Happy Because

white noise - PFW Streetstyle

2012-01-26T03:59:00.000-08:00

I'v recently been going through my shots from September and I found some cool stuff I just never got around to posting... I'd seriously advise you all to try for an all-white ensemble, or at least an ensemble which contains NO black at all (no, not even tights).

dusk in your eye

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have to face the sad truth about these trousers, they're too big. And it's really annoying. In these photos I'm pretty much shoving my hands in the pockets to pull the excess fabric up, holding them up at the back, and basically looking super awkward and hoping that the crotch hasn't dropped to like, my knees. Then flailing around editing photos which have massive folds of fabric at the pockets.
I can layer over them and belt them up til the cows come home but they never really look right in real life. (Perfect example of my habit of buying clothes regardless of their size coming back to bite me)
I guess I could solve this conundrum by reaching for the white carbs (more often than I do already. Which is er, often) but then none of my other clothes would fit and I'd be left wearing corduroy flares for the foreseeable future. I don't love them enough to do that.
This outfit is also an example of when it would come in handy to own/be able to wear jewelry without getting annoyed and losing it instantly. Someone needs to teach me how to do jewelry better.

fortified wine

2012-01-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

Jacket - Vintage
Dress - found in my house... a relic
Tights - Calvin Klein
Boots - DMs

Really enjoying the 90s/nightwear overtones of this dress. Spaghetti straps and all. Not really okay with wearing it sans jacket though. Bit much, ya dig? Bit freezing, also.

I hung out in a rooftop wigwam this week. With mulled cider. And a fire pit. Could it get much better?

get confusion

2012-01-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

Top - Eairth
Trousers - Mango
Converse

These trousers are jumping into all my outfits at the moment, I just don't have enough trousers. And these ones were £7 and I feel smug about it. These outfit shots seem strange to me, quite stark. Perhaps this isn't the ideal way to shoot a look which is tactile and fluid. Shapeless, some might say. But it's pieces like this which I find most enjoyable to wear, which can be untucked, re-tucked, draped this way and that as you move around. I can't say I really like clothes which can be worn only one way, the way they were intended to sit on the body, and that's that. I suppose that's why I often buy things in larger sizes. Well I never.

homeslice

2012-01-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

It's time to head back to London. I hope it's not going to bite too hard following these weeks of festive home comforts. I've delved back into my inbox this week so I think I'm just about managing a work mentality... but we'll see.
These are a few of my favourite Christmas gifts and decorations around my criiib. D'you love that mug? I want to buy them for everyone! Oh and I need to steal the antlers ASAP, my Dad found them up a mountain, brought 'em home and cleaned 'em up.

fiction a look

2012-01-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

Sweater - H&M Mens
Leather trousers - H&M
Converse

I love this jumper. It's so cold here, so necessary to have hefty knitwear that you can also wear in the evening to go to the bar.
Sleet and crazy winds have trapped me in the house (sort of) but I'm not doing anything useful with my housebound time... just doing things like making pancakes, doing crosswords and scribbling in notebooks. Twee, no?

life is good when the band is smokin' hot

2011-12-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

Dress - ASOS
This lipstick smells like clay. Like lipstick that you get in a toy makeup set. It's from Marks & Spencer - don't buy it unless you're an enormous cheapskate like me. Good colour though.

So it's probably definitely New Years Eve. If I wrote down all the things that have happened in the past year, in columns headed Good and Bad, I have a feeling that the latter column would somewhat outweigh the former. But the thing is, I'm happy. So that really doesn't matter. When I look back, it isn't the negative things which glare out of the last 12 months, they are muted by an overall haze of contentment and heightened understanding. I think every year, my resolution should be to just work on that balance of understanding.

So much love to all of you, whether we've met or not.
Go out and vibe and dance and kiss tonight!

matter of time

2011-12-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

Shirt - ASOS
Jeans - H&M
Boots - Vintage

I need more shirts in my life like this one. Not something I'd usually be drawn to but it's definitely in the running to become my new best buddy. I've started to ignore the (sensible) voice in my head which tells me not to button my shirts right up cos I ain't flat chested enough for dem ting. You're all too distracted by my lame photo effects and unintentional homage to a film I've never seen, huh?

So I hope you're all set for this weekend! Have a sweet time, whatever you're doing.
Send me snow vibes, I want the white stuff. Now. x

La Redoute in Paris

2011-12-20T06:28:00.000-08:00

Last month, La Redoute were kind enough to invite us to have a gander at their new lines. Hopped the eurostar for a day in Paris, where they'd commandeered the galleries across a few winding streets in which to install their various collections - homeware, womenswear, designer collabs. You name it.
Not only were the pieces curated(?) so beautifully within the spaces, I found myself compiling an increasingly greedy mental wishlist as the day went on. Including pieces of home decor, and kids clothing... it's all so French chic. I want my children to be French chic, even if I'll never quite pull it off. And I want a wicker reindeer light.
The womenswear collaboration with Anthony Vaccarello is amazing. So covetable (see the images here on Fashion Gone Rogue, modelled by Anja Rubik.) The designer himself was there, and was so lovely. I super want the sheer shirt but I don't know if the opaque parts would be... substantial enough. Unlikely to stop me wearing it though really, huh?
I wasn't banking on racking up the hefty internal wishlist that I did, as I usually don't let myself get too attached to pieces at Press Days... maybe it was the Parisian air. I may or may not (depending on who's reading this) have done some Christmas shopping on the La Redoute website as I've been housebound. It's sure worth a look. Just don't look too hard if you're on my Christmas gift list.

girl calls

2011-12-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

Skirt - my Mum's, possibly her old school skirt. I unearthed it when I had an intensely typical punk phase and it was disappointingly long on my 11-year-old frame. Here it comes again.
Sweater - second hand
Boots - DMs
Jacket - Vintage (the jacket is necessary, it's -1 and snowy)

Another day, another unflattering tartan skirt.
I was thinking about Liv Tyler being a speed freak in Empire Records, but then, who isn't?

Y'know how I was saying I'd been ill? Gonna keep talking about that, lucky you.
I've been feeling heaps better, more so since I got home to the North, but I decided to shuffle along to the doctor's anyway just to check I'm not dying or anything. Woah, error. It was like going to the hairdresser for a trim and coming away with a bright red mohawk. I ended up spending a solid 24 hours in hospital having all sorts of things tested. I left with the conclusion that, yes, I'm ill, I have glandular fever amongst other things, but, no, I can't do anything about it. That's all. Thanks world.
I feel absolutely fine to be honest but now I get to refuse to do things and make people help me on the grounds that I'm diseased. I'd say that the reason I look so pale is due to illness but it's really not, that's just my skin/hair combo. Colourless. Like a jellyfish.

Have a good weekend, darlinz.

PJ Party with Rachel Roy

2011-12-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

Well I haven't blogged in about a year, this is awkward. Is anyone still here? I've been blogging for about 19 years now, pretty much since I was born, and that's the longest hiatus I've ever taken. No big deal though. I just got like, really sick and stuff. And I'm about to link this to fashion.

In New York I went to Rachel Roy's presentation and the models were all standing in the sun and it was really super hot and I felt quite sad until a good looking man brought them water with straws. Nobody really cared about the models withstanding midday NYC sun in full evening wear though, we were too busy looking at the clothes and suspiciously eyeing the three people who looked like they might be holding goodie bags. And thinking about Christmas parties, obviously. That's why I'm bringing this up now. Was that not clear?
Basically, I'm about to head back to the North. When I get there I'm going headfirst into the glut of magnificently dirty charity shops which are the main feature of any self-respecting Northern town. In those charity shops I'm going to buy second hand pyjamas (people might have died in them, but worse things happen). Then I'm going to wear those pyjamas to festive gatherings. At all those fancy, fancy parties and glitzy events that pack my holiday schedule, I intend to be wearing PJs - just like Rachel Roy taught me.
This is not a new concept, and previously magazines might have told you that if you're going for the pyjama look then you have to wear heels and under no circumstances must your hair be messy. That's just stupid. That's just negating the entire point of how smug and comfortable you're going to feel when you choose a silk nightshirt and you see a girl in that backless lace dress with the long sleeves which doesn't really look good on anyone (people still wear that dress). You can wear heels if you want, it admittedly looks better. I probably won't.
I did say I was going to link this to my opening point (well done if you've read this far). Basically, over the course of me being one muthafkn sickly bitch the last couple weeks, all my clothes have merged into pyjamas. There are no longer any limits on what I can/cannot fall asleep wearing. Worst case was red suede trousers which I had put on to try and distract myself from feeling sick and pull my attention back to the code red deadline situation at hand... anyway.

