tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84817759942260488802024-02-18T22:41:44.821-08:00Magpiemagpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-76963740763692326962013-08-06T07:27:00.001-07:002013-08-06T08:03:17.521-07:00Summer in the city - style inspiration from Roman Holiday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I know it's a bit of a cliche to name Audrey Hepburn as a style inspiration but she does make it look so effortless and so many of her roles really demonstrate the transformative potential of clothing.<br />
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So it was a complete pleasure to stumble across this video on Youtube of Hollywood costumier and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Head">fashion legend Edith Head</a> talking about her designs and work with Hepburn on her breakout movie Roman Holiday (which you can <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hDQlNLZAm8">currently watch for free on Youtube here</a> - get it while you can!).<br />
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Head was the most honoured costume designer in the history of the Oscars and I heartily recommend watching any film she was involved with - she knew how to pick them! And her sketches and illustrations are almost as glorious to look at as watching the actresses move around the screen in the real thing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkJqDuTigHnghKvKNbBAIhvuL9QKfFhY1K8nUia_d35WJsf9KBNkEdhi6outFKUnGnApoCvmpk4-GviV1rGQWIfYRebnJBeOw1VOcqOcfVXan6RCqZ-a8TXxvx3yn0GiSF9fQW2mWKt8/s1600/edithhead2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkJqDuTigHnghKvKNbBAIhvuL9QKfFhY1K8nUia_d35WJsf9KBNkEdhi6outFKUnGnApoCvmpk4-GviV1rGQWIfYRebnJBeOw1VOcqOcfVXan6RCqZ-a8TXxvx3yn0GiSF9fQW2mWKt8/s640/edithhead2.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Costume design for Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina by Edith Head <a href="http://indiefixx.com/2012/06/07/a-style-icon-from-the-past/">via Indie Fixx</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN37yBz6c8sHkU_YQrHHyr2SnI6wjTT8hVpGoZ_c0w3e363U8WC86HZSUrw819qeeHs5skZ04DKX9syEUJmPs6e4qdddMAiyOrTtT0zdjsNSeWbiTu3RdMT_HESGCLALM8K5VC3fZnk_Y/s1600/edith2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN37yBz6c8sHkU_YQrHHyr2SnI6wjTT8hVpGoZ_c0w3e363U8WC86HZSUrw819qeeHs5skZ04DKX9syEUJmPs6e4qdddMAiyOrTtT0zdjsNSeWbiTu3RdMT_HESGCLALM8K5VC3fZnk_Y/s640/edith2.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Costume design for Bettee Davis in All About Eve by Edith Head <a href="http://indiefixx.com/2012/06/07/a-style-icon-from-the-past/">via Indie Fixx</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaC56G6JwrnbT4WCX0FPiWQRFL-vnnZaNTQn4VM-TMOfEqM3F8nq96fd3hrJW2IvmsK1XrYtZbksrV9NOVjQnYoB-N-YCrBxmBASnH2Gn0qOWoGNWLKiLNHIIgxMhDmqI2ZipUFRuXoE/s1600/edithhead111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaC56G6JwrnbT4WCX0FPiWQRFL-vnnZaNTQn4VM-TMOfEqM3F8nq96fd3hrJW2IvmsK1XrYtZbksrV9NOVjQnYoB-N-YCrBxmBASnH2Gn0qOWoGNWLKiLNHIIgxMhDmqI2ZipUFRuXoE/s640/edithhead111.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Costume design for Grace Kelly in Rear Window by Edith Head <a href="http://indiefixx.com/2012/06/07/a-style-icon-from-the-past/">via Indie Fixx</a></td></tr>
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She was also the inspiration for the character of <a href="http://thewomensroom.typepad.com/the_womens_room/2011/01/style-icon-edith-head.html">Edna Mode in The Incredibles</a>. Head had her signature look down pat from a fairly early stage in her own career - the round glasses, blunt fringe, pulled back hair and perfectly cut two-piece suits or jackets slung over crisp shirts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WA8n26PDI4KzCshQpDOqfgRTurWrLGI7-2jlFCyydfOF3VjPVZJJO5XDsnts9TCqdOh9lzBgRH9uIwzI2GXedkWLcP3eOzCDTIUwX53hH2YesHkixM-mfG7Jq2v_f0cdrbbC3NZkBSY/s1600/edith-head-with-forms1-1024x808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WA8n26PDI4KzCshQpDOqfgRTurWrLGI7-2jlFCyydfOF3VjPVZJJO5XDsnts9TCqdOh9lzBgRH9uIwzI2GXedkWLcP3eOzCDTIUwX53hH2YesHkixM-mfG7Jq2v_f0cdrbbC3NZkBSY/s640/edith-head-with-forms1-1024x808.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edith Head at work <a href="http://moviestarmakeover.com/2012/10/06/edith-headquarters/">via Moviestarmakeover</a></td></tr>
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She was also, by all accounts, a completely fascinating woman to talk to. She'd be on the list for my fantasy fashion dinner party alongside <a href="http://magpiemagpiemagpie.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/gertrude-shilling.html">Mrs Shilling</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Y-gM9tYjR4v8G8KHC-kfmS3J8BCKy3ZOHo3bGU-BQJ8a3dLMbgvZIxP_03XoDuZG_ZF_s6lcjku3SEl11lYMTm18dVSOJsmvKAt8eUokl02L5FGUFlO65QlcMaOoCwuSiByCbVjz1Cs/s1600/edithhead10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Y-gM9tYjR4v8G8KHC-kfmS3J8BCKy3ZOHo3bGU-BQJ8a3dLMbgvZIxP_03XoDuZG_ZF_s6lcjku3SEl11lYMTm18dVSOJsmvKAt8eUokl02L5FGUFlO65QlcMaOoCwuSiByCbVjz1Cs/s640/edithhead10.jpg" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://indiefixx.com/2012/06/07/a-style-icon-from-the-past/">Rather good illustrated Edith Head quote by Indie Fixx</a></td></tr>
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For solid, no nonsense advice on style, your first port of call should be Head's <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Dress-Success-Edith-Head/dp/1851775544">How to Dress for Success</a>. (There's some great <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1159633/Edith-Head-Lessons-old-school-glamour.html">extracts on the Daily Mail website</a> of all places though I think you should buy the book rather than visit the Mail).<br />
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It is her vision for the runaway Princess in Rome that's my style inspiration for the hot sticky summer we've been having in London.<br />
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Don't feel like you have to cut all your hair off - a quick and simple ponytail should have a similar effect. Or leave it long if the weather is cool enough to not bother you. <br />
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A full skirt with a belt at the waist and a light cotton shirt or t-shirt is hard to beat. Hepburn's shirt goes through a number of iterations in the movie: buttoned up all the way and full sleeved, sleeves rolled up and collar open with a neck scarf, and my favourite - collar popped and bare necked. She also changes shoes - from smart pumps to roman sandals. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prim and proper early on in the movie</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the original necktie from above plus rolled sleeves</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From an early screen test with popped collar and striped neck scarf</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open collar</td></tr>
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The skirt does need to be a decent length if you, like me, enjoy cycling around the city in the summer as it helps to preserve one's modesty while still letting in a bit of a cooling breeze - a bit of cool air up your skirt on a hot day is the kind of innocently illicit pleasure that makes life worth living and trousers can never really compete on that front.<br />
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It's an almost universally flattering combination. You don't need Hepburn's teen tiny waist to pull it off, I promise - just go for a narrower belt.<br />
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If you don't feel like you're tall enough for a longer skirt a/ you're probably wrong and b/ this combo still works if you adjust the proportions so shorten the shirtsleeves for a shorter skirt. Be aware that long shirt sleeves + short full skirt can err a bit too far towards schoolgirl which is fine if you're going for a Harajuku feel, but not very Hepburn-ish.<br />
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You can dress the whole thing down with a denim jacket or up with a tailored one and soften it with a cardigan. It's really very versatile. Skirts like this, with the all important hip pockets that I think are really essential, aren't all that easy to find at the moment sadly especially at a reasonable price. Ideally, they need to be lined and made of a non-synthetic fabric - cotton is best in summer. My favourite was from a Margaret Howell sample sale and I'd buy another one if I'd ever been able to find it again. <br />
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Right now I quite like these even though most don't have the pockets: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbtNf5Oxnrd4L8IpBa_MzCjqCBjQngncpEtf1lmTUwnT5Hb7Yl3ZpkqhGMMuxubfISVVjlc_aIQG-_1oZzX_jcHr8LHW35F0XMdyyiUB6uICxlfC8I7aO_4XCvMID0ZdpKUoquH16VYc/s1600/lucia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbtNf5Oxnrd4L8IpBa_MzCjqCBjQngncpEtf1lmTUwnT5Hb7Yl3ZpkqhGMMuxubfISVVjlc_aIQG-_1oZzX_jcHr8LHW35F0XMdyyiUB6uICxlfC8I7aO_4XCvMID0ZdpKUoquH16VYc/s640/lucia.jpg" width="547" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tarastarlet.com/shop/skirts">Stripe Lucia skirt by Tara Starlet - £68</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBUXur3U4tQQ8iYKx7D0ZHJEhzrDfVz0JOFA1fen41D4-1OVEEA9rb6vJKwokryb94E34ge1SR6Auqt2g8rjkky3NtgWk3EtNBwn6wqspfjw4Y8KobX0k5gOVJvp6NYW5djubQxJ_-KA/s1600/384415_ou_xl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBUXur3U4tQQ8iYKx7D0ZHJEhzrDfVz0JOFA1fen41D4-1OVEEA9rb6vJKwokryb94E34ge1SR6Auqt2g8rjkky3NtgWk3EtNBwn6wqspfjw4Y8KobX0k5gOVJvp6NYW5djubQxJ_-KA/s640/384415_ou_xl.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/384415">Roksanda Ilincic Tilton wool-cleb crepe skirt - £775</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HwCRfmEZaQ7jID6LQOFL3wOshDJ14jylcVi15y-44Kc-C7kS3HkgByQpD5csFQIj3a4oYTwDbuc2-WIZ1UIdPH4RyMpahYsAl8ST0a2-ubVJPA_YmkCn0TsFj6ZZPcyZRbTMKUflnNg/s1600/image1xxl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HwCRfmEZaQ7jID6LQOFL3wOshDJ14jylcVi15y-44Kc-C7kS3HkgByQpD5csFQIj3a4oYTwDbuc2-WIZ1UIdPH4RyMpahYsAl8ST0a2-ubVJPA_YmkCn0TsFj6ZZPcyZRbTMKUflnNg/s640/image1xxl.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Full-Midi-Skirt-in-Scuba/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2923105&SearchQuery=full%20skirt&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=-1&sort=-1&clr=Cobalt">Asos full midi skirt in scuba - £38</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-byUZjOckm7GLI0K8JnqzFt68TOqOOeIk_UvF7N_DFq7hFFuumkHNnT1Lm5UfJ-Is7mwuEDaLAWkXswAzWmIEkZS5aR9f7WPUcXnzs-M4A_vVAaEJLuk2WaTAgd3dtHn6NcqsdINtYy0/s1600/f30448c8878fa85b75efa2802c40612e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-byUZjOckm7GLI0K8JnqzFt68TOqOOeIk_UvF7N_DFq7hFFuumkHNnT1Lm5UfJ-Is7mwuEDaLAWkXswAzWmIEkZS5aR9f7WPUcXnzs-M4A_vVAaEJLuk2WaTAgd3dtHn6NcqsdINtYy0/s640/f30448c8878fa85b75efa2802c40612e.jpg" width="532" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.vivienofholloway.com/en/category/no-pocket/50s-circle-skirt/1867/">50s circle skirt by Vivien of Holloway in a huge variety of colour options - £45 </a>(would be my favourite if it had hidden pockets)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_-4JwJe6uVDqdN2rm-geWgqEOw_4TsYz7hPqTSf0kSE_5Yzcmp7P1tYiZWdYNqaAw4_i14cRNr7tHviuVjp5cXPgPCqPZkzwssTqpf33JYt2Ai7ecXCt9u0V_HzR9GzzluoLpCP9rbQ/s1600/27K11EPBL_2_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_-4JwJe6uVDqdN2rm-geWgqEOw_4TsYz7hPqTSf0kSE_5Yzcmp7P1tYiZWdYNqaAw4_i14cRNr7tHviuVjp5cXPgPCqPZkzwssTqpf33JYt2Ai7ecXCt9u0V_HzR9GzzluoLpCP9rbQ/s640/27K11EPBL_2_large.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/skirts-449/organza-insert-calf-skirt-2032260?bi=1&ps=200">Organza insert calf skirt by Topshop - £48</a></td></tr>
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magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-23778796081303464422013-07-27T05:40:00.004-07:002013-07-27T05:43:49.669-07:00Fashion kickstarter of the month: the Buckitt bag<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image via <a href="http://buckitt.co.uk/">Buckitt.co.uk</a></td></tr>
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I am a bit addicted to Kickstarter. I love seeing how innovative and inventive people can be when they really have some of that good old cheesy passion. I've even gone as far as backing one or two projects, but usually I end up buying a product I first discovered on Kickstart once it's gone into production.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danprovost/glif-iphone-4-tripod-mount-and-stand">The Gilf</a> was one of my favourite buys - a small piece of plastic that screws onto and tripod to hold your iPhone. It really helped change the way I produce video for work and it's proven useful so many time. </div>
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But I'd never seen a fashion project that really got my thinking about pulling out my credit card. <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/raejones/buckitt-one-bag-every-day">Until now...</a></div>
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I struggle a lot when it comes to bags. I lust after bags I could never, ever afford, many of which are highly impractical (yes, Chanel, I'm looking at you). I used to like Mulberry and even started eating packed lunches to try and save for one, but prices have gone up and the Bayswater has become both ubiquitous and a bit Boden mum-ish. </div>
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Finding a handbag that really works for me has been considerably harder than finding someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. </div>
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What I want is something that isn't too easily identifiable but still desirable, quite simple in shape and construction without too much hardware, big enough for a laptop and/or some shopping, made from the kind of leather that gets better with age and doesn't need to be looked after much and shows evidence of real care in its construction. And it has to go with pretty much everything and look a bit cool. And be affordable. I know it's a lot to ask. </div>
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As a result, I'm an avid collector and user of canvas bags. They're the low-commitment solution to the handbag problem. A bit like a reliable shag buddy.</div>
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A lot of them are looking pretty battered and filthy - they get periodically washed but have a tendency to shrink as they're made of fairly raw cotton. </div>
