Getting theatrical

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!'




images

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?





images
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...

...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

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

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?





all images

Bespoke LBD oh yes please!

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.