Monday 31 August 2009

H and M

Did a bit of mirror-shopping in H and M while I was waiting for the Mutti to pay for my nice new coat :) This season they had lots of really good stock in-maybe it's because I visited the Oxford Street branch, but it seems they had many more directional, trend-orientated pieces than usual, as opposed to the usual stripy cashmere jumper in ten colours.

I really really want something sequiny for this autumn. I liked this jacket because it wasn't really big and baggy, like most sequin jackets seem to be-instead it had quite a sporty cut,with a zip and a high collar. I love the feeling of sequins through the lining-it makes your skin feek cool no matter how hot the fitting room in question might be.



This skirt had quite funky detailing, and I love how it zips all the way down-very sexy.

Nice leather jacket, again-I must get round to buying one.

Alberta Ferretti-style fringed dress. A little impractical because the fringe gets caught in jewellery, zips etc.

The 100th Post

Wow-this is it! The hundredth post. I wasn't really expecting to get here...if only I could be this persistent with healthy eating, say, or music practice. Ah well. Now I'm here, though, I should really get around to getting some visitors...I sense some self-promotion in the air! xoxo

Happy-Making for Winter

On the day of the Waterhouse exhibition (which I realise was a while ago but I've been way lazy these past few days) I also bought my new winter coat: £30-something pounds from H and M, military style, able to conceal bulky layers (I tried on the most vile thick knitted cardigan underneath to test it) and, for a fashion coat, relatively thick. I love the huge lapels you get when you don't button it up. I know I've been waxing lyrical about how much I hate the end of the summer blah blah blah, but any situation is always improved if you have exciting new clothes to experience it in.


You might have noticed I cropped my face out...about that...I managed to take 3 of the most unattractive photos ever of myself soo...yes. Cropping was the solution.

Sunday 30 August 2009

Dilemma

Yesterday was rather a field day for me vis a vis glossy fashion tomes. First of all my father came back from a business trip, on which he'd flown Swiss Air and had thoughtfully brought back copies of German Vogue (August and September issues) and German Elle (September issue), supposedly for me to 'practise my German in a fun way' (yeah, right. Pictures can be appreciated in any language). So I flicked through them, rather shocked at the amount of breastiness appearing in German Vogue just for the sake of it, and then popped off to the high street to buy this month's Harper's Bazaar before it vanished from the shelves completely (in passing, I'm actually rather a fan of the special plus-size magazine-for some reason when I got my March issue it was the ordinary, glossy size so I've never experienced the large, non-glossy version before. It's quite cool, though, and when I eventually get round to dissecting it with my scissors it will look more interesting juxtapositioned with all my other wall art than if it was just the same ordinary size as the rest of 'em).

So, to cut to the chase, I am now faced with severe monetary problems for the upcoming month because not only will I be back to school, therefore back in contact with all my friends, therefore back to my normal social life which involved frequent visits to the cinema, but I have also, for the first time, plumbed the full depths of W H Smith's magazine shelves, and now I am in deep trouble.

To illustrate my point-next month, after much internal grappling, I will have to choose between buying copies of the following:
1. Harper's Bazaar-October
2. Elle UK-October
3. i-D-which seems to have multiple issues on the shelves at once-this is very confusing but can easily be rectified by buying them both
4. Nylon-September
5. American Vogue-September
6. American Harper's Bazaar-September
7. Dazed and Confused-October
8. Tatler-October
9. Vanity Fair-October (I'm still trying to decide whether I should rush out and buy the September issue before the end of the month)
10. American Elle-September

THIS IS NOT EVEN FAIR WHY ARE THERE SO MANY GOOD MAGAZINES IN THE WORLD?! Not helped by the fact that American magazines reach England a month late so my September spree is spread over 2 months. Sadly Smiths doesn't sell French Vogue, which I seriously need to start getting my hands on each month too-in fact, maybe that should be luckily Smiths doesn't sell French Vogue, otherwise I would be even more out of pocket than I will doubtless be in a month's time. Thank God I have a subscription to British Vogue, otherwise I would be a wreck, crouched in a ball in a corner fingering my last pound and muttering in a broken voice, "Not enough money. Not enough money."