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So the first line of <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/raejones/buckitt-one-bag-every-day">Rae Jones' Kickstarter pitch</a> really hit a nerve:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"I was encouraged to design the Buckitt bag after becoming increasingly disillusioned by otherwise stylish women using grubby canvas totes, and even supermarket plastic bags, to carry their day-to-day belongings in."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Made by British manufacturers, hand stitched and big enough to carry my life in without looking like that's what I'm doing. Bingo! </span>It's a beautifully simple and spacious design, with no unnecessary hardware and serious craftsmanship in its construction.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ryCGyzyS56ndqkNfwVengdYzBEqU4hvNdDMsonLh8gTGR-QQacU55jRS-jYNUEhihpzcqPHqzI6PVLvtjFuBWc8TP1rIn9RTcroeJ_NAn5eWosp662XlPtPVJ4sFhTLADk64Ep5LWpU/s1600/a61bd76fb810f4c897e4f9f92f08640e_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ryCGyzyS56ndqkNfwVengdYzBEqU4hvNdDMsonLh8gTGR-QQacU55jRS-jYNUEhihpzcqPHqzI6PVLvtjFuBWc8TP1rIn9RTcroeJ_NAn5eWosp662XlPtPVJ4sFhTLADk64Ep5LWpU/s640/a61bd76fb810f4c897e4f9f92f08640e_large.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image via <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/raejones/buckitt-one-bag-every-day">the Buckitt Kickstarter</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The only problem is that, although undeniably decently priced for what the bag is, I'm scared of spending that much money on something I haven't seen in person, haven't been able to touch, feel its weight, put on my shoulder and look in the mirror. So I'm just backing a tiny amount. But I'd definitely encourage anyone looking for a simple, practical bag to take a gander...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Buckitt: bags via Kickstarter from £170 (they're going to retail at £270+)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://buckitt.co.uk/">Buckitt.co.uk</a></span><br />
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magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-45843633323128087912013-07-22T10:20:00.001-07:002013-07-23T04:50:16.484-07:00Paris notebook: handmade jewellery from Medecine Douce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8d-4hGwz6rY1ladIp9epq0x3hlzneZcacVyywiOCvCQponogx87omkxjoPtTv_7ZCz05BnP3JQgE_TtayYBw61yn4mz3pr96dQGpGHBaLARcDw3_c8QniWXi7IxpFPcHxxwmCu-Kh7wk/s1600/douce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8d-4hGwz6rY1ladIp9epq0x3hlzneZcacVyywiOCvCQponogx87omkxjoPtTv_7ZCz05BnP3JQgE_TtayYBw61yn4mz3pr96dQGpGHBaLARcDw3_c8QniWXi7IxpFPcHxxwmCu-Kh7wk/s640/douce.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>
Paris is packed with tiny boutiques selling the kind of jewellery that I love - delicate but not too girly, made of decent materials that won't turn your skin green and it's all small businesses selling products they like at reasonable prices.<br />
But although we went in to quite a few of these boutiques, I didn't really see anything that made my heart beat that little bit faster, nothing that triggered a totally illogical desire to buy something entirely ornmental with no real purpose.<br />
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Jewellery is different in this respect from most other fashion items. It really is pointless. Shoes, however ridiculous, do serve a function, as do clothes, hats, bags, wallets... but not jewellery.<br />
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For my grandmothers, jewellery - proper jewellery - was a real investment. That was its secondary purpose beyond the ornamental. And the best pieces were saved for special occasions. But most women I know don't buy jewellery like that any more. I don't really wear much jewellery on special occasions - it's usually just a great dress with minimal additions. And I certainly don't have the kind of money that would stretch to even high-end costume jewellery of the kind that retains value.<br />
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I grew up surrounded by cheap costume jewellery as a result of my grandpa and uncles' jewellery wholesale business. Going to their warehouse was a bit like visiting Aladdins cave, except everything was neatly organised into cardboard boxes labelled in black marker pen with my grandpa's distinctive small caps handwriting. I still have some boxes he labelled as it's one of my strongest associations with him. He was an amazing person to be around as a child and I was thoroughly spoiled. I used to love wearing loads of cheap jewellery. It was fun, and experimental, and quite freeing to just be able to wear it all at once.<br />
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However, as a result of this early glut of sparkle, I am now very picky about jewellery. So back to Paris, where the jewellery was lovely but failed to be lovely enough... and then we walked into <a href="http://www.bijouxmedecinedouce.com/fr/">Medecine Douce</a> (I'm sure that name sounds much better when pronounced properly in French and without the unfortunate Anglophone echoes).<br />
Founded by Marie Montaud in 2000, Medecine Douce moved to Paris in 2007 to occupy its current space designed by architects Flavia Fabbro and Philippe Delannoy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgZSUFFdAdKZZRIO8Lhj8akU1QEy6pbWjzno2EVjJzkHN-dUsglWJPau3Nf_EBQa_-Lst4fVWGT7BhdtFGe8MHhzn3kSymLzktQq1qMhRZld4FCA_ogkubkBBWxNbHPT5UJfDmjB_o3A/s1600/pointsdeventephoto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgZSUFFdAdKZZRIO8Lhj8akU1QEy6pbWjzno2EVjJzkHN-dUsglWJPau3Nf_EBQa_-Lst4fVWGT7BhdtFGe8MHhzn3kSymLzktQq1qMhRZld4FCA_ogkubkBBWxNbHPT5UJfDmjB_o3A/s400/pointsdeventephoto.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shop (image via <a href="http://bijouxmedecinedouce.com/">bijouxmedecinedouce.com</a>)</td></tr>
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The MD shop, just off the Canal St Martin, takes up the left hand side of the space and is about the same size as most jewellery boutiques. It's pretty enough, but right next door is the workshop where you can watch people hand making all the pieces. Which is a brilliant idea because for people like me who love that shit it makes it much easier to fall in love with the jewellery. And fall in love I did, with two necklaces from the Faust range. I can only find images of the collar necklace and the bracelet, but the long necklace was probably my favourite of the lot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuECZKy06iA8pHDKVidsEFOt02gyBKEZeHBm3GffXtBgiZPvoIMi7FJojjpWBVQCPJi77OO-1hp9ilZ5XffJWR2lCOhg9voI6SX7cA7xBwcuJN4th2fyIB8Yk5cIkZIqVpozY7zvH4vQ/s1600/faust+collar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuECZKy06iA8pHDKVidsEFOt02gyBKEZeHBm3GffXtBgiZPvoIMi7FJojjpWBVQCPJi77OO-1hp9ilZ5XffJWR2lCOhg9voI6SX7cA7xBwcuJN4th2fyIB8Yk5cIkZIqVpozY7zvH4vQ/s640/faust+collar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bijouxmedecinedouce.com/fr/medecine-douce/137-collier-faust.html">Collier Faust by Medecine Douce - <span id="our_price_display">95,00 €</span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2lEn658TUKp03opjhDKygVLNYDTJU6aZGPlCwbAE0L4I72Vaw9QRzQ7-GtMZEd4Ch0cUGaP8broLs7a823LKNqAH5rQp9jp18LvwSvmzOIFXBOhXOj_vXgTtu60HHtYDPvyIF0uDqhc/s1600/faust+bracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2lEn658TUKp03opjhDKygVLNYDTJU6aZGPlCwbAE0L4I72Vaw9QRzQ7-GtMZEd4Ch0cUGaP8broLs7a823LKNqAH5rQp9jp18LvwSvmzOIFXBOhXOj_vXgTtu60HHtYDPvyIF0uDqhc/s640/faust+bracelet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bracelet<a href="http://www.bijouxmedecinedouce.com/fr/medecine-douce/137-collier-faust.html"> Faust by Medecine Douce - <span id="our_price_display">80,00 €</span><span id="our_price_display"></span></a></td></tr>
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And yet I walked away. Realistically this was because I had already carefully budgeted all my money for goats cheese and pain au chocolats (food always wins for me I'm afraid). But a week and a half later the necklaces are still haunting me.<br />
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There is an e-store but I'm a goofball so I'm going to wait until I can go back and walk in and lay down cold hard cash. It's better that way. Also, there's an incredible bakery and a Maje outlet shop just up the road...<br />
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You, however, should definitely <a href="http://www.bijouxmedecinedouce.com/fr/45-e-shop">visit the e-shop</a>, unless you're lucky enough to live in Paris already. They have some beautiful fine jewellery pieces in the <a href="http://www.bijouxmedecinedouce.com/fr/50-beaurepaire-par-medecine-douce">Beaurepaire collection</a> at the moment. <br />
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Medecine Douce<br />
10, rue de Marseille<br />
75010 Paris<br />
Monday - Saturday 11am - 7pm<br />
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I leave you with this thought for the day: Baby Stingrays!<br />
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magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-82578062968030356402013-07-18T15:54:00.004-07:002013-07-19T02:42:29.790-07:00Paris notebook: Le Fumoir - good food, great cocktails<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image from the <a href="http://lefumoir.com/wordpress/">website of Le Fumoir</a></td></tr>
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I've been lucky enough to find myself in Paris twice in the past month, and both times I've visited Le Fumoir.<br />
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I don't know Paris spectacularly well, and hadn't been there in years until I had to go for a work trip in June (I say had to - I was practically jumping for joy when they asked me to go). I went on the earliest train possible so I could have lunch and a bit of a wander with one of my favourite colleagues before we had to meet up with the rest of our group and actually work.<br />
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Le Fumoir, just behind the Louvre, was the perfect spot and I would never have discovered it if not for a strong recommendation from a friend. Thank you Martyn!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lefumoir.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/restofum-e1327571687775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="496" src="http://lefumoir.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/restofum-e1327571687775.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image from the <a href="http://lefumoir.com/wordpress/">website of Le Fumoir</a></td></tr>
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We ate lunch from the bar menu - a mushroom salad with a creamy dressing - which was good but not hugely memorable. The cocktails, however, were quite something. And it's a lovely place to just hang out. Given its location it should be packed with tourists and hyper expensive, but it isn't. I think because it's at the back of the Louvre, most tourists just don't get that far. They get sucked into the crowds around the museum and spat back out into the Tuileries and the roads on either side. The foreigners that are found in Le Fumoir tend to be a bit more stylish and/or well informed. Or those who don't simply follow the crowd.<br />
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A few weeks later when we found ourselves walking around the area with a friend who lives in Paris and wondering where to go for a drink, I was rather proud to not only be able to suggest somewhere decent but to also know where it was and how to get there.<br />
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We drank zanzibars - delicious concoctions of rum, ginger, honey and lime - and negronis, smoked some cigarettes and listened in on other people's conversations on a warm evening and watched people walking their dogs and the dust blowing around the pathway behind the Louvre. It was all rather nice.<br />
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Le Fumoir also has a proper restaurant with a good reputation which I am determined to try on our next trip.<br />
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<a href="http://lefumoir.com/wordpress/">Le Fumoir</a><br />
6 Rue de L'Amiral Coligny<br />
75001 Paris<br />
+33 (0)142920024<br />
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magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-44921161289113307052013-07-16T05:52:00.002-07:002013-07-16T05:52:24.108-07:00Glossy box July 2013 review - Seaside Splash<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Before we start, I have to confess I am not a GlossyBox virgin. I first subscribed to the beauty samples monthly delivery service about two years ago but abandoned it after a few months - I felt the product selection was slipping a bit and my bathroom cabinet was literally overflowing with stuff I was never going to use.<br />
But I still thought that the idea, in essence, was a good one. GlossyBox is probably the best known of the fashion and beauty subscription services out there and it's pretty slick. For a monthly fee of £10 (plus P+P which takes it up to about £12 ish), you get a beautifully presented box of goodies delivered to your door or desk. Part of the fun is not knowing exactly what's inside.<br />
In theory, the boxes are tailored to your requirements and wants - you create an online beauty profile by answering a few basic questions about your skin type, colouring, product preferences and fragrance preferences. So when the product selection is good and everything works for you, it feels like a real treat. There were a few products I discovered through GlossyBox that I loved enough to buy again - especially <a href="http://magpiemagpiemagpie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/beauty-purchases-monu-moisture-rich.html">this moisturiser by Monu</a>.<br />
But when it's a bit off mark it's pretty disappointing. Which is why I left. After a few lack lustre boxes, the final straw for me was, I think, a box sponsored by Harrods which had namby pamby little samples of products so expensive I could never afford them in a million years, none of which suited me.<br />
But recently, a colleague in my office and a good friend have been using products they got from GlossyBox deliveries so I thought I'd give it another whirl.<br />
This is the first box of my new subscription and I'm happy to report it's a good one!<br />
With great timing, GlossyBox have delivered a package filled with goodies that are perfect for the almost-heatwave we're having in London right now.<br />
My Seaside Splash box came in pretty themed packaging - I'm in the middle of a big wardrobe clear out so the box is being put to good use as a sock organiser in one of my drawers.<br />
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The products:<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.anatomicals.net/aliens/">Anatomicals</a>: Spray Misty For Me facial spritz</b><br />
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This is my favourite of the lot - I had a facial spritz revelation in Paris (more on Paris on the blog soon) and my tiny Avene face spray has just run out so it's arrival is perfectly timed. And it feels and smells quite fresh, perfect to shake off that horrible muggy tube feeling that always leaves me craving a shower. Me and this spritz could develop a really meaningful relationship. If only the packaging was just a tiny bit more tasteful and expensive looking. I know looks aren't everything, and being lilac does make it easy to find in my bag and the plastic bottle helps make it cheap (£6). But I do like some quality packaging. <br />
It's got rose, lavender, peppermint and witch hazel in it so should stave off some of the greasiness and spottiness I'm occasionally prone to when it gets hot in the city and pollution gets all clingy like a dog with a deep fear of abandonment. I've been spraying it on myself all day, I can't stop - I think maybe they put some kind of crack in it. <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.ciate.co.uk/">Ciate</a>: paint pot (nail varnish for those who don't speak marketing) in Island Hopping</b><br />
