The Cupboard Dweller

That's Just Cricket

2011-06-08T13:34:00.003+01:00

I grew up sticking Giggs' face into my Premier League sticker book, and the revelation that he had a superinjunction on information about an affair was somewhat heartbreaking. Though I am a Chelsea fan through-and-through there's something about Giggs' spectacular fall from grace that dwarfs the injunction even of John Terry. Giggs was so well-loved and long-serving, he seemed like the least likely candidate for what has become a fair pedestrian occurrence of Footballers-Gone-Wild.

Source

Yesterday, Matt Prior threw down his cricket bat in the England dressing room, upset over his performance on the field. It is a move of frustration I have witnessed in prep school pavilions a million times. Unfortunately the bat ricochet off other bats lying on the ground, bounced up and broke a window, showing shards of glass over spectators below. Prior, along with England captain, Andrew Strauss, apologised immediately in person to those affected.

These are the heros of sport. Not for cricket the weeping confessions of a Tiger-Woods-style press conference. Not for cricket the hubris of covering frivolous infidelity with legal protection. Instead, just an immediate, humble, and gracious apology. The matter ends there.

It is to be celebrate that there still exists in this country a community of sporting gentlemen. Not to be romanticised, the cliches about cricket, its players and its spectators, have a sense of veracity. It is still a place for civilized sportsmanship.

If Man Must Whistle, 'Sluts' Must Walk

2011-06-06T16:49:00.005+01:00

About a week ago, walking back from dinner at a friends house ten minutes away from my own, two guys, hoods up, sauntering down the street on bikes took to wolf-whistling me as I passed. It was a threat, NOT a compliment. At 5ft2.5 (yes, the half inch is vital) and weighing a slight 7st2, walking alone at 11.30pm down a quiet street, it scared me. I was not dressed provocatively, but I hope 'nicely' and 'stylishly' (of course)! This one act made me feel vulnerable. Was it my fault for being female and apparently attractive? No. It was theirs.

THAT IS THE POINT OF SLUTWALK as I see it. This is not "belittling rape" as Brendan O'Neill's article suggested, with the frankly revoltingly crass title of 'These are the most anti-social sluts on earth'. Excuse us, Mr O'Neill for wanting to feel safe in the streets. Excuse us for feeling threatened when we attract the advances of men while we mind our own business walking home.

My example is tame and represents the tip of the iceberg of the casual approach to what would be considered sexual harassment in any formal setting. In a civilized society, is it too much to ask that the male gender behave respectfully towards women they find attractive? Must we stay quiet and tolerate this, frankly, atavistic approach to gender relations that shows no respect for the woman involved? It is not far from the chest-beating and leg-cocking of those beasts whom man banishes to the cage for their inability to behave as humans see fit.

I also loathe the suggestions that this desire for slut-blaming to end means that we must be prudes who hate sex, men, and that this is all down to PMS or some other ovary-induce ridiculousness. This approach is horrifyingly Victorian and has no place in 21st century gender discourse.

What's more, Mr O'Neill seems to have missed the glaringly rational point that 'context is king'. Flirting in a bar, or being provocative in a club is not the same as blaming a 'sluttish' woman for her rapists crime. There seem to me to be obvious boundaries in this discussion of what's appropriate. I'm sure Mr O'Neill knows as well as anyone when it is appropriate to 'come on' to someone, and yet, for finding that same bahaviour unacceptable at times when we feel vulnerable (eg, walking at night etc) we must be 'antisocial sluts'.

If I am a slut, Mr O'Neill for expecting more from 'civilized' man, then you are an ignoramus for not setting higher standards for your gender.

Standards of Higher Education, Grasping my 4-Hour-Old M.A.

2011-06-02T20:01:00.006+01:00

Today I found out that I got a 2.1 in my English Literature degree from Edinburgh University. A respectable grade for a very respectable degree at a decreasingly respected institution.

My Bookshelf: Proof That I'm Extremely Well Read

I have just read (Oxford grad) Daniel Knowles' response to an article written by (Oxford grad) Owen Jones and wanted to response in (non-Oxford grad) kind. First, to directly address some of Jones' points.

So, 'normal' people don't want to mix with the wealthy and privileged? If this were reversed, the world would weep. I faced some extremely insulting displays of reverse-snobbism in my seminars, and it always crossed my mind: If I mocked your accent back, I'd be asked to leave this school quicker than you could say 'Rah'.

It also seems absurd to suggest that Oxbridge admissions are unable to tell the difference between the genuinely bright and those who had only "benefited from tens of thousands of pounds of resources thrown at them all their lives". Have they not been doing this a long time? It is not in their interests to admit only the truly worthy?

To suggest, even in passing, that Oxbridge ought to be brought down to a level on par with other institutions of higher education, fills me with despair on a day spent grappling with UK higher education. It exactly contradicts what I have thought for four long years, slogging away at this degree: If only ALL universities were more like Oxbridge. It shouldn't be this easy. The reason everyone in my class, excepting a handful of die-hards, walked away today with a 2.1 is that we are just not pushed. There's not enough of a threat of failure, not enough time spent in a classroom (although, those as neurotic as yours truly will not struggle to make up for the former). Call me Queen of the Nerds, but I wanted to work more, and harder. What was the point of all of that time and money otherwise?

Essays were so sporadic that any hope of improvement on style and technic could only be implemented too late. Students outside the Oxbridge nirvana are not taught good essay practice, strong argument construction, or even to construct an accurate bibliography. I came into my own during tutorials, always eager to debate ideas with my classmate, who were always either too hungover, or disinterested, to rebut.

I realise that in writing this I am painting a picture of myself as an overeager 'brown-noser' but my point is this, and this alone: ALL universities ought to strive to be MORE like Oxbridge. Their hallowed halls still echo with the voices of the best and the brightest in the world. The education system needs fixing, the recent survey on books in the home proves that complacency towards academic betterment begins much earlier than Jones' seems to think. The is much to be done. However, to blame the standards set by Oxbridge is just... madness! Anyone suggesting that these institutions ought to be diluted, to be made to suit the shamefully low standards of the Everystudent, has got to be making a play for satire. The standards of university ought to be raised to match Oxbridge, or else higher education in this country will be brought to its knees.

The Royal Wedding in 5 mins...

2011-05-01T21:08:00.003+01:00

This Time video doesn't actually show the ceremony, which was arguably the most wonderful part of the day, although it DOES show the kisses, which... Well, they were a close second. Kate's nerd giggle and Will's blushing cheeks are just too adorable. One thing is for sure -- we LOVE our new Princess here in the UK!

Two Videos

2011-04-04T11:20:00.002+01:00

Under The Tuscan Sun?

2011-04-01T09:42:00.002+01:00

I'm currently trying to work out if I can afford to go and lie somewhere hot post-graduation, but in a dream world, in 43 days I'll be wearing this and lying under the Tuscan sun! Isn't it the most glamourous thing you've ever seen? Love. I'll take one in each colour... Just as soon as I've won the lottery!

Tooting My Trumpet, Again...

2011-03-30T10:50:00.005+01:00

I know, I shouldn't brag, but I'm so excited about this -- I was snapped again! Amazingly, I was just heading home after handing in my dissertation! So that look of exhaustion mixed with a two-week-long cold, chest and ear infection is ALSO mixed with jubilance! I'm looking pretty scruffy, especially since my jeans are splattered with nail polish, and not in a cool, intentional way... Still, I'm wearing one of my most favourite pieces, my Ralph Lauren cashmere cape. It's the most glorious, cosy thing -- the fashion equivalent of wearing a blanket in public!

This second picture is from another day -- I've been collecting vintage, and high street, gold jewellery for a few months now, trawling ebay and ASOS and such for unique pieces. I absolutely love wearing tons of gold jewelry to give an outfit an edge. Like a madpie, I luuuuuurve things that sparkle!

offthegrid

This is the best thing I've seen in ages...

2011-03-25T23:10:00.003Z

Advanced Style: Age and Beauty on Nowness.com.

My First Street Style Shot!

2011-03-20T10:51:00.002Z

This is so exciting! Sadly, I look a touch manic - taking a coffee break after hours and hours in the library! But - yay! Dream realized! Thank you to Louisa, Edinburgh's own street style snapper! (link)

It's been a while...

2011-02-21T13:16:00.003Z

This is going to be an absolute must-see for us street-style addicts. What a a trailblazer!

World Book Night!

2011-02-13T12:33:00.004Z

I was selected as a Giver for World Book Night (the highlight of my year so far) and was devastated to see this article in the Guardian - ‘World Book Night branded ‘misguided and misjudged’ – quoting independent book shop owners complaining that it will be damaging to their trade.

