Today has been an immensely lazy day. It started on the sofa underneath my duvet catching up on recorded episodes of The Culture Show. Then, hoorah, my green cord Jamie trousers from Topshop.com arrived. After writing the previous post, I thought about trainers and how they'd look quite cool with the new jamies and then had a brainwave remembering my old loved reeboks in the back of my wardrobe. (unworn since my first year of sixth form). I drank quite a few cups of coffee from this mug which my Mum gave me for my birthday; it's an illustration of the view from the park beside our house so that I can drink from it and think of home when I'm at University (in only a couple of weeks!). I rediscovered how perfect biscuits from Aldi (or Lidl) are when dipped in coffee. I washed my bedding and then hung it outside on the line. I noticed the autumn nip in the air. I meant to list some old clothes on eBay but ended up buying a secondhand canon camera instead. I reheated last night's prawn, mint and broad bean risotto for lunch. and then again for tea. Ah, the most delicious of mundane days spent at home.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
style notes for the guys
beck, mick jagger, new balance running team, timex heritage camper watch, take ivy by teruyoshi hayashida, dad, young paul mccartney, new balance 420 trainers.
On the topic of New Balance trainers.. Josh and I spotted a very cool girl cycling past us last night. She had a nice shiny bob (think Eleonore from Ytligheter) and was wearing blue chinos with her own battered pair of New Balance and looked fantastically cool and casual as the late afternoon sun was shining down on the hill. This combined with Lisa Corneliusson's trainer collection, that Tux-n-adidas Kate Moss outfit and the running shoes from The Big Chill I well and truly have trainers on the brain.
On the topic of New Balance trainers.. Josh and I spotted a very cool girl cycling past us last night. She had a nice shiny bob (think Eleonore from Ytligheter) and was wearing blue chinos with her own battered pair of New Balance and looked fantastically cool and casual as the late afternoon sun was shining down on the hill. This combined with Lisa Corneliusson's trainer collection, that Tux-n-adidas Kate Moss outfit and the running shoes from The Big Chill I well and truly have trainers on the brain.
along with this brilliant musical mash-up from DJ O-Face..
Saturday, August 28, 2010
caping
One thing has become pretty clear this week and that's the onset of Autumn. Three days of solid, sheet rain and some brooding black clouds have brought a chill to the air and earlier in the week I made a trip to 'The Cupboard Upstairs' which now houses rather a nice collection of coats. This is thanks to buying them out of season and then over the course of Summer forgetting that I even owned them.
I was struck with a sense of cosy smugness when I was reunited with this camel raincape I bought from eBay and had subsequently forgotten. So much for all of that cooing over the Asos cape when this was hanging upstairs in all it's £9 glory. Did I mention it's reversible with a waterproof layer inside and camel fleece on the outside? And it has a hood? This might explain why I felt like a child who had been dressed for practical purpose by their parents when I wore it for drinks and bowling with friends. But I secretly quite liked that.
One of the downsides that comes with wearing a cape however is the handbag question. I tried carrying a tote swag bag style (just to really go the whole hog with feeling like a child dressed as a Superhero). I also managed to wear my usual handbag on my shoulder without the strap getting in the way but this just felt silly. There are always clutch bags but they don't seem daytime appropriate and I'm now thinking that going without a bag is a sensible option and actually quite liberating. I remember reading an article by Jess Carter-Morely in Vogue a year or so back in which she challenged herself to do Fashion Week bagless. Naturally, I don't have a personal assistant to carry my necessities like she did but I remember her emphasising the importance of pockets and how it feels rather nice to have a few of the essentials nestled deep down inside them with your arms free. And you know what you do with free arms? That's right, you swing them as you marvel at just how superb you feel without a bag and why didn't ou try this bafore and then- 'o-oh shit, I left my make up bag at home..'
