YouDirtyTicket

Yule tide greetings of festiveness and obesity to one and all!
Did we all have a nice Christmas? Once again I haven't had time to write for aggges. After the launch party for Little Shirley Beans (read all about it here) Christmas was upon us faster than you can say "I'm carrying a little holiday weight" and I was home to Liverpool for a lovely restful few days with the family, and some not so restful nights with the friends (Sailor Jerry and Captain Morgan being among them) before I was hot footing it back to London to serve the eternally grateful (ha) east end public their much needed booze.

Its Christmas. People NEED alcohol.

Santa brought me a lovely retro-esque sewing box with lots of pins and thimbles and buttons and shiny things to keep me amused in the New Year. He also got me the perfect grey jumper from H&M that I've been searching for for what seems like an eternity, you may have seen me wandering the rails of the high street like Kathy calling for Heathcliff in the quest for said garment. Its longer at the back which is handy for covering the Mince Pie Top, formerly known as the Muffin Top, and has a round neck perfect for wearing with a collar or cape. I'mma look for the perfect denim shirt to wear with when I brave the sales next week...

It's the 30th now and I don't think I've taken it off since Christmas. Apart from when I went to bed. I'm not that disgusting, you dirty ticket.

 THE jumper.The cat loves being dressed in tinsel. Honestly.

I also got a reallllllly cute dress that I wore on boxing day from H&M - its a bodycon, emerald green jersey affair with, for want of a more accurate description (and it pains me to type this), diamante on the shoulders.

But if you can't wear sequins and glitter on boxing night IN LIVERPOOL then when the hell can you?!

Now comes the NYE outfit conundrum, I have sparkly, purple tailored trousers (again, when in Rome...) and a black top that I think will work but haven't yet tried on together...should really do that before tomorrow night lest we experience the I Have Nothing To Wear hysterics and I drown my sorrows in Gin.

I'm also thinking of wearing some sort of statement lip things just 'coz it's a special occasion and doing some sort of Rockabilly/ 1940's victory roll with my hair

"Everything you can imagine is real" 

Pablo Picasso 

Happy 2013 readers 

x

LSB Launch Party

It's a week since the big event and by all counts it was a success!
Its taken me exactly seven days to catch up on sleep, hang up my needle and thread and re join the real world.

There were drinks there were mince pies, we had vintage hair & make up and fairy lights. We had some amazing 80's jumpers and over sized 70's travel bags.

Now its time to regroup and plan for the new year! Well, in January it will be. Christmastime is too exhausting to be planning new ventures; everyone has their 'out of office' on and have that end of the year glazed over look in their eyes. A bit like the cast of TOWIE.   

Lovely shoppers at the event!

Yours truly in a LSB collar

I decided to wear a vintage* Topshop dress, which I rescued from my material swag bag. It's a size 14 but fits me in a loose 1920's  flapper style way. Perfect for the occasion. I decided to wear it with the current favourite from my own collection as well, a reworked bronze cape/collar with a black chiffon frill. I've appropriated this for my Christmas wardrobe. Similar pieces are available via my Facebook page!

x

*by vintage I just mean old. Call it artistic licence. 

MIC

Eating biscuits and watching (by watching I mean continually slagging off) Made In Chelsea is the perfect Monday night in.

We have a definite love hate relationship. Me and MIC that is. It makes me so angry but I just can't.stop.watching.

Oh how the other half live! And now they're 'slumming it' in Amsterdam, what larks!

I have a developed a worrying attachment to Jamie and a marginally less disturbing one to Francis. Apparently calling him Franny lad isn't acceptable, hmm.
I just loled at the thought of me and Francis going on a date.Can you imagine? I don't think he's ever met anyone from the North before, I think it'd be 'terribly frightful' to try and explain the concept of gegging in to someone as posh as him...

AS.IF.OLLIE.IS.STRAIGHT

In other news me and my housemates got the Christmas party started by going to the German market on the river last weekend. I love Christmas just for the sheer fact that all the coffee chains bring out festive cups, and of course the artery clogging amount of chocolate we get to consume on a daily basis (don't judge me, there are Quality Street and Roses EVERYWHERE. It'd be rude not to)

 It was blaaady freezing. So my trusty mittens came out of hibernation as did the sheepskin. 

I love this mustard jumper from Next. It's SO warm and is definitely my 'chunky knit' (whenever I read those  two words together, as I frequently do in magazines, it makes me think of vomit...) of choice this winter. 

Here's my Christmas market outfit in all its technicolour glory. Four coats of red lipstick for extra warmth and an amazing over-sized leather doctors bag borrowed from my housemate, I'm awarding it the best charity shop find so far this year.