I need to buy some clothes which very clearly look like pyjamas and can't really be confused for anything else. Then I'll wear them to parties.

let's slide

2011-11-25T05:28:00.000-08:00

I'm treating you all terribly! Posting once a week, what is this.
I feel bad about it but I just have a heap of work to do. And I'm not doing it very quickly. I promise, in about a weeks time we'll be back to normal. Ish.

In the meantime... I never post on makeup because a) I'm pretty shit at putting it on/remembering to wear it and b) I don't know what's good and so I buy whatever seems like a decent price/has the nicest packaging. Also if I did one of those 'taking photos of what's in your makeup bag' posts, it would probably look gross.

HOWEVER I recently bought this Benefit eyebrow kit. In the darkest shade they had (to the dismay of the counter-girl). It is AWESOME. I've been dithering about bleaching or dark tinting my eyebrows for about a year, but I'm a coward. I've never even dyed my hair so I'm terrified that my eyebrows would fall off or something. Anyway, this kit is so much better than the pencil I've been using for years, and it's not as permanent as tinting so I still have the option to leave my eyebrows anaemically blonde sometimes. Also, I am very lazy, so I don't pluck my eyebrows. This kit has an awesome shaping wax. Bam. Eyebrows with minimum effort.
(You see la difference between hair and eyebrow colour? That there's the boii)

P.S. Have a listen to this for your Friday pick-me-up/eye candy.

make a run

2011-11-18T04:51:00.000-08:00

Polo - ASOS
Skirt - Vintage
Boots - DMs
Cuff - Vintage

Skipped to Paris yesterday for a press event (which I'll post on soon), and now I'm home in the North. I didn't bring much clothing home with me, and upon inspection of my wardrobe, 80% of what I left here is obnoxiously patterned Christmassy knitwear. Not an awful lot to construct outfits from but I'm feeling pretty festive so I don't mind.

I'm going to get some work done, appreciate someone else doing the cooking, see some friends, take some sickeningly Christmassy photos to share with you. Have a beaut of a weekend! x

something beginning with H

2011-11-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

H&M

Hermes

Went to these two very different but equally charming press previews last week. Found myself coveting all the white pieces from H&M in leather and sheer mesh, imagining them slotting straight into my existing wardrobe. It was also super exciting to see all the Versace pieces together (those jeans bring a new dimension to crocodile print, huh?).
I was blown away by the way that Hermes presented their showspace, with accessories displayed in such thoughtful and beautiful ways (I have a weakness for belljars, too). They also had some pretty rad photos of Parisien graffiti, depicting their summer accessories on the Metro and downtown bridges.

bitter earl

2011-11-08T04:43:00.000-08:00

Yeah just sitting on a table wearing corduroy trousers and cowboy boots, ain't nuthin to it.
I feel like I'm clawing at the light as autumn is determinedly rushing headlong into winter, and the days are getting greyer.

I don't feel too bad about it though. One of my favourite things to do at this time of year is to head to the British Library and hole up with some work for a couple of hours, then nip across the street and get one of those Starbucks Christmas drinks. Lame, I know, but the eggnog one is so weird tasting. I love it. I think I've created a tradition for myself - in partaking in that mini-ritual so many times around Christmas last year, it feels so intrinsically Christmas-y to even be in the Library. (Which is where I am now, if you were wondering. Making the most of the internet instead of rabidly making notes.)
Anyway, the cloakroom guy said he likes my cowgirl boots today (I love that he called them that. What a feminist).

Hope you guys are having fun! Tell me about your winter traditionsss. x

touch and go

2011-11-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

Dress - Zara
Boots - Vintage DMs
Earring - ASOS

I'm in the library.
I should be researching synesthesia.
Which I recently discovered I have. Mildly. Nice that, isn't it?
Wednesdays are green to me, and so are my boots.
Tonight we're going to cast some models... I'll share some photos if it goes well. And I'll tell you all what it's for so you can come along on November 11th.

Half way through the week now, keep your head up! bsxxx

the syntax of dress

2011-10-26T07:30:00.001-07:00

H&M and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I received a press release this morning - of the type I'm sure some of you are very familiar with. No name, couple of sentences detailing a new collaboration or collection or event, and maybe an attached image. Glance and delete kinda deal. This one threw me though. H&M are releasing a 'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' collection, a collaboration with Trish Summerville, who designed the costumes for the forthcoming film release of Stieg Larsson's novel. The collection is based (though loosely, I assume) around Lisbeth Salander, the book's heroine. (The Guardian's piece on it here, rightly questions the use of Salander as a 'fashionista' figure... but I don't think that limits can be placed upon the way in which fashion draws upon other art forms to evolve its own aesthetic.)

Although there is only one image of the collection available (and it exemplifies what you would expect for a 'tough, street-smart chick' collection - faux leather, distressed hems, black denim, boots) I am hugely excited by this. The decision of such a huge high street retailer to release a collection inspired by a fictional character of literature is a great thought. I'd love to think that plenty of girls would be more inclined to think of some cool female protagonist of film or literature when compiling an outfit (Mattie Ross in True Grit, Liv Tyler in Empire Records) - than wondering what an over-styled celebrity would come up with when proffered a high-street collaboration (er, Pearl Lowe for Peacocks?).

How many times have we seen films like Almost Famous referenced as style inspiration on a blog? And the myriad of cultural references used by designers (Rodarte are amazing for this) in creating collections are all but lost by the time their influence reaches the high street in the form of a buzz-word trend. Band t-shirts, free canvas bags announcing where we've been; people love to express the broadness of their cultural horizons in the most blatant way possible, their dress (and yes, admittedly, Facebook). Maybe high street retailers would be missing a trick to ignore the the current importance of integrating our cultural landscape into all aspects of our lives.

Although the recent proliferation of limited designer/high street collaborations have been looking pretty great, I'm pretty psyched about this development. Even if it takes, as in this case, the coincidence of a major movie release for characters of film and fiction to get a look-in, I'm crossing my fingers for interesting developments.

committed

2011-10-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Boots - Doctor Martens
Jeans - H&M
Hat, Shirt and Jacket - Vintage

On the hanger, I couldn't decide whether this jacket was heinous, or essential to my wellbeing. Heinous? Perfect? I tried it on. Hilarious?
"It looks like you already own it."
It's all three. Heinous, hilarious, perfect.
I didn't want to leave it lonely, cause frankly I don't think anyone else could love it the way I now do. Or hate it. Am I still unsure?

Do you approve?

just a nod

2011-10-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

Couple snaps from NYFW, which coincided with 911's tenth anniversary. Fashion Week stops for nothing, but it definitely paused for a moment on that Sunday.
I thought twice about wearing this dress, but I was glad I wore it when a woman stopped me in the street to tell me how glad it made her.

Images via Klovermode and Style.com

santeria

2011-10-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

skirt - 1920's vintage, borrowed from my flatmate
t shirt - Juma

I love this t shirt, asymmetric things slay me. I wish I had one with a super long back. That would be weird. I sort of wore this outfit in Paris but slightly different. Heavy sequins were not a practical choice, admittedly. Paris was insanely hot. It was too hot for me to function. God, I'm so English.

