an interview of sorts...
I did a little interview with Vanessa from The Monday Issue a couple weeks ago. I love her blog and was so chuffed that she wanted to include me on her site. If you haven't come across her already, she's based in Australia and takes insanely gorgeous photographs. I've included a few of the questions below but the whole set can be found on her site. It ended with me saying what my trademark would be if I were a serial killer... I have no idea where I pulled my answer from.
Who inspires you? There isn't one specific person. Everything around me at every moment is inspiration in one form or another... the kind of person I want to be, the way I want to live, my mindset, the way I dress, the way I think - it is all constantly being shaped. I don't ever want to be 'set in my ways'. I want to evolve and I think that means being open to the inspiration that is all around.
the random start...
1. The Brand - Quicksilver Women: their new range is stuffed full of drapey knits, unconventional silk tops, and roughed up separates. They've got a khaki parka that hasn't hit shops yet that I'm especially craving.
2. The toss up - Kitsch versus Quirky: currently feeling torn between the home sections of Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. The latter speaks to cravings of a more grown up retro atmosphere while the former chimes well with my inner child... seed and dirt filled grenades? Seriously cool.
3. The political issue: Christina Hendrick's body, as seen on Mad Men, has officially been endorsed by the UK government as that which British women should aspire towards. (Ah, wouldn't the men of Westminster be ever so pleased if more women looked as killer as her in a suit dress?) The statement came the same week that the NHS was advised to tell patients they are 'fat' rather than obese. Apparently the fear of being unattractive is believed to motivate a change in diet and lifestyle more effectively than a good o'l natural fear of death.
4. The length: after seeing this denim clad chick on Garance Dore's blog sporting longer length shorts my hiney-skimming cut offs are looking decidedly dated. Time for a new diy project me thinks.
5. The foodie choice: currently only drinking the 'flat white' at Starbucks - it even comes with a heart to boot.
in honour of the LBD (Rare giveaway winner)...
Every girl needs a perfect little black dress. The kind that you can pull out on any occasion and know it will not only be easy to wear and look killer but make you feel like a million dollars. My go-to never fail option is this little number from Jigsaw. It's part of their suiting line and is perfect on its own or layered over long sleeved jersey in the winter. You can throw a jumper over it and voila it's a skirt. With tights or bare legs, flats, heels or boots... it's works in so many different ways. The fabric is breathable enough to be worn in the summer but warm enough for the winter. I can scrunch it up and put it in my bike basket and the creases fall straight out. While I've got lots of other dresses - some which pack a bit more va-va-voom action than this one - it remains my favourite and most trusted item in my wardrobe. I'm interested to know if you've found the perfect LBD yet. If so what makes it so great and if not what are you looking for in your iconic item?
Now, this brings us to the Rare LBD giveaway winner.... My Little Fashion File. Congratulations! I wish I had 40 dresses so I could give one to everyone that entered! Thanks for participating!
Wearing: Jigsaw black dress and cashmere cardigan, Cole Haan bag, French Sole ballet flats, and pearl earrings. My simple no-fuss try to scrub up well combination. (p.s. apologies for the blurry photo... apparently you can't trust a boy who has just graduated to get you in focus)
distracted...
Bambi covered pink dress... which everyone said was so not my style but I couldn't help but sort of love anyway. Jersey dresses that I'd layer over long sleeved t-shirts and wear with tights, big wedges or converse for the perfect easy Autumn outfit. Insanely gorgeous Halston Heritage jewel toned evening gown. House of Harlow delicate little key necklace and Alice Temperley tiger scarf that I think looks more like a swarm of bats. All these things were a major distraction from the rail of slinky soft jersey that was lined up at the my-wardrobe showroom on Thursday - intended to be tried on to see the differences in their cut, fit, and fabric. It's hard to stay focused on t-shirts when there are so many other gorgeous things around...
desire...
There is something to be said about hype: namely that it is often little more than just that - shameless promotion and extensive publicity. Often it kills an item to death. No matter how gorgeously perfect something might be if you've seen it a gazillion times in every Grazia, Vogue, and blog then it starts to lose it's appeal. There is something to be said for playing hard to get and I'd argue, for example, that the Alexa should have possibly put in a bit more effort on that front. But then, every once in a while, a little gem comes along that rises above it all. When I went by My-Wardrobe today I expected to not be impressed by the 745.00 GBP worth of shearling infused Helmut Lang glory. After all, it's just a gilet and it doesn't even have sleeves. But once I slipped it on and pulled the hood up over my desire-infused-light-headed self... everything turned into a blur and I was instantly won over by the power of the Lang.
whistle in a change...
