31.08.08 We're all going on a Summer Holiday!

As you can see, I'm the epitome of style when I'm away. On the plus side I now have about 150 photgraphs of robins after visiting the gardens at Overbecksear Salcombe in Devon. I do somewhow feel the need to point out that Miffy is always in style, even for the over 5s. I mean it. Haven't you seen her in Vogue?




A big up from the Hay masseeve!
"Hay-on-wye? Is that some kind of sandwich?"

Arthur Miller

(for those of you with eyesight like The Mother!)

26.08.08 M appeal

No, this isn't my pulling outfit, if such a thing can be created from my warderobe, I rather doubt it, although I do have some hooker boots in the back of my warderobe from when The Mother was "letting me learn from my mistakes". Riiiiight then.


This is my Emma Peel outfit. Normally I'd say I was trying to be Doris Day, but the pom poms swung it Ms Riggs way for me. THEY are totally freakin' fabulous. The Mother had to smack me l'upside the head to get me to stop making them jiggle. I think I was giving the rest of the house the heebies.

turquoise flower necklace - Pilgrim

BLUE! jumper - Dorothy Perkins

60s flower dress - Dorothy Perkins

pink tights - Primark

pom pom pumps - Topshop

25.08.08 Spot the Dot

navy polka dot umbrella - The Mother
red beret - M&S
red cardigan - M&S
brown and cream polka dot dress - Tesco (sale)
silver ring - My Birthday!
red rose ring - Dorothy Perkins (sale)
long red scarf - Dorothy Perkins
red and white polka dot wellies - somewhere in Hay-on-wye (sale)

Followed by a guest appearance by The Mother, looking especially lovely and lady of the manorish. Our wellies made quite the talking point at the birthday event. You'd think they'd find SOMETHING more shocking to talk about than colourful wellington boots.

24.08.08 Boris has RETURNED!

Not THAT one. THIS one.

Like my bathing attire by the way? Certainly keeps The Hair dry, although circulation to The Brain is possibly not at it's very best..maybe meant for smaller heads than mine...

24.08.08 Pulling the Guinea Pig out of the Hat

Harry the Camel t-shirt - Dubai
black jeans - Designer Room
red and white polka dot wellies - somewhere in Hay
top hat - Topshop
black and white striped cardigan - Select

23.08.08 Deja Vu

First things first, congrats go out to my home boy J for doing FANdabulously well in his GCSE exams. He even beat my not too shabby score, darn it! This was celebrated with a meal at the slightly swish Angel Hotel. So we all got to play dress up which resulted in this, which is not a result of deja vu. I really did go back to TK Maxx and buy ANOTHER dress with the same print. At least I have actually been looking for a maxi dress. Honest. Although, it was supposed to be more day wear... Never mind. It's very swishy but un peu long for my ickle stubby legs, and there was some last minute essential cleavage closure required as I am never quite as well endowed as the shops seem to think I should be.

lichtenstein maxi dress - TK Maxx / Lula&Red

black sparkly crop cardi - H&M

black heart bangles - Topshop

black suede slouchy boots - Brantano

21.08.08 Body Temperature

This dress has all those lovely bubbly bits on it, and while I was editing the photo it got me thinking about bubbles, and then, obviously, chocolate bubbles - the ultimate example of which is an Aero bar.
And when that particular brand comes to mind, so does this advert.

Every time I watch it I blush. Am I such a bad person, really? I am aren't I? Bye bye feminism, you gave it your best shot. The worst thing is I couldn't even tell you why specifically. Well...no, we'll leave it there.

silver rose alice band - Dorothy Perkins (sale)

opal necklace - My birthday!/The Cheesepress that was

pink scoop neck top - Tesco

pink and brown dotty empire dress - H&M

pink tights - The Mother

brown boots - Clarks (sale)

Please excuse the chipped nail varnish, it's terribly uncouth I know. I was just rather pleased with the colour. Also the star brooch is fabulously shiny shiny, the best kind of shiny, as I'm sure you know. On with the show then -

brown cropped cardigan - Next

mint 3/4 top -New Look

brown cropped trousers - Marks and Spencers

blue tights - Primark

shoes - Topshop

necklace - Pilgrim

15.08.09 The Menace...

Can you guess where the inspiration for this outfit came from?


You got it!