Trying to get back into the swing of 'real' life here in London but I can't. Every day, it seems, things take a turn for the more bizarre. I guess I'll just have to enjoy living off schedule for a while.

not fade away

2011-10-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

striding out across the Tuileries one evening

LFW SS 12 - Streetsyle

2011-10-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

Girlthings, you so cute!

This is my little buddy Trigg

Grey jersey mullet dress - GOOD
Trigg's red/maroon/pink combo - GOOD
Gold trousers/grey socks/brown chelsea boots - GOOD

Being ridiculously cute doesn't do any of them any harm either.

PFW Snapshots

2011-09-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Abbey Lee, Arizona Muse, and one HUGE girl crush.

LFW SS 12 Outfit

2011-09-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Well. During LFW I became very preoccupied with chasing people, crouching in a ball at the end of the runway, falling over*, rolling around the floor etc. So much so that my clothes became a secondary priority or something. Or getting dressed properly was too much effort. Probably the latter, y'know? I'm kind of a ~~lazy~~ practical girl.
Honest though, sorry about lack of outfit posts. I find it really too hard to get good shots of myself when I'm concentrating on shooting. Maybe I'll do outfit posts from... Paris! Jumping on the eurostar tomorrow morning to see what happens.

Top is me, Charlie and Alexxsia. Ghosting around.
Skirt - UO
Sweater - H&M (borrowed)
Hat - Vintage

Photos by Jen

*I have sustained some damage to my knees. Let us not talk of it.

NYFW SS 12 - Nanette Lepore

2011-09-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

Nanette Lepore was a perfect lesson in runway showmanship - without getting all Viktor and Rolf twitchy. I wouldn't even be writing this review if it hadn't been for the live band (Sam Bisbee) stationed at the mouth of the runway. Let's talk about the collect-ion.

Unignorably, undeniably Neon. No longer depicted as a retro nod to hyperactive 80s style, the past 7 years have reclaimed and reformed the use of vibrant, acidic colour. Although neon was a sartorial innovation of the 80s, it has been given sufficient and complete opportunity to evolve. Everything is new once. We have to acknowledge a neon palette as an element in our contemporary aesthetic landscape... I'm getting frustrated with the repetitive 80s references whenever neon is utilised. In this collection, there was a juxtaposition of shape and texture which far outshone the caustic palette. Neoprene surf-style tops were paired with pleated or ruffled skirts, below the knee, in contrasting lace overlay. Increasingly the use of a flat shoe with below-the-knee hems, and with swimwear, became almost hyper-practical, in that the aesthetic created became somewhat jarring. The profile view caught in my photos seemed at odds with the accessories of the show. The collection, despite its relentless positivity, seemed to lack the injection of otherness which can elevate a collection from great to fantastic. Was it too real for the runway? This was again echoed in Lepore's inclusion of peplum waisted skirts. Use of palette veered from near sublime - coral and turquoise overlaid lace - to obvious to the point of boredom. Neon yellow on all of the African American models. Effective, yes. Interesting, innovative? Nor really. As most of you know, I personally need my brights tempered with neutrals and such. A pale pink skirt suit over a harshly yellow blouse, paired with surfy hair and a (passable) wedge was one of my favourite looks.
Longer lengths compliment Lepore's primary market, women of a similar age to herself. The appearance of her daughter during the designer's final walk, wearing pieces adapted from the collection, was well suited to the upbeat tone which lifted the show (but not labouring the point of its versatility). The live music created an atmosphere which permeated the audience with such engaging happiness. It made an incredible difference. With more and more designers joining the show schedules in each city, many could take a cue from Lepore's simple but highly effective use of her runway show. I couldn't stress that enough.

LFW SS 12 - Snapshots

2011-09-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

Details at John Rocha - print clash outside Burberry - Kanye pondering with ADR (sorry I had to include it for lolz) - Nadia - Daniella - Abbey Lee at John Rocha

LFW Streetstyle

2011-09-17T14:07:00.001-07:00

Not to be a negative Norah, but I feel a little like I'm struggling to get good streetstyle shots back in London. Amongst all the grey and rain this girl looked super fresh. Her name was Lucy - do you love her collar tips?

Edit: I just realised I shot her in February and said almost exactly the same thing about her. Weird!

LFW Details

2011-09-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

Things I saw with my jetlag eyes at LFW yesterday

Ann Sofie Back - Shini (of course) - the girls from Sass & Bide and (I think) Heidi's adorable daughters at the end of the show - Maria Grachvogel - still loving the Zara heels, awesome with rolled denim

NYFW Streetstyle

2011-09-12T20:37:00.001-07:00

Those cool girls

Hot babes all over the place in NYC. For reals. And I'm getting lucky with my shots here.

Maybe some photos of yours truly to follow soon! Shout me if you spot me on the internet anywhere. x

NYFW Day 3 - Streetstyle

2011-09-11T04:57:00.000-07:00

This girl is like my fave streetstyle I've ever shot. She looks awesome! So awesome she gets 2 photos in this post.

Miss Candice Lake looking wonderful.

A model with massiif hair after the Pink Tartan show.

This girl looked so adorable. Like Cassie off of Skins or something. Awesome skirt.

I think this girls name was Lexi. As I said... she looks sick.

NYFW Day 2

2011-09-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

Dries Van Noten dipped denim - Cynthia Rowley (the illest show ever) - evening light at Lincoln Centre - fountain nappin' - cutest streetstyle at Lincoln Centre

It's going well. We've been playing nicely with lots of bloggers including Dylana Suarez, Bonnie, Craig and Leandra. I am tired but not tired enough. I haven't got that classic Fashion Week, soul destroying fatigue just yet. There's still time, folks!

P.S. New York - wtf dude! Sort out your cabs! It's not okay for them to be this bad!

NYFW Day 1

2011-09-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

Outside the Lincoln Centre - Peony in a cab - Building ting - at Nicholas K

Done so much already and it's not even 3pm yet, on Day 1.

Will keep the updates coming, make sure you're also following on Twitter. We've got a hectic few weeks ahead! Expect gibberish.

grapesmoke

2011-08-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Shirt's my Dad's
Jeans - Dorothy Perkins
Feet - vintage
Also sorry my parting is really wonky so my hair looks all wrong.

I really don't like purple, as a rule. I'm not sure what's happening.
Well, this comes to mind. Psyyychhh.

It's like maroon and grape and wine and tyrian but never lilac. Not ready for that yet.

show goes on

2011-08-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

I'm in Edinburgh for some Fringe action. I decided to shoot some streetstyle and felt frankly let down by the streets in question (Edz where u at?)... til I met Lewis, King of Scotland. Mismatched Docs yeah genius.

I don't know this cute girl in the photo but hey, she seemed game. I didn't really feel the same way.

We've seen a few cracking shows today, and I'm going to see Sanderson Jones' show tonight. He's a babe. Google it.
I'll maybe post what my faves were when I leave, in case any of you are heading up for the end of the festival.

P.S. this bag is new from Zara and I want to live inside it. It's great!

a lifetime to recover from childhood

2011-08-18T01:55:00.000-07:00

oaken

2011-08-12T11:28:00.001-07:00

This silk shirt is my best ever charity shop find I think. It ends up as some layer in every outfit recently.
Also this is my new go-to hairstyle. I don't think it's very good for your hair, or skin, to pull it back uber tight but er, you only live once?

reasonable sacrifice

2011-08-08T11:42:00.000-07:00

Trousers, jacket, hat - Vintage
Sweater - Urban Outfitters

Some outfits I put together with photographic value in mind, some outfits I put together while sprinting around my house in a blind panic because I'm late for a Lemuria gig. This is one of the latter.
Maybe not the wisest of choices... trousers which are multiple sizes too large aren't ideal if you wish to move at all (and I do. I really do). And well, I think there is some sort of unwelcome mime/clown vibe created.

