth and no cursing size 10 women either.In short don't make a scene'
Result it's a size 12,it's mine all mine ha-ha-ha (insert cartoon villain evil laugh)
bird in the bag and hunger pains interrupting and spoiling my moment of glory I dash back to work slurping down an extra thick fruit smoothie and swallowing a whole kitkat chunky.Guilt from my love affair with our competition (Peacocks vs Newlook) kicks in,I feel compelled to purchase something just as a form of apology we kiss and make up via one stunning cream crochet lace chiffon frock (see below)

images prettyneons

Sale items...
Silk bird top,Newlook,£5.00
Dress,Peacocks,£15.00 plus staff discount i.e bargain indeed.

THE GIRLS A GEEK?

2011-10-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

Hmm should I even admit to absolutely frigging enjoy indulging in all the weekend newspaper fashion supplement's?I literally feel this huge big old empty void during my weekends whenever I fail to pick my stash of fashion supplement's from the local newsagents.Heck I've even been known to go to extremes.Such as bumping someone out my way,in the desperate bid to bag the last Sunday newspaper...I'm not proud of it,however I just can't cope with out my weekly instalment of the brilliant and witty Mimi Spencer (gawwwd I heart her,and Mimi is now at the beginning of You horrahhs 'bou time too You magazine!)and the'Fashion Foward'features.Yesterday my heart fluttered with You's choice of librarian inspired pieces.As I have this secret ambition of becoming a librarian,Okay so the secret is now out of the bag and no longer really much of a secret.Seriously in my life back up plan list (I.Do.Love.A.List)libarian is plan D.I'm considering editing my back up plan list though and adjusting librarian to plan C after falling head over heels in love with You's librarian fashion feature (see below)The styling made my heart swoon so much so in fact I was drooling on the pages.With a clashing array of leopard and polkdot prints,giant bows,bright stripes,fun chunky plastic bangles/statement bling'in rings,and a neon dose of yellow lace to boot.Thus making my librarian ambition so much more cooler,acceptable and,well,stylish too!

images courtesy of You mag

HIDING PLACES

2011-09-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

Besides carrying around our favourite and most adored handbag there's nothing more us girls enjoy dragging around than a heavy lump of body hang ups.You lie and are fooling no one if your mumbling,"nah got none." PA-LEASSSE...
After oohh,say ten minutes of sitting down scoffing sweet,sweet cake with my size nothing pal this lunch time,we both immediately regretted our cake sins (having a bloated pig sort of day I'm sure your all familiar with them ladies!?)and this triggered us to have one of those big backside-bad hair day-knobbly knees-armpit cleavage whines.That only us women do so brilliantly.Ah yes we,or more she did raise the intriguing subject of armpit cleavage.Or rather pitage as we have now coined up between us.Rolling up her T-shirt sleeve,fiddling around with the sides of her bra (in public may I add-she has no shame this woman!)she,my slightly mentally unstable friend began demonstrating the effects of armpit cleavage,"There right there don't you see it?"
Nope,what am I suppose to be seeing here exactly?
..."isn't it disgusting?See how my armpit flesh spills, pinches and rolls over the corner of my bra?I can't stand it!I was wearing a beautiful bandeau dress on my date with the boy last weekend.When I leaned over for the kill,suddenly noticing this bizarre ripple of fat protruding from underneath my armpit.I've actual fat armpits can you believe it honey?"
Roar.Of.Laughter was my instant reaction.How we spot these minor and very ridiculous body blunders eh?First there was the does-my-bum-look-big-in-this?Followed often by do-my-legs-look-chunky?Let's not forget the insane lengths many go to for a wash board stomach.Now we've added yet another to the let's beat ourselves up list...fat frigg'in enormous armpits.Really now?Because we don't have enough body issues to digest already.Puns pushed aside.Just how many seconds,minutes,hours,days,weeks, months (...um yeah you get my drift already?) are we girlie's prepared to waste away? Pondering over fat armpits and other insecure body etc's.Swearing all sorts of harsh obscenes to the reflection in the mirror,shouting at our wardrobes whilst having one of those none-of-these-size-tops-fit- me- properly-aahh I look fat in all of 'em rage.*Cringe*
The attitudes towards ourselves,our bodies is embarrassing and weired.Why our brains are determined to remain wired and knotted up this way,generation after generation
beats me?The fashion items we seem to dismiss and essentially deny ourselves because of our little and very insignificant lumps,bumps and armpit cleavage,is,in short insane.All us women are off our rocket aren't we?Paronoid wrecks walking around ooooozing killer style.Yet we can't seem to shred those annoying,intruding nagging thoughts that disturb us when concentrating how to walk in our heels.Will we ever get the balance right?Will we ever embrace our unique bodies?Rebel big time by showing off our quirky imperfections instead of forever trying to conceal them underneath slouchy,lose drab layers of clothes.Come out from underneath your hiding place.Rock that bandeau top/dress and get over the armpit cleavage/'pitage' already!Unless of course you want to be like her(above)and spend your life hiding underneath bookshelves?In which case how very boring.

TRENDS AND TROUBLES

2011-09-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ah when working in the world of fashion,be it PR/journalist/ head office buyer/designer or sales floor/fashion retail/manager the temptation is never too far
away actually it's never far enough sometimes.Oh how it enjoys pushing your buttons and testing the strength of your willpower.Today I'd say my willpower,was at an all time pathetic low in fact my willpower abandoned me and let me down.Or perhaps I just abandoned it?Whoever is to blame I crumbled into a dizzy,overwhelmed silly swooning little fashion slut,when I came face to face with crayon blue coloured jeans.Yes,yes I know I'm a self proclaimed trend basher(?),my stomach churns at the sight of trend do's and don'ts I feel genuinely sad and depressed by fashion groupies who allow such fickle trends to dominate they're day-to-day wardrobes and life in general.Such behavior leaves me baffled,then every now and then every once in a blue moon the trend effect creeps up on me,I oblivious until it's too late and I'm clutching a 'celeb' trend item in my hand.Denial.Denial is a dirty thing.Truth is for weeks my brain has been bombarded with celebs (whatever they are,umm?)parading around and paaaappped in bright bold coloured jeans in just about every lunch time fashion magazine(Look,Grazia,More etc's) available.The curiosity got her claws on me and I am now technically and officially a trend peddle pusher.Yipes.
There it is I've come clean and said it.If anyone happens to see my style common sense kicking about anywhere.Could you send it my way?Because you and I both know denim is cruel towards me,yet I've picked up a pair of bright denim jeans.*Bonkers. The conclusion-style suicide.I've finally snagged THAT Peacocks bag though after many weeks of high anticipation...the beast of a bag (see below) became available to buy.You could say this bag pulled me back from the edge,the brink of my style denim suicide just in the nick of time.Yep for this isn't any old-new-bag,it's my savior for I am style slave sinner....

Images prettyneons all items Peacocks

HANGING IT ALL TOGETHER:PART THREE

2011-09-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Before you ask,nope I never did get my paws on one of those amazing primark style shoe- pooper- scooper thinnngymebob's nore did I succeed tracking down the shoe-scooper-dupper-dude from primark either and invite him around my place to swoop in on my pile of shoes and scoop 'em all up.I wish.Man I really need one of them shoe-scooper's.What girl wouldn't?It would save the average footwear lurv'in female hours,sparing us all from the tedious chore of organising and clearing up our heels,flats,platforms,converse by hand one pair at a time hour after hour...urgh.Introduce the shoe scooper and bosh!Shoe edit done in nano-seconds.Allowing us to resume to the more important things in life like reading our fashion blogs,and shopping.Now there's a shoe void in your wardrobe,tis time to replenish!
Sadly there was no shoe-scooper for me to snatch,and my shoe blitz continued into the pm zone,considering I began at 11am you can imagine how much of a drag it became?Heyho at least my shoe graveyard is no longer existent,and what a depressing graveyard it was too!Discarded broken heels and converse dating back to my college days.I'm not going to lie here,my once lost love for converse has returned.Those cheaper highstreet imitations don't cut it for me anymore they've no appeal in comparison to the real McCoy-the original converse all stars.I squeezed my toes into an old pair of candy floss pink converse and my heart fluttered in the same way a new crush does.Converse effortlessly switch on the swagger and leave you ouzzing total coolness,if only in your head.I predict a converse splurge coming on...I'll save that treat for another post.Returning to my epic four day wardrobe blitz.It began with the daunting and equally mammoth task of tidying and sorting out the carnage of discarded,forgotten and all round dodgy shoes.With much willpower my floor space is clear, almost apart from the brogues...I kept the lot.What?I've a sacred bond with my brogues,I can't boot them out and into the charity shops.
Shoes all sorted today my focus has been on editing and organising all my dresses...

Ah yes delightful dresses my collection dates back to when star prints were having a bit of a fashion moment,I say bit only of course it has continued at full asteroid speed forcing they're way into our 2011 Autumn/Winter wardrobe,only this time the stars have collided with big fat black and white spots too.The owner of several galaxy printed dresses it won't harm me to part with the other three or four nebula print dresses now will it?I'll just keep hold of four,alright alright the clothes donation bag can have three and that's my finale offer.Left all starry eyed,I poke around,pull out and probe my other remaining dresses.And what a remainder they are.Volumes of floral and blossoms burst out.Is this a clothes rail or a flower basket?All that's missing to make this an authentic looking garden are the weeds.Well would you take a looksee here...weeds.Fashion weeds.Nasty,ghastly, gross and oh-my-god what was I thinking when I purchased these dresses?*Shudder bright yellow and orange fruit salad meets flower print prom dress,which only the kooky Katy Perry's of this world can pull off successfully.I am not her.It must go.Pronto!

Above illustrations courtesy of Sandra Suy

...Excuse me I'm still shuddering over that particular fashion weed.Whoa truly repulsive stuff.Okay I'm over it and ready to crack on.Hold up,wait what is this intriguing chiffon number that's floated delicately on to my foot...fuck not another weed in my floral dominated garbon (wardrobe+garden)this time in the form of a pussy bow blouse complete with granny flower pattern.Remember that micro trend?I despise being yet another fashion victim,yet the evidence lays in a chiffon heap on the floor.Hands up that bizarre granny/floral/tapestry trend lead me astray and off to trend land I followed.I tells you what,I'm not going back to that strange place again.Back to the dresses,these clothes rails are really quite ridiculous.All this time I've been in a state of denial over the extent of my addiction to dresses.I can even spot two of the same boat print dress:at least it isn't floral I suppose?
I riffle through an array of dresses,when I notice a similar pattern occurring...owls and other birds.I was aware that I'm more than partial to owl/ bird based accessories,mostly necklaces.However I wasn't aware of what a sucker I am for a sparrow and owl ditsy print combo.Until I push aside five hangers of the things,making me a sure strong candidate for the next series of Spring Watch.Tweet twhhhoooo this little birdie has a long way to go before she reaches her destination of a perfectly formed and organised wardrobe.

HANGING IT ALL TOGETHER:PART TWO

2011-09-23T06:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in case you didn't already know the state of my wardrobe caught my attention and to my alarm it was pretty bloody awful the further I went and rummaged into the concealed corners of my wardrobe the more gruesome discoveries I stumbled upon on.I say gruesome as that's exactly what it was in there,not a million miles away from a nightmare.The carnage consisted of a tangled triangle of snapped plastic hangers,a bundle of knotted tights-mostly now laddered,victims of sharp pointy broken clothes hangers: which have no mercy for patterned pretty hosiery.Other such wardrobe victims include cheap and cheerful Primark bags,with zips and straps hanging on for dear life and one nylon thread keeping it's structure in tact.Far from it's former glory.Then obviously there's all those I-JUST-HAD-TO-HAVE-'EM-LIKE-RIGHT-NOW shoes,patent pairs,leopard print pairs,peep-toe pairs,plum purple suede tasseled loafer pairs (I've really made the loafers sound shit and hhuuugley haven't I?In real life those loafers are really quite lovely in an ironic dorkish sort of sense),the future of all the above shoes once looked bright and promising.Yet somehow they got kicked to the wayside,dreams of seeing great things and dominating dance floors disappeared replaced with sitting in their battered shoe box collecting dust instead of dance points.I decide with the shoes my epic wardrobe blitz shall begin!

Above illustrations courtesy of Achraf Amiri

I approach the mass of shoes gingerly,it's resembling a shoe graveyard over here in the left hand corner,right hand corner,middle of the floor and all general floor space this is a sea of shoes and they're waves have crashed and spilled over into other areas of my room.Ah look there's the pest of a platform boot I trip over every single morning in the dim light of dawn.And every morning I aggressively kick it over to one side,and curse obscene censored language to it-as if it can actually hear me and respond to my request of staying the hell out of my way.I think I've just shed a tear as I grab it's partner platform boot and drop it into a charity donation bin bag,there's a sick part of me which will surely miss the daily morning routine of stumbling over and banging my toe on the bed in the process.My dear platform boot your gone but not forgotten.Okay that was nice and easypeasy this wardrobe clear out mission won't take nearly as long as I thought.No sweat this will all be over in five...
As I turn around and see all the other piles of shoes it dawns on me the platform boot was only the beginning.I'm dripping with trepidation sifting through all the shoes.I don't recall ever buying this many pairs of shoes,so I can only assume they've been breeding the brogues especially at a rapid rate.Jeez I have every colour and version of the classic brogue imaginable.I may hold on to the patent pink pair,and nautical navy blue/white pair I forgot about these tanned pair with crochet leather lace detail!THE BROGUES ARE HERE TO STAY.I can't part with these besides I've bonded with my brogues and am yet to bond with the other pink patent pair which admittedly I had no recollection of,but do now and I'm wearing these beauts tomorrow!This wardrobe blitz exercise is obviously counter-productive the contents of my charity shop donation bag is dire.'Come on donate stop keeping all the wonderful shoes to yourself,shoes you've hardly,if ever worn?'my nagging thoughts are right you know.I get stuck in and after two hours (I clearly underestimated the scale of this task.Quite a lot)I'm doing well the donation bag is starting to look hefty,bulging with protruding heels.Plodding happily along,wonder if my shoes will make the charity shop window display?(I always go and investigate whether any of my clothes donations are sat in the window,last time I checked my gorgeous peterpan collar frock failed to make the window display.Yes I was offended and I want it back!Tut*).
Oh how this is becoming so very boring and tiresome:such a drag.Where can I get my paws on one of those giant shoe scooper-uper's that the bloke in Primark often uses much like a doggy pooper scooper only adapted for the use of clearing shoes off the shop floor.Anyways that would be a handy and ideal tool for me and my shoe graveyard,
which is home to some serious dodgy and questionable pairs of shoes.Multi-coloured bow print flats anyone?Whoops somebody allowed their inner 7yr old to influence her decision making didn't they?Oh yes they did.Congrats.Epic style fail.I can't work out why when I'm tidying my shoes up and dumping them in donation bags are they continuing to breed,this fails all logic.Aahh I should be able to see my floor by now!Urrrgh wheres that Primark shoe pooper scooper dude when you need him huh?

