raspberry kitsch

Newcastle through the lens of Carl Haynes

2012-02-10T23:14:00.003Z

Those of you who know me well (or are regular readers) will be well aware of my feelings about the North East, so I don’t need to write you a love letter about the region. I know very few people who are from the North East and do not take pride in that. Having stayed up here for university, I ended up befriending people from all over the country. Not one of them graduated and didn’t take a little bit of Newcastle back home with them. The region has a lot to offer and some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. There’s something infectious about the inherent optimism of the people up here, and the fact that most people you encounter do want to and will try to help you if they can.

Which is why I am continually exasperated by the debacle that is Geordie Shore. Thank you MTV for reinforcing the ridiculous stereotypes which the media have branded the North East with. Yes, in Newcastle you will find girls in short skirts and five inch heels stumbling up the Bigg market with bare legs in the snow. But let's be honest, the idiots who they have put on this programme are so ill equipped to truly represent the region it’s embarrassing.* There are so many other things about the North East that are more interesting than the fact you can get treble vodkas and a mixer for two quid… which is why I like to be able to find local talent to share… then it makes me feel like I’m doing my bit to help restore the reputation of our region.

So that being said, let me introduce Carl Haynes, a very talented local photographer and a good friend of mine, who shot these photographs. Two of the images (the third one, "Newcastle Nights" and the last, "Zoom Tyne") have just been announced as winners of the Big Metro Competition!

What I love about Carl's photography is that he really shows the region at it's best. His photos have a raw quality that gives a very honest portrayal of the North East, and I think his passion for it really shows. He somehow manages to capture the beauty of Newcastle without glossing over it's industrial roots, and captures the spirit of the city. Plus his photos do not include public urination or vomiting, both of which can usually be found in the media's representation of the North. I'll let you be the judge but personally I don't think it's too grim up North. If you want to see more of his photos, you can visit his website here.

* Just to add to my Geordie Shore rant, can I draw attention to the fact that one of them is from Sunderland (making her a Mackem like me, not a Geordie- and if you know anything about the region, you will know that there is an important distinction there), and then there are the ones from Teeside. For those not so hot on geography, if you totally disregard Sunderland and Durham (the two cities in between) then yes Teeside is located right next to Newcastle...

taking notes

2012-02-08T15:38:00.000Z

Ok, I'll admit it's a bit soft but is this not the best notebook advert you've seen, ever?

Field Notes: Red Blooded from Coudal Partners on Vimeo.

Being a writer and self-professed compulsive list maker, there's nothing I love more than nice notebooks. But then I've always loved looking at other people's scribbles. It's a little voyeuristic about it. A few months ago Tina did a great post on her travel moleskine. Major notebook envy. Very kindly she included more photos that you can see on her flickr account.. perfect if like me, you enjoy taking a peek at other people's scribbles...

'we wore stolen hearts, vintage souls'

2012-02-07T15:37:00.003Z

I hate to admit it but I'm kind of pleased about the drop in temperatures of late- I'm not quite ready to abandon my hope of getting some proper snow this year. After all my Vivienne Westwood wellies are feeling a tad neglected... I also think it's a bad reaction to pastel overload. I mean don't get me wrong, I like pastels just as much as the next person, but I really have no desire to wear peach jeans (or pink for that matter), or look like a Care Bear just vomited sherbet on me. Nor do I want to look like a sporty barbie... I know we're hosting the Olympics this year but come on! I think I'm definitely leaning more towards the twenties and fifties trends!

P.s Had my first vaccines for India today, and treated myself to the new Vogue (not so sure about how I feel about the Lana Del Rey interview), Company (seduced by Chung on the cover, and intrigued by new matt look and cheapness), and a bag of Marti mushrooms for being such a brave little soldier...

satchel: Cambridge Satchel Company, fur hat: Cotton Love, sheepskin coat: vintage, jumper: H&M, skirt: Urban Outfitters, boots: Urban Outfitters

Peanut butter fudge cookies...

2012-02-05T23:16:00.001Z

Sunday is not the day to be buried under a pile of job application, visa forms, and vaccination information sheets. Unfortunately this is exactly where I have found myself for the majority of the weekend. So obviously the best way of coping with being busy is just to get on with what you need to do, right? Or you could spend your Sunday reading the paper, drinking coffee and making peanut butter fudge cookies. Three guesses which way I chose to spend my day...

The cookies by the way are AMAZING! And if you want to give them a whirl you can find the recipe here. The fudge sauce recipe is here.. as if I needed any reason to love Zooey Deschanel more than I already do!

Femme fatale, always on the run. Diamonds on my wrist, whiskey on my tongue...

2012-02-02T13:17:00.005Z

Like the rest of the world, I have found myself becoming a little bit obsessed with the enigmatic Lana Del Rey. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about her that fascinates me so much. The amazing hair (from her Bardot style barnet in Video Games to her Veronica Lake waves)? The perfect pouty lips? The cute but husky little Jessica Rabbit voice? It's like someone just plucked her out of another era. And now she's set to grace the cover of British Vogue for March in Louis Vuitton? Amazing. Mario Testino can do no wrong.

Just on an end note, how are people feeling about the disappearing act GFC will shortly be doing? If you aren't already following, I'm on Bloglovin. If you are too then let me know!

cover image from Vogue.co.uk, video uploaded to youtube by LanaDelRey

'It's up to you to make every day as perfect as possible. It's a question of will and discipline'

2012-01-26T18:24:00.003Z

If you haven't already seen this then I highly recommend you taking 8 minutes out of your evening to watch this video. Offering a unique insight into the genius of Lagerfeld, this is one of the most honest interviews I have seen in a long time. He offers so much invaluable advice that could be applied to every aspect of life.

Karl on Karl? Whoever thought of this deserves a payrise..

Having read a lot of hype online about Lagerfeld's line for Net-A-Porter, I felt pretty reassured that what he was going to offer was going to be pretty special, and I was not disappointed...

However, I do agree with J's fantastic rant yesterday, that it does somehow take away from the exclusivity of Chanel as a brand. Like many others all over the world, Chanel is a brand to be coveted and lusted over until the days when my wages catch up with my lifestyle tastes...

'If you come and ask me, "I want to be chic" then there is little hope to become chic because there are peasants in countries who are beyond chic in their poor rags, and very rich women who are not chic in the most expensive dress. So the minute you ask the question in fact there is only an answer to be polite but the real problem is somewhere else.'

Elle Collections SS12

2012-01-25T12:51:00.001Z

Nothing like a copy of Elle Collections SS12 and a cup of espresso to sort out a bad start to the day. Pretty prints and pastel colours are making me miss the warm weather even more though!

One interview did catch my eye in particular...

As if I needed anything else to make me love Erdem more.. I certainly appreciate Erdem Moralioglu's new collection twice as much having learned that it was inspired by one of my favourite novels (and films thanks to Preminger's adaptation starring Jean Seberg), Bonjour Tristesse..

Happy Burns Night! I'm celebrating tonight with a couple of Scots. I can't wait until later for the haggis, neeps and tatties. Hope everyone celebrating too has a great night!

procrastinating

2012-01-23T18:47:00.002Z

My day can pretty much be summed up by this photo. Having been a bit (a lot) rushed over the last couple of weeks, it's been kind of nice to spend a full day procrastinating: reading, knitting and even a little ballet practice. Sometimes it's nice not having a million things to do, but really I've reached the point where I'm waiting for decisions to be made... and right now I can think of nothing worse than waiting for emails.

Too much month and not enough money..

2012-01-18T15:03:00.000Z

Like most of the people I know, I went a bit overboard at Christmas- buying too many presents, going out far too much and just generally overindulged during the festive season, so now I have to suffer. January is definitely one of those months where you find yourself with too much month left when your money has run out. And yet, despite the fact that I'm skint, I can't seem to stop finding things that I want to buy. Always the way, I know. Lately though I seem to be attracted to grown-up, work friendly clothes (I'm guessing it's a reaction to all the interviews/internships/job applications). Must be growing up..

trousers: Uniqlo, clutch: Asos, shirt: Select Fashion, dress: COAST+WEBER+AHAUS, white pumps: Jones, grey trousers: Paul by Paul Smith, watch: Michael Kors, black heels: DVF

peekaboo

2012-01-17T17:51:00.001Z

My life at the moment appears to have become one giant 'to do' list with me running around like a mental person trying to fit everything in. In the last week alone I have been assessed for a grad scheme (one of A LOT of applicants I may add though), obtained a freelance position from Acumen (hurray!), booked flights to India for March (double hurray!!) and then to top it all off French starts again next week (and I have done no work over Christmas.. oops). Phew, so having updated you, yes I know that I was supposed to be blogging more as part of my resolutions but it's been put on the backburner for the moment... hopefully I'll be able to fall back into more of a routine this week though!

