OMG, I HAVE NOTHING I WANT TO WEAR...
Lately, I've found myself feeling disenchanted with the contents of my wardrobe. But this weekend it reached an all time low...
Running 10 minutes late already, I was standing in my towel staring blankly inside my closet. I had to pull together every morsel of maturity because what I wanted to do was hurl myself onto the floor and launch into a psychotic fit. I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR, I kept whimpering in pathetic desperation until my husband finally walked over and started pulling things out, 'What about this?' He went through tons of stuff. Each item he suggested received an immediate response: too tight, too loose, too itchy, too low, too high, too sheer, too thick, too long, too short...
'You're right,' he finally said. 'You have nothing to wear.'
Umm... what? Other people aren't meant to agree! The 'I have nothing to wear' dilemma is an age-old problem between a girl and her wardrobe. Of course, there is stuff to wear. It's just a matter of whether you want to wear any of it. Clearly I don't. I'm not entirely sure how I've reached this point of absolute disenchantment. Maybe it's a passing phase? But, I'm thinking of making a pile of the things I love (I swear it will be like 10 items) and getting rid of the rest. I've done so many closet clear outs over the past year but it still feels like there is too much of what I don't like. Does anyone else have this problem or am I just massively wardrobely challenged? I've started scouring online shops for pieces that would make my life easier when getting dressed - starting with tops. They aren't anything revolutionary but I've always thought that getting your basics right is the first step.
Image features: James Perse grey T-shirt, Comme des Garcons striped top and Acne shirt.
HIPPITY HOP INTO SPRING...
Wahoo! March has been a very good month indeed. The flowers are blooming and the sun is shining. Getting to leave the house without a coat has felt like an absolute dream. Applying sunscreen (oh, the luxury), drooling over the bright colors at the grocery store (mmm, strawberries) and highlighting my tanned feetsies by wearing brighter-than-bright pink toe-nail polish... ah, yes. Spring, your arrival is warmly welcomed. Please, never leave.
Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. xx
HEY PIN HEAD...
'Are you on Pinterest?'
Consider this the Instagram question of April... if no one has asked you yet, trust me, they will.
Everybody and (especially) their mom is on Pinterest. It exploded faster than your most recent ill-fated relationship. That's fast. Except, Pinterest isn't a cringe-inducing-stubble-faced memory we wish we could forget... it's only just taking off. Already 2 years old, it's no spring chicken - so why all the fuss about it now? Well, it's one of the fastest growing websites in history. Yeah, that's right... apparently, the site had 17 million unique visitors last month. That's a heckuva-lotta pinning. It's also a big enough number to make companies and designers start raising their eyebrows. Originally it was scoffed at for being a less-good version of Tumblr. Just another social media start-up that would fizzle out. It caters to old ladies and pretty fuzzy things... it will never catch on. Suddenly, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore and now everybody wants a piece of the pinboard pie.
Why am I talking about this? Because, I've been on Pinterest for almost a year and I'm so glad that other people are finally starting to join. I freaking love it. It's revolutionized the way I keep track of things I like online. You can pin photos from any website (I have noticed though that you can't pin on blogs you visit through Bloglovin... so just visit the site directly if you want to pin something). You can be as organized as you want with your boards. Create a hundred-thousand if you want - they can be about anything. I've dedicated an entire board to hot babes (i.e. fashion girls I know and love - not the Maxim sort of hot babe). You can break down your fashion inspiration into seasons, pull together all the yummy recipes you want to cook, make mood boards, plan the redecoration of your flat or brainstorm ideas of where you want to go on holiday. The possibilities are endless.
The best thing? It automatically links back to the website the photo was pinned from so you don't need to worry that you're stealing other people's work - in fact, it encourages people to visit the original source. Not only is this awesome in terms of online copyright protection it also makes your life so. much. easier. Gone are the days of searching through your browser's history to try to find that website where you saw that incredible thing.
Just pin it.
Now, don't forget: follow me here, leave a link so I can follow you back and if you need an invite to join then holler this way - I'll try to send one. Let. the. stalking. commence.
p.s. images from the Monday Issue, Film is Awesome Sauce, LN-CC, Anthropologie...