HANGING IT ALL TOGETHER: PART ONE

2011-09-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

The schizophrenic weather this September has motivated me to declutter,re-analyse,edit and basically blitz my current wardrobe.Now my current wardrobe her personality can be described in three words as scatty,complicated and lazy with no real consistency she's experiencing a confidence crisis.Rolling rails propped up in the dark attic corner(minus one wheel),withdrawn buckling under the dead weight of clothes,bags,accessories and shoes.Knots of recycled plastic,wire,wooden and metal hangers tangled up within fashion scarves,over sized Kurt Cobain style cardigans and crayon coloured lace tops caught up in one leopard print chain shoulder mini bag.Ankle boots,ballet flats and numerous pairs of brogues recklessly kicked off and discarded towards her direction.Wardrobe neglect.Guilty and ashamed I am.It begs the question;how did it ever get this way?Why did I ever allow it to get this way?
And when,oh when did I become a scruffy wardrobe slob?

image Google

When once upon a time I was obsessive compulsive about maintaining order;style order,colour order,length order,size order (bloated days non bloated days).Every little thing had it's position,some items were neatly grouped together.Items such as hosiery (patterned tights non patterned tights)leggings,denim shorts and floaty floral shorts.Admittedly during my once upon a time wardrobe period I had sod else to occupy my empty days with other than claiming jobseekers every fortnight whilst desperately seeking employment.In short I was a fresh fashion graduate,getting my kicks by keeping checks on my wardrobe daily.Anything to dodge the bullets of extreme boredom now dissertations no longer dominated my days.
So the slow decline of my once immaculate wardrobe can be roughly pin pointed during the period I went from unemployed and VERY bored to employed and VERY busy.Right there is when my blissful ignorance and neglect kicked into action or not as my shambles of a wardrobe would reflect.Huff* where do I even begin with this beast of a wardrobe?Textures,colours,shapes,styles,seasons entwined into a web of utter kaleidoscopic mayhem...ah this is going to be so much fun.Erm yeah right.I'll make a start tomorrow.

A* FOR STYLE

2011-09-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

Style,jeez can that little innocent word open up a humongous can of worms mostly when in the company of those,stuffy,snooty,stiff,and all so very serious fashionistas.You know the ones?Who will stop at nothing to snag the must have bag and frown upon you if Kate Moss isn't quite your cupa tea,and heaven forbid you dislike an asymmetrical cut or snub bodycon dresses...gasp and how very dare you,go get your head checked out immediately,actually no wait just off with your head altogether.Tut.Tut.
Some like their style to be perfection others individual and original and then there's the few who would strongly argue that to be stylish is to first obtain confidence and adopt an attitude to boot, which cannot be bought via a designer store card.Whatever it may be you can bet your whole entire years worth of Vogue subscriptions that any fashion victim shall surely have a very strong opinion on the subject of style.Don't be too surprised if the style debate rapidly turns a bit ugly and awkward.Because it's one of those topics in which everyone is right,style has no conclusion.Yet many of us still continue to rapidly flick through hundreds of glossy pages in attempt to collect style notes and strive to put those precious tips into practice.And of course we all have our very own fashion icons (some old,some new) which bombard our style hungry brains on a daily basis and influence our day-to-day outfit decisions and purchases.My fashion icon begins with A...and she's making me sway towards,chunky distressed knitted layers,over sized cardigans,leopard print,gold ankle boots and graphic Gothic T-shirts.I call this style U-turn and odd behavior the Alison effect.Goodbye dresses,hmm?

ALL ITEMS FROM RIVEISLAND

GENERATION SHOPPING

2011-09-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

Today I had a catch up with the mum,with the drab weather and heavy looming black clouds hanging around, the what shall we do options were narrowed down to just the one classic mother daughter past time.Shopping.It's been an age since mum and I united together as one unit to invade those clothes rails.Our last fashion retail bonding session,erm really didn't end on an ideal note.There was no harmony as we hoovered around the sales.Gawwd that sounds so harsh.No no mum and I are best buds,and neither of us want to disown the other.That is until were confronted with clothes shops...

Today was no exception,I believe together we both tried to tip toe around the delicate matter of going out shopping.It is after all a sensitive subject,a taboo between the two of us.As we both sipped out morning brews and discussed which shops we'd like to hit first immediately it all kicked off,"I'm not too fussed mum,where ever,in what ever order you'd prefer.I'm easy I never strike fashion gold when going out to seek it anyways.You pick."
Great I've delegated smoothly around our little taboo,nice work.
"Forget your charity shop rummage though,yes?"
Wow how about that both a question and answer in one swift sentence,how does the mum do that?
"I have those gift cards for Debenhams,were make that our first stop before they become invalid.I do love my Deb's such a lovely store and when they have a sale it's proper."
Aahh yes Debenhams,Debenhams how I truly hate thee.I (unlike my mum) have no affection what-so-ever towards them bright,stuffy,clynical-esque,mind boggling,multi-leveled mazes.It takes all my concentration simply to avoid a number of obstacles such as a)slipping head over arse on the very OTT buffed floors b)whizzing past those immaculate make-up beauty girls (how do they get those perfect spray on eye brows?)waving their lipsticks wands in my direction and c)not looking an idiot by trying to go-down via the going-up escalators.Tut.I don't do department stores false dot,they're too generic.Once you've seen one you've seen enough forever.Despite all my hard efforts to convince mum to leave Debenhams until later (like never please!)we wasted two too many hours in the place.Those tedious escalators kept on coming each set extending us into an never ending array of fashion labels and offers that not even Gok Wan could digest and appreciate.I actually did revert to my moody
teenage self,by doing the best sixteen year old impression by a 25 year old you have ever seen.Ever.Dragging my feet having sarcastic digs at Debenhams as if they could hear or care about what I think?And yes at one point the lifts looked like a whole lot of fun.Anything to get out of this blatant middle class meeting point.I'm for the fashion under dogs,where's Matalan at huh?And who bought mum these bloody gift cards anyway?Cop out.

Gifts cards all used up we exit Debenhams.The mum with bags,I with a banging headache.Next stop RiverIsland I want a piece of Chelsea Girl.But oh how I wish I didn't.We enter RI all seems to be going Okay,the mum is having a pleasant poke around the bags and shoes while I run towards the Chelsea Girl area.Swooning over frill front blouses,crochet waistcoats/dresses, tan suede lace shorts,and beautiful bowling bags.Like yikes I'm having an elated moment right now..."What's this?"
"Whats what mum?",I genuinely baffled by her mixed expression.
The mum investigates every garment,zooming in and out on each and every crochet,frilled,knitted piece there is to examine.And uh-oh there it is.That look which informs me that the mum is about to fashion preach at any minute now...
"Over priced this is, all of it is over priced.I lived at Chelsea Girl when I was younger it didn't ever cost this!As for that peter pan collar dress,them designers have got it all very wrong.There was no such combination as that,and those colours are a little bit off too.Too early Sixties,Chelsea wasn't established until my late teens."

images chelsea girl

Jeez alright, alright keep it down luv, no need to make a scene and spoil the moment.The probing of Chelsea Girl collection continues all the way to the check out,the mum bemused by the appeal of which RI's vintage inspired collection has on me.Suddenly the irritated and offended original Sixties Chelsea teenager does a sharp style U-turn.Yep I hear an admiring swoon,quite lengthly swoon too.Escape from the mums mouth,"Loafers look at them aren't they niccce,would go lovely with that Orange crochet lace dress and the stripe dress too." Chelsea Girl converted well, back into a Chelsea Girl it would seem?And Oh check me out receiving outfit tip offs on how to do Chelsea Girl properly.I never said two generation shopping couldn't be rewarding!

images chelsea girl

GIRLS AND GUITARS

2011-09-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

From Warpaint,The Kills,Versaemerge to Hotchacha it's loudly obvious girls are
strumming the guts out of guitars showing those sweaty,heavily inked rocker boys that females can be as equally fierce and fearless...have no doubt a girl and guitar combo can cause some serious carnage too, so front men watch your backs,'cause the gals are thieving your amps.HA!
Though you all have probably guessed by now that my biggest sound and style crush is firmly fixed on the likes of Alison,Lady Hawke and Gwen circa Return Of Saturn.I'm prepared to shuffle my long term rock icons around to make room for some more brand new rock&roll hotties with a-plenty-of-attitude and style that packs an even louder brash,bold punch.Just please don't make me choose between Sierra and Warpaints Stella I'd happily be a style groupie(?) to both!

PULLED APART BY HORSES

2011-09-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

So so every now and then fashion darrrling goes all super cute,fluffy and animal loving on us.And who am I to resist the charms of such adorable little critters...relax no I'm not referring to the cruel usage of real fur.What do you have me down as Fred Flinstone?Nah a piece of I-once-had-a-pulse doesn't much appeal to me,funny that.We choose to be fashion victims animals on the other hand...Okay I won't go all PETA and preach on you peeps,besides for years I've done a damn good job of avoiding the typical vegetarian stereotype(Which by the way grates on me you know those beef burger bullies i.e meat eaters who write us carrot crunchers off as,Holland&Barrett, tofu,tie dye,lavender incense stick,acoustic loving hippies...what's wrong with Holland&Barretts anyways?)it would be a shame to spoil things now.
Right,right now I've dodged that sensitive and rather Question Timesque heavy issue,
shall we not move swiftly on already?Unless you've been stuck in a cave along with the old Flinstone family (is it really that obvious I've just caught an episode of the Flint's on TV...purely by accident I'm hasten to add!)with your head stuck under a rock in the pitch black.You too may of observed the heavy invasion of animal illustration T-shirts,dresses,sweaters and so on.No animal was neglected in the process, oh no they all got their five minutes of fashion fame;owls,rabbits,birds,giraffes,zebra's they all made an appearance for fashions very own stylish Noah's arc.Though does anyone else agree with me when thinking the owls got too much attention compared to all the others?Yes this bothered me, more than it probably really should have, I'm guilty of allowing the whole owl thang too much pondering time.At the start believe me I was lurv'in them tweeting twhoooiiingg wide eyed owls as much as Kate over on Spring Watch (dreadful OAP show for those outside of the UK),heck owl necklaces I must have collected every variety available.I actually overdosed on that micro owl trend.It had to stop.
So it did I went straight on to another animal phase.Horses,oh and unicorns which in fact was a repeat from two years ago when every other post was dedicated to 1)MGMT 2)sequins and 3)mystical unicorns.Hmmm somebody yearned to be a psychedelic groupie?
In reality I'm terrified of both horses and donkeys *embarrassing* but not unicorns they don't exist kids.Wait whoa what's that I see out of my bedroom window?Shit would you believe it.It's only an rainbow coloured unicorn wearing an MGMT T-shirt!
Bonkers.
This next part you may think is a loop hole which I've stumbled across after promising never to mention Asos or Brat&Suzi.com ever again, I'll let you decide on that one.However I confess to of failed big time when I pledged not to spend any more money on Brat&Suzi illustrated tee's.Since making that pledge a year ago or so I've found myself the owner of numerous 'kooky' (kooky needn't be a dirty word)horsey T-shirts and tops.So much so I may just be close to needing some hay and stables to store them all in.Nay?

images Brat&Suzi

PAPER BAGS MAKE ME SICK

2011-09-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

Bright hot florescent lights pouring down on my head and fogging up my vision as I gingerly approach the double glass doors to be greeted by a bloated and bored looking security bloke and a stack of tatty blue string bucket baskets.Of which try to bully your brain into buying piles of clobber even before you've reached your first clothes rail.Is this scene sounding familiar to you, or am I the only one who gets shudders from the sight of a pesty Primark?
Now please don't write me off as some sort of fashion snob who only favours designer bags...high end fashion boutiques are alien to me,(hello sadly I still live like a stuck in a rut student, who gets happy on cheap bake beans and free music downloads)chuck away fashion and sales that are so cheap the items are practically free is all this girl knows.Not to be mistaken with actually liking throw away fashion;if I had it my way I'd avoid all them nasty fashion dive holes, crawling with slave labour germs (of course Primark have raised the penniless wage for the third world children now, so I heard on some channel four dispatches episode).Not that fancy fashion lables are completely innocent *cough bunny killers* but at least there is minimum sweaty plastic polyester and broken zips involved,right? So less than five minutes into Primark and like every other weak willed sucker I have one of those blue baskets
swinging from my arm and not one but two giant 4x4 pram's up my arse,and my nose has no other choice but to embrace the smell of a greasy KFC chicken burger that someone is juggling around with in one hand and the other has a complicated grip on several pairs of jeans and bags.
How I envy those other shoppers opposite,splashing out in Miss Selfridge and Topshop with their career bumped pay packets.'Don't drell on it,this is your pay day part-time wages is better than nowt.Now move it theres bargain bin priced brogues to buy, and a ten quid dress sale rail to invade',as I investigate arms of summer clearance clothes I convince myself that Primark can be as pleasant and enjoyable as any of those career girl type shops.A shop is a shop it can't define or stereotype a person.It is what it is.Oh I soon realise eveyone else in Primark, pushing their way through the same arm of clothes as me are mainly college students with messy hair and wearing band tee's.Luckily I efffortlessly blend in amoungst them scruffy lot, my odd embaressment concealed by my ensemble of cage the elephant tee and neon lace leggings.Cunning yeah yeah?Feeling awkward 'round about now.Awkward yet totally down with it,with them the college kidz.And what is this I see?Hmm nice navy blue and red bird print peterpan collar dress, how much, how much?
I eagerly yank out the swing ticket tangled up with a chain of hundreds of other garments,and not too unsimilar to that dark twisted scene from Black Swan.I now the mental case, catch a reflection of myself morphing into a greedy, hungry materialistic maddam.Gasp did I really just elbow some competition out of my way?Poor girl I never meant to, however if you will insist stepping in the way between THAT dress and I...you understand?Seconds later she gets one over on me, her revenge in the form of a sharp plastic and broken (Primark eh?)hanger stabbed into my side.Distracted I lose sight of my postition around the sale rail circuit.Coming in third place to a very pretty Alexa Chung style stalker look-a-like(why is she in here for?Can't she sod off and join the army of cool indie fans in Topper's!)who snaggs the last size 12 bird dress.Left high and dry with only bruised battered elbows and this annoying bloody basket catching onto everything and everyone,my blood boils I decide to depart from the sale vultures and drag the basket and I downstairs to the bag and shoe deparment.

All seems strangely quiet down here,obviously folk can't be much bothered to do shoe-trying-on, on Sundays. Probably too time consuming them roast dinners may be burning back at home,plus repeats of X factor are no doubt doing the rounds of repeat on the box?Must rush back for that. >SARCASM HERE<
All is calm,though evidence strongly suggests shoe lovers have already been and gone, I trip over buckles and heels, slip over laces and end up kicking a pair of fake converse imposter's across the floor in rage (shortly followed by a heavy does of guilt.Such a vandal.Somebody has to scoop this shoe carnage up at the end of the day.Saving up for good karma I do a u-turn and pop the canvas trainers back onto the shelf).Pointy leopard print flats saves me from having a shoe break down.Primark brings out the OCD monster within me,stress levels shoot up at an alarming rate and my head is spinning whilst searching for the correct price tag.No easy feat,problem solving is much required,as there's pen scribbled across the prices.Aahh all the swing tags have graffiti on them.Are these shoes, £15,£12,£10 or £5!Throw caution to the wind I add them to the basket despite whether the shoes will rape my purse or not (I know what your thinking, Primark.Dead cheap.Cannot damage bank.Yeah well it can when your a part-timer-higher-education-debt kinda of gal Okay?Good.Good),standing at till point some funky £2 pack of socks begin to seduce me.'Resist and whatever you do don't cave in,plus do you really need panda patterned socks?Primark has you right where it wants you.Don't allow yourself to become another victim of their merchandising tricks.Your better than this,don't let a sock break you down.'This boredom is beginning to have a rather strange affect on me,hurry serve me let me at that till...I need to punch my pin in and get the hells outta here, pronto!What do you know, wish granted after several customers are defeated, truth be told I wasn't too far behind ditching my no frill fashion goods either.The speedy shop assistant scans through my basket (of which I'm delighted to be parting with!)I clock up a grand total of £35 on nothing too super special,my regret kicks in faster than my receipt is shoved into my bag.Paper bag.No wait I hate, hate, hate paper bags, they scream out 'TRYING TOO HARD TO BE CONTEMPORARY,CLEAVER,COOL AND SOMETHING YOUR NOT'.I've had way way too many awful experiences with Primark paper bags, one involving a down pour of rain when my paper bag turned to a heap of messy mush.I can only await to see what bother this horrid brown paper bag is going to cause me.Legging it away from the creepy clutches of Primark, I sprint out of the bright,lights and stuffy shopping centre atmosphere.Though the speed of my sprinting just isn't enough to leave behind my shame and guilt of wasting money on a pile of what?On a pile of utterly pointless Primark bits and pieces,lose threads and wonky seams which my ignorance has chosen to ignore.Of course if it had been any other garment from any other highstreet store,I'd have snubbed such shoddy style whilst rolling me eyes and mumbling to myself in the corner about how disgusting the price is etc, etc. Only etc's don't come into the sensible equation when caught up in the Primark moment, that fast fashion frenzy...*shocker the fragile flimsy handles on my paper bag have fallen apart along with all my fashion morals and that little thing called willpower.I think your find that has been back at the Primark baskets?