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I don't normally go in for this sort of thing to be honest - nail varnishes just chip and my nails are nearly always different lengths because they break or get bitten so painting them seems a bit silly. Plus glittery nail varnish is a bugger to remove. But this one is really pretty and summery and goes on much, much easier than most glittery nail varnishes do. The pigment is really good too - I only put on one (quite thick) coat. I'm not entirely sure how to take a nice picture of my hands, but I've tried so you can sort of see the effect...<br />
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The bow on the front of the bottle is a tiny bit twee, but we can let that slide. <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.nipandfab.com/">Nip + Fab</a>: Shine Fix</b><br />
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I was a real fan of Nip + Fab's Spot Fix when I got it in a previous GlossyBox delivery. But their moisturiser was a disaster. The Shine Fix makes lot of claims, as these things are wont to do. Apparently it contains 'microsponges' which target and prevent shine. It also has something called Seboclear (tm) to 'target visible pores'. Both of these sound like those pseudo scientific things they attach to beauty products to make you believe in magic (this does occasionally work because despite all evidence to the contrary I am a sucker for magic).<br />
Shine and visible pores do not bother me overtly, although I do suffer from both occasionally as I have skin and skin does get shiny and it does have pores... but I'm trying it out anyway. Thus far the difference isn't hugely noticeable. My nose might be a bit less oily if I really pay attention. But it hasn't brought me out in instant spots so I'll persist. If it does anything significant I'll let you know. <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.alternahaircare.com/">Alterna</a>: Bamboo Style Boho Waves</b><br />
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This is one of those 'beachy hair' effect sprays that's supposed to make you look like you've just spent the day surfing and your hair has dried in the sun. Like bed-head hair, this is an ideal that is hard to achieve if your hair is quite fine like mine. This spray doesn't work miracles, but I like it. I applied it on partly damp hair this morning, and even after being smushed with a cycle helmet before it had completely dried my hair does seem a bit more oomphy. I like tiny bottles of hair product - I'm more likely to use them because I can carry them around with me. And this one smells nice.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.coolasuncare.com/">Coola Suncare</a>: mineral sunscreen tinted moisturiser</b><br />
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This was the only real miss for me. It has a decent texture for a tinted moisturiser, but I'm actually not a fan of them usually. Laura Mercier is possibly the exception. I did like the idea of a tinted moisturiser with a mineral suncream included so was willing to give it a go but the colour was a bit off. I didn't even fully apply it before pulling out the Bioderma for a quick removal job. <br />
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I'm looking forward to getting the next delivery, but I do need to be vigilant about keeping the bathroom cabinet under control... I'll be giving away any unused products every now and then so stay tuned!<br />
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magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-84757633940953430052012-11-08T14:54:00.000-08:002012-12-03T15:22:46.884-08:00A stay at the Lainston House Hotel and a trip to Winchester<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been craving the opportunity to get out of London recently. I dream of the open road. Unfortunately, between my job and the other half's crazy project schedule plus mutual fiscal control issues, it hasn't really been possible.<br />
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But last weekend I was determined to escape. We had a car at our disposal, we had a bit of money for once and we had at least a day and a half with no obligations.<br />
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Faced with all this freedom, neither of us had any idea where to go. In the end we settled on Winchester because I'd been there briefly for work and thought it would merit a re-visit with a bit more time to actually see the town. It's very pretty with lots of history - did you know Winchester was once the centre of England's political power? - and wasn't too far to drive.<br />
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But we still had no idea where to stay - staying in a Travelodge-style hotel wasn't really an option. I needed something nice, rather than something that just was. And then my debit card got suspended, so we couldn't book anything online ruling out lots of bargain options.<br />
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In the end we settled on the <a href="http://www.lainstonhouse.com/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/the_hotel.aspx">Lainston House Hotel</a> mainly because it looked nice, still had a room available and didn't mind if we turned up late and paid in cash.<br />
The hotel was formerly a country house for one of England's many landed families and the main structure dates back to the 17th century. It's set in 63 acres of land and comes complete with it's very own ruins - a 12th century chapel from an earlier house on the same site. Sounds nice, doesn't it? It looks very pretty too and we were quite excited as we drove up the long, winding approach road.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the hotel from the car park</td></tr>
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However, the room they initially put us in wasn't really worth the £150+ we paid. It was at the very end of the farthest corridor from the main building and felt small and dated. And the bathroom was a bit <i>too</i> all-singing all-dancing - there were coloured lights that moved and changed around the baths and in the shower. And a TV at the end of the bath.<br />
Not really my idea of luxury so we asked to see another room which was pretty similar. However, the third room they showed us was much more what we'd been expecting - big high ceiling, lots of dark wood, shuttered windows overlooking the approach, four poster bed, roll top bath. Really nice.<br />
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Aside from the small mound of dead flies by each window - which were quickly dealt with - and a short fire alarm interlude.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJb8qnWnZW9NyQ7NfwHoMrrYt9ZTQCUjbR47v-g33Aysa-AgieP_x_3b4-kqCpyvPk-mAfdHxnuhv5T1nCJnOTAOmkVhbE7Hco7yrpWbFCkoqHLu0LUsepzcVMLxudPWZCgzrjTpmXhU/s1600/IMG_2269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJb8qnWnZW9NyQ7NfwHoMrrYt9ZTQCUjbR47v-g33Aysa-AgieP_x_3b4-kqCpyvPk-mAfdHxnuhv5T1nCJnOTAOmkVhbE7Hco7yrpWbFCkoqHLu0LUsepzcVMLxudPWZCgzrjTpmXhU/s320/IMG_2269.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely collection of dead flies</td></tr>
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The staff were polite and accommodating despite having been asked to show us three different rooms when we'd arrived after 9.30pm. Although I did find it a bit disquieting that we were initially guided to our room by a member of staff who carried our bags, which really wasn't necessary, and then actually waited in the room to be tipped - I haven't experienced that outside of the US before. Is it just me or is that unusual and a bit odd in a British hotel?<br />
The room came with an iPhone/iPod dock so we could play our own music and even set an alarm for the morning via our phones. And the bed was blissfully large and sink-into-able with lots of good deep pillows. Rather than a 'do not disturb' sign, they give you a stuffed owl to put outside your door, which was an odd touch.<br />
I really can't sing the praises of the bathroom enough. The toiletries provided all smelled good and I got up early to have both a wonderful shower and a lazy bath in the morning - I couldn't resist trying them both out!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJ7W3NhxK_6_3zX7w8MxKowdhc2yBJ4el5EmtxxUtz0JX3b_3qqRPSbM29lo1y0l8-HWExQi3tCwfhBPB0ZrWrNYBGsPBmZAzgJGB3oVqQUdnOc0yIwYaTJtXNgXgKD3Y5FlmE6HelLk/s1600/IMG_2276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJ7W3NhxK_6_3zX7w8MxKowdhc2yBJ4el5EmtxxUtz0JX3b_3qqRPSbM29lo1y0l8-HWExQi3tCwfhBPB0ZrWrNYBGsPBmZAzgJGB3oVqQUdnOc0yIwYaTJtXNgXgKD3Y5FlmE6HelLk/s320/IMG_2276.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was exceedingly happy to walk into the bathroom and find this</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnZI3rUASRnTmv4wq-eHuJojxwg_WfWgjh2JVrppHVlvwVNDKjd41imm1iRntvAm5BGPuhZqHvZh7-HDNQkjfaaOdSZ5sxz-zrUce8qMXD9sZNpmL8MMlmLH88DUC-sw3TvWxVpQRkiE/s1600/IMG_2281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnZI3rUASRnTmv4wq-eHuJojxwg_WfWgjh2JVrppHVlvwVNDKjd41imm1iRntvAm5BGPuhZqHvZh7-HDNQkjfaaOdSZ5sxz-zrUce8qMXD9sZNpmL8MMlmLH88DUC-sw3TvWxVpQRkiE/s320/IMG_2281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning bath, complete with complementary copy of the Independent</td></tr>
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Breakfast was nothing special - perfectly fine. But the views down through the grounds from the dining room were lovely.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ODcaWFwa6w5LOMFPw0WRnimlOkRbMAkOAmSfV2X_yz9_cfQ50TezY2YkOoDB27LwXVCGQhr70Db8RSe7Wc_h8ZsORbG_Oe0KaJKUjOc2W_gejvpeuWryWUA30c_BZGGnuuIjQCmldks/s1600/IMG_2319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ODcaWFwa6w5LOMFPw0WRnimlOkRbMAkOAmSfV2X_yz9_cfQ50TezY2YkOoDB27LwXVCGQhr70Db8RSe7Wc_h8ZsORbG_Oe0KaJKUjOc2W_gejvpeuWryWUA30c_BZGGnuuIjQCmldks/s320/IMG_2319.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tarted up a little courtesy of Instagram</td></tr>
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We had a good ramble around after we'd eaten, exploring the ruined chapel next to the hotel and examining the slightly grown over outdoor chess set, and then into the hotel's own kitchen garden which provides some of the fresh produce for the kitchen (although possibly not at this time of year as it looked a bit sparse). Plus the added thrill of an aviary full of falcons! It turns out that the falconry is the baby of former cricketer Billy Taylor (and his lovely dog) who has set up a residency at Lainston with his collection of birds of prey. If you fancy it you can even <a href="http://www.lainstonhouse.com/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/pursuits/falconry.aspx">book a day's hunting with the falcons</a>. And there were also owls, which I love, and a golden eagle called Anna.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2dWOK_tDFyU6arwMGk07AdTay3rUAyea1_O4boFnL4dRp2K2MqF83q7zHFtBvYTO4VFpNU0mWSzsyPw-4Y1ukhdM6ue8QyOMX8jXpeqNg8NBVZdgeg-7ScmQRNfXzKJn80rAH5-FWyg/s1600/IMG_2299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2dWOK_tDFyU6arwMGk07AdTay3rUAyea1_O4boFnL4dRp2K2MqF83q7zHFtBvYTO4VFpNU0mWSzsyPw-4Y1ukhdM6ue8QyOMX8jXpeqNg8NBVZdgeg-7ScmQRNfXzKJn80rAH5-FWyg/s320/IMG_2299.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chapel</td></tr>
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And then we drove off for an amble around Winchester, taking in the ruins of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Castle">the castle</a> and learning what a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_port">sally port </a>was and then visiting the <a href="http://www.visitwinchester.co.uk/site/things-to-do/p_10531">Winchester City Museum</a> which is surprisingly good and the perfect size (quite small). And then we took in the Cathedral and had a bite to eat before driving home. It was only a day but it was enough to feel like we'd been away and blow a bit of the London smog out of my brain.<br />
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magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-15372234066525477872012-10-18T15:51:00.000-07:002012-12-03T15:51:54.487-08:00Beauty purchases: Monu Moisture Rich Collagen Cream review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLoIG_iwle49GtV2Ujnubu98URQmoCRAMOhdwBgxT8bj8vfvm9Fx28HEfKxRWnk6hctx4_8CTHDLJLXAUaXbyAIdQ0cIp_-kgaVrxM-8jU4p4d1qdkU9brSV1-ziZWQWyIQc5NmIR3O6U/s1600/product_301041317987017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLoIG_iwle49GtV2Ujnubu98URQmoCRAMOhdwBgxT8bj8vfvm9Fx28HEfKxRWnk6hctx4_8CTHDLJLXAUaXbyAIdQ0cIp_-kgaVrxM-8jU4p4d1qdkU9brSV1-ziZWQWyIQc5NmIR3O6U/s1600/product_301041317987017.jpg" /></a></div>
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I first tried this moisturiser by Monu when it came as part of a Glossy Box package. You may have already heard of Glossy Box - it's a sort of beauty delivery service that you can subscribe to. Pay a small monthly fee and get a box of surprises delivered to your door every month.<br />
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I signed up for a little while but I stopped being able to justify the expense when the products weren't that fantastic for a couple of months in a row. It can be a bit hit and miss and I always have quite high expectations. However, in the early months of my subscription I did get sent some good things. <a href="http://www.monushop.co.uk/products/monu/hydration/Monu-Moisture-Rich-Collagen-Cream.html">This moisturiser</a> was definitely the best.<br />
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I have difficult skin - it gets very tight and dry thanks to the hard water we have in London but it also clogs up very easily and is prone to a bit of oiliness around the t-zone. In the past I'd always veered towards light, oil-free moisturisers as anything rich seemed to bring on the breakouts and clog up my pores almost over night.<br />
But having chatted to a beauty therapist during a complimentary makeover at one of the concessions in John Lewis, it became clear that I needed to find something rich that worked because my skin was not very happy. I tried various different serums and all that jazz, but a good basic moisturiser is really the key.<br />
And then this came along.<br />
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The blurb on the back says: "A rich, luxurious cream to relieve dryness and smooth fine lines."<br />
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It claims to contain rose and geranium essential oil to soothe the skin; evening primes and blackcurrant seed oils with fatty acids to repair skin lipids; shea butter and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hyaluronate">sodium hyaluronate</a> to improve skin's barrier function; natural <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betaine">betaines</a> (if you understand the information at the link please can you put it in layman's terms for me?) to stimulate the skin's hydration process; and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavonoid">plant flavonoids</a> with anti-oxidant action to help prevent pre-mature [sic] ageing.<br />
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Honestly, I don't know or really care what half of that is about. Nor do I really need all that anti-ageing mumbo jumbo. But it really does work!<br />
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When I use it regularly, I don't find myself absent-mindedly scratching at my face as my skin grows tight and itchy thanks to the crazy air condition/heating combo at the office. And I tend to develop fewer spots and blackheads.<br />
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The packaging isn't hugely inspiring, but what it lacks in looks it makes up for on the inside. It even smells nice.<br />