Today was one of those days that I ignored my better judgement and was seduced into dark plum nails... Now I am, and probably always will be, the type of girl who immediately regrets painting my nails red (or any dark colour for that matter). There are three valid reasons for this:
1. Red nail polish stains your cuticles and/or fingers and/or hands.
2. I am cack-handed and not the neatest of nail painters (this causes problems when considering issue number one).
3. Because I'm perpetually running ten minutes late and seem to be always rushing to where I need to be, my nails are either not dry in time so I smudge them, or they're chipped to bits by the time I get to my destination.

Just one last thing... I was very excited to discover this little delight, Ch*c To Complain About. I suggest you immediately take a peak because one: J is one of my favourite people, two: she is very funny.

top: H&M, watch: Michael Kors, nail polish: Nails Inc

cardboard houses

2012-01-11T19:58:00.001Z

Sorry for the absence over the last week- I've had a lot of things happen at once and far too much on my mind resulting in the neglecting of my blog. Just a quick one... I noticed these little cardboard houses have appeared on the Monumnet, taking the place of the Occupy protesters in Newcastle. They looked kind of eery as I walked past the monument earlier. Any ideas who put them there or why?

pretty polishes

2012-01-06T12:43:00.000Z

So yesterday I had a huge list of things to finish off, but instead of just getting on with it I ended up spending pretty much all day procrastinating. Otherwise known as making copious amounts of coffee with my new Moka pot, and painting my nails.
Now I am by no means a beauty blogger, and when it comes to makeup I'm probably more clueless than you're average girl but it's just because I don't have the patience for anything too fiddly. That being said I've have a full blown nail polish fetish at the moment. I totally blame Debs for this...

From left to right- Big Smoke, Offbeat & Dark Horse

close up of Dark Horse so you can see the colour a bit better- it's kind of a dark brown with bronze flecks, and I only had to apply one coat!

Now today I need to make sure I actually get on with what I should be doing...

anything cute, vintage or a little bit kitsch..

2012-01-04T15:32:00.002Z

Just a few of my favourite things right now:

My next read, my favourite new cardigan, my wellington boots (which unfortunately have not been out as much due to insufficient snow fall this year!) and a gorgeous teacup & saucer from an old friend.

This year a close friend of mine (who incidentally bought me the teacup & saucer) told me that I was one of the easiest people she knew to buy presents for. Her words were something to the effect of 'I look for anything cute, vintage or a little bit kitsch because that's what reminds me of you'.

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-03T09:35:00.001Z

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a brilliant night!! As you can see I opted for sparkles.. what better way to see the New Year in? There's seems to be a lot of criticism about people using the New Year as an excuse for making changes, but I'm a firmer believer that with every new year you can give yourself a new start. I've already made some of my own resolutions and I look forward to having an even better year than last year.

Have you made any resolutions this year?

dress: Topshop, shoes: ASOS

pretty presents

2011-12-28T13:53:00.001Z

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! It's been so nice spending the last few days relaxing with the family, and if I'm honest I've been spoilt rotten!
I love giving presents even more than I love receiving them... this year I decided to go for minimalist wrapping with plain brown paper and cute ribbon that I found in Copenhagen.

Me and my family all agree that it's nicer to buy lots of little presents, and this year I got some gorgeous little bits and pieces.
More new PJs, which believe it or not are from Primark like the previous pair I posted about last month- I love the prints!

I think one of my favourite gifts this year was this 1947 copy of Good Housekeeping and these vintage Limoges pieces- a needlebox and miniature perfume bottles in their own little basket.

Homemade peppermint marshmallows ♥

Hot chocolate with an iceberg of peppermint marshmallow

So now all the commotion of Christmas is over, it seems just about time to start stressing about plans for New Year.. do you have your plans sorted yet? I'm looking forward to having a few chilled out days to catch up on my reading - and by that I mean blogs and books!

may your days be merry..

2011-12-24T19:34:00.001Z

I always love getting dressed up on Christmas day. I don't have a particularly big family, and in fact we don't really do anything special, but it's still nice to put on something new. This year I was tempted by the wide array of festive jumpers until this little number caught my eye, so as you can see I'm opting for the Christmas skirt instead...

Despite being stuck at work all afternoon, I came straight home to a house of baking...

With my Mam cooking mince pies I decided to try out a recipe a Martha Stewart recipe I'd spotted on Cupcakes & Cashmere for peppermint marshmallows. So the mince pies are now waiting to be iced, the marshmallows are busy setting and now I NEED to start wrapping my Christmas presents..

And I know it's cheating but I wanted to share photos of my little treat from J, a vintage trifle case filled with treats (she knows me so well.. note the pastel nail polish and chocolates!)

Hope you all have a brilliant Christmas!

please have snow and mistletoe, and presents under the tree..

2011-12-21T12:35:00.000Z

Sunday skating

2011-12-18T23:53:00.000Z

Having went to review a mate's band, The Sons of Bido Lito, in Sunderland last night, my Sunday was spent mildly hungover for the most part. What better way to cure a hangover though than catching up on gossip over gingerbread lattes and ice skating?

p.s apologies for shoddy iphone photos..
p.p.s I didn't think you could see my new boots very well on the last post so I thought I'd take a better photo of them..

sheepskin coat: vintage, jumper: H&M, shorts: Topshop, boots: Urban Outfitters, bag: vintage, mittens: Primark

A few things that have made me smile..

2011-12-16T21:45:00.000Z

First snow of December, new boots (courtesy of the new Urban Outfitters in Newcastle), black velvet ribbon in my hair, and we finally got our Christmas tree!

jumper: Topshop, shirt: Warehouse, skirt: H&M, boots: Urban Outfitters

with a smile and a ribbon in my hair

2011-12-15T23:42:00.000Z

So one of the many things I decided to treat myself to today was some velvet ribbon to wear in my hair, inspired by Julie Christie in Dr Zhivago and Brigitte Bardot, and Valentino's AW 11 shows. Couldn't choose between red or black so I decided to get both.

Spent the day in Newcastle with one of my lovely ladies, eating Mexican, gossiping and overspending in the new Urban Outfitters store. WHY has it taken them so long to open one up here?? I'll fully admit the purpose of the shopping trip was to finish off my Christmas shopping but I ended up buying mainly presents for myself. (More photos of aforementioned purchases tomorrow.) It was so festive today in the city with NE1 screening White Christmas on Grey Street, although there was far too much shopping to be done to sit around watching films...

catching up

2011-12-13T13:19:00.000Z

Ok so first thing's first, I promised a spy of the Bond girl outfits...

Needless to say we weren't too imaginative and all just opted for pretty dresses.. mine was a fairly simple number from Motel that I paired with some nude mary janes from Topshop, these are the only two surviving photos I'm afraid. It's probably for the best though because when you're getting vouchers for drinks instead of having to pay, things end up quite messy...

Anyway, I've been very neglectful this weekend but what with work parties and catch-ups I feel like I haven't had a chance to sit down! I spent Sunday in York with the family for the festival of angels, enjoying the ice sculptures and having a festive day out.

Licence to thrill

2011-12-09T12:27:00.003Z

Tonight is my work Christmas party, and guess what the theme is...

I don't have an accurate costume but I do have a cute Bond girl inspired dress picked out, more pics to follow..

bloggers, buttons, html & headaches

2011-12-09T10:16:00.002Z

Ok so I've been having some HTML headaches at the moment with my button... any of you who grabbed it before now will you please repost with the HTML code now displayed to the right... this one should work!!

Apologies!

Ps. if you want me to display your blog button feel free to get in touch!

P.p.s thank you to the lovely Sarah for pointing out the broken button!

Christmas carols and Cotton Love

2011-12-07T17:36:00.001Z

As I told you yesterday my parcel from Cotton Love..

It was so cold today, so perfect weather for debuting my new hat! Now I'm feeling even more festive after spending the day volunteering at the nursery where my Mam works. The kids were performing Christmas carols for pensioners at the community centre and I was responsible for helping to supervise their walk down. It was a lovely day and I felt so proud of them. One little girl, even sang Away In A Manger by herself, so cute! And so brave for a four year old.

hat: Cotton Love, coat: vintage, scarf: H&M, jumper: Topshop

attention to detail

2011-12-06T13:13:00.002Z

Today is my last French lesson until the new year so I figured I would commemorate it with a Parisian style outfit complete with a Chanel inspired jumper and leopard print beret.