More comedy-slagging-off-MIC-gold from my friend;
"Whys Rosie even still in it?! she hasn't shagged anyone for ages!"

Aaaaaaaaand that's why I love Mondays.

x

WeHaveLiftOff

In approximately 16 days time I shall be hosting a launch party for my own design label, Little Shirley Beans.

*cue wild panicking*

Don't get me wrong, I love a good list. And a good party. AND clothes. So it all seems right up my street. I'm just terrified that no one will turn up, or that people won't like my stuff or that I won't be able to think of any new designs or a million and one other things that could go wrong...
I think I've not had enough sleep (too much wild, wild partying at the weekend) so I'm feeling all edgy and weird today.

I'm in danger of doing that really annoying thing of having loads of stuff to do and instead of actually doing any of it, just panicking about it until its too late.

Om. Om. Om.
Be calm.

I'm sending myself to bed early tonight in order to GET A GRIP and have any chance of pulling this thing off. (Look at that spontaneous use of capitals, its happening already)

So before I go and hyperventilate into a paper bag the important details are;

Little Shirley Beans Launch Party
Wednesday 12th December, 6:30pm
Revive London, 268 Holloway Road
Collars,cakes and cocktails!

If you live in London come and say hello. please.
Or just share this with anyone who likes vintage clothes and has a penchant for cupcakes

wish me luck! 

x

MirrorMirror

This morning I went to the gym. Complete with no make, scraped back hair and old leggings. Pretty sure I still had crease marks from the pillow on my cheek.
Nevertheless I actually got CHATTED UP (!) a guy came over to me and asked the time, unfortunately for him I was sweating away to Rhianna and didn't hear. So as I removed an earphone thinking he worked there and was about to tell me I was using the machine wrong or that I'd split a seam (they are o.l.d leggings) and my bum was on show he actually used this infamous line....


'Do you come here often?'
.........
........
....
..
Seriously?
I thought that was a question of legend, never actually asked to real life people in 2012. We are the social media generation after all. I've come to view a re tweet as romantic...

Funny thing is, I really don't go there often as I'd 'borrowed' my friends membership card. But that's neither here nor there. Not an appropriate response in this situation, I feel.

So, as I WIPED SWEAT FROM MY EYES, yes read that again. Not the most alluring of actions. He says 'you're really beautiful'

firsty, WTF?!
but secondly, it made me think that no matter how shit we feel we look, how fat, how ugly, how short, how tall it's more than likely not as bad as we think.
And no matter what, there's probably someone out there who thinks we look beautiful.

I'm not saying these people will even be remotely attractive themselves (sadly) and its not guaranteed that they won't be a tiny bit strange, but it's nice to get a compliment, right?

Saying that it was probably just these bad boys that did it;

You said it B

x

InternNonGrata

I may change the banner of this blog to - 'Hurry Up and Pay Me Already - the (sometimes thankless) life of an intern'

As previously mentioned here I have recently returned from a break visiting family in the U S of A and am feeling Much Better. If I was a Pokemon i'd be in full health

So imagine I'm writing this as my pre-holiday self who thanks to juggling internships, bar work, the odd running job for random film shoots and, god forbid, a social life has not had much time for writing. 

Internships. They mainly fall into three categories; 

The Good

The Bad

and 

The Ugly.

Being paid for working is becoming a thing of the past. Sadly for us recent graduates times are hard and the prospect of finding paid employment is slim without putting in months of interning first. 

And its not just those wanting to work in fashion or media anymore. I know wannabe engineers, lawyers, graphic designers and Art Gallery attendants who are all on board the intern train, hoping the next stop will be Paid Employment...

I've been interning for over a year now, unpaid, in a variety of different industries (radio/film/fashion/PR) and while its not all fun and games I have gained some really valuable experience. 

I never really had a career goal when I went off to Uni. I had a very vague notion of teaching English somewhere in Spain but, lets be honest now, I wasn't really planning much beyond my fancy dress costume for the next BOP*.

So interning can be really useful for those undecided souls like me because you can try a variety of roles and cross them off your 'what I want to be when I grow up' list as appropriate. It also opens your eyes to lots of job possibilities that you may not have even known existed. 

The questions is: at what point do you stop? 

Without a definite end point, when do you say 'enough is enough'?

With so many graduates fighting it out for the few roles available there is A LOT of pressure to keep on interning for fear of loosing out to another wannabe who can afford to intern for months on end without ending up penniless and destitute. 

And that's what gets to me, the stress of Not Knowing and the Financial Worry. 