EMBRACE THE CHANGES...
Why, hello there...
You might have already noticed (or heard the incessant grumbling) but let's just get it out in the open. Yes, the are rumors true. After two and a half years the Style Crusader has finally landed peacefully onto a dot-com home. Please, please, hold your applause. Who would have thought it would be so difficult?! This baby started out on blogspot in August 2009. Then, in July 2010, was moved to wordpress. You know, because it gives you more flexibility in design (yada-yada-yada). That was fine, albiet slightly traumatic as I lost all my blogger followers. I bought the dot-com domain on the same day that I got my first DSLR camera (a second-hand Canon 450). Some techy glitches meant I wound up hosting on dot-org, a site which got so badly hacked/spammed that it reached the point of no return. Phew. So, here we are...
I'd like to take this opportunity to formally welcome you to my new home. Curtsey
This was the first day I was at Paris Fashion Week. I decided to bring my bright orange beanie with me, you know, for warmth and stuff. I got this hat for $2 at Walmart when I was in the US at Christmas. My family was not impressed with it and my sister refused to stand next to me when I wore it. Imagine my jubilation when NYFW rolled around and I saw this. Mwaahaha. See family, I told you orange was the right decision. I have to admit though I feel like a bit of a turd when I wear this hat... it's so bright. People honestly give me funny looks and say strange things when I wear it. I mean, really, it's just a hat people. Come-the-freak-on.
Anyway, clearly I wasn't the only person at PFW that thought an orange beanie was a good idea...
This was outside the Stella McCartney show by the way. It was literally freezing. I felt a fool and was SO PAINFULLY COLD that I literally couldn't take any photos. I got a tall latte with an extra shot from Starbucks (so American) and tried to use it to keep my hands warm. Resistance was futile. Shini and I admitted defeat and went in search of gloves (we found some in an Adidas store - they were 10 euros and oh-so-stylish). After going home to regroup (i.e. change clothes) we headed back out into the city to try to catch some street style action - in flats and as many layers as we could pile on.
Yes, that's the story of my first day at Paris Fashion Week.
Wearing: [Part 1] Walmart hat, Muriee cashmere scarf (which is literally glued to my neck - ok, not literally... that would be disturbing), Jigsaw sheer jersey T-shirt, Madewell jacket, J Brand Bette jeans from Anthropologie (found in the sale for $19?!) and Balenciaga boots. [Part 2] 7 for all Mankind skinny jeans (old version), Dagmar knit jacket, Converse and Varg canvas bag.
p.s. any questions on the blog change and/or how to follow please post in the comments.
JE NE PARLE PAS FRANÇAIS...
There is nothing I love more than stepping off a plane into an unknown place... when I don't know the language and have no idea where I am or what I'm doing, it's even better. 'Where are you staying?' Shrug. 'What shows are you going to?' Dunno. 'Why are you in Paris?' Hmmm...
Last minute trips are the best. I'm so glad that Shini twisted my arm and convinced me that going Paris was a good idea. I had so much fun - exploring the metro, eating loads and loads of food, freezing off my butt because I thought it was spring and didn't bring a coat... then going nutso in every shop because the rails were stupidly stocked with bikinis instead of gloves (even though it was three degrees outside). I remembered how much I love donuts, found a kids purple faux-suede jacket in H&M that has my name written all-the-freak over it and discovered a pair of printed shorts in Zara that would definitely see me right through summer (these are all things I could have done in Zurich, but nevermind that). I learnt that French people find no shame in staring, drive like lunatics, have archaic plumbing and are hilariously frank. Ladurée is good but so is McDonalds and, to be honest, I don't need to supersize my meal or get an extra portion of chicken nuggets (they aren't good the next day or at 3am when they're cold).
p.s. mark my words, Adidas gloves are making a comeback.
VIEW ALL PHOTOS FULL SIZE ON FACEBOOK
THE FASHION COMEDOWN....