Thank you to everyone who replied with suggestions of presents for my brothers! I'm heading into Newcastle early today to try and finish my Christmas shopping and catch up with one of my favourite ladies over coffee and cake.

p.s my parcel just arrived from Cotton Love, promise I'll post photos tomorrow!

p.p.s yayy 101 followers!! I bloody love you lot!

jumper: Topshop, hat: Topshop, watch: Michael Kors
brogues: Topshop, lipstick: Dior Rose Basier, nail polish: Nails Inc Basil Street

cold days and Christmas shopping

2011-12-04T19:35:00.001Z

It's been a while since I've had an outfit post so I thought I'd do one today. You'll probably remember my suede shorts (seen here and here). They're definitely a wardrobe staple and translate perfectly for summer or winter wear.

Speaking of winter wear I've just ordered a fab vintage mink hat from Cotton Love. You may or may not have heard of this brand before as they're based in Newcastle but they offer a gorgeous selection of vintage pieces... plus they had 22% off tonight so I saw no reason not to treat myself! (If you follow them on twitter you can get the code from there). Promise I'll post pictures of it when it arrives!

I've spent the day buying Christmas cards and a few bits and pieces to wrap up. The shops are already getting manic so I want to get all of my shopping done soon, luckily I'm nearly finished and only have my little brothers to buy for. Any suggestions for an 18 and a 16 year old lads would be very much appreciated!

Hope you all had a fab weekend.

jumper: H&M, suede shorts: Topshop, scarf: H&M, boots: Topshop

Lady Gaga for Elle

2011-12-02T13:20:00.003Z

So Elle arrived yesterday and I was excited to see Lady Gaga's latest UK cover. I think the shoot is beautiful and the ethereal colours look amazing. Personally I'm undecided but love her or hate her there is something admirable about her desire to be different and encourage others to do the same. I do applaud some of her fashion choice but sometimes I find her a little too extreme.. a dress made entirely from meat? really?
What are your thoughts?

Plus unless you've been living in a bubble I'm sure you will have seen some if not all of the Victoria Secret videos from this year's show. They always put on a spectacular show and this year definitely lived up to the hype. I think the Aquatic Angels were my favourite this year, for one moment in particular..

Adam Levine stopping to give Anne V a quick kiss as he serenades her down the runway, so cute!

all snuggled up

2011-12-01T22:57:00.002Z

New pyjamas, brilliant bed time reading and pretty flowers. What more could a girl want?

After being run off my feet all day I decided the best way to punish myself for my hard day's work was to head straight to ballet... suffice to say my body hates me right now! But after being so busy all day it feels great to come home and snuggle up with a hot choc (with plenty of baby marshmallows) and read a book. I love winter.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..

2011-11-29T23:41:00.000Z

Now those of you who know me well know that I am of an excitable nature, ESPECIALLY when it comes to Christmas! So in order to prevent myself from going overboard and irritating my nearest and dearest with my enthusiasm I have devised a simple yet effective plan a few years ago:
do not begin getting excited until after your birthday.

Now that's out the way I refuse to feel guilty. Plus as a consumer I'm being encouraged by shops to feel this way. Take my last trip to the Metro Centre... I mean how can you not feel excited when faced with a giant light-up reindeer? Come on!!

and yes, I know I'm still being rubbish but please cut me a bit of slack.. I have literally spent a good 8 hours on an application form, which reminds me by the way: if anyone would like to know how to modify a PDF, I am now a bloody expert!!

Also you may have noticed the appearance of other bloggers buttons, if you want to trade buttons with me you can find the link to mine on my 'About Me' page and feel free to send me yours!

Two little ducks..

2011-11-28T13:58:00.000Z

First of all thank you for all the birthday messages!! I am now officially 22!
Had a brilliant birthday, spending Saturday evening with some of my favourite people (although some of my best friends couldn't make it up). We started the night with Teppanyaki at Fujiyama before heading to bars in Newcastle. Far too many cocktails and tequila shots later (as you can probably see by the deteriorating quality of photos) there were a lot of sore heads yesterday..

Ok I know and I'm sorry..

2011-11-25T11:43:00.000Z

..for being a bit rubbish this last week with my blogging and blog reading. I promise I will get on and reply to everyone who has contacted me as soon as I can! The last couple of days have been a little crazy. I'm a firm believer that if the universe throws you a metaphorical bone you should run after it as fast as your bloody legs can carry you. After weeks (well if I'm honest months) I'm beginning to feel like I'm moving forward and I am extremely grateful to the people who are showing me support right now. And of course to the ones who let me moan and whine and talk their ear off when I haven't been in such a positive place. Kinda seemed like a suitable time to be doing a post like this what with our lovely friends over the pond celebrating their thanksgiving yesterday!

Hello motivation, it's nice to have you back.

p.s. It's my birthday on Sunday and I've found my dress for tomorrow night... I'll share a sneak peak of it soon!

current favourites

2011-11-22T16:56:00.001Z

Book: Roland Barthes Travels in China, jumper: H&M, leather iphone wallet: boutique in Copenhagen, scarf: H&M, nail polish: Nails Inc: Basil St, watch: Michael Kors

Just a few of my favourite bits and pieces at the moment.

The book is one that I haven't had a chance to start yet but really looking forward to reading. It was a freebie from my boss (perks of a publishing intern) and is an uncorrected proof of the diary notes kept by Barthes during his travels in China in 1947 with a small delegation of French philosophers. I love looking at people's notebooks and scrapbooks, there's something slightly voyeuristic about it, and I like the way that the text is scattered including lists and sketches along with his intimate notations. I don't want to pick it up yet though because I'm taking part in the book group on Twitter, so currently reading Jasper Fforde's Shades of Grey. Are any of you getting involved? If you want more info you can find it here.

Let there be light: Lumiere Durham 2011

2011-11-21T15:37:00.000Z

For the last few days Durham has been lit up by beautiful light installations from a number of talented artists for Lumiere 2011. Having visited the first Lumiere back in 2009, I was eager to visit this year. Having been an underrated attraction a couple of years ago, this year's Lumiere definitely had a better PR campaign. I don't think I've ever seen so many people in Durham, for a small historical city the amount of human traffic was slightly overwhelming. These are some snaps that I managed to get on the night but there are lots of (much better quality) photos on the website if you want to see more.

My favourite piece of the night was the installation by Tracey Emin, a single phrase scrawled in blue neon lighting on the side of a church: 'be faithful to your dreams'. I didn't get any great shots of it but you can see it here. From the giant snow-globe in Market Square to the light show that was projected onto Durham Cathedral, the Lumiere was a beautifully tongue-in-cheek spectacle.

The Nutcracker Ballet

2011-11-18T15:40:00.000Z

Spent an elegant night at the ballet with Mam, having bought her tickets to see Northern Ballet's The Nutcracker for her birthday. The Tchaikovsky score is beautiful and the dancers were amazing. I have to admit that it was Martha Leebolt, dancing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, who stole the show. It was a gorgeous night and now I'm feeling more festive than ever...

feeling festive

2011-11-17T15:40:00.001Z

It's my birthday next weekend so I'm searching for the perfect party dress. All the glitter and sequins in shops at the moment is making me feel so festive! Think I'm going to opt for something with a bit of sparkle...

Now I need to go and get ready- I'm taking my Mam to the ballet tonight to see The Nutcracker.

Collage one:
Ella Luna silk sequined dress from farfetch.com
Aldo Safko glitter bow ballet pumps
Valorie glitter evening clutch from Style Passport
OPI Christmas glitter collection

Collage two:
Cluster sequin top by Vince
Ted Baker Feopora sequin hem skirt
Warehouse sequin shorts
Aldo Mcintyde glitter bow heeled shoe
Dune Luckie glitter loafers
Models Own glitter nailpolish

The Row

2011-11-14T23:29:00.000Z

I've always been a fan of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's still and I can remember back in 2007 when The Row was launched I was excited to see what they would come up with. I love that their collection is more about the clothes themselves than trying to create a flashy brand that screams OLSEN TWINS DESIGNED THIS. In fact I think the clothes do scream Olsen in that their simplicity and wearability means that they can be just thrown own (particularly their range of t-shirts as modelled by Cupcakes & Cashmere's Emily for StyleMint, see here). I'm a big fan of this year's collection. The pieces are still in keeping with the minimalist and modern style of the brand, and I love the elegant and ladylike lines that are being used. The yellow coat and grey Yetrull dress are my definite favourites..

think pink

2011-11-14T14:01:00.000Z

pretty flowers, warm knits, a statement clutch and furry hats: a little bit of colour is always nice to brighten up the wintery weather.

classic English ghost stories

2011-11-13T13:26:00.002Z

Last night I went to see The Awakening with a couple of friends and I think it's reignited my love of horror. I loved scary films when I was younger but after lots of disappointing endings I find that I prefer thrillers or dystopian films to farfetched horrors... I blame The Unborn and it's stupid ending! Anyway, The Awakening is set in post WW1 Britain and follows Florence, a well educated young lady and supernatural sceptic who sets out to expose spiritualist fraudsters. Carefully constructed and beautifully shot, this is a chilling and ambiguous ghost story. With her elegant but practical wardrobe filled with her beautifully crafted engraved silver cigarette case to her plain brogues, clean cut shirts and long masculine coats, I couldn't help falling in love with the style of the chic protagonist Florence (played by Rebecca Hall).

