Junk junky

There are few pleasures in life to me than finding a huge junk shop and then foraging for hours, just ferrting about, looking at stuff, imagining who might have used it before. A packed to the rafters junk shop to pass hours is almost a invitation to meditate. A personal journey away from the humdrum routine to a place of wonder and magic.

I visit good junk shops when I have the chance, and I do it early and preferably alone. But until this very minute I had never thought that the junk shop experience could be experienced online. That is, until I got an email introducing me to the delights of Supermarket Sarah. And I have to say it's instant love.

The site is a mess of random items/bits of tat/desireables from clothing to accessories, vintage to contemporary, works of art and bric a brac all flung together in the most delightful and pleasing way. It's almost as good as a real-life rummage. Fantastic.

It get's better from December 1 to 15, Supermarket Sarah is setting up shop in the east end for Christmas shopping extravaganza. All that stuff just waiting to be touched, rummaged through and meditated over. Punters will be provided with golden trolleys (huzzah!) and shown around by freindly shop assistants.
I'll be off to the launch of Dec 1, where I hope to picking up something ridiculous by Fred Butler, like this rocket bra. Fear not, I will report back on all the kitschy glory.

Supermarket Sarah Christmas Extravaganza at Poke, 4th Floor, Biscuit Building, 10 Redchurch Street, E2 7DD. Open by appointment, 9.30am to 6.30pm.

If you can't make it down there you can still get the full virtual junk shop experience on the website.

Guilty Pleasures: Crank 2

I love Jason Statham movies. They are always a pure slice of adrenaline-fuelled, testosterone-ridden campness. So when I saw this trailer for Crank 2, I had to post it.

No, it's not fashion, but when the premise to a movie is that someone has stolen the hero's heart and replaced it with a an artificial one that he has to charge up with electricity every hour and it contains such gems of dialogue as: "You're gonna tell me exactly who's got my heart!" You've got to stop the presses y'all.

Check it out:


Mr Statham, I salute you.

Quick housekeeping update

I've been using blogrolling for my links for years now but last year they started fannying around with the system and doing what they called :"updating", which turned out to be another word for: "sneakily adding advert to you links" and also meant that I couldn't update my links for months, motherf*ckers!

Anyway, the upshot of that is that I'm taking all the links down and reverting to Blogger links in future, so if you suddenly notice that there are no links, fear not. They shall reappear shortly, new and improved. The will also be updated. If you've asked me before to update your link and it hasn't happened yet, sorry, and now's your chance to remind me again.

TO ADD: Phew. All done bar the shopping links, which I'm thinking of ditching anyways (any thoughts?) If I've left you off the list, please let me know and I'll add you in. BTW got a comment from the folks at Blogrolling telling me I'm wrong and stating their case. Like I give a rats arse. You're gone. That is all. You can read their comment in the comment box... No, wait... I deleted it. Ha ha!

A room of my own

I've been indulging in a little DIY action today, making snoods from thrifted old jumpers. It's not an original idea. If you want to know about it see the excellent DIY post by Jeanine at The Coveted here. 

When I was buying the raw materials - old woolen sweaters from the local charity shop - to put the snoods together yesterday, the bloke looked at me as though I was half mad but I knew exactly what I was doing, so I put on my stubborn face and told him I'd meet him in the supermarket. Here's one of my snoods, not half bad for £3 and a bit of elbow grease, eh?:




Apart from DIY being a good creative outlet and cheap way to spice up your wardrobe, I also find it therapeutic. It's nice to do something that on one level has your full attention while also letting your mind wander.

I started to think about creativity and originality, why I started this blog, why I write at all and why it is all so important to me. I started this blog mainly because I needed a creative outlet. I've always been creative and I have always loved writing, oh and shoes and dressing up. Once I'd found out about blogging, writing a blog about fashion seemed like a no brainer.

It's been a tonne of fun ever since. I've enjoyed the interaction and insight of fellow bloggers and comments (even the occasional snide one) from readers. I've enjoyed getting up in the morning and thinking: I'd like to write about that, and then just doing it.

It's also been a lot of hard work but mostly it's made me think about the things I want to do and how I want to live my life.

When I was younger, I thought the key to happiness in life is to find the stuff that makes you happiest and incorporate it into every aspect of your life. The problem with this, of course, is that the stuff that makes you happy and the people that make you happy are not always necessarily a perfect fit. And neither is real life.