Percival
I've just come across Menswear line Percival and if like me, you're impartial to a nice boyish rainmac then this should be right up your street. The collection is pleasingly small and their website overall very polished and '2010 hipster design' but also easy to navigate. Though the video that accompanies the collection is all a bit too Topman for my liking (lads -note not 'men'- with carefully coiffed bouncing hair running through a forest and giving each other nosebleeds and all rather Private School) I can't fault that Yellow Wax Mac. Infact I'll go one better, I want that Yellow Wax Mac with it's thin grey pinstriped lining and it's 'scottish beeswax cotton'. If dazzling descriptions like 'scottish beeswax cotton' whets your appetite then you haven't seen anything yet. May I interest you in some fine Portuguese cotton melange? How about a little 'heavyweight melton from Yorkshire'?
The online store apparently launches in August though at the moment there doesn't seem to be any sign of one so keep your eyes peeled in the meantime.
The online store apparently launches in August though at the moment there doesn't seem to be any sign of one so keep your eyes peeled in the meantime.
alexa chung for madewell
The Alexa Chung for Madewell adverts have been released and with the collection launching in under two weeks and Madewell refusing to ship internationally (bar the lucky few that live in Canada and Japan..) I'm wondering if we should hatch some sort of plan. Anybody Stateside willing to become the middle man, take orders and ship? And of course take a cut that doesn't absolutely take the piss? It would be good if we could settle this sensibly, instead I envisage hoards of it ending up on eBay with superduper price tags attached.
I'd love to act all blase and 'oh, what a fuss for items you could find second hand, it's only because they have Chung's name stitched inside' but as somebody who regularly hunts for flattering shorts in cord or velvet I'm bored of the trial and error of finding the right size and willing to hand over money. And besides who could resist Peter Pan collars and fuss-free dresses? The collection is abundant with pretty go-to pieces to bad out any in-transistion Autumn wardrobe.
Alexa Chung for Madewell will be available online from September 9th and in stores on September 11th.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
badass girls
Over the past couple of months I've got so much enjoyment from devouring posts by both Lulu Kennedy and Maria of Fedtysent. Both pretty badass, both fantastically committed bloggers and all round the kind of women I'd like to be I'm a big, bad, scary adult. With maybe a little Carrie Bradshaw thrown in (except when she shrieks at 1000 decibels, which really grates.) As Maria is a Dane, much of what she writes is lost on me (Google Translater isn't the most reliable) and so I can't be sure what exactly she does. Somewhere along the line I remember she and her boyfriend were in America testing out hotels and restaurants but that may well have been temporary. Lulu is of course the director of Fashion East (which is about to celebrate it's 10th Birthday) and all round london fashion scene queen. And they also happen to bare a bit of a resemblance to each other, well what do you know...
On the subject of badass, I'm listening to this track by Howling Bells a lot at the moment:
a little bird told me
Alexa Chung's Fashion Week checklist:
1. "A camera. I know everyone is digital but I still love film and disposable cameras."
2. "A good umbrella because it always pisses it down during Fashion Week in New York."
3. "No stupid shoes! I'll definitely be wearing lots of flats."
"I’m trying to find a new pair of jeans, which I know is the ultimate quest for every woman. My ideal jean would be the Levi’s that Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis wore in Thelma and Louise. (Those) Levi’s makes every ass look really great. I want the Thelma & Louise ass." Chloe Sevigny.
'I'm in Maison, ah, Martin Margiela.' Jay Z, Run This Town.
'My style rules are: drag for the over-40s is never particularly becoming; pure white is too harsh and best avoided; and save black for special occasions- I used to wear it a lot, but I save it now as it's such an extraordinary and persuasive colour.' Stephen Jones.
"I kept thrashing her at drafts, but boy she was hellbent on winning. When she eventually managed to beat me she savoured the moment by gleefully presenting me with this badge." Lulu Kennedy on her 'Loser' badge from Juergen Teller's daughter, Lola.
'My style rules are: drag for the over-40s is never particularly becoming; pure white is too harsh and best avoided; and save black for special occasions- I used to wear it a lot, but I save it now as it's such an extraordinary and persuasive colour.' Stephen Jones.