Lest we forget

2011-11-11T10:54:00.001Z

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

In 1918 on the 11th Day of the 11th month a ceasefire at 11am marked the end of WW1.
I don't want to become political with this blog but WW1 was a war (like many others) which saw the loss of too many lives. In England we wear poppies as our mark of respect to the dead, and to show that the ultimate sacrifice they made will always be remembered. However, it wasn't only the British soldiers who gave their lives on Flanders Fields; I wear my poppy today as a mark of respect and remembrance to every soldier who lost their lives not only in the Great War but in any war. Please remember everyone whose lives have been lost in war today.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

Mary Elizabeth Frye - 1932

happy one hundred posts!

2011-11-11T01:24:00.002Z

Well after sporadic posting I have finally managed to reach my 100th post! I should probably write something relating to that but since I've spent the past two days at my new internship in a publishing house I decided I wanted to write about books. One which I've just finished reading and another which is one of my favourite reads...

Just before I started interning, my boss gave me a copy of a couple of the books in The Art of Living series. The company I'm working for is called Acumen, and is a publisher of academic texts on philosophy, history and classical studies. The Art of Living is a series which they have been publishing since 2008. When I first researched the company it was something that really interested me, and in my chat with the editor I asked a lot about it because I think it's a great idea. Philosophy is such an interesting subject but people are intimidated and frightened away by the idea that it's too highbrow and middle-class. The series is perfect for changing perspectives. Whether you're a public thinker or a member of the thinking public, they are designed to be read and understood by anyone. You don't have to be a graduate or an academic or have any prior knowledge on the topic. Each of the books tackle different philosophical debates from clothes, to our attitudes to marriage and commitment, fame and death. One of the copies I received was Clothes. Having read it whilst in Copenhagen, it was interesting to learn about the history of philosophical debates about clothes, and what the things we wear say about us. It put me in mind of one of my favourite books- Justine Picardie's My Mother's Wedding Dress. It's a small memoir made up of stories and memories that are held by clothes. Picardie looks at how our garments contribute to the fabric of our lives. Each chapter focuses on a different garment and the memories which this item of clothing holds. It's a very touching and beautifully written book.

Thank you to everyone who has asking about my internship, it's going really well and I'm enjoying learning more about the publishing world! As well as philosophy for that matter...

If you don't already remember you can follow me using blogger, bloglovin, or twitter.

Copenhagen

2011-11-08T22:43:00.000Z

Hello everyone! Thanks for all your comments, I got back from Copenhagen last night and was too tired to do anything but eat! I had a brilliant holiday although the last couple days were a bit stressful as one of my friends hurt herself quite badly, but we're all home now and still in one piece, just.

Today I've been busying writing a piece for The Crack Magazine for the Legally Blonde Musical, which will be in Sunderland in Dec. Cue lots of coconut biscuits and watching clips on youtube, before my French class tonight. Now the rest of my evening will be all about reading. I've managed to score an internship at a publishing company in Durham and it's my first day tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Gone to Copenhagen...

2011-11-02T12:25:00.000Z

... be back on Monday x

Michelle as Marilyn

2011-11-01T15:54:00.000Z

The new copy of Elle arrived today and I couldn't resist commenting... how beautiful does Michelle Williams look??

I subscribe and so it's the collectors covers which I get (pictured above). On the cover of the normal edition Michelle Williams is pictured wearing a gorgeous pale blue dress. You can view some shots on their website here. I've read a few posts about this cover which were slightly disgruntled and even a little disappointed that Michelle is sporting a pixie crop and dainty feminine lace and silk outfits, rather than exuding Marilyn Monroe with a glamourous fifties look. Personally I'm glad they didn't go for that spin. Although I can't wait to see her portrayal of the ultimate blonde sex symbol, I think it would have been overkill to have her pose in Marilyn Monroe inspired outfits while she's promoting the film. Plus with Rihanna gracing last month's British Vogue as a blonde bombshell (inspired by Faye Dunaway), I can't help but think it would've been a bit to samey for Elle to shoot Michelle Williams in Marilyn style look. Or is that just me?

Anyway, back to Michelle... My Week With Marilyn is due to hit the cinema near my birthday so I'm hoping I'll not have any problems finding someone to drag along! It's based on the time which Marilyn spent in England while filming The Prince and The Showgirl. While I wouldn't say it's my favourite of Monroe's films, it is definitely worth watching. I'm interested to see how the filming of it will be incorporated into My Week With Marilyn. The trailers have really whetted my appetite and it looks as though Jill Taylor has done a fantastic job with the wardrobe which all looks amazing. I was pleasantly surprised at how much Michelle Williams resembles Marilyn. To see the official trailer click here.

Hope you all enjoyed Halloween, it was great to hear what your favourite movies are!

Halloween's coming...

2011-10-30T18:20:00.001Z

...and carving pumpkins at work the other day got me into the Halloween spirit!
What are your favourite Halloween movies?

I guess The Nightmare Before Christmas is more of a Christmas film than a Halloween one but I love it. Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Put on your pearls, girls

2011-10-28T13:12:00.005+01:00

Just a few of my favourites from the best ladylike dressers...

Following on from yesterday's inspiration: Kate Middleton, I wanted to look at the different people who's ladylike style inspires me. Obviously Audrey Hepburn's name is synonymous with dressing in a classically chic way and these two outfits, both taken from stills from Paris When It Sizzles, encapsulate that. It's not the greatest of her films but it has a fantastic wardrobe. Lauren Conrad on the other hand isn't probably the most obvious choice but this outfit (worn for Heidi and Spencer Pratt's wedding) was perfect. She looked demure and immaculate, and the Chanel bag is gorgeous. Similarly, the pink Oscar de la Renta dress worn by Sarah Jessica Parker is another of my favourites, and I loved the episode that it appeared in. I think out of all of the SATC series, season 6 has the best (and probably most wearable) wardrobe. Final choices: Alexa Chung really goes without saying. She looks adorable in almost anything she throws on, but I particularly love the wicker Chanel bag. And of Olivia Palermo, to show that ladylike dressing isn't all about dresses and pencil skirts, it can have masculine twist.

'a return to more ladylike dressing'

2011-10-27T16:30:00.002+01:00

The dress that everyone has spent the day discussing and debating is, it turns out, Amanda Wakeley (from her AW06 collection- although when you see the catwalk photos it's design has been altered a little).
Looking through the various shots from Kate's first solo engagement, there's something about Kate Middleton that is extremely likeable. I can't quite put my finger on what it is but it's there. She always looks effortlessly chic and immaculately turned out. It was WKW who managed to identify the beautiful gown and WKW's editor Susan Kelley has written a brilliant piece for the Telegraph on Kate's style, (read it here).

She might not be our official princess, but the Duchess of Cambridge is certainly dressing the part, with a timeless wardrobe that definitely rivals the one which belonged to Princess Diana (and probably will not date so quickly...)In the wise words of Susan Kelley: 'Kate is symbolic of a bigger movement, a return to more ladylike dressing'.

Follow WKW's twitter page here.

Images from THE MIRROR

black and navy?

2011-10-26T15:30:00.000+01:00

As promised, I wanted to share my latest ASOS bargain: navy suede with a little bows and a five inch heel. I think I'm in love! They're so comfortable to walk in and I can't wait to wear them. My only dilemma is that we're approaching tight (and snow) season. I've always been against skin coloured (they remind me of old people) so I either opt for black in various deniers or for bare legs (I'm a northerner - we were designed for the cold). So the question is this- do navy and black go with each other? Or will these be a bare legs only pair of heels?

On a slightly different note, I'm in search of a new camera. As you will probably have already noticed I'm relying on my Iphone since my old camera died a death but it's my birthday soon so I'm thinking it may be time to invest in a SLR. Any advice?

Sunniside

2011-10-25T11:57:00.001+01:00

For those of you who know me you know that I live in Sunderland but spend a lot of time in Newcastle. There is no comparison between the cities, and I prefer Newcastle by a long shot. Though there are bits of Sunderland that I do love, like Sunniside.
Just a quick one because I'm meeting a friend this afternoon for coffees and a catch up. I'll probably be posting later though because I want to share my latest bargain with you..which just arrived today in a nice box from ASOS! Yes, yes I know, I am completely addicted to internet shopping...

p.s think I got a little overzealous with my knitting last night - my fingers feel like they're blistering! But it's worth it because it's finally taking shape!