While I've still got 10,000 words of just-war infused misery blocking my enthusiastic departure from the wonderful world of academia I can't help but start to ponder what my post-student days will be filled with. Political internships in Westminster, Fashion Week at Somerset House... followed by an infinite blank. From mid-October I'm looking at being jobless, fund-less, and on the search for the purpose of my life... and since all of that can quickly get rather heavy, I've chosen to turn my attention (away from CVs and job applications) towards what I might be wearing come Autumn (because while I may be forced to sign up to jobseekers allowance, God knows I'll be doing it in style). Whereas I hope to be clothed in Mentor boots and shearling jackets more realistically I'll be needing to buckle down and smarten up. My ripped Levi shorts, hoodies, and converse probably wont be landing me any grown up jobs. Instead I'll be opting for classic separates that can be mixed and matched to create simple streamlined outfits. No fuss, easy to wear pieces that wont date. A simple navy blazer, khaki trousers, black straight skirt and a multi-purpose dress? Sounds like a good selection to send me on my way. Whistles has always been the epitome of quasi-grown up chic to me. They do basics extremely well and their pieces always manage to ooze a bit of sophistication without looking dowdy or corporate. Perfect for a 25 year old seeking to stick her foot firmly in the job market, possibly even with the Mentor boots intact.
All items available from Whistles' online shop.
a random start...
So technically it's not exactly the start of the week anymore, it being Tuesday and all, but never mind that. As I'm sure you know, there are lots of random bits and bobs that can be found online. Most probably don't deserve of an entire blog post but, instead of just forgetting about them, I've decided to put together a little collection of randomness to start off the week. If you happen to come across anything you think is weird and wonderful send it over to me and I'll add some of your additions into my weeks top picks (with credit going to you of course). So, here we go:
1. Closets: my closet seriously sucks. It's so old and consequently, while it might look rather beautiful, it isn't deep enough to actually fit a hanger. Useless, no? So, as a result, everything is folded and I don't have enough drawer space to fit it all - hence total chaos. Which brings me to the quasi-closet pictured above. This is how I want to store my belongings in the next place I move into. Open, visible, streamlined, and essential. What do you think? Could you cut down your wardrobe that small?
2. Boy envy: after seeing Thom Browne's Spring 2011 Menswear collection I suddenly want to abandon all things girly in favour of a bizarre preppy vibe. Less Ralph Lauren more Alice in Wonderland-schizaphrenic. I might not be able to handle it all in one go but I could certainly mix-and-match (those shorts would be so cool rolled up a couple times). I've mentioned it before, but it still remains true, I'm craving a pair of black and white saddle shoes. Plus, gold lips might not be my normal de facto choice of lip colour but I'm willing to give anything a try once.
3. Loafer love: I've been all about the Kate Kanzier Molly loafers since I first spotted them back in February. Sadly they tend to sell out within about a millisecond of coming into stock. I've just checked though and they are currently available in every size. I'm getting my butt over to Leather Lane later this week before they sell out again.
4. My life: I have set a strict dissertation deadline for myself that must be followed regimentally if I am to get my work handed in on time (don't worry Dad, I will get it in on time). Instead of spending time in the library this past week though I did some other things. For a start, I became a British citizen. That's right suckers - I'm one of you now. I wore my favourite black Valentino dress and vintage Ferragamos that I picked up for $30 at a Santa Monica thrift store. Afterwards I was swept off to London to have a picnic in Hyde Park (champagne and pimms to boot) and watch the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall - posh and British indeed. Then I spent the weekend in Somerset celebrating a friends birthday and hanging out near the seaside. To top it all off I learnt all sorts of cooking tricks from Tamasin Day Lewis - including how to skin a fish (which is what we are doing in the photo above).
Okay you lot, that's my random start to the week... send me any of your off-beat finds so that I can include them in next weeks post.
p.s. The winner of the Lira Leirner giveaway was Little Miss Fashion. Thanks to everyone that took part! Also, don't forget I'm also giving away a little black dress by Rare and you've still got until midnight tomorrow (the 28th) to enter!