Well, firstly, they seem to have missed the point of World Book Night. The biggest give away of free books ever attempted is surely exactly the event where, overheads be damned, a million people will celebrate the joy of reading, the glory of the written word and the, frankly, VITAL practice of friends, family and strangers sharing and recommending books!

Secondly, if these booksellers could draw themselves away from spitting at Kindle users on public transport long enough, they would realise that there is huge potential here to harness a whole new wave of book-buyers. Someone gives you a free copy of The Blind Assassin by Margret Atwood, and your eyes are opened to the genius of Atwood’s writing. So, naturally, you go along to your local bookstore and ask for another Atwood recommendation. This seems like such a blindingly obvious scenario, and one to be HUGELY CELEBRATED, that it is heartbreaking to me that these noble booksellers are taking such a mercenary and uninspired view of the event.

The absolutely amazing Jamie Byng (who is an Edinburgh University English Lit alumni, I believe) who bought out Canongate in his mid-20s (!) and is the man responsible for publishing “two obscure books written by a little-known Chicago lawyer named Barack Obama” (God, Byng makes my heart all nutty and excited) and has now initiated this wonderful event. Defending World Book Night, he says:

"The key thing surely is to embrace the possibilities that it offers, which are enormous and forward-looking, rather than cynically dismiss the idea before it becomes a reality."

Yes, Mr Byng. Oh, and will you marry me, please?

The content of my box of free books with be Seamus Heaney’s New Selected Poems, and as I feel that I’m running out of overzealous adjectives, it will suffice to say that this collection of poems has given me hours and hours of joy, and I am thrilled to have an opportunity to share that joy with others. It is my fervent wish that, out of my 48 books, one will surprise and delight the reader enough to begin a lifelong love affair with poetry.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see…

Mossbawn: Two Poems in Dedication by Seamus Heaney

1. Sunlight

There was a sunlit absence.

The helmeted pump in the yard

heated its iron,

water honeyed

in the slung bucket

and the sun stood

like a griddle cooling

against the wall

of each long afternoon.

So, her hands scuffled

over the bakeboard,

the reddening stove

sent its plaque of heat

against her where she stood

in a floury apron

by the window.

Now she dusts the board

with a goose's wing,

now sits, broad-lapped,

with whitened nails

and measling shins:

here is a space

again, the scone rising

to the tick of two clocks.

And here is love

like a tinsmith's scoop

sunk past its gleam

in the meal-bin.

A Seriously Budget Bouquet

2011-02-11T16:13:00.004Z

Things you'll need: Flowers from the Tesco bargain bin (these were £1.79), an empty 2l bottle of Evian & a short piece of ribbon

I am totally broke at the moment, but I am also trying to make my desk a calm and comfortable place to work. This morning in Tesco I found these gorgeous flowers for only £1.79! I came home and realised that our little rental flat didn't come with any vases, so I cut an empty Evian bottle in half with a kitchen knife (beware of cutting yourself, obviously) and tied a piece of ribbon around the middle! The result is not too shabby, considering it hardly cost me anything!

It's Spring, OK!

2011-01-19T19:58:00.005Z

I decided this weekend that it is spring. I am sick of winter and winter has made me sick (but I’m taking Vitamin D – sunshine tablets, so I’m all good) and as a result, I am declaring it Spring already. I know, it’s still January, but if you guys just play along, perhaps Ma Nature will do the same…. Are you with me?

Here are some pictures from the archives to get you in a Springy mood…

Sleep is Good!

2011-01-04T13:20:00.001Z

I know, I know… Another TED talk. But I am someone who has suffered from insomnia on and off since I was 15 years old. Arianna Huffington is absolutely right. Sleep is everything. I have recently been put on Melatonin which is helping, I think! I recommend sleep to cure almost everything. So… Yay, for TED, once again!

What a Way to Start the Year!

2011-01-04T11:12:00.003Z

Dear Reader(s), another unforgivably long absence in the face of unrelenting Christmas merriment. And here we are, a new year and a new start for all of us. I can think of no better way to begin 2011 than with the most painfully glamorous video/collection/people you could possibly imagine gathering in one room. It is, of course, Tom Ford’s first collection. Enjoy, and may this year bring you glamour and excitement in many forms! -- Just Another Blogger xo

More Important Stuff from TED

2010-12-24T10:45:00.002Z

I know I have been posting a lot of TED stuff lately, but the TEDWomen conference was so full of extraordinary, inspiring and visionary women, that it seems important to keep spreading their words around the world.

This talk is particularly significant to me, as I look to making my first steps into the working world. I am particularly struck by the data pertaining to the likability of successful women and men. I hope to be one of the women who, in whatever small way, helps to right this inequality – it seems crazy that we still have so far to go. Our minds haven’t caught up with our legislation yet. Equality still eludes us in fundamental ways.

Will Men and Women Be Warring Forever?

2010-12-20T12:16:00.005Z

I am writing this while watching Hanna Rosin declare the end of the male gender. Women are getting more degrees, more PHDs, more jobs…

What I’m about to write it going to be very unpopular, but it is an observation, not a fact. Just an opinion, not an official ruling.

From Jezebel

I genuinely believe that my female friends are much, MUCH more employable than my male friends. Obviously there are exceptions, some of the most phenomenally smart and qualified people I know are male, but in general, the women are much more hireable.

Don’t ask me why, but the women I know have undertaken more, and more impressive, work experience, have travelled, have leadership skills from taking part in groups and activities since they were young. Most of the guys I know have one hobby only: sports. Football, Formula 1, or whatever, they spend their extra time playing it, watching it, and in the pub they talk about it.

They are less developed. At 21 and 22, their humour is still largely racist and sexist, they are closed-minded about interests that would make them seem less masculine, and their level of sensitivity is shocking low.

Hanna Rosin’s outlook seems extremely bleak to me. It assumes that there must ALWAYS be one dominant gender, which was never the goal of the feminist movement. EQUAL rights is what women fought for, and what we still fight for to this day; righting the millennia old bias towards men. But that is not to say that we want to take everything they had for ourselves.

I am merely picking out one point she has made about the education, emotional intelligence and employability of men leaving higher education, which is exactly the point that I am at today.

In a few months time (with a lot of hard work and a few exams) I will graduate from one of the best universities in the UK. It is my observation that while most of my male friends could talk extensively about the upcoming transfer window, or the season-wide performance of the Red Bull team, or the porn that they have recently watched online, their skills as employees are far below those of the women around them.

So, there it is. I have no doubt that as they age and mature, their interests will broaden and their outlook will adjust to be more tolerant, but in the meantime, the women are stronger candidates.

Inspiring and Heart-Breaking...

2010-12-12T12:37:00.004Z

This TED talking is something that absolutely everyone - mothers, fathers, grandparent, teachers and leaders - even outside of the extreme circumstances that Tony Porter experienced as a teenager, there is so much truth in the 'Man Box' idea.

When my mother died, my father worked incredibly hard to ensure that my two brothers and I could express our feelings openly and without judgement. ALl the while, trying to remain strong for us as he grieved. But we were children. When my father died a few years later we were teenagers, and my brothers both struggled with showing their emotions. My little brother, only 10 years old, was so embarrassed to have been seen crying by his friends that he initially refused to return to school.

It broke my heart. I never felt stifled in that way. And to be unable to grieve openly when something like that happens... Well, it would destroy the best of men.

The work that Tony Porter is doing is vital to us all. As he says, "My liberation as a man is tied to your liberation as a woman".

Hotties and Hilarity

2010-12-07T14:51:00.002Z

Under-The-Shirt Politics...

2010-12-05T14:26:00.006Z

I have always looked on Victoria’s Secret ads with a totally puzzled and fairly disgusted eye. Their catalogues are famous the world over as more likely to be found covered with not-mysterious stains under a teenage boy’s bed than with pages hopefully turned down on the average woman’s kitchen table. ‘Victoria Secret model’ is synonymous with ‘Most Beautiful Women in the World’ airbrushed to a whole new level of terrifying perfection. ‘Angel’ is a laughable and insulting term for these bra-and-panties clad gym-and-salad gorging semi-humans. In a sense, however, it didn’t matter. It is an American institution; it is the American way. It was across the pond and avoidable.

But now, like all things, the inevitable American influence has washed up on our shores in the form of La Senza’s Cup-Sized Choir. Seriously, who are they trying to sell to? Boyfriends and husbands? Not only appealing to the lowest-common-denominator of the male gender, but also a slap-in-the-face Christmas gift. ‘Honey, I saw boobs on TV and thought buying the product for you would make you more desirable…’. Well Merry Fucking Christmas to you too! Why don’t I book you in for a penis enlargement?