Good morning!

2011-10-24T09:46:00.001+01:00

Hope you all had a great weekend. Everyone on twitter seems to be suffering from the Monday blues but I'm too excited for my holiday (it's just over a week now until I'll be off to Copenhagen!!)
Anyway, I've started a new project:

I'll tell you what it is when it's start to take it's shape more..

good food and family

2011-10-23T23:25:00.001+01:00

Who doesn't love winter BBQs? Not really a proper outfit post either... Sunday's were made to be lazy days.

(p.s my legs kinda look a weird shape on this since I'm sitting on the bottoms of them...never mind!)

currently lusting after...

2011-10-21T11:57:00.004+01:00

coat: River Island, bag: Zara, jumper: River Island, cossack hat: River Island, maroon dress: Topshop, suede boots: ASOS.

I definitely do not need any more new clothes but I can't help lusting over these pieces. Perfect for my little trip to Copenhagen. I have to admit I do already own two of these (as you can probably remember I got the zara bag a little while back, you can see my post on it here. Then I treated myself to the maroon dress from Topshop yesterday, it was only £20 though so it would be rude not to!) Had a lovely catch up yesterday afternoon with A; it was pretty cold in Newcastle giving me the perfect excuse to throw on my new sheepskin coat.

if you don't already....

on a shoestring

2011-10-21T00:53:00.000+01:00

Just a little something I spotted while I was on my way to ballet.

I don't know who put them there or why.

fur coat friendly weather

2011-10-19T15:09:00.000+01:00

Today is definitely one of those days where a huge coat is mandatory! Having been rediscovering the joys of Sex and the City recently I can't help lusting over some of her wintery outfits. Right now I have major fur coat envy since mine are currently all still in the loft (with the exception of the my new sheepskin). That being said I've barely ventured out of the house unless absolutely necessary (ie for French lessons, work, ballet class or meeting friends...). It's probably just laziness but I'm making the following excuses:

1. ALL of my 'proper' winter clothes are in the loft - big coats, thick jumpers, boots are all still packed away (of course the way the weather is right now I can guarantee that they won't be staying up there for much longer!)

2. I am trying to avoid going anywhere near the shops and spending money which I should be saving for Copenhagen.

The second point is sort of made redundant by the fact that my ASOS addiction is at an all time high; this has quickly lead to the realisation that yes actually I can spend a lot of money without even having to leave the warmth of my house...

city chic

2011-10-18T00:05:00.001+01:00

I'm loving ladylike shirts and shorts combinations at the moment; I think this is possibly because I'm currently on the hunt for outfits suitable for cold weather. I'm going away in a few weeks to Copenhagen with some friends and I have already been warned to pack for Arctic conditions by my friend living in Sweden. I've started trying to think of outfits now so I can be organised and have a nice capsule wardrobe (I am notorious for overpacking). Expect more Danish inspired posts as my holiday gets closer and I get more excited! Shorts are a great option because they look good with tights during the daytime but then can be paired with heels on the night. I will definitely be taking my beloved suede shorts that I have told you about in older posts (see here and here). Also currently lusting after a gold Michael Kors watch, among many other things of course..

pussy-bow blouse: Select Fashion, shorts: A Wear, shoes: ASOS, bag: Diane Von Furstenberg, watch: Michael Kors.

puppy love

2011-10-17T13:49:00.001+01:00

When one of my friends told me she was getting a puppy last week I thought she was joking. Turns out I was wrong... meet Ted.

Today is all about CV editing, cover letter writing and the desperate search for North East based publications that will let me write for them!! Expect A LOT of procrastination and probably more blog posts when I get distracted...

jumper: Topshop

Lazy days

2011-10-16T18:21:00.002+01:00

After being full of cold all week I've been trying to take it easy this weekend. I went for a little visit to Tynemouth today with the rents. It was a gorgeous bright day but it was freezing! Perfect excuse to stop for a hot chocolate. I didn't buy much but I picked up a copy of Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides for £1... sadly it is going to have to be added of my pile of books that I already want to read since I still have 400 pages until I'm finished A Suitable Boy.... guess it will have to wait! Hope you are all having a brilliant weekend.

dress: Asos, scarf: vintage, ballet pumps: Topshop, satchel: vintage.

All the fun of the fair

2011-10-13T01:00:00.000+01:00

The couple of days I've been full of cold and feeling a little bit sorry for myself, and it's all because of Hull Fair. I spent the weekend down in Hull catching up with some of my favourite ladies in the whole wide world, and of course fair is in town at the moment so we couldn't resist visiting. Cue junk food, far too many sweets and many many bruises from the rides! It was a miserable night and we got absolutely drenched but it was one of the best nights I've had in ages. Before we got there I had been warned that the fair was a big deal in Hull, yet I still wasn't prepared for the sheer size of it! It's the biggest travelling fair in Europe and one of the oldest (this year was the 718th anniversary!!) I love fun fairs. It was definitely worth being ill for. There's something about fairs that make me feel so festive.

p.s apologies for the very blurred photo..I'm blaming the rain (and the motion of being on a ride while taking it...)

latest obsession: sheepskin

2011-10-11T15:06:00.000+01:00

This is my new baby. Found in a brilliant charity come vintage shop in Darlington. I can't wait now for the weather to get cold enough for me to wear it!

I'm a big fan of sheepskin and love the colour of it. It was such a bargain and is in fantastic condition. It looks as though however owned it treated it as a 'just for special occasions' coat. This was a perfectly timed find since I was just in the middle of searching for a replacement for I found a sheepskin coat a few years back in a charity shop. Again another big cosy coat that I was obsessed with but unfortunately when I got it out of the loft I noticed a lot of water (possibly some sort of oil) damage on the back of it. Luckily my family is quite interested in fabrics and know a good deal about looking after them properly so I spoke to my Nana to get her advice on how this could be removed. She tried cleaning it with various different suede brushes but still the mark won't budge! Anyone with any ideas of how I can get rid of it would be greatly appreciated but I have a feeling that this is going to be a bit of a lost cause. Plus I think I prefer new one (better colour and better fit) so maybe I'm best off just cutting my losses?

macaroon manicure

2011-10-10T18:47:00.001+01:00

I've been noticing lately that a lot of people are latching onto the trend of mismatching, multi-coloured (or patterned) nails. From one of my favourite blogs, Cupcakes and Cashmere to Kelly Rowland on the British X Factor, its seems that everyone is experimenting with mixing colours and designs. I decided to give it a try myself with a subtle macaroon colour palette inspired by Ladurée. Any thoughts?

An english gentleman

2011-10-07T15:40:00.000+01:00

I haven't posted before about menswear but when I heard about the collaboration between Barbour and Grenson, I couldn't not get excited! When picking out pieces I tend to go for classic, timeless shapes. It is more important to me to have a few staple pieces that are high quality and beautifully made than to have a wardrobe overflowing with cheap, badly cut but 'on trend' items. When I saw collaborative shoes from Barbour and Grenson the first thing that caught my eye was the exquisite craftsmanship. Both of the British companies have histories that are deeply rooted in manufacturing products which are renowned for their high quality and traditional design.

When asked by Dazed Digital about the collaboration, Steve Buck, Managing Director of Barbour said: “Developing our footwear range is a key part of Barbour’s lifestyle strategy. It was important for us to work with a partner who has a shared belief in quality, innovation and attention to detail. Grenson is renowned for being one of the finest UK producers of luxury footwear and their history, heritage and company philosophy is very similar to Barbour. The footwear we have developed together is of the highest quality, incorporating elements of our signature style into beautifully crafted boots and brogues.”

The resulting collaboration blends the aesthetic beauty of Grenson's brogues and boots with the durable, practical classic designs of Barbour. The line is a limited edition for AW 11 and is going to be stocked at selected independent boutiques. Here in the North East, the line will be stocked by the brilliant menswear specialist Aphrodite, who have the Acklam, Egton and Espresso Marske styles (pictured above) available.

compromise

2011-10-06T13:29:00.000+01:00

Today is the first day that it has actually started to feel like October. The air is getting colder and it is almost as if you can feel the seasons clicking into place. It's such a nice, bright day today but there is definitely a wintery bite in the wind. Too cold for bare legs but I'm still not ready to move into tights so I am compromising with long socks.

'If you're not going to do something special it isn't worth doing'

2011-10-06T09:35:00.003+01:00

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Like the rest of the world I woke up to the news that Apple's founder and former CEO has passed away. Steve Jobs was a remarkable man and a true visionary who completely revolutionised the way in which we communicate. Thoughts are with his family on this sad day.

Something for a Wednesday afternoon...