Inspired by: Burberry Prorsum
Don't get me wrong, Summer is by far my favourite season. Nothing beats flip flops, wash-and-go hair, long days, and sunshine... but I can't get Burberry Prorsum's Fall 2010 show out of my head and it's got me dreaming about next season's wardrobe upgrades. Never before has outerwear led to such a stir within my sheepskin-craving-heart. If I happened to have a spare grand sitting around I'd throw it all away on Acne's gorgeous black aviator jacket. It's the stuff dreams are made of... since I spotted it in the their shop in Stockholm earlier this month I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I want to wear it paired with a soft floaty sheer black dress like the one from Urban Outfitters and some chunky (but sensible) wedges. Gone are the days of me craving a pair of statement heels, that is... if it means I can squeeze my feet into these little Mentor beauties. Paired with some skinny jeans and an oversized khaki shirt? Fall 2010 sorted. All I need is the Patouf faux-fur to wrap around my neck and I'll be good to go. There we have it... my Autumn/Winter 2010 wishlist in a five piece mini-shopping basket. Done and dusted.
'Careful to tie the ends, don't want no accidents...'
Possibly made the biggest festival faux-paux ever by forgetting my sunglasses at Lovebox last week. Constantly had the sun in my eyes but this is England, so I just sucked it up and appreciated that at least the sun bothered to make an appearance. Ah well, otherwise all was in check: a little bit of fringe, denim, and ridiculous posing... combines to make the perfect no-fuss outfit.
Wearing: Random wolf t-shirt found on amazon, vintage Levi 501 diy shorts, H&M Against AIDs scarf, Monki bracelet, Converse.
shake your tail feather (Rare giveaway)...
Rare have kindly offered to giveaway this gorgeous Jersey Ruffle Bottom Dress, which is part of their new Autumn/Winter collection to one of my readers. It's perfect for an evening summer party. Just pair it with killer heels and little clutch and you'll be good to go. It's simple but with a bit of a kick and not for the feint hearted... I don't know how you could resist having an awesome time in such a flirty little number.
To enter: leave a comment (make sure you let me know how I can contact you - e-mail address/bloglink), be a follower of this blog and let me know how you follow in your comment. For extra entries re-tweet this post. Winner will be chosen one week from today by random.org. You will be able to choose the size of the dress (6-14UK) and the prize is subject to availability. If the size you desire is unavailable you will be able to chose another item.
it's a small world after all...
Since having lived in England for almost half a decade the days of being a California girl feel lightyears behind me (I'm still proud to be one though - as Katy Perry says, 'we're unforgettable'). Unexpectedly, today I received a golden coast injection. I met up with Beth Jones, Laurel Daily, and Shini at the Zetter hotel to preview Quicksilver Women's Autumn/Winter collection and play dress up. Little did I know that Beth (who started a blog back in 2007 that just happens to be the first I ever addictively read) and Laurel went to university in California a mere 5 minutes from where I used to live (it's a small world, non?). Dr Crusader (yep, that's right - he was officially upgraded on Thursday) informed me that my day was pretty much every girl's dream - dressing up in pretty clothes, hanging out on the balcony of a fancy hotel, and parading around taking photos? Don't worry, I know we all have bigger dreams than just that - but his observation was pretty spot on. It was such a fun day and a refreshingly novel take on a press event. Beth even brought a host of her own insanely cool shoes, hats, and jewelry for us to try on with the outfits.
Plus, I was totally caught off guard by how achingly cool the Quicksilver women's line was. It was described as being for the girl who liked Roxy when she was 16 but is now 25, has grown up a bit, lives in the city, and wants to look a little more put together - less overtly surfer but still with a bit of that laid back California vibe (umm... Beth, I felt like you were describing me to the t). Easy slip on silk dresses, slightly destructed knitwear, denim in any shape you could want, a whole host of jersey in drapey shapes, bandeaus, and a slightly Burberry-esque peacoat that zips at the waist turning it into a jacket. Literally I hadn't thought twice about Quicksilver for years and now I'm already planning how I'm going to drag my mom into the shop when I'm back in the America later this summer...
closeup: Lovebox
Studs, fringe, cross-body bags, boater shoes, quirky vintage shirts, rough hard wear, worker boots, tie-dye, hunters, lace, and bare bellies - the trends were out in full force at Lovebox.
lovebox...
A summer spent in England isn't complete without a festival. Although I'd like to be hardcore and hit up Glastonbury so far I've stuck to tamer London versions. You know it's been good when you get home to find you're covered in cuts/bruises, blow your nose and discover your snot is black (from all the dirt), have grass stains/gum stuck to backside, ache for days, have ringing in your ears, and can't clear your head of mindless melodies. Lovebox was no exception.
On stage: Chew Lips, Noisettes, and Dizzee Rascal.