I just realised what a horrific number of clothes I have from Dorothy Perkins, and how a great many of them were bought on sale. I'm trying to decide if it's a good or bad thing

red bell sleeved polo - Dorothy Perkins (sale)
black waistcoat - Dorothy Perkins
black tiered skirt - Dorothy Perkins

red and black striped tights - ummmmm...

black boots - Hush Puppies / Stead and Simpson (sale)

13.08.08 Hello Nurse

For some reason this outfit reminded me of a nurses uniform, don't ask me why. Anywhoose -

red and white polka dot dress - Primark
white cardigan - Tesco
red converse - Office
red tights - Primark
red flower corsage - Tesco
red bangle - Dorothy Perkins

Having my hair all to one side was kinda cool, but it made my follicles cry. Seriously, very very ouch. Plus, I simply could not do it by myself. Who knew a side pony tail was so tough? So I had to go into the ladies room with The Mother and say pretty please so she could do it for me.

I really need a different white cardie too. The Tesco one makes me feel like I am shortly to become a victim of spontaneous combustion. Admittedly I did only get it because it was the cheapest I could get, but surely that much man made stuff (I'm afraid I can't dignify it with the words fabric or wool) can't be safe.

Theoretically I know that all the high street shops, and probably some designer labels too, get made in the same places and buy their fabric from the same sources. I mean, it's only logical, the companies that sell the fabric couldn't get by with only one customer.

I first noticed it on the shop floor 2 summers ago, when pretty much all the jewellery I looked at had at least some of the same components from the jewellery in what ever shop I'd just left. It didn't particularly bother me (high street androgyny pah! ;-)), pretty much because I loved all the jewellery trends that summer - but this year, the incestuous relationship the high street has with it's suppliers is bringing me down a little.

I love it when a high street shop brings out a designer knockoff. If I blew that much on one item I'd have to KNOW I'd love it forever, until it fell apart, clutched to my bosom as I weep inconsolably. The thing is though, my tastes kind of change. A lot. I don't always like the same things, or rather style, for very long. Sometimes I get swept away by trends that really, really, don't suit me. I'd be terrified to drop a grand on something that, on reflection, is kinda fugly. With the high street, I get to try out trends and styles, fads. If I decide that I love my new outfit more than food, then, hey, the designer version could be an option. I think it helps that I'm not really a big bag girl, and that I'm self aware enough to realise that the shoes I adore enough to forsake any form of sustenance or shelter for an improbable amount of time, are probably not ones I'm really going to be able to wear. Anywhere. Plus, a great way to put oneself off buying designer threads, is to realise that a lot of them won't necessarily have anything in your size if you're not a waif - which I most definitely am not.

However, I don't really like theft on the high street. It's more like unoriginality. There's usually enough of a price gap to make it a kind of sales bargain, but really, did they have to exactly the same thing Shop X?

Okay, so maybe I'm slightly biased. I happened to buy the most, the MOST people! beautiful skirt. The colours were gorgeous, it had netting to make it pouffy, it had the cool brushstroke thing going on that I'd seen in all the catwalk shows but hadn't materialised anywhere useful...

Gaze on it's beauty in wonder and awe.

And then, after splurging, 'cos people, it was only a skirt, and I'm money poor, what to I see in everybodies favourite cheapty shop, Primark?

A prom dress, with pouffyness, if a more itchy version, for half the price of my skirt. Even more galling since at the time there was a prom dress version on the house of Fraser website for £45. Seriously though girls and boys, it was a sad, sad day for the pollyanna.

Although, the silver lining is that I'm thinking of maybe purchasing and doing something with layering, for extra length and pouffyness. See, every cloud has one!

Primark also have a version of this dress. It'd taffeta instead of satin and neither of them is quite as nice as Topshop's emerald version, but i know some people prefer blue. even though they say geniuses choose green. I'm just saying is all. Topshop also has this shirt, which is pretty much the same as this one from Dorothy Perkins, which is £5 more, but has a satiny bow. You know it's worth it.

I know ruffles are in, and there are only so many ways to use them without them becoming too OTT, but please, a little differentiation between your stock people!

Sorry. Rant over.

A lot of people have issues shopping high street, because they feel they become a bit homogeneous when everyone is buying the same things, but I think part of what makes fashion fun is wearing things differently to other people. I think if you can buy something 10 other people are wearing and make it look unique and perfect on you, then that's really what fashion is about. Plus, if it really bothers you that when you walk down the street half a dozen people are wearing the same dress, and you really really want it, just put it into the back of your wardrobe until everyone else has got bored with theirs. If you don't mind wearing something from a past season put away until the next summer. I mean, when you buy summer goodies on sale, that's really what ends up happening anyway, so it's not that kooky.

