Spring awakening

I love musical theatre. I love it for all the reasons that people who hate musicals hate musicals - the spontaneous bursting into song, the dance routines, the costumes, Andrew Lloyd-Webber (okay, maybe not).

My love of musicals is the reason why I will still pick the old fashioned Disney 2d animations over those whizzy new Pixar ones anyday. If ain't got a singing Genie or Satyr then it's just not Disney, dammit! I am so glad to see that Disney has returned to it's roots with The Frog Prince and I can't wait to see it. My love of musicals is why I fell in love with Glee.

Anyway, this isn't a post about Disney. It's not even a post about musicals. It's a post about a musical, specifically Spring Awakening. I went to see it last year at the Lyric Hammersmith and it was A-mazing. I laughed, I cried, I ooh-ed, I aah-ed. The music was fantastic, the story was poignant but mostly I loved the costumes. The boy's costumes. They all dressed like this:

This is how I want to dress. Forever. The guy up there is Moritz. He was my favourite character in Spring Awakening because he got to sing all the kick-ass rock songs. And then he killed himself. Smell the teen angst! I have this postcard on my wall and everytime I look at it I want to go in search of knickerbockers and a fitted blazer.

This is how I would interpret the look:
It's all a bit Janelle Monae. Love this girl. Check out this vid:

What do we think about... winter shorts

So amongst other fun things last weekend, I spent a leisurely pub lunch with K debating whether it is strictly necessary to wear shorts in the winter.

Let me just state for the record that I am in the pro corner here because, firstly - why the hell not? Who is this arbitrary fashion leader in the sky who has advocated that some bits of clothing are for one season and some for another? Surely as long as you are warm and comfortable then a pair of shorts can be worn whenever. Up to you really. But it would be a a crap debate if that was the end of the discussion.

So here are the cons, according to K, who by the way has legs for days so this is not one of those sour grapes debates where because you have fat thighs you decide that all skinny jeans are evil. They are not evil. Only for you, thunder thighs.

1. K says: Shorts are for the summer, they are for keeping you cool. They are a summer version of trousers.
I say: Shorts can be worn all year round, it just depends on what you're wearing them with. In summer you can wear them bare-legged with sandals, in winter you wear them with 3 layers of tights, woolly socks and and knee boots.

2. K says: Shorts in winter are as crazy as wearing a bikini over a poloneck sweater.
I say: *picturing a sunny yellow two-piece over a ribbed black poloneck* Heh! Heh heh heh... Hee! Stop it! They are not even in the same ball park my friend and you know it. But thanks for that mental image. I shall treasure it and pull it up for a giggle when times get bad.

3. K says: Why not just save yourself the aggro and just wear trousers?
I say: because I don't want to wear trousers. Trousers are not infinitely comfortable. In particular, trousers are not the greatest thing for cycling. You might think jeans would work on a cycle but here's the thing: skinnies are too tight and restrict blood flow to your legs, boyfriend jeans are too baggy and you risk getting the hems caught in the pedals and as for boot cut jeans - foggedabbouditt! Wide hems and tight at the top. Disaster. On the other hand, an easy pair of cutt offs over your many layers of leggings and tights and boots and socks is comfy and warm.

4. K says: I'm still not convinced. What about this?:
I say: Aaah! Get that thing away from me. What is wrong with you? I thought you were my friend. My eyes, my eyes!! *wail*. Basically we're talking about the dreaded Momsen effect. This is where you pile on all your winter woolies, as you do, this being winter and all, but just on the top half of your body and then pretend it's summer by wearing hot pants and lacy tights. Or in Taylor's case no pants at all that anyone can see. Again, this is different. I'm talking comfy shorts and your legs wrapped up in enough layers to keep them warm. I rest my case.

So, whose side are you on, winter shorts or... "shut up until summer, shorts!" ?

Apocalypse Now-ish

Earlier on this week, I read on the Disney Roller Girl blog that ugly arse clogs were big news for summer. Judas Priest!

I had barely got over that particular shock when hot on the heels (cloggy, uncomfortable, ugly as pigshit, heels) comes the news from the Debenhams press office that come summer we will all be wearing... wait for it... Sweatpants. `

Yeah, you heard me. That last bastion of comfort dressing, the one thing you are guaranteed to meet a recent ex and his new girlfriend in while looking like a hot mess, is THE fashion item of the summer. Oh dear.