I can't afford to intern for much longer as savings are dwindling and I can't work any more hours in the bar whilst interning as its not humanly possible. Unless I didn't sleep at all. Or had super powers. Or Bernard's watch. 

Now there's a thought...

But, touch wood, I've been pretty lucky to get the placements I have. There are some real horror stories out there about being made to tidy store cupboards for a fortnight (I actually had to do this while on a placement in Spain) or being treated as free labor with no thanks or any job prospect at the end of it. 

Now if I can just make some money from my designs I might be able to hold out for a little bit longer until the holy grail of permanent paid full time role is finally within reach...

So here's some advice from an old hack for all you soon to be interns;

• Be prepared to work hard (and not sleep) Bar work and early mornings do not good bedfellows make. If you don't like coffee - well, start liking it. Immediately. 

• Get Organised. In order to maximize sleeping hours plan ahead. If you have to go straight from the office to working in a bar/restaurant get your uniform packed the night before, make your lunch before you go to sleep and make sure you have time to get a shower as to avoid the dreaded Bad Hair Day. Sounds like being back at school but trust me three months down the line and you'll appreciate any extra sleep time. A lot.

• Invest in a diary (and a smart phone) There's nothing worse than rushing because you've forgotten you're in work at 5, not 6, or that on the way to a meeting/lecture/show you realize you can't find the address. Google maps has saved my bacon more times than I care to count. God Bless you GPS.

• Relocation, relocation. Look for work near your humble abode. An extra hours travelling time to get home, especially when its cold or raining is a killer. No matter how fit that barman might be...

• Lastly - enjoy your internships. That's not to say its going to be all wild parties and crazy nights out but if you can't relax and be yourself, then what's the point? 

And lastly - If all else fails bribery is always an option. I find teabags and chocolate always go down well. 

x 

TheNorthernLine

I've been in London for two and a bit months now.

Today I had one of those nice moments, when a good song comes on your iPod and everything seems Ok with the world again.

Mine happened this morning, on the strangely deserted platform at Embankment, while waiting for the northern line southbound (I like to set the scene, y' know?)

So there I was, and as the train approached this song came on and I thought, yep. I like it here.

Does anyone else do that thing when listening to music that you imagine you're in a film and whatever's on your iPod is the soundtrack?
Especially on long train journeys.
Sometimes I even make up my own back story and character profile.

No?

Just me?.......

x

AsCampAsChristmas

It's been a while.
I don't know why I have the phrase 'As camp as Christmas' stuck in my head, but I do.

Such is life.

Ever feel like you have too many thoughts in your head that you just need to get them out in any shape or form IMMEDIATELY lest they be forgotten?
And its always at inappropriate moments, usually when I'm on plane (which is where I actually wrote this post) in a car or anywhere else that I normally don't have a pen to hand or I'm meant to be doing something else...
Usually working in a bar. When its quiet, which it frequently is, I find my head full of ideas for designs, posts and photos. Eating the forbidden bar snacks is one thing but even my manager might take affront if I whipped out the ol' sewing machine and started embroidering a pair of culottes.

ANYWAY; so I'm on the plane home from America (or I was 2 days ago) sad face.
We've been visiting family in Cleveland,Ohio which means a two hour flight to Atlanta and then a further 9 hours to Manchester AND THEN an extra train journey back to London. Oh the joys.

Did I mention I get travel sick?

Touch wood I've not thrown up (yet) and as luck would have it I've found a pen and notepad in my bag so I can spend the 14 plus hours travelling time to catch up on some writing.
Blogging has been verrrrryyyy lax as of late. There just aren't enough hours in the day.
I read somewhere once that blogs must be nurtured and 'tended to' daily. Like a house plant. Ha. If that's true then mine would resemble that shriveled dead thing that resides on every students windowsill. Bought for them by a well meaning parent who read that plants oxygenate a room therefore stimulating brain activity. Sadly most of these things get watered with a mixture of vodka and gin thus rendering their healing powers somewhat compromised...

So let us assume these next few posts, in no particular chronological order, will be like some sort of miracle grow baby bio life-giving tonic to my poor withered blog....