Saturday 29 August 2009

Yummy

Homemade is the best :)

Wednesday 26 August 2009

Surprise Shadows

A few days ago I caught the afternoon sunlight coming through the kitchen window and making these beautiful shadows on the wall. Luckily I had my camera to hand.

John Waterhouse

Went to the Royal Academy today to see the J.W. Waterhouse exhibition. It was really fantastic-to see so many iconic works in their full, real-life glory was amazing. I'm no art expert but his pre-Raphaelite style satisfies my love of pretty things on a very simple level. I also love how he based so many of his paintings on poems and literature and ancient myths-I'm kinda into all of that stuff, so at once the paintings become more than just pictures; they have a background and a story. So many of his larger-scale works made me want to step into them and wander round the corner to explore the half-real, half-fantasy world he created using canvas and paint.

But, of course, being a fashion lover, I spent a lot of the time gazing at the women in the paintings (well, it was hard not too-I think there was one painting in the whole place which didn't have at least one woman in) and admiring their beautiful pale skin and perfect bone structure-one sketch, which I couldn't find on the internet, looked scarily like Ali Stephens-and, of course, their clothes. So many of them, even the ones who weren't placed in immediately Classical settings, were wearing these lovely flowing chiffon Grecian dresses (a few too many adjectives there, I think-they say a picture paints a thousand words, so look below to get the gist of what I'm rambling about). Sometimes I wish so much that I lived in a time where women got to wear clothes like this every day-but then I doubt Roman matrons wandered around with their dresses slipping off their shoulders and uncovering their breasts in the way that Waterhouse's women do.








(jwwaterhouse.com)

Tuesday 25 August 2009

Wise Words from Beth

"England honestly has better taste than America. I think it always has and it always will...Europeans are quicker to pick up on something and give it a chance. Cool is really important to them; when they say something's cool, they're gonna mean it. And people in England just look fucking amazing all the time, more than anywhere else."
-Beth Ditto for Nylon, August 2009

Damn straight, Beth Ditto! I have to say, I'm not the biggest fan of you/your band (that wasn't meant in a sarcastic way, I'm just generally rather apathetic about The Gossip) but to hear an American admitting that America isn't the best at everything, and also that England-note England, not Britain: Scotland is an entirely different country with far less fashion sense and innate coolness, and as for the Welsh...well I doubt they would recognise Vogue if its big-ass September Issue hit them straight in the nose-is...that kind of made my day. Yay :)

Perfection by Givenchy

If I could only have one pair of shoes in my entire life it would be these. I. LOVE. THEM. They keep popping up everywhere, from my favourite magazines to obscure blogs, worn by rich fashion people whose only goal in life seems to be rubbing the perfection of these little booties into poor helpless Givenchy-boot-loving people's faces.

I mean, seriously. Just look at them. They:
1. Are black leather. Nuff said.
2. Have way cool zips with even cooler round toggles.
3. Have heels but are not too tall so people like myself who are not immensely talented at walking with 6-inch spikes on their feet could still retain a modicum of composure while wearing them.
4. Have a funky double-platform thing going on.
5. Are open toed. Which I appreciate is not the most practical thing for pounding the pavement in mid-winter, but whatever, I love open toed heels. They're so much more interesting.
6. They just look so awesomely rock-chic-ly cool.


(photobucket.com)

Lola

At Harrods I came across two Lolas in the space of three minutes-Lola's Kitchen's delicious-looking cupcakes in the food hall (how perfect is that rose?) followed by Marc Jacobs' delicious-smelling new perfume (how perfect is Karlie?). To complete the trio, my granny's name is Lola (well, her real name's actually Doris, but she hates it, and calls herself Lola instead). Funny ol' world.


