You know those bloggers who clean their apartment before they take photographs? I’m not one of them. What you see is what you get I’m afraid. Okay, so it’s not too bad really but I know my flat desperately needs a thorough spring clean – I love a good clear out, it’s like therapy to me. Almost as good as a new haircut. It probably doesn’t look very different but I’m over the moon with my ‘do and my new salon discovery – Radio on Redchurch St. Best. Hairdressers. Ever.
In other news I’ve been all over colour blocking these past few weeks ….when the weather gets drab, I go bright. Rainbow bright. And yes, you have seen this blouse and brooch before but I do have my favourites – I just try and mix them differently to keep them interesting for myself.
Have I told you how obsessed I am with these shoes? Decent vegan shoes are hard to come by, in my opinion, and these mid heel Mary Jane’s from Marks ‘n Sparks are my absolute go to shoe right now. I only wish I’d bought them in red too when I had the chance. Ah, shopping regrets. They just keep culminating.
what i’m wearing …blouse, brooch, sweater and skirt/vintage …tights/topshop …shoes/marks&spencer
I had such a long, whiny, self indulgent, ‘poor me’ post planned. I’d even put off writing it last night because I wanted to give it my full undivided attention. Maximum whinage. And yet, as I’ve sat down to expose all about a certain little unpleasant experience from last week that left me questioning myself and everything I stand for (well, almost – us Irish love to exaggerate, it’s in the blood) the will to purge has suddenly left me. Just like that.
We’ve all been there. Had our ego’s dented and made to feel foolish for being who we are. But its how we deal with such things that makes us the better person, right? Rising above it and all that.
I’m reminded of something John Candy’s character said in one of my all time favourite comedies, Planes, Trains and Automobiles ….’I like me. My Wife likes me. My customers like me’, which, in short, made me realise I shouldn’t give a damn what others think – as long as I have a few people in my corner I’ll be alright. The Candyman always knew how to deliver those lines that almost broke your heart – he might’ve been better known for his comic ability but the guy could freakin’ act!
I digress.
So yeah. People who make you feel like crap. Don’t let ‘em. Simples.
Oh, and I’ve taken to wearing my scarf in the fashion of Mrs. Mop. I kinda dig it. You dig? On second thoughts, don’t answer, my delicate ego can only take so many beatings per year and I’m already sorted for a good six months.
what i’m wearing. …scarf/vintage …..boat print tee/orla kiely for uniqlo ….bird print jacket/henry holland for debenhams ….high waisted trousers/american apparel ….sandals/dorothy perkins ….bag/zara
Paring down? By the looks of this outfit, clearly not. What can I say, I’ve always been a sucker for colour and sometimes wearing a whole lotta colour is the way to do go. Well, for me it is anyway.
Another Charlton House expedition ….we have a real soft spot for this place and never tire of roaming the grounds. I must say, this little part of London is really growing on me and even though we always have half an eye on our move back to Cornwall, for now this really feels like home.
I mustn’t overlook the fact that today is Earth Day. Being vegan, environmental issues are pretty much always at the forefront of my mind. We are by no means perfect (a long way off in fact) but we try to improve upon what we already do everyday. Even if that is not using so much water when doing the dishes, foregoing a certain ingredient because of the air miles it has accrued or choosing vintage clothing over new, we try our best to keep our impact to a minimum.
what i’m wearing …..skirt & blouse/vintage …..red jumper/gap …..green mac/debenhams …..tights/topshop …..shoes/marks and spencer …..bag/nica …..sunglasses/betsey johnson
It’s important to us to feel like we’re doing our bit and if that makes us bores then so be it. I’ll just let my loud and proud ensemble make up for it. Happy Earth Day!
I’m not sure these trousers could be any baggier – i’m almost in MC Hammer territory but I’ll be damned if I care. I was so chuffed when I came across these bad boys in a much needed charity shop haul last Saturday I couldn’t contain my excitement and had to wear them out in East London for a friends birthday shindig. There was me all excited about my street urchin get up when some guy at the bar tried to pay me a ‘compliment’ by telling me how much he loved my ’1930′s school marm attire’…..erm, thanks?! That’s what I get for not wearing a bodycon dress i guess.
