Thursday 29 April 2010

Lust List

The results of my sofa dream shopping;

Very of Vero Moda Suede Jacket
Kurt Geiger Clog

Urban Outfitters Lace V-Body

American Apparel High Waisted Denim Shorts

Saturday 24 April 2010

Saturday Decadence



Vintage top - Vintage Gap skirt - House of Henry Holland tights - Topshop shoes


This is what I wore yesterday. It was a beautiful sunshiney day so I took a break from the books and walked down to my local farmers market with Hannah, my fella and a pal. I adore this farmers market.
It is held in a school playground and only have a few stalls that sell organic fruit and veg, organic butchers, homemade cakes and breads. I like watching all the cool kids meeting their friends from school and running riot on the jungle gyms; all mini trend setters might I add too.
I have had a wheat free diet for the past 4months and something I really miss is good homemade bread. There is one brand I like but it is almost 4 times the price of a regular loaf..eeck! So my wheat free heart was very happy to see this yummy wheat free seeded loaf, and for half the price I normally pay. On the way out of the market is this amazing fishmonger where I had indulged myself in an oyster and a barbecued scallop and chorizo kebab.

Oh what delicious decadence!

Surviving the Sales


As I mentioned in my last post I hit up the Topshop mid-season sale last week and bought some pieces that have made me very happy and were well worth the hell that is sale shopping. I, however, have a few tricks that get me through this stress inducing situation.
So here are my top tips:

No1. Be Prepared. Before I head into the chaos I check the stores website and have a look see if there are any pieces that are worth the scrummage for. It means that you can get in and get you without loosing a limb.
No2. Take it all. When I am perusing the rails I save all the deliberation for later. If I see something I like I pick it up and I mean any thing and everything that takes my fancy. I then take myself off and find a quiet spot in the store (preferably near a mirror) and sort through it all. It means you aren't rushed into snap decisions which you will likely end up regretting. (And because I am a retail girl myself I bring all the unwanted stuff back to the sale rail.)
No3. Don't let the price fool you. Just because something is cheap it doesn't mean that it is any good. Don't forget your personal style and end up getting a piece just because it is cheap. I have half a wardrobe filled with regretful purchases and with all that money I could have bought a high-end wardrobe staple, like a Whistles dream piece (well maybe not quite but you get my drift).
No4. Dress for it. If you know you are going sale shopping then wear clothes that can be taken off with ease. I generally go for leggings huge tee dress and a vest top underneath because sales normally means full dressing rooms and I hate to wait so I go find a mirror and try it all on right there and then. I know I have no shame.

Anywho here are the precious purchases;

I had in fact intended to buy these shoes full price but I chicken out, and wasn't that a spot of luck because they were more than 50% off!!


Amazing T-Shirt dress, a throw on stunner.


This is actually a size 16 vest, works wonders a dress (as long as your nude underwear is there)


I found this on the website and decided I had to have it. It is a crop top but a bit long, the way I like them.


Friday 23 April 2010

Introducing...


The glorious sun has been making a prolonged appearance in the skies of London Town lately and it has made me very happy indeed! I would be better if I could be outside appreciating it rather than snatching glimpses when I do take my coffee breaks from the library. The strict routine of coffee is all that is getting me through. However, life is not all doom and gloom and lately the sunshine esq joy seeping into my heart has come in the form of the beautiful illustrations from Janelle Mentesana.

This talented lady has turned her hand to illustrating some of the prettiest S/S10 looks that stomped down the catwalk. Her tumbler blog has her simple and colourful illustrations accompanied by anecdotes detailing her personal happenings. Its is probably one of the most intimate, funny and sweet blogs I have seen in a long time. And I read a lot...it is a handy procrastination tool. Her illustrations are simple but captivating and there is something quite whimsical about the way she draws.

At present she is in the process of setting up her own Etsy shop (which I believe will be open in a week) so that devotees, like myself, can purchase her prints. It would be amazing if they came on little postcards so I could have a wall with the whole collection and send them to all my most fashion savvy pals. So please check her out, you won't regret it. But to wet your appetite her are a few of her pretty images.



The Miu Miu daisy print clog
The Miu Miu flower and dog platform

Abbey Lee Kershaw
Balenciaga platform.


