Things

Something wonderful happened yesterday. I went into town looking to get a few bits and bobs from Boots (because I pretty much always need something from Boots) and to go into New Look because this month's Cosmo had a 20% off voucher in it and I'm a sucker for a bargain. Now I wasn't expecting anything great to happen; it was just another ordinary Saturday in Liverpool - girls were out and about with their heads full of velcro rollers (seriously, they do that here), scallies were lurking outside McDonalds and blinged up babies reclined in their pushchairs (I actually saw a pushchair lined with fake fur yesterday, no lie) but this day was to become a day of glory...

Aaaanyway, I went to Boots and New Look, bought some eyeshadows and conditioner and a long tee-shirt and a bunch of necklaces and then decided, because apparently I hadn't spent enough money already and because the window display was enticing me, to go to H&M. Now I've come to realise that I am basically a walking advert for H&M, it's very rare that I'll go in there and not buy anything, but yesterday nothing really called out to me. I picked up a pair of very blue jeans but then put them back again because I realised I'd look like a twat in them. Then, suddenly, from above, it appeared, like a beautiful leather bird of paradise; magical and overwhelming, the JACKET.

Oh it's just... there aren't enough words. Let's take a minute to compose ourselves shall we?

Thirty five of your English pounds and worth every single one of them, thank you very much.

Now I know what some people (ie the stupid ones) might be thinking - "a leather jacket? Really? It's Spring - it'll be Summer soon - will you wear it?"

Well I have two things to say to you, firstly, it's cropped, so it's perfect for Spring/Summer. And secondly, I live in England. Even when it's hot, it's still cold. Judging by last Summer, I'll probably need a bloody cagoule, never mind a leather jacket.

So I was the happiest of all the people in town yesterday, I guarantee it. So happy in fact, that I was momentarily blinded by sheer joy and literally went mental in HMV because there was a sale on and whenever there's a sale on I panic and think "Oh my God 4 DVDs for £20 - I should buy all the DVDs, ALL THE DVDs!!!"

You see, I've got this image of me in the future, where I'm rich and have a big house, and in the big house there is (as well as a pool boy with an ass that won't quit) a massive DVD library, which I've built up over the years and has every single film and tv series imaginable. Of course what I always fail to think of is that, by the time I'm a proper grown up with a big house, DVDs will probably have become obsolete and we'll all be watching films by having some kind of chip implanted into our brains that allows us to watch whatever film we want when we close our eyes... anyway, I digress. So I bought Madagascar, Fight Club, the 28 Days/Weeks Later boxset and Atonement, which I've not seen before and watched last night. Bloody hell it was depressing, but their silly posh accents made me chuckle and James McAvoy is beautiful in a "is he beautiful? No, not really...and yet he is..." kind of way, so I still liked it.

But back to the jacket. I had a conversation with my friend fairly recently about how I feel that I'm just not very fabulous anymore. Now please don't read this as me being a big vain loser, because, while I may be those things, I don't mean it like that. It's just that I used to take risks with fashion and wear whatever I wanted and not care; my first year at uni I wore the most ridiculous ensembles, but they were eye-catching and interesting and people said things like "I love that whole Africana vibe you've got going there" and "wow, you look like a model"...I'm coming off as vain again aren't I? Well I don't mean to, honestly, I'm just trying to make a point. You see the thing is, I got lazy, and I spent a lot of time being skint and I just kind of forgot how to shop for fun things. Whenever I had money for shopping, I'd buy the things I could afford rather than the things I loved, and while those things were still cool and pretty and fashionable, they were very rarely *FABULOUS* and I found myself falling into a bit of a style rut. Cue the violins... oh dear...

Well, anyway, the point I'm making is that this style rut is officially over! I can't blame it on not having money anymore because I'm now in a better money situation, which means I'm allowed to shop and buy fabulous things, such as the JACKET! So I'm making a vow to make more of an effort with my outfits and take risks again! RISKS! Starting right now with ensembles such as these... (when I say 'right now' I don't really mean that because it's night time and I'm in my pyjamas, but, you know, the next time I go out)

Jacket - H&M, Skirt - H&M (see? I should have shares in the place!)

I know, blurry, and you can't see my shoes, but my bedroom is incredibly small and it's very difficult to get a full length photo of yourself...

Shirt - H&M (seriously), Skirt - as before (so H&M then?), Shoes - Topshop

I'm actually really liking this whole "let's bare our midriffs like it's 1996" thing, but only with something high-waisted, obvs.

Having a non-curly day... Necklaces, worn as headband - New Look

Can I get away with this? Who cares!? RISKS!!!