In my ideal world, I would spend every minute on my computer happily trawling the internet, blogging to my heart's content and never having to deal with messy non-computer-related things like loved ones or bathing or work. Unfortunately, in the real world I have bills to pay, relationships to maintain and a need to not kill every living thing within a 12 mile radius with rank BO. That's just how it is.

So, while I cherish and continue to nurture my own creativity I also understand that there's a balance to be struck and compromises to be made. Sometimes I hate that I have to do this but... that's just how it is. It can be frustrating.

Virginia Woolf was right when she said "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write...". Yes, she was writing specifically about writing great works of fiction but I think it can be extended out to include any writing or any act of creativity at all.

I also think that "a room of one's own" is not just about that physical room but also that room inside your own head that is for you alone. A space to retreat to where you're not bound to any responsibilities or conventionalities, where you can just... be. And if the people you love and respect, the work that you do and the life that you lead allow for this room, you are a very lucky person indeed. But if not, I think it is reasonable as a woman and as a human being to seek out this space, to guard it jealously and to fight like a tiger if it is threatened.

That is why I am thankful for this blog, for this room of my own and for the readers that come to visit me here. It's why I'm happy not to dwell on blog rankings or hit numbers or monetisation and any of a thousand other blogger concerns. Because at the end of the day, I've already got what I want, I just want to get on with enjoying it. I am also happy and thankful that you can come and visit and enjoy it with me whenever you want. I look forward to making your next visit as interesting as the last.

Confessions of a Shopaholic

I've never read the series of Shopaholic books by Sophie Kinsella but I just came across the trailer for the movie based on the first book and it's looking pretty enticing. I hear it'll be out sometime early next year.

The film stars Ilsa Fisher as the hapless heroine, addicted to shopping who refers to credit cards as "magic cards". Can you see the mountain of debt coming her way? Well, can ya?? Cue all manner of cute 'n' funnies as she tries to clear her debt and "find herself".

I really like Isla Fisher - she is wildly under-utilised as comedy actor (remember the mad, red-haired nympho from Wedding Crashers? That was she). I have to say, I'm looking forward to seeing this. Check out the trailer below and tell me what you think.

PS: This was the best copy of the trailer that I could find but it comes with a lot of feeble talking head gumph after the trailer that you could probably do without seeing. So disregard the two numpties in the chairs afterwards if you like. Also... who critiques a trailer? I sthis a thing now, trailer critiquing? Well, alrighty then.

Happy Halloween!

This Halloween, why not:

• Dress up as Michael Jackson?

This scary Halloween mask gave me the fright of my life (that is after I'd recovered from the projectile vomitting jag. Veery effective. Available on ebay.

Wear with:
Duffle coat, Topman; Scarf, Novica; Hat, Kangol; dark glasses, Extreme Eyewear; Baby Born (because you know I had to go there), Hamleys. Post-it notes optional.
Outfit sorted.

• Feel the hairs on the back of your neck prickle as you contemplate this vision of the future.

It's scary, 'cos it's true.

• Or you could just go visit Westfield shopping centre and turn yourself into braindead shopping Zombie as you fight your way through the bargain-hunting crowds.

Happy Halloween!

Style sleuthing at the supermaket

[AKA the curious incident of the vodka in the daytime].

It'll probably come as no suprise that I'm a bit of a people watcher. I love looking at other people. Sometimes I'm looking at what they're wearing - how they've put an outfit together, what they're attemtping to say about themselves visually. Which in itself is endlessly fascinating. But mainly I just like watching what other people are up to.

Yesterday while buying my usual soup n' roll lunch at the local supermarket I was intruiged by a pretty young lady at the checkout. She was about 5'6"; two long, brown braids, unmade face. Small-ish sized, she wore a black double breasted pincess coat, black leggings, white scarf and ankle length turnover uggs. I guess her age at about 21 at the most. Student, then.

Inside her shopping basket (yes, I snoop in other people's shopping baskets too. Sue. Me.) she had a half pint of skimmed milk, half-litre of Vodka, carton of orange juice and a value can of hairspray. That's all. And that's what intruiged me. That the items were so incongruous.

• The Vodka and orange juice - for making screwdrivers maybe? But then, why such a small bottle?


• The Milk - we've all run out of milk at a crucial milk-needing time and had to go get some more, but then what's with the Vodka?


• And the value hair spray - I just couldn't figure it out.

So, of course, I made up a little story in which all these items might come into play:

Lizbeth the student gets home with her afternoon shopping, opens the milk and pours some in her waiting bowl full of cornflakes. She reads a book while she eats her flakes and thinks about what she will wear for tonight's party. Her hair is feeling a little icky, so she's put it two long, lank braids but she'll have to wash it before she goes out again.