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This is the first time I've bought the same moisturiser more than once. I tried something else in the interim between running out of the first tube and buying the second and the difference was really noticeable.<br />
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At the moment it seems to only be available <a href="http://www.monushop.co.uk/products/monu/hydration/Monu-Moisture-Rich-Collagen-Cream.html">online directly from Monu</a> and <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/brands/Monu-Professional-Skincare?gclid=COTO4rC2_7MCFczHtAodqEEAxQ">a couple of other reliable online beauty outlets</a>. </div>
magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-66388128857570694872012-05-15T12:24:00.000-07:002012-05-15T12:37:55.168-07:00Doris Duke - I'm a loser<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7ju2E_zKYeQTqriK4zm07lhVlcMmt9rsPxhEGa_ppSuTXvUotkJdo1RkA2-QY3Y2FPot3-LgDPOxa1WlA-WJdQncggI1rmZW1C2gh1eIZWuNEUkEoLm6YUWO3DxDwQbcmE_5fThy8nc/s1600/Doris+Duke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7ju2E_zKYeQTqriK4zm07lhVlcMmt9rsPxhEGa_ppSuTXvUotkJdo1RkA2-QY3Y2FPot3-LgDPOxa1WlA-WJdQncggI1rmZW1C2gh1eIZWuNEUkEoLm6YUWO3DxDwQbcmE_5fThy8nc/s320/Doris+Duke.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Back when I was at journalism school, one of our coursework assignments was to write a short blurb for a fictional Top 50 of overlooked album gems for Q Magazine.<br />
At the time I had just discovered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Duke_%28soul_singer%29">Doris Duke</a>.<br />
The record was one of those 80's vinyl re-issues of which my dad bought many. Thin folder after thin folder of seriously classic rhythm and blues, soul (in the true musical sense of the word) and jazz.When I was a baby I probably heard them all, but finding something for yourself makes you listen differently. <br />
I had just bought myself a vintage 60's record player at the car boot sale for £20 and spent days and days going through my dad's record collection.<br />
I listened to albums by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nbms7T9X_Y">The Spaniels</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRFjkTHKO70">Slim and Slam</a> - familiar from a much-loved compilation tape my mum made for me that I listened to for years before my brother accidentaly recorded over bits of it.<br />
And I found plenty of new stuff, some of which wasn't worth bothering with. I learnt a lot about music from my dad, but his taste has always been ecclectic to the extreme and some of his records are just too weird for me.<br />
But discovering Doris Duke was a revelation. She was raw in a way I completely understood. The other great female singers like Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone, with their astounding voices and great swells of anger and tenderness, had always felt a bit distant. But Doris Duke felt close for some reason I couldn't pin down. Perhaps it was just because this was a singer I was able to discover for myself, who hadn't been tainted by advertising rights, film soundtracks, dodgy tributes or general overexposure. <br />
For about three weeks I was completely obsessed. And then I reached the point where I had overplayed her and the obsession quickly faded. I don't know if anyone needs to listen to that much raw emotion on a regular basis however well it's expressed. And so I kind of put Doris to one side.<br />
Sometimes though, it seems like there's a conspiracy to make you remember something you shouldn't have forgotten. I walked past an open door and heard a snippet of my favourite of her songs, Feet start walking. A couple of days later I searched for it on Youtube and immersed myself in the comfort blanket of her anger. <br />
And then today I was looking through my old emails and uncovered that bit of coursework.<br />
Reading my old writing aways makes me cringe, but here it is: <br />
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I’m A Loser <br />
Doris Duke (Canyon) 1970<br />
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Occasionally an album gets forgotten through no fault of its own. I’m A Loser was described as one of the greatest ever soul albums on release but the distributing record label, Canyon, quickly collapsed, denying Doris Duke commercial success and a rightful place in the pantheon of soul sisters. <br />
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Born Doris Curry in 1943, Duke cut her teeth in gospel groups before she found herself singing back-up vocals for, among others, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield and Nina Simone. Her own album would prove to be a lyrically rawer affair than any of these female vocalists had delivered.<br />
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Teaming up with prolific songwriter and producer Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams, Doris found a new voice. Even now, the bitterly confessional and self-deprecating style of songs like “He’s Gone”, “Feet Start Walking” and “I Don’t Care Anymore” is a shock.<br />
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The single, To The Other Woman (I’m The Other Woman), made the billboard charts in the US. Critic Dave Godin, the man behind the success of soul in the UK, called the album the finest soul record of all time. Doris went on to record another album with Swamp Dogg on the Mankind label but nothing has been heard from her since 1981. <br />
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</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-23578020056259360172012-05-14T10:15:00.000-07:002012-05-14T10:16:08.516-07:00Tweed Run London 2012 - Fortnum & Mason hampers, handmade tweed capes and Graham Coxon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Just over a week ago on May 6th I took part in the London Tweed Run. <br />
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For those not in the know, the Tweed Run is an annual event that involves gathering together a large group of vintage bike enthusiasts and people who enjoy a good opportunity to dress up and going on a 15 mile bike ride around some of the more central parts of London.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We gathered in front of the Albert Memorial for a group photograph before setting off and then discovered that the other half of the gorup were doing the same thing on the other side of the Albert Hall...</td></tr>
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This was the fourth Tweed Run - there were two last year but one was sponsored by Ralph Lauren's Rugby brand and I'm not sure if it counts. I've wanted to part of it since seeing pictures of the first one and this year was lucky enough to be invited as a friend as her plus one.<br />
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At the moment though, I do not own a bike. A plan was hatched to borrow my mothers 1980s ladies road bike, which she has recently had retrofitted with an electic motor. It is not a thing of beauty, but it is reliable. For someone as unfit as I am the battery was also welcome back up plan for the ride home. The route was a closely guarded secret so we had no idea how far from home we would all end up. <br />
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For an event as style conscious as the Tweed Run, something had to be done about the bike. So we decorated it. Luckily the Jubillee celebrations are almost upon us and there is a proliferation of Union Jack paraphenalia in Poundland. We wrapped the bike frame in some blush coloured lace found in mum's attic and attached fake flowers to it using cable ties. Union Jack cushion covers were attached to the rack at the back, to which we also added my Fortnum & Mason hamper, which was filled with an anorak in case of rain, a blanket, a large can of hairspray and a few other useful bits and pieces.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bike mid-decoration</td></tr>
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The wire front basket, which contains the bike's battery in its hideous black vinyl bag, was disguised with more lace and flowers and then wrapped up with a big red organza bow, treading that very fine line between ebullient and bad taste. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bike in action - picture via the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TweedRun" target="_blank">Tweed Run Facebook page</a></td></tr>
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Thankfully none of this fell off during the ride, which took us from Kensington through Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly, Parliament and then to the <a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/" target="_blank">Imperial War Museum</a> for a very welcome tea break complete with games and a good old fashioned tombola.<br />
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Then through the back streets of Bermondsey and back over the river via Tower Bridge, past St Pauls and the bells rang out (a really special moment for most of us I think) and then up to Clerkenwell for whisky and gingers at the very friendly but slightly overwhelmed The Blacksmith and Toffeemaker pub.<br />
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Along the way we were joined by Graham Coxon, who carried a toy pig in his bicycle basket - as you do - and then presented the awards for best dressed man and woman (dapper dame) at the pub.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The line up for dapper dame</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graham Coxon presents the award to Pandora, a truly dseserving winner whose outfit was entirely homemade!</td></tr>
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I was extremely proud to win the award for best dressed bike! I was presented with a beautiful brown leather saddle bag by the charming founder of Pashley Bikes. It's my favourite ever trophy (it helps that it smells like a tack room - one of my all time favourite scents).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receiving my prize! Image via the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150832691889061.432391.132193884060&type=1" target="_blank">Tweed Run Facebook page</a></td></tr>
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But it's hard to decide what the best part of the day actually was (it certainly wasn't discovering I had forgotten my door key and having to ride up to Nottinghill to get the spare pair from the boy - my poor aching thighs were on the verge of revolt by that point).<br />
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As we cycled up the mall - a 400 strong flotilla of English eccentrics, vintage enthusiasts and bike nerds - I realised I'd never seen so many people in London look so happy. The tourists looked like Christmas had come early, and it did actually feel a little like that. Bus and taxi drivers suspended their default grumpiness and a few of them actually laughed, despite having to wait for us to pass. It probably helped that a lot of the men doffed their hats as the cycled past to say thank you. <br />
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I can honestly say that I haven't done something that joyful in a long time - and certainly never had so much fun on a bike. And I also used the run as a chance to raise some money for my charity of choice - Safe Haven Childrens Trust. You can still donate via my <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/anna-winston/eurl.axd/628e2abee8f8524db32491ce2592ef14" target="_blank">JustGiving page if you would like to help</a>. <br />
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I didn't take many photos on the acual ride - I was too busy enjoying myself - but here's a few I snapped on the old iPhone at the initial gatheirng point just off Exhibition Road. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chap on the left won the best dressed male category</td></tr>
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I've been slightly reliving the whole experience over the past few days by reading everyone else's blogs (the one that sums it up best for me is <a href="http://jennyjenny-yesterdaygirl.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/back-in-ever-so-stylish-saddle-tweed.html" target="_blank">by Jenni Yesterday</a>) and catching up with all the Tweets from the day. I've put them all together using <a href="http://storify.com/AnnaWinston/london-tweed-run-2012" target="_blank">Storify</a>, which has turned the whole thing into a <a href="http://storify.com/AnnaWinston/london-tweed-run-2012" target="_blank">Tweed Run live blog complete with pictures</a> so you can get a bit of a sense of how it all unfolded if you're interested.There are also some rather jolly images on the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150832691889061.432391.132193884060&type=1" target="_blank"> Tweed Run Facebook page</a>. <br />
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My outfit (on the left):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuKAFzgR0ruCCUVQGBXyb5aengzdnUC-zemq1q1a9rOVP1kM5YR4t3-mkwWxytlKcdvoWpYp9y7n49jvIJ8rGAVm24EHAZ3Zg_LUiveJ09pXT9_6SFnHzcShgDr6f2c8abWeH7QmE2Xw/s1600/a+and+g.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuKAFzgR0ruCCUVQGBXyb5aengzdnUC-zemq1q1a9rOVP1kM5YR4t3-mkwWxytlKcdvoWpYp9y7n49jvIJ8rGAVm24EHAZ3Zg_LUiveJ09pXT9_6SFnHzcShgDr6f2c8abWeH7QmE2Xw/s640/a+and+g.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tweed jacket by Armani (found at Kilburn car boot sale)<br />
Waxed cotton circle skirt by River Island <br />
Vintage silk shirt (found at Traid in Kilburn)<br />
Vintage fox fur stole found at Wills Moody Jumble Sale)<br />
Vintage Cacharel diamante brooch (via eBay) <br />
Hair bow (found at Wills Moody Jumble Sale)<br />
Brogues by Office (found at Kilburn car boot sale)<br />
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All bike decorations found at Poundland and Harlesden and Kilburn car boot sales<br />
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p.s. If you spot any pictures of me in full get up during your web browsing, please let me know! </div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-34431866940189115662012-01-13T06:49:00.000-08:002012-01-13T06:49:20.985-08:00It's been a while...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Since I last blogged, many important things have happened. But let's not dwell on that. It's a new year and, really, it can't possibly be much more cataclysmic than 2011. Unless, of course, the Mayans were right.<br />
I did abandon my blog last year. I have missed it and I apologise to anyone else who might have missed it too if they exist. I was busy having a full time job, worrying about the world, dealing with real life and doing this:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4u9C5mC4G273Mrbvdc-OjUu19SVQmBw_6ZI3YNIDMcejUyjwvLykTTkbQNCpN_FYqGvUg5DO-QZdIOf1BRN-EflPaSZ9PKLa6nLrv3XUGzrHr_0duWurLtaGNzwLoIirDV14t_k8CEG0/s1600/310899_10150447910821779_511446778_10063200_65297948_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4u9C5mC4G273Mrbvdc-OjUu19SVQmBw_6ZI3YNIDMcejUyjwvLykTTkbQNCpN_FYqGvUg5DO-QZdIOf1BRN-EflPaSZ9PKLa6nLrv3XUGzrHr_0duWurLtaGNzwLoIirDV14t_k8CEG0/s320/310899_10150447910821779_511446778_10063200_65297948_n.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, it was two months ago, but it still feels pretty amazing. And I met Caitlin Moran!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I also took up swing dancing. This is definitely not the same thing as swinging. There is no pampas grass in my front garden thank you very much. That joke is getting very, very old now.<br />