0 COMMENTS

2011-09-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

WHOA WHAT'S WITH ALL THE SILENCE?! Okay well you can stop shouting at the screen now, as I offer my explanation...
I was foolish enough to except a dare (more of a radical change, actually)to step away from the blogs for a whole summer, as my friend grew ever concerned with my heavy fashion posting addiction which apparently "possessed me last summer and is the reason for my ghostly complexion"
Never one to shy away from a challenge (admittedly there was some resistance)I was eager to prove my critics wrong and whilst in the process gain a healthy glow (*failed*). You can guess just how much stick I got when I boasted how it will be a breezzzzze,"fine ,fine I can avoid the void left behind from blogging it really is only a couple of weeks anyways no biggie."I'll continue with my scrap books, and fill my hours with other creative outlets;drawing, drums, writing on actual paper teach my pet lionhead circus tricks?I WILL SURVIVE THIS CHALLENGE.FASHION BLOGS DO NOT OWN ME.
It never even occurred to me how it may send my blog into oblivion until my friend pulled out the plug to my lifeline, erm I mean laptop.
"Your gonna crumble, in an hours time your start sweating and get the shakes because you are obsessed with bloody blogspot and stupid fashion your a victim to the biggest con in history!Plus your be panicking about your readers abandoning prettyneons."
Gasp.Good point of course I wasn't going to let her believe she had hit a delicate nerve with me, what blogger would want to have 0 comments.Honestly now,us writers write because we want it read:be it one two,or a billion people it's nice to have strangers appreciate your words and thoughts.As I allowed my friend to slide the laptop away under my desk anxiety hit me hard and I began chewing my nails- a habit I kicked at seventeen.
Yep it was THAT awful.Oh the dread.The big empty blank hole left behind in the absence of my blogging,who was I kidding?Of course it could never get filled nor replaced by anything else.Four weeks in the teasing began, everyone taunting me about how I may be missing trends, new style blogs and outfit posts.Fickle fashion trends I can live without I'm and never was in fashion for the new and now roller coaster ride those childish what to wear now's. I'm in it for the fun and buzz I get from dressing up-style shake ups, hell yea who needs to sit and analyse weekly trends?What-a-bore. Picking fashion apart and sticking it back together the wrong way and upside down is much more satisfying.However today I decided I cannot take anymore and I reached the conclusion that this summer was depressing and just plain sucked without blogspot, plus my nails are a wreck.Okay so I didn't make it to the end of summer, and now my friend can act smug and do the whole 'I told you so'
She doesn't have to though because I'm admitting and coming clean, no longer in denial...I LOVE,ADORE and am BONKERS about blogging I feel no shame, and despite my efforts to enjoy fashion magazines they just can't cut it like heart on the sleeve fashion/style blogs, I'll always have a place for them glossy, couture fashion pages but I shall not be devouring them in the same way as I do with blogs.Now if you don't mind I have many a draft to publish and post.Aahh post how I've missed selecting that big orange button!

SOMETHING KINDA OOHH...ORANGE

2011-05-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

Gravitating towards all things zingy orange right now, I don't know why?Though
I like to think it's an healthy fashion phase: a rather stylish way
of injecting my life with a dose of vitamin C.This sudden attraction to the colour orange has both amused and baffled me.See not long ago I was lovin and also loyal to lilac I definitely did not foresee this fruity obsession with orange coming my way.
In fact if you had told the lilac version of me I'd soon be squeezing the juice out of orange,I would have dismissed such a crazy suggestion as,well,crazy...hmm someones been eating too many fruit salads.
The last orange garment I possessed was (you may want to look a way and stop reading now, as this style confession is pretty gruesome)in my skateboard days a pair of (no really do look away right now...) orange addidas trousers with blue addidas stripes down one side, then again I was also listening to a lot of nu-metal with LimpBizkit as my style inspiration if not nu-metal hereos.To show my dedication towards the skateboard scene I also thought it would be an excellent style choice to wear orange converse.Dark stuff I know.Whenever I happen to hear a LimpBizkit tune it makes me shudder.
Should I really go anywhere near orange? Alarm bells are ringing in my head,screaming,'Back off, avoid,it's a no go style zone!'Yet the curious side of me suggests otherwise,'Do it, give orange ago if it fails it fails.Don't be a fashion wimp live on the edge.'Okay, Okay pass me the oranges pronto!

images pixiemarket

IF YOU ARE NOT VERY CAREFUL YOUR POSSESSION'S WILL POSSESS YOU.

2011-05-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

Okay I promise that is the last Marina lyric I'll pinch for my post title, however
it's a lyric that describes my absolute disgust and horror when I stumbled upon a heap of plastic bags stuffed with clothes, shoes, bags etc's that I've hardly worn and basically neglected for all this time.
Although there was only me in the room I couldn't prevent the embarrassment
and shame that hit me whilst looking down on two/three bags of clobber some with swing tags intact.Followed by thoughts of,'why do I continue to shop the way I do?'
I was baffled too because despite being a blogger of all things fashioness, I honestly don't hit the shops very often at all,perhaps every two months with the occasional quick dash to the thrift shops.I suppose all those 'occasional'
little thrift treats all mount up,whether those treats and fashion awards (so to speak) were justified at the time of purchase or not.There's no excuse for such greedy 'oh well I've been working so hard I deserve this bag/dress/shoes' attitude.
I'm guessing the neglected bags of clothes I discovered were most probably from my bake bean years i.e student days:when I repeatedly abused and bashed the old student discount plastic swallowing every fashion sale I could possibly digest.To the point where I began to burp bags and chocked on shoes.Now I may know why I behaved in such a reckless way,dedicated to frequently sniffing out my next fashion retail fix.Because I was desperately filling a home sick void (or so I thought)plus all those sales combined with student discount card created brilliant escapism when by the second year of uni it hit me like a two ton of bricks how much waste of time my fashion degree had became.Now two years later my approach to shopping is completely different more organised,considered and defined I no longer buy just to buy and I hardly ever hit the high street most my wardrobe is thrift.And of course I've began to learn what suits me and what doesn't...jeans, maxi dresses,flat pumps they are all my worst wardrobe enemies!
So what's happened to those bags of clobber from my uni days?I dropped them at the charity shops and exchanged them for some 1940's style bow print shorts,just a treat £2 from Sue Ryder ...whoops some habits are hard to kick.

in...thrift shorts I snagged from charity shop

out...the neglected bag of clothes I donated to the charity shop

WE'VE GOT OBSESSIONS

2011-05-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

...and my obsession right now is River Island, a shop I often forget about or to be more frank a shop I often snub.Because, because,because the last time I checked into RI there were just too many fabulous floral frocks all over the joint.Which as you may already know I'm desperately trying to detach myself from, and the temptation of flower power was just too much, a swift exit was required alas I've not paid any attention to River Island in a bid to prevent myself from planting any more flowers in my Green house,err I mean wardrobe.
So hows your departure from all things floral going?I hear you ask (even if you didn't ask that question I'm gonna spill it anyway),goodish. I add on an ish as I may of had a little floral episode a miner set back in the form of a rose print purse, come on accessories don't count right!?Oh and I kinda may of erm purchased some daisy -print- tights (she says rapidly in an attempt to divert attention from floral error)once again I never ruled out tights and even if I did rules are for breaking... yadda yadda.
I'm far too honest on here I could have dropped a white lie I needn't of admitted to my floral flaws,however despite these I've not purchased any floral print garments.No, no I've entered the dark side of elephants and pineapples.RI's cool collection of quirky prints fruitee's (do ya see the spin I done there?)and shorts have been a welcomed distraction from all things floral.Floral obsession,what floral obsession?My minds concentrating on one thing and one thing only (or two things if you want to get all exact and math teacher on me)THOSE elephant shorts and THOSE yellow t-bar shoes...swoon River Island my new love affair?Hell yes.

images River Island

OH MY JUMPING TOADS!

2011-05-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

I promised myself that with my rare Saturday off (first since crimbos,not that I've been counting)I'd take advantage of the sunshine, abuse my ridiculous bright red heart shaped sun shades and slap on the old sun block (a tad too bit optimistic?)and go for a bike ride far away from the desk give my eyeballs a break from the computer screen.This being my intention anyway,before I made the mistake of reading blogs and finding other blogs which than stray you away to yet more blogs:basically those damn tempting, pesky blog links have completely consumed my day! I've even ran out of biscuits (my best friend when blogging ha!)and yup admittedly am still in my casual sweats which consists of Animal print (yes as in Animal from The Muppet Show- watch this space Vogue will soon be all over this 'look' like a nasty little rash) pj bottoms and slouchy leopard print tee.Stylish I'm sure you'd agree!
Though I'm annoyed with myself for wasting huge amounts of time with my head in the screen and watching the sun slowly hide behind heavy grey clouds,it's not all been for nothing as I've found a charming ickle blog which has been a rather inspiring distraction.Now I know I'm partial to mild wardrobe envy, but seriously this girls threads are crazy -banana's- brilliant!The shoes, don't even get me started on her collection of shoes and pretty ankle socks-and a very impressive sock collection this gal sure does have too!You must take a looksee at this toad.

images tinytoadstool

www.webblog.tinytoadstool.com

STYLE STEAL:LUCAS

2011-05-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Isabel, Isabel oh Isabel Lucas how I lurrrve the way you mix boho with a hint of
geek.Canvas shoes with chunky knit socks,granny floral harems and layers of lace
mixed with hippie beads and bracelets.You can do no wrong and for that I salute your style.Now can I please adopt your wardrobe?Pretty please?Though Isabel you can keep them floral trousers luv.I'd seriously fail if I ever attempted to pull them things off!P.S...I want THAT wild things tee.Okay gushing and style swooning is-a-over.
Time for you to see the evidence for yourselves and perhaps develope a wee tiny girl crush, no?

images google

I PUT SOME NEW SHOES ON

2011-05-06T03:23:00.000-07:00

This year instead of throwing myself at the summer sandals I'm opting for loafers and brogues.Snubbing the following- raffia strappy sandals,espadrilles (pauses to let out a large yawwwn) and the stubborn shoe summer trend which never fails to sod off I'm refering to those worn out cork heeled wedge sandals...no one cares.Okay so I may just be speaking for myself however I like to belive I speak for the global fashion pack when I say corks should strictly be limited to bottles of bubbly only.Not on shoes, it's gone from boring to damn right tedious.Soon as the sun makes an appearence,out comes the cork sandals and in extreme cases suspicious looking toes.Nobody wants to see that shit.I'm on a one woman mission,to eliminate (if not exile) all those strereotypical summer sandals.Yup for mild shock value I'm getting a pair of brand new brogues, coral brogues in fact why stop there? I may just have a Friday brogue binge?
Oh the shoe anarchy!For where is the cork?My foot steps shall make a statment-cork heeled and raffia sandals are dead.RIP,it's over,for cork and raffia you no longer own the summer.Step to one side espadrilles, for this summer bright brogues, and pretty little loafers are going to pound the pavements.

images office

FLORAL BLITZ

2011-05-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

Firstly hands up I've neglected this place, this blog and yes guilty I am of a hiatus in blog land altogether I've not even managed to catch a glimpse of any other fashion blog either, forgive me? Well I'll let you decide on the latter, and while you do so may I hit you all with my excuse for my odd decision to get up and leave blogging for so long?Okay thanks, well I've been consumed with a business plan. See I'm currently hatching a vintage accessories biz.Hysterical I know me and business mixing together, maths, figures, forward planning and mega multi-tasking everything I'm not.Until now.Leisure's such as cafe crashing,magazine binging, blogging and shopping had to come last on my list of priorities in the attempt for me to achieve the epic task of beginning a business (still work in progress by-the-by).Finally I've managed to sort out a routine/schedule and hopefully fingers crossed there won't ever be a blank page on this blog again.Prettyneons has returned...

And she is sick to death of the floral frenzy of which I got caught up in for oohh three years,seriously my wardrobe was morphing into a green house, I myself was slowly turning into a flower pot.I've over watered the floral trend and now the petals have lost their pretty appeal.Be it ditsy floral print or bold bouquets my fashion crush on all flowerish things has reached the end.I'm rebellion in the form of alternative prints...who would of known huh?Prints other than floral actually exist.Bring on the tropical palm trees.Right so it's not a huge departure from florals,however every fashion journey must start somewhere.Plus the weather is utterly wet, grey and damp alas I need a touch of tropical at this moment of time.
Other prints I've been dabbling with are sea shells,ickle adorable bunny prints,classice black and white polka dots and just something on the side paisley which I've had the odd cheeky flirt with.Though whether I decide to adopt paisley permanently is yet to be decided.

Why do I keep counting?

2011-03-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

Before I begin, excuse me if I've been a little quiet the reason why none of you have heard a peep from me on the old blogs is because for some unknown reason blospot was being an epic failure of a bitch i.e my links wouldn't function AND if that wasn't frustrating enough already, none of my comments would publish *huffs*.
Lucky enough for me I have a nerdy side which I abused to crack this techno issue,and yay there is a happy ending...my links and comment thang is now back to working, so expect me to bother you sometime sooney.Oohh lucky you!
Aahh now all that boring stuff has been cleared up,lets crack on shall we?

images courtesy of Peacocks

'Tis nearly time,the next oh so stylish instalment of Pearl Lowe for Peacocks collection is almost due,you know the one?The collection that never fails to disappoint nor cause chaos,the collection that sells out quicker than you can shout, "Peacock!" and in general create a fashion frenzy. There's a good reason for all this insane hype that surrounds Pearl Lowe's range for Peacocks-the pieces are beautiful,authentic and versatile which is enough to get me swooning, and joining all the others amongst the whirlwind mayhem which whips up weeks before the new collection is revealed.The Pearl Lowe launch always dominates my diary, I cross out squares, wish my life away and keep on counting the days, hours, seconds, nano seconds until I can get my next vintage-esque dose of Pearl Lowe. And there isn't many calender squares or days to go now.31 MARCH all shall be revealed, girls shall be camping outside Peacocks cards and cash at the ready...keep on counting, only 10 days to go!Yikes, super excited to the point where insomnia shall probably soon begin to kick in. As I remain wide wake speculating in my head how the next collection might look,and remembering all the past Pearl Lowe pieces I've obtained over the years and become very emotionally attached to-see above.

PEARL LOWE FOR PEACOCKS DROPS 31 MARCH... see you there?!