Several hours of day-dreaming/wardrobe planning later, she goes to wash her hair. She puts the damp hair in curlers and takes a nap. A couple of hours later, she wakes from her nap, takes out her curlers, carefully styles her hair and sets it with a few spritzes of hair spray.

She gets dressed, then pulls out a large empty bottle of vodka from under the bed and decants the half litre of cheap Vodka she bought that afternoon into the bottle. She tops it up with the orange juice, screws the lid on and gives it a good shake. She opens the bottle and takes a swig.

She pops her dainty little feet into some pretty heels. She glances over at the ugg ankle boots discarded and forlorn in the corner and remembers their easy, snuggly warmth. Then she looks down at her feet and knows that they look much better in her pretty heels.

She shrugs, takes another swig from the bottle, opens the door to her tiny little flat and leaves. The end.

Funny how these little things can affect you, isn't it?

Oh, 'ello sunshine

Finally, I have proof that the sun does indeed shine from Kate Moss' youknowhat!
The one-off image of La Moss, along with those of other slebs, is to be auctioned off on Thursday at Liberty department store to raise money for Everyman male cancer care.

Image credit: Terry Richardson via Liberty Men Only Art

Well said

Reading through Observer Woman this weekend, I came upon an interview with LoveFoxxx from the band CSS, which again confirmed to me the essential problem with the skin-tight catsuit, and the only way to overcome it.

It also gave me some much needed insight into the true properties and uses of Lycra, while sparking the epiphany that there really isn't much difference between a crazy cat lady and a crazy catsuit-wearing lady. Over to you, LoveFoxx:
"Whenever I get excited about a show or I know that I'm coming back to London, I always wear my catsuit, but it's impossible to take it off, so I just pee through it onstage! Luckily it dries quickly, because it's Lycra, which is just magic stuff."

Well said, wee-stinking, crazy catsuit-wearing lady, well said.

Image credits: Mookychick and Tony Two Legs

Long time, no see

Well, that was a bit of an unscheduled break, wasn't it? I've been having something of a busy social life lately: weddings... barbeques... special appearances... that sort of thing. And also monging out to the entire second series of Dexter.

Anyway, break's over. I'm back. What's new?

Priceless!

Knowing you've got no butt = £0
Going to the shops to find a remedy = £0
Finding the perfect pants to make your booty buoyant = Priceless!



Thanks to Winona at Daddy Likey for this priceless Monday morning image. I always knew that Mondays were pants and now I've got proof!

Karl/Karlotta

There are very few people on the planet with a look as iconic or instantly recognisable as Karl Lagerfeld's. His uniform of tight tailored trousers and jacket, black shades, pulled back white ponytail, and fingerless leather gloves, are pretty much a uniform.

Although I think the look has more to do with the silhouette and the palette of black white and grey than the actual clothes. Either way, you can see unkle Karl coming a mile off.

So when I saw him modelling a rather natty, neon yellow safety vest in a recent French public safety advert, I thought: "brilliant choice".

Then I got an evil little germ of an idea: since he is so manniquin perfect, wouldn't it be fun to dress Karl up a bit. Much like one of those cut out paper dolls with the little cutout outfits you could dress them in.

Which led to these (click on images to enlarge):



Why Unkle Karl, you are so veree chic! Hee!

This is fun... Anyone a dab hand with ye olde photoshop want to try it out? Send me your best efforts, pretty please, and I'll post them.

Images of clothing courtesy: Net a Porter, Schuh

Status update: D&P is sewing

Well, cussing a lot, actually. And sewing. So I've moved on to a slightly larger DIY project - the summer skirt - this week. One that requires the use of a sewing machine.

It's been a while since I dragged out the ol' faithful, so I'd forgotten just how exasperating setting it all up is. Not to get too technical:

First you have to spool thread on the little doo-hickey that goes in the hidden undercarriage bit of your machine. But before that you have to take it out of this hidden undercarriage which - if you're as rusty as I am - could take hours.

Then, when said doo-hickey is full of thread and safely replaced (another five hours of fiddling) you thread the sewing machine's needle - which, of course, is infinitely more complicated than it sounds.

When all that is done, you can sew your skirt by fitting the pieces of cloth together inside out - unless you're me - in which case you will sew the wrong sides together and have to take them apart, just as you're running out of thread from the little doo-hickey in the hidden undercarriage compartment...

