I love...

...tartan, check, argyle, plaid. So yeah, i love it all! I love that it's all so British. I love that you can make it look swanky and aristocratic and full of heritage, or subvert it and make it punk or bluecollar lumberjack. I love how the trend for it comes and goes on the high street, but it never really goes out of fashion if you wear it authentically, and that doing that is so easy no matter what your body shape or individual style. I love it so much that i made a collage haha, voila!

FYI. I also love dogs.

OMG

Oh. My. God. I've just seen the Irregular Choice new sports line for summer. It's amazing. When i die, i would be happy to come back as some of these. I mean, it's like they've created ME in shoe form! Just look at the glorious clash of 90's valley girl bubblegum with tokyo street style. Genius! I think now i can die happy, my only dying wish being that i be buried in a pair, dressed as Kelly Kapowski from Saved By The Bell...

Rags to Riches...

First pic from the show :) Woot woot!

Giraffes and ice queens...

...ok, so two big events to report on today.

#1 I walked for the first time in a show today for my friend, and talented designer Sana "Enigma" Zara, at the London College of Fashion! I got to wear this fabulous chiffon dress in near neon blue and orange, with a knitwear cape.

Yes i was terrified, and yes, in my desperation to look confident i may have overcompensated for my nerves with a ridiculous newborn giraffe strut, but it was AMAZING. I even got to do makeup for some of the girls, including one lovely model who was on the first series of Make Me A Superodel! I'm passionate about makeup design and styling, and the team that i helped out got a special commendation for their project so i was absolutely buzzing! As soon as i can get some video/pictures up i will.


#2 I watched the September Issue.


I'm sorry, but some people just need to grow some goddamn balls. Anna Wintour is not "an ice queen". She's a fricking badass. I hate to jump on the old feminist rant bandwagon, but why is it that a man in any business is applauded for being driven and ambitious but when its a woman, she's a bitch?! Is it a crime to have a clear idea about what you like, what you don't, and to be decisive? IT'S WHAT SHE'S PAID TO DO!!! For the love of god, the woman is paid to make decisions based on her own opinion. Of course she's going to rub people up the wrong way sometimes, she's the one who has the final say on everything. You can't ever please everyone when you're in that position. In fact you're lucky if you can please anyone! Not that she has to or cares to either way - SHE'S ANNA FRICKING WINTOUR FFS! The only reason her general manner is highlighted is because she's a woman. A man behaving in exactly the same way wouldn't even raise an eyebrow. You know what? If my taste and time were as expensive as hers, i'd probably end up rolling my eyes at crap jackets and collections made entirely of grey tweed too.

Right now i couldn't live without...

...headpieces!

I'm just wanting them bigger and bigger, be it florals or bows or veils! A couple of weeks ago i went to a big vintage clothing warehouse sale, and all i came out with was a bag of hats! I just don't feel dressed unless i put something on my head these days. I'm thinking pretty soon i'm going to end up putting something completely over my head rather than on it a la Giles Deacon SS09 lol. Maybe i should get in the market for a goldfish bowl...

Witness the fitness...

So last night i went to an amaaaazing Dillinger Escape Plan show at the Barfly in Camden. Its like 200 capacity, so you can imagine the carnage! We're talking bloody noses, people swinging from the air conditioning unit in the ceiling, climbing all over the amps, it was cooler than a penguins unmentionables. It made me want to cut the sleeves off all my band t-shirts.

Why DO band t-shirts look better with the sleeves rolled up/cut off i ask you?
Is it an element of...

..."i care not for your rules man! I'm a rock and roll rebel living on the edge! You say t-shirt, i say I-SHIRT!"???

Is it the practicality of the increased armpit ventilation in those sweaty, low-ceilinged sausagefests?

Maybe a bit of both?

Meh, who cares, it looks hot. Especially with a size large guys t-shirt and a skinny belt (it would be unwise to completely neglect ones femininity with all those hot guitar types about!).

Now where did i leave my scissors...

1969-2010

I couldn't count myself amongst those who are interested in art without making some comment about the untimely death of Lee Alexander McQueen. A groundbreaking artist, he astounded and enthralled fashion lovers all over the world with his collections which towed the perfect line between beautiful movement,tailoring designed to fit form, and awe inspiring art. I suppose creative genius is usually bourne out of some inner personal turmoil, but it seems insane that a moment of desparation could put out such a bright light. As we all mourn this great loss, it is a small comfort to remember that old chestnut...

"it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all"

Rhinestones and Glitter Glue...

I spent 2 days making a necklace on my new sewing machine which i received for Christmas! God bless my Granny for pandering to my delusions of creative grandeur which i have always harboured. There was no planning or technique involved, it just came right out of my head, and the scraps of fabric i could find around the house! I like to learn by doing, so i did! I think it turned out really well, sort of eclectic boho circular flowers. I can't wait to start customising everything in sight haha, bring on the rhinestones and glitter glue!!!

On a separate note, i went to see Avatar tonight, i've never seen so many strategically placed leaves/feathers/vines in my life. Ridiculous. I had a bit of a tongue in cheek argument with someone afterwards that went as follows...

"Those people can tame wild flying dinopteraeaglethingys, but they can't master practical clothing?...Pah! What a load of nonsense." (moi)

"But these people are at one with their environment, they have no need for clothing! The N'avi are a cinematic parable; to live as nature intended, and not get caught up with material possessions or appearances..."(someone)

"THEN WHAT'S WITH THE DAMN NECKLACES AND LOINCLOTHS?!!" (Moi)


I know i'm right.

Another decade of decadence...

Well today is the first day of the new year, and with it comes a new decade.

When the millennium came around i was only 15, and had a terrible problem with confidence because of some less than positive influences in my life. I grew up in the country, and although i would read fashion magazines behind closed doors, it wasn't an environment where i could try things out for myself. My terrible confidence meant that the pull to fit in was always greater than the pull to stand out.

I didn't really come out of it until i was 21, and that's when i began to experiment! I frantically started making up for lost time! My hair went every colour under the sun, and backcombed coiffed and sprayed to within an inch of its life! I got pierced and tattooed, i dipped my toe into cyber, industrial, new rave, punk, goth, rockabilly, emo, decora and lolita, 40's, 50's, 80's, mashing completely random things up together, much to the amusement of my friends - and i quote "I've seen you wear some bloody awful stuff!" - but isn't that the nature of experimentation? You'll always look a prat to someone, and you'll get it wrong sometimes, but the feeling when you get it right is .

Anyway, here's to another decade of decadence, and trying new things! I started the new year dressed, ridiculously, as a granny for a party, so start as you mean to go on eh?...