STYLE STEAL:ZINSER

2011-03-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

Confession time folks,from time to time I'm guilty of tuning into some American teen trash TV, and yup your correct I indeed left my teen years quite a while ago (I'm 24yrs old-you do the math)seems though I failed to leave those teen TV habits behind.
Because I'm guilty of catching up on some sun drenched, super (Stilton) cheesy Californian cool 90210.There I said it.I embrace American glossy high school dramas, you know the really complex teen drama and dilemmas such as love triangles,riding a wave on the surf board, topping up the old tan,throwing mansion sized house parties and chilling out via posh coffee bars.All very serious heavy story lines I'm sure you'd agree?
I can hear you all thinking, 'whoa that's tragic.Really?She really tunes into that 90210 shit...why?'

images courtesy of gillian-zinser.net

board by prettyneons

Why,because of Gillian Zinser aka tomboyish,shy awkward surfer beach hippy chic Ivy Sullivan.Huge, huge, huge girl crush of mine and yup I'm partial to some Zinser serious style stalking. And why not? Heck have you seen her style. Wardrobe envy kicks in big time.The Zin'sta sure knows how to rock boohoo grunge, she even transforms maxi dresses from a dull drag of a dress to extra eff'in cool.Mixing the maxi with faded leathers,washed out denims,tough biker boots and a heavy dose of 'I really don't give a hoot about fashion' attitude.Gillian is one of them rare Gwen Stefani types, us the (gals)want to be her (well I sure do anyways!)and the guys want to be with her (sooo I'm guessing).Like the other G(wen.S) Gillian Zinser combines laid back, tomboyish dressed down style with contrasting details, not one to be afraid of combining slouchy vintage band T-shirts with delicate chiffon paisley maxi skirts,feather gilets,leather wrist bands,pretty pedant necklaces and lashings of suede tassels. Whatever you do don't dismiss Zinser's effortless style and categorize it under A.Chung, Zinser is the polar opposite. You won't see her jumping on every little micro trend that crops up:Gillian Zinser's take on style a hundred percent original it aint.Genuine and authentic it is, thus she's going to remain on my style- stalking- one- to- watch radar for quite sometime yet.If you too fancy ripping off a piece of Gillians style make your one stop shop Peacocks their range of T-shirts,skirts and denim has Zinser stamped all over it!
P.S..Now can you appreciate why I need my weekly fix of 90210?

Treats That Tweet

2011-03-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

As you may of noticed I'm partial for any garment or accessory which features bird prints whether it be an owl, blue bird or robin if it tweets I'm all over it like a rash.My wardrobe is dominated by cute ickle birdies could it be that the ditsy bird print is fast becoming the new floral?I'm not alone with my bird obsession, for bird watching(of the fashion kind) has shot up in popularity since THAT MiuMiu collection was splashed across all the glossy magazines.And it seems to be having a long lasting effect on the highstreet too-a fickle fashion phase it isn't.
Many fashion retails outlets are slowly morphing into nests,treasuring an array of owl inspired tweet treats from charm necklaces,chunky antique bird rings,pussy bow blouses,dresses,skirts and yes copy cat MiuMiu platfroms.The bird micro trend has no intentions of flying off any time soon, Hoorahh!Because I for one am still adding to my bird collection continuing with textile designer Kate Garey's adorable,kooky kawaii lovingly hand made bags and jewellery,from elegant swan necklaces,tropical parrot purses and blue bird bags...keep on tweeting!

images courtesy of Kate Garey

Get a room

2011-03-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

I know this is usually a fashion based blog so forgive todays Llewelyn Bowen themed post,nope I'm not converting to the dark side which is interiors (though admittedly I do get a kick out of looking through wallpapers, linens and lampshades...so who knows one day an Interior design inspired side blog maybe on the horizon?)today's fashion feature has been replaced with erm wallpaper and bedrooms as I'm in the process of re-designing/ decorating my room.Which is proving way too difficult than I had first imagined. Do I want a 'statment' wall?Do I want to paint?Should I opt for wallpaper? What influences should I draw inspiration from?Jeez I don't know how Bowen does it!?Or do I go for the easy option of- leaving these walls crisp white and a little bit bland?Nope I've had enough of these minimal walls.This room of mine feels so clinical I almost expect my dentist to appear, urrgh. Frightening thought.
After much pondering over what to do with this room of mine, I still remain clueless all I know is that I don't want some B&Q/Homebase generic style bedroom.Light bulb moment!My wardrobe shall be my source of inspiration, ah yes I can stick clothes upon these four walls.No? Hopefully these glorious bedrooms (below)will spark a genuine light bulb interior design idea, I do have an inner Bowen within me!

P.S...TOMORROWS POST WARDROBE ME

Hazey Daze

2011-03-11T07:11:00.000-08:00

Today's weather is so depressingly grey,dull and dreary well do not fear it isn't all doom and gloom in an vain attempt to inject some much needed sunshine goodness and turn that frown upside down take a glance at this dreamy collection of photography/editorials and escape into the daze...think warm spring sunbeams,daisies and fresh green rolling fields.Relax,chill out and keep things super simple adopt a no fuss style attitude opt for delicate bright white lace/cutout work dresses, crisp chiffon blouses,soft muted floral's,tiny 'ickle ditsy bird prints,cream ruffles and candy pinks...just take caution to avoid getting any pesky grass stains on your pretty little ditsy print number.

Frocks that rock

2011-03-10T04:07:00.000-08:00

DearSarah Brannon I- love -you!Your frocks consist of all my favourite style ingredients...whimsical,romantic,fierce,feminine, strong, dark,luxurious and oh so lovely.Your dresses shouldn't be mistaken for being too sickly sweet,they've a rebellious f-you loud attitude even them bows sure pack a mighty fine punch (kaaapowz!).Just please don't force me to pick a favourite, as I could literally be here all today trying to narrow down,the stand out pieces from Chelsea Rebelle past and present collections. Oh gawwwd collections,collections where to begin?Would it be too much of a cop out to claim the latest s/s11 offerings 'DevilTown'as my most to die for Chelsea Rebelle collection.Okays I'll dig a little deeper into my fashion mental notes rewind...its spring/summer 10 and were now 'Pretty Things' dancing in the sun dressed all in bows.Or going back even further to autumn/winter '08 where I've just stumbled upon Chelsea Rebelle, and immediately crave gingham and cute capes. Fast forward to now 2011, and my love for Chelsea Rebelle has gone up a few notches.A label lust it is not.Heck no, Chelsea Rebelle is now my fatal fashion attraction!

images Chelsea Rebelle

P.S...TOMORROWS POST-I GET ALL DREAMY

Play ball!

2011-03-09T05:40:00.000-08:00

No,no peeps not actually kicking a ball around,no ways am I about to partake in five-a-side footie game down my local park.Just the thought of playing ball based sports makes me shudder, all those dark not very pleasant P.E memories from school come flooding back (I was always the kid picked last- and I liked it that way too, anything to avoid getting yet another ball kicked into my face...I had a lazy eye hence my delayed reaction during sport activities. Result I lost many teeth during those awkward years)you couldn't even pay me in Miu Miu shoes to score a goal!
When I say play ball I'm referring to the new fashion buzzword slash micro trend- baseball jackets which have invaded the catwalk and now our highstreet shops,so should the leather jacket be afraid, or is it simply a fashion false alarm which shall fade into oblivion like them short lived harem pants (seriously who's genius idea was that? Urrgh. Come own up smart arse)which briefly threatened to put leggings into an early grave.Thankfully them hideous harems have a-RIP'D and catwalked their way down to the depths of fashion hell,I digress.
With this ever changing weather and transition from winter to spring,I'm beginning to find my winter coat a tad suffocating and stuffy; breaking a sweat walking from a to b is not good nor collecting me any style points.Time to ditch the boring practical winter clothes, pronto!But is it really time to ditch the leather jacket too? Can I really bring myself to cheat on my trusty, faithful leather?Rejecting it to begin my love affair with the baseball jacket?The more I eye up THOSE Isabel Marant jackets (below), so I start to sway more and more towards the idea...sssshhh don't tell my leather jacket.Theres something attractive about Isabel Marants ugly silver tin foil (perfect for wrapping those microwave meals in) gunay brocade jacket in an 'I should really dislike this and be frowning,yet am not' sort of way.Yep I'm failing to understand my crush on it too!Lets just leave at, some things in life fail any explanation-this baseball jacket is indeed one of those.

images net-a-porter

Aahh what does it matter Isabel Marant is way out of my skinny budget anyways.However I refused to be defeated and in true spirit of sport continued to play on in my quest to track down some American high school cool baseball jackets (see below).Now who says I'm not the athletic sporty type!?

P.S...TOMORROWS POST-CHELSEA REBELLE FROCKS THAT ROCK

WARDROBE ME:STRIPES & PAISLEY

2011-03-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

Aahh finally the Sunshine's in this corner of the earth, at first when I pulled up the blind I was slightly alarmed,'yikes what is that bright yellow ball up there!?' why of course its the return of that bright warm orangeyellowish goodness that elusive(it so is elusive if you live here in England)star-i.e the sun.Well done, *clap clap* you sure took your time didn't you eh? The unexpected (almost premature) arrival of Mr sunshine has caught me off guards, like completely screwed off guard.With a panicked rummage and flick through the old clothes rails in an attempt to dig out a light weight,non chunky knit top. To my discovery my wardrobe is lacking inbetweener clothes, happy medium items tops etc that are versatile pieces: not quite spring and not yet quite summer, hmm its a tricky little style dilemma.Today's glorious weather has sure prompt me to organise my clobber, no longer can I ignore the a/w rut my rails have developed into over the last few chilly months.
So all original plans for this Tuesday (holed up in my art den completing my canvas) have been altered leaving a slot of time to buy some much needed happy medium clothes: clothes which aren't going to fail me during these bipolar collision of changing,clashing seasons.Due to being consumed (in a good way) by my art/ design work there was no time to catch the bus and hit the city, so a dash to my local charity shops shall do, first up here's me slouching it out in stripes and paisley (nails splashed with BarryM nail polish. Addicted...)

top,peacocks,paisley scarf thrift

two hours later (oohh time time travel peeps!)...
after much thrift bashing, and mucking doing my best Jessie J 'pricccce tag' impression and getting my Ugly Betty on (all that sun went straight-to-my-head) in the crusty smelling changing rooms (hygiene isn't the biggest priority for charity shops huh?)I exit my local thrift shops content...not with the mouldy odors,but with my bags busting full of beautiful spring time vintage treats all under £10.Hoorah!The two mile trek into town, staggering up big arse hills was well worth all that leg ache.The finds which I heart the most out of this second hand stash (below) and can foresee me crushing on, wearing out at any outfit opportunity is definitely the tan leather shoulder bag complete with plaited shoulder straps,cream embellished cotton tee (I'm confident it will look a lot nicer once those crinkles have -a -been -all- ironed out!) and the two Indian sparkling bracelets...yep because I really so desperately needed yet more sparkling bracelets, admittedly the latter was just one of those, 'just because' purchases, though these sort are the worst and do the most damage to a gals piggy bank (my piggy is now on detox),anywho's I'm all thrifted out for the next two months my local charity shops will probably be pleased to see the back of me...when I enter them places I'm like a tornado whizzing around whipping up all the garments and causing general havoc.Am I bad?!

all above items thrift

P.S...TOMMOROWS POST-PLAY BALL!

Summer Style

2011-03-07T13:48:00.000-08:00

Every now and then you see a film, a film which inspires you long after you've hit eject on the DVD player. 500 Days of Summer is just one of those films.One of those incredible stylish films that triggers what I like to call the Notebook effect In which you sigh, swoon and feel compelled to character clone your existing wardrobe until it slowly morphs into that of Allies.Thus having quite a long lasting impact upon your wardrobe,inspiring and transforming your everyday style and perhaps just perhaps convert your once stubborn style beliefs. Post watching 500 Days of Summer it's safe to say eighty percent of the time my day-to-day style is now officially Summer Finn defunct,with many of my outfits mirroring Finns kooky 1960's pretty preppy style,partial to delicate chiffon cut out dresses,pussy bow blouses,bows and soft shades of pastel blue.The latter I would of never even considered nor allowed in my wardrobe before,being a die hard hater of both pastels and chiffon's. Fast forward to now, I'm more than partial towards all things pastelish and chiffonish in fact I gravitate towards the (once no-go cringe worthy)two.Converted.Via a film, who would have thought eh?Me with a chiffon crush?

images Bing

As you can see from above there's no question Summer Finn's wardrobe is mighty impressive, no?It makes Allies (The Note Book) floral frocks look shabby at best.However if I could pluck one item from Finns extensive clothes rail it would be THAT blue tea dress (below),super simplistic,effortlessly elegant and the best piece of blue cut-out chiffon I have ever seen.After many clicks and following tip offs from savvy movie enthusiasts (them people sure know their film credits and costume departments!)it lead me to fashion label SarahSeven which have an array of simple,ultra feminine dresses and plenty of delicious sweet pastel chiffoness which would definitely receive Summer Finns seal of approval!

images SarahSeven

P.S...TOMORROWS POST-WARDROBE ME

My Derhy Dream

2011-03-06T06:11:00.000-08:00

...it is what it is, deluded.Nothing accept a frequent (and vivid) day dream that my mind enters and explores during times when boredom becomes too much to digest,those mundane moments such as standing around waiting in line at the post office (possibly the worst sort of line to be apart of,one word- long),with nothing except stamps,and shelves of A4 note pads to stare at is it any wonder in these situations my Derhy day dream kicks off in such detail...

I've never been one of those sort which flick through magazines and think,'man I really want to become a model' it never has appealed to me,until my date at the dentist late last year.When by accident whilst browsing the pages of some glossy magazine (distracting my mind from the dreaded dentist chair)when Derhy gently drifted and fell onto my lap, an unlikely place for such a fabulous fashion introduction, I know.Before this incident, hands up somehow I'd remained completely ob-liv-ious to the French fashion brand.Savvy fashion bloggers made me blush with embarrassment after I confessed to my Derhy ignorance months back. One blogger summed it up my ignorance quite nicely,"Dery where have you been?!Most my wardrobe is Derhy, at least you've found them now."

Yes I have indeed found Dery. now right now after getting my paws on the new Derhy S/S 11 catalogue,drooling over the fashion and styling (...the marriage and harmony between navy blue/red stripes blooming flower prints and risky colour combo purple and orange:restricted only to Quality Street sweet tins?Well not anymore!)I want to be one of those natural, gorgeous and god damn lucky Derhy model girls who have the privilege of being dressed up head to toe in in the stuff!I can only ever dream of obtaining my own special piece of Derhy can't I?
Well, well I may of been rather cheeky.And in a desperate measure to own a Derhy dress sent a email begging for a Derhy product for *cough* an up and coming fashion feature in which I require a Derhy item to *cough* illustrate the text.Shamelessly abusing my little corner on blogspot to bag me a free piece of french fashion.What?!Jeez I can't afford that many euros, and plan b to get booked up by a model agency
and pose for Derhy... aahh too much of a far shot for someone who is still waiting to reach 5ft.Besides she does it so much better...

images Derhy

P.S...TOMORROWS POST- SUMMERS BLUE DRESS

Wardrobe me

2011-03-04T11:39:00.000-08:00

I've stuck to my pledge people's and today I deliver an outfit post as I promised you I'd try and do at least two style posts per week, though more often then not getting dressed is a rushed, panic sort of shambles affair.Diving head first into the wardrobe, eating breakfast and brushing my hair all at the same time whilst GMTV reminds me that I'm running late (I always switch on GMTV it has the most accurate time compared to my clock; which is an old wind up one so is prone to packing up, leading me to believe I have all the time in the world when in fact I'm bloody late!).
This morning was no exception I had a billion errands to run, the day kicked off with me tripping over my snare drum and my left(now sore) foot discovering a very sharp sewing needle on the floor *ouch*.My morning continued to unfold in such a shambolic manner, panic struck when I couldn't find any of my hats (...I can't function without a hat,my family and friends take the piss out of my affection for hats and reckon I can't resist striking a pose whenever I'm wearing my beloved red beanie hat.I suppose there may be some truth in that statement. I HEART HATS!Nobody loves hats more then me.No one).Then I recalled relocating my stash of beanie's giving them a new home in their very own special hat draw.What?Hats are my babies.HA!
Hat panic attack over,though the brief drama has left me with no time for attention to detail or any fuss about.So DP's pussy bow blouse,my beloved owl necklace and a speedy smudge of blackest black eye pencil it is!
Oh brilliant blogspot refuses to play ball and has decided to take forever to upload my post...can't wait to see what the rest of my day brings on. Hope you have a better weekend then me girls (and guys?).