In other news, my rabbit got caught in the rain! Oh noooooooo rabbit.

I bet you enjoyed that.
I should alleviate my bullshit with cute animal photos more often, hey?

Oh in other other news, I've gone Vegan* for a bit. About 5 days now? Going to do 2 weeks and see how I feel. So far I have the vague nagging feeling that I should miss cheese or something, but other than that I feel a'ight. Realised I love black coffee, did some exciting stuff with tofu.

Hope you guys are good. London kids sit tight and stay safe yeah yeah x

*I was veggie before so it's not super dramatic

EDIT: Thank you for all your concerned emails and tweets. I'm not in London at the moment but I feel absolutely devastated by the goings on there. My thoughts go out to all of those who have suffered needlessly. London, I love you.

dote for

2011-08-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

thanks Urban Outfitters for the skirt
thanks to the world for the other stuff I'm wearing, discoveries, gifts and borrowings.

a little bit sullen hey.
baby your posture is awful
find something else to see

scan snap

2011-07-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

1- lost night in london. 2- triggy. 3- dalston. 4- definitely durham. 5- prop furniture in a dalston studio. 6- freepatxi. 7, 8, 10 & 11- durham's finest. 9- scotland being subversive. 12- tequilax3.

I need to go find a house in London, so I'm off for a bit.
Wish me luck cos I really really really really need it.

give me til then

2011-07-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

Did I trick you into thinking it was Summer? It's really not.

Shorts - H&M
Crop top - courtesy Urban Outfitters
Vest - Nike via my Dad
Knit - H&M Mens

Yes, another elasticated waistband my friends. Surely wearing something with a Nike logo on it means that I automatically burn more calories? I'm pretty certain that's how it works.

On the other hand, this is kind of like wearing pyjamas for me. The shorts are so comfy and PJ like. Sometimes I wear that H&M cardigan for like, embarrassing lengths of time which includes sleeping in it because it's so warm. And um, I was actually born with Converse instead of feet so I usually sleep with those on too.

F x

Sven

2011-07-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

Sven Jacobsen... get over here.

His photos are wonderful, but they have this attainability about them which I think I appreciate.

lucky thoughts

2011-07-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

Leather cap - Vintage
Tank - Calvin Klein
Batik trousers from Indonesia

quick post to ask... why don't girls wear backwards caps any more?

I don't have time to type much but I hope your weekend is coming together rather nicely by now. Don't let the rain ruin anything.

only light

2011-07-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

I just love this maxi t-shirt dress that I found on eBay... I accidentally wore it on the 4th of July and unwittingly became the most patriotic non-American ever.

I also love this lens I got yesterday. I want to have its children, actually.
It makes up for the fact that yesterday was my birthday and er, I really really don't like birthdays. If I'm like this at 19 then goodness only knows how I'm going to feel when I turn 40 or something.

Over and out! x

Dash

2011-07-11T02:17:00.000-07:00

RIP Dash Snow
2 years gone this week

Still got your photo on my wall.

I remember seeing his work in London, 2006 I think. I was probably about 14 or 15, and already smitten with the work of Ryan McGinley et al... but Dash was a step beyond.

pure blue panic

2011-07-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

T Shirt - H&M
Shorts - ASOS
Glasses - Brick Lane somewhere

So I'm not really taken with the whole 'brights' trend in general. What I am taken with, however, is the emergence of running-style-shorts. Anything with an elasticated waistband is more than okay with me.
The reason I can't really do brights well is because my wardrobe is SO full of black and dark grey, and I find that bright colours look so much better paired with neutral beiges, browns etc... rather than anchored by black. With black+neon I feel like I'm balancing on the edge of that lovely nu-rave revival we had in about 2007.

Yeah so it's pouring with rain but is that going to stop me wearing these shorts indoors and pretending that I could do sporting activities in them? Non.

peace out A-town

steady girl

2011-07-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Top - my Momma's
Shorts - Miss Selfridge
Boots & Hat - Vintage

Kind of mostly sitting around, drinking coffee, talking to my newly acquired rabbit. The rabbit's name is Bunny. We did not name him. He's really old and I don't actually think he has a rabbit brain, he's very human.
I should get out more.
Ok I'm going out tonight.

I also had a kind of wardrobe re-shuffle/cleanse today. Everything's fantastically organised now but... holyyy I didn't realise how much clothing I own. I'm gonna sell some stuff, might post a link to my eBay on here if you guys are interested.

puss puss

swollen orange and light

2011-07-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

Jacket - Vintage
Sweater - AA
Skirt - ?
Shoes - Converse

So after the WORST train journey of my life (which included a quick cameo by Bill Nighy when I almost fell into his luggage trolley), I'm back home. Found my friends for a couple of cocktails yesterday at lunch. Then a couple more in the evening.
Today I've just been trying to reassemble my room, but I seem to have acquired more possessions than will fit inside here. So I gave up and headed downstairs to my Mother's new conservatory... which looks like it fell out of a Laura Ashley catalogue or something, but with the usual spattering of weird antiques which permeate every room in this house. Eating raspberries and peas from our vegetable garden rightly seems a million miles from beloved but dirty London. My lungs still kinda hurt from the Big Smoke but they'll get over it.

This outfit was a little bit inspired by MK & A Olsen's new venture StyleMint. I think it has some super cool potential. Any opinions?

Enjoy your weekend lil buddies! x

sabbaticant

2011-06-30T16:41:00.000-07:00

Just blogged to say...
love you guys. You do a lot for me.

In the midst of moving homes at the moment Uni home (London) to Home home (not London). Will get back to you with something relevant soon.
Umm... anything you guys want to see soon? Writings, videos, me singing (no)? I'm feeling adventurous.

Frances x

impasse compress

2011-06-24T04:23:00.000-07:00

Jacket - Vintage
Tank - Calvin Klein
Trousers - H&M
Shoes - Converse
Necklace - borrowed from Peony for shurr

So this is what I wore yesterday. Verr simple but... look at my bangin' new(ish) Converse. So much love.
Also yesterday I assisted on a shoot for Vogue Australia.
And now life has taken a distinct downturn in that I am attempting to pack 4265 items of clothing into one suitcase to send home... the wardrobe and I have reached an impasse and that's why I'm blogging.
I really don't know where to go from here... maybe I'll have to wear all my clothes at once.

Have a good weekend, gang!

parts out of town

2011-06-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

Jacket & Shirt - Vintage
Skirt - Zara
Boots - Doctor Martens

I'm finally free of uni!
So yesterday Peony and I escaped London for a while to go and browse an antique fayre. I attempted to dress the part considering we were in a field full of elderly people.
Absolutely tons of covetable yet essentially useless stuff... I had to hold myself back. Much as I wanted them, I'm not quite sure what I would have done with two small rolls of snakeskin or some giant metal letters.

get it big time

2011-06-17T05:31:00.000-07:00

Top - ASOS
Jeans - H&M
Shoes - Office

Bit of a simple post today, bear with me I think I just forgot how to blog/dress myself/write...
(Also I'm about to complain about work so you don't need to read this) I have a really strong urge to cook something intricate and organic or visit somewhere weird or go to Hackney City Farm and look at the pigs BUT I know that these aren't real urges. No. They're just alternative ways for my brain to be like "hey... so, uh, wanna go procrastinate some more?"
No thanks. I'm going to sit here, in my fortress of Diet Coke and Spotify and library books for the next few days.

I am, regrettably, slightly addicted to Tumblr now. So annoying! Annoying yet delicious.

Over and out.

no way to live a life like yours

2011-06-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Soo... I made a Tumblr. Not for inspiration pictures or anything, just cause I keep ending up with extra photo bits and pieces which won't fit on the blog... and I want to share them with you guys! Frankly I can't make head nor tail of Tumblr right now but if you all want to watch me struggle... here's the place to do it.

