Wedding Fever

It’s the wedding that everyone’s been talking about non-stop for the last few weeks (I've lost count of the number of “Will and Kate” themed shows flooding every TV channel) and yesterday the whole world got to see THE dress.It was worth the wait wasn't it? I mean just wow.

Everything thing about it was “just right” – the length, the cut, the detail – the effect was of understated glamour and just general omigodsopretty-ness without it being garish or fussy.

I was sat watching the whole thing in Snoopy pyjamas (not exactly your average wedding get-up) but I got into the spirit of things later with this Union Jack inspired outfit:

Pussy-bow blouse - was my Grandma's, velvet skirt- Topshop , socks - New Look, shoes - M&S

And you can’t get more English than tea-cup earrings and a tea-kettle necklace can you?

What did you think of the Royal Wedding?  

Like Totally 80s

Ah the 80s. I could go on for much longer than is strictly necessary about how much I love this decade- my iTunes is pretty much a shrine to the era. I wasn’t there at the time which of course means I can imagine that every day was like a cross between “The Breakfast Club” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” set to a soundtrack of The Smiths and Madonna.  I’m sure the reality was much closer to ozone-crippling hairspray levels and criminal amounts of spandex  - but who needs reality right?

Anyway.  I have clearly found a kindred spirit in www.liketotally80s.com which inspired me to unearth my inner Cindi Lauper (I didn’t have to dig very deep).

Here are the results: 

Leggings- Primark, Shoe boots- New Look, Belt- was my mum's

I tried to back-comb my hair and even got the hairspray out but it seems I lack the necessary 80s skillz. Still I tried. I went for the classic leggings and (genuine 80s, might I add) belt teamed with obligatory red lipstick and chunky jewellery. The lipstick is a bit hard to spot - I don't have a tripod and had to balance my camera on the window sill - so here are the details a bit clearer: 

Choker- Not sure where it's from, found it in a drawer. The chain I took off an old T-shirt

Not sure what the print is meant to be. Snakeskin? Eyes?

Anyway I'm meant to be reading Bleak House, (all 980 pages of it) so I'll save my favourite reasons for loving the 80s for another day. In the meantime here's some classic 80s music (and outfits!) which makes my attempt at 80s hair look very pitiful. Clearly I need to find some polka-dot ribbon. 

Vintage Love

I’m a bit of a sucker for vintage; I like the romance and glamour of the past (even though there’s not a lot romantic about searching through racks and racks of moth eaten old clothes, hunting for a gem).

Still when you do find something it’s often relatively cheap, depending where you go, and won’t fall apart as soon as you look at it (*cough* Topshop *cough*).

I thought I’d share a couple of my favourite vintage buys I’ve collected over the past 2 years.

These Russell & Bromley boots come from Broadway market in London and were a steal at £20. I love the rusty red colour and the little heel – always a good thing if you’re on the smaller side like myself.

These were another bargain, £15 from a vintage shop called Reign and I’ve worn them a gazillion times. So comfy - you know how people say they don't make 'em like they used to? They're right. 

Random Watering Can

These were bought from the vintage range and Topshop and I love them – they make me feel a bit like a Victorian schoolgirl. (Yeah I’m weird.) A bit more expensive at £40 but I’m a sucker for suede and couldn’t resist.

Don't worry I do have two arms. The other one is just holding the camera.

Another Reign purchase.This dogtooth skirt was £15 and is a bit short, but something I always go for on a night out. It’s amazing it hasn't sustained any vodka/ coke related damage – I'm grateful it hasn’t though. 

So, vintage - love or hate? 

The Children's Hour

Last week I went and saw the new play in London starring Keira Knightley, The Children’s Hour. My friends and I got cheap(er) tickets because there was a pole in our line of vision – I was scared it was going to be a huge column blocking half the stage but in reality it was just a small bar – woot.

And it was surprisingly good! I say surprisingly, because artsy plays/ films, much as I love them, can end up trying too hard to be deep and cerebral whilst being very thin on plot and emotion.  I thought Keira Knightley and her main co-star Elizabeth Moss (that one from Mad Men) did an amazing job playing two school teachers caught up in a web of lies spun by a spoilt, troubled schoolgirl under their care.