Half way through fashion week I realized I had agreed to go on a trip to the alps the coming weekend. NOOOO.... who can get me out of this, I started wondering?! Can I fake illness? Surely I'm too weak for high altitudes...? A 7am wake up call on Sunday morning, followed by 2 trains to get to Grindelwald, then two more trains followed by a two hour hike (while carrying a sled), just to get to the top of a mountain and sled down. Seriously, kill me now. I've only been sledding down a real mountain once and I hated it so much. It was right on the side of a cliff, in a tiny plastic sled with brakes that barely worked. I was so horrified. Everyone I was with zoomed off without me... I thought I was going to die and pulled as hard as I could on the brakes the whole way down. When I got to the bottom everyone was gushing with excitement. Instead of joining in their joyful merriment, I slammed the sled into the snow and repeated 'I hated it, I hated it' until I got back to the lodge. I stayed on the couch in my pjs the rest of the day while the rest of the psychos enjoyed themselves outside.
All this to say, I was not excited about the sledding trip.
Thankfully, there were avalanche warnings which meant we couldn't do the hike. Hahaha. While all the outdoorsy types were standing there, downtrodden, I literally broke out into my 'excited dance' (it involves a certain booty shake, arm flap combination... I'll show you next time I see you, if I'm feeling excited). That was the first blessing of the day. Second blessing was that we had awesome Swiss wooden sleds... which felt safe. Third blessing? I got struck by some sort of warrior fearless bug and took to the mountain like a psycho-killer. Literally I was the fastest one (okaaay, fastest of the girls). I was so freaking hardcore that at one point (when we were at the VERY top of the ski slopes... I'm talking 2,000 metres up the Eiger) I went so fast that I went flying past an older man and went straight of the edge, flipped off my sled and landed right on my head in the snow. Seriously, I am now covered in bruises and my body is still sore. But it was worth it.
The whole trip was out of this world. Technically I should have been knackered but I was full of unnatural amounts of energy. After being in London for a week, surrounded by fashion/fancy pants events, the great outdoors were straight up my alley. I was feeling so anti-fashion, in fact, that my husband packed more clothes for the two day trip than I did (please know, this is UNHEARD OF).
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Important things I learnt from this trip: UGG boots are not appropriate winter boots (especially not if the snow is wet and you accidentally step in a slushy spot and it goes up to your thigh - doh). Happy Socks are the best socks in the world and the only kind I will wear (all others slide down my leg and get bunched up around my ankle). Ray Ban aviators should never be overlooked - they are timeless and especially perfect on ski trips. It's always right to have a cashmere scarf with you. The one I'm wearing above is from Muriee and it's so good. Impossibly soft but it's also ribbed - which gives it a sturdier feel. It's long enough to wear over your shoulders or wrapped around your neck a couple of times. Seriously, I'm obsessed - I want one in every colour. And finally, nothing (I mean nothing) beats an oversized mens jumper when you're feeling a bit fragile. The only jumper I brought on the trip was this Guvnor one from London designer Elizabeth Lau. It is my absolute favorite. It gets fashion points for the quirky Cockney slang print but is also perfectly oversized and snuggly.
Please note: it is stupid to carry a Fjallraven Kanken on your back while sledding... mine got dragged along on the icy ground so much that the bottom is completely destroyed. Silly girl. It was a gift from my in-laws in Sweden. Hah, at least my birthday is coming up soon so I can ask for another one.
MY SUPER SECRET BEAUTY TRICKS REVEALED...
Photo by Kit Lee
I'm not kidding, from the night I arrived in London (Valentines night) to the day I left (last Friday morning) I slept MAX 4 hours a night. This isn't like me. I like to sleep... I like to sleep so much that my husband has to call me up at 11am and tell me off for not getting out of bed. 'Jennnn... this isn't natural. GET THE FREAK OUT OF BED AND DO THE DISHES WOMAN!!!' Even more disturbing? Wednesday night I didn't sleep at all (not a wink) and Thursday night I had to get a cab to Heathrow at 3am (so again, figured... there's no point in sleeping)... ZOMBIE ALERT. This is not humanly possible. This resulted in me passing out on the flight (I had an entire row to myself), waking up panicked and thinking I was on a 'fashion' plane?! Arriving in Zurich airport, being stopped by immigration and BURSTING into tears when I'm informed that it is illegal to bring samples from outside the country in... that I should have filled out a form beforehand... that I went through the wrong line... that I'm a criminal and should be deported (hah). Poor man must have took pity on me because he gave a giant Swiss-German induced sigh, looked down and said, "ok. pack it back up.' Then brought me round the back of the computer to explain EXACTLY how it works when you bring samples into the country... 'You promise you won't do this again?' he asked. Through the sobs I mustered an, 'I promise.'