And finally, remember the sunglasses I bought from (where else?) H&M last week? I didn't realise it at first, but look! They're two-toned! Which means they are awesome :)

Happy days.

The Prints and the Pauper.

It's Saturday night and I'm at home listening to my parents and their friends getting drunk downstairs. I know, I know - what kind of lame-ass 21 year old am I?! This is the first Saturday night I've had in ages where I've not been in work so really, I should be dancing like a lunatic somewhere to make up for all the nights out I've missed of late. But you know what? I'm tired ok? I've been busy doing all kinds of crazy things this week so just give it a rest and let me boring, yeah?

Anyway, one of my favourite people in the world came to visit me yesterday and apart from a minor mishap involving an exploding bottle of chilli sauce and my H&M oversized shirt/dress thing (which was washed to within an inch of its life when I got home), it was a lovely day. Being the good friend that I am, I showed her the joys of Liverpool shopping. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending how you look at it) both of us were feeling thrifty so we didn't spend a great deal, but I did still manage to snap up some nifty little bits and pieces.

Owl brooch - £4.50 from an amazing vintage jewellery shop in Grand Central, Collection 2000 Glam Crystals eyeliner - £2.70 from Boots, dress - £14.99 from H&M and sunglasses £4.99 also H&M

The dress was really just something I was trying on, I'd actually intended to buy a different dress but it's such a lovely, "flippy" (as my mum called it) shape that I changed my mind. My sister (very sensibly) pointed out that it'd go well with a leather jacket so now I feel like I need a shrunken leather jacket, I think it's important for my personal well-being that I get one soon. The sunglasses were too good a bargain not to buy; I only ever wear bug-eye sunglasses coz I've got a massive head and other sunnies don't look right on me (aviators make me look like John Lennon for some reason).

Can anyone explain why, when I turn the flash off on my camera, the photos go really blurry? Why is that? Why? I was trying to take a photo without the flash so that the brooch and the eyeliner didn't go all reflecty but it just didn't happen. Harrumph. I am in love with the little owl though. The price label called it a "Tweet-twoo brooch" - how ca-yoot is that?!

If you were to take a little look-see into my wardrobe, the first thing you'd notice, as well as the disturbingly massive collection of knitwear I own, would probably be just how many of my clothes are covered in prints and patterns, obviously my new dress is a good example of this. My other most recent purchase, another dress, this time from French Connection via ASOS is also all about the pattern;

Dress - £24, French Connection (ASOS Sale)

Ignore my hair in the photo as best you can, I was between styles (not quite curly because I hadn't scrunched it after washing but not smooth enough to be straight - the Little Curly Girl's eternal dilemma...). Anyway, the dress was a kind of random impulse buy; I generally don't buy online because I'm never sure what size I am and can't be bothered with all the faff of returning things if they don't fit, but I figured since French Connection sizes are pretty consistent and a smock dress is basically a sack with sleeves, (a very nice sack, but a sack nonetheless) I'd take a risk. I bloody love it so it was a risk well-taken. It's very flouncy, and flounciness is pretty much something I always want in a dress, plus I don't usually wear long sleeves so it makes a good change. The drop-waisted shape and the dense black and white print really remind me of these two pieces from the Anna Sui Fall RTW show;

( photos from style.com)

So now I'm thinking I need a cameo brooch (back to the amazing vintage jewellery shop go I), a pair of fringed boots, some lacy tights and, of course, a crazy feathered hat. But then, don't we all need a crazy feathered hat?

Bow-l me over...

For a while now I've been intrigued by the Lady Gaga "bow-bun". To be fair, the first person I saw wearing it was actually Paris Hilton, but Lady Gaga has kind of made it her own. Since I'm a little obsessed with bows, the idea of literally making your hair into one just seems too wonderful not to try. I found this video on youtube which shows exactly how to do it - the girl makes it look so easy, although it probably helps that she's got incredibly thick, straight hair.

I decided to try it out and although it is do-able, it's pretty tricky and if you're an impatient person like me, you might end up tearing your hair out in the process. Make sure you've got lots of grips to hand, and some hairspray. The more hair you have, the better, because it's all about making the 'bow' parts really fluffed out so that they stand alone.

My attempt - not bad but it's nowhere near as good as the girl in the video's. This was my second attempt and by this point my arms were hurting so I gave up after taking this photo.

I'll definitely try it again when I've got more time and maybe someone to help me.

Hurting

I went for a little look around the shops today and felt so completely uninspired, it was just depressing. Here's the issue - everywhere is currently stocking spring/summer collections - you know; linen, pastels, flouncy skirts, strappy tops etc etc et bloody cetera. Zara was the worst culprit for it - clearly their buyers are extremely optimistic for a hot summer...maybe they know something we don't...