Peace X

P.S...SUNDAYS POST- DERHY DREAM

Purse Edit

2011-03-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

Everyday I carry around a big heavy purse which weighs me down, clogged up with various crap such as bus pass,train tickets,Tesco receipts,library tickets,foil chewing gum wrappers, Boots point card and a neglected Subway voucher card,the random messy content of my ridiculously over sized purse drives me nuts.The purse is too god damn big and searching through its bulging insides is sooo time consuming, take today for instance all I wanted was some lose change so I could buy a smoothie on the way to work,could I find lose change?No.Resorting to a moment of 'shes off her rocket' mayhem in which I violently shook my purse and began shouting instructions to it,"oh for f-sakes would you just show me the change, where is that £3 tell me now, stupid , stupid purse!", people behind me looked alarmed and stood back as I continued to shout and shake the purse on the coffee bar.Oh the rage.
This cannot and will not happen ago I shall not have another purse break down in public as I have the ideal solution.Down size.

Yep its time for a purse edit. Funny isn't it how much fuss and attention wardrobes receive compared to the humble accessories in our life?We have a spring clean of our wardrobes, giving pre-loved garments seductive descriptions on ebay, in the hope that someone out there will desire that dress which never did your figure any faves and in the wardrobe edit process we make room for new fresh fashion items.Yet accessories (or at least my accessories) are over neglected lucky to see any updates, I hold on to daft purses, bags etc that are to put it bluntly impractical and just don't quite work for me. Yet I stick by their side with fierce loyalty for ages despite the fact the purse I carry round irritates me.Would my tolerant attitude be the same towards an unflattering frock, or uncomfortable pair of shoes?Hell no!So starting today for the first time I introduce an accessories edit.
Each couple of weeks I will begin to sort through my accessory collection and ditch items that sit around gathering dust or items that I use out of habit but dislike.
First up my stupid purse has gotta go, I'm adopting a new method in regards to choosing a purse, the smaller with less fiddly compartments and zippy bits the better.What I want is a purse which simply opens and shuts via a clasp,with space only for the minimum,yet doesn't cut back on style points...I'm swaying towards the beautiful Rachel Orme (above, top) red purse which has serious vintage appeal!

P.S...TOMORROW POST - WARDROBE ME (OUTFIT POST)

I love loulou

2011-03-02T04:27:00.000-08:00

Urrgh I give up there you go I've been defeated happy now?After an hour of combing, brushing,drying,first tied up in a bun, followed by a not-so-slick ponytail, what other options do I have left for my rebellious hair? Ooh light bulb moment! I'll go for an effortless low-slung plait, hair drama over and problem solved. Erm wait no it actually isn't.Sighs*
This is the tedious issue that crops up when growing ones hair out, it's impossible to tame there are little options left to pick, and only so many hair styles to experiment with when your on your hundredth hairdo already. Feeling tempted to dash into my local salon and scream,'hack it all off, do an Edward Scissor hands already!'I mean would this really be so insane?It's only hair, I'm not one to be too precious about my locks; hair grows back no biggie.I'm so over having my hair either up or down, consuming all of my time and making me late for work every morning as I try in vain to make my hair look just Okay.I need a transformation a quick instant fix...one word loulou.
LoulouLovesYou make an array of gorgeous accessories, including hair accessories such as gigantic silk bows and statement flower power hairbands, the bigger the bow or flower the better it may just divert peoples attention away from my birds nest hair, ah yes cunning-the perfect distraction.I love you loulou and so does my hair!

images loulou loves you

P.S...TOMORROWS POST-QUIRKY PURSES

Kat Von D Style Steal!

2011-03-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

The other day something weired went on in cyberspace and inside my inbox, Kat Von D's camp/ people (could of it really been Von herself?I will never know, if you do read my 'ickle fashion rambling blog Kat then hello!Confession time, hands up I'm partial to style stalking you every once in a while but in a non creepy way may I just stress Okay I'll shut up now),shot me an email apparently they read one of my features from many posts ago (the post where I go into detail as to why Kat Von D must, must launch a fashion collection one day, the same post where I'm like blatantly gushing over her threads.How I'd ink myself up to my eyeballs despite being scared of all things sharp and needleish if it resulted in me gaining all access areas to Kat Von D's wardrobe inc her platform shoe collection.The same post where I thought, 'sod it' I'm going to create a moodboard of Kat's fierce style and insert text which read - style crush. Not at all creepy, or odd huh?No, no perfectly normal behavior.*Cringe what possessed me to do that? Bloody hell embarrassing isn't the word!).When I first began reading the email my first reaction was to throw it into the junk box 'this has got to be some sick prank, nobody reads this blog thing of mine'.How I'm glad I decided to continue reading the email as it lead me towards some intriguing attachment...only images of Kat Von D's frigging first ever fashion collection 2011.

images bing, and ink magazine

Breath, slow breathing I need to calm my ecstatic self down.Eekk I've been awaiting this moment for so long, the moment where I could at long last obtain a small piece of Kat's wardrobe.Kat Von D has been one of my style icons for years, I only stumbled upon her by pure accident when my friend who ran a tattoo shop flicked through my scrap book he said,"you could be doing this working as a tattoo artist- do it be the next Kat Von D!" Baffled my reaction was,"the next what who?"
I followed instructions set out for me by my artist friend to turn the box on, watch more TV and tune into a show called Miami Ink...instructions followed and cue my girl style crush.A style crush which some magazine types found comical at many intern interviews with my inspiration/icon mood board snubbed.Anywho's Kats debut fashion range is not one to be snubbed nor dismissed as just another celeb trying to be a fashion designer.Kat's debut collection is everything you'd expect and more from the gal who bought us High Voltage.The designs are brave, fierce with clean sharp structures which have an distinctive Kat Von D edge to them, the range also consists of stand out statement pieces which feature subtle and sophisticated mature rock & roll twists that prevents it from becoming too Avril Lavigne.You don't have to be a fan or give a hoot about Kat Von D to appreciate and heart this fine collection of designs. The only let down to this collection being it doesn't include a selection of shoes *sob, an idea for next time perhaps Kat?

images courtesy of Kat Von D

P.S...TOMORROWS POST-LOULOU LOVES YOU

On the cheap

2011-02-28T14:19:00.000-08:00

Change to scheduled Kat Von D style steal post, see I've decided to brag about my bargain buys instead.What? It's been months since I tripped upon a vintage thrift treat, the charity shops in my local area have officially redeemed them rotten selves. Believe me inserting the word rotten isn't no harsh exaggeration, as one charity shop has not only vintage garments but a rather vintage odour that whifts around beneath the nose and dominates the air-urrgh p-e-g pleassse.I was uncertain whether to drag myself through that ordeal all over again after I failed last time leaving with only a nasty stubborn smell that refused to fade off my clothes and in my hair (vom)not exactly what I had in mind.After much should I, should I nots and reliving my last thrift nightmare I thought 'one more last time sod it.Be brave don't just take the easy option and opt for the nearest DP's' give it ago, get your thrift thinking hat on' so I adopted my own advice and did just that-am I mad?

One hour in why on earth did I swap today's highstreet shopping plans for charity shops again?No really please someone remind me?So far I've dragged myself around all the familiar charity shops, and picked up a glorious yellow pop art alarm clock which obviously I can't wear,or could I? Hmm what would Lady Ga Ga do?
Time for a break, oohh DP's is calling me I become distracted by a ditsy bird print blouse,red boat print dress, bright orange lace crop top and khaki military trousers (£5.00)...yes is in not either a skirt or dress wtf is wrong with me today?I only own two pairs of trousers and they are part of my work uniform!Did I really just bypass the boat dress, oh my days am I now really standing at the till waiting to purchase these trouser things (complete alien concept to me), Okay did I really just make trousers part of my wardrobe?Yikes I really did, didn't I? Two hours in to my failure of a shopping date,now regretting my random khaki military mistake I decide to make Sue Ryder
my last and final thrift stop of the day,(only because I was swayed by a fruit salad print tea pot in the window display and a set of sticks for my drum kit)before I head home no doubt shall be feeling very much deflated.
Wrong I exited the charity shop feeling smug and very much smitten with my Sue Ryder fashion goodies vintage shoulder bag-tick,floral tapestry needlepoint clutch/purse handmade by a granny somewhere-tick,cream chiffon mix Pussybow blouse-tick,charming feather necklace-tick.Tick, tick and tick again man I done good on the cheap (insert even more smuger face here), I have faith in thrifty fashion once again hoorays for that!

P.S...TOMORROWS POST - KAT VON D STYLE STEALING

Should be sleeping

2011-02-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

...but I'm wide awake instead so figured might as well do a wee quick post as wireless connection failed me big time earlier today (by-the-by I saw your comments much love thanks I always forget anyone reads this so I'm still surprised when I see they/you do!)despite me waving around the laptop above my head in different corners of the house,'wait, I've got it I'll try the attic room, it has to work up there!' Wrong.But heyho the invisible magic that is wireless has once again returned, and on time for me to show off this kooky little purse by Nicky Snow...me needs!

P.S...TOMORROWS POST KAT VON D STYLE STEAL

Star gazing

2011-02-26T12:48:00.000-08:00

As promised an outfit post, I feel I should have put more effort into my hair/make up and strike a stylish pose like all the cool kids do, except it's Saturday and I'm far too lazy to fuss about.So a dress and tight combo it is. With hair scoped back in a bun as in all honesty its due a wash! I went star gazing late last night (it's what I do when I'm not stalking fashion, stalking stars instead),and it seems to of had an instant domino effect on today's wardrobe choice.This dress is quite old probably vintage in fashion magazine terms?I picked it up from Primark many moons ago when I was a bake bean broke student it was in the dump bin near the till point I saw the star print peaking out from underneath a bunch of old Xmas novelty socks. Before I could grab the star dress my friend beat me to it and sarcastically told me "I'll get that for you that way when you go looking up at the night sky you can at least geek it up in true star style." So that's the little story behind this £2 dress, which I'm never ever saying goodbye to.Happy weekend my loves...mwa!

Tough Whimsical Girl

2011-02-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

I've been inspired by my friends blog posts to play wardrobe catch up and dedicate an hour (or two, or indeed three)to crack on and do some serious clothes shopping. I'm not the spontaneous shopper,I can't just go and hit h&m and randomly browse through rails buying whatever jumps out at me. Because I know that this method of shopping simply clogs up my wardrobe with items that are only destined for the fashion recycling bin that is e to the bay.I do envy those who can just dive straight in for a Primark basket and pile it up high.It's sad that I fail to function without the company of my lists,and I mean lists. Lists for everything,plan, plan,plan striving away for impossible perfection.It can become quite a migraine from time to time hence why often I go clothes shopping alone!Or of course get my click on and fire up the computer for online shopping, no need to play elbow wars then with fellow shoppers, which is definitely for me the big attraction with online shopping- you escape bruise free!No need to risk your life and limb, no need to tolerate standing underneath an armpit for a roof on the packed out train (yesterdays commute is still very much annoying me.Is it obvious?) instead you can sit down eat ginger cake and click-click way until your mouse actually begins to squeak from all the scrolling.

Whether I'm shopping on the highstreet or in cyberspace the reality is I still require two things before I get started a) big mood boards and b)lists with all the items I'm looking for grouped correctly together i.e bag options grouped together, dress options grouped together. There is a method to my compulsive madness it prevents from straying and spending money on crap I don't need such as yet more coloured/patterned tights and chiffon pleated skirts (that's another post altogether) thus leaving me with more change for cafes and coffee which admittedly I'm suppose to avoid but hell gotta live on the edge!I thought I'd stopped with all the rambling? Seems not.Ah yes so online shopping my list is complete after much research I've finally found a poor mans version of THEM Miu Miu platforms by Fearne Cotton for Very who's collections I always develop a crazy crush on, despite my default hatred for most celebrity 'fashion collections' Cottons clothes always have such brilliant little touches and details.Good example being the peter pan bead collar Toile de juoy print dress which just so happens to match a charming little teapot I own. Nice I can blend into the surroundings of my kitchen.Another Fearne dress I've added to my list is the tomboyish dungaree denim dress which reminds me of a very similar denim dress I lived in every summer down the local park getting dizzy on roundabouts and dripping ice cream on me ...don't worry I was four years old, it isn't recently.It's going to be a challenge opting for just the one Ferane Cotton frock. Hmm I'm swaying more towards the one that matches my teapot, I'm lurrrvin the whimsical design though whether that peter pan collar will do me any favours I'm not entirely convinced?I've had problems with 'em peter pan collars: peter can have them back me thinks?! Moving on and away from teapots, peter pan and all charming whimsical dresses, the other item on my shopping list is a fierce I'm talking Kat Von D fierce
pair of Iron Fist lace ups, contrast to the delicate, pretty Fearne frock I guess underneath this grown up twenty something exterior remains the inner twelve/thirteen year old emo-goth partial to heavy black khol pencils and skulls.Tough, whimsical girl?

images very.co.uk

So there you have it my Saturday is sorted I can't even recall the last time I had a Saturday all to myself?I'll probably swan around the house be vain and do a little outfit post tomorrow.Are any of you doing some Saturday clothes shopping? Do spill...

Wood you? Yes I wood!

2011-02-24T13:52:00.000-08:00

One of Angie Johnson's fringtastic chain necklaces has been on my wardrobe wish list now since oohh lets say FOREVER, maybe not the most practical choice of accessory for someone as accident prone as I am? What with all those glorious layers of swishing,swaying, swooshing dancing strands of multi-coloured fringe another "my scarf is trapped in the train door, ekk . Help!" will surely be a repeat episode if I were to opt for a Norwegian Wood item. However its a risk I'm willing to take and indeed put my life on the line for (bloody train doors)if it means I can get my fringing flick on then so be it.I can no longer deny myself a piece of wood I've had a weak spot for all things fringed since '09.Flirting with fringed bags, fringed leather skirts, fringed tops,fringed jewellery:pretty safe to say this is no fickle fashion phase unlike all the other fashion phases that I've fell in and out of love with faster than you can flick a fringed necklace at...hmm my fashion phases where to begin?'07 was my summer (and winter)of neon's and nudes,'08 was my six months of mono mayhem mocked by many who I know (mono will return yes a giant mono monster shall gate crash your a/w wardrobe this year)'09 was my space journey through the universe bypassing red giants, nebula's and vast milkyways via my even more vast collection of psychedelic space inspired print tee's by spring '09 I began gravitating towards fringing especially suede, fringed suede skirts which I collided and clashed with my futuristic space tee's(What? Flapper meets space cadet seemed like a brilliant idea?Come on I bet you tried it too? Didn't you, huh?Nope Okay just me then?)Convinced this was nothing except another phase in which I become fixated on and wear out until I can no longer tolerate the sight of anything remotely flapper-esque I made the very wrong decision not to invest in an Norwegian Wood statement fringed necklace. Did I mention this was a very wrong decision?
After much consideration and despite those near death experiences I discover myself in whenever I wear long layers of necklaces, I'm going to do it. I'm going to commit and at long, long, long last and God damn it get my frigging fringe on...err if this blog goes silent all of a sudden I've been trapped in a train door, or indeed bus door, either way doors shall mostly be involved if not a hundred percent guaranteed?