So, the question begs to be asked... just exactly how did I make it through fashion week and this disturbing airport experience without a bit of smudged mascara or cracked lipstick? Well, girls (and boys), behold, my three part masterclass in makeup for the disenchanted lazy butt.
1. FAKE EYELASHES: yes, that's riiiight. I have FAKE EYELASHES. So everyday when I would get to Somerset House and someone would say, 'Weren't you at the (INSERT RANDOM PARTY) last night?' 'Ummm... yeah.' Puzzled look. 'but... you look so FRESH.' FAKE EYELASHES, FAKE EYELASHES, FAKE EYELASHES. I said it more than anything else (even more than the Instagram thing). About a year ago I got fake eye lashes for the first time. I got hooked. I got them done three times in a row... when you have them on you don't have to wear mascara (some people do but personally I think that's just silly). The ones I get are so good that when I have them I don't wear ANY eye makeup - not ever. They last for roughly 2-3 months and fall out when your normal lashes fall out. You see, because they are individually applied to every lash - the process takes an hour to an hour and a half. They are the MOST life changing beauty treatment I have ever had. No mascara, no washing your eye makeup off at night, no worrying about crying and having it smudge. Even on zero hours of sleep, I can walk around like the bees-knees because these just make you look AWAKE and ALIVE. It has revolutionized my life. I went about 8 months without them - in order to let my lashes rest up. I'll just say one thing. When they start to fall out it is TRAGIC. You'll find a lash on your pillow in the morning and rock it back and forth in your hands... DON'T LET THEM BE FALLING OUT!! Your lashes get a bit frazzled and look a bit pathetic. At that moment you have two choices: 1. tough it up and let them fall out gradually (whatever you do, DO NOT, attempt to pull them out... that would be really REALLY freaking stupid) or 2. dish out the moolah and admit your hooked. I try not to stay hooked throughout the whole year and instead just get them before big things like fashion week. Also, I've seen A LOT of shoddy eye lash jobs... don't be stupid and go somewhere cheap, you'll look like a hooker. I go to LASH LAB where Kym, the most talented lady, does mine. They are the best lashes I've seen anyone do in London and I couldn't recommend them more. These are her prices... please don't everyone rush to get them done though because she's already super freaking busy and if next time I go to London she doesn't have time to fit me in I swear I will know it's YOUR FAULT.
2. MAC LIP PRIMER: So, my friend Lucy used to always wear these incredible lipstick colors and they would always stay on for aaaages - like, literally all day. Whenever I'd be putting on lipstick I would be super self-conscious. Is it smudging? Do my lips look chapped? Is it on my teeth? Do I need to reapply? 'How's my lipstick?' I would ask about a gazillion times until finally someone would say, 'Uh. You need to reapply.' This is annoying right? That was my life until I discovered Lucy's secret: Mac Lip Primer. I ordered it just before fashion week and was so excited to get it (along with my favorite lipstick Cyber). So, this is how good it is... I'm not even exaggerating. One evening before going out I put it on with a BRIGHT stinking pink lipstick over top (you just put the primer on like chapstick and then put the lipstick over top) (the lipstick I stole from Shini, oops, it's from Topshop but I can't find it online... hmmm...). I went out the whole evening... stayed out until about 3am... had drinks/food... got home... was too exhausted to wash my face or look in the mirror so I collapsed into bed. 7am and I woke up... stumbled into the bathroom, stuck my face in some water and wiped the water off on a pristine perfectly white towel. When I looked down... there was bright pink lipstick smeared all the way across the towel. (#Oops) But honestly, how is that EVEN POSSIBLE? It literally stayed on the whole time. I'm telling you, it's insane.
