A Little Bit Delicious

Just spent today through the snow doing a bit of vintage shopping i.e. two sparkly hugging dresses which when brought home not sure I can quite carry off. It's the whole backside situation yet again (seriously it is huge! I was even teased at University for it from not so very nice first year housemates). I don't think it would be such an issue if my legs were longer, which is why I wear heels, I have too for the illusion of a smaller as my mum would say 'btm'.
They are gorgeous sparkly dresses though especially the black one, it is very 80s power dressing. You could totally imagine a toned leggy 80s chick putting it on to meet the 'girls' for some cocktails. I on the other hand am scared that I give off the miss-piggy-dressing -like-my-mum-twenty-years-ago-look. Though fear not I have a plan it is my smart-casual dress which will be teamed with some nice jeggings and black heels and a long cardigan (Helen's version of 2010 power dressing).
Oh talking of dressing has anybody else been watching the delightful Miss Dahl on BBC 2 on Tuesday nights? I just love Sophie Dahl ever since my 14th birthday I think it was when a friend gave me her first book ' The Man with the Dancing eyes', I am just simply captivated by her view on life even more so than her Grandfather's. She just seems to get the mystery of the little things in life without seeming like she is completely away with the fairies.
Plus I am extremely jealous on how she can just pull all the knowledge of quotes and stuff she has read just out of her head and use it in everyday conversation (she's my equivalent of Stephen Fry).
Oh and the fact she can cook and bake and looks ravishingly beautiful (whatever size she has been) just makes her all the more enviable but saying this I do hope to try out some of her recipes soon, so you never know maybe there are some magic ingredients there to make me just as fabulous as her.

It's raining colour, bodycon or khaki.

Well what can I say about the weather apart from it is miserable (yet again) only got my nail polish colours to cheer me up. Spent most of the day indoors trying on outfits as it is my birthday in a while. I am planing on going out with the girls for cocktails in the Apartment in Belfast and I want to look smart but young oh and sexy (haven't been single on my birthday for 4 years!). Although I was only out looking today I have a dilemma how on earth do you look all the above things especially when it will be jeans and fancy tops for all my friends (I already look out of place being the short one with the heels?
I definitely don't want to be the slutty single one but either do I want to be the frumpy single girl (most of my friends are in relationships) so how do I strike the balance? From today my current options are a warm orange 1960s style Secretary dress which sits below the knee and has a bow at bust (think 'Mad Men'), a LBD bodycon dress that sits half way up my thigh and exaggerates my J.Lo behind or a khaki silk like skirt which also exaggerates the derriere and again is half way up my thigh (with a crisp white shirt, some black court heels and some vintage gold jewellery and clutch).Or should I just dump all those options and go for something completely different?
Gosh, fashion should never be this many questions, maybe I'll just grab whatever is in my wardrobe on the night. Yeah I'll do that, though.................................what nail polish to wear.....................

Bags in the City

As every good fashionista knows the Sex in the City Sequel movie is only months away (2 to be exact). Having seen the trailer a few times, already I am extremely excited not just for the shoes, jewellery clothes and the four girls but also because of this Timmy Woods bag http://www.timmywoods.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=71. I always knew my french fascination was on trend.

Now lets get back to fashion...

Yet again the blog has taken the form of a very unfashionable diary which I have only my unease over fashion week to blame. Saying fashion week I mean all of them not one in particular and it has nothing to do with the clothes, the bright lights are the models because I absolutely love that (it always gives me goosebumps when I am at a catwalk show or I am watching one online). It's just society's attitude towards the runways that slightly bug me, just because something is in season does not make it fashionable. For instance I would have to be held down before you'd get me into a pair of clogs despite loving all of the designers who have designed a pair. If I were to wear a pair it wouldn't be right because I wouldn't believe in the look and it would just look as awkward as it would feel.
Ironically it also gets me a bit annoyed when everyone claims to be an expert of fashion in the media and it results in some family member telling me that I should wear something because it is in all the magazines and all the 'young ones' are wearing them.
I am still a magazine addict however and wishing to pursue that career in fashion journalism so maybe my views are going to have to wain or maybe I could start a magazine of anti-trends. I wonder how far that would go?

My kind of Style

Just a quick note to say I am in the My Kind of Style section in the County Down Spectator this week if anyone has a copy and wants to give it a look. I have to say I much prefer being the one to ask the questions than answer them as I never know quite what to say.