"I kept thrashing her at drafts, but boy she was hellbent on winning. When she eventually managed to beat me she savoured the moment by gleefully presenting me with this badge." Lulu Kennedy on her 'Loser' badge from Juergen Teller's daughter, Lola.
new wear
This week I bought my final piece of Topshop uniform, these leather shorts. This was after a little second guessing in the fitting room and asking Eve (while she handed customers tags and manned fitting room) if 'Please be honest, are they a little bit obscene?' Thankfully I can count on Eve to be honest (its this honesty that when we first met prevented me from seeing just how brilliant and witty and amazingly deadpan she is). She kind of twisted her mouth and said 'they are a little bit. but only a tiny bit and that's probably because I'd feel uncomfortable if they were tight.' I thanked her, pondered and then realised that as I seem to be making a habit out of wearing vaguely inappropriate bottoms at the moment I may as well throw down the gauntlet and get these too. I concluded that come Autumn with a nice modest jumper and some thick tights they'd look somewhat less obscene and though I kind of got over my leather short moment a while ago there was something about these calling me back. I wore changed into them tonight after another successful run (50 minutes in the pouring rain which felt amazing) and tried them out whilst making a wholemeal pesto and feta pizza. For those of you curious they're one of those awkward Topshop sizes that sits in-between dress sizes and leaves you wondering which way to swing. I opted for the smaller, asking myself if leather has the ability to stretch. I shall report back when I know the answer.
On the subject of honest opinions in the fitting room, I know sometimes it can be scary admitting to someone if what they're trying on doesn't work but do. Otherwise you'll be inflicting onto them that awful moment when they return home with their goods and realise as they look into their own mirror that you told a porkie. And then you'll be in trouble. Besides, you'd always want to know the truth, wouldn't you?
On the subject of honest opinions in the fitting room, I know sometimes it can be scary admitting to someone if what they're trying on doesn't work but do. Otherwise you'll be inflicting onto them that awful moment when they return home with their goods and realise as they look into their own mirror that you told a porkie. And then you'll be in trouble. Besides, you'd always want to know the truth, wouldn't you?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
tavi and sassy
Click on the image of the video to view it.. |
I love Tavi. I think she's great and well, along with most people I think, I'm in awe of her. There was a brief spell last year when I didn't really get the fuss, I didn't go a bundle on her personal style and seeing a 13 year old so entrenched in the fashion world kind of freaked me out; could children not be children anymore? But then I watched some of the videos of her speaking at various conferences and gave her more of a chance, catching up with her writing and I was in love. This video is half an hour long but is such easy watching and is so inspiring. Tavi is as cool and articulate as ever. She is generally kickstarting the same conversation that I and my friend Emily find ourselves having whenever we go to the pub (albeit Tavi in a much more comprehensive way) and I'm so proud that she's talking about putting Women's Rights back on the agenda for teenage girls. I used to get so frustrated when my peers at school would wrinkle their noses at the word 'feminist' which is just crazy because all feminism means is that you believe in equal rights so surely everyone regardless of gender should be able to call themselves a feminism without it being unjustifiably embarrassing.
Hearing her talk about Sassy Magazine actually taught me a lot. I know some of you will have cherished Sassy back in the day or since discovered it of your own accord but I've never known an awful lot about it. Tavi really delves in its history and I can't believe its taken me this long to notice the gaping hole in the magazine market when it comes to teenage girls reading something good. I think the closest we ever came to Sassy was Ellegirl which folded and seems tragic proof of the difficulty that comes with running a magazine that prioritises positive messages over adhering to the mainstream.What I really love about this talk is that Tavi continues to emphasise that girls want to read a magazine that is ultimately fun and isn't hard hitting but simply promotes values of self respect.
After she mentioned it I've gone away and googled the 'Dear Boy' feature which had famous male musicians offering readers the most stellar and cool advice. What's brilliant is that the answers revolve around them saying things like 'hey, this guy is clearly acting like an asshole and tell him I said so' rather than the samey gently-gently approach such a column would take in another magazine. Say, Cosmogirl's 'Ask Him Anything' as Mish Way points out.