3. BRONZER: I'm from California, I LOOOOVE the sun. I could spend all day everyday lying in the sun. So this is obvious, right? A brushing of bronzer if I'm feeling particularly up for it. I've been using this one from Chanel for like 5 years. It's the best. Yeah, it's Chanel so it's kind of expensive... but don't you feel fancy when you pull a Chanel compact out of your bag? I know I do.
So, there it is revealed ladies and gentleman. The super exciting secretes to my beauty regime. You may remember from such previous posts that I suck at makeup. I suck at it. I can't apply eyeliner and I always forget to moisturize. I have a huge bag of makeup sitting under my sink... most of which I NEVER use but have stupidly purchased under the pretense that it would be grrrrreat. Most of it wasn't. So, now, finally after 26 years of life I have finally gotten down a simple procedure for the makeup I like to use. If I could have them all year round it would start with eyelashes (when I have these I'm more than happy to leave the house without anything else on - uhhh... no other makeup on. don't be a sicko)... if I'm feeling a bit drab then I'll put on bronzer (and normally a bit of blush)... if I'm REALLY trying to make an impression then the lipstick comes out. At the moment my skin is pretty good... but I definitely get the occasional pimple and when that happens I FREAK OUT... which ends up leading to more pimples... which means I pathetically try to cover it up and put Charlie on 'pimple patrol.' It's really sad...
p.s. this post was WAY too long. I promise not to do this too often.
p.s.s. I'm going to the Alps tomorrow morning and won't be back until Monday night. I likely won't have internet. Just so you know.
p.s.s. I'm in the process of making some big blog changes in order to sort out the google search debacle... so if you notice anything strange just roll with it, hopefully we'll be all sorted by mid-week. Ok, that's all... have a wonderful Sunday. xx
NO, I DON'T HAVE INSTAGRAM...
If I have to explain to one more person why I don't have Instagram I'm going to go mental... this conversation happened at least 100million times (fact) over LFW. Obnoxious excited person: 'Are you on Instagram?!!' Me: 'No.'... 'OMG, WHY NOT?! Instagram has, like, changed my LIFE. YOU HAVE TO GET IT. YOU JUST HAAAVE TOOO.' O-freaking-kay. I can't get Instagram because I don't have an iPhone. Cue: 'OMG. HOW ARE YOU ALIVE WITHOUT AN iPHONE???'. Honestly? I barely am. I'm using an old Samsung galaxy that is teetering on the edge of death because I'm too cheap to fork out the cash to buy a new one. Cuz... you know... that's how I roll, I like being a little behind the times. That way you feel sorry for me.
All this to say.... just before fashion week I discovered LomatiCamHD. (cool name, huh). In my pathetic attempt to copy what all you iPhone users are doing with Instagram and Hipstamatic I snatched it right up for 1 pound I think? All the above photos were taken with it. Enjoy!
IT'S HERE: LONDON FASHION WEEK AW12...
The last two days I've been running around London catching up with people and preparing for the madness that is being unleashed today. It has involved tackling public transport (I'm useless and always get lost), show room visits, model castings at Charlie May's studio (her second collection is being shown on Saturday evening - so excited), lots of errands and a Bjorn Borg party last night where oysters were served in abundance and Robyn/Coco Sumner pulled out the most incredible performance. I also chopped a few inches off my hair and went a little blonde at Taylor Taylor and some fake lashes again at Lash Lab. Feeling like a fresh new woman! Hah.
I'm staying at the Fielding Hotel in Covent Garden again and feel so lucky to be just a five minute walk from Somerset House - there's no other place in town I'd rather be (my favorite burger place is just around the corner, yesss, vanilla milkshakes everyday).
Photos include: Moxham bracelet, We Are Handsome printed pieces at Pfeffer PR, my messy closet at the Fielding Hotel, some favorite invites, and Pretty Ballerina flats. p.s. follow me on Twitter for regular LFW updates throughout the day.