(lolas-kitchen.co.uk; models.com)

Monday 24 August 2009

There's This Girl...She's Called Masha

I was cutting up a magazine...as begin many of my stories. This particular one was Harpers Bazaar UK, March edition. This editorial, by Chad Pitman featuring one Masha Novoselova, has got to be one of my favourites of all time. It's so atmospheric, and she's so stunning, and the whole thing looks so natural and unpretentious, and really I was in a quandry trying to decide which one to stick up on my wall and where. I could wax on for ages about how much I love this, but instead just use the time you would have spent reading my dazed ramblings just gazing at these stunning photos...









(Photos from thefashionspot.com...which I really need to join, anyone got free invitations?)

Pinky Swear

The colour of Barbie, Lady Penelope and the 80s.

Drawing to a Close

This morning I cycled to rowing across the common in the sunshine and noticed that already some of the trees have turned all fiery reds and oranges. There was a thin carpet of dry leaves lying across the path.


I hate the end of summer.

(photo from mariasphoto.com)

Sunday 23 August 2009

[If I was in a witty mood I could come up with a title containing a pun on the word 'bow', but I'm rather tired...]

Guess where I found this rather nice oversized green bow...yes, that's right-my mum's drawer. She may not have any denim jackets or neon 80s paraphernalia for me to re-use this season, but she does have lots of random surprises like this. I managed to wear it in three ways-any guesses for which one is the proper way?

1. As a headband (channelling Blair Waldorf/Minni Mouse here!)

2. As a bow tie (me likey...looks like I have v. short punky hair)


3. And as a belt!

In Real Life

Yesterday a friend of my mum's was visiting from Paris and I went with them to Harrods, which as everyone knows is the top shopping spot for tourists who are over 25 and therefore too old for Topshop. Had a lovely time wandering around looking at the bags (dear God, some of those Valentinos were literally to die for) before fleeing the luxury rooms in fear of the beady eyes of the assistants, who pounce on you if you stop walking even for a second and ask you if they can help, with a faux-sincere smile that scarcely disguises the venomous 'clear off right now, you clearly don't have the money to buy that £1000000000 Chanel bag you're currently going into ecstasies over' thoughts which you can see in their beautifully made-up eyes. Right, scary sale assistants, I'll just go to the food halls now and kill myself over exquisitely made chocolates which cost £3 per 10g and therefore are out of my price range (query-does anyone actually buy all their food from Harrods?).

So anyway, after a little afternoon tea the Mutti and I trundled along to Harvey Nicks so she could buy some skin product she wanted, and then we had a little look at all the clothes while we were there because, you know, we might as well. Luckily the sales assistants at H.N. seem to actually be normal people, in that they lean against things and talk to each other instead of picking on poor innocent shoppers. So I could look around and touch things without feeling like a trespasser. It was a rather enlightening experience, even if we were only there for about a tenth of the time I would have liked. Despite the fact that I live in London and subsist on a diet of glossy magazines, my exposure to designer clothes has been limited to photos on glossy paper. My wander through the womenswear floors had a dual effect-on one hand, being able to manhandle Givenchy/Dior/insert other top-end designer brand here made me realise that despite all the prestige attached to these brands, they are just clothes, albeit clothes of exceptional cut and quality; that made me feel just a bit more hopeful, like, maybe one day I'll get to wear nice clothes like these...On the other hand I realised that brands like The Row and Marc by Marc Jacobs, which I have always thought of as being younger, less serious ones are in fact much more sort of high-brow than I expected. So that was kind of daunting! But all in all it was great to look at lovely clothes for once-I mean, I love love love Topshop, but there's only so much polyester a girl can take.

Then we took the bus home in the late afternoon sunshine. I can't believe the summer's nearly over-it's been such a great one, and I feel like it should go on forever. Enjoy this last week, people-it'll be over before you know it!

Saturday 22 August 2009

Dozy Daisy Days

This afternoon the sun was shining and there were daisies in our garden.


