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!'




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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...

...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?





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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.