Why is women’s underwear advertised this way? In our lifetimes, probably 90% of our underwear ownership is about comfort, support and fit. About US! 10% is about looking hot for some luck guy. If we put the power of purchase in the hands of men, what is left? We’ll all be walking around with scraps of fabric up our asses and nipple tassels under our work shirts…

There is a whole other post to be written about the fact that there is only one store in the UK that sells bras made in real sizes. Any woman who has been measured by a professional knows that hardly anyone is actually a 34B. For now, though, I ask you, WHY WHY WHY is our underwear being sold to us via men? Why is the sexy 10% of our underwear needs the only part being pitched to us?

In closing, I should make it abundantly clear that I absolutely love wearing hot underwear, the objects themselves are not anti-feminist, but I don’t see how these ads can be taken any other way…

Gobbets for a Little Girl

2010-12-05T12:35:00.006Z

Over a year ago I blogged about ‘1001 Rules for My Unborn Son’, a wonderful blog started by an expectant father. It crossed my mind then and again recently that a similar thing ought to be written to an unborn daughter. As someone whose parents didn’t get the chance to impart their wisdom, I often wonder what they would have taught me. They both left letters telling their three children to live their lives well, to laugh and love and above all to find friends to rely on and to share life with. But what about the rest? This morning, going through my GReader for the first time in days, I found that Jezebel’s resident father-of-daughter writer ‘Daddy Issues’ had written a list of ’10 Things Every Dad Should Teach his Daughter’ which is a start… Maybe you’ll write me a comment, or maybe you’ll just write some down to tell her later… But what would you tell your daughter about life? Here are some of mine…

1. Saving money is important, but spoiling yourself is too. You can’t take it with you when you go!

2. Having things in common isn’t important, what’s important is finding the people who you can talk to about absolutely anything. Argue, debate, disagree… But always accept the opinion of others and always listen.

3. No art form is above any other. TV, film, literature, art, music, dance… All forms of creation have the power to move us and teach us.

4. Getting drunk isn’t a sin, but know your limits, and know when to stop. There are many times and places that it is not appropriate to be intoxicated including weddings (or really any rite-of-passage or religious occasion), formal balls, and anywhere you are trying to impress people. Drunkenness is never, ever impressive. Also, beware of starting a story with ‘This one time I was SO drunk..’ no one thinks you’re clever or funny when you utter that premise.

5. Fall in love with places. Look around you and see the incredible beauty in both city- and country-scapes.

6. Love yourself. There is a fine line between self-love and arrogance. You can never have too much of the former, but the latter should be avoided.

7. Be competitive, but be gracious in victory and defeat.

8. Always, always thank your teachers. Their job is among the most important in the world. There are good and bad teachers but their intention is always to improve your life. When you find one who inspires you, make sure they know it.

9. Make speeches. Eloquent or not, if you are moved to say something out of love, on any occasion, you should do so…

10. You do not have to believe that blood is thicker than water, but family is important. It is where you are formed, and they have known you from day one.

The Fall of Fabric

2010-11-15T14:30:00.001Z

There’s nothing better than beautifully draped fabric. It flatters a woman’s body like nothing else can. Also, is that a baby bump under Rachel Zoe’s gorgeous black dress? I hope so – I just adore her and ‘Rog’!

Source

Great News for Insomniacs!

2010-11-14T12:25:00.002Z

According to a study by LSE, I must be super clever. I knew there was a silver lining to getting no sleep!

University Goes Editorial

2010-11-14T12:09:00.004Z

Even though I think the styling in this shoot is a bit ‘blah’, I love the concept! Hooray for university chic! I have to say that no one in this city actually dresses this way, nor do they walk around cradling their teddy bears, however, I do love that they’ve tried to indicate that the typical ‘trackies and a hoody’ scenario can actually be dressed up to look stylish! Thank you, Elle Belgique!

Source

How to Wear a Scarf...

2010-11-13T23:10:00.003Z

Isn't this just a fabulous way to wear a scarf? I had to share it!

Source

Giant Polo Ponies Take Bond Street!

2010-11-13T10:43:00.001Z

Perhaps we all get complacent about these things nowadays, but I was honestly starting to think that technology couldn’t surprised me any more. I was entirely wrong. I read about the Ralph Lauren 4D experience online, and thought nothing of it – 3D technology is in every cinema now and, increasingly, on TV too – and how different could one more D be?

Well, not understanding anything about the technology, this is visually stunning. I love that fashion is leading the way in this, but I can’t help but wonder what else they can do with it, while at the same time worrying that we’ll soon be walking around in a world reminiscent of Inception, with streets folding over on themselves and building appearing and disappearing instantaneously… Alarming thought for a Saturday morning!

The Official Ralph Lauren 4D Experience - London from Ralph Lauren on Vimeo.

What's On Watson?

2010-11-12T14:01:00.010Z

I know what you’re thinking. What is this girl’s beef with Emma Watson? Well, I’ll stop trashing her when she stops giving me material. Firstly, let’s not kid around, I was seriously disappointed to see her on the cover of Vogue this month. First Cheryl, and now this? But more disturbing than that are the outfits our dear Watson has been sporting on the red carpet over the last couple of days. So, you don’t have style, so what? You’re in Vogue bragging about having £25m in the bank, so HIRE A STYLIST!

Source

This is not just a moan, though, I have suggestions…

You want to wear black lave? That’s fine! How about this DAY Birger et Mikkelsen Lace dress? No silly feathers, no visible bra, and no call for disastrous fashion tape applications… Tiffany’s jewellery for seriously chic sparkle, a Lulu Guinness clutch for a touch of English rock’n’roll and Louboutins. The make up is great, we’ll leave that alone.

If I could dress you however I liked, though, you’d be wearing this…

The most amazing Oscar de la Renta dress you, or I, or anyone, has ever seen, columnar, the height of elegance. Understated jewellery from Tiffany’s (bracelet from charmandchain), Louboutin shoes and a Swarovski crystal-covered clutch. A red carpet look that says, ‘Look world, I’m all grown up, and worthy of the cover of Vogue’… And not a bra strap, feather or shred of tit-tape to be seen…

Polyvore

Indian Wedding

2010-11-08T10:10:00.002Z

Etsy is such a treasure trove – I could spend forever browsing! I thought I’d share these with you, aren’t they striking? Gorgeous.

Etsy

The Art of the Trench

2010-11-07T19:10:00.006Z

There is nothing better than a classic trench coat. One of my flatmate recently showed me a gorgeous vintage Burberry trench that made me lusty for one of my own. Mr Sartorialist, Scott Schulman, undertook a project for Burberry called The Art of the Trench, which is super cool, but outside of the realm of Burberry are these babies, also utterly enviable. I may have to invest, I think. With the right layers, I might avoid freezing to death in the brutal Edinburgh wind!

St Tropez Hair, Scottish Weather

2010-11-05T09:49:00.008Z

I’ve wanted to lighten my hair for a really long time. I dyed it a deep reddish-brown over a year ago, and as I patiently wait for it to grow out, I’m taken by a feverish desire to go light, light, LIGHT! Friends have said that my hair-moods reflect my state of mind, and I think, to an extent, they’re right!

A while ago, I saw that Rachel Bilson had unusual colouring, and then about a week ago, I saw this piece about Leighton Meister and immediately made an appointment at Daniel Hersheson to get uplights or ‘Baliage’...

I have come to realise (after the Hair Horror of 2010) that it is worth not cheaping out when it comes to hairdressers, and Amy proved me right. She did a beautiful job, and I’m absolutely in love with it! Hooray for sun-kissed hair in rain-spattered, freezing-cold weather!

TFS

Paris vs. NYC

2010-11-03T23:51:00.002Z

This is such an adorable blog – a great addition to any GReader! Exploring the differences between these two fabulous cities. I just love the illustrations...

GLORIOUS LANVIN!

2010-11-02T23:34:00.007Z

By this point, I’m sure you have all seen the wonderfully bizarre video premiering the Lanvin for H&M collection (including an alarming shot of a plus size model on a treadmill...). Here is my wish list. You’d better believe I’ll be first in line for these on the 23rd! I can’t get them out of my head! I MUST have them in my wardrobe!!!