Friday 21 August 2009

Cinderella

Every now and again I have a root around in the dressing up box for tacky old pieces of clothing from my mum's wardrobe which might be cool to wear out. Imagine my delight when I came across this beautiful dress which she used to wear at university to May balls-how stunning is it?! I especially love the little buttons up the side instead of just a zip. I could only just fit into it, what with the whalebone in the corset section, but it made me feel like a total princess. There was also a matching jacket which I found after a bit more searching. Finds like this brighten up my day.

It's great to be back!



Saturday 8 August 2009

Topshop

Had a 'day out with dad' yesterday-I had lunch at him near his office, and then went to see 'The Ugly Truth', which turned out to be rather awkward. In between I went to the Oxford Street Topshop while he finished off his work.

I must admit-I've always found that particular branch of Topshop a bit overwhelming. You go in looking for a skirt and come out dazed, blinking like a mole in the sudden sunlight, eyes blurred from all the thousands of items of clothing that have passed before them. However yesterday, with nothing to do except browse, I discovered that this is one of those rare shops where, if you just wander at random through the store, you're more likely to unearth the best pieces than miss them. Within three minutes I was struggling to carry five hangers at once, and when I got to the fitting rooms I found, to my horror, that I was holding 12 items-double the maximum amount. I had to try my clothes on in two shifts, and then felt really embarassed when I didn't want to keep any of it (I don't have enough spare money to be splurging it on clothes). I did my usual trick of keeping a few items and then shoving them onto the first rack I came across which was out of the changing room assistant's eye.

Unfortunately the dim light in the fitting rooms rendered half of my photos too blurry for posting, but the vaguely clear ones are below. I tried on that skirt from my dream wardrobe a few posts down-it was lovely, and hopefully if I can persuade my mum to take me on an A/W shopping trip I will end up with it in my wardrobe. (I realised the other day that I have never been on a shopping expedition where I've ended up walking down the road with six shopping bags in my hands, each from a different shop and each full of exciting new season clothes. This is a complete travesty and I intend to rectify the problem as soon as I can persuade my mum that I've mysteriously grown over the holidays and no longer fit any of my clothes).

It's a bit unclear in the photo but this top is actually sequiny. The extra weight makes it feel really nice when you wear it, and also quite cool.

Sorry for the bra flashing...I forgot to bring a vest in to try on with the skirts.

There were dozens of clothes with padded shoulders/embellishments, a la Balmain

The skirt! And a pretty sequin jacket which I managed to rip a few sequins off...whoops!
An absolutely gorgeous fringed dress and Sienna Miller-esque furry gilet. I swear Topshop is a stylist's mecca. If I was forced to wear clothes from there exclusively for the rest of my life I would be happy.

Petals and Pendants

Again, jewellery that just has to be piled on (a la Givenchy couture, below). And yes, I did wear one of the flowery leis (genuine Hawaii products brought back by my grandparents from a cruise) out, and got a compliment from an assistant at Topshop. Just to prove that totally whimsical accessories can also be totally rad.




On a sadder note-today I leave for the sunny climes of...the Isle of Wight, followed by Scotland. Could be interesting! Anyway, that's the explanation for the forthcoming absence of posts for a week and a half. Keep enjoying the summer while it lasts, because it's sure going quickly...

Beads and Bracelets

Sometimes childhood accessories can look surprisingly chic. I piled a load of these on this morning and ended up feeling rather cool-in a quirky kind of way.


Friday 7 August 2009

Inspirations

Ad Campaigns Fall 09-The Best...

These are my four favourite ad campaigns from A/W '09 so far. The Fendi and Miu Miu campaigns both have such an eerie quality, whereas Missoni and Chloe have used really vibrant photographs. I especially love the motion captured in Missoni's ad. The only thing with the Chloe advertisment is that the rich colours make me think more of spring than winter...but then fashion has never been the most realistic of industries!