2011-10-05T08:48:00.002+01:00

Shameless bit of plugging but if you're in Newcastle today make sure you stop by the Fine Art student's jumble sale! There will be all kinds of goodies from clothes to cutlery. One of my good friends Paul is a very talented artist and is trying to raise money for his final degree show. There's going to be plenty of bargains to be picked up so don't miss out!

À bout de souffle

2011-10-04T15:18:00.002+01:00

So there's been a little change of circumstance which now means that I am starting French lessons, rather than Spanish. So as a nod to that I'll leave you with stills from one of my favourite films, Breathless, starring one of my favourite actresses, the ever so chic Jean Seberg. Wish me luck!

coat lust

2011-10-03T19:06:00.000+01:00

Despite the weather being weird at the minute, in my head I'm ready for the winter to come.
With winter weather comes winter clothes and I couldn't help but lust over coats on Net A Porter.

I love this orange Alberta Ferreti coat, probably because it reminded me so much of the one sported by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany's.

I think this Miu Miu one may actually be my favourite (albeit a little out of my price range).

chic and ladylike from Sonia by Sonia Rykiel and Giambattista Valli.

Pretty plaids from Burberry Prorsum and Missoni.

While I was trawling the web I also found these two lovelies on Skirt. I did see them last month but while the weather was ok it seemed like a waste to buy coats! Little disappointed now they're both sold out as I'm loving the fisherman chic.

Despite not being overly practical as a winter coat, I think these YMC coats would be great while the weather is in between.

Indian summer?

2011-10-02T18:50:00.002+01:00

Ok so maybe I spoke too soon about our Indian summer in the North East. Today it has rained ALL day. Never mind! I've still had a good day catching up with friends, and watching films with my Mam. In a gesture to the crazy weather (the UK's Indian summer) we watched Salaam Bombay. All in all it's been a lovely, lazy Sunday.

This is my favourite scene: Krishna and Manju dancing in her mother's bedroom

Rain Dance

For those who haven't seen it, Salaam Bombay focuses on the lives of street children in India. Mira Nair's cinematography is fantastic capturing the vibrancy and the fast pace of life in Mumbai (or Bombay as it was then). This is a film that will captivate and fascinate you then break your heart. It's Nair's tribute to the darker side of life in India from drug addiction to prostitution, a far cry from the sequins of Bollywood. The acting is all brilliant, but it's the street children that steal the film. Selected from actual street children they deliver a raw and realistic portrayal of life in India.

summer time in October?

2011-10-01T21:57:00.001+01:00

The last couple weeks I've been slowly putting together my new A/w wardrobe; buying wool mini skirts, jumpers, searching for the perfect pair of black suede ankle boots (no luck as of yet). Then what happens?? We get a heatwave! The weather in the UK is pretty odd at the best of times, but I don't ever remember it being 25 degrees in October. Yes I'm loving the fact that I could sit and sunbathe in the garden on my day off. However this has totally thrown me!! I was just getting ready to pack away all my summer clothes and little tops, and make the transition to all things warm and cosy. Ahhh well I have a day off tomorrow and I am hoping it is going to be as nice as it's been the past couple days. The only trouble is...what happens when the bubble bursts and the warm weather vanishes? But hey let's not end on a negative note, I'm all about POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDES at the moment so here's something to make you smile...

Spotted on the side of a house on Chillingham Rd in Newcastle. They repaint it every now and this is one of the more memorable ones :)

p.s I don't think I really mind waiting for the bad weather to come!

p.p.s I'm now using BlogLovin' so please feel free to follow (there's a link on the right hand side) and I'll be sure to check out your blog!

coffee, Coppola, cake and artist's journals

2011-09-27T22:44:00.001+01:00

Bonsoir! I went into Newcastle with a couple of the girls for lunch and to try and make the most of my day off. While walking down Grey Street I noticed a new bakery has opened, Ma Provence. Unfortunately we had already stopped for lunch so I did not get to sample anything. I have to say that their gaufre chocolat looked (and smelled) AMAZING!! I did manage to grab a coffee to go, and I'll definitely be stopping by next time I get a chance! The French theme reminded me of a gorgeous book I found in a charity shop for £1 a little while ago.

It's a biography of Marie Antoinette and I love the patterned cover. It reminded me of a collaboration by various artists which was released to coincide with the release of Sofia Coppola's film. I stumbled across the project online while researching journal artists during my final year of A-Level. The result was an amazing journal filled with gorgeous pages of Marie Antoinette inspired pieces.

Some of my favourite pages where these below by Anahata Katkin

Looking through the images made me want to return to Sofia Coppola's gorgeous cinematography. Whether or not you enjoyed the movie itself, you can't deny that aesthetically it is beautiful.

chic and grown up

2011-09-25T22:18:00.000+01:00

This week was the lovely J's birthday. On a similar note to lady-like dressing, she demonstrated that manners cost nothing by sending everyone who wished her happy birthday a thank you card or messages of thanks. It's nice to be nice.

As I've already mentioned, I've been attracted more and more to work wear. I feel as if I'm moving towards a more grown up and chic style. These babies are my latest purchase and I'm already in love. At 4 inches the heel is a perfect height for day time or evening wear. I also picked up a great grey wool skirt from H&M which i think is going to be a great, and a cute basic black dress. There's something very elegant about dressing smartly for work, and I think it affects your attitude towards work. I am a firm believer that you are more focussed and work harder when you're properly attired.

Jack Kerouac's On the Road

2011-09-20T12:45:00.001+01:00

"the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn"

On a similar theme to yesterday's bookish post, two of my favourite books: Jack Kerouac's On the Road, and F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, are about to be adapted into film. (I'll probably post more on The Great Gatsby soon as it deserves more that just a passing mention being one of my favourite novels!) Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy films but it is sometimes a little bit heartbreaking to see one of your favourite reads recreated as a less than adequate film. I have my fingers crossed and I'm hoping these two will not disappoint! I think the casting for both sounds amazing for both, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I agree with the choices of actors! I can't wait to see the trailers. What are your thoughts on film adaptations of book? Any favourites?

October issues

2011-09-19T21:41:00.000+01:00

Being a regular reader of Vogue and Elle, there are not many other magazines which I buy. This month though I couldn't resist getting my hands on Harper's Bazaar after seeing photos of the Alexa Chung shoot. My favourite has got to be the blue Burberry dress. Love.

Ordinarily I would always say the September issues are my favourite, but this year I think I'm actually preferring the October issues. I particularly liked the feature on the English Woman in Vogue. One of the featured actresses, Felicity Jones had a particularly inspiring article. When referring to her bookish habits she remarked 'I stopped looking at the free papers because I realised I might die without having read War and Peace'. It suddenly made me realise that since I've graduated I'm not reading enough (obviously not including the books I've had to read over the past couple of weeks for reviews for The Crack Magazine and North East Lifestyle). So I've come to a decision to try and read for at least an hour a day in the hope that the pile of books I want to read will start to get a little smaller...

Natalia Vodianova's White Fairy Tale Love Ball

2011-09-14T23:41:00.002+01:00

This is the first dress was that Valentino Garavani has made since his retirement in 2008, without a doubt it was worth the wait. I love the colour and I think she looks every bit the Russian princess. Note the tiara on her head with snowflake shaped diamonds. One word: amazing.

The fairy tale theme was a great idea for the Love Ball and I think it worked really well with the approach of the AW 11 collections. Russian ballerina/princess is definitely going to be the look I aspire to when the weather gets cold...

Oscar de la Renta

Yves Saint Laurent and Ulyana Sergeenko

images from Vogue.com

Friends With Benefits

2011-09-13T13:22:00.003+01:00

One of my friends is training for the Great North Run on Sunday so we haven't had a lot of opportunities to catch up. A couple of nights ago we did all manage to get together for a trip to the cinema to see Friends With Benefits. Completely cheesy but totally satisfying, it was just what we all needed!

How gorgeous is Mila Kunis??
I loved these two outfits, especially the James Perse wrap skirt.

So much to do today that i'm actually working my way down a list. Plus i start one of my new courses tonight. busy busy

pretty places

2011-09-12T17:33:00.004+01:00

It wasn't what I was looking for but it was something that caught my eye.

This picture by Jill Preston and just appeared on my google results when I was busy looking for something else.
It reminded me of Staithes, a place I haven't been to in a long time, and also of Burano, a place I want to visit.

birthday bashes and bargains

2011-09-11T19:41:00.004+01:00

Just a quick outfit post.. One of my best friends has got her birthday next week so i've been at a tea party at her mam's house.
The skirt is a new purchase, inspired by the lovely Yaz. It's from asos and I spotted her wearing it in one of her blog posts a few weeks back (she has it in white). When i had a look on the website it was reduced and I loved the shape of it so thought why the hell not treat myself. (because I am meant to be going on holiday in december and should be saving money...that's why not. Anyway that's another story....). It only came the other day and I'm a massive stickler for material and cuts of fabric but I love it! It's nice and heavy with plenty of material so it hangs really well.