£149.99

£99.99

Source

Breaking (Old) News

2010-11-02T23:03:00.003Z

I had no idea! Baz Luhrmann is making a movie of ‘The Great Gatsby’! I have mixed feelings about it – ‘Romeo + Juliet’ is one of my favourite adoptions, but how will Gatsby fair at the hands of hallucinogenic Luhrmann-mania? What do you guys think? Genius? Or slaughterer of classic literature?

To Do...

2010-10-27T17:14:00.002+01:00

I am an obsessive list-maker (see below for recent examples!) and...

...I think this might be the best to do list I’ve ever seen... It was written by Johnny Cash and is up for auction here

via Letters of Note

Definitely One For The Christmas List!

2010-10-26T19:47:00.004+01:00

I've written before about my longing for a Louis Vuitton steamer trunk (I mean, who doesn't have it high on their 'things I want' list??) and now LV have kindly compiled 100 Legendary Trunks into one glorious book. Some day, my volume of the book will be perched atop one of the trunks it depicts, which will be used as a coffee table in my divine London home... Siiiigh!

A Room (or Several) of One's Own

2010-10-26T19:18:00.009+01:00

In my Edwardian lit class today, we were talking about children's literature - and Wind in the Willows in particular (I know, it's a tough life). It's a book which champions the home - there is comfort and safety in the nests and warrens of the animals. I have had images of interiors piling up over the last few weeks - every so often I get hooked on the interior design blogs, and I dream about having my own place one day and making it perfect - what can I say? I'm a nester!

Images from Ralph Lauren Home, DesignSponge and around and about!

Bibliophile II

2010-10-26T11:50:00.002+01:00

I was told that my penultimate post was too self-indulgent, and the reader that told me so also bought me this image from the FT Weekend – his dream library.

He also, however, knows full well that he doesn’t have enough books, so perhaps this book wallpaper would be a wise investment…

I think Nigella’s might give all others a run for the title of dream library. Isn’t it incredible?

But these others all have one fatal flaw – no comfy chairs. This, which was one of my first posts, still wins the prize – comfort, beauty and functionality, the complete package.

A Rare Indulgence in Self-Pity of the Acutest Kind

2010-10-25T22:20:00.007+01:00

Today my flatmate told me that her sisters college application will be unlike everyone else’s because she hasn’t know any grief in her life. For a moment, I had to stop and think how little she must appreciate that.

Tonight, I stumbled across the amazing obituary of the father of a friend of mine, and began wondering if any had been written about my Dad. I have a copy of the piece that appear in PRWeek on his death which moves me on every reading, and drives me to be someone similarly revered for business acumen and excellence. Of course, he wasn’t written about in the national press, but I did find this: a piece about his band, a joke among colleagues.

I also read in this mornings Metro that a pill is being produced which might be able to kill cancer cells and leave health cells alone, and all I could think of was, it’s too late for some…

I suppose I came to this space, MY space, my humble blog, to say that what I remember is this…

A fiercely competitive, passionate, sun-shiny man, who wore beautiful suits and colourful shirts and ties. I remember sitting on my parents’ bed and helping chose the shirt ties combo, and he would unwrap the chosen item from its cellophane dry-cleaner’s wrapping.

At this time of year I especially remember long, chilly walks through Battersea Park, kicking crunchy and sodden, crimson and amber leaves with a small, welly-clad foot. And, sheltering from the autumn wind,, watching England play rugby, and the volume with which my father would celebrate their success (as if it was his own).

I remember sitting in the back of endless car journeys with my brothers, each of our faces glued to a Game Boy, and my father yelling, “LOOK! Look, Chaps! Isn’t that a lovely view!” as we drove through the shires, or the Loire. I remember sitting in the back of his red Mercades convertible, driving through fields of sunflowers as the sun set, and I remember finding him crying after the death of my mother. I remember his dancing (and so do his friends!) which made me turn purple with mortification (in hind sight, I wish I had joined in). I remember his temper, which terrified me as a girl. Spilt juice was the most likely catalyst for yelling. I remember being treated like a princess when I went to visit his offices, and working with Harry, the graphic designer, to superimpose his face onto other people’s bodies.

I remember, as if it had happened ten minutes ago, the final words I spoke to him.

Sometimes it does seem quite fair. But I will always be fiercely proud to possess the same DNA as James Maxwell.

An Interactive Guide to my Week...

2010-10-24T14:41:00.006+01:00

I’ve had an amazing week, full of new and fascinating things. I thought I’d share some of these wonderful things with you, dear readers.

First and foremost, I went to see the breathtaking Alvin Ailey dance company. I have, really, no words for what I saw. It was one of the most powerful experiences I’ve ever had sitting in a theatre.

I also discovered the hilarious comedy Modern Family – absolutely the funniest thing on TV. I also had my annual screening of You’ve Got Mail, my favourite movie to watch in the autumn. Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, New York and book stores – an unbeatable combination!

I have also fallen in love with the poems of Alfred, Lord Tennyson and, to a lesser extent, Robert Browning. If you’re interested in psychotic, sexually depraved, phenomenal poetry, I highly recommend Tennyson’s Lucretius!

In the blogosphere, I discovered the a-mazing Letters of Note. Brilliant, hilarious and fascinating – especially learning about Dorothy Parker and the Algonquin Round Table.

I also insist that you all immediately buy Benjamin Francis Leftwich’s EP, ‘A Million Miles Out’ which was released on iTunes today. In fact, here’s a little playlist for your on this fine Sunday:

Atlas Hands – Benjamin Francis Leftwich

What I Wouldn’t Do – A Fine Frenzy

The General Specific – Band of Horses

Billionaire – Travie McCoy (feat. Bruno Mars)

Eyes – Rogue Wave

Mine – Taylor Swift

Not Big – Lily Allen

Beethovens 5^th as Salsa

I also visited the Kate Spade Pop-Up Store in Covent Garden and bought this amazing, exclusive ‘London Calling’ bangle

I also went to a hilarious production of Hay Fever by Noel Coward, in aid of Jo’s Trust, which is the charity that my father established after my mother’s death (read my thoughts here).

I managed to finally see the Impressionist Gardens exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery on the closing weekend – it was packed, which was a shame, but there were some really breathtaking Kimts and Van Goghs in the ‘After Impressionism’ rooms.

Goodness, what a week! Full of laughter, movement, art, dance, poetry, shopping, music and joy! I hope you are all finding life as astonishing, varied and beautiful as I am… Happy Weekend!

A New Addition!

2010-10-24T00:14:00.001+01:00

I have lots of fun and exciting things to blog about after the last few days, but in the mean time, I’d like to introduce you to Turtle…

His papa is Kenneth Jay Lane, but now he lives with me. Isn’t he the cutest brooch you’ve ever seen?!

Diamonds Are Forever

2010-10-20T10:57:00.008+01:00

A few months ago I read that Sotheby’s is having a sale of jewellery “formerly in the collection of The Duchess of Windsor”. You may not recognise her by the title, but her name was Wallis Simpson. She was an American socialite, and twice divorced, when she married Kind Edward VIII. However, because she was considered vastly unsuitable, he gave up his crown in order to be her husband.

Of course there is more to the story than that. There were mutterings of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor being Nazi sympathisers during the Second World War, but in its basic structure, could anything be closer to a real-life fairy tale than a king abdicating his throne for the woman he loved?

This is unusual of me, as I’m famously cynical, especially in the arenas of love and marriage. But looking at the extraordinary jewellery that they gave to each other over 35 years of marriage, I can’t help but believe that theirs was a love for the ages.

I absolutely love jewellery. That seems a ridiculous sentence, because, who doesn’t? But I have been known to wonder around Tiffany’s and Asprey of an afternoon, with eyes as wide as Marilyn’s in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’. What’s more I have a beloved, and ever-growing, collection of vintage and costume jewellery.

These pieces aren’t just heartstoppingly beautiful, but are also wonderfully thoughtful, like the cigarette case that Wallis gave Edward with the routes they had travelled together set in red and blue emeralds.

For their twentieth anniversary, he gave her this emerald, ruby and diamond brooch, mounted by Cartier. Heart-shaped and with a monogram of their initials and XX in the centre, it is not only a spectacular piece of jewellery, but the untarnishable and unbreakable nature of diamonds in this context is the most romantic symbolism imaginable. After all, diamonds are forever…

All images from Sotheby's

Lanvin: Coming to a High Street Near You!

2010-10-19T11:01:00.005+01:00

This might be the most exciting H&M/designer collaboration yet...

I will absolutely be first in line for this one.

How Do You Keep Yours?

2010-10-18T11:59:00.006+01:00

Some say it's our shoes, others say it's our watch... But here is a pretty compelling argument that the state of our desk is the most telling thing about us.