One of the highlights of my blogging life is receiving the odd press release from Debenhams. I love the Debenhams press office. I really do. They just pull together a load of sales figures and then just run with a story. They are fantastic. I will not hear a bad word said about them. Speak, oh wise gurus:

"The return of jogging bottoms as a fashion piece is great news. It’s undoubtedly the comfiest item of clothing in every woman’s wardrobe, and now it can be worn out to the shops, to a club or on a date! Our customers already seem to love this comfy style option, just like they did when leggings came back into fashion a couple of years back.” Um... Okay.

Upon further reflection, I realised that added to the fact that Nuclear Wintour has been spotted wearing jeans and flats for the first time ever, and - excuse my while I make a sign of the cross - smiling, this is a sure sign of Fashion Armageddon. It is the end of days y'all. We are all going to perish, clutching out green velour trackie bottoms and Vuitton clogs. DOOM!

I am imagining scenarios like this:
Just add the theme music from The Omen (Oh Fortuna) and a gratuitous shot of Sam and Dean (in towels!) and we are good to go. I just wish I could do whizzy things like flashing red eyes and knives dripping blood.

Love x Love +Beryll

When I got these photos through from accessories designer Sigmar Berg of +Beryll, it was like he had been reading my mind. Or, possibly, my blog!

I just love the hard edged, spare beauty of these pieces. It's all organic - leather, metal - and utilitarian.

If I had a few hundred pounds to spare I would definitely grab one these:


Holster bag - perfect for cycling on those days when you don't need an entire rucksack. I picked up a similar bag at a charity store in Newcastle for £1. It's all leather and touch wearing and i can just sling it over my shoulder and go.

Asphalt boots - I practically live in my New Look Army boots at the moment. They're comfy and tough and go with everything. So I know these boots would be a good buy that I could wear to death.

Leather cuffs, silver rings, chunky brushed silver necklace. This is the way I like my jewelry, simple, tough, chunky, easy to wear. Luckily, Topman and H&M men's provide cheaper alternatives. Still wouldn't say no to one of those rings!

And my favourite piece of all - dog tags (more war motifs!). What I particularly like about these is that they come in four different colours - red for love, silver for hope, gold for trust and black for faith. I like the black ones - natch - and faith is personally very apt for me right now.

Happy trails!

So I've become a bit of a cycling fanatic in the past year. I've gone from the now infamous white pumps incident to actual daily commutes to work and travels on my bike at weekends. I'm really loving it. Even though the weather is considerably shittier than it was when I started in March, it's one thing that I've kept with.

There are a couple of reasons for this. Obvious one is, I have lost a tonne of weight. Over a stone. Which is great and I feel a lot fitter and healthier for it. The other thing is that once I got the hang of riding on the open road with crazy white van man trying to murder me at every turn, I found it to be a convenient and reliable way to get around. Beats London Transport hands down and not having to rely on anything but my own two legs is strangely liberating.

It seems to me that in the time I've started cycling there are also a lot more other cyclists on the roads and some of them are even more aggressive than your average white van man. Still, I suppose there's a certain safety in numbers.

As you can imagine, practical cycling wear and fashion are not exactly a match made in heaven. We can't all be wafting about with vintage bikes, heels, circle skirts and baskets. Some of us have to be somewhere. Quickly. This involves sweat, swearing, crazy hi-vis coats and wind proof, waterproof gear. Cycling has turned me into a slob. I'm a cycle slob, I admit it, okay? But I'm beginning to see the a way through the morass of double layered tights, cut off shorts and old t-shirts.

It's time to smarten up my act and get myself a cycling outfit that is both functional and fashionable a tall order I know. But it seems, from a quick bit of research, that there's a lot more of that sort of thing about these days from the incredibly high tech to the down right kookie.
Here are some of my favourites:

Sugoi Tatu arm warmers colour or black and white - £24 at Girls Run Too
Spin suit - £99 at Sweaty Betty
Pasha merino wool hoodie - $160 at Chrome
Recharge Compression Top - £52.27 at Compress Yourself (yes, you heard me, that is the name of the shop)
Gore bike wear shoe covers - £19.99 at Evans Cycles
No balls halter tank - £39, halter crop - £37
Bern Barker hard hat - £44.99, Knog Love 'n' Hate gloves - £29.99 at Cycle Chic

Black dog

I've been thinking about my decison to change my style up and start working a mostly black wardrobe. Upon reflection, it's no coincidence that my once chaotic, loud, colourful clothing choices have been pared down to neutral. Has it got something to do with my mood these days or is all that grey turning me into a miserable old bag?