Gah! I can hand sew faster than this! Give me strength!

The good news is, I'll have a lovely summer skirt to play with at the end of all this. Photos then.






Sewing machine. Torture device. Whatever.

I may have been some time...

Oh, hello! Remember me? Alleged blogger, poster of posts, mensher of Menshes, exchanger of links and all round MIA DIYer?

Yes, it is I!

I sort of fell off the edge of the blogosphere there for a while. Soz. Shit's happening. And when shit's happening round these parts, nothing else much happens.

Anyhoo, just wanted to let you know I'm still here and thanks to allay'all who commented, sent in links to link to, emails to be answered and all that. I will get round to it. As soon as shit stops happening or in between shit happening.

In the meantime, why don't you take a look at this Close-to-complete Ideology and Religion Shit List on Jaywalker.com.

Uber Mensh from the Ubermensch

Ooh! Catwalk Queen listed me in it's Pick of the Blogs section. Catwalk Queen is one of the fashion blogosphere's heavy weights, so this is a big deal. Validation! Success!! Infamy!!! Okay, not really, but I'm still uber-chuffed.

It's here!

The way she were - SJP in SATC season one

Clothes! Shoes! Cosmoplitans! Gay best friends! And one ridiculous wedding dress. Sounds like only one thing, ladies: Sex and the City, the movie we've been waiting 4 years for is finally upon us.

Will Carrie get her man? Will Charlotte have a baby? Will Samantha ever settle down? Will Miranda ever get a cute outfit? I can hardly wait to find out. In the meantime I'm practising making the perfect cosmopolitan. I intend to watch this movie from the back row, preferably drunk and heckling. In fabulous shoes.

I've just been looking through the SATC look books on HBO and, apart from being shocked at how quickly SJP aged from episode 1 through to 6, I was also suprised at how underwhelming the clothes seem in hind sight. Guess that's fashion for ya.

The good, the bad and the fugly

The hits

The misses

Images courtesy HBO

See:
The wedding dress that ate New York
Sam, Charl and Mir go large

Goodbye. Hello!

It may be fun, but blogging takes a lot of hardwork and dedication. It's an obsession that sucks up hours of your free time. Readership may be variable, coming in drips and drabs one day and floods the next, or sometimes not at all.

No matter the smattering of success-stories that you read about in the news, blogging is not a money spinning passtime. Most of us do it for love, because we are passionate about our chosen subject and we want connect people who are equally enamoured.

But we still have jobs, and lives and sometimes doing it all can just get a little bit too much. So I was sad but not surprised to hear that the incomparable Mrs Fashion, is taking a break from the blogging. All I can say, dear Mrs F, is have a nice break and I hope you'll be back soon.

On a happier note, congratulations are in order for Rosie Pop, who has just delivered an 8Ilb 3oz bundle of boy-baby goodness. Can't wait to see photos of cute little baby toes and fingers and fashionable baby outfits like these:

It's the Noodle Doodle Man!

After a lovely relaxing weekend, bordering on soporific, I woke up this morning to a sound loop from my childhood playing in my head. It was the Noodle Doodle Man.

For those of you who who just went "wha?!", let me explain: the Noodle Doodle Man was a character used to advertise Heinz Noodle Doodles (spaghetti shapes in tomato sauce) circa 1976. The adverts, to my 6-year-old mind, were nothing less than brilliant and I nearly wet myself with joy when Dad came back from work one day with a promo single of the song.

Now, the only thing more awesome than the Noodle Doodle song, was the "B" side tune, Noodle Doodle Man on the moon, which I proceeded to play to death for the rest of my childhood.

It is one of those things - along the ability to recite the entire movie script of the Wizard of Oz, a total addiction to jelly sweets and an obsession with dressing up - that has stayed with me. One of the abiding memories of miy childhood is of me and my little brother trampolining on the guest room bed to the sounds of the Noodle Doodle Man. Ah, those halcyon days of innocence...

The internet, being the all round fount of all loveliness that it is, yielded up a full mp3 track of The Noodle Doodle Man on the Moon, voiced by John Pertwee. Enjoy.

Images (manipulated by me) and MP3 track via The Spicy Couldron

Enquiring minds want to know: what are some of the more enduring memories from your childhood. Share!

Happy Easter!

If you don't like good music...

... look away right now because I'm about to share my new favourite music vid. It's Gnarls Barkley's Run. I love me some Gnarls Barkley. Check out the crazy styling.

Via Fashion and a Box of Graffiti Chocolate