moving melancholy

 

I'm continuously yo-yoing between excitement for the start of university and my move to Manchester and sadness to have to leave behind my beloved hometown and the all of glorious people that it houses. Today I'm leaning toward the latter because having to say goodbye to lots of people is strange and not my bag and I hadn't predicted quite how tricky packing the contents of my lovely little bedroom into boxes would be. As all my go-to clothes and most used possessions find themselves in the moving pile, my room starts to resemble an empty shell and it's all feeling a bit final!

I bought this brown leather skirt from Topshop a few days ago before regretfully handing over my store card this morning at the end of my last shift. Goodbye my sweet 25%, it was good while it lasted.

Aye, I'm just feeling melancholy. Can't believe that just a few weeks ago I was champing at the bit to leave and now I'd rather just crawl under a duvet and have my Mum stroke my head..

nice things

1. this girl, who is the lucky owner of 'the perfect polka dot dress.' plus she has very good hair.

2. cheese plants. mine is happily enjoying it's last two days in my bedroom at home before a trip up the M6 come thursday to my new (and I predict) shoebox of a room in university halls.

3. long jackets.

4. scans from Fudge Magazine over at Clever Nettle.

5. the shoes at Vena Cava (a collaboration with Ten Over Six) which stomped down the runway on the 1st day of New York Fashion Week.

early thoughts on spring/summer

Ah yes, the arrival of Fashion Week means that it's hard to refuse giving your own next season wardrobe a little bit of thought. For me Spring 2011 will be all about carefree dressing. But I mean real carefree dressing, as it's an important priority in spring and summer (and one that is very fresh in our minds with the warmest season just drawing to a close). Carefree dressing in that slightly Charlotte Gainsbourg way that says 'comfort and necessity will triumph.' I've noticed that with the current trends comes a lot of praise for austerity and minimalism, and I'm as head over heels with the Celine look as the next person but it strikes me that this doesn't always equate to honest comfort. In the Spring time button up shirts can't always be relied on when the temperatures rise. And a light skirt is less likely to be at the forefront of your mind all day than a strict pair of high waisted trousers. 

I'm hailing a return of bare arms in the name of style as much as armpit circulation. Arms sticking out from sleeveless tops that end just on the hip sitting along the border of a short skirt. Think of something silky like the pink mushroom number at Organic by John Patrick). Arms could be the new legs; it makes a lot of sense when you think about the lack of maintence arms require compared to gams. Necklines could play peek-a-boo with cotton quasi-sports bras in fleshy colours or greys. Knee length macs and jackets light enough to stow away in bags until a cool breeze permits their use will be order of the season as will a few pairs of shoes to alternate between and without too much thought; in a dream world leather espadrilles ala Edun and some trusty New Balance trainers to slip on as you run out of the door.

I'm also anticipating the return of some go-to dresses for Spring/Summer which have taken a back seat to the lovely short suits of the past couple of seasons; I'm ready for that trusty all in one solution to return without the qualms that can come with a short suit which unless you're straight up and down can involve obtrusive hips. Vena Cava showed a pleasing example in a red sand colour cinched to the waist with rope.

Quite naturally this yo-yoing between two seasons can play lots of tricks on the brain, so until Spring descends once more and car journeys bring us views of lambs not falling apples such considerations can be tucked away somewhere and left to mellow a while longer.

saturday

Ashish 'Garcon' top, £50, Topshop/ Mango Mountain Stone ring, £17.90, Asos/Suede Shopper Bag, £95, Topshop/Leather Zip Wallet, £145, Margaret Howell/Tamara Wood Heel Boot, £110, Asos/Barry M Strawberry Pink Ice Cream Nail Varnish, £2.90, Amazon.

Ah, Saturday is here. A perfect day for sitting at the kitchen table, catching up with all the New York Fashion Week goings on from across the pond over a cup of tea and maybe indulging in a little online shopping too.

fyi

Bare with me while posting slows a little over the next week. The start of University is only 10 days away and I have mundane tasks to cross of to-do lists, the prospect of packing up items from my bedroom and saying goodbye to all of my friends and work colleagues playing on my mind. Do listen to these lovely tunes while I scamper about! Something romantic and on repeat, a royksopp newbie, and an old favourite.

unique

Thanks to my bid to clear my bedroom of old rolls of film and disposable cameras before moving to Manchester I got these snaps from the last Topshop Unique show back from developing. Of each of the four seasons of Unique shows I've gone to this was my favourite; it was so enjoyable to watch a show that felt so fun in it's styling whilst being able to hold it's own against the other designers showing at London Fashion Week. The drama of the fuzzy eyebrows and animal heads and the snug furs and knits against the woodchip runway left me feeling just as excited for the Autumn back in February as I am now. 

Just looking at these makes me all the more impatient for the Spring/Summer show on the 18th. Although I'm not sure I can face thinking about Summer wardrobes before it's cold enough to even wear a coat, I can't wait to see what Team Topshop have up their sleeves given the new setting of the old Eurostar terminal at Waterloo. While on the subject of Topshop Unique, the first pieces from the AW10 collection have started to filter onto the website, I'm still holding out for the blue wax macs jackets..

cos because

I spent the day in London on Thursday with Ellis who had a nice wadge of birthday cash burning a hole in her pocket. Sadly I had a very meagre amount in comparrison but quite enjoyed shopping vicariously through her. Even if it meant having to leave this gorgeous dress behind at Cos. (£80 I believe, incase you're wondering). It felt quite SS10 Proenza Schouler with it's stretchy thick jersey fabric (almost Scuba-esque). As always I spent a great deal of my time wandering around Cos, stroking the woodwork and wishing I could live instore for the interiors. The day that they decide to sell online I will be a very happy bunny.

summer retrospective

with university just around the corner here are some pictures from this summer, it's been a good'un.
my friends and I are all parting ways this month for manchester (me), london (emily, josh, emily), brighton (jo), leeds (joanna), st andrews (lily) and bournemouth (george).
aw shucks guys, let's do this again sometime.

corinne day and jackie dixon

Jackie Dixon has written a lovely little post in homage to Corinne Day over at her blog Show Me Your Wardrobe along with photographs from a week they spent together with friends in Capri seven years ago.

inspiration on a wednesday

90s Obsession Calvin Klein adverts, Steve Jobs (Guffaw, who'd have thought..), Maxxe Sternbaum from the Opening Ceremony blog, Kate Moss in a furry jumper, Isabelli Fontana in trackie leggings styled by Jane How, Lesportsac bags, Anastasia Barbieri, Chloe Sevigny's Kickers.