It's weird how reinvention not only affects you but the people around you as well. So drastic is my style change that someone at work actually pulled me aside to ask if I was in mourning or something bad had happened. Which on the one hand made me feel like: "shut up, I don't dress for your amusement" but on the other hand was like: "Interesting...". If you believe that the clothes we wear are an expression of ourselves - either who we are or how we wish to be perceived - then suddenly pulling out the widow's weeds might have a deeper meaning for me than I originally thought.

The past year and a half has been a little difficult for me. I won't go into details, but there have been a lot of significant endings and I'm thinking my radical style change has been on some level an attempt to deal with things. Somehow, right now it's important for me to go back to neutrality. But I like to believe it's a place of calm and simplicity rather than just darkness.

I spent most of my late 20s in a sort of functional depression where I was cut off from the rest of the world and I don't want to go there again. So part of my style now is definitely about feeling the need to be fierce, to get girded up, to go into warrior mode. Everything is hard edged and off kilter. Everything is armour. I am prepared for war.

It's not all gloom and doom. I have made many new friends and re-acquianted myself with some old ones. I am picking up on the things that are really important to me and the things that I really want to do that I have somehow stopped myself from doing or put on hold. Yeah, some of it's difficult and in flux but actually life is good. I'm not in mourning at all, what I am doing is taking stock. I am coming back to myself at my most essential so that I can become a more authentic me.

Some of that change might become apparent on this blog. I might have to shut it down altogether. I haven't really made up my mind yet. It depends on who I end up finding at the end of all this. Things might be quiet around here for a while (or maybe, simply different), but I am still here, so when you drop by, say Hi.

Image courtesy of elsh at Redbubble

I know I've been away too long...

I've been really busy. Cutting my hair(!) and putting on make up.

I've gone from this:

L'il miss bushy hair

To this:Ms Moody Chops, to you!

But mostly I've been mega busy with the day job. And with life.

The best thing about the new hair is that it fits in perfectly with my new style. I'm all about the dark right now - studs, sturdy boots and black, black, black.
I'll be writing all about it. When I get a free minute that isn't taken up with work and sweet oblivion.

The philosophy of fashion

I suppose because I write a blog about dressing up, it could easily be assumed that all that fills my head is clothes and shoes and other matters of style. And while I'd freely admit to being completely fascinated with what people wear and how they wear it, I have other fascinations too.

One of my other fascinations is philosophy. The endless rumination about how we live our lives and how we can learn to live better lives by examining how we live now and we have lived in the past is something that adds meaning and insight to everyday humdrum existence. Much like the human preoccupation with adorning ourselves.

One of my favourite philosophers is Alain de Botton because he makes philosophy so much more accessible and less fusty and academic than most. So when I found this video on Style.com of him holding forth on the importance fashion to society, I thought I'd share it.

He wore an itty bitty, teeny weeny

... pair of shorts. And it seems that by doing this, sulky but fit, metrosexual footballer du jour, Ronaldo has sparked a trend. If the breathless spin of the Debenham's press office is to be believed, "Cristiano Ronaldo has created a huge surge in sales of men’s super-tight, figure- hugging sports shorts".

Far be it for me to miss out on using a picture of the dashing Ronaldo - sans shirt and avec teeny weeny shorts - on this blog for the delectation of my female readership.

It does worry me slightly that there must be a lot of contortion involved to fit in all his dangly bits though. I mean, wherever does he put them? Mystery.

Says Paul Baldwin, Director of Buying for Menswear at Debenhams: “His sense of style has moved men’s shorts into an entirely new ball game." This is a direct quote, I did not make it up. Make of it what you will. I just spent an hour LOL-ing like a LOLcat on laughing gas. Truly.

Anyway, the up shot of it all is that our eyes will be assualted this summer with the sight of many men squeezed into too tight shorts in various pastel shades. It won't be pretty but it'll be pretty hilarious. As the ever erudite Mr Baldwin puts it: “Alas, they may not be the best choice for more generously proportioned people such as Peter Kay or John Prescott.”

Word, Mr Balwin, WORD.

Happy Friday!