Faking it

2011-02-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time as all you long term readers may already be aware of I was an hardcore vintage addict always rummaging around my local shops sniffing out for my next funny smelling pre-loved vintage fix.And whether it took me minutes, hours or complete three day weekends I'd be dead set on snagging something, anything a bit old, a bit dated, a bit granny,a bit dusty, a bit ugly to everyone yet extremely beautiful in my eyes.When your lucky enough to live in such close distance to cool thrift shops, and vintage boutiques you take it for granted: just like one takes their Topshops, Primarks and Newlooks for granted. Its easy shopping that you become accustomed to and think nothing more of it, simply rails buckling underneath the weight of glorious garments.
Well I'm beginning to learn the hard way not to take thrift/ vintage shops for granted, as I now live an area which is surrounded by mind boggling, busy, dizzy shopping centres and a city that on every corner has a cool trendy buzzing H&M, Riverisland,French Connection and Zara etc - etc.No thrift stores or vintage hang outs (wait a minute I just need to dry my eyes*) and try as they might these highstreet giants to create vintage look-a-like collections the majority fail to get it and understand what makes vintage vintage. I've not yet found one single convincing vintage inspired piece in any highstreet store, because they fail to capture the essence of vintage by making silly design detail errors.Such as using the wrong fabric and incorrect colourways that say a vintage Sixties dress would of never consisted of.Being a complete fuss pot, and Sixties obsessive I can't help but spot these silly little design hick ups which with all my might I cannot shrug off or ignore.Which is a real pity because I'm beginning to experience cold turkey withdrawn symptoms,until I find a local vintage treasure gem of a shop I've made the bold decision to ...fake it.

I know, and yes I do remember me preaching about how very much I detest fake vintage, how much of a joke a mass produced highstreet garment dressed up as vintage can be, how over my dead body I'll never be seen faking it how vintage must be the real genuine McCoy or you risk looking like your about to attend an Austin Powers themed costume party.In my defense these extreme vintage beliefs of mine were before I was made aware of fashion designer Kylie Malcolm. This girl gets vintage!Kylie's very pretty dresses are constructed using a mixture soft recycled and found vintage fabrics, ric-rac, ruffles and lace make Kylie Malcolm's vintage inspired dresses, skirts and accessories genuine more genuine compared to the highstreets failed attempt at vintage.Faking it is easy when wearing Kylie's garments now all you need to do is start scouring and digging around for a pair of fabulous vintage shoes.

P.S...TOMORROWS POST NORWEGIAN WOOD ACCESSORIES

Hippo Who?

2011-02-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

Whilst I was out of action and generally mourning the blogshere due to major technical issues (i.e my pc died a sudden death)I continued to blog in my scrap book needless to say I have one epic long backlog of posts to publish.Many seem invalid and way past their sell by date (fashion just keeps on revolving with such light speed momentum that s/s 11 trends are already stale leaving an awful bad after taste: bring on those fresh and minty s/s 12 key trends already...ridi-culoooous eh?).Despite this, I thought I'd share with you my hippo dress obsession which to be honest I've only just snapped out of...

Let me to take you back to a few months ago when I was style stalking my two fave fashion forward girls (Paloma Faith and Marina of course, who else sticks their middle finger up towards fickle fashion trends like these two?I love 'em and their colourful clashing clobber!)when I noticed a recurring theme Marina's super fun, super loud ,super over sized pop-art T-shirt dresses.One particular dress that I became utterly determined to hunt down and steal featured a big fat cartoon hippo face.Yep this was enough to have me following hundreds of tangled, turning links via numerous image search engines. For days my investigating came to no avail each and every time.Broken links, bits of articles and lots of incorrect information was all I kept stumbling across.Seemed the designer behind Marina's hippo dress would forever remain an unsolved mystery?Then I struck gold and discovered the woman behind the hippo (err so to speak)is print designer Yang Du who's s/s 10 collection consist of many a happy cartoon animal character inspired by a trip to the toy museum...oh Yang Du I sure do love you!

My pal the palazzo

2011-02-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

Phew after what feels like a whole century of pesky skin tight denim that is the skinny jean, the nightmare is over for there is at long, long last more trouser/ pant options available to us girls who don't fancy going down the Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse style route.Just take your pick what shall it be? Perhaps a sixties inspired denim flare?Polka dot culottes? Or my personal favourite and much preferred trouser the high-waisted p-p-palazzo not only is that quite fun to pronounce but the palazzo has the ability to take you from OKish ordinary to cool Riviera chic chick yes quite a transformation just in one little or rather super-wide big trouser. Who would have thought eh?The
pasta dish sounding trouser has such sophisticated qualities. Qualities that its harem and jean rivals cannot compete with-fact.Can a skinny jean swish, sway and offer that feminine flow of freedom in a way that the palazzo does so effortlessly?For those of us who are guilty of being attached to our faithful skirts and dresses (hands up, yep I am one of those girls!)the palazzo trouser isn't too much of an enormous style leap,plus one doesn't have to deal with denim nor sacrifice those familiar, pretty and soft patterned fabrics that us girlie girls are so fond of and have such affection towards-chiffon's,cottons, crepe, jersey, silks these darlings can still remain in your life without threatening those trusty summer dresses that vacate inside your wardrobe,the two may just become best buddies.
There is one minor glitch though.With such an abundance of palazzo's out there from polka dots,nautical stripes,Aztec triangles and ditsy florals its impossible to pick out the perfect palazzo isn't it?Well lucky for you not one to be put off by a challenge I've done my research (bit of a bitch that was-not browsing the many rails of highstreet shops), and narrowed down the best palazzo trousers out there...skinny jeans, harems and the rest you should all be afraid very afraid, for your time in the fashion spotlight is about to reach an abrupt ending.Ha!

images:look.co.uk,topshop,river island

P.S...TOMORROWS POST- YANG'S COLLECTION POP ART-A-PLENTY

The wait is over

2011-02-20T14:56:00.000-08:00

I know it's midnight(ish)round about now but heck I'm busting to blog (it's been forever if not a decade already since my last post...so you want an explanation for my slacking huh? Well it's simple I've had no computer!Yikes and yes I lost my life support machine that is the oh so stylish fashion blogshere, tears were indeed very much involved as was lots of hanging around and saving for this God send of a laptop.I attempted to fill the void with magazines-a-plenty however it just didn't fulfill those fierce fashion hunger pains like blogs can and do.Magazines are rice cakes they only fill the hunger for oohh five minutes, blogs on the other hand are, well blogs are thick crusty bread -much more substance and far more satisfying. Look at me back for five seconds and I'm comparing fashion to bread...you get the drift). I'm very much aware how I'm most probably to be the only one who is reading this post what with me doing a complete vanishing act since what , September '10?
Just in case there are any prettyneon readers that remain out there?Here is a quick glance at what I've been stalking since I last logged off...those Miu Miu shoes, the face paint gone stark raving mad Vivienne Westwood accessories campaign,Juicy Couture (I want to be there amongst all that vibrant out door tea party mayhem with the 'ickle white bunnies, heart shaped balloons,hats and bags)and of course swooning over THAT Paloma Faith frock- no words for it really just a big fat WHOAWOW!
Well night all, see you in the morning with what is possibly in my humble opinion the very best pair of super-wide trousers you have and will ever see in your life...just maybe?

Getting theatrical

2010-11-26T07:57:00.000-08:00

So we all know what this time of year consists of in terms of fashion, as sadly from September onwards this seasons trends all become a little predictable no need to style.com it. We all know the fashion drill already. In the following order...purple sequins,purple sequins and erm more lashings of purple sequins.Bored now. Or so I would usually be come this time of year, when every shop window merges into one giant sequin scene (if not sequin slaughter?).After paying much attention to the high street windows I've noticed that this season is fresh new and exciting finally those dusty sequins have been shaken off the A/W ritual is over, by introducing more textures and more style options than perhaps ever before. From rich brocade velvets,pleats,leather,Victorian inspired lace designs and vintagesque embellished old school glamorous fifties inspired frocks.All can be found in Pearl Lowe's new collection for Peacocks.

images

It's no secret that I adore Pearl Lowe's designs as many times I've sat here gushed, swooned and preached on and on and on about how excited I get whenever a new collection is revealed as I tick off and count down the days, obsessively checking out the Peacocks website for updates or sneaky peek glances.Oh and I have a slight style crush on Daisy Lowe too.But the latest installment of Pearl Lowe makes all previous collections look drab, I love the theatrical touches and grown up Gothic details and what with those festive celebrations approaching it's time to get organised and avoid the December mayhem.So I am instead doing some festive clickingI must,must, MUST act quick before any size 12/14's vanish (I made this mistake last time and cried a few tears into my pillow)and I have done just that.By mocking up my Xmas day ensemble (see above)using computer magic i.e photoshop,though some more tweaks may yet be made I'm undecided about the heart bag and I think there's too much blue going on...a festive smurf is not what I'm aiming to achieve.I may break it up with another colour? One thing is for sure the shoes I'm definitely adding to basket and the dress shall soon be on it's way, eekk I can't wait, oh the shallow, materialistic bliss!

Can't Speak French

2010-11-23T04:39:00.000-08:00

Remember how yesterday I was quite excited about my recent fashion find all thanks to the dentist? Well multiply that sheer excitement by ooh I don't know say a billion? And that's how ecstatic I am about my further finds on Derhy.The website is fantastic bursting with gem after gem, no clogs or coats with bits of sheep fluff stuck to them(I really dislike most of this years Autumn/Winter trends simply not my cup of tea: no offense sheep or sheep lovers each to their own).I've never seen such a mind blowing array of dresses and adorable fun Tops, all splashed with the most vibrant prints.One day into my Derhy investigation I've learned that it's french...do you know how distraught I am that I ditched my french lessons back in the school days. Gutted.Fear not as the website can of course be translated, phew!
However, I still very much want to pack up and relocate to France. Where's my fashion passport at? Until that day arrives the Derhy website will have to make do I guess...how do you sigh in french?

images

Falling in love

2010-11-22T04:27:00.000-08:00

I don't often blog on the go, as mobile reception is super slow around here. However I felt compelled to declare my love for Derhy.com which I've just discovered at the dentist of all places. I've never considered the dentist to be a fashion hub of exciting news/trends etc.
I should probably explain as I have about 20 minutes before they poke, push and pull my teeth around in there...the dreaded dentist room with the even more feared dentist chair ekk! Must distract and separate myself from this grim clinical reality, like right now!
I browse through an impressive selection of magazines while I await my fate (erm two fillings-bottom teeth *ouch* they kill the most),no Heat or OK mags here which are far worse than any dentist procedure in my humble opinion anyway. I can't believe anyone reads them things? Page after page of Z-list celeb 'miracle fat busting' diets and tacky celeb love 'triangles' oh the drama.
I'm rambling. Ahh yes so I pick up Style magazine, when a thin book slips out and falls on my lap, immediately the front cover grabs my attention or my inner free spirited hippie's attention anyway.Why what is this? My investigation begins not a second to waste, hmm some brand called Derhy? I'm oblivious to Derhy yet I'm already in love and want to be nothing more than a Derhy girl (just look below and your no doubt appreciate why to be a Derhy girl is my new shallow ambition) when I grow up.

images Derhy.com

...I must dash off now to the dentist chair, my investigation and research into Derhy continues.

Top of the gloss

2010-11-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

First up wow wow wows thank you ALL of you for all your comments and emails that you sent me after my last post I was and still am blown away by all the nice things you said the feedback was insane, I forget that people read this. And I'm really glad it made some of you feel better and more confident about yourselves, size tags should never define us as women, nor restrict our style.Once again many thanks gals. I must say I'm so very extremely ecstatic to return here back to blogshere where I belong it's like my home from home,yes confessions of a dork right there! I've had no computer (for fucksakes Santa please drop that red Dell laptop down my chimney on Xmas eve. I've been such a good girl and even ditched the toxic coffee.Come on I deserve it!) for a good month or so now hence the silence.Though probably quite a pleasant silence huh from all those messy fashion ramblings and rants of which I spit out and type going full speed haha.Seriously though I've been climbing the walls and reading back-to-back issues of Vogue to Bell (my pet lion head - rabbit. Not to be confused with an actual lion...now that would be silly wouldn't it?), though trends have very little importance to her, being an animal and all she doesn't have an opinion on fashion editorials unless it features a bunch of green lettuce, carrots and other various rabbit friendly vegetables,in which case she expresses her love by munching on magazine pages.Anyhoo's inspired by many weeks of reading Vogues to Bell (whilst dangling an bright orange carrot in front of her little pink nose in an attempt to catch her undivided attention...see this is what happens when you have no access to fashion blogs, no exchanges of comments etc- results in trying to have a fashion related convo with a fluffy rabbit who to be honest most of the time was baffled and just jumped around the garden.While I chased her ass around lecturing her on style, despite of course her not actually owning a wardrobe.Sigh), I thought I'd compile my own sort of Top Of The Pops (if this reference means nothing to you please youtube it...it will transform your life) style best of Vogue 2010 (so far) chart. Erm or something along those lines?

So it's no secret that I'm a slave to glossy monthly magazines,the whole lot of 'em I have no shame in admitting I judge them by their covers, flick through the pictures first ignoring all txt, then go back start again but second time round I absorb the written features, third time I over analyse the reasons to as why one image or editorial has me returning back to its page for more again and again and again days, weeks, months and years later.
Nor do I feel ashamed by the fact I have to OCD stack them in correct year/date order, I'm ridiculous over the top precious and protective over one particular fashion magazine. Vogue.Perhaps I'm over protective of her (Vogue) because I still recall when I first began collecting them as a tomboyish 10yr old child with an magpie eye for pretty things be it shoes, bags, dresses never mind if I was running around in shorts and over sized T-shirts collecting insects and cutting my knees open skateboarding. Pretty clothes were very much an attraction to my scruffy self. I guess in simple terms Vogue introduced me to the world wide wardrobe of life, art, culture and so on.Vogue has been and still remains an education to me, though no longer does it replace my Sunday night homework sessions.Though the fact still remains that Vogues excites and has such an inspiring impact on me as it did back when I was 10yrs old.Now it's become a grown up picture book with txt.
And whoa what delightful pictures Vogue has provided us with this year.Some will forever be etched upon my brain for along time to come, influencing my wardrobe and style decisions whether I be aware of this or not.Because Vogue editorials have that Derren Brown effect on you and your style subconscious, 'frilly coloured ankle socks and peeptoe shoes hmm what an odd idea of mine.Oh no hold up I remember spotting this in Vogue months back' This was my method of selecting the best of Vogue: almost all the images/editorials below from this years issue of Vogue have had an subtle ripple effect on my wardrobe,some have motivated me to depart from the familiar and push my creativity.Other Vogue issues from this year had me wanting to have a cheap sleazy night out at an gritty motel head to toe in in Miu Miu (see Vogue April issue), before signing up to the circus, and afterwards embarking on an road trip along the coast in my simple vintage lace dress hiding my face with giant sunshades.Vogue never fails to encourage us all to think outside the box?Or should that be outside the wardrobe?See what I did there?Enjoy...