I feel like I have so much to be thinking about right now... I wish I had a penseive.
Also I feel like my outfit posts are leaping around from style to style like crazy right now... I hope it's not befuddling you/pissing you off.
I quite like it.
Describe your style in 3 words? I'd rather not.
That's one question which is asked in every style interview and it's so difficult. Not to mention pretty lame...

bisoux x

forget the girl I've lost

2011-06-10T04:15:00.000-07:00

All vintage

This kaftan is so much fun to wear.
I'm wearing it... I look down... kaftan*! And I laugh a bit (inside my head).
The sleeves are slightly impractical... but then so am I.

There's a storm in London right now and I'm enjoying the thunder so much I can't even tell you! Thankfully I don't have to leave my house for the foreseeable future, I have a well stocked kitchen (err... yoghurts, houmous and mini-milks) and an essay to write. A large one. I'm going to build myself a fortress of books. And maybe at some point stop procrastinating?

Have a fun weekend on my behalf xx

Edit: *Dashiki actually! The word had completely escaped me but thanks for the correction guys.

our dynamic

2011-06-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

90s Calvin Klein Jeans ad

desire path

2011-06-03T05:55:00.000-07:00

Dress - eBay
Hat - Vintage
Converse is Converse

Woah this dress woah.
Just a big old piece of fringey fabric with two straps at the top. I keep being irrationally scared that the straps will come off and I'll be left wearing a giant poncho.

Sorry I'm so so busy at the moment, come follow me on Twitter to keep up with my day-to-day nonsense... yesterday I was interviewed on the radio, visited the fabric archive at Libertys and met a Pisces named Dan. Why wouldn't you want to know that stuff?

Kisses and hearts and pictures of kittens and cupcakes to you all.

Bye.

chanceless

2011-05-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Dress, cut into skirt - H&M
T-shirt - Cos
Boots - Vintage Wrangler

Oh hi.
Bombarded you with photos. Sorry we were just so excited about the light.

This week I'm listening to No Doubt, Streetlight Manifesto and Frightened Rabbit.
I'm reading books about subcultures and uber-complex fashion theory. (Uber-complex for me, anyway. Goes straight over my head.) I also bought 'Grunge' by Michael Lavine. Amazing photos.
I watched Alfie again, just for the Sienna Miller montage. I also watched Pretty Persuasion. Freaked me out somewhat, but Rachel Evan Wood looks hot.
I visited The Grocery and it was the calmest place ever and they had so much awesome vegan and organic food. If you're in Shoreditch, hit it up.
With Uni I went to the Yohji Yamamoto exhibit at the V&A for the third time. Dressed in Yohji-esque outfits. So much fun!
I'm consuming a really worrying amount of yoghurt. Is that ok? Seems vaguely unhealthy.
I went eBay and ASOS crazy, I'm very excited to recieve my purchases. Where are they goddamnit?! Particularly psyched for a vintage tribal dress...

last length

2011-05-25T12:31:00.001-07:00

So my brain was doing this...

Frances Bean Cobain wearing Kurt's pyjama bottoms, Elle August 2006

But I think my subconscious was doing this...

Derek Lam, Rag & Bone, Ashish, Altuzarra, Band of Outsiders

Or maybe vice versa.

I'm somehow still about

2011-05-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

Soho Square, 7pm

Skirt courtesy Urban Outfitters
Shoes Converse
Vintage shirt and jacket

Shooting in Soho Square because I'm feeling a lot of love for my Uni at the moment. Central Saint Martins is moving from our rickety old buildings next year, into a new site. Those old buildings almost give you shivers when you imagine the alumni who walked the same halls, checked the same book from the library, or escaped into vivacious Soho after classes to be inspired.
Magic. And the outfits you see down the corridors are often better than the most outlandish Fashion Week streetstyle.
Still can't believe I'm here sometimes.
So how about I act accordingly and get my arse in gear to finish off all my work?

angles between you

2011-05-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

Oooh...

everything here is vintage or unknown

Oh and there I am in colour.
Bottle green isn't it.
Suede fringey bits. Whippin' about.

I'll be better about posting I promise!

not in bed

2011-05-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

Shirt & Skirt - Vintage
Vest - Calvin Klein

A man asked me why I was wearing my pyjamas today.
I wish I was wearing my pyjamas. Even my hair was hurting after too much champagne at last night's Burberry Brit party. So much fun.

Next week I'm going to attempt quadruple print matching.
Namaste. Have a good weekend.

was the choice

2011-05-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

Vintage boots
My Mum's velvet brocade jacket
My Dad's (!) floral waistcoat
ASOS dress

Last few days have been fun. I saw Tommy Hilfiger give a talk on the origins of 'preppy' (who knew?). Did a bunch of yoga. Peony and I went to see Thor... shamelessly loved it. Got some wiiise advice. Bought a dot com (check it ouuut! So fancy).
The only problem is that I haven't glanced at my mounting workload...

Love to you and yours, enjoy the sun if you have any!

UO Accessories Preview

2011-05-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

Had a gander at UO's new season today. Their PRs are some of the loveliest ever, and I spotted some bangin' accessories to share...

(And I need those leopard Sam Edelman boots! Now!)

I have one more word for you... Pendleton! A UK stockist at last!

Much lovezx

a new fossil

2011-04-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

This is what I think Kate is gonna wear tomorrow.
Or at least something derivative of this.
No?

Sorry about my shoulder freckles.

All vintage stuff, the trousers and scarf are my Mother's, shh.

Let's just say I got dressed very, very quickly today. Without much consideration of colour, shape and probably cleanliness.

Have an awesome 4 day weekend pals!
Love always.

LFW AW 11 - Corrie Nielsen backstage

2011-04-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter little ones!

Giving you a break from my outfit posts with these backstage shots... shooting backstage was a new experience for me in February, and it was possibly the best thing I did all week. So many great images are there for the taking.
I hope you're all making the most of the glorious weather and eating chocolate on my behalf (no Easter eggs this year, I feel very deprived).

no strings

2011-04-21T03:49:00.000-07:00

These days are so beautiful. People seem so much more open to chat with strangers, you know, easyyy. I've been wandering around the east of the city, doing all the things I never get round to doing usually. Sometimes by myself, sometimes with the people I've been missing lately.
I feel so chilled I could die. And the heat makes everything so great, as long as I have shades and my huge bottle of Evian swinging from one hand.

Shirt - Salvation Army
Trousers - stolen from my Mother
Glasses + Cuff - Vintage
My hair looking less-than-hot thanks to a gruesome train journey.

Photos by the marvelous Vanessa Jackman

silkback

2011-04-18T04:06:00.000-07:00

Tank - ckone
Jeans - Zara (far too big and they fall down like a mother)
Shoes - Converse duh
Glasses - Brick Lane somewhere

I've managed to fall into a wardrobe rut and I blame Calvin Klein. I got this silk tank from them last week and now nothing else in my wardrobe is good enough. It's also big enough to wear as a dress, ha! Triumph. I'm so obsessed with it sorry I'll be quiet about CK soon.
I have to dash, I'm late for lunch... x

MTV PUSH X CK ONE

2011-04-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

I went to the CK One popup shop at Trumans Brewery on Thursday. It was awesome. Look at the space! There were loads of videos looping parts of the CK campaign, an underwear vending machine, and it was all just really sexy and CK-ish. And I had the best shop assistant ever, I wish I'd got her name. Even if CK hadn't (very generously) provided me with a voucher for some tings I would have totally bought stuff because she was so ~~hot~~ lovely and helpful etc. Tomorrow I will show you what I got there. Apart from the pants.
Oh and I accidentally befriended Alexis Jordan and her Mother while I was there. But failed to recognise her. She's super cute in real life... then we both had to sign our names as we were purchasing our stuff and I realised that she was totes famous. OMG.

Jennifer, David, Nadia and Charlie all feature in these photos.