Outfit of the week 07/04/09

Isn't London wonderful when the sun is out. After a couple of days of sunshine (finally!), people actaully smile at you on the street, the chat to you on buses and you in turn gurn at screaming toddlers and can actually bear to be around a few hormonally challenged young 'uns. It's like it's a different city.

And when the sun is shining I like to look at summer dresses and make up pretty summer out fits like this one:The shirt dress is perfect for summer a nice little girlie, checked number. I like that it's red, because - in case you haven't heard - I have a thing for red anything but also red is a great summer colour. I could have gone vaguely Americana and teamed with a denim waistcoat and cowboy boots but where's the fun in that? Instead I've decided I want the full on summer treatment with accessories in an even brighter colour - yellow.

I'm calling this "lazing on a sunny afternoon" after The Kinks. Video below for reference kiddies.


Outfit details:
Dress, Warehouse
Corsage, Evans
Belt, Dorothy Perkins
Bag, Aldo
Hightops, Reebok @ Schuh

Fringed benefits

As I mentioned in my outfit of the week post earlier this week, the High Street is teeming with fringe at the moment. Fringing, tassles - call them what you will - those dangly strips of silliness seem to be beckoning from every shop window on everything from bags to clothes to shoes.

I love the sense of movement created by fringe. You wear a fringed item and it immediately feels like you added another dimension to yourself almost hyper-real. Like you are your own stop action movie or an animation of yourself.

I love the fringing on this waistcoat from ASOS precisely for this reason. You can't get the full effect from these images but if you watch the catwalk video on the site, what I mean becomes obvious. And here is another fab pair of leggings from Topshop, this time with added tassles. I also love how the added fringing around the neck of this vest from Urban Outfitters makes it a two in one piece of clothing with jewelry attached. Accessory problems solved.

There's also plenty of fringeing going on at foot level. My favourites so far are these Suede peeptoe boots from Oli that remind me of old cowboys and Indians movies. There's something of the squaw about them. I think they'll look great with tanned bare legs.I bought the fringed, studded limited edition ankle boots from New Look because I was simply powerless to resist. They just looked so lovely on and comfortable too, considering the height. I haven't made up my mind what to wear with them yet but I think could add some edge to short summer dresses, and interest to denim shorts and a t-shirt.

I'm going to start calling peeptoe boots, summer boots because that's essentially what they are. They're wildy impractical for winter and if they were closed toed then they'd seem a little overwrought for sunny days. Somehow, however, we've managed to have another invention thrust upon us that it is neither boot nor sandal but something in between. I'm not complaining because I quite like the idea of them.

I've deliberately not included tassled bags in here as they are too numerous to mention and Tor of Fabfrocks has already done a brilliant piece on them. Check out the plethora of tassled arm candy on her blog.

Make your legs smile

I know that leggings get a bad rep, especially patterned leggings. But I think that's because people sometimes people take them a little too seriously and let their body hang ups get in the way of a little playtime.
These variously patterned leggings I saw on the Topshop site brought a smile to my face, precisely because they're ridiculous but in a good way. They're like cheerful wallpaper for your legs, meant to be worn with levity and sense of fun.

I honestly can't think of of anything I'd like better this spring than to wear a pair of these to cheer my legs up and get them ready for baring in the summer. Can you?

Outfit of the week 31/03/09

Hark! What's that sound? Why, it's the sound of distant jungle rhythms that herald this week's outfit. Yep, helped along by Louis Vuitton and that atrocious grass skirt confection last seen on Madonna, the high street has gone tribal... again. But this time it's all aztec patterns and fringe-y sandals.

So, on to our outfit:The dress is suprisingly restrained, considering but I immediately put that right with a few more "literal" accessories. You've got your fringeing and your beading - shoes, necklace; you've got your wood - bangle; you've got your marvellous, bright aztec pattern - clutch; and just in case anyone misses the point, I've chucked in these funky little zebra stud earrings.

You are Cinderella and you shall go to the jungle ball, dammit! I'm calling this one "jungle boogie".

Details:

Dress, River Island
Shoes, Topshop
Clutch, New Look
Earrings and necklace, Accessorize
Wooden bangle, Dorothy Perkins

Doing it white

I am not a huge fan of white clothing. It seems to be the preserve of those impossibly chic people who call white shirts a "staple" and holiday on yachts. Besides, and despite what the many washing powder adverts would have you believe, it's hard to keep whites white.