Vogue October issue

Vogue Febuary issue

Vogue March issue

Vogue April issue

Tag

2010-10-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

Browsing the clothes shops during lunch time, stuffing cake down my neck when it begins to piss down I decide to take shelter in the nearest shop- H&M. With no hint of the freak down pour easing off any time soon I except that my lunch time shall just have to be wasted inside the store (bummer huh?), I have no intention of actually adopting any items, seems I do still maintain some willpower.Hmm who would have thought it?
Anywho's I'm casually browsing the rails as you do, when I spy an adorable Nana knitted reindeer jumper dress, in glorious ice cream colours. Curiosity gets the better of me and I decide to play dress up in the changing rooms to kill time. Dedicated to my normal routine I grab two different sizes as I differ from store to store. Example in Primark I can be anything from a 12-18, in Newlook I'm a size 14 and so on, schizophrenic size system? I'm not one to allow a size tag to define me nor concern me. So what if I'm like a hundred different sizes? I'm not losing sleep over it or going to stress that I have a size 16 hanging up in my wardrobe.I enjoy food and I enjoy fashion lucky enough for me I've never felt compelled to keep the two separate, err not that I go around wearing cake or anything.I fell in love with style and fashion but never really swooned over or felt the desire to be like those models who grace the pages of Vogue and Elle etc.To me they simply aren't realistic.
Sadly to a small few they seem to be an hollow inspiration, if not some twisted religion?

As I pull over my size 14 jumper dress, and team it with a pair of size 12 heart patterned shorts (sale £4, yes I did take these home), I'm content not distraught that the size 12 jumper failed to slid over my curves. However next door to my changing room, I over hear various very disturbing conversations bouncing off the paper thin walls of the stores changing rooms. It's not exactly hard to hear others chatter through the flimsy walls.Firstly I over hear one group of girls erasing food groups from their "diet bible". I only wish I was kidding.
One girl sounds heartbroken, distraught and angry about failing to fit into a size 8,disgusted that she can't squeeze into the children's clothes, rather than her 'friend' comfort her and inform her that it's perfectly Okay for a twenty something to wear womenswear rather than a size age 5-6 jeans, she agrees with her upset friend that she has indeed "piled on the pounds through indulging in too much cereal" and must stick to the "model's diet the one we read in Style magazine". As if their deluded banter couldn't become anymore odd, they both agree to purchase a dress which is two sizes too small and "ditch lunch for three months"
Guess those two girls won't be stopping at Gregs for a bite to eat?
The opposite side of my changing room, I over hear yet another fragile and upset girl
work herself up in a huff about going up one dress size. She begins telling herself off and ranting at her bemused pal,"how am I ever going to get another date with any hot men if I keep ballooning up to the next size? I can't believe I need a size 12!Do you think I should consider that Slimfast diet?"
Erm no love I think you should consider getting a grip of reality and let go of size tags, they are just tags after all and are not the be all end all of the world.Buy the garmet you like pay less attention to the size by snipping off the tag, hang up those hang ups and don't allow false celebrity/model images fool you into believing that any size is wrong be it a size 8,10,12,14,16,18 or XL.Just roll with what you've got and except the solid fact that we can't all look identical we aren't all born with Vogue-esque limbs, this doesn't mean you can't celebrate and be proud of you and your own style. As for slimfasting it to keep the opposite sex pleased and have frequent dates. Please don't be daft, banish the thought that men only find air brushed women attractive. Besides come on now, think about it- nothing except bland low fat powder like milkshake everyday? Urrgh just for the sake of dropping a tag size or two. May I suggest you repeat this foolish idea out loud, so you can confirm how utterly crazy and insane that is.

Weekend Crush'in

2010-10-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

Why the one week hiatus? Do you remember my go casual for one week dare? Inflicted on me by my 'friend' who is a great believer in skinny jeans and rock & roll tee's, the 'friend' who egged me on playground style to indulge and become bff with denim. Yes well all the experimenting with dressing down left me for dead,casual left me defeated and by day four I surrounded by skipping around in my floaty floral frock, waving an anti-denim anti-casual flag created by recycling my denim jeans (never again peoples, I indeed committed a crime)you know just thinking of the environment and all that green jazz!
I'm still recovering from my casual/denim break down, I fear these mental wounds may never truly heal: I had an alarming nightmare in which several pairs of jeans and other casual items formed into this double denim blue beast, it invaded my wardrobe when Alexa Chung (like my nightmare couldn't become any worse)appeared and began to lecture me on all things 'cool' and casual forcing me to watch T4 before setting fire to my collection of dresses. To pick myself up from the deep depressing depths of fashion hell that is casual, I've made a weekend wish list to banish all memories of denim jeans forever!(insert smug/evil loud laugh)forever I tell you! Beginning with Peacocks who have an epic 20 % sale discount on everything including sale items.

I'm crushin like I've never crushed before (does that sound wrong?)on Peacocks Victorian floral bag and tanned heeled brogues,eekk and have you seen the pretty authentic Pearl dress? Have ya, have ya, have ya?! Now I have no intentions of waking up early tomorrow,dragging my feet to the nearest bus stop (which err isn't very near at all) and squeezing onto the packed sweaty Saturday bus full of screaming kids and oddballs.Hell no I'm killing two birds with one stone...catching up on shut eye followed by abusing the Peacocks 20 % off sale online from the comfort of my bedroom whoop, whoop. No sore feet,stuffy changing rooms or migraine's caused by bemused, bored screaming toddlers for me. Insert another whoop HERE.

Keeping it casual...day three

2010-09-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

Casual, casual, casual you are a denim thorn in my side, and yes casual I can hear you mocking me, well guess what quite frankly the joke is on you.Because casual I've had enough of you causing me headaches, I've had enough of you consuming the first hour of my day, considering on a sane normal non-casual day I take thirty minutes hmmm and a bit give or take whether I smudge mascara on the tip of my nose.To sum you up casual, your a piss take.Providing me with conundrum after bloody conundrum.Who ever spread the urban myth that casual combined with denim is laid back effortless dressing? HA!Yeah right,and I have the long elegant limbs of an runway model (err I don't)yes Moss and Stone watch your backs you have some fierce competition of course this is talk of a deluded person, who envy anyone who can successfully keep it casual. Seems I really cannot keep it casual, at least not effortlessly like all other girls claim to do.I feel like a fake: a denim dressing down fraud.Casual has pushed me to the very brink of wardrobe suicide, and when considering I spent four hours seeking for those elusive perfect pair of jeans this isn't at all too over dramatic, tis fact.
Every pair confronted me with various dilemma's.Dreaded denim dilemma's.Sigh where to begin? Well jeans pair one drowned me sagging round the knees ( I have odd flat knees they refuse to poke outwards) jeans pair two concealed my favourite pair of shoes, jeans pair three created builders bum, jeans pair four were almost ideal until I failed to hitch the zip up, (Okay so if I ditch the Friday night curry who knows that zip might slide up, however I'd rather consume the curry than drop to a size 12. I'm a size 14 always have been and I've always been comfortable with this nice healthy number)still that's Topshop sizing for you!My last stop for denim was DPs where I found some special needs jeans i.e petite under five foot people. Joy, problem solved.Well almost what the heck do I wear with jeans, a dress would that be cheating?Ah yes it is as I now remember and regret ever saying "I'm ditching the frocks!" Oh you foolish, foolish thing you. What was you thinking?

After much stress, screaming, styling, huffing and wardrobe tantrums, I decide to not think about it and stick to my familiar method of throwing on layers fooling myself into believing I'm not sporting jeans.I finally depart from bedroom and from house, the first five hours I felt nothing but constricted I begin to mourn the movement and freedom of my beloved vintage tea pot and floral print frock.I feel transparent too, now everyone can see the tomboy of which I am, I can't disguise my boyishness with a dress, or lace chiffon skirt: I have to really focus on being feminine.Tomorrow I shall attempt to keep intact some frilly, flirty, girlie elements, perhaps the thrift items I snagged today will contribute towards tomorrows future style.I'm feeling really smug with myself (not for failing to do casual) but because I pulled out so many thrift treasures today from various local charity shops, though they aren't as impressive as where I used to live, so a heavy dose of creativity shall be required.My favourite thrift item has gots to be the fruit salad print scarf 50p I predict I will be wearing it to death- with everything.
Am I rambling?Sorry here's the pics already...

all the above thrift

above from Peacocks

Seven days of casual

2010-09-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Yes me doing casual. It wasn't easy I tell you! See I'm the sort girl who will wear a fancy OTT frock and nice patent shoes just for an mundane dentist appointment, dressing down is an alien concept to me. Its far more time consuming and inconvenient for me to do casual it requires much more concentration and problem solving than say a nice tea dress and tights.I envy those girls, you know the ones? Who are comfortable and content to just pull on a T-shirt, leggings and pumps ready to go.How exactly do they do that?
Casual completely baffles me,I end up stressed and lost in confusion when faced with basics, I freak out, panic and end up accessorising the hell out of the whole jeans T-shirt combo. Necklaces throw 'em on, bangles hell yes all the way up to my armpit, scarves why not wear two?Result I end up looking like I've rolled around the floor of Oxfam, or on a good day crashed a pantomime.
Where I live I see so many girls in drab plain grey leggings, dragging their feet around in worn out ugly- uggs and jumpers complete with tent sized hood, clutching on to a bag- of chips from the local greasy spoon, their hair scooped up in a ponytail.Is it any wonder I avoid casual like the plague? I've never seen a good example of casual, to be inspired or motivated to step into casual.So this experience is a whole new learning curb for me actually I recall learning to walk a hell of a lot easier.Evidently I still have a long way to go, I've not even began to dabble with plain leggings and T-shirts, and I have no bloody intention to join the locals and adopt their beloved ensemble of a Nike hoodie, beige uggs and a tray of chips as an accessory. However I'm willing to ditch the vintage delicate dresses and all things patent but only for this week, unless the imaginable occurs and I get attached to this dressing down business.So why the sudden harsh style challenge I hear you ask? It's a dare, and I'm not one to snub a dare nor do I very much enjoy losing.Dressing down I will not be defeated, I'm confident I can crack this one, I shall commit myself fully to casual and slip into those plain leggings and slouchy T-shirt, no matter how much it gives me nightmares and keeps me awake at night.Oh gawd only what? Another six days to go.Joy.
Below is my first attempt at casual, marks out of ten? Hmm I give myself a nice healthy six and a half.

P.S...thank's to all those kind fellow fashion blogger's who helped me solve my problem with the old commenting drama, it's working now.So expect me to be pestering you all soon HA, lucky you!

The C word

2010-09-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

Cup size, cup size, cup size, do any of us girls really know our actual bra size?I'm talking exact measurements here, not a quick self-estimate in front of your mirror, or a clumsy DIY bra fitting in the bathroom.Tape measure spun everywhere, one end tucked under your armpit the other end somehow wrapped around your neck?A tug here, a tug there until the tape measure reads the digits YOU want it to read, never mind the truth, ignorance is bliss in regards to bra size.
The bra size debate has been a popular one for the last few months (thank gawwd the media is over the whole size zero topic. Yawn. There's skinny girls, there's curvy girls and there's all the ones inbetween;it really is that simple), with almost every magazine and newspaper accusing us of wearing the incorrect bra size.When I read such intrusive articles I automatically begin defending myself and my boobs,'Umm yeah right over half a percentage of women wearing the wrong bra size, plea-ssse anyway how do they know? Pervs!'

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I can only guess this sudden hot topic has been fuelled by the likes of Gaga and Perry encouraging the underwear as outerwear trend (Thanks for that.But I'm not and shall never be convinced,my underwear is staying very much underneath: the thought of flashing such flesh when out and about running errands such as popping to the post office with my puppies also popping out, well it alarms me-deeply...I'm not into the street crawler, call girl look, no thanks and no way!), I must admit the underwear/outerwear trend had me all concerned.As I had this nightmare, in which I hit the highstreet for a fix of fashion retail only to discover, the only options were underwear as outwear.Gasp.My underwear nightmare continues with a gang of shop assistants quizzing me over my bra size,'what are you huh?A or Z cup or both?What are you?!Your undies must fit correctly, don't forget it will be visible to everyone!Now what are you!'The crazy evil and pushy shop assistant begins hunting me down the highstreet, trying to capture me with a gigantic bra used as a net I shout,' ahhhh I don't know leave me, leave me the hell alone...noooo it's too late I trip and fall down a bra trap, I'm forced to parade around the street in only my bra and knickers. I escape my underwear nightmare by playing dead, only to awake in reality with some serious bra demons playing havoc with my conscious.What size am I?What if my nightmare comes true (Okay so this gypsy once informed me how you reverse all your dreams, no need to worry then?Right?), what if I wake up one morning to find them sitting on my feet?Good God, can that happen if you fail to wear the right bra size for a long period of time?Before paranoia persists anymore, it's time for me to make that date.Bra fitting date.
The word yikes comes to mind as I reach ever closer to my bra fitting location, I can almost feel my embarrassment bringing attention to itself like a big old drive-thru neon sign.How can I a 24yr old woman be so worried, and frightened of a frigging bra fitting?It's ridiculous.I'm ridiculous, however this fact doesn't prevent me from imagining worst case scenarios,like the following: I enter fitting room, greeted by a butch looking diner lady type with a beard,she repeatedly pings my bra straps taunting me with cruel words, for being twenty sizes out, 'Your a pathetic A cup, you silly little girl not an Z cup!Hahaha look, look she has no cleavage, you don't need a bra what you need is a child's vest!' ping, ping, ping.

Eekk, I arrive waiting at the fitting room, intimidated by numerous glossy posters
of perfect underwear models, with their all so perfect cleavage as I begin reminding myself how the models perky tits have no doubt been photoshoped a hundred times over, the dreaded bra fitter approaches me. Turns out she isn't at all frightening (err nor does she have a beard),the bra fitting takes one minute with her tape measure,'There you are then all done,would you like to see our selection of bras?' Phew and wow that was indeed speedy and not cringe worthy at all, though sadly I prove those pervy researchers right- I've been wearing the incorrect bra size. Sigh. How did this ever happen? You don't purchase pair of shoes before trying them on do you?

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As the kind and helpful no longer dreaded 'bra fitter' shows me a selection of bra's for the more (cough) curvy woman, I have adopted a whole new fear. Having to wear a thick, old unattractive,basic beige bra.I feel like special needs, why don't these places go past the standard B/C cup?Is that really asking too much, I'm not requesting for Jordan style bra's:my boobs aren't abnormal nor air bag like(no offense Jordan). I have no other option than to browse the Internet for 'plus size' bras, urrgh now this really does sound special needs.Who knew a D cup required the ugly term which is a big fat p-p-'plus'?No I don't feel like a freak at all, honest.
After much vomiting and being in fits of laughter over the hideous choice of plus size bra's (all about as delicate and pretty as a straight jacket),I discover Freyalingerie which provide an array of beautiful, cool and sexy non-pensioner bra's from sizes B to J cup, all available in the hottest trends (straight jacket not included)and all utterly desirable.So there really is no excuse to squish and suffocate those bouncing puppies into the wrong bra size just for the sake of wearing a pretty ditsy floral lace bra.Finally fashion and fit unite, no more 'Ouch' and no more bra demons.Underwear as outerwear hmm sounds quite appealing.Gaga and Perry I may just join you after all!

P.S...I know, I know I keep moaning about this, but can anyone help me out? I'm unable to drop comments on other blogs due to 'server error' WTF? This is hellish. As I'm reading posts and can't leave any banter.Techno wizards I need your knowledge pretty please?Many thanks x

Sunday Swooning...