Isn't it funny when the one time you're trying to save money you find a load of things you need/want to buy?? Well I'm having one of those phases right now!! I need to be saving money for a trip in December (more about that when I'm more organised!) but right now all I seem to be doing is finding things I need. one of the funny things I've noticed since I finished uni is that I need lots more 'grown up' clothes. I've always been into classic shapes but I think as I've got older I'm becoming more conscious of looking professional. plus I managed to scored an interview for an internship at a PR company in newcastle so i need to make sure I have plenty of smart outfits! fingers crossed!!

top: Topshop, skirt: ASOS, bag: Zara

oatmeal cookies

2011-09-06T22:18:00.002+01:00

So when I was flicking through blogs the other day, I noticed that the lovely November Grey has recipes posted! Since I'm on a health kick (yes still), I decided to try out her recipe for oatmeal cookies...

The recipe was really easy to follow and the cookies came out great!! I was so surprised about the banana in them!

If you want to give them a try you can find November Grey's recipe here

CHANEL

2011-09-01T20:35:00.001+01:00

One of the first female entrepreneurs, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's company continues to demonstrate the power of the brand. You only need to glance at the double C logo and it is instantly recognisable as a symbol for timelessly chic, classically shaped and exquisitely made clothing, accessories, jewellery, makeup and more... One of the things I love about Chanel is that the pieces are all very classic shapes which are timeless rather than trend-driven (which I'm realising more and more is the kind of shape I go for). It's not just the brand that I love though, I am fascinated by the woman behind it. I recently bought Justine Picardie's book on Chanel and I can't wait to start reading it, (unfortunately I have a stack of reading at the moment already...including a couple of books that I need finish and review for The Crack...) I think Gabrielle Chanel was an amazingly inspiring woman who demonstrated that hard work and impeccable craftsmanship can create a global enterprise. What is important about Chanel though is that the legacy has lived on and Lagerfield continues to create beautiful timeless pieces.

Laura Bailey, Poppy Delevigne & Alexa Chung

On a slightly different note, I am utterly convinced that those tweed hotpants are clearly a staple (and essential) garment....now I just need to convince someone to buy me a pair. Although that being said I could definitely settle for a 2.55 instead of the hotpants...

(photo from Laura Bailey's blog on Vogue UK)

P.s. Thank you to all the readers who messaged me about my spanish lessons, I can't wait to start learning now!!

Papergirl Newcastle

2011-08-31T15:30:00.001+01:00

Apologies for being MIA for a couple days, I've been recovering from bank holiday sunday....
anyway...

On saturday papergirl came to Newcastle. I had heard little bits about the project online and basically the premise was to hand out free art in the city. The idea is inspired by US paper boys distributing newspapers, volunteers jumped on their bikes to hand out rolls of artwork to passersby. The concept came from an event organised in berlin back in 2005 by Aisha Ronninger.

The group of volunteers met at settle down cafe on the morning to pack up the art (and wrap it in cellophane so nothing got spoilt in the rain)

It was a great event, and such a lovely idea handing art out to people. I even managed to bag myself and my mam a couple of the rolls of art work they were handing out in baltic square..

late lunches

2011-08-27T00:21:00.002+01:00

I had this morning off work so me and my mam decided to have a much needed catch up and she treated me to lunch at fat buddha. One pad thai with king prawns and one king prawn malaysian curry later, we were just about ready to burst.

We finished off food with yulan flower tea.

I think I feel a little daunted by the idea of not being at uni in september and so I've signed up for a couple of adult learning classes. I've wanted to learn a language for years and always been confused as to whether to try French or Spanish. I'm still not really sure which, but a friend of mine also wants to learn Spanish so that kind of made the decision for me. Now I'm all signed up and I start in October. I can't wait to start now, any help for Spanish speaking readers will be much appreciated :)

girl crush: Alexa Chung and Poppy Delevingne

2011-08-23T23:04:00.002+01:00

I adore Alexa Chung, and I think this photo of her and Poppy Delevingne is gorgeous. I love both of their outfits, especially how the colour of Poppy's skirt seems to jump out at you against the colours of the landscape. I found the photo on a post on Laura Bailey's blog, on the Vogue UK website, and it was taken in Grasse.
I love how laid back their style is that it seems almost effortless.

In other news... I've been asked by the lovely Fen to contribute to her feature 'Five Easy Pieces'. I've decided what I want to include for them and I need to get it all sent over to her so keep your eyes peeled (although i'm sure I'll post about it again when it goes onto her blog!) I'm also still hard at work at The Crack Magazine finishing off the guide, ringing businesses up, checking details and generally running around like a maniac to make sure everything is ready to go to press for the beginning of September. Good job I like to be kept busy....

new obsession

2011-08-22T10:00:00.001+01:00

Just a quick one as I have a big pile of work to do today... I've been back working at The Crack Magazine for the past few weeks. I've mainly helping with the stuff for the mini guide to the north east but doing bits and pieces for September's magazine. But before I started on the things for today I wanted to share these beauties....

I found them in the sale in Topshop for £20 and I couldn't resist!

sunday club

2011-08-21T19:35:00.006+01:00

I love sundays. My favourite part has to be meeting up with the girls for lunch and a catch up, aka sunday club. I like having an excuse to get dressed up and have a nice afternoon chilling somewhere with good food and good company.

The weather has been so odd lately. At the minute it's really warm and clammy but not sunny! Perfect excuse to fall back in love with my suede shorts.

Even though I love them, there is a down side to sundays... its unbelievably inconvenient that everything shuts so early...

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suede shorts: Topshop, top: Topshop, scarf: vintage, bag: Mulberry

Jumpers in August

2011-08-20T11:29:00.025+01:00

I spotted this photo on the sartorialist a little while ago and loved the combination of playsuit and the chunky jumper. In theory it shouldn't really work wearing shorts with bare legs and a jumper, but somehow it does. Since the air con at work is invariably broken (leaving us in tropical heat), or on far too high (it currently appears to be set to some sort of arctic setting) I decided to try it out with a new slouchy jumper from Topshop and some baggy floral shorts.

It seems wrong wearing a jumper in august but that's the British summer time for you... rubbish. Wishing I was still in Greece :(

Jumper: Topshop, shorts: Topshop

someone else's shoes..

2011-08-18T10:21:00.004+01:00

First of all congrats to all readers in the UK who are (like my little brother) receiving their A Level results. I hope you all got the marks you wanted!

On a slightly different note... I'm having slight shoe envy over the designs submitted by various celebs to Stuart Weitzman. The gallery of the collection is available on the Vogue site here.

I think my favourites have to be these lovelies designed by Olivia Palermo

Perfect use of feathers without making your foot look like some kind of sesame street character...

There seems to be a theme at the minute of shoes for charity with celebs like Sienna Miller and Colin Firth donating their shoes to Small Steps to be auctioned.

Small steps is a fantastic cause, raising money to help children in poverty. you can see their website for the shoe auction here.

Maurizio Anzeri

2011-07-31T19:05:00.001+01:00

These last few weeks have been beyond hectic, but I've been getting a lot of opportunities to write which is brilliant. I'm back helping out with bits and pieces at The Crack Magazine, and last week Joseph mentioned he'd been to the Maurizio Anzeri exhibition at the Baltic, assuring me that if I went I would love it. Turns out he was right. Plus it was nice to have a little wander around the quayside, even on such a dreary day.

Anzeri's pictures are fascinating, he takes old portraits and embroiders onto them creating new images. I've always loved racking through old photo albums. There's something very voyeuristic about being able to see a tiny snippet of people's lives. The same goes for old postcards. I have dozens of postcards - I particularly love the christmas time ones- which i will have to post on. I love how personal each of them are.

Now i have a whole week off and a holiday in the sun to look forward to. Me and a very good friend are heading to Messonghi in Corfu for a weeks worth of sun, sea and sand. I literally can't wait.

Graze

2011-07-26T09:57:00.002+01:00

With my holiday just around the corner, I'm on a massive health kick at the moment (totally ruined by 3 courses and 2.5 bottles of wine with the ladies last night...it was worth it though). In the spirit of eating (and snacking) healthy I'm loving GRAZE boxes! They come in adorable brown cardboard boxes and you just pick what you want inside.

The HOUR

2011-07-19T23:02:00.001+01:00

Hailed as the BBC's answer to Mad Men.
I've only seen part 1 of 6 and I'm already hooked.

new beginnings

2011-07-18T18:26:00.003+01:00

I am now officially a graduate.
Congrats to everyone in the UK who also had their congregations this week, I hope everything went to plan and you all had as nice a day as I did!