I've dabbled with dancing once or twice before but this is the longest I've ever stuck with it and it feels like it's a permanent part of my life now. And dancing makes me happy. When I got home after my last lesson the boy said I was 'glowing'.<br />
What all this has meant is that I've had no time to spend hours trawling fashion blogs and watching style.com and BoF like a hawk for gossipy tidbits, shows and news. I haven't really had the energy to trawl online retailers to find content for 'best of the sales' posts or keep up to date on new arrivals - frankly after a while it just gets depressing because I can afford precisely none of it. <br />
I do, however, still find the time to trawl charity shops, designer exchanges and car boot sales and I still retreat to Liberty to stroke the lovely things after a difficult week.<br />
So this year, my blog is being revived. I made myself a New Year's resolution and I am going to at least make an attempt to stick to it by posting a minimum of once a week. The content may be a little more varied. I'll be posting about the hunt for the perfect 30s and 40s dance outfits - be they vintage or repro or modern-with-a-flavour-of (Miu Miu is on the wish list at the moment) - and about learning new ways to burn my hair with curling tongs. I'll be reviving the £10 challenge because it's fun, although I still hate pictures of me. I'll also be talking about non-clothing related stuff occasionally; books I'm reading, new recipes, dancing and other things I like. But there'll still be the occasional post on new collections, things in the shops and wish lists.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rdbsJRgQpI6oUr0UBFkMfH4HS23-BRvPaeLzs60YQ7d4lPyueYfpGEruYtTOnb1PsxcryJgjJaiXau9JFnziUyfyqX9MKZv01LVboMS0TSRpAApRdwpqjHAEz_BtlQ0pgQTLTGQzh9g/s1600/mllelek-miu-miu1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rdbsJRgQpI6oUr0UBFkMfH4HS23-BRvPaeLzs60YQ7d4lPyueYfpGEruYtTOnb1PsxcryJgjJaiXau9JFnziUyfyqX9MKZv01LVboMS0TSRpAApRdwpqjHAEz_BtlQ0pgQTLTGQzh9g/s320/mllelek-miu-miu1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MMmmmmmmmiu miu - yes please! (image via <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_139256719">m</a><span class="rg_ctlv"><span id="rg_hr"><a href="http://mademoisellelek.com/">ademoisellelek.com</a>)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Finally, just thought you should know that I've sort of given up smoking and am putting aside the money I would usually spend on cigarettes (roughly £10 a week at current prices I think, although I did save by turning to roll ups for a while) as I'm trying to save up for my dream bag - a Mulberry Bayswater in black. I've wanted one for so long now that I've learnt to ignore the litle pangs of jealousy that I get whenever I see someone with one on the tube. But recently one of my favourite people was given one. Yes, given. Just like that. And I can't handle it anymore. So I've made buying one - the real thing - one of my other New Year's resolutions. And I'm <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/40sfilmstar/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686">selling a lot of my old stuff on eBay</a> to raise further funds towards it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuINqA6pDt7RLQQEeF1Gr7pSymdDBPg9jXnbkDnq9ePdNfVh_NCyYT4XCnbf23DNBwh_EhZOMe3gSPzEb4rWqLmX7EIh5_lropJhUYivT6v2AhEOag4QUqCMBAZ5lx2C-jO0e1w6qAaoc/s1600/HH5988_342A100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuINqA6pDt7RLQQEeF1Gr7pSymdDBPg9jXnbkDnq9ePdNfVh_NCyYT4XCnbf23DNBwh_EhZOMe3gSPzEb4rWqLmX7EIh5_lropJhUYivT6v2AhEOag4QUqCMBAZ5lx2C-jO0e1w6qAaoc/s320/HH5988_342A100.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drool. (image via <a href="http://mulberry.com/">mulberry.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I want to walk into Liberty and pay in cash. Wish me luck!<br />
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</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-25141424440574290832011-10-20T05:53:00.000-07:002011-10-20T05:53:14.615-07:00Uggxactly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5BDiDmSotqs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-27844709821654860052011-09-20T07:20:00.000-07:002012-05-15T03:20:00.952-07:00Tackling writer's block<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72PptKVzXLUplWRDvGnJcvLlxyVwqHhFkc98-z7-f-9NxU1IErZIR5C4eVzBz5wlAtA4NP71OVBCIFK8eH7s3ZGDrQA_h-EMsrtdxaO5JFgaSu539JO0j9WGNBg1gwZMadhk20Tbn4a4/s1600/writers+block.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72PptKVzXLUplWRDvGnJcvLlxyVwqHhFkc98-z7-f-9NxU1IErZIR5C4eVzBz5wlAtA4NP71OVBCIFK8eH7s3ZGDrQA_h-EMsrtdxaO5JFgaSu539JO0j9WGNBg1gwZMadhk20Tbn4a4/s320/writers+block.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image via <a href="http://www.charlesheflin.com/beating-writers-block-in-your-content-marketing">charleshelfin.com</a><span id="goog_1333302142"></span><span id="goog_1333302143"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a></td></tr>
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<br />
A very talented freelance feature writer that I first met back when were both trainee journalists emailed me this morning in a writer's block induced panic, asking for my advice on how to beat it. She's more than capable of getting past the block without my help and is a proper writer (I was one of those once but now I'm a web editor which mostly involves moving things other people have written around a screen, chasing contributions from bloggers and lots of scary budget meetings), but sometimes you just need a bit of reassurance from someone who understands what it's like. She said my response made her feel a bit better, so I thought I'd put it up here on the off-chance someone else might find it useful, funny or at least make them feel a bit better about themsleves because they are more organised/normal than me.<br />
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"<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">OK, what I always do when I have writers block is faff around all day THINKING about the subject – this usually involves doing laundry, trawling blogs, walking in the park, spending hours on facebook, taking pointless bus journeys, going to the bank, etc... carry a notebook with me at all times and jot down the odd sentence (most of which I will be unable to read when I come back to them, but it will remind me what I was thinking about).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">"Then when it starts to get dark I go out and buy a pack of 20 marlborough lights, a giant bag of maltesers and a couple of cartons or orange juice. Then I sit down and brain fart on my keyboard – write and write and write. "When it stops flowing I have a cigarette outside in the garden or take a juice and malteser break. At about 5am I do an edit. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">"In all, during the course of a 24 hour day I will probably spend about 4-5 hours actually sitting in front of my computer attempting to write. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">"Then I send it to my mum who reads it while I have a shower, tells me its fine, I look for reasons to disagree with her and then do another edit to correct all the things I found. </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">"Mostly, this technique is about giving yourself plenty of space away from the computer to organise your thoughts and being very close to deadline when you write so you can’t spend too much time agonising over it because you’ve just got to get it done. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">"This is how I got a first at uni and how I got my first piece published in the Evening Standard. However, it is also how I failed to get onto a masters course at Cambridge.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">"I have no idea if it would work for anyone else and it would probably be very risky to try it out for the first time so close to an important deadline. Also, I strongly advise you not to do the cigarettes bit – it’s how I started smoking again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">"The bit in bold is the important bit – you may be able to think of your own way of doing it."</span></div>
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</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-91690532624464521422011-04-06T04:59:00.000-07:002011-04-06T04:59:40.652-07:00Some things just need to be said<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Ora1sI4nomwK0urk2p1nJK1GLavenfTKFOvSM4_Y5OlgyiRZHuAhoGtNH1hbG-zVMn3s-p-0XVWg6rXlWL8abS3S9JtXBruoDlBOQI1snpVgHIizNhvKLmLQJWpp1y9lwtl2-7gqyEw/s1600/grammar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Ora1sI4nomwK0urk2p1nJK1GLavenfTKFOvSM4_Y5OlgyiRZHuAhoGtNH1hbG-zVMn3s-p-0XVWg6rXlWL8abS3S9JtXBruoDlBOQI1snpVgHIizNhvKLmLQJWpp1y9lwtl2-7gqyEw/s640/grammar.jpg" width="528" /></a></div><br />
We are all guilty. I think I suffer from a kind of keyboard specific dyspraxia as well. <br />
This and other charming letterpress prints (I psrticularly enjoyed the one from the Trekkies to the Twilight fans and the stationery/stationary canvas bag) available from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/shopsaplingpress?page=1&order=date_desc">Sapling Press on Etsy</a></div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-82975967630369271832011-03-31T06:59:00.000-07:002011-03-31T07:01:33.390-07:00The Margaret Howell Sample Sale March/April 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrkV97rOnquUpmVMeM9HR-p1TuahmHeYJ2TF3COvXwGPkeCH56k2rhKfK9abzmpmsYgPK6GJjYR3CIgVwjH0XwJG40dbAfmmo8PzLQw7HAP8waoGxmk8XTJoHXzBHFFQkDxQlX_1fgSQ/s1600/email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrkV97rOnquUpmVMeM9HR-p1TuahmHeYJ2TF3COvXwGPkeCH56k2rhKfK9abzmpmsYgPK6GJjYR3CIgVwjH0XwJG40dbAfmmo8PzLQw7HAP8waoGxmk8XTJoHXzBHFFQkDxQlX_1fgSQ/s640/email.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br />
I am not going to offer a lengthy explanation for my prolonged absence from this blog. All I will say is that I got a new, very demanding full-time job as a web editor (a real, proper editor which is a terribly grown up thing to be) and there was also some other stuff taking up all my spare brain space. Mostly I was spending my alone time in the evenings watching the same episodes of Family Guy over and over again because everything else felt like too much effort. <br />
I didn't have the energy or inclination to spend hours reading pointless, repetitive articles on the fashion industry or reports on the latest fashion shows, most of which were boring anyway, and the blog began to feel like a weight around my neck rather than something satisfying and fun.<br />
It's not as bad as it sounds, I promsie, I am just preternaturally lazy and couldn't handle being so busy. <br />
So anyway, now I am back. But not fully. I don't want this blog to feel like a burden again, so don't expect any consistancy in the posting regime. And it probably won't just be about clothes anymore, although I'm making no promises.<br />
In the meantime, though, here's a gift from me to you - the Maragaret Howell sample sale invitation. This has become pretty much the only regular sample sale I frequent. It's not full of amazing bargains, but it is good for seriously useful things for your wardrobe that also make you feel like you've treated yourself.<br />
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</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-36544537303787588102011-03-28T05:06:00.000-07:002011-03-28T07:27:01.002-07:00How to dress for a protest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My family have always been politically minded, from my grandparents right-leaning zionist generation, to my parents CND/anti-apartheid/anti-nazi campaigning, right through to my own light dabblings in socialist ideology (very short-lived).<br />
I've been going to protests since I was tiny, strapped onto my dad's back in a brown corduroy sling or holding mum's hand dressed in Osh Kosh dungarees, so it was lovely to see so many families with young kids at the protest in London on March 26.<br />
However, protesting seems to have become more risky as police tactics have changed. When I was little it seemed like the police were there to protect us from any violence, so when a group of skin heads started throwing rocks at us on an Anti-Nazi league March they were swiftly dealt with and we carried on in peace. Perhaps as a child I was sheltered from any other nastiness, certainly old-school protestors I later met while working for another anti-racism organisation would suggest so. But these days the police are the people I am scared of. Not because they are bad people - but because I am terrified of being kettled. Kettling escalates an angry mood and catches innocent peaceful protestors up in the aggravated swirl of masked teenagers looking to cause damage and antagonise the police into doing something stupid. Being held for an indefinite amount of time is scary and also I don't like peeing in public.<br />
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Thus, my mother and I have, over the past few years, been considering a new sartorial approach to protest that we thought would help us avoid any trouble. On Saturday, we put it to the test. No more dungarees, definitely no corduroy (not that I have considered either of these a sensible choice for clothing since an unfortunate lilac denim-cut-off dungarees moment when I was 13) - no face paint, no jeans, no slogan t-shirts of any sort. In fact any clothes that make you look like you might possibly be a protestor are banned unless they can be easily removed and compacted into a handbag or covered with a shawl.<br />
And thus it was that I went along to the cuts protest in polka dot high heels, matching red lipstick, an APC coat and a satin YSL pencil skirt (ebay's finest).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS0VOgjnsPwqloWEx8kFLga58rxm-FQuNOGXYUncb_FaGd0dLH6RmvZ5hmqICAgKmFRCnVKC9Ulp7YaTF6zicWGiVfwk8RjKM9QibIThS6giFpT1Sy9No-Cqz1Fq1K0mpx3e-3Xi55K4/s1600/IMG_2597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS0VOgjnsPwqloWEx8kFLga58rxm-FQuNOGXYUncb_FaGd0dLH6RmvZ5hmqICAgKmFRCnVKC9Ulp7YaTF6zicWGiVfwk8RjKM9QibIThS6giFpT1Sy9No-Cqz1Fq1K0mpx3e-3Xi55K4/s320/IMG_2597.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(taken by my mum in nice hotel toilets in Mayfair, five minutes after leaving the protest route)</span></div><br />
No-one was anything but polite to me. One woman stopped me and said she admired my commitment, coming on a march in heels. A masked teenager, fresh from smashing the windows at Lloyds, actually stopped and apologised for crashing into me as he ran towards the Ritz. A riot policeman told me under his breath exactly what the next police move was going to be so that I could get out of the way and not get crushed. In fact every policeman either of us spoke to was nothing but friendly, helpful and polite despite the abuse being hurled at many of them. We even managed to walk straight off the march into a very nice hotel to use the loo without anyone batting an eyelid.<br />
