LFW - Topshop!

Ok so LFW has only just begun and there are countless of beautiful outfits to choose from , but mainly because I'm very good at complaining, I'm going to start with a bit of a gripe - namely, Topshop Unique.

Doubtless there are loads of people who thought the collection was amazing but am I the only one who was distinctly underwhelmed? I know that collections are meant to have a coherent theme throughout but I personally thought it was a bit (dare I say it?) uninspired. The inspiration was amongst other things Liz Taylor as Cleopatra and they could have gone crazy with intricate beading and drapery but instead went for endless black and gold, and the same jerky abstract print. To be honest, the main piece that I have beef with is this :

I'm sorry, but gold shorts are always and forever going to by synonymous in my mind with these two:

The Cheeky Girls : known for crimes against fashion and music

HOWEVER it isn't all doom and gloom - I loved the intricate detailing on this sheer jump suit, and the playful horizontal stripe / hieroglyphic inspired prints - also that Liz Taylor jumper! I wanted to say something cool and deep about it but all I can come up with is I WANT.

 

 What are your thoughts?

Nekkid Models

I was walking through Oxford Street recently and saw that they were re-doing a window display in one of the shops. All the models had been jumbled together and they looked just like a work of art.

I just thought there was something eerie and beautiful about this odd mannequin graveyard, with the reflection of the doorway creating those patterned lines on the glass. I think it's the mixture of the human but obviously artificial characteristics which is disconcerting - it kind of works as a metaphor for beauty doesn't it? It's artificial, disposable, an illusion but oddly arresting. Yeah I think too much ok :P.
I especially like how the second one looks really reflective, staring out of the window as if she's dreaming of better things, like ending up being draped in haute couture in Harrods.

I'm sure the security guard thought I was a bit of a nutcase clicking away at the unfinished window display!

All photos taken on my ipod.

DIY Shorts and New Beginnings

I'm not very accomplished at DIY - I really wish I was, because I'm a bit of an awkward size and I love the idea of creating something new and fresh out of something old and tired. Anyway I figured even I can't mess up something simple as a pair of shorts?

So here's some old topshop jeans being transformed into new topshop shorts!

I don't think I need to explain the steps to you, it's pretty self explanitory. Here's the outfit I put them with:

Tights - Primark, Cardi - Primark, Boots- Vintage

I really like these primark tights as they have a great pattern but are still nice and thick - however I managed to ladder them the other day so will have to buy some new ones. Sad times indeed.

I'm really excited about the coming of autumn, it's my favourite time of the year and I love being able to snuggle up in knits/scarves/hats. Autumn should be a time when things come to a close, when trees shed their leaves and winter signals the year is coming to an end. But for me autumn has always spoken of new beginnings as it's when the new school year starts, when things begin to change.

I'm starting at university (again - long story) and although I'm so pleased that my life is kick-starting again, instead of feeling like I'm stuck at the station and the train is whizzing past me, it's still nerve-wracking. I might be jumping on the train, but my destination is still unclear - I don't know what is going to unfold in front of me. But I guess, if you're going to move forward, that's the risk you have to take. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Any other freshers out there?  

Ker-azy Face!

I'm one of those people who always ends up blinking/ sneezing / looking the wrong way in photographs. Alternatively after a few drinks I tend to get it into my head that I am *the* posing queen, with mixed results:

Isn't that just the sex?

So normally I try and just keep still in my photos which makes them quite expressionless. To prove I'm not a robot I decided to experiment this week. Okay so I came out looking mildly psychotic but here's my outfit (with added ker-azy face).

Trousers- New Look, Necklace - 1950s vintage courtesy of my Grandma, Belt - charity shop

I really love this charity shop belt , it's leather and can be worn as a waist or hip belt. Yay versatility.

I am so addicted to these recently:

Wasabi peas! They may look like little green balls of snot but they're delicious, I promise.

What's your favourite photo pose / snack?

As always I will totally love you if you follow/comment and will check out your blog!

An Eye for an Eye and the World Will Be Blind

Of course the London riots, particularly for everyone in the UK are impossible to ignore and everyone seems to have an opinion, so I might as well give my perspective - I realise that everyone is probably pretty sick hearing opinions so I'll put up an outfit post first and put my thoughts at the end.

I wore this to go out recently:

I bought this dress at a charity shop, it's meant to be a top but I wear it as a dress (hence it being a bit on the short side) and the boots are vintage - that sort of plum/wine red is one of my favourite colours. Quite a wintery looking outfit but summer seems to have decided to hide again.

Anyway, back to the riots. I don't live in London but I will do soon - it's a city I love and have visited a lot. Of course the riots are completely awful and have rightly caused outrage throughout the UK, but what annoys me is people stating that it is about government cuts and a political protest. I was in the centre of Athens when people were rioting and the fact is that it's an excuse for some idiots to go out and have (what they class) as a bit of fun - they get to have a fun night out burning things and maybe a Sony TV into the bargain. When people try and twist it to make it seem like it's got some big political message about "the youth of today" I find it really irritating. It's just a bunch of thugs using one man's death as an excuse to rampage around London.

I really hope that the worst of it is now over and those who have been affected can now get on with rebuilding their lives. But violence is never a form of protest - it is always pointless, ineffective and just plain wrong.

What are your thoughts?

Warning: Totally Unoriginal

Ok so I realise this look required minimum thought - I literally was scrabbling through piles of clothing to find something suitable because OMG summer has finally made an appearance! You have another chance to see my criminally pale legs - bet you can't wait. Excuse the wet hair:

Dress - Superdry

Leather sandals - Athens

I don't usally shop in Superdry - it seems to be the natural home of people who speak and act like this, or who aspire too anyway:

However I really liked the floral print on this little dress and it wasn't too expensive at under £30 quid. I actually did have a much better put together outfit that I wore yesterday but my camera was flat - no problem I thought, I'll charge it and take a photo when I get home. What I hadn't counted on was getting a tiny bit tipsy and my friend telling me she would give me £10 if I jumped into a fountain. It seemed like a great idea at the time - needless to stay it didn't work out that great! I emerged from the fountain soaked through at 9:00 at night and stinking of chlorine, so that particular outfit will have to make an appearance another day.

Blade Runner

As Blade Runner is meant to be a sci-fi classic, when it came up free on BBC iplayer recently I knew I had to check it out!

For an age before CGI I thought the special effects were very, well, effective, with more darkly towering skyscrapers and flying cars than you can shake a stick at! (And none of them looked like they'd been made out of lego and duct tape). Great set designs aside, the COSTUMES were amazing.

I really liked how they contrasted the disheveled, distressed look of punk-ish Pris, played by the gorgeous Daryl Hannah ...

... with the exaggerated old Hollywood silhouette and classic make-up of Rachael, played by Sean Young (isn't it weird how both actresses happen to have men's names?):

I can really see how much the goth subculture took from this movie - from the white make-up/black eyes combo to dog collars and cyberpunk.

I got a bit fidgety towards the middle as the whole film seems to play out in near darkness so I spent a lot of time staring at a reflection of myself in my laptop screen. I'm glad I stuck around until the ending though, which is played out in a mysterious victorian looking building stuffed with eerie mannequins and vintage toys, which is both strangely beautiful and very tense.