In other words, white clothing is a faff and I try to steer well clear of it. So I can't believe in the past week I have bought not one, but two white items of clothing. The first, is a white long-sleeved t-shirt in the Zara sales. It's the shape that drew me to it - sort of slouchy up top and fitted towards the bottom - a great shape for wearing with big slouchy trousers.

The other item is a pristine white TM Lewin shirt, thrifted for £1. I like the long tail at the back and the fact that it has holes for cuff links. I used to collect cuff links when I was younger and still into my Drag King look but I have no idea where all that stuff has ended up, so I had to make some new ones out of metallic elastic and mismatched metal buttons to wear it.
As I mentioned, I've also been getting my DIY on with with a beautiful grey cashmere sweater, that I cropped, altered the neckline and shortened the sleeves. It's now a crop sweater with matching snood. It looks particularly good with both the white shirt and t-shirt.


Click on any image to enlarge.

Channelling Denise Huxtable

Some nights, it's just hard to sleep. Last night was one of those nights. So I tossed and turned a while, chasing the elusive zzzs on the cusp of nodding off, thinking maybe I should just get up already and do something but also thinking it's too damned cold for that.

I had a spurt of childhood memories, which made me laugh and then just as I was nodding off a name and image popped into my head... Denise Huxtable. As a teen I loved the Cosby Show and I loved Denise most of all. She was the pretty rebel; bright but dissolute and that appealed. But most of all I loved the way she dressed. She was like no-one else. Totally unique but still really stylish and cool.

I wanted to dress like her. Hell, I wanted to be her. I spent this morning trawling the internet for images. Strangely, there aren't that many but I made a little corkboard shrine to her anyways.
(Click to enlarge)

Later on, I went thrifting at a few much-loved local charity shops and found the most amazing, colourful 80s sweater. Coincidence? I think not.

Here I am channelling Denise H:
(Click to enlarge)

Clown face

I have to admit to an ongoing love/hate relationship with make-up. I love checking out the new season's looks just as much as the next girl but when it comes to translating the looks onto my skin, I just can't seem to get it right. 

I'm not completely inept. I can do a passable smokey eye and I'm a dab hand with the flicky eyeliner but I'd give anything (okay, maybe not anything, but a fair bit) for the ability to create a little drama with my make up bag; to be totally transformed. 

The problem is for black skin you need a lot of pigment and most high street brand colours won't cut it. However the more bespoke make-up counters are not cheap and (in the UK at least) lack expertise with doing up darker skins. I once tried going into mac in Covent Garden for some pointers for a more dramatic look. I came out with a make up brush, some foundation powder and some eyeshadow. In brown. Gah!   

Anyway today, in my ongoing refusal to give-in in the face of a fixed outcome, I tried to create a strong eyebrow and an intense wash of colour to my lids like the fashion pundits have been going on about. (Click image to enlarge).
If the look I was going for was Bozo the Clown, I think I managed it.

NB: In case you're wondering how I got the Polaroid photo effect, check out the Poladroid app here. 

Lost weekend, too

So, Friday shopping. I had a 20 per cent off shopping voucher from New Look burning a hole in my pocket, so I decided to venture to the flagship store after work. First off, it's looking much better in there lately and the wall of shoes was looking mighty comely.

I was tempted by a pair of platform gladiator sandals and some 3-strap Mary Jane's but in the end I plumped for some black suede platform boots. They've got a lovely shape and I like the suede texture but I'm pretty sure those spindly heels will be wrecked in no time and , I know they're lace-ups but I would have appreciated a zip to making wearing them a little less time consuming. Ah well...Also picked up a Giles Deacon purple plaid shirt from the men's section. It's big, soft and flannely. Perfect.

Since I could see its shining sign and open doors from across the road, I also took a look in Primark this foolhardy "quick pop-in" lasted several hours and ended in my buying at least 3 outfits worth of tat.

Stripes and Tartan Belt, Topshop
Boots, New Look
The rest, Primark

Lumber-rock?Boots and plaid shirt, New Look
The rest, Primark

Acceptable in the 80sShoes, Shellys
Bow tie, thrifted
The rest (including preposterous ankle warmers- how old do I think I am??) Primark

Been there, done that

I thought this armour dress by Hannah Marshall that I spied on Amelie Boutique looked rather familiar...

Then I realised why. Remember this? Note the similarities?
I'm saying nothing until I've talked to my lawyers. Heh!