OH and for those of you unaware the Mid-Season Sales have started, I did Topshop yesterday after a hard day with the book and picked up some cracking pieces. Although it did make me realise why I hate sale shopping. Promise to post some pictures of my purchases and my tips for surviving sales soon. But for now it's back to the essays I go, I can almost feel the finish line.


Sunday 18 April 2010



So far I have not enjoyed any of the spring sunshine due to the fact that I am in the final weeks of graduation and dissertation writing. I have 3 weeks of hell left so please excuse any blog absence. I do find it a bit of a relief to read about fashion and writing my little musings here for you guys, but it is also a form of procrastination; something I need to avoid. So sorry in advance lovely people, but in a month I will be back to full form.
So enjoy this very summery picture of Whitney Port from Cochella in her effortless festival finery and I hope your making more of this beautiful British sunshine than me!


Wednesday 14 April 2010

Mama's Wardrobe Never Looked So Good


When I was younger there were certain brands that were considered part of "Mum's wardrobe"; nowhere I would seen dead in, let alone consider spending my own money on. One of these shops was Whistles. Now I know my personal style has changed since I was 15 but I think Whistles has gone through a massive brand transformation too and now we are closing the style gap between us. It has always been a haven for great brands but the Whistles in house stuff had never really inspired me before, but I find myself getting very over excited about their soft tailoring, spring knits and quietly edgy jersey. I think the classic Whistles lady (think Olivia Palermo on the high street) is still aimed at an age bracket, and pay packet, just above mine but the genius of these pieces is that they are wearable and long lasting. The cliché of the term "investment piece" never sounded so true.








When I first saw this dress I could have sworn it was a Peter Pilotto number. Tribal graphic print on a well structured dress is the perfect S/S 10 wardrobe filler.


Tuesday 13 April 2010

My New Find


Flicking through this months ELLE I noticed a beautiful pair of gorgeous studded denim look cotton platforms. Amazing. I stared at the name and racked my brain trying to see if I knew the designer, but I, shamefully, didn't. Ricardo Dourado is a very talented Portuguese designer who has created a name for himself producing simple, urban and wearable collections, focusing on soft cottons and prints. He has been around in Portugal for around 4 years and has been showing in Lisbon fashion week.


The shoes in question were a part of his S/S 10 collection, which was a delicate grunge-fest, a much more European version of Alexander Wang. I love the platforms and socks combo and the acid-wash waistcoat dress...this list could go on but I will let you decided for yourselves. Muito bonita, eu quero tudo. (little bit 'o' Portuguese there...not just a hat rack)






Check out his blog for more images and his Fall 10 collection http://ricardodourado.blogspot.com/


Saturday 10 April 2010

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Riotous Rummage


Sorry about the absence from the blog sphere but my life lately has had little worth documenting and between University, work and driving lessons I haven't even had a spare few minutes to myself over the past week. Now enough of the excuses and back to business.

For the past couple months I have been working part time at American Apparel and I have really started to love it. The company has an ethos of vertical integration that I really appreciate - especially their attitude towards works rights and equality. However, American Apparel have been in the headlines in the UK for all the wrong reasons since Friday due to the dramatic and unexpected start to their much anticipated rummage sale. I am sure a lot of you will have heard about what happened and some of you may even have seen the Youtube video, but here is a basic overview for all of those who are still unaware. Whilst queuing for entrance to the sale a few boys took advantage of the minimal security and started to create a bit of a scene jumping on cars and provoking fights. The police were called, in making - I believe- a few arrests,dispersing the crowd and calling for the event to be closed .

I headed down on Friday unaware of the chaos that had been going on earlier and got told that it would be closed the whole day and would reopen on Saturday. AA was hit quite badly by this fiasco with many customers scared off, unwilling to attend on another day. But security was beefed up and I decided to brave the fear and head over after (Easter) Sunday lunch to see what I could see. And boy oh boy am I glad I did. It was in an absolutely massive warehouse in Brick Lane filled to the brim with old AA stock that were all ridiculously cheap; for example shorts and skirts were a fiver and their very desirable hoodies were all going for £12, BARGAIN! I was also really happy to see some of the items I had been lusting after in store available including the spiral T, denim shorts and microfibre tulip skirt, which I snapped up immediately. There was very limited sizing and as a small lass I found I difficult seeing through all the XLs to find the limited XS and the even more limited (and better fitting) S.







It is such a shame that a few people ruined the event for lots of others and I hope those who did attend had as an enjoyable time as I did.