Okay so time to sound pretentious - I thought the costumes complimented the dry, repressed atmosphere – the colours were muted and drab, almost colourless, they seemed to fit in with what a 1930s schoolteacher would genuinely have worn instead of a costume-designer’s 30s pin-up fantasy.

Of course Keira would look good in a paper bag but I liked the simple clean lines of her costumes and couldn’t help thinking how with a shorter skirt or some skinnies she could easily get away with wearing it in “real life”. I want that scarf so much. 

It actually is quite similar to her day to day look which also seems to centre on simplicity and minimal colour.

Just goes to show, even if you don’t have a face like Keira Knightly, clothes don’t  always have to shout “LOOK AT ME!” to be elegant and the old cliché “less is more” is worth bearing in mind once in a while.

What is your favourite simple article of clothing? 

Whistle While You Work

So this week marks the start of a 2 week interview for an internship with a PR firm in London (eee) I’m excited but nervous, and to be honest I’ve never really had to dress for a work setting before. (Babysitting for the neighbours doesn’t really count... and student life has really only made me increasingly drawn to anything with an elasticated waist.)


The atmosphere when I had my first interview was friendly and casual, so I think going all out Mad Men would be a bit excessive. Anyway, here's some work related inspiration:

Karen Walker Fall 2011

ASOS

Whistles 

Diane Von Furstenberg Fall 2006

I would buy the whole Karen Walker collection if I had the monies. What would you like to wear to work? 

We want to thank all of you for watching us congratulate ourselves tonight. [Warren Beatty]

So it's that time of year again! With all eyes on what the stars chose to wear for the Oscars yesterday (Mila Kunis, personal favourite) I just thought I’d share this bizarre photo from the Oscars exactly twenty years ago:

Madonna rocking the Marilyn Monroe look with Michael Jackson? Yep in 1991 MJ and Madonna went on a date to the Oscars. Why and how are the questions that spring to mind. It's so weird and yet so awesome at the same time - I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in their limo.

What did you think of the Oscars? 

Funny Face

After taking the pretty massive decision to change the whole direction of my life last year I’ve had a lot of time to follow fashion blogs for a while now – and it struck me that the ones I really liked were the ones that shared something else as well as clothes – inspiration and influences and the like. So I figure that’s what I'm going to do – a bit of clothes mixed with a bit of whatever takes my fancy.  You can never have enough fashion blogs in the world right?  Well maybe you can, and I'm no expert fashionista, but I might as well just have fun with it and jump onto the blogging bandwagon.

I was wracking my brains with what to start with when a flash of inspiration came to me (well, appeared) whilst flicking through TV channels yesterday. What is it about Audrey Hepburn? How can one person manage to embody style and elegance and impish mischievousness all at once?  Until someone figures it out and bottles it I’ll just have to content myself with coveting all things Audrey related.

 I’d love to say that I’ve had some sort of deep connection with her work from around the same age that I ran around the playground pretending I was Pikachu with my friends, but the reality is THIS is what introduced me to the amazing Audrey when I was a kid – 

Yep, a bag. Not that actual bag, but you get the idea. My Audrey fascination was born.

Since then I’ve seen the famous films like My Fair Lady and Breakfast at Tiffany’s but yesterday it was the first time I’d ever been introduced to this:

In Funny Face not only do we get to see Audrey looking amazing in a multitude of costumes like this one -

Just. Wow. 

 but we also get to see her dancing round with Fred Astaire (and a lot of moody Frenchmen). If that wasn't impossibly stylish enough for you , it's set in Paris. 

Which brings me on nicely to this :

Top - Benneton, Jeans -  Topshop, Shoes - New Look 

Top- H&M, Shorts- Vintage (Shortest shorts I have ever owned, Audrey was probably too ladylike for these), Shoes - New Look 

Pearl Necklace - Vintage (Apologies for the rubbish quality - I don't have a proper camera)

This was my clumsy attempt at channelling the oh-so-simple chic vibes that Audrey pulls of so effortlessly in the film Funny Face.

That's how it's meant to be done. 

Okay so I’m definitely no Audrey I grant you. Still, if I squint I can just about pretend I’m sipping a cappuccino in Paris and not tea in my room.