Happy Snappy Sunday Part2

These photos are taken at a local forest near us that I have always went to from a little girl; some people love the beach, I love forests. I would much rather take my shoes off and walk across the grass than to walk across grainy sand and there is just so much more to see around you. Don't get me wrong though I am not an adventurous woman - one sight of a bug or a creepy crawly and I am running for the hills and I doubt I'll ever be a camping in a tent person but there is just something about leaves and greenery that makes all your troubles seem so small. Oh and the big black and white doggy is called Jackson.

(Another) Happy Snappy Sunday Part1

The Sensible One

I recently was speaking to an older male friend of mine about life and relationships and somehow we got on to the topic of being 'sensible'. He himself is single and classes himself as 'the sensible one' growing up where as his younger brother was a bit of 'a wild child' and is now happily married with three children. I am not saying marriage and kids is the ultimate goal to achieve when growing up but it is quite funny how people's lives turn out.
When I was at school I was seen as the sensible girl (smart but not smarty pants smart, quiet, polite and a good girl but never a snitch!) and the one everyone assumed would be married first with tons of children.
Which is a bit ironic because I have never been that fussed on babies, yes I may have dreamed of one day walking down the aisle and having a small brood but I don't know whether I see myself as the wife - type, I suppose I have just always hoped it will all fall into place if I meet the right man.
I think this notion of sensibility is partly due to the eldest child mentality as everyone knows parents always drill manners and rules into the first born more than the next (which is probably our job). I always find myself questioning everything I do which I think has resulted in me being quite an unlucky clumsy person where as my younger brother is quite the opposite. As my mum quite often points out 'Helen would be the first to lose something and Peter the first to find it'.
Don't get me wrong I quite like being the sensible one most of the time but just sometimes I would really like to let my hair down without worrying about the worst possible situations I could get myself in. To give you an example of my worry; on my eighteenth birthday instead of my first thought being 'yes I am now an adult' mine was 'oh no if I accidentally do something wrong I could go to prison', so yeah sometimes my sensible approach becomes a bit insensible in it's own rational!
I am coming up to my 22nd Birthday soon so I was thinking it was about time I maybe give being a bit of a risk taker a go and see how far it gets me (hopefully not prison!) and I'll let you know how it goes. Twenty-two is the time for risks people! Anyone got any risky stories they'd like to share?

Judging a Book by it's Cover

I have a confession, despite the well known teaching (preaching) of never to judge a book by it's cover being drummed into me ever since I was little...I admit I do. But before you all get worried I literally mean books (I never judge people), I just can't help it. I just love walking round book stores both old and new and just seeing what covers or titles jump out at me.

I actually quite encourage the idea as I have read many a book that I wouldn't have even picked up if solely based on the blurb or reviews.

Of course the secondhand book shop covers are the best because you never quite know what you are going to find both on the cover and the inside pages. I was recently in a secondhand bookshop searching through the poetry section for some Sylvia Plath (I didn't find any) when I picked up a collection of old poems up only to find someones essay which had been typed up on a typewriter and a cutout from a newspaper of young Ringo Starr.

It just made me smile to think of the previous owner of this collection who obviously had good taste (I myself have quite a thing for the young Ringo ever since I saw the 1964 film A Hard Day's Night in lower sixth for Film Studies although older Ringo is another matter). I wonder what she was thinking when she placed the cutout in among the poetry, did the poem beside it have any significance (I regret I never looked to see what it was)?

It really is fascinating so I encourage you if you are a judging book virgin to highly give it a go, even just the once you might be pleasantly surprised. Oh and it does not only have to be confined to books, it also works with music - I have bought whole albums never hearing a song from a band and I have yet to be disappointed so really give it a go and let me know how you get on.

PHOTO: recent secondhand book shop find.

Happy Snappy Sunday

A few snapshots from today - experimenting with the camera. The red tartan top is one of my bargain finds yesterday (surprisingly warm and comfy).

Who Are We to Judge?