And then we hit up the MTV/CK shindig. (We being me and Nadia, not me and Alexis Jordan. Sadly.) Very fun. Also very booze-soaked. MTV/CK, I commend you for not letting your free bar dry up, as fashion party free bars are wont to do. Although maybe that's a strategic thing because, er, yeah...
I don't have a lot of photos because security were being all scary about cameras, even confiscating David's on the grounds that it was 'too big' to be carried without a press pass. Whut? But no matter. And I was v sad at the lack of Professor Green. But no matter. Because Lara Stone made up for it all x100 by being so goddamn hot.

OMG! There's CALVIN!

I wish lololol

for the sake

2011-04-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

Shoes - New Look
Playsuit & Jewels - Vintage
Hat - Topman(?)

Oh thanks for wreaking havoc on my photos, flickr. That's okay.

Had been stalking these shoes for a terribly long time... since the New Look press day in like, December or something. Quite obsessively checking and re-checking their website's shoe section. Then I think I forgot. Or gave up. Anyway, Mary then left me a comment with a link to aforementioned shoes and my mind. was. blown. Partially at how predictable my tastes are (ha) and also at the phenom of having psychic readers.
The moral of this story is that you should help feed my retail habit by leaving me links in your comments. I'm joking (but only because I am so very very poor).
There is neither reason nor rhyme to the rest of this outfit other than the fact that I'm hiding my dirty hair beneath this hat. And when I get panicked about what to wear, it always results in lipstick.

I'm just going to go continue to watch Season 2 of Sabrina the Teenage Witch if you don't mind... x

parday - MTV & CK One

2011-04-07T08:46:00.001-07:00

Giveaways make me vom a bit. This is not a giveaway.
It's something else that I want to do to give back to you, my adoring public. Otherwise known as the bunch of melons who read this drivel.

ESSENTIALLY I am gonna give 2 of you a ticket to come to this.

The expectation here being that if you come, you will help me to stalk Lara Stone AND make some serious impact on the free bar. If you wanna.
Be aware that it is in London. Next week. I am not paying for your flight from Idaho (I wish I could).

The event is to launch ck one’s first-ever lifestyle apparel line of jeans and underwear, inspired by the iconic ck one unisex fragrance. As you would expect from them, the pieces are basic, sexy, all american and coool. There's even a ck one pop-up shop in Truman Brewery (Brick Lane y'knoww) from 7th - 14th April.

The deal is this... you answer these (All 3, or even just 1. Whatever.) questions in a vaguely amusing/interesting/incomprehensible manner. I give you tickets. We party. (Either together or separately I'm fine with both.)
I am going to answer them now, to show you how it is done. K?

- Tell us the naughtiest thing you've done lately? Ooh. Inappropriate swearword-ing. I'm always swearword-ing.

- What is your favourite guilty pleasure? Excessive amounts of shit TV. Like Eggheads. Also fake tan.

- Finish this sentence - My mother always told me... not to go into fashion. Oops sorry.

P.S. Leave me a link/email/twitter so's I can contact you, silly.

P.P.S. I don't think Mr Klein himself will be there. I wish.

thou art loosed

2011-04-05T03:31:00.000-07:00

Having a bit of a light situation...

fringed top & sweater - H&M
trousers - Zara
shoes courtesy of Urban Outfitters
hair courtesy of my bed

I feel like I'm blogging in a very haphazard manner... clattering around the house at 9 this morning to find somewhere where the sunlight wasn't so insane. And I'm writing this on my Mother's laptop (mine has a crazy old-school porno type virus. Brilliant) which has some sort of magic keyboard shortcut which publishes your blog post instantly and I keep pressing it and now I'm terrified to even type. Faaack.

I used to hate fringey goodness but I am very fickle so now I'd like to fringe everything. Especially all my sleeves so that when I lift up my arms I feel like this guy...

P. J. Proby... my new style icon and possibly the coolest person to have ever existed? I'd wear that outfit, all of it. I'd wash it first though.

tuberoses

2011-04-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Errthing vintage

A little sample of the fugly tops I like to buy in charity shops and the like. I know snakeskin is like good ugly now, but probablyyy camouflage print + picture of a lion will never be good ugly. In a catwalk way. It is a bit of a larf though.

Feeling a bit better, still penicillin'd up to the eyeballs... but loving the lighter nights and looking forward to seeing some favourite faces.

Any plans this weekend?

sideswipe

2011-03-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

As I decided to catch tonsillitis and stay in bed for the last 5 days or so, unsurprisingly I have no outfit photos for you. Even my Mother told me I looked 'orrible.
I do have some photos of fun things I did back when I was able bodied. I wish I had cool blogger photos of food and events etc, but when people give me food I don't waste time photographing it, I just eat.

WELCOME OH MY GOSH HAPPY BECAUSE HI!
Sorry if that photo alarms you... maybe I'll change it to be the blog's header so it's a more intense greeting. To scare children. And old people. And also men.

1. Mirror Maze! Crazy optical illusion time in Edinburgh.
2. Ooh almost an outfit detail. Close but no cigar.
3. In space etc.
4. More NY vibes with Rog Walker
5. Gig
6. In da club. More specifically the hip hop club.
7. More crazy illusion times! This is maybe my favourite place in the world.
8. Still in space.

third person

2011-03-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

I planned this post last night when I was in the throes of some sort of existential-idea inducing fever which constitutes part of the illness keeping me in bed.
There was going to be a little (delirious) discussion about the idea of self, viewpoints, maybe a quick mention of Society of the Spectacle. All that stuff about how it can be easier to be alone in public than it is in private... which really has very little relevance to the point I'm trying to make. About seeing yourself reflected in the third person. It was all very fancy and complex I think.
But I've mostly forgotten the point. And that is not why you come here anyway! You come here to look at photos of me prancing about and to read my witty, witty musings.

Images by the wonderful Vanessa Jackman

Photo by Mr. Rog Walker. He's snazzy.

Instead of getting off topic again (is there a topic?), I'm going to say that I feel like a Very Lucky Girl to have had my photo taken by these two.

Vanessa Jackman is one of my very very favourite people to chat with at Fashion Week, and we have spent many an hour on the cobblestones of Somerset House in abysmal weather. I usually feel pretty nervous when relinquishing camera control at Fashion Week and letting other people take street style photos of me, but Vanessa's eye and talent are just so impeccable that I'm totally at ease being shot by her. I'm sure she's on almost all your blogrolls but if not... what are you doooing?

Rog Walker took the last photo here, as part of his Identities project. He's a photographer from New Yoork who we sure took a liking to. Super cool. One of the few photographers who could successfully convince me to climb up the side of a building.
You can see a brilliant video and more photos, including some of Nadia if you click here.

OK I'm done. If you don't want to read all the stuff above then please do enjoy some photos of me walking around... in maxis. x

perils

2011-03-22T03:32:00.000-07:00

The bright-eyed among you will spot something here... yeees we're back in the North, kicking it old schoool with a remote, a tripod and that godforsaken carpet. Me and my Canon are still arguing over light levels and such, so forgive me if these photos look funny at all. Other than my face, that's not the Canon's fault. Sadly.

Oh shit! Just realised... accidental Chloe homage overdose. The perils of being a fashion blogger hey.

Hat - eBay
Leather vest - courtesy A. Bradley
Dress - H&M
Jacket & Rings - Vintage
Shoes - Converse

Yah, I'm still wearing Converse all the time and you cannot stop me.

Today I am going to Edinburgh to see my No. 1 most fave character.
I be back Thursday, you won't miss me.
Have a lovely mid-week time, I'm going to go and excessively overpack.
The usual mindless typing-babble which usually fills this space is missing today so... awkward silence... later. x

a unified scene

2011-03-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

This is what I wore today motherlovrsss...