If you've also recently graduated too, there's a brilliant set of article on the Guardian website today offering advice. You can find the link here. I have to admit I found it reassuring to read, and realise that there were a lot of other young people out there with the same worries as me!

dress: Zara

Queen Kate aka Mrs Jamie Hince

2011-07-07T22:57:00.001+01:00

So me, A and her boy went for lunch today and wound up discussing the new Vogue cover over Greek food.

I love the colours, the photo is beautiful and the embroidered Miu Miu dress is gorgeous. That being said A did raise a valid point- somehow it just doesn't look like Kate. I can't put my finger on what it is, maybe it's a combination of the distinct lack of liquid liner and a little too much airbrushing? The 'meet Mrs Jamie Hince' was quite a cute tag though.

It got me thinking about her other covers, and these are a few of my favourite:

April 2010, Sept 2009, Sept 2005

covers taken from the Vogue archive

long or short?

2011-07-07T11:26:00.003+01:00

Now normally I am always a legs girl, but lately I seem to have developed a sudden obsession with maxi and midi skirts. Still not wholly convinced I could pull one off though.

photos from The Sartorialist

treasure trove

2011-07-06T11:42:00.002+01:00

Vintage milk bottles, apothecary jars, handmade notebooks, whicker baskets, retro prints.
RE is one of those shops you could literally spend hours in.

http://www.re-foundobjects.com/

LIFE IN A DAY

2011-06-29T23:39:00.003+01:00

I think this is one of the most moving films I have ever seen.

If you haven't already, then you should definitely go see it.

Bag lady

2011-06-23T14:33:00.007+01:00

I have realised I can't stop spending at the moment, and think I am steadily becoming more and more obsessed with Zara! The clothes are always excellent quality and reasonably well priced. My latest purchases are a black 50s style dress (for graduation...eeek), and the plaited shopper in tan. First spotted in the metro centre store, then on the arm of a friend of mine (her's is the red leather though), and finally flicking through a magazine at work I spotted the shots of Olivia Palermo toting it and convinced myself to buy it! its 100% buffalo leather, and is beautifully made. I think I am in love.

“Shoes must have very high heels and platforms to put women’s beauty on a pedestal” – Vivienne Westwood

2011-06-19T14:03:00.006+01:00

Sorry I've been such a lazy blogger!!
Last week a good friend of mine got me a ticket for the opening of the Vivienne Westwood shoe exhibition at The Bowes Museum.

Such an amazing night- the shoes are fabulous! (i even bagged myself a gold VW water bottle).

I felt a very lucky girl since The Bowes is the only UK venue for the world tour!!

The exhibition features over 40 years worth of Westwood's creations and is a perfect homage to the ingenuity of her design. Her shoes defy the rules of practical footwear, and push boundaries to the limits. It was such a fantastic opportunity to see these amazing creations up close. Each one of them is like a piece of wearable art.

Westwood’s designs are a result of considered and distinctive influences - 16th Century Dutch Delft pottery as the inspiration for her 1996 Toile Print Boot, British colonialism is reflected in the Sahara Plimsoll of 1999, Victorian dandyism influencing the 1996 Trompe l’Oeil Boot and Westwood’s nurse inspired 15.5 centimetre heel Mary Janes of Erotic Zones a salute to S/M and fetishism.

1996 Toile Print Boot

From the Sex Pistols t-shirts to her iconic orb, VW's pieces seem to capture a fragment of history. Her shoes too have understandably gained a reputation and created memorable fashion moments - one of the most memorable being the tumbling of Naomi Campbell on the catwalk in 1993 while wearing the Super Elevated Gillie.

One of her most iconic designs are the Pirate Boots, first seen in 1981 and still being produced and in demand now!!

See the exhibition's mention on the Vogue website here

The exhibition runs from 10th June- 10th July 2011 so if you're in the area be sure to go see them while they're in the UK, before they're sent off to Japan, New York and China!

cakes & castles

2011-06-07T17:14:00.009+01:00

Busy busy weekend. Went up to edinburgh on sunday, the weather was typically Scottish summer time- cold and cloudy (luckily no rain!!)

Then spent monday up in alnwick playing dress-up in the castle, raiding the charity shops and finding new reading material in barter books :)

flowery dress in Edinburgh photos: vintage Laura Ashley
stripy dress in Alnwick photos: Zara

tell me, do you write everyday?

2011-05-30T00:14:00.011+01:00

Sure.
Today?
Sure.
It's a beautiful typewriter.
Of course. It writes nothing but sensitive, intensely felt, promising prose.
There's no ribbon in it.
There isn't?
No

-Breakfast at Tiffany's

There's something about typewriters that I find irresistible. the clacking sound of them is intoxicating. I remember having one as a kid and I've wanted one ever since. I think there's something beautiful about the care which goes into typing. We're too lazy now and it's far too easy to just hit delete or backspace and remove errors. Something written on a typewriter has to be thought out and carefully keyed.

Ernest Hemingway is shown at his typewriter as he works on For Whom the Bell Tolls at Sun Valley lodge, Idaho, in 1939.
Photograph: AP

Agatha Christie behind her desk with towers of her own books piled around her.
Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

Tennessee Williams searches for an idea in his Key West studio in 1957.
Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis

Helen Gurley Brown at home in her Park Avenue apartment in 1965.
Photograph: Corbis

William Faulkner works on a screenplay on a balcony, Hollywood in the early 1940s.
Photograph: Alfred Eriss/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

Bonjour Tristesse author Françoise Sagan in 1955.
Photograph: Thomas D. McAvoy/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

The observant of you may remember that I tweeted about this collection of images a couple of weeks back but I couldn't resist sharing some of my favourites.

You can see the full collection of images on the Guardian website (view gallery).

It's sad that this is another piece of technology which is slowly but surely heading for extinction. Paul Bailey wrote a very moving piece on this for The Guardian. (read article).

So my first week of freedom, having completed a three year degree in English literature has been spent... reading.
I went to chester-le-street with my Dad and found a load of cheap books in charity shops to add to my ever increasing pile of 'books I can now FINALLY read for pleasure'. Currently reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. It seemed a good choice when there's so much upheaval in my life and change happening. I have to say I'm surprised by how much it moved me. It made me think a lot about what I want to achieve in these next couple of years, and how I need to go about it.

Any recommendations of good reads are always welcome (now I have the time to!)

out with the old and in with the new??

2011-05-26T21:51:00.009+01:00

Now Newcastle is a city that's very close to my heart and I'm all for its redevelopment and improvement. That being said a close friend of mine, A, brought the demolition of this building to my attention earlier this evening.

So what is this gorgeous building being knocked down to make room for??

A car park.

Yes, really.

We're in the middle of trying to raise awareness so that this beautiful piece of architecture doesn't just vanish. Find out more here:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_206012356104532

It seems such a shame to lose such a great building

il bel far niente

2011-05-25T00:04:00.010+01:00

I spoke to a Sicilian man last night at work.
As I went through a quotation with him, he answered every question with a joke before giving me his serious response.
At the end of the conversation he thanked me for my time and said 'ciao bella'.
It's funny, the little things that make you smile.

Like this piece of graffiti i walked past in Newcastle yesterday

So this weekend has been a little bit insane.
Thanks to all the bloggers who offered messages of support last week!
I'm all finished now and I've spent the past few days with a bunch of people who collectively have kept the biggest grin on my face you could possibly imagine.

Now I don't know what to do with myself

blue striped dress: Zara
nude heels: Topshop

Happy Birthday Mr President...

2011-05-19T13:48:00.006+01:00

So tomorrow is official hand-in.
I am 24 hours and 12,000 words away from finishing my degree.
I have to admit, I am slightly terrified.

Today is going to be spent nailed to my macbook, finishing off conclusions, and proof reading, but in the spirit of a last couple hours procrastination I thought this was a nice video to share...

Today in 1962, a very special lady sang a very memorable happy birthday:

Now I need to go back to proof reading

Britain's new princess (well sort of..)

2011-04-29T13:14:00.010+01:00

...technically she's a duchess

Ok so I did end up getting a little bit caught up with wedding fever this morning watching the service, but in the words of the immortal Holly Golightly, 'it was all so wildly romantic'.

Kate Middleton looked absolutely stunning in her Alexander McQueen, Grace Kelly inspired wedding dress. Sarah Burton really did do an amazing job

The dress is a gorgeous long, lace sleeved and bodiced piece, and she looked every bit the perfect princess. What I love about it is that its so timeless. Unlike Princess Diana's dress, which was very much of it's day, Kate's has a gorgeous vintage look that won't date.

You can definitely see the parallels to Grace Kelly's 1956 wedding dress

A new icon is born?

images from Guardian & Vogue Websites