Saturday 25 February 2012

Tweed, navy, polka dots

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Tweed blazer: vintage Burberry, Camel jumper: Next, Polka dot skort: vintage, Tan brogues: vintage, Bowler hat: H&M, silk scarf (tied onto bag): vintage, Necklaces: vintage and Topshop.

Look! Actual, real sunlight! My poor beaten up point and shoot digi camera didn't know what had hit it. Unfortunately, neither did I which is why I was stuck at home for the weekend on an unexpectedly sunny day with nothing in my suitcase but jumpers and tweed. But we persevere. If I can saunter around with bare legs in November and pretend I'm not freezing then I can wear wool and tweed and pretend I'm not boiling. Besides, it turned out that the sun was only superficial and it was actually really cold. Ah, good old England.

Anyway, I can't believe it's taken so long for this blazer to appear on the blog. It's quite possibly my favourite possession, aside from my Macbook and my lovely secondhand copy of Oscar Wilde's plays. The only downside is that I can't pass it off as an incredible find I just happened upon at a fair or charity shop - it was Etsy. But damn it, designer vintage in good condition is hard to just stumble across. I spent an arm and a leg on it but I wear it all the time and occasionally sit and stroke it in my spare time so, all in all, I think it's paid for itself. And I always get comments on it. They range from the complimentary (like the lady who stopped me on the stairs today at uni and told me it was "stunning" - she also asked if I made it myself, one of the hazards of going to art school is that everyone assumes you're super-crafty) to the bewildered ("Are you going horseriding later...?") to the slightly mean ("Ew, you look like a farmer). But anyway, here's some gratuitous close up photos of it's loveliness:

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Tuesday 21 February 2012

Brown, green, stripes

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Brown car coat: Dorothy Perkins, Breton top: Zara, Green shorts: Miss Selfridge, Grey brogues: River Island, Black bowler hat: H&M, Belt: New Look, Necklaces: Topshop, This Charming Girl and vintage.

This is what I wore a couple of days ago to wander around town with my Mum, drinking a lot of coffee and planning elaborate crafting plans. We tend to do this a lot. Whole business plans are drawn up over skinny lattes: she'll set up an Etsy store selling purses made from vintage silk scarves, I'll start screenprinting posters to sell at print fairs, she'll make jewellery and start on the craft fair circuit, I'll start my own zine... but by the time the coffee is gone we've generally moved onto some other idea. That's the problem with being a bit lazy and easily distracted a creative person with lots of ideas.

Later I made some red velvet cupcakes and went to see The Muppets movie with my best friend - I gave it three stars, he got weirded out because the kid in front of us kept turning around and staring at him. Which I guess would be kind of off putting while you're trying to watch a film. Even without a small child staring me out, I wasn't entirely convinced by the film. I liked a lot of the self referential meta stuff ("Wow, that was such an expensive looking explosion! I can't believe we had that in the budget.") but some of the cheesy dance numbers... I just don't remember the original films being quite so embarrassing.

I love this coat more each time I wear it - now it's getting a little bit warmer, the three quarter sleeves aren't as impractical and I really love the fact that it gives every outfit a bit of a 60s feeling. When my friend was driving us to the cinema, I noticed he was still wearing his leather gloves. Despite his protests that he was only wearing them because he was "cold", I'm convinced they're actually his driving gloves and with me wearing a car coat in the passenger seat, we were just like a couple in the 50s. He told me to be quiet and turned the radio up.

One more thing - I've only just realised that I can reply to comments on my posts! I can't believe I hadn't realised before! So I just want to say that I promise, I wasn't being rude - I was just being a bit thick. To help make up for it, enjoy my awkward face when our neighbour walked past mid photograph:

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Friday 17 February 2012

Wishing...

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last post. I'll ask one of my friends to take some outfit photos for me soon. As for the suggestion of setting up a tripod and taking them myself, my room at halls is nowhere near big enough for that. Honestly, I have less than 2 square metres of floor space. Granted my second clothes rail takes up a lot of space but the amount of hanging space they gave me was ludicrous - although I suppose I probably have more clothes than the average occupant... Anyway, since the unfortunate incident when I attempted to do yoga in my room and ended up with quite a few injuries, I've resolved only to sleep and read in my room - it really wasn't designed for anything more strenuous.