Flares - LnA
Jumper - Vintage
Bag - prezzyy from Audreyy

This is what I was going for in terms of makeup but I got overexcited (or I am shit at eyeliner) and ended up with a 14 year old goth flashback. Naaat so cool.
But we all know I'll try anything once! (WOAH I just linked to that post then realised it was exactly one year ago. FREAKY.)

LFW AW 11 - Ashish

2011-03-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

STOP! Ashish time.

What is this? Plaid sequins?

BACKLESS plaid sequins?

Plaid sequins under DISTRESSED KNITS?

MAXI PLAID SEQUINS?!

Plaid sequins on a model who looks like Johnny Depp? Now you're just being ridiculous.

I cannot comprehend why that maxi dress does not belong to me. Wuh?!
Holy shit I love Ashish... because they are, as a frenchman might say 'le batshit crazy'.

I am also very, very partial to this mustardy holey ting...

Cobwebs on your knees and creepers on your feet? Yes please sure why not.

More photos after the jump

eye level plateau

2011-03-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Jeans & Shirt - H&M
Shoes - Urban Outfitters
Necklace & Jacket - Vintage

Thanks to Willy H for the photos

Wearing skinny jeans! How odd. The only pair I own really.
I'm obsessed with these shoes. They're furry like ponyskiiin!*

Done with all my deadlines for uni, and I am so glad. Now I can just bro out with Nadia, spend (even more) excessive amounts of time at Peony's house, and give some TLC to HB. Whatever.
So nice to be able to appreciate London and the people I don't see often enough for a while. We went to Broadway Market today, house party in Camden last night, probably going to Brick Lane tomorrow and definitely visiting the Yohji Yamamoto exhibition at the V&A this week. I hate feeling like I'm not making the most of this city!

*Not made of dead ponies.

egg white

2011-03-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

A break from LFW things to say... I feel springy. And today springy = a fishtail plait and a vintage white blazer.
Thought I was over blazers. I'm not.
Um, there are some deadlines staring at me so I think I'd better keep this short.
Excuse the mirror photos, I am unashamedly laaame. And the gormless poses, I was in a restless mood so in all the other shots I'm winking and doing other stupid things with my face.

Also I sort of want to bleach my eyebrows.
Hope you had a swell Monday, boys and girls.

LFW AW 11 Vlog

2011-03-05T09:34:00.001-08:00

Happy Because LFW from Happy Because.

The song is O.N.E. by Yeasayer

Just going to put it out there that I have no idea how to edit videos... I just got so overexcited by the movie function on my new Canon that I started filming the stupidest moments of LFW then glued them all together like so.

And I mean the stupidest moments. Everyone in this video was working their socks off throughout fashion week but that wouldn't make a particularly interesting video, would it? Not that this does either. Vaguely amusing. Maybe.

Enjoyz x

LFW AW 11 - Todd Lynn

2011-03-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

Some of my favourite looks from the Todd Lynn show.
Which I loved.

My kind of palette... stone, black, some deep scarlets. As you can probably tell from my photos, the movement in the maxi skirts and dresses was unreal. With the models swaddled up to their noses in fur, leather and silk it made you consider a new kind of winter dressing. Maybe we could step away from the chunky knit layers and go for something altogether slicker... layers of suede, silk and leather might just be enough to brave English winters. If you have the money and courage to test this theory, get back to me in December.

More photos after the jump

LFW AW 11 - Day 2 Outfit

2011-02-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

These photos are a bit grrrainy grey as they were taken at the end of a long long day. Failing light, no thank you. I know other people have better shots but I do not know WHO.
The hood was a life saver, you can probably tell from these photos how delightfully the climate was behaving.

Big thanks to Urban Outfitters for the shorts and wedges.
Hoody - Zara
T - Cos
Jacket - Vintage

Oh ho wait up... here's some from Shini. Much shinier. And I look like a wee munchkin.

Hope you're enjoying life today x

P.S. Anonymous who commented on these shorts last week... BEST COMMENT EVER!

LFW AW 11 - Day 1 Outfit

2011-02-25T06:21:00.000-08:00

Here they come! Awkward streetstyle poses galore!
Actually just one pose. Pretty much the same pose in every picture.

From Vogue Italia's Voguistas.

Having a bit of a breeze issue with Sandra 'I haven't felt my feet in years' 5inch.

The hat, shirt and jacket are vintage.
Flares (which I cannot stop wearing) are by LnA.
Boots - Doctor Martens
Bag - ASOS

Some details thanks to Shini Park.

And here looking cold on Company.

Huge thanks to all those whose photos I have hijacked here!
Later x

EDIT: You will not escape double paisley... via J.W. Anderson on Style Bubble

LFW AW 11 - Streetstyle

2011-02-23T14:04:00.001-08:00

Accessory details

Ft. the very beautiful Candice Lake

LFW is finally over and I'm left with aching feet, cold bones and a serious dependency upon Pret popcorn. And possibly some sort of RSI from taking photos.

More very soon I have sososo much to post! x

LFW AW 11 - Day 3 Streetstyle

2011-02-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

Girls in hoods

The shitty weather we've been having here has called for some serious layering and wrapping up. Hats are ace, umbrellas are useful... but I have a serious penchant for hoods. Some people just look so great peering out from beneath a hood.

LFW AW 11 - Day 2 Snapshots

2011-02-19T14:27:00.000-08:00

Today was... cold. Slightly lacking in exciting streetstyle. Definitely not lacking in cool shows though. I still had fun kicking my heels (a pertinent phrase given their height combined with wet cobbestones... ugh) and having a laugh with the usual gang, all of us waiting to pounce on the chicest newcomer. So nice seeing old and new faces... I resent only seeing most of them for 2 weeks each year!

Quilted skirts, bright and early at our 9am show, Daks.

Miss Peony Lim being mobbed by photographers as per...

Neon eyes, bare faces at Craig Lawrence

Incredible, really interesting dresses at Craig Lawrence

Little preview of my outfit today - big love and thanks to Urban Outfitters for these feathery babes!

Soo... full outfit posts and show reviews will follow, just to reiterate. I wish there were like 36 hours in the day right now! I also wish there was less caffeine in my bloodstream.
Until tomorrow!

P.S. What kind of thing d'you want to see from tomorrow? I'll go out and catch it for you! x

LFW AW 11 - Day 1 Snapshots

2011-02-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

About 30 shows, 4 memory cards, and 13 hours later... day 1 is over. I should currently be at PPQ's afterparty, or Viv Westwood's party, however I think I'm getting old because I'm so exhausted. And OF COURSE blogging comes first! All for you.
I'm going to post you a couple of tings every day during LFW, just snapshots if there's not enough time for full blown show reports, streetstyle, or outfits. Ok cool.

Backstage at Corrie Nielsen

Felder Felder detail

Felder Felder

Fave streetstyle shot today

PPQ shoes

Happy Fashion Week!

charmingly harmful

2011-02-12T10:59:00.000-08:00

Today I headed over to Portobello Market for the first time ever. I cannot believe I hadn't been before, I suck at living in London, seriously! There was too much to look at and my eyes had a breakdown... but it was ace.

Selection of hand bling from Peony, myself, and Lally.
Mostly vintage apart from one of Peony's from ASOS!

Clashing paisleys and accumulating rings.

Apologies for wearing this hat ALL the time ok.
Everything's vintage, apart from the paisley scarf which is my Mother's, and the trousers which are from H&M.

Many thanks to P. Navey for these photos!

I think I'd venture so far as to say that I preferred Portobello over Brick Lane market or even Broadway. Seriously worth a trip.

Have a good weekend, and I hope you completely refuse to acknowledge that anything out of the ordinary is going on on Monday...

grazing

2011-02-08T15:29:00.000-08:00

All vintage/charity shops

Although the time for aviator jackets is basically almost sort of er, over, this one didn't get the blog attention he so greatly deserved for seeing me through this winter. Thanks for being so warm (if slightly scratchy) little buddy.
This lipstick is really a deep red, screwy colours I guess.
And I'm looking over a banister in that second photo, not just posing like some sort of wonky bird.