Desk - Music and Sound Design from Aaron Trinder Film:Motion:Music on Vimeo.

Vanity Fair often runs a page called 'My Desk' which looks at the paraphernalia gathered on and around the desk of a person of note, such as Matthew Weiner, the creater of Mad Men... Enlarge

Well, here's a snap shot of mine, I wonder what it says about me...

Click here to Enlarge

Your Country Needs YOU... To Shop!!

2010-10-15T11:58:00.003+01:00

According to The Business of Fashion, 26,500 retailers (including 15,400 ‘fashion stores’) will be forced to close before 2015! The British high street is in dire straights! WE MUST SHOP TO SAVE IT!

Autumn is SO last season...

2010-10-14T22:29:00.004+01:00

As you, sweet followers, will be all too aware, I was deprived of Wifi during ALL FOUR fashion weeks. No New York, sniff! No Paris, sniff! No Milan, sniff! No London... Meh... Anyway, I saw a picture Sasha Pivovarova wearing the most sublime hydrangea-print romper. Hydrangeas are my favourite flower so I went on a hunt, and discovered the D&G Spring/Summer'11 collection - so beautifully, fabulously, wonderfully SPRING that I immediately fell about plotting my perfectly clashing floral-print outfits,

with hints of lace,

and a D&G GIANT hydrangea-print beach bag...

I loved everything about this collection, especially the breathtaking finale, even if the girls couldn't really walk in the shoes...

How absolutely glorious. Be gone, foul, freezing autumn! Come, beautiful, fresh Spring!!

Source: Polyvore

Romper - Zimmermann, Bag - Balenciaga, Wedges - Louboutin, Nail Varnish and Bra - Topshop, Ring and Necklace - Tiffanys

Social Networking and the Krystal Ball

2010-10-13T15:41:00.004+01:00

I recently wrote a features piece in the Edinburgh University student newspaper, The Student, about the effects of the digital age on our professional lives. Then yesterday, I read this story about Krystal Ball, potentially the youngest female congresswoman at 28 years old. Her age is very relevant to the story, and why? Because she grew up in the digital age, and therefore, has left a digital footprint behind her, including some embarrassing Facebook photos.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I can't help but be in two minds about this story. I want to support her in saying that this was a youthful folly, that it doesn't mean she wouldn't make a great congresswoman. But not only is this not exactly ‘ancient history’ in the scope of her short life, but let's also look at some maths…

She's 28 years old. She graduated from college in 2003. The man with her in the 'embarrassing' Facebook photos is her ex-husband. She is now married again and they had a daughter in 2008.

So, sometime between graduating 7 years ago, she got marriage, wore a stupid costume and posted the pictures online, got divorced, got married again, became a mum and then decided to run for congress. While also nurturing her business career…

It seems to me (and I am not an American voter!) that in her short life, Ms. Ball has been fairly impetuous.

It doesn't exactly take a genius, let alone any person with ambition, to realise that any embarrassing pictures from their 'youth' are potentially damning and damaging. If it is necessary to be in the embarrassing position in the first place, then why not destroy the evidence?

I admire her for running, and also for how she has handled the situation – I just don’t know how watertight her argument is. She simply isn’t old enough to shrug off her youthful mistakes, and she certainly appears to have a rocky personal history… Is she a good role model for young women? I can think of better stories to inspire…

Kate Spade Crosses The Pond!

2010-10-10T10:20:00.004+01:00

Yet again, I’m getting excited about an American store crossing the pond! I constantly get seduced by amazing Kate Spade things from Mrs Lilien’s blog but the store is only a POP-UP! Kate Spade is only open between October 13th and November 10th! Which means shopping a LOT in a very short space of time… Credit cards at the ready!

Kate Spade Pop-Up Store, 7 Henriettaa Street WC2E 8PW

Spotted on Sacramento Street

Purely to Cleanse my iPhoto

2010-10-09T22:04:00.002+01:00

A selection of shots from around the place, apologies for failing to record from where exactly they were gleaned! I band on about it, but I find Street Style so inspiring...

Where are all the women?

2010-10-09T10:34:00.005+01:00

This blog has too rarely been a place where I have expressed my views on things other than fashion. After a lengthy hiatus, during which time Virgin Media has failed me, and I have failed my readers, I am back, with the following question:

Where are all the women?

Forbes’ list of the 100 Most Powerful Women was published a couple of days ago, and yesterday I finally had the wifi to study it. The list, which ought to be a celebration of the rising number of women in power, was more disappointing that cheering.

Firstly, where are all the BRITISH women? Of course Forbes is likely to have a strong US bias, and it is unmistakably at work here, however, there is only ONE woman on the lift from the UK. Predictably, HRH Queen Elizabeth. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the Queen a lot. But I’m sure she’d be the first to acknowledge the fact that she’s far from self-made, she got to where she is by being born. There are also some ex-patriots, such as Anna Wintour, who is probably an American citizen by now, but who was once a daughter of Albion. There are also those functioning within the UK, such as Angela Ahrendts the CEO of Burberry. However, there are exactly ZERO examples of women from the UK gaining power from their work. I won’t go into the make up of the list, which (alarmingly) places the Speaker of the House BELOW Lady Gaga and Beyonce…

Secondly, Forbes’ list of the 400 Richest Americans, they acknowledge, is only 11% women, and the majority of those have inherited their money. Only four were ‘self-made’.

President Obama addressed some of the issues facing women in business when he addressed the summit for the Fortune Most Powerful Women, which interesting includes a difficulty to raise capital. Unfortunately, he chooses the adjectives “tall, good lookin’ and strong willed” to describe his wife and daughters. Now, I am a stickler for rhetoric, but, really? He couldn’t have come up with anything better? “Smart”? “Driven”? “Impressive”? Because, “tall” and “good lookin’” are two things they had nothing to do with (and he had everything to do with, in the case of his kids).

Now, these last two paragraphs have been US-based. Sure, Ed Miliband yesterday named several women in his new cabinet, but I am adamant: it should not be usual that there are women qualified for these posts. I don’t think it’s solely the fault of a patriarchal society that women too rarely reach these positions of power. There needs to exist an ambition within my generation of women to reach our full potential in the workforce, to break the glass ceiling where it still exists, and to prove ourselves EQUAL to men in ambition, work ethic and, eventually, power. It isn’t the fault of men, if women aren’t willing to try. And this message, it seems, needs to reach the women of the United Kingdom, because we, as a group of women, are embarrassingly underrepresented on the international stage.

Packing, Dancing, Dreading...

2010-09-16T18:22:00.004+01:00

So, in between bouts of madly packing I'm keeping up with my G Reader and I just HAD to share this -- Zac and Coco dancing together is just heaven!

Tomorrow afternoon I return to the frozen and beautiful city of Edinburgh to begin my final year of my English Literature degree1. That back-to-school feeling never goes away, despite this being my 18th year in the education system (madness!) that familiar mixture of apprehension, excitement and horror at the onslaught of work, essays, and, now, dissertations! Since my two flat-mates and I are also moving into a new place, we won't have any internet for a couple of weeks (HOW will I cope??) but I will endeavor to find a cafe with reliable (and free!) wifi in the next few days. In the mean time, enjoy what's left of the summer - autumn is in the air already!

One For The Wish List

2010-09-14T18:08:00.004+01:00

I had dinner with Cari Rosen a few weeks ago, and I’ve never laughed so hard. Her tweets are equally hilarious. Her book, therefore, is guaranteed to be a riot. That, coupled with the fact that she’s writing on one of the hottest women’s issues of the moment makes this an absolute must-read… Pre-order it on Amazon today!

Standing In The Rain - Jamie Scott

2010-09-14T17:58:00.003+01:00

Lindsey Wixson by Garance Doré. Heaven.

When Good Dresses Happen To Good People With No Style...

2010-09-14T17:42:00.006+01:00

I blogged this Marchesa dress after it showed in the Fall 2010 show, and never imagined it would turn up on the VMA’s white carpet, NOR did I imagine it would be worn by Katy Perry!

Now, no disrespect to Ms Perry whose ‘Teenage Dream’ was my song of the summer, but she doesn’t exactly represent the magnificence of high fashion, which is what this dress epitomises. This is not a marriage of equals.

My guess is, Ms Perry liked this dress because it has both poof AND sparkle (which would appear to be what she looks for in a dress), but I think she misunderstood the nature of this particular poof and sparkle. Bad. Bad, bad, bad.