But I figured that if I couldn't post the outfits I've been wearing, I could always post the ones I've been thinking about wearing. Most of which I lack both the funds and the climate to actually wear.

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Midi skirt: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Shirt: Acne, Brogues: Topshop, Bowler hat: H&M, Bag: H&M, Belt: Topshop, Necklace: House of Harlow.

I really feel like breaking out my chino shorts now that it almost feels like spring. And by 'feel', I mean I'm imagining that it's nearly spring. It's currently sleeting in Manchester.

Pyjama shirt: Olatz, Shorts: Subtitled, Slipper shoes: French Sole, Bag: Rebecca Minkoff, Belt: Miss Selfridge.

You know what I said about not wearing heels? I'd much rather wear slippers on a night out. I'm still searching for the perfect silk pyjama shirt too to complete the 'ready for bed' look.
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Trench coat: A.P.C., Lace t shirt: Oasis, Corduroy shorts: Only Limitless, Fedora: Topshop, Boots: Zara, Socks: Topshop, Necklaces: Hive & Honey

I tried to wear my trench coat a few days ago but I've come to the conclusion that it's no where near warm enough to leave the wool coats behind yet. So this is me living vicariously through making collages. leatherskirt
Tweed blazer: Jigsaw, Silk shirt: Jigsaw, Leather skirt: A.L.C, Loafers: Aldo, Bag: Balenciaga. 

That Jigsaw tweed blazer has played on my mind since I first saw it about 10 months ago. It recently went into their sale but it's still way out of my student budget... pretty though. I'm also really craving a leather skirt but I think this a-line one is much more interesting than your usual pencil or bodycon skirt.

Sunday 12 February 2012

A bit of a quandary.

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I thought I should explain why my blogging has been fairly sporadic lately. Aside from my lack of time/energy, the main reason is my lack of photographer. While I was home for Christmas I made my mum take outfit photos for me but once I went back to uni, I didn't have anyone to do it.

I haven't really told any of my friends at uni about the blog, mostly because I only met them a few months ago and I don't know what they'll think. I often get comments about being 'stylish' or - more often - 'quirky' and that's nice and everything but I don't want them to think I'm some fashion obsessed egotist. I mean, from the outside, won't it just look like I'm saying: "Hey, can you take some photos of me so I can put them on the internet and show the world how unbelievably stylish I am?" Which, of course, is not what I'm trying to do at all. I started blogging because I was spending so much time following other people's blogs, I wanted to join in. To properly be part of the blogging community. But I'm pretty conscious of how it might look to anyone who isn't part of it. Add to that the fact that I actually kind of hate having my picture taken and get ridiculously awkward as soon as anyone takes a camera out.

Any advice? I should just ask someone, right? And care less about what people might think? And just generally get over myself?

Discuss.

Sunday 5 February 2012

Camel, burgundy and my new (old) hat

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Flecked camel jumper: Next, Burgundy skirt: American Apparel, Felt boater hat: vintage, Black loafers: Topshop, Bag: Ollie & Nic, Jewellery: Topshop and vintage

I got a new hat! Well, not new, but new to me so it still counts. I think it's a boater, but I can't be entirely sure. I'll be honest, my knowledge of hat terminology isn't the best. I got it from an incredible vintage seller I found on eBay called smallbutdeadly. They have some really great vintage hats (something I always have trouble finding) and for really good prices. Oh, and can someone please buy this. Burgundy, velvet, 60s - perfect. Berets look awful on me but I thought I'd pass the link on because it's just too wonderful to be sitting there - someone give it a good home.