After she mentioned it I've gone away and googled the 'Dear Boy' feature which had famous male musicians offering readers the most stellar and cool advice. What's brilliant is that the answers revolve around them saying things like 'hey, this guy is clearly acting like an asshole and tell him I said so' rather than the samey gently-gently approach such a column would take in another magazine. Say, Cosmogirl's 'Ask Him Anything' as Mish Way points out.
Here are some of the best Dear Boy Q&As I foraged from here and here.
They are brilliant and reaffirm that those silly boys who act interesting one moment and then cool and aloof the next are just bad apples amongst a very good bunch.
Thurston Moore
There's this guy that I really like. He tells everyone that he doesn't even like me as a friend, but when we're alone together we do things that are reserved for people who think of each other as more than friends. What do I do? A friend, more, or less? Huntley, IL
The guy's a jerk. I know that won't discourage you from liking him, but he's got a major personality flaw: disrespecting you. Be careful of this kind of butthead, because his sleaze behaviour may rub off on you, and then your life will become more and more hellish. Next time you're alone with him and he tried to get "friendly," tell him your friend Thurston Moore wants to kick his ass. And then tell him why.
Deen Ween
I used to have a lot of friends last year, but this year all my friends are ditching me because I don't have a boyfriend yet. They say that I can come to their parties if I bring a guy. These girls are really funny and nice, and I still want to be their friend. What do I do? Boyfriendless and confused.
I've never heard of anything like that in my life. Go to the party alone, and leave with someone else's boyfriend.
I have a thing about Gary Oldman and what I don't understand is why no one else does. I'm 14 and no one understands! Does this mean I like older guys? Sophisticated in Shorewood, IL.
It's very funny that you ask me this, because my wife, Chris, has a thing about Gary Oldman. It started about four years ago. It was "Can we go see the Gary Oldman movie?" And "Can we rent this Gary Oldman movie?" And of course she saw Dracula right when it came out. If Gary Oldman showed up at our door, she would start packing. So you are not alone. Liking Gary Oldman does not neccessarily mean you like older men. Gary Oldman is not old or young; he is Everyman at every age.
Beck
Here's my problem. Whenever my boyfriend and I go out, I have to pay for everything. I work and he doesn't, so if I want to do something I have to pay. It's starting to make me really mad. How can I get him to start paying his fair share? Becoming broke.
This slacker scourge is ravaging the minds of our youth. Tell this guy to get motivated Tony Robbins style: "Yesterday is a canceled paycheck. Your maximum point of power is now."
i'm feeling
adidas classics with suits, white nikes with bare bottoms, plastic laundry bags, jumpers with personalised stitching, 'ginsberg is god', verdant council flat balconies, this minidress/fur gilet/cowboy boot combination just because, chloe sevigny channelling lauren hutton, bowie and his metal kettle.
west side
Like a true gap year cliche I've spent a lot of time missing the adventures that Joanna and I had in the US in the Spring. I find myself thinking about random moments from the trip without even realising. This morning it was as I poured hot water over a chai tea bag and instantly the smell took me back to Brooklyn where we consumed heaps of the stuff. Lately it's been the California leg mostly on my brain, just before the end when we went to Coachella and had Patrice introduce us to the joys of Denny's. I was thinking about it all as I walked home the other day and I'm so pleased the way everything worked out. When I'm older and wiser (here's hoping) I really think I'll look back on those 7 weeks surfing on people's couches and napping in greyhound stations as one of the greatest experiences as a youngster. This month I've begun saving for Round Two. Here's hoping there'll be enough pennies in my pot come next April.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
granny annie
I've already featured my Dad and his aviator jacketed, dungaree wearing, beret posing self (back in the day). So it only seems fair that I push my Granny into the limelight too as it's thanks to that indispensable stack of magazines next to her loo that whet my appetite for fashion in the first place. I've mentioned her a couple of times already as she is the self proclaimed number one fan of Discotheque Confusion and reads often.
