Sunday 31 May 2009

Saturday 30 May 2009

Raymond Meier

I was cutting up my British Vogue from January when I came across this Raymond Meier shoot. I really love how he photographs the shoes so creatively, from such different angles-more like a still life than an accessories shoot. One or two of these will definitely end up on my wall in the near future.




Shoe Delights

These shoes really brightened up my horrible day of revision. I wouldn't be able to pick between them-all four colours are amazing. It slightly grates on my OCD-ish tendencies that the black shoe was photographed at a different angle from the rest-but then it's the odd one out (different heel, did you notice?) and we all know the odd ones out are special.



Passion Frill Sandal-Topshop-£95

Wednesday 27 May 2009

Hell Warmed Up

I. HATE. REVISION. I spent 7 HOURS revising German this afternoon, with only one or two breaks. I mean, seriously. How did I even do that?! And the worst thing is, I'm totally behind and am going to run out of time. On Monday I have a maths mock (because I'm in the top set I'm doing my maths GCSE early in November, so this summer's exam counts as our mock) and I haven't even started maths. I think I feel a few all-nighters heading my way...

Anyway, that's my excuse for why my blogs have been so few and far between recently. I'm catching up on The Hills in my (very limited) free time. Well, not quite catching up as watching it from start to finish. I'm at the beginning of season 4 at the moment. Is it really bad that I want to be Lauren so much I could kill her? The worst thing is that, unlike Gossip Girl (aka my life's passion) The Hills is a reality TV show...so that's not depressing or anything!

I can't believe it's Wednesday already. This has been the quickest half term ever. I'm not even remotely rested and I only have 2 more proper sleep-ins left because of rowing on the weekend! Aaaagh, panic!!!

Monday 25 May 2009

Pearl Harbour

What a film. Gorgeous men, gorgeous clothes, GORGEOUS make-up...and of course a well-told story too. Yet another name to add to the 'Films That Made Me Cry' list.

Anticipation

It's exactly a week till my birthday-and actually I'm not that excited. It's a combination of the week of revision/forthcoming exams which are at the moment completely occupying my mind, and also the sad fact that the older you get the less exciting these landmarks in the year become. I remember when the whole of May would be tinged with excitement about my upcoming birthday; when my feverish anticipation of Christmas would grow throughout December until, on Christmas Eve, I would barely be able to get to sleep. Now, however, I can't even work up enough enthusiasm to think about a party, despite my mum's eager hints to help me organise something.

One good thing, however, is that I'm pretty sure I'll be getting a camera-finally! After so many months without one I'm starting to get desperate. It was the only big thing I asked for, and I found a Jessop's camera catalogue lying around the other day, so I wouldn't be surprised...Hopefully in a week I'll be able to post all the things I've been holding on to for ages, unable to put up because of my LACK OF A CAMERA!

Sunday 24 May 2009

Peacock Pleasures

Peacocks have always been a synonym for extravagance. Quite right then that they should end up on the clothes on some of fashion's biggest designers. A more elegant way to dress I can't imagine-although it must make sitting down rather tricky...



Giambattista Valli Fall RTW 2009

Valentino Extravagance bag



Success

I don't think I've explained how much rowing is a part of my life. A five-times-a-week, makes-me-get-home-at-8pm, more-tear-provoking-than-anything-else part of my life. This summer will be the end of my fourth year rowing at my club on the Thames (or, as all rowers call it, the Tideway) and it's amazing how far I've come from the midday beginners' group on Sundays. My fellow team mates and I routinely train through blood, sweat and tears-quite literally-in order to be the best we can be. There are times when, coming home after a particularly hard session, I cry my eyes out due to exhaustion and a sense of not having performed to my best, and wonder why I put myself through it; there are times when, caught in a hailstorm on a river with waves that would put the English Channel to shame and a headwind howling at my back, I want to throw my oars away and say, "ENOUGH already!" But through every midwinter ergo, every endless outing, every session that makes me feel life really isn't worth living, I didn't give up. And yesterday, at the National Schools in Nottingham, we were rewarded for that tenacity and determination to succeed.

Perhaps there are some crews out there who wouldn't be satisfied with a bronze. After all, that's two boats who rowed faster than us, two crews we didn't beat. But I know that all four of us who raced felt like we won on that rowing lake. We rowed to the best of our ability; we justified those months of training; we made our coach, who puts so much time and effort and trust into us, proud. The medal round my neck somehow didn't seem quite real-it didn't really sink in that all those hours of pain had culminated in this, that this was what we had trained for.

If I'm honest, it still hasn't.

Sunday 17 May 2009

Alasdair McLellan

Alasdair McLellan had a shoot in British Vogue this month, and I was immediately struck by his pictures and began searching the internet to find more of his work. What's so lovely about all his photos is that he uses contrasting light and shadow in really interesting ways, such as in the leaf photo below; he doesn't just use the models as clothes horses, but really lets their individuality and character shine through; and somehow, maybe using a combination of both these techniques, he manages to create an atmosphere that makes you feel as if you're there in the picture too. Plus he has done lots of shoot with Lara Stone, a model I've loved since I first saw her in Vogue a few years ago. But more on her later.










Saturday 16 May 2009

Rubik's Cube

How cool are these salt/pepper shakers?! I dream constantly of the day when I have my own flat/house and can decorate it in my own amazing way (dream is definitely the right phrase-no doubt I'll just end up sticking a few paintings on the walls and calling it a day, but it's nice to imagine!). These funky shakers would definitely have a place on my table.