And to tie in with the journeying theme here are my top travelling tips:

1. Plan ahead - choose your underwear carefully. There's nothing worse than a nine hour wedgie
2. Sit wisely - the baby that was so cute on take off? five hours of screaming later, not so much
3. Invest in a bear scarf - its a travel essential. Hood + scarf + pillow = comfort at 30, 000 ft
4. Eat skittles on take off - not only will sucking on sweets stop your ears from popping but if you do throw up at least it will be a nice color:) 

Happy travels! 

x

GroundhogDay

Day 3 at London Fashion Week, here's a brief update;

Number of shows watched, 6
'Celebrities' spotted, 5
Hours spent writing, 72
Number of coffee's consumed, about 1000

Everything I'm writing is up on Glam, have a look at some of my show reports and general goings on! (urgh, excuse the use of exclamation mark there)

Who knew looking at pretty clothes and hanging out in a posh suite at the One Aldwych Hotel could be quite so stressful?
It is amazing experience though, and if I didn't love all things 'fashion' I'd definitely be in bed right now rather than uploading show images and writing reviews.

There are SO many weird and wonderful outfits, crazy hairstyles and ingenious use of studs and pompoms around, as well as the utterly flawless fashionable crowd who when you get up close to still look like they've been airbrushed in real life, that you can feel a little bit out of place. But then I've been so busy trying to make it to shows, getting lost, and forgetting the battery to the camera (MAJOR FAIL) that you completely forget what you look like and who you're wearing (in my case George @ ASDA and H! by Henry Holland)
So today is all about comfort, comfort and more comfort.

I'm sorry heels, but its back of the wardrobe for you.


My feet sneaking onto the grass covered catwalk for a quick photo opportunity after the Jasper Conran show. Was told to get off it pretty soon after.

I.need.more.coffee

Peace Out 

x

LondonFashionWeek

As previously alluded to in a previous post I am blogging from LONDON FASHION WEEK.

I shall be attending shows over the next 5 days and writing for Glam.co.uk/ not sleeping/ drinking too much coffee and, if the stress levels of this morning are anything to go by, probably taking up smoking. Or crack cocaine if things get really bad.

Question - What does one wear for LFW?
I choose this. Erroneous choice not to wash ones hair last night (high ponytail hiding the #badhairday and making me look 15) but I do have a wooden bowtie

x

ALongTimeComing

(forgive me because this is a week old but I've no internet in my flat, so make yourself comfortable because over the coming days I shall hopefully be posting A LOT MORE from London Fashion Week. 

But first, a post about shoes...)

It’s the one and a half week anniversary of us moving into the new flat. How are we celebrating I hear you cry? By dipping biscuits in tea and watching ANOTHER season of SATC (don’t judge me, we haven’t sorted TV yet)

But all is well because I have a Very Important Meeting to attend at 9am so I couldn’t be doing any wild partying now could I? Worryingly it looks like I’ve become a grown up. Ish.

I am enjoying it though, interning with an online fashion/beauty/lifestyle magazine type thing and I get to look at, and write about, clothes and shoes and bags and the occasional ‘up and coming’ DJ all day. It doesn’t really feel like work, more like I’m just writing my own blog. I’m praying to all manner of deities that I will actually get paid to do this one day soon…

You may have seen my previous post about New Shoes, lovely patent, creeper, loafer affairs. Turns out I am SO  in with my current choice of footwear as loafers are the shoe du jour, especially as Fashion Week approaches and womankind are finally coming to the realisation that heels are just not practical for running about in during the day. Thing is they look pretty good as well and go with just about every outfit; what kinda heel can put that on their CV?

However, with loafers, as with ballet pumps, there comes just one problem. And it’s sort of a deal breaker. AND I’m sure I’m not the only one with this problem. It’s inevitable – The Sweat Factor.

And by that I am referring to the age old equation, shoes + no socks = Massive Sweat Problem. As far as I’m aware no one is exempt from the MSP. There is no known cure. You can try pop socks (unsightly and ineffective) or foot/shoe sprays (short term solution) but I’m sure you will find that these things do little to alleviate the affliction.

So when in the office yesterday I was writing a piece about said loafers (check out the article here) and I couldn’t help but wonder; if you spend £500 on a pair of shoes will they still give you a MSP?

 I would be seriously annoyed if I paid obscene amounts of money for a pair of Charlotte Olympia Kitty loafers (<3) only for them to smell like a student’s sweaty Toms a few weeks later. So what is the answer? I’m appealing to any scientists out there who would like join forces to tackle this, the most awkward of social problems (I mean you can never take your shoes off under the desk at work can you?!)

We can pitch it on dragons den and become overnight millionaires.

x

 

Single&Fabulous?

(apologies for the title, I've been watching SATC. That episode is particularly resonant though..and if there's anything I've learnt in my whole 23 years of being on earth its to be happy with yourself, and not to depend on someone else to validate your life.
We're single and fabulous, exclamation mark) 

I have also taken to saying 'I will NEVER care', thanks to its introduction to my life by one quarter of my core four* 
I can see this being like the 'BORED' shout from my first year in uni...that one was spread far and wide. 
So everyone start using it. Especially in times of Relationship Drama, there's just no comeback. 