After five hours the heels did start to hurt a little. But I still managed to run with the riot police as they poured onto Piccadilly from Old Bond Street and take some decent pictures, although I had to hitch the pencil skirt up above my knees to keep up.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIUVtnHZpNefPGI4UU8ndTI5PclWbp8k1U4ghm8gpU2uPMLZCE2NEurjg9Q8h4KDhbNrn8mlp_Ac9NnY6tmk_VETxxzakW0u0gplKH-u5cTJNtbfQKzKh3RyQa6sYFJyfMYDIMJnlz-w/s1600/IMG_2586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIUVtnHZpNefPGI4UU8ndTI5PclWbp8k1U4ghm8gpU2uPMLZCE2NEurjg9Q8h4KDhbNrn8mlp_Ac9NnY6tmk_VETxxzakW0u0gplKH-u5cTJNtbfQKzKh3RyQa6sYFJyfMYDIMJnlz-w/s320/IMG_2586.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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Yes, some people would say that there is an ideological conflict in wearing designer clothing to an anti-cuts protest (even if the entire outfit actually cost me under £50). Those are probably the same people who thought smashing the windows of the Ritz was a good idea. But I think their point is moot. The middle classes - a number of whom would take a trip to Fortnum and Masons for birthday ice creams or Christmas presents, or the Ritz for tea for Grandma's birthday, and who are collectively the biggest consumer group for fashion in the UK - are seriously affected by these cuts. Almost all of them rely in some way on a state-funded service, be it the NHS, state schooling, libraries, sport centres, child care or benefits. Very few of them have the money to pay off their children's university debts, let alone the new fees. Yes, this may seem trivial compared to the loss of a disability allowance or a newly-jobless single mother with no support (although being disabled or a single mother doesn't make you automatically working class or poor despite what some newspapers seem to think), but the point is that these cuts affect almost everyone. And even the more comfortable and straight-laced members of the middle classes are angry. They're just a bit too nice to throw eggs full of paint at the Royal Academy. For now.<br />
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Some other outfits from the protest:<br />
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And my favourite message of the day:<br />
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</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-17170868536641983702010-11-22T16:07:00.000-08:002010-11-22T16:07:34.290-08:00A rather fabulous party - Skate at Somerset House hosted by Tiffany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegMuGTbJrZ7X-QYbwt7cen3y81MKFI-6GTcjWqo5IjEktmCFlgG7z0dtHs7d5Lo_k0AWLJ8c4takL8pWdqa57FJ9hNEGuFZSbA4qycOFi7cGq48x-AKHk6FUUIChiUemdBoQ3_uu4a38/s1600/IMG_1238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegMuGTbJrZ7X-QYbwt7cen3y81MKFI-6GTcjWqo5IjEktmCFlgG7z0dtHs7d5Lo_k0AWLJ8c4takL8pWdqa57FJ9hNEGuFZSbA4qycOFi7cGq48x-AKHk6FUUIChiUemdBoQ3_uu4a38/s320/IMG_1238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Yes, I know I have been M I A, and I promise a proper apology and explanation is forthcoming in another post. But right now I am feeling all squiffy and happy thanks to Somerset House and Tiffany and think it would be much nicer to tell you all about that instead.</span></div><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I's not often that I get invited to many glamorous parties through work - architecture journalism really isn't that swanky - but there have been a few exceptions recently. One of those was being given my editor's invitation for the Skate at Somerset House launch party, hosted tonight by Tiffany. I took one of my old war (graduate training scheme) buddies R, who enjoys a free glass of champagne and watching attractive but annoying well-bred men fall on their bums probably even more than I do.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The event was very... well, it was just very. As well as copious amounts of champagne, there was also apple and cinnamon cocktails, hot chocolate in the form of steaming hot cups of full fat milk and cream and a whole stick of solid chocolate to melt in it to your taste and, of course, mulled wine.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">We watched Paloma Faith, clad in deep green floor length velvet coat with fur trim and matching hat, sing Santa Baby and one of her own songs (I think it was hers - it was about the advantages of dating much older men) and then turn on the lights on the Somerset House/Tiffany christmas tree, which to be honest was a bit of an anti climax - they were too tasteful to be really impressive. The tree was nice, just slightly overshadowed by the surreal goings on around it. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">We got stuck in to the canapes including tiny pots of soup with cheese sticks, pate on teeny tiny bits of toast, similarly small blinis, small copper bowls of yummy beef stew with horseradish mash, prawn and crayfish cocktail and miniature christmas puddings that were almost like truffles. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
Then we watched a rather mad, but very enjoyable, performance by a man in a lycra jesters suit who white-boy rapped over a mixture of classic swing and hip hop and watched Henry Holland, Sarah Beeney, Jamie Winstone and editor of Elle (and my idol) Lorraine Candy and her very cute little girl skating round and round in circles for a while.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Sadly, I was unprepared and didn't have my camera with me. My phone battery was also dying, but I did attempt to grab some snaps for you. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tree - adorned with Tiffany's decorations worth the price of a flat in west London according to Paloma Faith. I think she was joking but can't be sure...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiPNZhoixtNJzlCMU67Z7ARHoh2RA-aJuIPk_dg3PigJCE_xZtB5eXmj3kjLoAT5owGmqYUPgXKIrSxkHoNvgTtwmhff-0CMbPBzx5PVTReLlMzMv8mvH-0rgt5SxZatkKjJl35ixXrE/s1600/IMAG0429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiPNZhoixtNJzlCMU67Z7ARHoh2RA-aJuIPk_dg3PigJCE_xZtB5eXmj3kjLoAT5owGmqYUPgXKIrSxkHoNvgTtwmhff-0CMbPBzx5PVTReLlMzMv8mvH-0rgt5SxZatkKjJl35ixXrE/s320/IMAG0429.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A man dressed as a jester, rapping and scatting to a hip hop version of King of the Swingers from the Jungle Book. Seriously. I'm probably betraying my complete lack of cultural awareness by being unable to identify him, but he was actually quite good although I can see the novelty wearing off pretty fast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJA2amlm3NipN75i56ip36mR74tToOPm-w83Nf_oPTNKuKUDCBOQMA2l6tR59d95yh4vEYAX_QHsnSSQXJatDSXNF4Z6OZGNp17-G-0uVsIEDm_WGZztG9HBtqmR-1gRR864ipLSNLLw/s1600/IMAG0434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJA2amlm3NipN75i56ip36mR74tToOPm-w83Nf_oPTNKuKUDCBOQMA2l6tR59d95yh4vEYAX_QHsnSSQXJatDSXNF4Z6OZGNp17-G-0uVsIEDm_WGZztG9HBtqmR-1gRR864ipLSNLLw/s320/IMAG0434.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lorraine Candy. Honestly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREK1OKN1YgFBZbp_1Tj7NeIw9GWiTlQ7mFMdoDsHLWG3Kt7oT4wDyFC9HMvIYAyDoLkxVl5JLlT1IdIEtE31yGydqUaTWq2n5PBgGJ15R0YuxwY6PvULTxalx-Mh6O68u-ObKzjAX0VQ/s1600/IMAG0433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREK1OKN1YgFBZbp_1Tj7NeIw9GWiTlQ7mFMdoDsHLWG3Kt7oT4wDyFC9HMvIYAyDoLkxVl5JLlT1IdIEtE31yGydqUaTWq2n5PBgGJ15R0YuxwY6PvULTxalx-Mh6O68u-ObKzjAX0VQ/s320/IMAG0433.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Henry Holland on the left there. Have we firmly established that I don't have a career as a paparazzo waiting for me if the journalism thing goes awry yet? Jolly good.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">After a few glasses of champagne, we did attempt to skate ourselves. R was intent on accidentally on purpose crashing into a good looking (and rich looking) young man, but chickened out at the last minute. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I don't think I've ever seen such a well-dressed crowd of skaters in my life. It was all picture postcard fluffy fur hats, shearling trims and cashmere scarves. So many women in so many beautiful coats! There were also some pretty tragic examples of plastic surgery addiction on display - no-one needs to have their lips that full, even if he fillers do act as insulation from the cold.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">As we left we were handed a Tiffany's gift bag containing a box of notecards and envelopes. No jewellery unfortunately, but you can't have it all.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4cl_EroWzGr_xsPpuuEdBbSGPqEQDnbd3gPstAXpSjQ6BQ5gmWLWG_jwUF3NJyTQohv2Hkz8Dd7qJ12jkcGrfw2tiog89Gh6Tf1mVM7GBqR9kiL2Xjq4Op-vLICf4fp57msACb8u41Y/s1600/IMG_1246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4cl_EroWzGr_xsPpuuEdBbSGPqEQDnbd3gPstAXpSjQ6BQ5gmWLWG_jwUF3NJyTQohv2Hkz8Dd7qJ12jkcGrfw2tiog89Gh6Tf1mVM7GBqR9kiL2Xjq4Op-vLICf4fp57msACb8u41Y/s320/IMG_1246.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSr2KZZEehsA3ky3m9VBjF-F5ERctPqpgjnuROP7I_e_WESNyuxCqr-PgPFfsphtyRTGhfDahsm96tZObOaN_JBYee3kPxbc-M8jCcNHSIFbnQ5AYR9v6uWVK_FD-eIcbXArl24Q7YXtA/s1600/IMG_1245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSr2KZZEehsA3ky3m9VBjF-F5ERctPqpgjnuROP7I_e_WESNyuxCqr-PgPFfsphtyRTGhfDahsm96tZObOaN_JBYee3kPxbc-M8jCcNHSIFbnQ5AYR9v6uWVK_FD-eIcbXArl24Q7YXtA/s320/IMG_1245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I wish I had more photos to show you that aren't just blue blurry messes, but I'm sure there will be plenty populating the pages of our illustrious tabloid press tomorrow morning for you to enjoy...</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-81921866499635045312010-10-28T14:47:00.000-07:002010-10-28T14:47:29.682-07:00Objects of desire: Stine Goya<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Printed dresses don't often appeal to me - they tend to shout too loudly. A bold printed dress can only be worn a handful of times because it's usually just too memorable. It's too much of a commitment being the girl in that dress. But every now and then you see something that just makes you melt a little bit inside. Browsing the internet I stumbled across this rather lovely example by Danish designer Stine Goya.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtI1wCzEAnyI47sgSqzvK8exCrUKYet8Jy_U-TGkEO1yZC-OKgo_nQ27MjPfBfZ69nNvpsg-iR5C8xzbbq2xfkvwNDBGi5QRTIWSnbyyxngwGjEycnxkjrR7vHO_KW1K7ImTGxuP8XUY/s1600/8867a48adfd6a4f83b9b914789a918ff_h100w320_width.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtI1wCzEAnyI47sgSqzvK8exCrUKYet8Jy_U-TGkEO1yZC-OKgo_nQ27MjPfBfZ69nNvpsg-iR5C8xzbbq2xfkvwNDBGi5QRTIWSnbyyxngwGjEycnxkjrR7vHO_KW1K7ImTGxuP8XUY/s320/8867a48adfd6a4f83b9b914789a918ff_h100w320_width.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stine Goya - Moonprint dress - £264 - <a href="http://ninaandlola.com/">ninaandlola.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Look you can even tuck it into a pair of high waisted trouser (although this would only work if you were terribly skinny I fear). And now I want it very, very badly but given I had to bid a sad farewell to the beautiful scoop neck, perfectly soft, triple ply cashmere coat/cardigan at the Tse sample sale last night, there's no way I can afford this, especially in cost-per-wear terms. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi28XfrUVombfR8uzs2LzahIzEm5CX0fKeVjgVcqyFyoW8kVf7aJICFuKixJa2VsvGFbFqqU3XMjhluLKK3h1ClZ_qzJht4MeXw7kvrqrY3woCyGOUn2rmwoGSqsOT7UrIXHhrg_Zy-es/s1600/34c10229b52ed9c587446fc97bddb6bf_h100w320_width.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi28XfrUVombfR8uzs2LzahIzEm5CX0fKeVjgVcqyFyoW8kVf7aJICFuKixJa2VsvGFbFqqU3XMjhluLKK3h1ClZ_qzJht4MeXw7kvrqrY3woCyGOUn2rmwoGSqsOT7UrIXHhrg_Zy-es/s320/34c10229b52ed9c587446fc97bddb6bf_h100w320_width.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Ever the glutton for punishment of course I had to go and visit Stine Goya's site to see what else was on offer this season and found the perfect bag.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OQp0wpUHYFXyx_9-AqdGrAz10kXzOauHwh9mzKIAxbfCOLJnVD54U3FdjIMSIuA4fwz7DQvK7RyHV6DlfmsEVRveWRisRqYJJfsJT7hx24gdrmjKB2AhfZRoSTcCb05VhP8W8w23Uh4/s1600/a693b65c54ab09dfcc7062fa5c54c44d_h348w448_min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OQp0wpUHYFXyx_9-AqdGrAz10kXzOauHwh9mzKIAxbfCOLJnVD54U3FdjIMSIuA4fwz7DQvK7RyHV6DlfmsEVRveWRisRqYJJfsJT7hx24gdrmjKB2AhfZRoSTcCb05VhP8W8w23Uh4/s320/a693b65c54ab09dfcc7062fa5c54c44d_h348w448_min.jpg" width="153" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmvyBVMlI6VyUqWgbBPLKwpgcg-8uqztf-iujuvas23Zu69LyyUtj2bqxgjHZQtu6kZz9cGm_dMfg-yFUtUD2hAcVY4A5W3tBcp84NH7VxV0z7MdhXOZZP7X7XXomq6aCtUFwe8oGRFQ/s1600/c72a6614aa75738a0fd1caee423dfc03_h348w448_min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmvyBVMlI6VyUqWgbBPLKwpgcg-8uqztf-iujuvas23Zu69LyyUtj2bqxgjHZQtu6kZz9cGm_dMfg-yFUtUD2hAcVY4A5W3tBcp84NH7VxV0z7MdhXOZZP7X7XXomq6aCtUFwe8oGRFQ/s320/c72a6614aa75738a0fd1caee423dfc03_h348w448_min.jpg" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thunder bag - Stine Goya - 2000 DKK (approx. £235) - <a href="http://stinegoya.com/">stinegoya.com</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Sigh.</span></span></div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-56828090563185853392010-10-26T16:28:00.000-07:002010-10-26T16:28:11.493-07:00Cashmere glorious cashmere - Uniqlo jumpers and the Tse sample sale<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSm0OSVhteabVsWWsL0IIuuUnX5S7ncFWcjMfVqUqAAOe6GxJi2K4U0efAQ_0qOvH5_clRxSwGf_D6vHW9B8CSguC7PrE6w7e715ltLWSjRclf7Lcx4Yd96UFOl4CGoYiiY4KbpveVQg/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSm0OSVhteabVsWWsL0IIuuUnX5S7ncFWcjMfVqUqAAOe6GxJi2K4U0efAQ_0qOvH5_clRxSwGf_D6vHW9B8CSguC7PrE6w7e715ltLWSjRclf7Lcx4Yd96UFOl4CGoYiiY4KbpveVQg/s320/Picture+2.png" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> This season's Tse collection - but last season's was good too</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The nights are getting longer and colder and it feels like we've actually skipped autumn and headed straight into winter. But the change in seasons has its compensations and of course one of those is glorious, soft, warm cashmere and lots of it. Or at least I wish I had lots of it.<br />
If, like me, you can never have enough cashmere (and I really can't on my budget) but you have more than a little (but not masses) of cash to spare and the time and inclination you should definitely hot foot it down to the Tse sample sale on October 27, 28 and 29 at the Camden Town Hall where the cashmere brand is offering up to 80% off its main, mens and diffusion lines. I'll be there late after work to mop up any remaining dregs from the bargain rail.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Tse, Tse Men and tsesay Sample sale</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">October 27(11 am to 8pm), 28 and 29 (10am to 8pm)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Camden Centre</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Bidborough Street</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">London WC1H 9AU</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">enquiries - 020 3227 1046 ext 0</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">nearest tube: Kings Cross</div><br />