2010-09-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

...I am indeed overwhelmed by sheer ecstatic joy right now, the impact of these gorgeous, luxurious suede wedges from Office
oh the mono checks, oh the rich Jewell blue, oh, oh, oh the granny floral tapestry.
I've literally spent the last half hour dribbling over my keyboard,these eyes of mine fixated on the screen in a deep trance.An asteroid could have crashed and burned into earth, pigs may be flying I'm none the wiser...oblivious in fact.Heck Kelly Jones could be sat downstairs at the diner table right now alongside Leonardo Dicaprio and BRMC, nothing and I mean NOTHING, could distract me from simply swooning over these suede beaut's. I'm convinced by purchasing all three pairs (Okays just one pair, I agree buying three pairs is a wee bit excessive, I shall not even entertain such greedy thoughts. She lies)of these Office shoes, that it would inject much fulfilment banishing mundane from my days, and truly enhance my wardrobe, if not indeed whole entire life?To obtain those tapestry wedges would give me such eternal joy.I swear I would never ever need,or crave another pair of shoes ever again-ever.Now think how much more healthier my bank balance would be in the future, by buying THOSE shoes. Investment.It makes complete financial sense right?Plus,I'd be contributing towards the textile industry: keeping a traditional method such as tapestry alive for many years to come,preventing such a highly skilled technique from dying out thus keeping textile designers,and textile graduates in employment (unlike some ex- textile graduates.Points at self)one less signing on/ jobseekers/ dole book dished out,less paper waste thus saving many trees (or at least one tree anywhoo's)keeping the Green Peace gang very happy.
My £68 office shoe purchase is fully justified. I'd be saving the frigging environment, yeah just call me miss Eco warrior...tapestry floral wedges wearing Eco warrior.

Jump into the boxing ring

2010-09-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

Yes jump into the boxing ring but for Christsakes mind those kitten tails!
Has the girl lost the plot? What is she talking about? Boxing rings, kitten tails. No I'm not mixing my drinks (for the night is still so young), I'm referring to Brooklyn based self taught fashion designer Maya Lake aka Boxingkitten playful African inspired pieces.I was having a micro (err very micro like five minutes blitz) spring clean of my desk, when this old orange post-it note fell into my lamp. Now if it had been any other colour post-it note I would have ignored it.But in my ever so slightly OCD manner,I prioritize blog features/ideas importance etc by colour coding each one,numbering them and err dating each one too.Don't laugh.I clearly need head help.
So my post-it note colour code system goes as follows...
pink:I spy a future trend occurring.Importance- average.
Yellow:possible feature idea in progress.Importance- so, so.
Green:I need to chase this person/designer/artist and beg for interview.Importance- high.
Orange:So exciting I've just experienced a bladder problem, must, must, must publish feature soon as.Importance-very important.
And so on.
So just how exactly this little orange post-it note from '09 ever escaped me and failed to feature on my blog, I'm baffled.
None of that matters now, I shall continue.Where was I before I began rambling and boring you all to tears about my post-it note system? Aw yes Boxingkitten.com

.... Designer Maya Lake (she's come along way since I accidentally tripped upon her early collection, with high profile 'celeb' customers such as Alicia 'Newyork!' Keys, Beyonce and her little sister so Google informs me anyways.Still impressive stuff huh?For a self taught designer and all),garments first caught my attention after noticing the array of more traditional textile techniques and methods (I'm a self confessed textile nerd: it's my first love and what I have a B.A in...for all it's worth?) which she applies to each piece, a combination of African wax block printing and batiking (swoon, also my beloved textile technique too)explaining why and how Maya's surface designs are so rich in vibrant, bold colour. The electric, busy yet elegant prints literally jump off the garment and into your lamp (much like that post-it note of mine!), the influences behind Boxingkitten collections are just as colourful.With inspirations often being both vintage and politics effortlessly constructed together in a mass appealing way.Each piece has a sentimental value paying homage to both a bygone fashion style,and dying design techniques, whilst hungry for the now and styling out the future for fashion.Maya Lakes designs definitely cannot be put into no box.

P.S...Girls/guys fellow fashion bloggers I'm having techno issues.I've been reading blogs (obviously) however I'm having trouble leaving comments.This pesky Error service message crops up. Can anyone help me out?Thank you's!x

Dorothy has me dazed

2010-09-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

If your anything like me, your understand the need to constantly stalk fashion, I'll admit right here right now, that admittedly I dedicate far too much time to stumbling around various virtual fashion hang outs,yeah you know the ones.Anyway one link leads to another and I end up at an enchanting little place called dazeddorothy.
Immediately I'm reminding myself to avoid any transactions (...roll on payday),and regret ever discovering this place. Why the regret? Well to resist Corinne Robinson's (shes the girl behind the leather and suede goodies) handmade accessories is not too unlike resisting a big box of chocolates, in fact I'd go as far to say that Corrines creations are way, way more tempting than any chocolate.This compliment is not at all over generous,tis fact.
Glasgow based textile designer Corrine Robinson specially created limited edition handbags,belts and purses are remarkable for two reasons one they are beautifully bespoke with vintage buttons, ribbons and other pretty delicate trimmings sourced from all corners of the world.And two her pieces look handmade rather than homemade: which is sometimes the risk in regards to bespoke textile accessories,with most resembling a product sewn and knitted by those cute Shreddies nanas.There is nothing at all nana like about dazeddorothy.

Each purse, handbag, belt and clutch have an beautiful dramatic edge to them, the vintage sourced buttons and beads provide a very special whimsical, kitsch, eclectic and sentimental touch combined with Corrines stunning and dazzling splash of embellishment injecting a dose of gorgeous glamour to each piece.Corrine even has the magic power of injecting new life into all your discarded handbags which you fell out of love with many moons ago, by deconstructing, decorating and delivering you a brand new bespoke handbag of your dreams.With dazeddorothys 'Revamp,Restyle' interactive design service, in which you can play fashion designer for the day. By selecting design details such as colour,materials, size etc.
...hmm now where did I put that bland Primark handbag?

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Bespoke LBD oh yes please!

2010-09-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

We all love a classic, sexy and sophisticated LBD don't we ladies? Often finding that dreamy little black dress can be challenging at best. Some LBD's are too safe, and others too neutral, too clone like too I've seen it all before.Yawn.
Now what with the party season fast approaching (is it too early to be feeling all festive?)my mind is racing with this thought 'what to wear?' on repeat. Okays so it shall most probably be an LBD for the works Xmas party. Only the LBD I have envisioned doesn't exist. Or at least it didn't until a stylish little birdy gave me a tip off.Today I'm feeling all generous, so as an early Christmas gift from moi to you,listen up I have some super exciting news for you, which could ...no wait will solve all your LBDD's (little black dress drama's).

BrandAlley and Fashion Enter have teamed up with fresh,new exciting up and coming fashion designers to launch their 'Little Black Dress' collection.Inspired by 'Breakfast at Tiffany's',budding future Westwood's and Deacon's have been hard at work dedicated to bring us a fierce collection of not one but ten LBD's all with an individual design twist.From Batmobile to Lace Noir,this collection of LBD's are from dull or neutral,and as if this wasn't exciting enough all you BrandAlley fans can also click and purchase a unique bespoke LBD.And with prices starting at just £60 it would be rude not to press 'buy'. Plus the odds of you and your fellow colleagues arriving at that Christmas party wearing the dreaded identical dress are pretty slim.Decision making time:which LBD will you be opting for?
Me? I'm speeding away with the Batmobile.Contemporary-check, sculptured-check,modern-check.To die for?Hell yes!This LBD frock would make Audrey Hepburn blush.

Wardrobe Lust & Lemsips

2010-09-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

Whoop, whoop first flu of the September season.Nice.Bring on the swollen eyes, sore throat, sneezing, soup and feeling very sorry for ones self.Each person has their different methods make and mend themselves better,probably the most common method of them all to simply rest, relax, kick back drink ridiculous amounts of tea and dunk even more ridiculous amounts of chocolate biscuits...one, two, three shit where did all the other biscuits go?!
Wish I could say the above was how I recovered from common cold or flu.
I don't do rest,or sitting in bed it drives me insane I begin to panic freak out and develop this annoying little twitch when I miss out on my daily and constant fashion fix.I'm aware this sounds terribly LOOK AT ME I'M A GOD DAMN FASHION VICTIM.
It's tragic how much my life revolves around fashion, I literally cannot go one minute without my thoughts and ponders doing a sharp U-turn returning to fashion.Even my choice of TV consists of Ugly Betty and ANTM.How cringe worthy?How awful, how lame?
Flu or no flu, my mindset doesn't alter. Despite my eyes stinging like a bitch, head banging and generally falling apart, I'm determined to dig out all my fashionzines (magslag me? No Never!) log on to the computer and take a looksee at all things fashion. Heaven forbid I should miss out on any fashion gems.And I may of just stumbled upon the best and most effective cure for pesky common cold yet...Fearn Cottons pieces for VERY.
As far as celeb fashion collections go, I write them off as bollocks. Why?
Because I interned at a design studio where one celeb would drop by once in a blue Moon via LA, take a glance at our design developments, and slap their forename to the products, i.e the 'celeb' do sweet fa.Hence why many a celeb fashion collection doesn't really reflect their personal style.They are absent altogether from the design process.Unless clutching a paper cup of posh coffee counts as design contribution?Go figure. Behind the famous name handbags, or frocks lay ripped off design graduates,sewing away in a small dark basement studio.

So imagine how utterly shocked and pleasantly surprised I was when I click on Fearn Cottons collection, to find myself actually liking (if not lusting over) pretty much her whole entire range, tops, dresses, skirts,shoes the lot tick, tick, tick-tick.
The collection is genuine, original with a consistent vintage I'm-with-the-band sixties vibe flowing through each and every single design detail.It's evident that a lot more than drinking posh coffee went on behind the scenes of this stunning fashion collection. I'm converted and convinced that a dose of Cotton's collection for VERY, will banish my nasty cold...lemsips aahhh please, just give me a spoonful of them shoes (above).

Sunday Shame (on me)

2010-09-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

...Shame, shame , shame on me indeed. What was I thinking? How did I turn into a magazine stalker ? Why did I do that for?
Why on earth did I just send an email/ shameless fashion fan letter to Mimi Spencer for?WHY?!
Heck I can't even place blame of being under the influence being t-total and all, perhaps it was the ginger beer or vanilla tea playing havoc with my common sense. I don't know, I just do not know? Maybe I'm no longer content with simply praising Mimi from behind the pages of You,and swooning over her savy fashion musings anymore.
For such a very long time I've contemplated with the silly idea of sending her an email, trying my very best to ignore Mimi's E-mail address printed at the end of the page.I pen drafts, just to talk myself out of it again and again and-again.
For years I've gone out of my way every Sunday to drag my feet down the road into town so I can buy the daily mail, same routine each and every Sunday afternoon.
Routine goes as follows: I bounce through the front door, slump down in the sofa rip open seal which contains the Sunday newspaper and shake out the fashion supplement. Scan through contents page,and skip straight to page 11 i.e Mimi Spencer's page.Picking out my favourite Mimi quotes and style observations, (I read these out loud. Don't ask me why,as I don't know either?It's simply one of those things, out of many random things I do. Like saying thank you to a cash machine-manners are always in Vogue)My fave Mimi quote this Sunday has got to be the opening introduction to designer Maria Grachvogel trousers

..."If you could boil your entire wardrobe down-like stock-into one key piece, you'd arrive eventually at a pair of excellent black trousers."

Lines like this (above) are all the reasons why I adore Mimi Spencer. Seriously can you imagine brewing the perfect fashion stock? Yum delicious. What would your stock consist of? Mine would be thick and opaque with forties vintage tea dresses, antique trinket jewellery with a pinch of kick back boyish grunge...and a hint of harem.
Yes harem.I finally lived on the edge, went for the kill, shut my eyes tight and jumped off the edge of my style comfort zone, the fall into harems was honestly quite a frightening one.These are the first pair of trousers I have ever owned ever, but whether I want to obtain more harem trousers or even harem-less trousers, hmmm I'm really not sure?I've discovered harems do succeed in providing the perfect lazy slouchy Sunday style (what with all their slouchyness and all),however I do enjoy the freedom and swaying of dresses, how versatile they can be,how many characters you can convey via one garment with just a quick switch of accessories.How fabulously fast and instant a dress is: no need to stress about selecting and pairing the correct style T-shirt, blouse,blazer,top or belt etc. You can grab a frock pull it over your bed head, and just frock-off out the front door literally ready in five.
Harems/trousers on the other hand require far more effort, more effort and energy I can be asked to dedicate on a lazy sunny (with a few grey rain clouds, hence the need for socks!) Sunday. Harems in my opinion are still very much to be debated.And so my trouser experiment continues, where this adventure will eventually lead me the fashion gods only know? Fingers crossed it shall not involve the role of denim,as I and denim go like fish and marmite. Umm nice.

P.S...Mimi do feel free to spam!

Boys don't like 'em harems

2010-09-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

Remember those premature trend predictions? Rewind 2008, hints of the harem being hailed as the new skinny jean? I shrugged I smirked and I laughed behind my glossy mags at those trend experts (no offense I'm fascinated by the journey of fashion trends and everything but it did read as quite comical ...to begin with)of which I normally respect and admire: for they are the top secret fashion spies here to save our day and stock our beloved retail stores with nice pretty clothes,not to mention tip off fashion editors and fill our glossy magazines with even more glossy dreamy runway editorials.
But really harems?Come on!Hmm yeah were see there's two years to go yet but were see if the harem hits our highstreet and becomes swiftly adopted by the fashion elite before you can say Aladdin.

One year on '09,and oh my gawwd how do they do that? 'Em fashion insiders have physic abilities and magical powers,the harem has indeed been very much hailed and has just frigging invaded every runway across the globe.The evidence? Pictures splashed across all the BIG guns Elle, Vogue, Style all with their own versions of how to style the harem all completely hideous yet cunningly, all completely valid too. Now only the E's and V's of this world can do that.Convince us wardrobe conscious souls that the harem is 2009's key silhouette, back from the dead...be afraid be very afraid, they used THAT term 'key' as in won't be going anywhere any time soon, as in the same term used when skinny jeans made their come back appearance, as in ain't no micro trend.
Like I said be scared.
Yikes fast forward to now 2010.Many other trends have already been and gone, some remain strong such as yes, yes congrats you've guessed it-harems still hanging around in various colours and patterns with newly coined names attached to them...tribal, Gypsy,Jungle,Aladdin (Okay so one of the names have been made up by moi)is there no escaping this escalating 'Key silhouette' ridiculous trend?
Everything about the harem is to be feared,slouchy cut, clumsy cropped leg, high gathered waist alarm bells should seriously be ringing- very loudly!

...present day couldn't help but notice how my local Newlook branch have several (please don't make me say it) h-a-r-e-m pants hanging off the rails, along with Riverisland and Topper's.And I remain pondering whether to do it or not. Will it be fashion suicide, will it be one of those style cringe moments that despite all my power I could never succeed to erase?
I enter Newlook, gravitate towards the harem vortex so full of promise when judging by their window display, and posters of long-limbed models.Right, right I'm ready I quickly grab a pair going against all my common sense, mmm zebra print nice embracing the jungle vibe. Wait, wait maybe these are too jungle book? I reverse into the harem vortex and pick up navy ditsy print polka dot version.
I take my tag into the changing room, remove myself out from my comfort zone (vintage dress, waist coat, clogs), when I over hear a couples convo.
Girlfriend: "I love these, I saw Fearn Cotton wear these exact ones, whatch'a think, they're cute right I won't wear them with these shoes though...well ?"
Boyfriend:"Are you sure or what? They look daft they make all girls look ugly, you look like you've just shit yourself,nahh I don't like 'emm babes. What were those other trousers you chose, they're nice babe."
...the heavy harem debate continued, with the devastated GF sharply hitting back with some line about how she hates her BF's tight white skinny jeans and "indie rock" look, slagging off his guitar skills or lack of.It's a tricky little trend recking otherwise healthy relationships.Is this not reason enough to avoid the harem at all costs?
Yeah it was, up until I visited Topshop and spotted military style harems with gold button pocket detail in the final clearance sale (does this mean R.I.P for the stubborn harem trend?She prays)a few quid. Yes I did. Why I don't know? Curiosity perhaps?
My harem outfit slash tragedy shall be documented right here.