“I wanted to take on the taboo of sweetness, which is one of the greatest qualities in women. But if you are not aggressive too? How can that work, for a woman?” Miuccia Prada

In other news I am an official London resident. Day 3 and the flat, aka the new beaver headquarters,  is looking quite cosy…it’s no penthouse in Mayfair granted, but a damn sight better than the horror house that was 13 Booth Avenue; complete with old sock nailed to the skirting board and a shed door on the shower. It makes me think that as students we were a breed of sub humans that could put up with any amount of mould, damp and dirt OR my other theory (which is probably much closer to the truth) is that we spent the majority of our student years in an alcohol induced stupor…numbing our senses to horrific surroundings…those were the days *wipes tear*

Our first few days have been pretty eventful, I’ve got myself a job (woo) and an internship doing fashion related stuff (double woo), we’ve already had a break in by two cats who we have affectionately named Samson and Delilah, and courtesy of my flatmates very nice dad we have the BIGGEST TV YOU HAVE EVER SEEN.

I didn’t realise how big 47 inches was in real life, that is it looked big on the Internet but now I’m sitting next to it I think it’s actually bigger than one of our couches. I had to ask the surly delivery man to carry it upstairs for me. He wasn’t happy.

But now we can watch in 3D! and when we’re only about half a metre away from the screen anyway that could prove interesting…

(Note to self: DO NOT mention where we live)

What the flat really needs now is a pet. I may have mentioned this before but I LOVE PUGS. I really want one. I’ve even decided on its name; I’ll get a boy one and name him Gatsby. However they do cost about 50million pounds which I don’t have (yet) so in the mean time I’ll settle for our new feline mates and this kawaii top from River Island

Take a look here at it in action via my LookBook page…the collar I’m wearing is one of my own designs.

So now I've wasted a lot of time writing this instead of applying for jobs. Until next time folks...

x 

TakeALookAtTheBook

HEY EVERYONE! COME SEE HOW GOOD I LOOK!

Go 'ead. I've got two whole new shiny pages on this here blog...here and here
Daily style updates (new outfit up today) and my own designs that can be yours in exchange for cash money

Enjoy:)

x

ThisIsTheLife?

So, turns out getting a tooth ripped from your gum is pretty painful. Who knew?
Definitely no need for two mazzy needles either. AND I haven't been able to eat alllll day. *shakes fist*
As its a wisdom tooth that's been untimely removed from ze mouth it remains to be seen how much my intellect levels will be affected...

Right now I feel like my brain has gone on holiday. I've just had to work out 7 x 4 ON A CALCULATOR. This could be due to the wooziness from a combination of painkillers, not eating and Boy Drama.

FYI boys of the world, you are all insane. Each and every one of you.

The sooner I become a lesbian, the better.

So yeah I had my tooth out today and to cheer me up mummy bought me some new shoes that I lobe

Shoes - River Island 

Flatform + Creeper + Tassle
Very comfy. Look great with skinny jeans, cigarette pants and tea dresses (already tried them all, babez)
Nice one, Mum.

Also, I know I'm a bit late on The Band Wagon but Rhianna is collaborating with River Island for a new collection and Lana Del Rey with H&M. Both previews look boss so they better not be a million pounds as I am about to tighten the proverbial belt loops on the upcoming move to London.

(did I mention I'm moving to London? T minus 4 days!... OH EM GEEE)

Imagine if only we could wear Rhianna style outfits all the time...


I imagine wearing just paint would get a bit nippy though.

However, if I had these trainers I would definitely wear them with EVERY outfit;

For a minute there, I lost myself 

x

HowIWearIt

"HOKAI SO, I'm trying something new here. Bare with me. 

This is intended to be a separate page where I can keep a daily 'what I'm wearing' thing and leave my home page free for all other ramblings. It remains to be seen whether Blogger will allow me to do such a complicated undertaking but we live and learn, kid. We live and learn."

 

Above - Yesterday's optimism.So here's the post again, just in the right place this time. Will have to find another use for that new page.

You may have read in my last post that I am the proud owner of a shiny new bowler hat. Sadly not so shiny any more as I wore it to a festival and it got dropped in mud BUT it will still look good with this simple get up...

Cutaway top - H&M

Pendant - H&M (now classed by me as 'vintage' as it was a present 4 years ago!) 

wow my hair has grown...its almost mermaid hair #mermaidhair 

mermaid hair mermaid nails

LondonTown

Haven't written a post for mucho tiempo and SO much has happened...