Yesterday I had a perfect Saturday hunting round the local charity shops for the very first time as I have always been self-conscious to do so before. I got quite a few new items of clothing (most of them with labels still attached) - a few topshop tops and a sisley waistcoat. I did see a gorgeous pair of shoes made in Italy but of course they were two sizes too small!
It was quite sad to see most of the clothes were from primark or supermarket brands which must not be great for the charities as the clothes were already cheap to begin with so they would be extremely hard to price. I do really think the charity shop needs a revamp as many people were just throwing the clothes everywhere and having no respect for the garments at all, people need to start treating them with more importance.
I had decided to go out in my handmade feather top - got a few looks but nothing major despite my brother's warning that if I stood too long on one spot people might start throwing bread at me (mistaken for a pigeon).
I have always been quite scared at home of standing out in a crowd too much in fear of being judged. I wear heels to the shops which I know sometimes results in being given weird looks but I am conscious of wearing anything else that may get me noticed. I know this is a very anti-fashion thing to state and I shouldn't care what others think but last night my brother (15) came home from being down the town with his friends to inform us he had to ring for an ambulance and the police earlier. An older guy had been beaten up badly for having dreadlocks and my brother had came across him and had to help him walk to safety as he could barely see through all the blood to his face.
Stories like this make me feel sick that someone could have no thought but to beat up someone to a pulp just because they are different. I admit I am a little naive when it comes to the world's troubles and I get annoyed every time the troubles in Northern Ireland are mentioned in a National BBC broadcoast (even Coast commented on them) because I like to think my generation has moved away from all of this and I honestly believe it has! This attack could have happened anywhere, it has just got me thinking who sets the rules of 'normal'? And are we always under pressure to conform? Can fashion and style ever be completely spontaneous and free?

Sweet Like Honey

I am just in love with this Judith Leiber clutch from net-a-porter.com. LINK: http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/60919#. The detail is just amazing and if in your price range I think it would be well worth purchasing as it would only grow better with time (perfect future vintage buy!). A piece to pass on to your children or grandchildren and everyone loves bees so what's not to love!

Taking Up Old Habits

Happy St.Patrick's Day to everyone, hope you enjoyed your day's holiday (if you got one).
Not many people know this but I used to write poetry when I was in my early teens which I never really showed to anyone but when a few years later my older-self read it I used to be quite surprised that it never sounded as bad as I remembered (where as usually it is the other way round). It was quite random as you'd expect from a teenager and I was all about the obscure titles - the weirder they sounded the better I thought but it got me thinking yesterday when I picked up a copy of the poem 'Mirror' by Sylvia Plath (my favourite poem) that maybe I should attempt to try again with the whole poetry thing. I suppose it is just like this blog but shorter (thankfully I hear many say) and a little more constructed plus the good thing about poetry is you can really write about ANYTHING. Yeah so I think I'll give it a go and see how long it lasts and if I feel they are good enough to share, you never know I might be brave and post a few up here.

A Moment of Reflection

I have neglected lately commenting on the A/W 2010 Fashion Weeks which initially started as a subconscious decision but then with all the blogs that automatically report on the catwalks and Vogue, Elle and all the other fashion magazines keeping everyone up to date how could I follow suit and give a unique commentary?
Fashion has changed - the catwalk is no longer where people go first for fashion advice, it is the individuals on the street that spark the ideas. You just have to look at the popularity of blogs like thesatoralist.blogspot.com to see this. Don't get me wrong I love the thrill of the catwalk and the stylists behind the shows do a fantastic job but they are limited in what they can do where as the general public have no limits to accessorising and what styles they team together.
Fashion really is getting more and more competitive as it enters the 21st revival of instant fashion, making it hard for wannabe fashion journalists like me to make a unique individual mark without being knocked for not having front row seats at fashionweek but anytime I get down about not having any hot fashion insider gossip I remember fashion is a love first and a career opportunity second. I originally started this blog as a diary to document my love affair with fashion and I believe the moment I start questioning what I write is the day to press delete to fashion revival.
I however have came across a few things on my Internet travels such as the gorgeous footage of Lanvin's show at http://www.garancedore.fr/en/ (a reminder of why I fell in love with fashion) and the knowledge that Carine Roitfeld and her Parisian Vogue team were banned from Balenciaga's show (why when French Vogue and the French label went so will last year? Roitfeld was practically an unconscious ambassador for the brand). It just goes to show that in fashion nothing is certain.