You just have to remember to rotate your clothes. say it with me. R-o-t-a-t-e. That's it, well done! Now I just need to do it myself. That's why i want to do a What I Wore Today post every day. I think it'll motivate me to dress presentably, always a worthwhile aim, but I'll see what I'm wearing, or more importantly, not wearing.

Ciao for now!

12.08.08 I've got a theory - it could be bunnies

Whoo hoo! Hello again, I'm back, and this time I brought bunnies! I've always liked the little furry things, especially the twitchy noses and fluffy tail and... ok, I'm going on again. I was also coincidentally born in the chinese year of the rabbit. Seriously, I take astrology about as seriously as a fish on a bicycle but the attributes perfectly match everyone' s personalities in my albeit small family. I don't think it can work that way really though, otherwise it would be like the horoscopes in magazines which we always have a giggle over as the same one applies to about eight of us in my circle of friends alone.

So ANYWAYS, I finally wore my new T with my funky new winter skirt from Dorothy Perkins. Which is really cute but is made of te same fluff/fur/hair/anything white attracting stuff that all their black clothes seem to use. Which would be okay if i didn't have a very, very furry, white cat. Who is perversly attracted to black clothes. Not white, or blue or red. Black. If he notices you've got on black trousers it's like - heeello girlfriend! Any other colour and he's all - meh.

I thought the tights were a subtle nod to this winters harlequin trend... who am I kidding? they were the only ones without holes ;-)

The other reason I love this top is that the top

Tests, tests, tests

Today I had a practise run through of my Theory Test booked at 11am, so off to Cardiff I went! Of course while i was there I couldn't help but have an ickle tiny browse (sadly my funds are severely depleted), and what lovely shiny things there are in the shops now they are finally putting out some new stock.

Normally, I think I'd be with everyone else on this one - I mean, what is up with the putting out of winter clothes in August people?! - but the summer has seemingly disappeared, and, well, I live in Wales. It's cold. Period.

Plus, I ADORE all the new stuff, it's all so fab! Especially the lace. I'm afraid I'm going to have to go for the very gothy black though, as the paler, nude shades look deathly on me. I think Warehouse lacy things are particularly nice, although everywhere I've been has managed to have lace that feels like actual lace rather than the itchy synthetic kind that normally appears. I especially love this top, which my mom bought. It's one of those things that look about 10 million times better on a real person than on the hanger. It even avoids the whole smockiness/pregnant look, of which I am heartily bored.

In the half hour I had before the test most horrid, I popped into Borders (as much as I long to hate this American chain store interloper - the magazines, oh the magazines *stares dreamily into space*), and TK Maxx. And low and behold, verily a vision of beauty me luds 'nd ladys -

Well, not quite, more like this -

In short, an extraordinary offering from Lulu & Red, a boutique I have previously drooled on from the comfort of my swivelly chair. Here is the particular version I purchased, a lovely ruffly sleeved wrap dress with very, very, very looooong tie. And a closeup of the pattern that made me so happy

On the other, mildly less impressive hand, this is what I wore today.

Briefly however, A Note on the predominance of hat wearing. I am rather fond of hats (you lose most of your body heat through your head) but unfortunately at the moment our shower is broke. And apparently I cannot wash my hair in the bath. It is a physical impossibility. No matter what I do, it stays mildly skanky. So after my futile efforts to be cleanly, I have now given up the good fight and am instead turning my efforts to bribing the builder into coming sooner with his toolkit. Any suggestions?

So, jeans (Next) Pink Scoop Neck Top (Cherokee/Tesco) Turquoise Swing Cardigan (Primark) Black Heart Ring (Topshop) Yellow Converse (er...) Pink Knit Beret (Wallis) and Pink/Purple Flower Brooch (CRiC Gallery)

A lovely closeup of my grubby takkies - seriously, are they not the best colour ever? I had a brief period in my life when i rather liked lavender. The colour. And I...well, there's no easy way to say this, I dressed myself entirely in that particular hue, from head to toenails, on at least one occasions. And yes, there is photographic evidence. ANYWHO, the point of the story iiiiis, I now find my self drawn to yellow in a similar way (it is my favourite colour), except now I am quite aware I will look like a giant banana (if I'm lucky), should I follow through with these self destructive thoughts. With these chilling thoughts in mind - do they really look quite so cheerful?

I thought not.