The Devil's In The Details

2010-09-13T22:58:00.003+01:00

There are fewer and fewer words in these posts – it may be time for bed! Still, I had to add these. Like a broken record, I continue to repeat my praise of Tommy Ton’s shots. These are from the street style turning up at New York Fashion Week, and are gorgeous!

Source

Oooooh Pretty Pretty Pretty Pretty Pretty!!

2010-09-13T22:04:00.005+01:00

The Jenny Packham S/S’11 Show

I want to own every single item. That's all I have to say...

Source

Paris, Je T'Aime

2010-09-13T13:44:00.004+01:00

I love to discover new blogs, and then tell you about them! Little Brown Pen is like Parisian porn. Paris, next to London, is my favourite city, and the Little Brown Pen is a collection of stunning photographs of one of the most beautiful places in the world. She has an unfalteringly good eye. Hooray for Paris, and Little Brown Pen!

Passing Notes to Strangers

2010-09-13T13:03:00.004+01:00

The good people of moo.com are selling these wonderfully friendly business cards for £10.99 for 50 cards. Can you imagine how amazing it would be to be handed one of these on the underground? Or in Starbucks? I just love, LOVE the sentiment… What a friendly place London would be if we all passed notes on the tube!

Export Import

2010-09-13T09:22:00.005+01:00

Who would have thought the excitement over the opening of the first European Anthropologie in London could be paralleled? Well, with the news that Coach is opening its first London store in Spring 2011, that level of excitement is being challenged! With Topshop on Broadway and Anthropologie on the Kings Road, I am personally very glad that stores have started hopping the pond! Bring on the next!

Until then, I’ll be saving up for this! Pretty!

Lexington Elongated Strap Watch $358.00

Marion, Too Beautiful

2010-09-08T10:13:00.006+01:00

This was Marion’s shoot with Mario Testino for the July issue of US Vogue. La Vie en Rose is absolutely breathtaking acting, and I just adore her – she has old fashion glamour seeping from every pore. Gorgeous.

Source

The Unmistakable Tommy Ton

2010-09-07T09:42:00.004+01:00

I know I bang on about Tommy Ton. He just has such a great eye! Well, he's in print now - with a spread in Vogue Nippon's October Issue! And it is unmistakably 'him'. I love that he's using his experience of street style photography in a high fashion spread, and it works beautifully! I - and many, many others - can't wait to see more from him going forwards...

Source

Not Again...

2010-09-06T20:05:00.005+01:00

I am not a fan of Cheryl Cole. Not only is she not talented enough as a singer to judge others on the X Factor, but I also think she stands as proof that money (though it can't buy you taste) can make anyone beautiful.

Are Vogue kidding with this? Her SECOND Vogue cover? It almost makes me question Alexandra Shulman's authority.

Cheryl is NOT a fashion icon. She is NOT a trailblazer in the fashion world. She is an Everywoman, tarted up by a stylist, hair stylist, make up artist, air-brusher... It would be fine if she actually showed interest in fashion, or played a role in the fashion industry... Well, a supremely lame Pantene Pro V ad does not a fashion icon make.

February 2009 cover

(The 'It Doesn't Look Anything Like Her' cover)

October 2010 cover

(The 'Why Does She Look Scared Of The Flowers?' cover)

Like A Magpie, It Caught My Eye...

2010-09-06T16:49:00.004+01:00

I wondered into an Azendi store by accident the other day, the gorgeous stuff in the window caught my eye. I am quickly becoming a fan of their stuff, and have added several of their pieces to my mental 'wish list'. I particularly love their stacking rings... Best of all, it's actually pretty reasonably priced!

Dance Me To The End of Love

2010-09-06T16:12:00.005+01:00

I fell in love with all of the flower dressed during the Dior couture dress during the show, and this shot is beauuuuuutiful... Love, love, LOVE!

Two words: John. Galliano.

Source, Source

A New Chapter...

2010-09-06T15:57:00.005+01:00

You may remember that my best friend had an interview for her first job a while back, well of course she got it (people recognise genius when it's sitting in front of them) and today is her first day... In her honour, here are some gorgeous pictures from the Koton Fall 2010 campaign. We dress for the life we want, so she looks more CEO than intern today. Lord knows it won't be long until she has shot up the ladder.

As If We Needed A Reason To Shop...

2010-09-02T21:49:00.001+01:00

Fashion's Night Out 2010 PSA from Fashion's Night Out on Vimeo.

Fantastic Face

2010-09-02T21:34:00.005+01:00

Being smug is a very ugly quality, but did I call it on Lindsey Wixson? I love this girl, and so, it seems, does the fashion industry! Life followed her during fashion week for this insightful piece,

and W dedicated two full pages to a picture of her fabulously unique mouth… She’s so unusual, LOVE it!

Back To School

2010-09-02T16:39:00.005+01:00

The worst feeling in the world is returning from an absolutely mind-blowing, life-altering, totally-bloody-amazing holiday and have to face the reality of another year full of essays, mountains of books, and cold, cold weather.

I’m wrestling with the urge to run away back to the hills of Tuscany with every moment, but the only thing keeping me from fleeing is the prospect of a back-to-school shopping trip. Stationary is one of my favourite ways to waste money, but even better than that is the wardrobe for a new semester! I’m leaning towards taupe, camel, ash, navy and charcoal… Satchels, thigh high socks, Peter Pan collars and capes…

Fashion. It always cheers me up!

The Hills Are Alive...

2010-08-23T11:47:00.001+01:00

I have been absent again. I meant to absent myself, but with the mad packing, and now the repacking, I’m trying to move around at warp speed. I can only apologise. The above picture is a grouse moor that I was on the day before yesterday, I flew back from the highlands last night and I’m flying to Pisa tomorrow morning, to spend a week on the hillside below. It’s heaven there, and I get to see some of my favourite people in the world, but it means abandoning my poor blog AGAIN, and also I’m panicking about the laundry, repacking, and sorting my life out! In one week I will be back to fill your G Readers with more nonsense, fear not! Enjoy your week!

The Many Faces of Abbey Lee

2010-08-17T10:22:00.004+01:00

I’m loving Abbey Lee right now. Anyone who can be in both Alexander Wang’s first main-line campaign video AND a Gap campaign at the same time (and be convincing in both) gets my vote. Fabulous.

"The higher the heels - the closer to heaven!”

2010-08-14T23:41:00.003+01:00

Today has been a day of blog discoveries. Finding SSA, led me to Sandra, the Finnish beauty living in London, has fantastic personal style, I’m totally hooked! Check it out! I love this quote: "The higher the heels - the closer to heaven!"

Two Cents...

2010-08-14T23:24:00.005+01:00

Everybody’s talking about Emma Watson’s haircut. So, quickly, here are my two cents…

I think it looks a little silly. Moreover, it seems like a desperate attempt to regain media attention when she made the move to become ordinary and attend Brown in peace. There’s a slight sense of this haircut suddenly allowing her to shed the Hermione-image, and move into a league with the other (more talented) pixie-cut actresses, like Carey Mulligan.

Plus, she looks a little silly.

So, there you go. My two-cents.

Here's an ACTUAL ordinary person making it work...

30-Covers Kate

2010-08-14T22:50:00.007+01:00

The September Issues, which I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing about, was Kate Moss’ 30th Vogue cover. My best friend and I agreed that we’re over her. I was never Kate’s biggest fan, her style is great, and she’s beautiful, but I always felt she was a little overrated. Now, though, it’s more a case of overexposure. She’s everywhere from Topshop, to ad campaigns, to editorials. I saw this video of her when she was starting out and she’s so fresh-faced; this new bedraggled-hair, grubby-faced look… Well, there’s a sense of the old workhorse about it. I’m not saying she’s too old, I’m saying sooner or later, we’re all going to grow sick of her face.

The first cover: 1993

September Issue 2010

The Stylish Streets of London

2010-08-14T22:05:00.000+01:00

Ever since Street Style became part of our everyday fashion vocabulary, I have wondered whether there’s a good London-based street style blog out there. Today, I found one. Street Style Aesthetic isn’t perfect, but it is varied in its coverage – men and women, designer and vintage, models and Average Joes. I’m really enjoying browsing the archives, and particularly enjoyed the Director’s Cut! Check it out!

Shear Perfection

2010-08-14T19:51:00.003+01:00

We’ve all seen the Burberry shearling leather jacket printed here there and everywhere. I just love it. The dramatic collar, the cosy-factor alongside the high fashion-factor.

Yesterday I tried on the Topshop version, which comes in about £2,000 cheaper than the Burberry original – it’s pretty wonderful. Unfortunately, it’s still £325… So, it won’t be arriving in my closet any time soon! But those looking for a cheaper alternative to the glorious Burberry shearling, should look no further.