Update on the big ol' London move - We have a home! Moving date is set for the end of August, I will officially be an East End resident as of the 27th. I may start wearing Pat Butcher style earrings to get in character. 
The flat is super kawaiiii, can't wait to start decorating and, of course, throw the annual house warming party which is generally around my birthday and usually involves a fountain called Boris and plenty of drunken debauchery.
I laaaarve it. 

Our New Front Door

An official job is still alluding me but there are glimmers of hope on the horizon so watch this space, crossing all extremities I may just have some good news to share soon...





(If I've jinxed myself now I'll be v.e.r.y annoyed. How does one unjinx oneself?) 

Currently writing this in between applying for jobs and editing the CV (BORED) on a borrowed laptop. As such I must keep this short and do some speedy 'life sorting out' i.e. stop browsing ASOS for the perfect cut away top to wear with my new bowler hat. 

Did I mention I have a bowler hat? I have a bowler hat. I LOVE it. 

In other, equally exciting news, 'Little Shirley Beans Designs' is going to be up and running as of this Saturday. I will be selling vintage inspired reworked collars, necklaces, bracelets and scarves as a local vintage fair. I will be dedicating a WHOLE POST to LSB's first event and soon you can all follow it via Twitter and Facebook. And follow it you must. 

I insist. 

I'm also thinking of giving this here blog a bit of a makeover (think American Teen Films - Princess Diaries or similar. I love the 'makeover' scene) in preparation for The Big Move. And I promise to post more often. 

"I wear my sort of clothes to save me the trouble of deciding which clothes to wear" - Katharine Hepburn.

TTFN 

x 

LetMeRollIt

You Gave Me Something, I Understand,
You Gave Me Loving In The Palm Of My Hand
I Can't Tell You How I Feel
My Heart Is Like A Wheel
Let Me Roll It
Let Me Roll It To You
Let Me Roll It
Let Me Roll It To You

I Want To Tell You
And Now's The Time
I Want To Tell You That
You're Going To Be Mine

I Can't Tell You How I Feel
My Heart Is Like A Wheel.
Let Me Roll It
Let Me Roll It To You
Let Me Roll It
Let Me Roll It To You

SandraDee

Carrie Bradshaw knows good sex. I know good socks.

 Ankle socks, not just for 5 year olds

Fearne Cotton is a fan, even if she is ever so slightly annoying in real life. At least she has good clothes. Swings and roundabouts...


I have these exact shoes. Corduroy platforms from Office. Comfiest heels ever. Not to be petty or anything...but I had them first #jussayin'

Despite some of my nearest and dearest being massive Radiohead fans I've never really had much time for them. I was definitely residing in the 'Radiohead = slit your wrists music' camp of thought until I was introduced to a few songs I'd never heard by my friend in work. I like nice songs with nice lyrics, to me its as important as the overall sound and why I don't have a particular genre of music that I really really love.
I can tell you some I really really hate though - heavy metal (its just shouting) and whatever dance remix crap scallies play on the back of the bus (think Scooter - logical song abarr a million times faster)

Where was I?..Radiohead...I like this line in particular;

Immerse your soul in love

How can such a line possibly be depressing?

AND for you lucky people who have read on this far here's another musical delight for you,

I first heard this guy when I was at Uni in Manchester, upstairs in a tiny little bar called Trof.
His voice was just as clear and amazing live as it sounds on this. I've been looking out for him ever since and discovered his you tube channel after reading an article about the debt album in this weeks Metro.

Like I said, the genre doesn't matter, as long as the music's good

x

ToSleepPerchanceToDream

I wish I had more time to blog...that said I wish I had more time to do a lot of things...sew, learn how to use my camera properly, learn Spanish (or 're-learn' should I say), read all the books I keep saying I'm going to...the list, quite possibly, is endless.

In the last few weeks I have mostly found myself moving between three states of being; In Work, Drunk and Asleep.
Its a common phenomenon that usually occurs around this time of year, and has been well known to me and whoever I happen to be working behind a bar with at the time for the past 5 years. However, as I am soon to be moving to London to become a Real Person this may be the last summer I have the freedom to stay out drinking after work till 4am with no worries about the impending daylight or less importantly the 12 hour shift that looms on the horizon...safe in the knowledge that there will be unlimited coffee and some sort of free hangover snacks.

But heyy! who wants that when you can work in an office 9-5 and photocopy things till your hearts content?

I have also managed to fit in some (hilarious) salsa dancing, sweaty yogaing and (very limited) job appyling. But mainly the first three.

God its exhausting having a social life...