But at the moment it's so dismally cold and wet that I literally can't imagine buying anything except tights, cardigans, scarves (my friend dragged me away from a massive black one because she didn't understand my yearning for it...I may go back and buy it tomorrow) and possibly some kind of raincoat (ok, I'm joking). I hate the cold. Hate it. I completely understand the appeal of hibernating like woodland creatures do, in fact, I'm currently on the look out for a suitable cave, stocking up on acorns and advertising for a squirrel room-mate to keep me company.

So yeah, not feeling the summery clothes just yet.

Also, is it just me or is anybody else offended by how stupidly expensive Urban Outfitters and American Apparel are? I constantly find myself vaguely picking up some simple, basic piece, like a t-shirt or jersey knit skirt, looking at the price tag and then going "HOW MUCH?!" before hurriedly slamming it back on the rail and storming off in a huff. £52 for a fine knit jumper! I just think it's silly, I do, I really, really do. Maybe I'm getting old and cynical...

Even so, I did find one moment of sheer joy when in the shoe section of Topshop today. My goodness, their shoe designers are on form this season! Actually the whole of Topshop is very, very good at the moment - the current jewellery collection is incredible (I know I praised it a bit in my last post, but it really is beautious).

I talked myself out of buying the ruffled ones and then sat down to read Style magazine and was faced with a massive picture of them - it's clearly a sign that I should buy and love them forever...

from left to right - PASSION £95, SHE-RA £70, LULU £60

(photos from topshop.com)

Big is beautiful

Won't you take a look at my new earrings? Just a little look?

Yes they're dangerously big (and heavy) and I do fear that a crazed gypsy woman may try to rip them out of my ears because they're actually the wheels from her (somewhat elaborately decorated, let's be honest) gypsy caravan, but even so, I'm just going to come right out and say it, Freedom at Topshop, you're a bit good aren't you?

You can't really see in the picture but I'm also wearing the pinkest lipgloss known to man. I mean, it actually is pinker than anything I've ever seen before. This is the kind of pink that means business. My lips look like someone melted down a pair of Barbie's shoes and made me eat them without using cutlery. It's by GloMinerals and is called Bougainvillea.

See? PINK!

And your pointe is?

This is from a postcard that's currently on the wall in my bedroom. It's called Les Pointes and is by Isabel Munoz. I've been obsessed with it for ages; it's such a simple, beautiful image and I love how freakishly pointy the ballerina's feet are. In addition, it contributes in a small way to my demented obsession with tulle (like a nicotine patch...). What I really like about it though is that I can't work out which way up it's meant to be, and apparently nobody else can either; when I looked it up on Google, various websites were selling copies of it but some had it this way, as if it's a ballerina standing on her tippy tippy tip toes, while others had it upside down, as if she's just chilling out in a lovely, tulle-y way.

Whichever way round you look at it, it's magical :)

See? Magical.

*Dramatic sigh*

I just love her -

"Fiddle Dee Dee!"

I want this to be the basis for my life - eating barbecue, surrounded by doting admirers and wearing a ridiculous hat.

This is going to be very long...

So I basically got a bit carried away when deciding on my favourite collections from NYFW and have ended up with a stupid amount of pictures. But hey, what's blogging for if not posting photographs of beautiful people wearing beautiful things?!

What I find so amazing about Fashion Week is that it never gets old or boring. I always expect that eventually, the designers are just going to run out of ideas and send their models down the runway naked, carrying signs that say "sorry, there is nothing left - we're done." Fortunately, this never happens; fashion is constantly evolving and designers continue, season after season, to be inspired by anything and everything. I imagine that the thought process of a designer goes something like this - "hmmm Fall RTW...what shall we do? Ummm...oooh! Look at that pigeon outside! Hmmm...I'm thinking pigeons, I'm thinking feathers, I'm thinking the splatter effect that bird poo has...yes yes! I've got it!" And thus a collection consisting of grey feathers, bat wing tops and paint splashed jeans is formed (if, next season I see this look on the catwalk, I am SO going to track down the designer and demand royalties...)

Anyway, from what I've read on other blogs which have reviewed NYFW, one of the most popular shows was Rodarte and understandably so. Apparently taking their inspiration from Frankenstein, the Mulleavy sisters presented a collection that made me think "urban warrior", with jackets, dresses and skirts seemingly covered in bits and pieces of...well...anything. I imagine that the Mulleavys are a bit like magpies building a nest, wanting to include as many pretty, shiny, soft and fluffy things as possible. The Frankenstein reference was very clear, with the chopped up, pieced together clothing and those killer leather boots, which looked all bind-y and constricting - ladies, you have my approval!