Style.com / Topshop

The Majestic Camel

2010-08-14T10:59:00.007+01:00

I had a camel coat when I was 16. I think it was from H&M and I can't for the life of me remember why I got rid of it. There is no chance that I "grew out of it" considering I had stopped growing to years before.

The camel coat comes around every few years as the must-have fall item, and every time I look around for a high street alternative to the inevitably enviable Chloe camel coat, or the elbow-patched Ralph Lauren camel coat, or the minimalist Celine camel coat.

On the two-hour flight from Corsica to London, I was in a heavenly world of Vogue, nose-deep in the biblical September issue. I loathe flying, but for those two hours, I could have been anywhere in the world. One of the pieces of loved reading was Jo Ellison's piece about her mother's camel coat. The writing so evocative, one felt as if our own faced were buried in the gentle, soft cashmere that lived at the back of her mother's wardrobe.

Wondering the streets as autumn turns its many shades of grey, a camel coat is exactly what I need. And here's what I found. In Zara, for under £100. I think this is the beginning of an autumn romance!

Recommended soundtrack to this post: A Foggy Day (in London Town), Ella Fitzgerald

I'M BACK!

2010-08-13T11:49:00.006+01:00

Hello again, everybody. After my week-long break, 'everybody' is in fact only a committed 3 readers, but - HI!

After a week of sunshine and wonderful French food, I am rounder and still extremely pale (which is why all of my holiday snaps will be appearing in black and white - as if it actually detracts from the luminescence of my paleness sitting next to my three girlfriends, the most tanned people in the entire world).

I arrived back to 600+ items on my GReader, and my September Issue of Vanity Fair, responses to which I am sure to post in the coming days. Of course I cradled my September Issue of Vogue everywhere I went (I might as well have been carrying a two-year-old it was so heavy) and after an extremely scary moment on the train back to London yesterday (when the large, odourful man sitting next to me took my Vogue away, flicked through it, and then returned it, while I, all the while, was trying not to cry at it's virgin pages being sullied) I am ready to tell you all about the heaven within its pages.

So, lots of fun and interesting things to come, but right now, I'm going to unpack!

All Packed and Four Hours for Sleeping...

2010-08-05T00:50:00.004+01:00

So, I'm all packed! The perfect capsule wardrobe in a tiny, tiny case. I may not be blogging for a few days, but if you're craving a hit, I can recommend perusing the archives... Away we go!

55cm x 40cm x 20cm & Nothing Over 100ml

2010-08-04T13:58:00.005+01:00

When I booked my flights to Corsica, taking luggage onto the plane was going to cost £60, £30 each way (thank you so much, Ryanair). So, I decided to screw the extra charge, and instead attempt to pack a weeks worth of stuff into a carry on bag. The Ryanair restrictions for a carry on bag is 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, so off I went to buy a tiny, tiny suitcase. The trouble is, that my handbag has to fit into it too.

I absolutely loathe packing, so I decided to spread the horror over several days. And this is where I am now…

These are the clothes I’m taking...

(and I demand credit for waiving my usual three-outfits-per-day rule)

...And this is the tiny, tiny suitcase...

Is this starting to look like a losing formula?

Well, luckily I have done a good deal of packing in my time, and am extremely shrewd at packing things into things. So… Here we go…

Jessica Biel's Not-So-Killer Bod

2010-08-04T00:15:00.006+01:00

About three weeks ago, my friend BBM'd me about a story in Glamour pertaining to Jessica Beil. The article, among other achievements, celebrates Biel's athletic physic and goes into some detail as to how she maintains it. My remarkable clever friends writes, "A policy of not eating (and I quote directly) 'bread, dairy, sugar, salt and not a lot of meat' is a miserable and dangerous one, which ought not to be published in even a vaguely commendable light". Of course she is right. Ms Biel, for all her admirable self-control around all yummy-tasting foods, is recommending that a good body comes at the price of a healthy diet. Of course, dieting is about denying ourselves certain things, but it is NOT about depriving oneself of several major food groups. My MENSA-brained friend closes with the cutting, and kick-ass, remarks: "Your front cover promises details of how Jessica gets her 'killer' bod; I wish at the very least that these extreme measures had been covered in a way that showed Glamour's aspirational readers that some things come at too high a cost". Some things come at TOO high a cost.

Today, Jezebel proved that sometimes the cost aren't worth a thing. Glamour published photographs of Jessica wherein the airbrushing was unfinished.

If anything were to drive home the point that there is no such thing as bodily perfection (well, not without some state-of-the-art software, and a steady hand), and that any attempt to be Jessica Biel doesn't actually get the body you see in Glamour, it is this image. While Glamour preaches about Jess' "killer" bod, the photo editors are busy at work, tinkering with the very body we are all supposed to want. It opened my eyes to the hypocrisy of 'glossy mags' even more than ever. Don't get me wrong, I still love them (that is my very own hypocricy), but in my minds eye I will try extremely hard to seperate the reality from the fiction, i.e. what is achievable through diet and exercise, and what is achievable only with the help of a MacBook.

In other news, I recently took up yoga and it is make me love my body in ways I never have before (even though my body is pleading with me to stop the torture!). THAT is the feeling we should all strive for in the healthiest possible way - not the unobtainable dream of Jessica Biel's body, especially when Ms Biel herself isn't even seeing that in the mirror...

Confessions of a Make Up Junkie

2010-08-03T17:43:00.009+01:00

Since I gave up Mizz for Vogue and slogan-tees for jersey basics, I have believed that make up had to be expensive to be good. In fact, for recent years, I have bought make up loyally and exclusively from MAC. Why did I believe it was better? Well, I'm an average consumer. I'm a sucker for packaging. And mostly, I have ridiculously erratic skin, and thought that expensive products would be more sensitive skin-friendly. This turned out to be misguided.

A few days ago, Friday in fact, I left the PR company where I was an intern, and was given a very generous goody bag. One of their clients, MaxFactor contributed to it, among others. As soon as I started to explore them (as soon as I got home - naturally!) I realised that this was not junk. This stuff is fanTASTIC!

The Masterpiece Glide & Define Liquid Eyeliner (£6.99 at Boots) and the Lash Extension Effect Extreme Lengthening Mascara (£10.99 at Boots) are really something. The liquid liner, not for those looking for a subtle line, is the best of its kind. On two separate occasions I bought the MAC version, largely because the felt-tip nib appealed to me. They both dried up extremely quickly, whereas the MaxFactor - which appeared to be dead after two applications - needs to be shaken and then it glides beautifully as before. The mascara is fabulous too. What I look for in a mascara is as much drama as possible, and this delivers like nothing I've tried before. I've been using a Chanel until now, which, again, I assumed was better for its price tag, but which pales in comparison to its high street brethren.

Also, after blogging about Topshop's make up line on its arrival in stores in May, I finally bought a bunch of it to try it out. I don't recommend the Skin Tint (£10) which I was really excited about, but which is more greasy than dewy. I do, however, recommend the Brighten pen (£7.00, called, a little overdramatically, Moonlight). I never did buy the Touche Eclat that every body raved about, but this actually IS a great product. I also really like Brighton Rock, which I bought largely because Eminé Ali Rushton claimed it was the ideal "candy-pink-geranium-infused-coral-fuchsia". I’m not sure I would go that far, but it IS fun… If you’re looking for a pale pink (I mean a really pale, four-hour-old-corpse look) then check out Barry M’s 101 (£4.25).

Lastly, as slightly in contradiction to what I’ve just said about expensive make up, I bought my first Bobbi Brown product. The SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer (£26) is everything I was hoping for. The word ‘dewy’ appears in every summer beauty editorial and, it seems, is impossible to actually achieve. However, this tinted moisturizer business is a total revelation. What I don’t like about foundation is that it is too much coverage, but this, THIS is perfect, and perfectly dewy. It is beautifully soft on the skin and exactly the right amount of coverage to feel as if you’re not wearing ten tons of crap on your face. Hooray!

Farewell High Street, Hello Goldhawk Road...

2010-08-02T15:00:00.005+01:00

"There are two things in the world you never want to let people see how you make 'em: laws and sausages" Episode 4, Season 1. The infinite and unfaltering wisdom of Leo McGarry.

But I'm adding another to the list. You don't want to see how a dress

is made. At least not when its made by an amateur seamstress.