Granny is the one behind my love of sitting in cafes with reading and writing materials and she always encouraged an appreciation of individual style. In turn I introduced her to the world of blogs and she now has her own brilliant one chronicling the world of Allie Allbright.
I remember she once bought us two matching scrapbooks and we spent an afternoon together in her cosy flat with scissors, glue, magazines (and probably caramel biscuits and lemonade too) creating collages. Hers was filled with quotations and bright colours. It was the image on her front cover that sticks in my mind; an image of Betsey Johnson sitting in her bedroom, a mish-mash palace of pink furs and batenburg cake shades, the perfect ode to growing old disgracefully.
My Granny has the perfect mix where growing older (she's still in her sixties, hardly old) is concerned with a few fantastic trouser suits (in oatmeal and turquoise), lots of go-to classics but also some dabbling with flirty thigh high boots and inappropriate fancy dress outfits here and there..
I think for a lot of women their relationship with their Grandmother is always a very special one and just sitting and writing this should show this is certainly true in my case. Our relationship only mirrors the one she had with her own Grandmother (though likely minus giggling together through Samantha's infamous scenes in Sex and The City) who would bring her back sacred copies of Seventeen from trips to America.
I should really show some pictures of her style now but that's perhaps another time as Granny back in the day (think floppy hats, 60s minis and army surplus wears) in very in line with my current 60s/70s fixation. And so follows the scans I made from her photo albums some time last year.
Granny is the one behind my love of sitting in cafes with reading and writing materials and she always encouraged an appreciation of individual style. In turn I introduced her to the world of blogs and she now has her own brilliant one chronicling the world of Allie Allbright.
I remember she once bought us two matching scrapbooks and we spent an afternoon together in her cosy flat with scissors, glue, magazines (and probably caramel biscuits and lemonade too) creating collages. Hers was filled with quotations and bright colours. It was the image on her front cover that sticks in my mind; an image of Betsey Johnson sitting in her bedroom, a mish-mash palace of pink furs and batenburg cake shades, the perfect ode to growing old disgracefully.
My Granny has the perfect mix where growing older (she's still in her sixties, hardly old) is concerned with a few fantastic trouser suits (in oatmeal and turquoise), lots of go-to classics but also some dabbling with flirty thigh high boots and inappropriate fancy dress outfits here and there..
I think for a lot of women their relationship with their Grandmother is always a very special one and just sitting and writing this should show this is certainly true in my case. Our relationship only mirrors the one she had with her own Grandmother (though likely minus giggling together through Samantha's infamous scenes in Sex and The City) who would bring her back sacred copies of Seventeen from trips to America.
I should really show some pictures of her style now but that's perhaps another time as Granny back in the day (think floppy hats, 60s minis and army surplus wears) in very in line with my current 60s/70s fixation. And so follows the scans I made from her photo albums some time last year.
Britney Spears in Pop Magazine
The cover of the latest Pop Magazine is insane! In the best way possible. Britney Spears is the unlikely cover star and comes over all Japanese schoolgirl thanks to artist Takashi Murakami who collaborated on the cover. Inside of the issue you'll find Manga style stickers and a shoot with a wedding dress clad Britney lying in a field of daisies.
This issue, which is the third under the helm of Dasha Zhukova only goes to cement my view of her as an amazing editor. She has a great eye and a knack for bringing together an incredible bunch of collaborators. I also love that Dasha has taken the magazine in a more arts focused direction. It feels like the publication is more worthy and packed with interesting features post-Katie Grand who took what Pop was all about in the first place (lots of glossy fashion and curiously chosen celebrities in head to toe Louis Vuitton) with her to Love Magazine. In one sense the choice of Britney as cover girl is surprising purely because it seems a very Katie Grand thing to do. But I've relished every issue of Pop and actually prefer it to Love Magazine. How fitting after I posted a Britney Spears video a couple of days ago. With her Glee appearance in the pipeline I can see a fond Britney revival, one shrouded in nostalgia for the grinning 90s Britney you could easily imagine giving the peace sign from the pages of a Japanese magazine. The issue hits shelves on 1st September.
five outfits
camel ribbed zara top, ebay. jeans, charity. casio watch, amazon.
black sheer shirt, charity. brown suede highwaist trousers, ebay.
green shirt, beyond retro. scalloped shorts from topshop (they've temporarily disappeared from the site but you should find them still in store.)
