pink and red

givenchy fall/winter 2010.

three things

three things that I bought today:
+dr bronner's peppermine magic soap
+topshop nail polish in parma violet
+topshop nail polish in nice 'n' neutral

bish bash bosh, done.

Today saw my first trip back to Topshop since traveling. I had to officially leave in order to go to America but was assured by the manager that I could get my job back. So after a fortnight or so of lie ins, much blogging (as you may have noticed), and the start of raised eyebrows from my Mother I popped in to declare myself available for as many shifts as possible. I hung out in the staff room for a good half an hour or so chatting with the girls, catching up with the gossip (we're all a very tight knit group on my floor) and somehow learning along the way that if you eat 7 bananas in one day you will die of potassium poisoning (I'll take that one with a pinch of salt..). Made me realise that although not having to work is lovely, I really do miss them all. Also popped into American Apparel hoping to see Geordie Sophie but alas it must have been her day off. Never mind, I left with a mini bottle of peppermint magic soap after getting used to it in America. Everyone we stayed with seemed to own a bottle. (hmm, maybe Couchsurfing and Dr Bronner have a secret tie..) The busy bottles really take bathroom reading to the next level.

clarks, you say?

pictures: alexa chung; the fashion spot, the lovely siri of ringo, have a banana! shot by mr newton

On my mind at the moment are strappy leather sandals. Jesus sandals if you will, with not a sniff of complicated 'strappage' a la The Gladiator. The kind of sandal that would most likely provoke a surprised and proud rejoice of 'Oh, they look sensible!' from one's Mother.

This is the holy grail of sandals, it stands out amongst it's contemporaries as the reliable sandal. After years of summer long flings with other flaky models, this will withstand bike rides, trips to the beach and more importantly every day adventures without withering at the sole and splitting in two. I can't take another regretful shake of the head from the men at Timpsons, the air of finality as you look down at your limp summer shoes in a sad broken pile is too much.

This Summer I shall make like they did in the good old days. Before we bought from shops (like my beloved Topshop) that apparently know little about hardy construction where footwear is concerned. And this all means buying some 'proper' shoes which in turn leads me to Clarks. Yes, Clarks. The Shoe Shop which (regardless of marketing makeover attempts) shall always be the kind of Old Aunt of the high street. Faithfully tucked away in market towns or old corners of shopping centres across the UK, their simply sensible style is just what I fancy and I'm not lying when I say this applies to their aesthetic too.

I shall leave you with a view of both the Kestral's (above) and the Gwyneth Susie's* (below) to win you over as well as your (for those of you from the UK) prior memories of 'proper' shoe fittings in Clarks as a youngster and a sense of their 'workmanship.' (*see, does the sheer prospect of wearing shoes with names like this not fill you with the urge to lead a Clarks-friendly lifestyle of cream teas and trips to the Bingo!?)

staten island ferry

me on the staten island ferry, march by joanna thompson

just a quick note to say, I got a little behind with answering Formspring questions while I was away but am now all up to date. so if you have any questions (about me recent US trip, about Chloe Sevigny, how to subscribe to Apartamento magazine, how to wear camel colours..) then feel free to ask away. Equally, you may be completely sick and bored of Formspring, though I know that I (with my nosey ways..) find it strangely compelling and you may be the same.

have a lovely Sunday!

http://www.formspring.me/dconfusion

camel

It's incredible, I never fail to be baffled by the rate at which a trend circles across the blogosphere. And Camel colour (though of course the shade has been popping up on catwalks over the past two seasons..) is no exception, spreading faster than imaginary swine flu. On that note, here are some current hot picks in our chosen shade du jour.

1. camel swing coat from etsy
2. camel shorts from etsy
3. chloe sevigny at art opening, 2007
4. nail varnish in 'nice 'n' neutral' by topshop
5. 'a man in a cafe' by juan gris
6. photograph by garance dore
7. camel cardigan from etsy
8. suede camel sandals from etsy

ma belle

I heard this Beatles B-side for the first time the other week and have listened to it many a time since, swooning over the romantic lyrics and melodies that leave you wanting to sway in that self indulgent love sick teenage sort of way. I recommend you listen to it, personally I find it quite unlike their other music. Though this is according to my knowledge of The Beatles which is neither vast nor meagre.

I also leave you with those photograph by Kafa Rusalka that I'm very fond of. Last night I had a smoking dream. I don't think I've had a smoking dream since I was about 15. But in my perfectly relaxed sleepy state this cigarette and the process of inhaling and exhaling proved the most soothing action, completely devoid of that tobacco taste I am so unswayed by. There really is little point in this anecdote because I awoke to the knowledge that I could never (thankfully) hack smoking and this brings us back to the beginning, to the photo. Perhaps it could be a little tribute. A photograph to look at and think 'let us live our smoking dreams (as unhealthy as they are) vicariously through this mysterious and anonymous girl who is enjoying a fag with her coffee and staring ahead immersed in her own little world of contemplations and memories.'

versailles in chilly january

Joanna finally got her many rolls of film developed. As well as the photographs from our 'just gone' trip across the States there are some from our jaunt to Paris back in January. Here I am on one particularly overcast day bracing myself against the biting cold in the gardens of Versailles. Brrr. See in the background the surreal yet beautiful Hameau de la Reine.

broken heal

Sheer plasticy, stretchy, clunky, corrugated, brilliance from Manami Saito. Designed for Central Saint Martins graduate Josefina Larsson's debut collection. Just look at the slant of that heel... makes me think of the legs of a little black lamb wobbling to and fro as it learns to walk.

three blogs

I felt it was only right to share the three blogs that have been occupying both the windows of my internet browser and large chunks of my brain over the past week. three very different girls from three corners of the world all encouraging hundreds of minutes worth of procrastination. these reads are perfect for a rainy weekend under the duvet.



name: shi
location: australia
up your street if: • travel, drawings, the outdoors and candid personal style feature on your likes list.
•you enjoy living life vicariously through photographs of other people's meals and bedrooms
blog: http://www.buffaloparade.blogspot.com

name: megg
location: southern california

up your street if: • you rarely leave the house without a hat on your head
• you're a vintage enthusiast (who isn't?).
blog: http://www.anotherdaytodressup.blogspot.com

name: daniella
location: east london
up your street if: • you're a sucker for a blogger with long blonde tresses
• peg legs/long skirt and parka/floor length coat combos make you happy.

blog: http://www.thefblog.com

franklins

Thanks to the lovely jessica of january I am now madly and deeply in love with these 'franklin' cork platforms from jeffrey campbell. i'm pretty tall and don't tend to wear super duper heels as much as I used to (purely because I don't like my BFG-esque skill of looking down on the rest of the room when I go out in heels-that's how it feels at least..) I feel that these may be the shoes to break the habit for a while at least. Only problem is, where on earth can I get my mitts on them?