STUFFED FRENCH TOAST...
Yeah, I like fashion but I also like french toast... a lot.
Normal french toast is good but, as I discovered this morning, stuffed french toast is even better. I'd never tried it before but am now officially hooked. This version is made with a banana nut honey filling but I think a berry mixture might even be better and pack a punchier flavor. I got this recipe from Jamie Oliver (my all time favorite) but I think his portions were a little off - it claims to be for 2 servings but I was left with tons so I've amended his ingredients a bit.
Ingredients
2 bananas (peeled and sliced), 50 grams pecan nuts (chopped), 1 tablespoon honey, 4 slices of bread, 2 eggs, half a cup of milk, butter and icing sugar.
Directions
Mix the bananas, pecan nuts and honey in a bowl. Spoon out the mixture onto 2 slices of the bread, leaving a slight space around the edges. Top with the other piece of bread - to make a sandwich. Heat a frying pan over a moderate heat. Mix the eggs and milk into a bowl - pour onto a small plate. Dip both sides of the banana sandwiches in the mixture - don't get the middle wet. Melt the butter in the frying pan. Fry each sandwich until golden brown. Sprinkle with icing sugar (really that's just for looks).
Serve with orange juice, strong coffee and maple syrup for a killer combo.
THE FINISHED PRODUCT [CHALKBOARD PAINT DIY]...
When I first decided to do this chalkboard paint DIY I had fancy-pants plans for this platter. I imagined it laid out with an elaborate spread of exotic cheese... instead you've got a selection of my favorite sweets. Hah. My true nature is clearly being shown.
I couldn't be happier with the way the chalkboard paint turned out. It works really well, is easy to wipe off and has provided countless doodling opportunites. The milk jugs are definitely my favorite things. Since my husband likes full-fat milk and I prefer semi-skimmed we always need two different types. It's kind of annoying but now I don't mind since it means I can have two cute cartons in the fridge.
Photos include a painted platter, milk cartons, note book and home made air freshener (which was made by combining baking soda with lemon & lavender essential oil - it works a treat for zapping up nasty kitchen smells).
TWITTER - FACEBOOK - TUMBLR - PINTEREST
MY GRANDMA'S [FAUX] JEWELS...
When I was back home for the holidays my mom whipped out a big cardboard box. Inside were about a hundred little plastic bags that had been carefully filled with jewelry my grandma had planned to throw away. Thankfully these little gems were rescued from spending the rest of their lives at the bottom of a rusty old bin. My favorite items are the earrings. They're all clip-ons and impossibly uncomfortable to wear. Who ever said fashion was meant to be comfy though?
Expect to see a lot more bling clipped onto my ears in the future.
BLOGLOVIN - TWITTER - FACEBOOK - TUMBLR
CONFESSIONS OF A CHALKAHOLIC...
Chalkboard paint... who knew it could be so addictive?
After seeing this DIY post on Wit & Whistle I decided to try my hand at a bit of chalkboard painting. If you haven't come across the craze that is chalkboard paint just google it. Paint savvy people across the globe are covering their walls with the stuff, creating calendars, labels and even Corinthian columns. After much internal deliberation I decided my landlord would be less than thrilled to discover I turned the inside of my flat into a massive chalkboard (I'd have to scribble 'I'm sorry' over the entire thing before showing him, clearly)... so I laid off the walls and instead started covering everything else I could find.
Now, I just need to find some chalk... images of the final products will come once I do.
MY LITTLE YEAR IN REVIEW...
Bizarrely, nothing quite sends me over the bliss-edge quite like a good 'Year in Review.' From Reuters to Gawker, Float Fast Hummingbird and Style.com... they all stir up warm feelings of nostalgia and make me excited for the things that are to come.
2011 was a pretty big year full of lots of changes and exciting things. Here's a little peek into a some of my favourite bits...
AMERICANA...
boots2
Envy.
It's the only word to describe how I feel about my husband's new boots. Sitting on the front porch covered in mud they're the embodiment of all things Americana. L.L.Bean never looked quite so good.