My initial idea for this post was to write about making a dress for my best friend's 21st birthday party. The dress code insists that the female guests wear white dresses, and having lived through the entire process - from brainstorm to mood board, to beautiful embossed lettering on the invitation - I am all too aware of the aesthetic leanings of the host. So my options were to trawl through the rakes of every store from here to the edges of London in search for the perfect nymph-meets-aphrodite-meets-Versace-meets-Herve-Leger with a budget for, well, under £50... OR, I could dust off my old Elna sewing machine, and try to rediscover my dressmaking skills. I used to take Textiles Technology classes, and I absolutely loved them. Between the ages of 11 and 14 I thought I was going to be the next great couturier. Sadly, though, I moved schools and the classes were no longer available. So now, a decade later, would I be able to remember how to stitch pieces of fabric together to create something wearable?

The process was not pretty. I went to the Goldhawk Road for fabric - an area of London so racially diverse that at any given moment you feel you're in Pakistan, India, the East End, and Dubai. English is not the first language on the Goldhawk Road. And with this rich tapestry of ethnicities, comes a vast array of fabrics - everything from zebra-print lycra to... off-white jersey! And that's exactly what I was looking for... I do not wear white dresses. I am not a bride. Also, I am deathly pale. So much so that I practically glow. I'm luminous. So, it had to be a calmer shade of white than white.

Anyway, I have my few meters of fabric – a slightly crème coloured jersey (if all of my clothes could be made from jersey I’d be happy – I love fashion, but I also love comfort!) and four or five meters of poly-chiffon. Being not at all talented at structuring clothing, my aunt suggests I use something pre-existing and properly made to build around, so I buy a slightly scary long-line bra from H&M for twelve bucks.

Then I spend the rest of Saturday afternoon and evening grappling with fabric and stitches, breaking two needles on machine, and stabbing my thumb until it bleeds while I attempt to hand stitch the hems (apparently thimbles aren’t just for Victorian wives and junk collectors).

In the end, somehow, a rather wonderful garment emerged from the piles of jersey and chiffon… I didn’t really have an image in mind of how it would turn out, but I’m feeling proud of myself nonetheless! Obviously, as soon as anyone looks at the engineering of it they realize it’s less Project Runway, and more baby’s first sewing attempt, but as long as it can hold it together through an evening of merriment, then who cares! There is a very real possibility that the whole thing will unravel as soon as I hit the dance floor, but a little risk is what makes life worth living… Right?

Update: Photo! Check it!

Good Toe, Naughty Toe...

2010-07-30T23:21:00.003+01:00

There are few things in the world more beautiful and graceful than ballerinas. I still want to be a ballet dancer when I grow up, despite the fact that I gave up lessons when I was 5 years old... The photographs from The Ballerina Project mixes the elegance and poise of ballerinas with the harsh and dramatic landscape of New York City - I love the contradiction, it makes for beautifully striking images.

'Ravish Me!' Hair

2010-07-30T00:02:00.005+01:00

So I had this horrifying hair cut. Since then, and actually since time began, I have been dreaming of better hair. I have not yet discovered my ‘hair happy place’, and I probably won’t until I can afford to go to a Creative Director and get some expert advice. However, while I’m waiting for these absurd layers to grow out, I’m dreaming of long, grab-me, tousle-me, RAVISH-me locks, exactly like this…

Source

Mothers of the Web Unite...

2010-07-29T23:36:00.006+01:00

One of the (many) things that stayed with me from reading ‘Living Dolls’ was the sexualisation of girls while they’re still children. Natasha Walters is so right in pointing out that the ‘girly’ way we’re brought up is incredibly damaging to our sense of being strong women, not to mention remaining physically youthful! Pink and sparkles and Barbie and ponies and all that crap… I mean it isn’t exactly an attitude to take to the boardroom, is it? "Sales are plummeting? It's ok, my Care Bear will kissing it better!" What’s more, Bratz dolls in their fishnets and Taylor Momsen-eyeshadow are not the image to be holding up as ideal to girls aged 4-plus…

Bratz

The amazing women at Mumsnet have begun the 'Let Girls be Girls’ campaign to try and combat the little-girl-prostitute image that is rife on the high street, and in society generally. What a fantastic issue for them to put their weight behind, and the list of brands and stores backing the push is incredibly impressive. I will certainly be watching closely to see what happens next…

A Little Elegance on a Thursday Morning

2010-07-29T07:17:00.002+01:00

I came across these illustrations, I’m not sure how, but thought they were fabulous. I apologise for the lack of blogging, we’ve been having some broadband issues. Anyway, thank you Edith Head for these gorgeous drawings, they remind me of Lulu Guinness’ aesthetic…

Wowey...

2010-07-28T12:16:00.004+01:00

The beautiful blogger, Alix, from The Cherry Blossom Girl, (one of my ol’faithful blogs) got married over the weekend. From the look of the two photographs she has teased us with, the dress is, as you would expect, no less than stunning couture. So, I’m sharing them with you in turn. I haven’t made up my mind up about the institution of marriage, but I DO love a good wedding. Absolutely beautiful.

Full Belly, Happy Mind...

2010-07-25T23:30:00.008+01:00

I hope you all had wonderful weekends! Mine was certainly delicious. It involved...

...Hummingbird cupcakes…

...It disappeared pretty quickly…

I saw beautiful hydrangeas at the flower stall beneath the Conran Shop…

I went to Byron Burger on the Kings Road, which, I swear to you, makes the best hamburger you’ve ever tasted. According to my fellow diner, I looked a great deal like a toddler struggling to locate their mouth. It was not elegant...

Luckily, I can illustrate this quite well with a picture of myself as a child, accurately locating my mouth, and looking pretty happy about it...

I also had my first kitchen triumph making Betty Crocker’s oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies. Betty must be a genius to have come up with a recipe SO foolproof that even I could make them edible…

Sigh... Can it be Monday already?

Hats Off To Her Majesty

2010-07-24T11:15:00.001+01:00

Yesterday, The Cut asked the question “Should more women cover up in New York's heat for the sake of decorum, or should the Queen loosen up in the summertime?”

I love fashion in all its different shapes and sizes, from the crazy Gaga-style to the more demure, but we could do much worse for style inspiration than HRH. Trends come and go, but dressing like a lady will never go out of style. It’s difficult in this heat, but there’s a lot to be said for owning pieces that fall into the ‘classic, and lady-like’ category. This spread seemed like a good example of how to keep old-style glamour, fresh and modern. It reminds me a little of Blair Wardorf's style...

A Way to Get Your Thoughts, Without Cracking Your Skull

2010-07-23T23:34:00.004+01:00

Blogger, in its infinite capacity for creating widgets, now allows you to tell me whether you think a post is ‘funny’, ‘interesting’ and/or ‘cool’! So, let me know what you think by clicking the boxes below! And while you’re at it, feel free to comment!

To Market, To Market...

2010-07-23T22:51:00.009+01:00

Yes, I spent my lunch hour (plus, ahem, a little extra) yesterday browsing the strange and wonderful treasures of the Spitalfields vintage and antiques market. You can buy everything from a '50s barber's chair to old military uniform, to costume jewelry and absurd knickknacks from the corner of a cockney geeza’s attic.

After browsing with a much more hurried eye than I would have liked, I added to my collection of junk a fabulous costume necklace (possibly from the 50s), two black and white ‘prints’ (which are really pages pulled from art books, and cost a single British pound each) and the most stupendous black satchel bag from Blondie.

Today, I discovered something even more fabulous (impossible to believe, I know) Blondie’s sister store, Absolute Vintage. Which is an enormous collection of vintage clothes, and I picked up this cerise dress. The belt needs replacing with some wide velvet ribbon, I think. But mainly, I love the cuffs. Pearl buttons? Delightful...

I have fallen completely in love with Spitalfields. Every day there is something new and different to discover, all colourful, all fascinating and all utterly fabulous! If you’re in London, this is a must-visit.

Pin them here, Pin them there...

2010-07-20T21:24:00.005+01:00

More Dash than Cash is my favourite Vogue feature. I have had whole months ruined by a sub-par 'More Dash' section. Obviously, it being the only spread in the magazine that I can afford makes it appealing, but it's the creativity that I love. Bringing together high street, vintage stores and tips to customize, they let the styling speak for itself by always shooting in a white studio. One of the things I remember seeing was a look that involved several vintage brooches, which I have been looking for. This spread, found here, might be the one I was thinking of. At any rate, last Thursday I walked through the Spitalfields Market and discovered the most wonderful antique and vintage market, with an especially impressive array of vintage brooches! You’d better believe, on Thursday, I will return to the market and bankrupt myself on vintage brooches. Vogue shows me that they can make for very striking detailing on an outfit.

Here’s another cool way to wear brooches.