And um, yeah. I went to Brighton today, on a class trip. My second best (English) city after London. It was super sunny, the sea looked perfect, everything was lovely and I couldn't stop saying how happy I was. Nauseating.
I also found my new fave Native American shop. Look here. If you get the chance to go, look at the rings! And buy some sage to burn in your house! Generally make the most of being a bit of a hippy.

lifetime

2011-02-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

Shini Park makes magic with her camera like actual genuine magic. She makes even the mundane (eg. me) look so, so gazeable. You want to gaze. At the photos, not me.
Despite the fact that in these first two it was horrible o'clock in the morning and I'd forgotten to put half my make up on.

I get scared when I edit anything she sends me because frankly, I can't do any of it justice.
Thanks, lady. You're quite nice.

Have a lovely sunday guys!

cuniculosus

2011-02-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

Mesh dress and tights - H&M. Black asymmetric dress - ASOS.
Shoes and jacket - New Look. Belt - Vintage.

Photos by Nadia

Cuniculosus - full of rabbits, full of caverns.

Year of the Rabbit and all that.
Come down to The Macbeth tomorrow night, we're having rabbit themes and alla that mellow music. Well not mellow. More like ska and fun shit. Possibly the opposite of all that mellow music actually.

I have a lot of delicious work to do and fashion week is c-c-coming (are you ready?) so we'll see how I get on with blogging frequently. We'll see!
Have a good weekend, alright?

explore

2011-01-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

Today is plaits + hat = explorer.

The khaki green coat and rucksack and brown boots and layers didn't hurt either. And the binoculars. Oh no I didn't have binoculars.

What is up? What should we do next, any suggestions?
I'm thinking some mad makeup soon. Gold lips like Rodarte? And something purple, yeah, something purple.

P.S. I thought I'd just drop you a line, I had the compulsion to blog. Are little posts like this annoyin'? I can stop it if you like. I can. Promise.

better than tux

2011-01-24T15:48:00.000-08:00

I got back to Durham last week and the (slightly fabricated) word was already out... "er, I hear you're wearing a tux tonight?"
Shitballs... time to construct a pseudo tux out of anything I can find in my 'drobe.

I love me a pseudo tux.

But oh my GOSH- so do Dsquared² and theirs is even better!

Hope Monday was awesome for you. Does anyone know a job which facilitates wearing a tuxedo all the time?

P.S. Soorry about the photo it is from the age of Broken Nikon.

lacks coherence

2011-01-23T16:49:00.000-08:00

My inconsistent tastes...

Micheal Kors, Roberto Cavalli, Veronique Leroy, Pucci, Proenza Schouler, Lanvin, Alberta Ferretti

Because fashion is supposed to leave you fucking breathless. Don't be pacified, don't be placated.

a frame

2011-01-21T04:29:00.000-08:00

Doctor Marten boots, Asos dress, Zara knit hoody.

Waheyy in a studio right. I look so very pale that's ok though, I am. Been wearing this dress to death too.

Had some lovelyy fun yesterday with Vanessa Jackman and Peony and Pete! Plus assorted guests + canines.
I'm totally battling an enormous hangover amongst other plights, so I'll keep it short. I'm off to the Royal Academy. Have a lovely weekend.

empathy is my greatest strength

2011-01-18T16:29:00.000-08:00

Okay! A lot of stuff happened. Most crucially, me and my poor old Nikon had a bit of a mishap... he's served me well for many, many years... but at the end of the day he was nOt a skilled camera by any stretch of the imagination. After some cajoling from Nadia, I have gone the way of the Canon. Pleased so far but I'm not even going to pretend that I've got to grips with how this contraption works.
The last week or so has been hectic so these photos are some snapshots of (funner) things I've done, while still grappling with Canon settings.

(Shot still on the Nikon... already broken at this point)
Dashed home this weekend for a party... deprived of sleep and dressed like a madwoman (evidence of this later).

Rearranged books so that the nicest and least academically useful ones were on display (Image Makers Image Takers is amazing though, anyone with an interest in contemporary photography needs this book), defied authority by lighting a candle.

Went very slightly loco in Selfridges and shelled £25 on Vogue Paris' SS 11 Collections Issue. Not regretting it at all because I LOVE seeing collections laid out all alphabetic and beautiful and oh!

Wore my Pa's jumper and a vintage hat for 2 days in a row because I was depraved of sleep and they almost matched.

Visited the Geffrye Museum which is sickeningly close to my house and makes me ashamed that I've never been before. Lovely!

Wore a cropped leather vest which is spits of the Chloe one and needs a better photo than this to do it justice.

I hope you've been having fun too. Huge thanks to all of you who gave a crap that I was in Grazia you guys are ace and I love you! I love the rest of you also but hey. x

swinger

2011-01-13T14:52:00.000-08:00

Grazia, p74, looking slightly like Gene Kelly in Singin' In The Rain.

I've had various texts about this today... ranging from (my personal favourite) "you know there's a photo of you looking like a dick in Grazia, right?" to "nice coat. oh and a beautiful girl of course" (the latter was from my Mother and she is contractually obliged to say that! haaa!)
As my house is still covered in copies of the February issues of Grazia and the Observer which I was in, I'm pretty sure my family will have bought enough copies of this to wallpaper my room.

I feel an outfit post will be coming soon... x

P.S. I should point out that this photo is from way back during September's LFW when bare legs didn't lead to limb amputation.

so romantic on the borderline

2011-01-09T06:39:00.000-08:00

Charity shop dress, various gifted rings + necklace

I cannot wait to wear this dress in the summer and get some feathers etc. involved.
Back in London and we got bluest skies... that is all I have to report. Still ill but I'll shut up about that now, I'm sure anyone following me on Twitter wishes I would.

I fuckin' love Billy Joel, haha. Give this a listen, classic.

human skin can be hard to live in

2011-01-04T11:03:00.000-08:00

I wear this outfit like 60% of the time it is so comfortable and warm and nice BUT I am very tired of the cold temperatures (and the North generally) numbing my fashion senses. I'm also sick of there being no light! Anywhere! Look at these dull photos!

Jumper - M&S (hurrrah!), Skirt - Zara, Other stuff is Vintage/Found

I want to wear fun clothes and I want it to be fashion week and I don't want it to rain as much as it did last February. Make it happen.
I think I'm about to get really busy, some stuff is about to happen (some good, some not so) so if I go awol, I'm not abandoning you and I will continue to love you fiercely via Twitter and oh also Facebook.

bye for nah

prop me up

2010-12-31T05:37:00.000-08:00

Joan as Police Woman band tshirt
Doctor Martens boots
All else vintage

Oh right the ultimate garment, paisley dressing gown. You should feel good about that.
So versatile and fancy and stuff. Good for dancing. Let other people try it on if they ask.

Try to have a good New Years Eve little ones.
The effects of alcohol on my system should be well interesting after the last 5 days spent in bed with minimal food. Well interesting.

bsx

come on

2010-12-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

Left; image by Facehunter (Feb 2010), jeans made by my Dad. Right; Topshop being Topshop

My Dad made those jeans when he was in his early 20s, inspired by the gatefold photo of Neil Young's After The Goldrush. (Amazing record, listen to it if you can.)

Well it's all cyclical isn't it? I think my Dad pretty much wants to try and sue Topshop. I can't say I really mind, myself. Though I'm not a great fan of Topshop, and I find it slightly odd that they waited almost a year after the image was published to release the product, it's not much different than using runway inspiration. I mean it is slightly different in that I am an anonymous and unwitting(ish) contributor etc etc... and most people buying these jeans won't have a clue that they are actually channeling my Father circa 1972. But that's okay. It's all about filter-up/filter-down and stuff right?

It's a funny old system.