Anywho, doesn’t put me off them in the slightest and even though they might make my bottom half look disproportionately bigger than my upper, these uber baggy trousers are seriously floating my boat right now so I shall keep on wearing ‘em until I get bored.
It’s been a while since we had a wander around this lovely park. It even has an animal area full of peacocks, deer (bambi ones!), horses, chickens, goats and other little lovelies I could admire all day long. It’s not a zoo type situation I hasten to add.
Why do weekends have to fly by so goddamn quickly? Seriously, I feel like life doesn’t stand still for one second – or at least enough for me to catch my breath. Luckily, we have a Cornwall trip planned for the upcoming Easter break and I am counting the days – it’s 12 in case you’re interested. I need to see the sea, be in the sea and generally be near the sea. What in the heck am I doing in the city, can you tell me that?
what i’m wearing….trousers/toast(secondhand)….striped top/billabong….cardi(underneath)/old navy….jacket/vintage….boots and beret/h&m….socks/tabio….belt/dunnes stores….bag/vintage
I spend a lot of time fantasizing about our life in Cornwall. There was very little I didn’t love about living in that glorious part of the world and even though London is special too I can’t help but think the lifestyle I now crave isn’t a city one. I own a surfboard goddmammit and I want to use the damn thing!
It’s true to say you can get lost in a city, especially London. I know I’ve had many moments when I don’t have a second to catch my breath nevermind focus on what it is I want out of life – because surely there’s more to it than climbing the career ladder?
Luckily my Husband feels the same way and we have a sort of loose plan to make sure we’re out of the big smoke and back down to Cornish lands as soon as we possibly can. That is, when we’ve done a little of what we came back here to achieve, made a bit of money (chance would be a fine thing) and purged all those city vices out of our system – we’re getting there, very slowly and not always surely but we’re definitely trying.
So when Seasalt sent me a delightfully nautical and oh so Cornish parcel a few weekends ago it got me thinking again about everything we’re missing by being here. It was like a little taste of home (I might be Irish but Cornwall is my spiritual home) and the perfect antedote to my current situation, which mostly involves high fashion, not much of which is attainable to me or even terribly appealing.
Because as much as I love fashion, and there are many designers and brands I admire and, yes, even obsess about (I’m looking at you Margaret Howell), the clothing I feel most comfortable in is well designed casual clobber. Give me jeans over a fancy schmancy dress any day of the week. Pea green jeans with just the right amount of stretch and high enough so that not even a peep of panty is on show? Even better.
Seriously though, what is with the low slung style that is so popular nowadays?! I’m sure those girls spend half the day hoicking their jeans up lest they end up round their ankles. Let it be known that knick knicks are a no no. These jeans, on the other hand, are just the right side of fashionable without being on the wrong side of trendy. Already they have become my ‘go-to’ trousers because they go with just about anything (blouses, sweaters, t-shirts) and are smart enough even for the office.
I couldn’t resist pairing them with a breton style t-shirt for this semi-impromptu shoot, just to make the whole thing uber Cornish….um, whilst standing in one of Charlton House‘s many grand rooms. The bag was sheer coincidence. I had used it to pack my costumes for the short film we are currently shooting, so thought I’d throw it in for good measure. And the scarf? Well, it’s just perfect, how could I not?!
This is exactly the kind of outfit I would wear when I lived in Penzance but is a super City look too. I think stripes and jeans are just a classic ensemble wherever you are. I am so delighted with these trousers, I can’t thank Seasalt enough for kindly sending me a pair – as they say in Liverpool, ‘i’m made up’.
what i’m wearing….pea green ‘cliff’ trousers c/o Seasalt….bag/scarf also Seasalt….breton top/h&m….red sweater/gap….brogues/m&co….headscarf/tabio….leopard print socks/primark
Well, that’s it folks, another season done and dusted, and to be perfectly frank I’m exhausted. Call me a light weight but I really can’t handle the pace and I’m rather looking forward to getting back to my usual routine….what a bore, eh?