As the BIG MOVE draws ever nearer I have decided that this here blog will serve also as an account of its progress.
So, update #1 - new bedding and cushions have been purchased (red and cream in case you were wondering) but so far no accommodation sorted...got my priorities in order, obvs.

Thrilling so far isn't it? Stay tuned.

BBC weather tells me that 'summer days' are on the way, if they finally do appear I'm going to buy a hat like this, wear prim summer dresses and dance with Fred Astaire.

 Considering the likelihood of the latter (as Fred Astaire is dead, for those of you who didn't know) shows my confidence in the Great British Summer.

But now that my hair has grown past porn star proportions*, fake moustaches I can do

Annnnnnnd here's one more just because I love her

x

*i.e past the nipples

MyPrecious

I've had a bit of a Gollum-like obsession with rings for a while now, which means I don't leave the house without at least two fingers being adorned with rings in various shapes, sizes, colours, animals etccc

(see my previous post here for my latest purchase)

So when I was visiting friends recently who were sporting some laarvely ornithological inspired rings, I had to sacar some fotos* and share them on here.

 Over sized owl ring bought from Brick Lane market - I cannot bloody WAIT to move to London

















3 (previously 4) little ducks went swimming one day, over the hills and far away...giving the 'knuckle duster' style ring a cutesy pie edge..

x

* I speak Spanglish

Hit&Miss

What's wrong with you H&M? do you not want my custom? my hard earned cash that should be saved for a rainy day but instead I choose to squander dangerously in your haven of neon brights and playsuits?

So I saw a bright pink floor length skirt complete with an Angelina Joile esque thigh slit in a well known magazine's fashion shoot and thought 'I.must.have.it'. You may be forgiven for thinking it sounds like something from My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, but it wasn't. Honestly. And best of all it was from only from H&M. huzzah! there is a God.

Woah, woah, woah woah Lois, this is not my batman cup.
Off I toddled to said high street store to purchase said item. At least that was the plan. They didn't have my size so I asked if they had it in the other H&M round the corner,

'No they don't have this collection in that store.'

Hmm. Could I order one instore maybe?

'No we don't do that'

Hmm. Perhaps it would be available online?

'We only sell a limited selection online, and its mainly just bikinis and summer dresses now.'

Hmmmmmm.
I hate to bad mouth you dearest H&M, especially after you served me so well when living in Spain by being the only decent clothes shop IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY but, seriously, sort it out.
Why can't we order in store? Why not have all the clothes in all the shops? Why not put stuff on the internet?!
Its like they were making it difficult for me on purpose. I do not care for this whilst shopping.

I had the perfect outfit planned and everything...bastards.

Howev's they have redeemed themselves somewhat by providing me with this faux leather skirt. I wore it at the weekend for a friends birthday with a simple grey tshirt and spiky silver necklace; so 'rock chick'. Not at all like Dorien from Birds of a Feather...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm a sucker for a good slogan tee and this one was too good to miss.

There's something quite satisfying about wearing your heart on your sleeve (or chest if we're going to be anatomically correct, but lets not split hairs) to quote a good friend 'It's even better because you didn't actually say anything.' 

And that, my friends, is the beauty of the slogan t shirt...

Let us live wisely, let us live well. And let us each chocolate. Much much chocolate. 

x

TippedForStardom

Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got till its gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

That's not really relevant to anything but I've got the stuck song in my head and I thought writing it down may get it out. It didn't.

Today we say farewell to Lonesome George, the last known giant Galapagos tortoise who has baffled scientists by his inability to produce offspring. Apparently he was 'totally disinterested' in the opposite sex and refused a mate, preferring his own company and earning him the nickname of  'the Galapagos' most eligible bachelor'.
Clearly he was just the first gay giant Galapagos tortoise? That's obvious even to me and I'm no zoologist, I'll tell you that for free.

Rest in peace George, may the afterlife fare ye well and allow you all those simple pleasures this life did not; gay bars, Lycra, The Village People...

I'm feeling all fidgety and ARGHH at the moment. Teenage angst regression. Fed up of living at home. Must escape.
I know I'm too impatient etcetctec. but I want things to happen NOW. Why can't things just happen now?

After swearing never to do extra work again the need for money has sadly driven me back. A dark day for all involved. Today I had the pleasure of listening to a guy who talked about himself and his 'amazing' life as a rep in Kavos (I've been to Kavos. Amazing is not an adjective I would use...) for abarrr 50 million years.
At one point he actually said this following sentence without any hint of irony or sarcasm,

'...I was actually tipped for stardom...'