'nbc decision' 1988 presidential race tee, urban jungle vintage, bushwick NY. skirt as before.
Five outfits I have on current rotation. It feels like something has clicked this year with my style. I feel so much more at ease with more of an understanding of what I like and what works for me. I stick to the same formula with shapes (a-line mini skirts, trousers with high waists) and textures (suedes or comfortable cottons). I've also utilised eBay this year, it's now where a majority of my clothes from and being able to search for exact keywords is a godsend over charity shop trawling where I find my success is completely mood dependant. As somebody who is pretty frugal (I try to live below my means and prioritise saving for travel) I find it difficult to justify the price tags of even high street stores and buying second hand means that you're not confined to the trends in the shops. Maybe I'm just growing up, I feel like there's been a lot of that this year. With September just around the corner I'm finding myself already feeling sentimental about my Gap Year before it's even finished..
Five outfits I have on current rotation. It feels like something has clicked this year with my style. I feel so much more at ease with more of an understanding of what I like and what works for me. I stick to the same formula with shapes (a-line mini skirts, trousers with high waists) and textures (suedes or comfortable cottons). I've also utilised eBay this year, it's now where a majority of my clothes from and being able to search for exact keywords is a godsend over charity shop trawling where I find my success is completely mood dependant. As somebody who is pretty frugal (I try to live below my means and prioritise saving for travel) I find it difficult to justify the price tags of even high street stores and buying second hand means that you're not confined to the trends in the shops. Maybe I'm just growing up, I feel like there's been a lot of that this year. With September just around the corner I'm finding myself already feeling sentimental about my Gap Year before it's even finished..
But back to clothes ('this is a fashion blog,' I hear you say 'less of the deep stuff!') I seem to be taking my commitment to the camel trend pretty seriously at the moment where trousers are concerned. Literally. I was walking through the park the other day, wondering if my Topshop Camel Jamie jeans were given their name for a reason besides the colour when I kid you not some charmingly mannered 15 year old shouted 'camel toe bitch!' at me. After one of her comrades had chucked a stone at me! I have to applaud her brilliant insult based on pure value for comedy but all the same.. I arrived home in a rage with my Mum standing patiently as I ranted about how these days nobody stands up to shitty mouthed teenagers and what happened to youths having a healthy fear of their elders? and yadda yadda and then I moved onto knife crime before we both became bored of my general tirade and quietly crept off to go about some other business. Needless to say my camel jamies are now worn with tops just covering the crotch. Lond aran jumpers were never so handy..
Monday, August 23, 2010
something stupid
Brilliant clip of Nancy and Frank Sinatra Jr and their oh-so witty Smoother Brother hosts. It's nice to see a clip from a 1967 variety show that's probably still as funny now as when it was originally broadcast. In an endearing lacking in cynicism sort of way..
Sunday, August 22, 2010
bloggers flea market-today!
Absolutely gutted that I had to cancel on Susie and the Bloggers Flea Market as getting down to London today was going to prove a difficulty. Ah, the perils of being a blogger who doesn't live in London. But I urge you to get down to N7 if you're lucky enough to have a Sunday that is free of plans. Some of Britains bestestest bloggers will be in the carpark of Susie Bubble's North London abode flogging their lovely old wares and the fabulous Tommy from This is Naive will be serving up BBQ satay (which I think I was most excited about.) The sun is thankfully shining and it wraps up at 6pm this afternoon so take a wander down and have some chat with the girls and guys. Big pat on the back goes to Susie for managing to organise and coordinate all of this despite it being sandwiched in the middle of her current busy traveling schedule, little events like this makes the blogging community feel extra special.
boot appreciation
Allow us to pause for a moment and contemplate the brilliance of these boots. Asos's Ares boot is the lovechild of those clumpy Acne numbers from a couple of seasons back and Alexa Chung's favourite patent Chanel boots. They boast a very reasonable £60 pricetag and come in taupe or black suede.