The lovely felt brooch my mamma bought me

This is the kind of meurgh outfit I usually through together if A) all my clothes are dirty, b)I've no time to dress, or c) i feel meurgh. But actually, as the day wore on, it rather grew on me. There's enough matchyness with the hat and top and badge to keep me happy, and enough clashy with the cardy and shoes to keep from looking too Doris Day. I REALLY like to match. As previously mentioned. Plus I still felt bright enough and cheerful to feel like a presentable me, while being relatively casual. Always good (I tend to dress up rather than down - unless I'm camping, when I bring a paper bag, just to be ready for the 3rd day, you know?)

Cardiff is actually a great place to go shopping. A lot of the shops have recently moved into bigger premises and you can really see a difference. Plus, the main highstreet is pedestrianised and wide, and has a really nice feel to it, with street performers, trees and benches people actually sit on. I've also found that the branches of the high street stores there are usually really well stocked - especially Primark. They have all the sellout items in their branch, and it's even relatively tidy if you go on a weekday. The only thing I think lets it down, are the lack of a decent range of shoes and bags, as in other branches.

The Topshop there I love. It's perfect. If I ever get to the one in London, i may have heart failure. So light, and bright and white and squeaky eeky clean. Well, at least less ingrained dirt than the previous shop. I got this top the same trip my mom got her floaty, lacy one, and isn't it great?! Okay, different Topshop, but this one has it in a bag!, and a bunny brooch, and Johnny Loves Rosie and the cutest polka dot tights and best ever black shoes with this pink ruching detail...

Okay, *loud exhale* it's out of system now. But really. Okay, okay. No more worship at the alter of Topshop, I get it.

I think Peacocks deserves an honorable mention here, Whoever did there new store deserves a big whohoo. They've incorporated these great antiquey wooden tables and armoires into the store design, so that the clothes and accessories are displayed in them. It really makes the shop feel more special. They even have these old suitcases uunder one of the tables. It's just enough and not too much.

Whoohoo! fixed the links - not quite as scary as I thought

nighty night
x x x

Hello World!

Hello World!

Aha! At last I have mastered the art of putting prettiful pictures in aesthetically pleasing places. In my opinion worthy of at least a small round of applause.

Thank you kindly

Without further ado (although you may notice I was feeling rather monochrome today) here is what I wore today:

Black Velvet Trousers (Next), Red or Dead Shirt (TKMaxx), Stripey Cardigan (Select), Black Hat (not the foggiest), Black Bangle (La Redoute) and my new favourite - it's just so deliciously yummy and shiiiiny - Black Heart Ring (Topshop)

I have to admit I have what probably amounts to an unnatural fondness for TKMaxx (Well, unnatural if you're my mother, and consider it one of the 7 circles of hell - she likes things neat, and on shelves. Pshaw, these old folks, what do they know about customer care?). Seriously though, this is quite possibly the best print ever...er, printed? Just check it out :-



See all the lovely pointy instruments of torture and/or death? THis is DEFINITELY what I will wear on my next trip to Murder and Mayhem, an amazing second hand bookshop, in the famous town of books (Hay-on-wye you philistines), that specialises in dectective/thriller/horror fiction. Why can't every bookshop have a themed interior? *sigh*

I previously mentioned I ADORE this ring. It's, like, prefect. Topshop's website, as fandabby as it is, is severely lacking in the accesory section - which I actually have to leave the house to get my shiny shiny goodies. Darn it. If however you fancy it quite as much as my humble self (doubtful as that is) and have similar agoraphobic tendancies, then there appears to be a similar version on Dorothy Perkin's website for the same grand price of £5. Phew.

My love of all things shiny confirmed, this "cardigan" from select was a poor second at £10, instead of the yummy £50 from PPQ at Oli . I swear it had chunky black and white stripes but the only version I can find now is this 80's 'tastic version

And no, I don't know why this one is lame while the other one was gorgiosity itself. Questions, questions, always with the questions.

Now here is one I can answer, as it is not quite as easy to phograph onself as it my seeme to the uniformed eye, my hat appears to be something of a dark halo. No my friends, I posess no angelic qualities, so to dispell any lingering illusion, here is my faithful assistant to model the said garment:

Doesn't she look grand - we even have matching accessories!

P.S.

In case anyone wonders, yes, I am familiar with the warderobe of Fifi Lapin - she. is. my. idol. Why, oh why am I not furnished with such apparel?

P.P.S

Aren't you impressed that I managed to do the links too? Aren't you?!

Well, no, I haven't exactly checked them, as such...

oops