God, he was annoying. I was too busy stifling incredulous laughter to hear the rest of that sentence properly but the gist of it was that he'd been an extra in 51st state with Samuel L. Jackson. When a fellow 'Support Artist' commented that he must have a really good show reel he looked a bit shifty and said 'well, yeah...you can sort of see the back of my leg.'

What is wrong with these people?

In more positive news Little Shirley Beans Designs should hopefully be up-and-running soon* watch this space.

I visited a vintage fair at le weekend and picked up this cute ring, I'd like to share it with you all here

IthinkIcanIknowIcanIthinkIcanIknowIcan

x

*read 'soon' as anytime from this day forth...

GetThatFridayFeeling

So I'm interning today at the film office right now, reading scripts (which are mainly very, very bad) and supposedly writing reports on them. Now, don't get me wrong I like writing but only when its about something interesting, not when I have to fill at least 3 pages with a report that could easily be summed up by the singular sentence, 'This is shit. Do not read'. My bad, two sentences. You get the gist from the first one though.

To entertain myself I'm reading blog posts from The Scouse Bible and loling discreetly into my tea. Which ironically is in a Crunchie mug with the slogan 'Get that Friday feeling!' written on it when it is only Monday. Bah Humbug. There may be many a thing (good and bad) said about the people of Liverpool but there is no denying that we are, on the whole, a proper sound lot and dead funny. If you've never experienced this kind of humour get to Liverpool now. If this is not logistically possible follow @JesusChristFTM on twitter and you will see what I mean.
Unless you are offended easily...you should just stick to my posts for further witty (ish) examples.

One thing I have been thinking about as the sun attempts to crack the flags this summer and the scouse bible has so rightly condemned is this; boys who wear vests. I feel a simple 'WHY?!' is all that is needed to sum this one up followed by a 'burn the vest and we'll never speak of it ever again'.
I don't think they can EVER look good. With the possible exception of Jude Law during the pool scene in Alfie...but the rest of the male population take note: you are not, and never will be, Jude Law. And even then I'm only letting him off because its in a purely dramatised scenario, if I saw him in the Asda perusing for BBQ goods it'd put me right off my shopping.

Strange semi paracetamol induced rant over (self medicating for tooth ache AND man flu) in other news I am also mainly looking at pictures of Miranda Kerr and wanting to be her. She looks a-may-zing in her debut for British Vogue here;






   x

you'rewildYOU'REWILD

I'm not usually one for updating the world about my every move via my blog. To quote Georgia Nicholson, 'my life is a series of embarrassing incidents strung together with me telling you about those embarrassing incidents.' Ergo why I like to keep some pretence of cool where I can...however as it does say 'Fashion AND other ramblings', today you are going to get some of my 'other ramblings'. haha. With maybe a bit of fashion thrown in for good measure.

So after spending my first few months as an official 'real life person', i.e not a student, at home with the rents Up North I am now ready to fly the proverbial nest and MOVE OUT.
I will shortly be joining some of my bestest chums down in London for fun, frolics and maybe a job or something...

(sidebar - if anyone has any contacts/knows of anyone who would like to hire me for media/fashion/journalism related job roles, please feel free to get.in.touch!)

Until that glorious day when I become an official London resident, and mainly to stop my brain turning to mush from having to serve idiots in the restaurant all day, I have been 'expanding my creative talents', and FYI that doesn't mean just taking photos of flowers on Instagram (although there has been some of that...)

N.B. Instagram does not a photographer make. Let us all remember that. Something else we should never forget that I was reminded of on a recent trip to Marks & Spencer's shoe department;  kitten heels will NEVER be ok. If we ever forget that golden rule society as we know it will be doomed.
If I were David Cameron I'd be imposing stricter shoe making laws right about now #justsayin'

I am now officially a freelance journalist writing some festival previews for a local magazine and website, links to be posted soon, which means I get press privileges like free entry to gigs and *fingers crossed* festivals...
Last night I got to swerve the £8 entry fee (living the dream) to a hip hop gig in one of Liverpool's most unusual but undoubtedly coolest venues, Camp and Furnace.
It was possibly one of the strangest gigs I've been to in a long time, with a battle between improvised beat boxing and a flute taking place in a renovated 'indoor festival' warehouse complete with camper vans and trees. Definitely worth a look. Apparently they also do a good breakfast.

I have also been getting bussyyy with my sewing machine and making collars. As you all know I can't resist a good collar. The plan is to sell them soon at a local vintage fair and possibly via this here blog if all goes to plan.

It's a work in progress...

I have also been re-customising Rhianna style with some studs on my previously customised Levi's;

Oh and did I mention I love Instagram?

I love Instagram.

x

CarmenMiranda

Having fun with hair gel and kiwis