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Otherwise may I recommend investing in a men's cashmere jumper from Uniqlo? They come in a vast range of colours and the knit is fine enough for you to tuck into a high waisted skirt or layer up in. They're cheap enough - although not so spectacularly as to make you severely doubt the quality of the wool - to just slouch about in too. They look great under a blazer and over a shirt with a sharp collar or tucked in to a pretty skirt and the cardigans are oversized enough to be thrown over the shoulders and not instantly fall off again. And I can't think of anything more comforting to wear underneath a duffle coat on bonfire night...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqF50v8Uqop1AVDS-fJyZXul5dGQMytK3f7sA-jxIMTODa_Xo4jNqZIcnTYPYwo2E66sUxcP3AvFhe5-KUMSRcwCffPSzK_X6uhwpxBJh5iHsEckv2mm5qTAttyl0-FP_hbGISJq1Ki4/s1600/32_064525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqF50v8Uqop1AVDS-fJyZXul5dGQMytK3f7sA-jxIMTODa_Xo4jNqZIcnTYPYwo2E66sUxcP3AvFhe5-KUMSRcwCffPSzK_X6uhwpxBJh5iHsEckv2mm5qTAttyl0-FP_hbGISJq1Ki4/s320/32_064525.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cashmere v-neck cardigan in 32 Beige - <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_309461315"></span>Uniqlo<span id="goog_309461316"></span></a> - £129.99<br />
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</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3JFwgZcOObMCLLQTU2ghMQqdH_0UbRZLRN40MjM-KOGCrQ20OCciT_pE1xMzL6cLyJ7_AuGyJura5qUU6t-Ff7bunpnwJWMPLAPxM3hteNo74iSVrph_KkKix4mJG9tMRGq_1zy4Lc0/s1600/03_064523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3JFwgZcOObMCLLQTU2ghMQqdH_0UbRZLRN40MjM-KOGCrQ20OCciT_pE1xMzL6cLyJ7_AuGyJura5qUU6t-Ff7bunpnwJWMPLAPxM3hteNo74iSVrph_KkKix4mJG9tMRGq_1zy4Lc0/s320/03_064523.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pure cashmere crew neck sweater in 03 grey - <a href="http://shop.uniqlo.com/uk/goods/064523#colorSelect">Uniqlo</a> - £89.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Or if you prefer something more fitted the latest Velvet and Uniqlo collaboration should be able to offer something more to your taste.<br />
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</b></span></span></div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-984306082311342252010-10-24T16:29:00.000-07:002010-10-25T03:24:34.381-07:00The £10 challenge - zebra/tiger print<div style="text-align: left;">I think it's fair to say that I'm fairly unlikely to ever wear these outside of my house. Or in fact ever again. But they do illustrate a point - some things just don't work when they're done on the high street. Slightly shiny zebra or tiger (depending on the background colour - these are a caramel colour so probably tiger and marginally more forgiving than the monochrome version) print peg legs are never going to look great really, unless you are very tall, quite thin or so brave that we all admire your tenacity and ignore the fact that it looks like you are wearing flammable pyjama bottoms.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Personally, I think even if these were pure silk and worth enough to put down a deposit on a small house, they still wouldn't be for me. Me and prints don't generally gel, let alone an animal print that also looks a little bit like an exaggerated wood grain. I can see that on someone else they could possibly look amazing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLkkPDGKMpjX9jYwEnA9JOSM5cLZSdsXX3OdULLe7XTRnxLUV6YbnqD-e_gMm33Rr3Frb-XeFMGvciSTbv-kD0F1AFpyxrdpxgCoFdQrRJj-q41f6XP_iuzSvJzq1wdxyJ9_8asiNjJU/s1600/up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLkkPDGKMpjX9jYwEnA9JOSM5cLZSdsXX3OdULLe7XTRnxLUV6YbnqD-e_gMm33Rr3Frb-XeFMGvciSTbv-kD0F1AFpyxrdpxgCoFdQrRJj-q41f6XP_iuzSvJzq1wdxyJ9_8asiNjJU/s500/up.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrO5aTvP3dfI6tSo_VP_py9T4kefm8MZvcpUh6O9Kj-q93NDo5O86KWZtmXnkOI0MYSm44klyC-QCVI-Mi23DaGWVlcbz-6zpVZDRki_5AjoMPS_XSyycKgYcDosVZ3CX5dxIxl1ZeDp0/s1600/down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrO5aTvP3dfI6tSo_VP_py9T4kefm8MZvcpUh6O9Kj-q93NDo5O86KWZtmXnkOI0MYSm44klyC-QCVI-Mi23DaGWVlcbz-6zpVZDRki_5AjoMPS_XSyycKgYcDosVZ3CX5dxIxl1ZeDp0/s500/down.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">However they do give me an excuse to show off my new shoe purchase - the Pierre Hardy for Gap wedges with which I am desperately in love. This morning I was wearing them to potter around the house in while still in my actual pyjamas (more grey marl than animal print) and every time I take them off I catch myself stroking them absent mindedly. I haven't felt this way about a pair of shoes in a long time. Inevitably JFK will hate them because they are wedges and men tend to dislike wedges, and the minute he says something they will lose a little of their lustre. I must admit I used to be a wedge hater, but now I have seen the light - as long as they are very high and not strappy sandals. Whoever said wedges were easier to walk in though hadn't met London pavements. Especially those special textured paving slabs that are meant to warn the visually impaired about road crossings but also serve as a mini obstacle course to any wedge wearer.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57FSwj4RtQRQtw6sH9wHS-jYN21oNZS3psVbQyY1V55phUUi7EPYKFWMiuirWNX45xgA2X9Md_WdmsAMm7hXSG0YQAfLmpZxAvbR-B1bcHkVoPZyZYmujcR5cqq6UZSB3L3-RqLXwUP4/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57FSwj4RtQRQtw6sH9wHS-jYN21oNZS3psVbQyY1V55phUUi7EPYKFWMiuirWNX45xgA2X9Md_WdmsAMm7hXSG0YQAfLmpZxAvbR-B1bcHkVoPZyZYmujcR5cqq6UZSB3L3-RqLXwUP4/s500/shoes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">£10 challenge outfit;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jumper - Mango - car boot sale - £1.50</div><div style="text-align: center;">Trousers - Wallis - car boot sale - £3</div><div style="text-align: center;">Vest - Uniqlo - car boot sale - £1</div><div style="text-align: center;">Total - £5.50</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Shoes;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pierre Hardy Design Editions - Gap - £89.50</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-68860496205721426742010-10-21T15:56:00.000-07:002010-10-21T15:59:24.595-07:00Halloween make-up for grown-ups - Topshop and MacIs there any excuse as good as halloween for indulging in some quality fancy dress? I think not, but if yuo can conjure one up let me know and I'll be there. This year two of my good friends, Miss Laura Trouble and Eloise de Fine, are hosting a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=145162285526957&ref=mf">Zombies Ball at the Hoxton Bar and Kitchen </a>so of course an outfit must be planned. Especially as it is on a Friday night so I will probably have to get changed in the toilets at work or at the venue.<br />
<div>Usually what happens in these situations is that I go out and blow between £20 and £30 on pointless pots of glitter, eye crayons and all sorts of other rubbish from Superdrug, half of which I never end up using and the rest of which I use once, only to discard it all about six months later in a make-up bag purge. I promised myself this year would be different. I already have two suitable eye shadows from Mac - a poisonous looking glittery purple called Beauty Marked and an evil potion shade of shimmering green called De Menthe.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkucW1NiapI1l6cHiXxPcd95bOcv45Sc-Q_rllgGwFaqxUdkDp_AE4EgMc7VMUctBHR1-auNn4vleKMAEjJ8g82ivIpRgCbxluCCVD5iYuLVRbD6JEfoiGp9qj_Ul84_qj7NW_LugXuU/s1600/IMG_1025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkucW1NiapI1l6cHiXxPcd95bOcv45Sc-Q_rllgGwFaqxUdkDp_AE4EgMc7VMUctBHR1-auNn4vleKMAEjJ8g82ivIpRgCbxluCCVD5iYuLVRbD6JEfoiGp9qj_Ul84_qj7NW_LugXuU/s320/IMG_1025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div>But I need another texture. Mac have just launched a new range called Venomous Villains, inspired by various evil Disney characters including the wicked queen from Snow White and, of course, Cruella de Vil. </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAy9RfF6SidEw3ZtpD4EBrppjLuIXn3gLGghKp37Oo2ru0hukafTnEv91MXdG_eC6RYmMBkaUYkxAcTXkQR9hG2NW5bFzgIASfWk86_WKIz9gVUu8Yhzoce8rzUmNcCwyRkZIsAIgj3D4/s1600/MH3C0X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAy9RfF6SidEw3ZtpD4EBrppjLuIXn3gLGghKp37Oo2ru0hukafTnEv91MXdG_eC6RYmMBkaUYkxAcTXkQR9hG2NW5bFzgIASfWk86_WKIz9gVUu8Yhzoce8rzUmNcCwyRkZIsAIgj3D4/s320/MH3C0X.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venomous Villains lipstick in Heartless - £13 - Mac</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQYtjzdn8QDTiY-qDvOU4rGIWlPcra6RUoraOXc0ClIqZ0xkSUm70vVylsoWaGIBTK-ql1tnnMfUO_9JiYMj7-Ysxc4J0-ZWBty15VcqrFb9-oMdKganZMzQ6CvXD2YEy-YrziI6yI5w/s1600/MH3N01_alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQYtjzdn8QDTiY-qDvOU4rGIWlPcra6RUoraOXc0ClIqZ0xkSUm70vVylsoWaGIBTK-ql1tnnMfUO_9JiYMj7-Ysxc4J0-ZWBty15VcqrFb9-oMdKganZMzQ6CvXD2YEy-YrziI6yI5w/s320/MH3N01_alt.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venomous Villains mineralize eye shadow duo in My Dark Magic - £16 - Mac</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div>Sadly my budget won't stretch that far. Instead I found the final ingredient for my make-up concoction at Topshop, whose autumn/winter Heavy Duty range is rather pleasing and filled with suitably dark and sinister colours with names like Grunge or Gloom. I was seriously tempted by a very deep purple lipstick which was tempting, but realistically was only going to be worn once so I steered myself away and towards a gel eye-liner in an emerald green called Ravine. Layer it on thickly with the little brush and it's dark enough to wear on its own so won't just be a fancy dress purchase but smudge it up and it makes a great base for something else. For halloween it will become a rather gangrenous looking cream blusher. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aNHh5xff69MA-8jBBsF8ol2uhQUnnYqWG6CMNlLdtQ3nauH3r37AogU_JIfyflIr1YOZfiChAGnk2gPZ3iOKs1BXwoEKGqmHh6CM8DC_Ga3eo_7TlNnu_vvw3_qzFTDfVhL8tg3Iw_Y/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aNHh5xff69MA-8jBBsF8ol2uhQUnnYqWG6CMNlLdtQ3nauH3r37AogU_JIfyflIr1YOZfiChAGnk2gPZ3iOKs1BXwoEKGqmHh6CM8DC_Ga3eo_7TlNnu_vvw3_qzFTDfVhL8tg3Iw_Y/s320/IMG_0980.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC_MmdxU6PbTzW44A8JBLBKh9P0nZZ0pYsHm1jhdRJHFog-DILUGhVxLbFMRJkWuIk4VvSoxWAywwaS2g7Wc3AbsPRb9OiVpHomYyxfdXY8PmX0lFm_zSWLi_yVUGIVLVcqIiwDJDa6g/s1600/IMG_0986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC_MmdxU6PbTzW44A8JBLBKh9P0nZZ0pYsHm1jhdRJHFog-DILUGhVxLbFMRJkWuIk4VvSoxWAywwaS2g7Wc3AbsPRb9OiVpHomYyxfdXY8PmX0lFm_zSWLi_yVUGIVLVcqIiwDJDa6g/s320/IMG_0986.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVUAF83LlvBUTfv7WHsFwvec5bU-g3J8jmb-BxEDu-iYjhhshb3tvCJNBYjKPoQ-Tvd-mGvIRgw1FCX7vylAHp51j0hyphenhyphen-2zDvNl0-eyJ2_3qbCTMj5IfvIXJTLy3Mm64S_7R-lK-3In4/s1600/IMG_1005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVUAF83LlvBUTfv7WHsFwvec5bU-g3J8jmb-BxEDu-iYjhhshb3tvCJNBYjKPoQ-Tvd-mGvIRgw1FCX7vylAHp51j0hyphenhyphen-2zDvNl0-eyJ2_3qbCTMj5IfvIXJTLy3Mm64S_7R-lK-3In4/s320/IMG_1005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solid gel eye liner in Ravine - £8 - Topshop</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I'll post a picture of the finished results after I sleep off the hangover next weekend...</div><div><br />
</div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-13427078986771069452010-10-20T11:20:00.000-07:002010-10-20T11:20:42.908-07:00The fantasy autumn outfit - Carven and a bit of cable knitArctic winds are a-blowing in London today. The sun is warm and the sky is perfectly blue with litle white fluffy clouds speeding across it but the wind-chill and the spine-shivering cuts announcements from the government today just make you want to swathe yourself in layers and layers of cashmere. Luckily this season's trends are, if you hadn't already noticed, big on the chunky knit. But working out what to wear with a big cable knit sweater isn't always easy - a chunky knit can completely eradicate the shape of the person underneath so you look warm but slightly like an oversized cat toy.<br />
My own solution is to go for short skirts and tailored coats or jackets, cashmere gloves and a good scarf. A short flippy skirt may not be the best option when walking over a windy Waterloo bridge, as I discovered during a Marilyn moment this morning, but they do look nice or you could swap them for some surprisingly forgiving leather shorts. A pair of thick black tights will go a long way to preserving any modesty you have remaining.<br />
At the moment I swear by <a href="http://www.johnlewis.com/125412/Style.aspx">John Lewis' cotton tights</a>, because I'm not meant to be wearing lycra, but usually it would be my <a href="http://magpiemagpiemagpie.blogspot.com/2010/04/friend-in-need-needs-falke.html">beloved</a> <a href="http://www.johnlewis.com/125453/Style.aspx">Falke Cotton Touch tights</a>.<br />
Below is a slightly idealised version of what I'm wearing today (obviously I don't have this kind of money so almost all of mine is ebay and car boot sale alternatives but a girl can dream)...<br />
<br />
Let's start with the coat - mine is an oversized sharply cut black APC number that I found for £10 in a charity shop. I particularly like the pin-stripe lining that peeks out when I unbutton and roll up the cuffs. However in dream land this season I would have bought this and pushed the coat to the back of the wardrobe (or at least taken it to the dry cleaners becasue I wouldn't have to wear it every day or freeze);<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrRUIkmK5MjdJYuo-gTgkxFpZXEOP-N0JIU2XXhs0rpE6OKD43VLtN1mRZt-PjMT0Lhc9xmqAbY291dDSy2HGwsXqTUWHGbD5pbf87FII67qPchRGrPXLkz6JbvTSmuu7I9N8h6c6ujo/s320/01_popup.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="224" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carven belted wool jacket with fur trim - $1660 from <a href="http://www.lagarconne.com/">www.lagarconne.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrRUIkmK5MjdJYuo-gTgkxFpZXEOP-N0JIU2XXhs0rpE6OKD43VLtN1mRZt-PjMT0Lhc9xmqAbY291dDSy2HGwsXqTUWHGbD5pbf87FII67qPchRGrPXLkz6JbvTSmuu7I9N8h6c6ujo/s1600/01_popup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Underneath it would be a much more swish version of the soft cream cable knit chunky crew neck that I'm wearing right now which was £1.50 at the car boot sale and is actually for a 10 year old boy. The luxury version is from Prada, but here's anotehr alternative from D&G - technically a dress but a little on the short side without something underneath it even for me;<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgiAcTi0wLbQiNRTMDu6QiUZVuxUzFdqPgp2InTfsQAMNCjxxLRc7uwq4T-WHEK7-zs-Axsn81J1dMLFfW07W3R7Qop4p6unyOdiZKKvai3Fj1AprHkQ6rf82D4j9_uMZlCBnKcoYwVs/s320/77155_in_l.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D&G Cable knit wool-blend sweater dress - £280 - <a href="http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/77155">www.net-a-porter.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgiAcTi0wLbQiNRTMDu6QiUZVuxUzFdqPgp2InTfsQAMNCjxxLRc7uwq4T-WHEK7-zs-Axsn81J1dMLFfW07W3R7Qop4p6unyOdiZKKvai3Fj1AprHkQ6rf82D4j9_uMZlCBnKcoYwVs/s1600/77155_in_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>And underneath that would be a silk shirt buttoned all the way up to the top tucked into either shorts or a short skirt. The shirt I'm wearing is a very old, slightly worse for wear, grey, lumberjack, £1 Primark bargain bin find from way back when but I'd much rather be wearing this one;<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7iD1VfW0OejhAmWvECC6u7d-3-CHfC_yct34S-tQ2FpfRCkjX9WS3znqCxFF7CTq9QeXx22JlJqU-gs1qUFKUTRIPuZ_yBPPoybckT47dB7u6zsD0J5ODLWEMxFf4RbdMbA2shgHmw0/s1600/97525_fr_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7iD1VfW0OejhAmWvECC6u7d-3-CHfC_yct34S-tQ2FpfRCkjX9WS3znqCxFF7CTq9QeXx22JlJqU-gs1qUFKUTRIPuZ_yBPPoybckT47dB7u6zsD0J5ODLWEMxFf4RbdMbA2shgHmw0/s320/97525_fr_l.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0hHeN_1LgfTDjfS_6P-z1lLOyDLjjwYJFNCnRsQPYyEQS4qPtxpxIFUL41IusbqSXUR6cUXsAzoast7OERtoEciZ7L9hPVOvS-TxLbshYzhniB9FjGMWDfn2z49IftMLzuNwqqFuyMM/s320/97525_in_l.