Oh how I'd love to take them, if I could just rid myself of a couple of inches in height (these bad boys are 4 inches) I'd comfortably spend my days in them without the interference of my B.F.G complex.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
the styling question
I've been left pondering over an interesting question after going through the Fashion Spot thread for stylist Jane How. How is one of my favourite stylists; her editorials always tell a story and I'm a sucker for interesting props and settings (think Yorkshire cafes, wood clad rooms filled with Budweiser boxes or the judging eyes of a crowd of old ladies.) They're the kind of editorials that leave you wanting to be the girl, who has been tranformed beyond just a model and into a fully developed character.
I do find myself wondering if it's fair to attribute the overall look of the shoot to the stylist when it's not just the styling but also the scenery and props and overall vision that all work together to create a great editorial. And of course this isn't even touching on the photography. This is something I've wondered in the past and it's popped back into my brain after reading through some of the comments on the Fashion Spot thread. Just considering this opens a whole new can of worms as really it depends what you expect from a fashion editorial and from styling. Should the clothes speak entirely for themselves; are props and interesting settings all smoke and mirrors or should an editorial be viewed as a story and an art form with as many different layers and references to give the clothes a sense of history and reference points? I certainly lean towards the latter which explains my love for How. It's an interesting train of thought all the same, and makes me want to sit and observe a shoot just to understand the whole process a little better.
points of interest
I wish I didn't have the prospect of a day at work tomorrow looming over my head as I fall deeper into a nighttime black hole of blog discoveries and general creative inspiration. It's always the way, isn't it? Still I thought I'd share some of the things that are occupying the most of my brain space.
Just back from my few days in Lake Garda where I easily fell into a routine of browning my skin in the sun, doing lots of reading, sitting on the deck at night with 4 squares of milk chocolate Rittersport and a thermos flash of coffee whilst working my way through my reading pile. Managed to finish Tales of the City which was enjoyable though must have dated a lot as every other cultural reference whizzed right over my head. I also read Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami after having enjoyed Norwegian Wood so much and it was good but containing too few descriptions of noodle dishes or mundane Tokyo routines for my liking! On the other hand I started Easton Ellis's American Psycho after being too chicken to start after buying it two years ago and can't put it down. I haven't actually reached the violence yet (or make that The Violence) so this may change but I find myself surprised by how hilarious it is in parts. The bolshy dialogue between Bateman and his Wall Street friends feels to vivid in parts, you can almost see the testosterone producing plumes of smoke from the pages. Holidaying with my Family was strange as it's not something I've done in about three years but that it was with my Dad's side made it more unusual as I never go away with my half siblings who are much younger than me. So quiet moments of reading and taking myself off for an afternoon of cycling and a solo lunch nicely balanced with messing about on pedalos in the water and shacking up with them in a twinbeds at night.
I feel like I'm in quite a good space healthwise at the moment, and I suppose 'my fitness routine' isn't something I'd delve into usually but after Patrice's morning bike rides inspired me to implement some kind of regular exercise into my life I've been on a roll and thought even mention it may influence one of you. I've been going for early morning swims and runs for the past two weeks and did a couple of circuits around the Lake this week too. It's amazing how quickly you can build up stamina with running. I went from being able to do about 7 minutes at an absolute push just a couple of weeks ago to spending the most rewarding hour going for a nighttime run this evening. It's also worth mentioning that I've noticed my skin really reaps the benefits of running and I urge you to go for early morning runs for some thinking time too.