Today was a strange mix of work, dashing to a show nearby (Nasir Mazhar….it was, erm, interesting), a little more work and then onto Somerset House for the final two shows of the day and indeed week.
With that in mind, I thought it only too appropriate and wise to don a pair of jeans – it really was one of those days. This whole week has been a great exercise in dressing with work in mind when you’re not actually working, if you get my drift. It’s a fine balance you see. I have to look professional, fashionable (but not too ‘trendy’), not overly or under done. Not as easy as it sounds let me tell you.
I think this might have been my favourite look of the last five days for no other reason than I felt good in it. It was a nice way to finish the week and enjoy the last of the shows including a tidy monochrome selection from Aminka Wilmont and some striking architectural offerings from Haizhen Wang. Like I mentioned previously, I will be doing a little round up after I get a chance to sort through my photos and make sense of everything.
So that’s it for another season here in London but it’s onto Milan Fashion Week tomorrow, which I’m certain will be just as thrilling – that fashion wheel just keeps on turning!
what i wore…jeans and polo neck/primark….waistcoat/vintage jaeger….coat and boots/h&m..
Penultimate day folks! And as much as I love London Fashion Week, I honestly can’t wait for things to return to normal. I had a stupidly early wake up call this morning because I wanted to get a few things sorted at work before heading over to Peter Pilotto at the Topshop Showspace in Tate Modern, which luckily for me is about a five minute walk, if not shorter. Smug mode.
I particularly loved the cropped puffas but wondered if they were filled with down – that’s always a bummer….there were a few striking dresses worn very well by the lovely Miss Cara Delevingne too. Then it was onto Louise Gray. Crazy? Of course. Wearable? Mostly. Oh so very London? I should say so. Well, as long as you live East and hang out with all the cool kids; the models wore plastic bags as hair accessories, what more can one say.
Then it was the turn of Fashion East (Claire Barrow, Ryan LO and Ashley Williams – google them), again in Tate Modern, and this was a little unexpected show stopper for me. I have to admit to not being very familiar with any of the designers. Ashley Williams was perhaps my favourite of the three and to be honest, it was the Elvis printed dresses that sealed the deal.
As far as my own style went, it was a workday (not that that means anything really) so I went for another pair of staple trousers that I quite honestly could not live without. As soon as I have a bit more (read ‘any’) disposable cash I am investing in another pair of these because they are simply amazing – high waisted, perfect leg length and very flattering. American Apparel is the tops.
Unusually for me I wasn’t wearing any vintage! It just happened by accident I guess. The blue boxy top is one of my bargain finds from Zara. I found it on a sale rail for three quid in Belfast and I wear it way too often. It’s great over shirts, polos and long sleeved tops, plus the length is super with high waisters – skirts and trousers alike.
So, tomorrow is the last day and right now I haven’t given my outfit a second thought. Sometimes it’s better that way. Over-thinking outfits can often spell disaster. Generally speaking I’m a go with the flow girl and usually just see how the mood takes me. One more day of fashion show fun before the circus moves on to Milan – God love those journalists that have to do all four, more power to ya!
what i wore….polo/uniqlo….top/zara….trousers/american apparel….coat/urban outfitters….socks/tabio….shoes/m&s
Third day in and I am feeling the burn! Tomorrow will be doubly difficult because I’ll have to combine work and shows but it’s certainly worth it.
This then is today’s outfit offering – again, everything vintage ‘cept the trews which are very old mango and were actually the result of a swap I did with my Sister. I was having a bit of an ‘arrrrgggh, what the heck am I going to wear!’ kind of day, so went with some tried and trusted favourites like these flat brogues and coat/cardi. It was a wee but nippy out there so I threw a beret and scarf in my bag, which came in handy later on.