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rag & Bone Marai silk shirt - £220 - <a href="http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/97525?cm_sp=we_recommend-_-97525-_-slot3">www.net-a-porter.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0hHeN_1LgfTDjfS_6P-z1lLOyDLjjwYJFNCnRsQPYyEQS4qPtxpxIFUL41IusbqSXUR6cUXsAzoast7OERtoEciZ7L9hPVOvS-TxLbshYzhniB9FjGMWDfn2z49IftMLzuNwqqFuyMM/s1600/97525_in_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>With this, which has my favourite thing in a skirt - hidden pockets;<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Zc8Ef-No73Qa4pNOJVuI7qciBsakElv0ix-wGZlRODPgLmHCa6zuoh5qL0Htv_5dH4ZQtc_VrC9K3sFnbu4YHFwkcRy_WsP91HFzhyphenhyphenzDCOS2T1mwH_lEbqTZ88sADeD4AAfs2-ZWVLc/s320/5120426645445_Black_l1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whyred Pasca drape skirt - £142 - <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/Whyred-Pasca-Drape-Skirt/invt/5120426645445&bklist=icat,5,shop,christmas,christmascategories,bottomsall">www.urbanoufitters.co.uk</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Zc8Ef-No73Qa4pNOJVuI7qciBsakElv0ix-wGZlRODPgLmHCa6zuoh5qL0Htv_5dH4ZQtc_VrC9K3sFnbu4YHFwkcRy_WsP91HFzhyphenhyphenzDCOS2T1mwH_lEbqTZ88sADeD4AAfs2-ZWVLc/s1600/5120426645445_Black_l1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Some kind of ankle boot is essential, and a little platform helps navigate the puddle strewn pavements of London without getting your feet completely soaked. The ones I have on are desert boots (who came up with that name? how can anything suede with a heel be useful in heat and on sand?) from River Island and are a pinky-sand colour with a chunky rubber heel. But of course in fantasy land where my feet never hurt wearing heels I'd be wearing these;<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRLowEPKVkrq0d71kWSfgBNwGKOtqAm5ItxOs6MnLxZu6aOq_4yW0T2vRF5x1OriXsrfIwAFT0onW99DsXYwkQZZMIqaJDH8Jn7wGeUVPObAkvP724Lqs00tLnMWpOCzthXmKUcjEgOU/s320/37111921_black.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="230" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burberry Aviator shearling platform boot - £695 - <a href="http://uk.burberry.com/pws/ProductDetails.ice?ProductID=10000013589&?int_cid=hero">www.burberry.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRLowEPKVkrq0d71kWSfgBNwGKOtqAm5ItxOs6MnLxZu6aOq_4yW0T2vRF5x1OriXsrfIwAFT0onW99DsXYwkQZZMIqaJDH8Jn7wGeUVPObAkvP724Lqs00tLnMWpOCzthXmKUcjEgOU/s1600/37111921_black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
I mentioned above that the sun is warm. It's also exceedingly bright so some sunglasses would be nice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXsgbfZJMiYJ3iXwRECZtoJ5vQfz2T0KaV_7wj8_QnNEiM0svsXb2j66dMp16YOCu-ii7kNL0JskwcmQ84qRLAUsW3FsSRAjUcMx_bVC0C4AW5nksPFDSDnTtgT-5ARUkv40TOtjOOOA/s320/Zooey-COCO_B_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zooey sunglasses - $350 - <a href="http://www.oliverpeoples.com/">www.oliverpeoples.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXsgbfZJMiYJ3iXwRECZtoJ5vQfz2T0KaV_7wj8_QnNEiM0svsXb2j66dMp16YOCu-ii7kNL0JskwcmQ84qRLAUsW3FsSRAjUcMx_bVC0C4AW5nksPFDSDnTtgT-5ARUkv40TOtjOOOA/s1600/Zooey-COCO_B_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
I don't wear a huge amount of jewellery other than the pieces JFK has given me which I am inseperable from, so one amazing piece like this would do nicely;<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYvlqxUOQp8nSfzZU1fPWSA12s4FInMFV23eQqQD_oLlQ63oqAeA4U92ToNUIsGh34166oCPFNvUPTmmg8_z1qWhkkJQrUWcpt5gRuN9H6mRCm_tMn9wuptBjyvNdxOunQx8Sj4Xrwdo/s1600/bearblack.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bear Ring - $136 - <a href="http://www.leviticusjewelry.com/">www.leviticusjewelry.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYvlqxUOQp8nSfzZU1fPWSA12s4FInMFV23eQqQD_oLlQ63oqAeA4U92ToNUIsGh34166oCPFNvUPTmmg8_z1qWhkkJQrUWcpt5gRuN9H6mRCm_tMn9wuptBjyvNdxOunQx8Sj4Xrwdo/s1600/bearblack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
And of course a scarf and some gloves are essential.I like my scarves big and snuggly - a hood is definately an added bonus to this one and I could never say no to long fluffy Margiela gloves...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yNen1PcT4e-FBZ_WwYoLk4SWFObbTBQipKYycgP04VpbLq6mY_tB6aJlDOIaQsL8IKtA1fTXrihFb8iW_VI6rLtfUD_6_lbT1sxrfzbQHl6vnJf7SuTdhBpTIkPs1_BFfKlfdgcxTA8/s320/011DA1530005_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="258" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann Demeulemeester Bebe snood - £250 - <a href="http://www.brownsfashion.com/product/fashion/accessories/scarves/011DA1530005.htm">www.brownsfashion.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yNen1PcT4e-FBZ_WwYoLk4SWFObbTBQipKYycgP04VpbLq6mY_tB6aJlDOIaQsL8IKtA1fTXrihFb8iW_VI6rLtfUD_6_lbT1sxrfzbQHl6vnJf7SuTdhBpTIkPs1_BFfKlfdgcxTA8/s1600/011DA1530005_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7n7CnHYkm8GBa9K3yTUlTzLsurG6ElNkqj9qtqtKKfB2VaBLqH8WKpO5SYaJ8JxPk-nIcaC7UHNPwGP7heSxNX8CZ_fYfhABGmp5bybO_NpCN-sdoHN8yIqhT7W-p-2lmd6oX6DvWGN0/s320/038BA1530003_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="258" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maison Martin Margiela angora long glove - £185 -<a href="http://www.brownsfashion.com/product/fashion/accessories/gloves/038BA1530003.htm"> www.brownsfashion.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7n7CnHYkm8GBa9K3yTUlTzLsurG6ElNkqj9qtqtKKfB2VaBLqH8WKpO5SYaJ8JxPk-nIcaC7UHNPwGP7heSxNX8CZ_fYfhABGmp5bybO_NpCN-sdoHN8yIqhT7W-p-2lmd6oX6DvWGN0/s1600/038BA1530003_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>And finally a cup of hot chocolate made with dark chocolate, 50/50 milk and cream, a shot of brandy and strictly no marshmallows... magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-13403140418579572622010-10-19T03:43:00.000-07:002010-10-19T04:27:19.090-07:00First glimpse of the Lanvin for H&M campaignWe have fairly <a href="http://magpiemagpiemagpie.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-wish-list-entry-number-7.html">firmly established</a> how I feel about the high-street designer collaborations that have become a routine part of the high-street schedule here in the UK. Generally they're a bit of a dissapointment. It's best to go into them without high expectations and be pleasantly surprised rather than spend months getting all excited and be part of the scrum on launch day only to discover that you've left the shop with a handful of rather squeaky feeling polyester that makes you look square. No, not hip to sbe square, but square as in shaped like a cardboard box.<br />
But now that the Kate Moss at Topshop era is over and <a href="http://www.uniqlo.com/plusj/uk/main.html">+J at Uniqlo</a> is enjoying another successful season - with better fabrics this time round too - I feel it's time to reconsider my stance just a little bit. Especially because the Sonia Rykiel for H&M collection was lovely and now there's this to look forward to;<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsMKvoIezFcWOnxR6p5tm3fTq6lFwZ8bGTgzg0LJcHGOVwEoe0mCe9uLdG10RyjozoShbitAs2Ovhzp93-Tg5gkQDpukqfEq_GktilZccisMd-J84CtYZonEZMtQLhBt33ssnRNALGNw/s1600/LanvinforHM_V_18Oct2010_PR_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsMKvoIezFcWOnxR6p5tm3fTq6lFwZ8bGTgzg0LJcHGOVwEoe0mCe9uLdG10RyjozoShbitAs2Ovhzp93-Tg5gkQDpukqfEq_GktilZccisMd-J84CtYZonEZMtQLhBt33ssnRNALGNw/s320/LanvinforHM_V_18Oct2010_PR_b.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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Plus there are these amazing Pierre Hardy for Gap wedges that I tried on in the shop only the other day and am now saving all my pennies for.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgQIIuZ5ixvtqhuBDwiRz_NaAKhg81obchhFVUBNclvkhlONiQPeLne30wGxX8jms45Sixk_g_W8PU3KsrTgsRfTrBCeiSrz3C9Z52EZRxmGKg-3r7mOYvgO5nqHJXMrkmUWnMGeVczY/s320/pierre-hardy-for-gap-fall-2010-thumb-333xauto-35060.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pierre Hardy Design Edition wedges - £89</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgQIIuZ5ixvtqhuBDwiRz_NaAKhg81obchhFVUBNclvkhlONiQPeLne30wGxX8jms45Sixk_g_W8PU3KsrTgsRfTrBCeiSrz3C9Z52EZRxmGKg-3r7mOYvgO5nqHJXMrkmUWnMGeVczY/s1600/pierre-hardy-for-gap-fall-2010-thumb-333xauto-35060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>For once something really covetable from one of the most boring shops in the world. And we even got them <a href="http://www.nbcnewyork.com/blogs/threadny/THREAD-Pierre-Hardy-for-Gap-MAY-Drop-October-25-or-October-28-105198814.html">before they dropped in the US</a>. Fingers crossed there's still a pair in my giant foot size left by the time I can afford them....<br />
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What the high street seems to have realised is that we won't want nasty cheap fabrics and cuts more just because there's some fancy label on them.We'll happily pay a bit more for something a bit better (although we'll always think it would be nice if we didn't have to). I love that Alber Elbaz talks about making H&M into a luxury label for a few weeks, rather than opening up Lanvin to the masses. Fingers crossed they don't cock it up.<br />
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Of course, we may have invented this whole thing on the British high street, but you can trust the Americans to take an idea and run with it. Their king of collaborations, Target, is set to launch Mulberry for Target later this year. Sigh...magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-60266934593300816322010-10-18T15:47:00.000-07:002010-10-27T05:48:38.600-07:00Topshop majesty ballet pumps - don't buy emTopshop is having a very good winter if what I saw when I popped in there to treat myself to my first new thing in ages was anything to go buy. One part of the shop was a veritable sea of covetable camel, cable-knit and shearling. Yum.<br />
Sadly, my treat budget didn't stretch to any of that. What it did stretch to though was a pair of pretty tweedy ballet pumps, with a Chanel-esque black ribbon bow and diamante detail. Despite the name of this blog, I am rarely attracted to shiny things because on my budget most of the shiny things I can afford just look very cheap. I feel similarly about lace - if you can't afford the good stuff it's best avoided. But these seemed to be the exception. Look, aren't they pretty? And only £28.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXdXiU4VWpquNBJ21FHasimukYPcekJyt8M4yMF_Oah-EcAja6ZBacpHEL9VT9YPH_twOntKqogWg70G8EpJ5f0QfuiB8AeM9J6zNs1_RqsZIwyYSVAxiJTjVMjx9Bpi6Twg3d08ybDk/s1600/42N10XBLK_3_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXdXiU4VWpquNBJ21FHasimukYPcekJyt8M4yMF_Oah-EcAja6ZBacpHEL9VT9YPH_twOntKqogWg70G8EpJ5f0QfuiB8AeM9J6zNs1_RqsZIwyYSVAxiJTjVMjx9Bpi6Twg3d08ybDk/s320/42N10XBLK_3_large.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigm1h752By30EEzB2o-NMnMhsvYq8slRsj2qgKNMWwU92rEYOjUXh7RfX_QCxunK3xHwwBLGLWoT2ap9nIpDZDS7_ZrQFxBrcRXhIjw29sBnR_TwFPJ0zWN7XNUgESk-kPxnS54oWxmMI/s1600/42N10XBLK_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigm1h752By30EEzB2o-NMnMhsvYq8slRsj2qgKNMWwU92rEYOjUXh7RfX_QCxunK3xHwwBLGLWoT2ap9nIpDZDS7_ZrQFxBrcRXhIjw29sBnR_TwFPJ0zWN7XNUgESk-kPxnS54oWxmMI/s320/42N10XBLK_large.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Imagine them worn with turned up Max Mara black cropped trousers, a crisp white Aquascutum shirt and a chunky grey Cos jumper... and you will have a vision of what I was happily wearing to work on Friday. The shoes even managed to put a spring in my step, even if they were simultaneously rubbing most of the skin off the back of my right foot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sadly though this love affair was to be all to brief. The diamante studs started falling out around lunchtime. I spent half an hour in the hellish environs of the returns queue at Topshop's Oxford Circus branch on Sunday to swap them for another pair but the same thing happened before I even left the shop. So a refund was granted. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not casting any aspersions on Topshop, who accepted the fault and did not hesitate in giving me my money back, but the whole thing made me a little bit sad. If you can't treat yourself to the odd pair of shoes without them falling apart, what is the point of earning money?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, I'm back off the embellishments for a while again and I would suggest that if your happiness depends on your shoes, even only slightly, don't buy these ones. </div>magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-75829677447319429442010-10-17T07:52:00.000-07:002010-10-17T07:52:37.438-07:00The pledgeIt's been over two weeks since I last blogged. Life has been busy - not that I enjoy blowing my own trumpet but I'm pleased to say that I am in the running for a major promotion and have been working my socks off to secure it. It's not just my blog that's been neglected; I haven't looked a style.com in almost a month let alone been anywhere near any shops. My already fairly limited social life all but disappeared for a while there and I have given up most of my freelance work, although I'm sure more will come along as I'm not very good at saying no to interesting projects.<br />
Never the less this isn't really an excuse for my poor discipline. I have spent today trying to catch up with events in the blogosphere, reading my favourite blogs, clicking on links and hunting for new entertainment. <a href="http://www.belgianwaffling.com/">Belgian Waffling</a>, my favourite blogger in the whole world ever, has made a promise to blog every day for a month with varied results.<br />
So to demonstrate my commitment (if lack of inventiveness) I too am going to make a similar pledge. Only it's only going to be for two weeks to begin with as I fear setting myself up for failure.<br />
I have a couple of ten pound challenges in the offing, but other than that I am scrabbling for ideas slightly. If there's anything you'd like me to write about, any burning questions you'd like answered or any particularly annoying style sub-groups you'd like me to demolish, please do let me know.<br />
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Xmagpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8481775994226048880.post-35089507807461298632010-09-30T04:31:00.000-07:002010-09-30T04:31:57.700-07:00Spray on clothingNo, really.<br />
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This is frankly quite amazing, but there's a long way to go before I'm likely to embrace something that is so clingy and unforgiving. When you can get a kick-pleated pencil skirt, a button-up shirt, circle skirt or a-line shift from an aerosol, then I'll be sold.<br />
The spray has been developed by Dr Manel Torres and Professor Paul Luckhamof Imperial College here in London and is apparantly going to be commercially available, although I'm not sure who's going to buy it realistically. It's a nice gimmick but not the most practical way to get dressed in the morning. <br />
Also, the demonstrations suggest that you can't wear any underwear underneath (I love how incredibly bored that man at the end looks, chewing on gum like he's too cool for school) - presumably the spray-on fibres would bond with your existing clothes and ruin them. I don't really fancy dipping my bra in solvent to dissolve my clothes off it every time I want to get changed. <br />
That said I wouldn't mind trying it, even if the model says it is a little cold.magpiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01119671217679661676noreply@blogger.com0