Happy Mother's Day

Hope everyone is having a lovely Mother's Day and for all the lucky individuals who attended Fashion Souk in the Ulster Hall I hope you had a ball. Unfortunately I could not make it up but I am sure it was a blast. I've had quite a relaxing weekend looking through secondhand bookshops - anybody who knows me well knows I love reading, a bargain and hunting through old bookshops. Managed to get a Grace Kelly biography for £1 yesterday which I can't wait to tuck into though I am still half-way through the Coco Chanel biography so might take a while.

Vintage Revival

PHOTO LINK:http://www.models.com/work/vogue-italia-vogue-italia-march-2010-cover

I just love this Vogue cover, it is ultimately timeless and could be from any fashion decade and the magpie in me just loves the sparkly jewellery and over-accessorised-hair.

What does everyone else think?

A Little Slice of France

My attempt at making easter buns, which went down pretty well I think - I can now add them to my list of of things that I can make which at the minute contains pasta and fifteens (I'll make a good housewife yet!). On more exciting news I am really looking forward to grabbing a copy of new magazine The Gentlewoman - Catch Grazia's interview with Penny Martin (editor-in-chief)http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/archive/2010/03/12/are-you-a-gentlewoman.htm. Also loving the new British Vogue not only does it have Kate Moss on the front cover but it has the funkiest 'H' Topshop earrings and an interview with Clemence Poesy who I just love for her cool, French laid back style. Anyone who knows me knows I have a love affair with Paris despite never being there. My current playlist on my blackberry is Brigitte Bardot's Bubble Gum album - I just love the song Bonnie and Clyde. BRIGITTE BARDOT PHOTO LINK: http://adrianasassoon.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/brigitte-bardot-1.jpg

Feathers

I was experimenting a few months ago on demonstarting how to wear feathers and I thought I'd put the pictures up. They are far from great but it shows that we can all get it wrong sometimes but it would be even worse if we never tried! Plus there is a photo of my DIY feather top which I am extremely proud of, just haven't had an occasion to use it yet.

Viktor & Rolf F/W 2010

Check out models.com's photos of the Viktor & Rolf catwalk show http://models.com/mdx/?p=2700. They are such amazing, unique designers and one of my first strong fashion memories (when I was really starting to get to grips with fashion) is Viktor & Rolf's show at one of the Fashion Rocks events (not sure exact year but think it may be 2005) where sleeping beauty was the theme and the models came out with pillows attached to their heads. It is one of the first things that pops into my head when anybody says catwalk or runway, it had that big of an effect on me! They are always testing the waters of fashion protocol and this new concept of bringing the backstage to the front stage is worthy of applause especially as they are changing the models themselves which very rarely happens nowadays.

A Little Slice of Cupcake

Unfortunately the cupcake pictured is not my own handy work but that of good old M&S and I have to say it was delicious, maybe a little too delicious. Cute and girly perfect to go with the current Elle UK subscription cover of Chloe Sevigny and a corsage by Eve Brannon of Vintagepaperworks.co.uk which I bought on Sunday at the vintage fair.
It is important I feel to celebrate the finer girly moments in life when feeling under the weather, it is why so many of us yearn for parts of our childhood where the only responsibilities and worries were make believe. I don't think it is a method necessarily of brushing responsibility under the carpet but realising there is more to life than worries. Therefore I strongly encourage you stressed individuals out there to go grab a magazine, make yourself a cup of tea and tuck into a cupcake and I promise even if it is just for 10 minutes you'll feel a whole lot happier. Happy de-stressing!

Vintage Sundays

It was Vintage Sunday at The Empire today and I was taking photos for eve while trying very hard not to spend any money (which I admit was extremely hard). It was a great Sunday afternoon well spent with an amazing selection of vintage accessories and clothes on offer in the cosy atmospheric surroundings. If you weren't able to make it today I extremely recommend going to the next Vintage Sunday on the 11th April, it is worth paying the £2 alone just to have a nosey!

A New Look at Spring

The nice sunny weather of late has really lifted my mood both on a personal and fashion level as I always get really excited about Spring it really is the season that makes you want to get motivated. This Spring is extremely exciting on the fashion front as it is official nudes, candy pinks and pastel colours are back, a great excuse for grown women to act all girl-y! Although like all trends it is wise to never to go overboard as the little-boo-peep look is never good no matter what your age.

Tomorrow is the first of the Vintage Sunday fairs at The EMPIRE in Belfast, perfect for shopping for those unique spring accessories and floral dresses.

PHOTOS: New London Rebel green velvet booties and 1960s Vintage pink earrings.