Show wise, I started with Margaret Howell. I’ve been wanting to see a Margaret Howell show forEVER and it did not disappoint – lots of cool clean staples in fabulously flattering shapes and lengths, all of which I want but will most likely never own, such is life.
Matthew Williamson was a surprising one for me because the pastel printed bohemian vibe clothing he is famed for isn’t really my style but boy did his recent A/W13 collection float my boat. Bold block colours in wonderful shades and for someone who likes to design floaty garments, his contemporary structured offerings are right up my street. Lot’s of polo neck were present too, which is another major tick from me.
In between shows I managed to get around a few of the exhibitions and stumbled upon a wonderful brand called Beautiful Soul that sells the most gorgeous dresses. Everything is ‘Made in England’ (we likey) and they are soon to be experimenting with a material made entirely from plastic bottles (we likey even more). Apparently Kristen Davies is a fan, and they also have the seal of approval from the lovely Ms. Livia Firth, Queen of the eco-fashion movement amongst the A Listers.
Now though, I must get some shut eye before having to do it all again tomorrow. Whoever said fashion was easy, eh?!
And we have lift off! After yesterday’s slow start, today proved to be a great day in all respects…plenty of shows were attended including Daks, Clements Ribeiro, Jasper Conran, John Rocha and Henry Holland. If you’re wondering where all the catwalk pictures are, I will definitely be doing a mini ‘from a humble spectators point of view’ round up at the end of fashion week although I have put a few on my instagram should you wish to take a peek.
In the meantime you’ll have to make do with more daily outfit pics. I’m actually quite impressed we managed to quickly snap these before I headed out this morning because it was early – too early for taking photos that’s for sure!
Even though I do have plenty of images of myself on this blog, you may be surprised to hear I’m not 100% at ease in front of the lens…the photographic lens that is, I have no qualms about being filmed as long as I’m playing a part. I guess that’s the attitude I take when posing (and let’s be honest, it is posing!) for blog pics. If I didn’t take on some sort of role I’d never be able to do it.
It also helps that my Husband is the photographer and there is no one else hanging around to witness the ridiculousness. At Somerset House (the scene of London Fashion Week) there are a silly amount of people taking photos of all the street style – it’s a little disconcerting and a recipe for making you feel reasonably self conscious. I think the best way to describe it is excruciating. I suppose I should be happy someone would like a photo but I find it awkward to say the least. Oh how I wish I could turn it on for the camera at those moments but no, I become a grimmacing moron and thus delightful photographs end up on the interweb of me looking dreadful (that rabbit in the headlights has nuthin’ on me!).
So, my aim for tomorrow is this. Should someone be kind enough to request a photo (it is a compliment after all) I will do simply this…..smile. We’ll soon put that rabbit to bed.
what i’m wearing……everything second hand/vintage
Today marked the first day of London Fashion Week. After only two seasons I’m hardly a pro but I’m becoming more au fait with the whole thing and feel slightly less uncomfortable in the high fashion surroundings of Somerset House.
What I have realised in my short time going to shows is that comfort and warmth should take priority over everything else….well, perhaps not everything else but you get my drift. What with it being February, London is still pretty chilly so I opted for a mega fluffy hat (which you’ve seen before, yawn!) and a quilted lumberjack style jacket that’ll help keep (and did keep) me cosy when queuing for shows.
My theory was proved correct when I had to wait an hour for the PPQ show before being turned away along with half the people waiting. Luckily I managed to get inside the venue to watch the show in the small cinema room next to the runway – small consolation for not being able to see my first show of the season!
Tomorrow should be a better day – I’m particularly looking forward to Henry Holland and I’ll be sure to get to the venue early this time because I am not missing my first ever House of Holland show, no siree.
So, simple was the order of the day. Pared down (minus the hat) and pretty casual with a touch of lumberjack – tomorrow I may feel the need to don a skirt. Y’know, just to balance things out a little.
Feel free to follow me on Instagram for more Fashion Week updates!
what i wore….navy shirt/vintage….indigo flared jeans/gap….jacket/vintage….hat/vintage….boots/vintage bally (pregan)
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