The hat had a black veil on originally and, after prancing around in it for a few hours pretending I was Joan Collins, I took it off. As fun as it was, it wasn't exactly wearable and made me feel a little bit like a 1980s divorcée going to a funeral. Now it's perfect. My photographer (otherwise known as my mum) couldn't get a good close up shot of the hat so here's a badly executed photo I took of the back of my head:

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You get the idea. In other news, today I paid a visit to the charity shop near my house to kill some time before I came back to Manchester. As well as having a lovely chat about uni life with the guy behind the counter, I found a scarf and a vintage suitcase I plan to use for storage in my bedroom - all for under £5. I felt kind of bad because the suitcase was in really good condition and I'm sure it was worth more so I put an extra few pounds in the collection box. That's the thing about charity shops, I always feel a bit guilty about finding bargains in them. I just carried the case out of the shop with me, not really thinking of it but when I saw my reflection I felt so twee it was painful. Felt boater, loafers and a vintage suitcase. I'd been getting weird looks all day (wearing a hat is enough to elicit stares in my hometown) but then it was even worse - every person I passed did a double take. I must have looked like a WWII evacuee! When I got home, my mum said I looked like one of the Railway Children, which I think is probably a better comparison. But I didn't have any bloomers to wave on a stick, which was a shame.

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Saturday 4 February 2012

Girls on film: Pretty in Pink

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I'm going to warn you now, this is going to be a very image heavy post. Once you start capping, it's difficult to stop.... Anyway, I'm continuing my series on filmic style inspiration with another classic (in my book, anyway): Pretty in Pink. I really love John Hughes and I often refer to his Brat Pack films of the 80s as 'when teen films were good'. Don't get me wrong, there've been exceptions in recent years. Mean Girls is of course incredible, as is Clueless, Election, Easy A... but for every Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, there are ten John Tucker Must Die's - a film that still haunts me to this day.

Moving on. I'm not necessarily a big fan of 1980s fashion - shoulder pads, neon, obscene amounts of sequins - but the new romantics/new wave style is one thing about the era that does really appeal to me. And I always appreciate fearlessness when it comes to wearing what you want and not letting anyone tell you it looks stupid. And that ethos is perfectly embodied by Molly Ringwald's Andie.

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I mean, just look at those glasses. If that's not fashion bravery, I don't know what is. Pretty in Pink is entirely based on the whole poor-girl-meets-rich-boy trope but Andie isn't the kind of girl to let lack of funds get in the way of looking good. She buys from thrift stores and makes her own clothes, mixing styles that really shouldn't work together and just makes it work. The film opens with a montage of her getting ready for school in the morning to 'Pretty in Pink' by The Psychedelic Furs (see what they did there?) and it's so incredible that I've capped every shot. It's just that good.

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"Turn around, let me see this outfit. Is this your latest creation?"
"Uhuh."
"My God, what did that cost you?"
"Oh, about 15 dollars for the shoes - second hand - and I made the rest."
"Unbelievable!"

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"Where'd you get your clothes? The five and dime store?"

But the cool dress sense doesn't stop with Andie; her best friend Duckie (played by man who isn't Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer) is also exceptionally good at the whole it-shouldn't-work-but-it-really-does style of dressing. This boy is basically a walking tutorial on how to mix prints and fabrics and look fierce whilst doing it. He also spends the entire film wearing that trilby (Trilby? Fedora? I'm not entirely sure) and the John Lennon-style round sunglasses. Amazing.

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The prom is the cornerstone of most films set in American high schools and Pretty in Pink is no exception, featuring the greatest getting-over-your-man-whilst-making-your-own-prom-dress montage in film history (although, admittedly, that may be a rather small category):

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And Duckie's prom outfit is incredible. Just look at the shoes!

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If you haven't seen the film, I suppose you will have assumed from the way I'm writing that Duckie is Andie's only romantic interest. Unfortunately, he isn't. There's also this other guy. He's all rich and he has floppy hair and I hate him. This might be my long standing crush on Duckie talking, but I seriously don't understand why Andie would even consider this guy:

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When she had this guy waiting for her all along:

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COME ON!!

I also just wanted to add a few images of Andie's bedroom, which is pretty incredible. I noticed how cool it was much more on this viewing than I have before, probably because the stupid rules in my stupid uni halls means that I can't put things on the wall or change the curtains or do anything at all to make my room look less anonymous. It's all very depressing. So I'm living vicariously through the bedrooms of fictional characters in 80s teen movies.

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Andie is also the kind of girl who lounges around in a silk kimono. I feel like there's nothing else I can do to convince you of her intense coolness - although I will leave you with a Polyvore set of Andie inspired items.

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