Other things on my brain- these amazing blogs which are solely responsible for that previously mentioned black hole of blogs and thoughts. http://ensuiteblog.blogspot.com/ http://thankyouok.blogspot.com/
http://www.intelligent-----clashing.com/ Good for Haw-Lin esque pictures, interiors , glimpses into what to eat and where to shop in Tokyo etc. I could ever so easily spend hours, hours I tell you scrolling through these blogs alone so good luck staying focused and not veering off into an uncontrollable link clicking rampage.
After watching the clip for Sofia Coppola's upcoming release Somewhere for about the millionth time (I know, you and me both) I was reminded of Stephen Dorff's appearance in the music video for Everytime for Britney Spears. This is turn lead me to wonder why I don't listen to this song every single day as it's possibly one of my Britney Spears favourites and it should be cherished. And while we're on the subject of Somewhere you can download the beautiful 'I'll Try Anything Once' by Julian Casablancas which you may recognise as the demo version of You Only Live Once by The Strokes here.
Do vent/offload any points of interest that have been cluttering your brains too. Songs you're listening too, meals you've been cooking, colour combinations you've been wearing, a cool quote you've read this week? My Dad always said 'sharing, caring.' when I was little. He may not realise his phrase which started with a undertone of sarcasm has now become a fully fledged family mantra, something I noticed this week.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
knits and legs
Thursday, August 12, 2010
tati
my love for this girl grows more by the day. also please note how hair-crush-worthy her barnet is.
she was the cover girl for a Topshop zine we had in store a few months back and I tried (and failed) to recreate her (then) enviable two-tone do. shall have to dig around my drawers and fine a copy to scan.
she was the cover girl for a Topshop zine we had in store a few months back and I tried (and failed) to recreate her (then) enviable two-tone do. shall have to dig around my drawers and fine a copy to scan.
oh and she was a film student before becoming a model. yeah, let the cool barometer riiise.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
loot
Hurrah, the look around the charity shops was successful! I'm now at my Dad's babysitting (naturally, height of glamour on a saturday night) alternating between watching new episodes of Southland* and approaching rain clouds outside and cooing over my new watch.
Though at the moment my heart is set on a classic Mondaine watch this is beautifully simple and looks like a Swatch without the branding. Of course it all made sense when I turned it over after wearing it for most of the day and noticed a small Orange (as in the phone company) logo. And there was me thinking 'how lovely, the hands are orange!' Still, no one need know. Lots more success with the rest of my loot including this shirt which makes me look vaguely pagan. Part two shall have to come.
*Please, please tell me somebody else has been watching Southland? I'm in love with it and feel like I'm the only one in the UK watching it. Also simultaneously crushing over Russell, Nate and Ben. Ben is the most surprising as he is played by Ben McKenzie and back in The OC days I was always more Team Seth. It's amazing how a bit of growing up can deem insecure, gabbling teenage Seth types a turn off, and Ryan-a-likes a much more attractive proposition.
*Please, please tell me somebody else has been watching Southland? I'm in love with it and feel like I'm the only one in the UK watching it. Also simultaneously crushing over Russell, Nate and Ben. Ben is the most surprising as he is played by Ben McKenzie and back in The OC days I was always more Team Seth. It's amazing how a bit of growing up can deem insecure, gabbling teenage Seth types a turn off, and Ryan-a-likes a much more attractive proposition.
saturday 7th
Since looking at my work rota and seeing Saturday 7th August was a gorgeously blank anomaly amongst a calendar of full weekends I have been very excited. I know, simple pleasures. Sadly awaking feeling poorly put the kibosh on my plans to see Inception and cross things off of my hideously long to-do list. But fresh air is needed and so I'm wrapping up (even if that's completely unneccessary in August) and trying my chances at the local charity shops. I bought these brown Jamie jeans on uniform at work this week after spending lots of hours lusting over them.
rachel's wedding
I got a load of films back from processing this week. Here are some from my Best Friend's Mum's Wedding in Angus last month. Lily and I walking the dog in the surrounding fields, our homemade table flower arrangements, a bride in love, ceilidh dancing, teenage boys fussing over their outfits.
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