Although it's called Ready-to-Wear, a lot of the stuff you see on the catwalks is only really 'ready' to be worn by people like Roisin Murphy or Lady Gaga, and quite frankly, I'm neither of those people, so it was nice to see some shows that featured strong, yet simple pieces. ADAM, a designer I'd not really come across before, featured a collection of straight-forward outerwear and then some colourful, sparkly pieces. Hardly life-changing stuff but I could actually see real people wearing his designs, rather than just the filthy rich and quirky...

Miss Sixty is a label I've not paid attention to in a long time as I've always seen it as trying a bit too hard and coming off as trashy. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised by this collection, which looked like it might have been inspired by the type of people you'd see coming out of a biker bar at 3 in the morning. With lashings of leather and acid washed denim, the models looked trashy yet fabulous - like Mimi from RENT.

How many photos of Sasha can you find in this post?

Badgley Mischka went for straight-up, smart glamour, but in a minimalist way. There was a lot of simple black pieces, with a few brighter colours thrown in for good measure. What I like about this label is the clever twists they put on an otherwise typical garment, for example, there were several LBDs where fabric had been draped or gathered to create something unusual. There was also something very "liquid" about the collection, with dresses made in the most fluid, silky fabrics imaginable. When I first looked at that blue dress, I thought 'mermaids'.

I think it's safe to say that Derek Lam is no animal lover. His collection featured fur, leather, suede and possibly snakeskin (though I can't tell, what do those gloves look like to you?) by the bucketful. Even so, I have to say, this was one of my favourites. Despite using an almost completely neutral pallet of camel, baige, grey and cream, the pieces were dramatic and sexy. I LOVE that dress on Gracie Carvalho!

When I first looked at Oscar de la Renta's collection, I wasn't overly impressed, not because it wasn't beautiful, but because it all seemed a bit samey. Then I got to the dresses and silently scolded myself for ever doubting him. Apparently all this talk of recession and the economy and all that boring stuff doesn't worry our Oscar; like Derek Lam, he made use of fur, but also went crazy for embellishment and fancy, fancy accessories. Silhouettes were mainly kept sleek, with cinched in waists and narrow skirts. (how stunning is that black, off the shoulder dress?!) He also provided us with a much needed injection of colour, with dresses in jewel-bright shades of red, cerise and yellow.

Another designer really embracing colour was Matthew Williamson, whose show featured prints aplenty and lots and lots of very bright shades of blue and turquoise (lovely). Obviously not a lover of wallflowers, Williamson was all about rich detail; dresses were made of the most incredible mosaic and tribal printed fabric, while accessories included zebra print shoes, gem stone bib necklaces and chunky fur stoles.

Another of my favourites was Anna Sui, who basically went mental. Her collection can only be described as "Gothic-Victoriana meets Woodstock meets 1920s flappers meets the countryside". In addition to all the black lace, high Victorian collars and brooches, Sui used bright paisley and floral prints in purples, blues and oranges, as well as loads of feathered headwear, patterned tights and a selection of leather biker boots and embroidered suede ones. AMAZING!

Competing with Sui for the award for most outrageous headwear, was Diane Von Furtsenberg, whose main concern is clearly that people wrap up warm this Fall. Describing the collection as "nomad", Von Furstenberg sent her models down the runway in an array of colours and prints. Layering was the key here, with massive cardigans, thick leggings, chunky socks under strappy heels and of course, hats.

My two absolute favourite shows were Zac Posen and Marchesa - I'll admit it, I'm a girlie girl at heart. Posen did Victoriana with 1940s structure and lots of shimmery, shiny fabric. As I mentioned in my last post, I adore the jewelled tights and, paired with the ribbon tie shoes, they remind me of a high fashion ballerina. Another fan of embellishment, Posen's designs sparkled with sequins galore and everything was kept super feminine with billowing sleeves and plenty of ruffles.

And finally, Marchesa. Ah, Marchesa. It was just...magical! Designer Georgina Chapman said she wanted to create a fantasy feel to the whole collection, and she definitely succeeded. With a selection of feathers, smokey tulle and ribbons, the dresses were fairytale without being too fairytale - the shapes were unusual to say the least and the colours were either very pale or very dark. The overall effect was dreamlike and ethereal and reminded me of the Childlike Empress from The Neverending Story.

So there you have it - my picks from New York. The incredible thing is that this is just a handful of the shows and if I had days to spare, I'd write about so many more! Unfortunately there is just no time because London Fashion Week is happening right now! RIGHT NOW!

Oh dear...

(all photographs from style.com)