Looking at other people's houses is always a source of inspiration/unspeakable lust for me. As well as the Home sections of the Sunday newspaper supplements, I also LOVE designspongeonline.com. As well as posting fun new projects from small design companies, they have before/afters that their readers send in (ranging from chairs and lamps to whole houses) and 'sneak peeks' of homes of people involved in design. I'm telling you, some of those houses are AMAZING. They're all so original-every time there's something that makes me go, "Now why didn't I think of that before?!" Rather like these Rubik's Cubes, really.

Saturday 9 May 2009

Countdown

Only two weeks to go till half term (just as well-I'm exhausted, and for no reason at all). This term is ridiculously short-we've only been back for two and a bit weeks, and already there's an oasis in sight. It makes me shudder to think of the winter term, all nine weeks between the summer holiday and the half term which, luckily, lasts for 2 weeks.

But will this half term really be such an oasis? Our end-of-year exams start the day we get back (which also happens to be MY BIRTHDAY! SO unfair!) so I imagine my half term will be filled with revision and more revision. As one of my friends so helpfully pointed out, these are the last exams where failure has no consequence. After this, it's mocks, public examinations and finals all the way. Joy of joys.

Friday 8 May 2009

A Surprising Piece of Eye Candy

I walk through Marks and Spencer every morning on the way to school, and often the shortcut turns into a longcut as I'm diverted away from the main aisleway (I swear they should charge toll for all the commuters/school pupils who walk through there on a daily basis) towards the beautifully packaged, sinfully tempting food which M&S is just so good at. But this past week my eye's been turning away from the food towards this pretty belt which has been artfully placed just as you come round a corner. I love the bow, which isn't too prissy to look primary-school, but adds a touch of feminity to what would otherwise be another boring waist belt. It comes in other colours too-my favourite is the hot pink (it would go so well with a black dress and killer heels) but there's also blue as well as a more utilitarian black. And the best thing of all-if my permanent money deficit is ever solved, it's only 6 pounds-equivalent to 2 trips to Starbucks! I like.

Skinny Bow Belt-£6

Monday 4 May 2009

Depression

The good weather has vanished and with it, my good mood. Today is bank holiday, for once I have no rowing, and I've just realised that I also have no social life whatsoever. On a normal weekend I can put my routine of rowing, lunch, bath, lazing around at home, bed down to the pressures of work, music, and rowing combined with the constant tiredness that nags me because I only get one chance to sleep in a week, and that's only till nine on a Saturday. But today, on a day where I have no commitments whatsoever, I still end up at home doing nothing. Yes, I have friends-but those friends always seem to have other plans, with other friends-from my school and from other schools-who I don't know, and I never get included in those plans. There was a time when it seemed that my social life was improving, and I was getting invited to parties and along to those random meet-ups that teenagers in London are so fond of-but then for some inexplicable reason it was other people, and not me, who became closer and closer to these new people and before long I find myself out of the loop with a social life that cannot even be described as stuck in a rut, because it was never on the road in the first place.

At the moment, what would really cheer me up would be a boyfriend or something designer and hideously expensive. But a) is unlikely to materialise due to aforementioned lack of social networking, and b) is just unlikely to materialise. Because.

Heigh ho. Good times, bad times. I thought maybe 2009 would be a little different. Evidently not.

Cage Shoes

YSL Spring RTW

Calvin Klein Spring RTW

Looking through my Vogue this morning I noticed these mesh shoes featuring in the adverts for both YSL and Calvin Klein. They've been popping up in photo shoots since January (if I had a camera I would be able to put those photos up too...grrr) when I noticed them immediately. I like that they're an easy heel to wear but still look chic. Yet another thing for me to dream about.

Saturday 2 May 2009

Tim Walker

I saw Tim Walker's exhibition at the London Design Museum last year and it only helped to fuel my love of his quirky, beautiful photos. I don't recall how I first discovered him but I hounded my mum to take me to the exhibition until she said yes. She didn't enjoy it that much, but I loved it-loved the collages that he creates from each shoot, loved the photos that had been blown up to cover whole walls, loved the dreamy atmosphere that every photo creates. I have a calendar on my wall which is what prompted me to write this gushing post-so many of his photos are reminiscent of lazy English summers, drinking tea and eating strawberries and cream...Also I find some of his photos really remind me of Luella's floral-print dresses...maybe it's just me?












Friday 1 May 2009

Pig Pandemonium

It was only a matter of time before I had to mention the swine flu. Being a teenage girl, it is practically a given that I am taking this news rather seriously-and by that I mean along the lines of, "OH MY GOD WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE," screams whenever the topic comes up. But seriously-there are so many horror stories/terrifying facts floating around, including:
1. A friend's teacher's father who works on the council of a small country parish was called up by the government this week asking if he had facilities for mass burial in his area.
2. A worst-case scenario figure of 94,000 people are estimated to die in London. Yes, that does say ninety-four thousand.
3. At present the government has enough medication to treat 50% of the population. They aim to stockpile enough to treat 80%. Well, what about the other 20%?!
4. In a letter received from school ,which enclosed a copy of government tips on keeping swine flu at bay, families are advised to have TWO WEEKS' worth of food and other supplies in their homes in case a family member catches the flu.
5. They are also advised to have a list of 'flu friends' who can drop off food and other necessities to prevent them having to leave their house. So effectively we're all being quarantined in our own homes until we're flu-free again. It's like the plague all over again.
6. One of my good friends' family all live in Mexico City (don't worry, she hasn't been there since Christmas!) and she's constantly worried about them all. And there will be hundreds of people all in the same position worrying about loved ones.

There are benefits to this swine flu-albeit only a few. If anyone from our school catches it we get to stay at home, and I also heard a pretty good joke: What do you get if you catch swine flu and bird flu? Answer-flying pig flu.

OK, so it's one of those jokes that's so bad it's good-just. But what the hell-anything that makes a joke out of a situation this bad can only be good.