mood

clockwise from top middle: ponyskin coat, kasia struss in the prada lookbook fw10, cross-body bag (eleanore from ytligheter), koss portapro headphones, two-tone orange handbag from zara, lovely sunglasses via hardcore unicorn, pleated school skirt.

things on my mind: 

blonde, blonde hair a la kasia struss. a combination of impending summer and itchy feet has left me craving a big change and dying my hair blonde. I'd really love to have the same caramel colour as when I was younger, before my eyebrows darkened and became two large giveaway barriers.

techy headphones. I noticed a girl wearing these headphones on the bus the other morning and she looked so chilled and in her own world as she looked out of the window that she reminded me of Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation. I quickly asked her the brand name and she told me 'Koss Portapro'. 

cross-body bags. (not to be confused with body bags..rather less morbid) remember back in 2006 when the way you wore your it-bag was just as crucial as the bag itself? the 'resting in the crook of your elbow' model carry look became the order of the day but I much prefer the unfussy 'cross-body' way-leaves your hands free and arms un-achey. see the supercool eleanore from ytligheter. also jen brill. and alexa chung.

chloe sevigny in twin magazine

'At home with Chloe Sevigny' style editorials have become a bit of a genre in their own right. There was the Apartamento feature that painted an image of cottagey serenity in the heart of New York as she sat at her wide kitchen table with a Chinese tea set and bedded down under a duvet and a cover of streaming sunlight. There was the House and Garden set, a glossier affair paying attention to the clashing wallpapers and flowering garden. There also was the candid Tim Barber photographs with Chloe looking at her records and squatting on the sofa in a ragged t-shirt. On the one hand this concept feels a bit old hat, and I wouldn't mind well, 'a change of scenery', but it's also kind of cool that a bit of a series is developing with different approaches, stylists, photographers (and Chloe's varying haircuts) dictating different results.

This latest editorial comes from Twin Magazine, aptly titled 'Kick Ass' with styling by Michelle Cameron who managed to source a great double screen-printed jumper that marries together the Nike and Chloe logos to proclaim 'Chloe America's No 1'. Amen to that.

snaps

some pictures from the last week:
1+2. outfit worn yesterday. second hand army jacket, suede shirt from make lemonade, second hand shorts, de bijenkorf bag from my granny.
3. my bike and raincoat.
4. waiting in the unnervingly clean 'mediacity' to watch the recording of Mastermind. seeing john humphrys in the flesh and my friend gigi being invited to sit in 'the chair' during the break made it the best day of my life.
5. my green suede and snakeskin heels at my end of year ball.
6. armed with flask of coffee and layers just before going to the library.
7. ashburne halls. I often walk pass these halls, sigh that some people live with windows over rosebeds and then return to my own humble accommodation. and am impressive pile of kitchen sink side dishes.
8. outfit worn yesterday.

mood

apartment envy via carlota santamaria / natalia vodianova / bill withers / camouflage tee shirt / wonderful orange nail, white wedge combination via this girl at hoy fashion / same apartment as 1st source.

PHEW life is tedious at the moment. the last week has been spent mostly in the library with just as much yo-yo-ing between successful outfits and loss of mojo as between my desk and the vegetarian cafe for cake and coffee refuelling. cooking a big ole lebanese feast last night and watching the 'still bill' bill withers documentary tonight have provided some respite though. also on my mind (as someone who is always late on the uptake with current music) is the 'new' beyonce song which in a climate of slutwalks and multiple rape gaffs feels like a much needed girl power filled comeback anthem and is on repeat. the (unlikely) fantasy of teaching myself some beyonce choreography (like this) for a big end of exams dance-off release is lingering at the back of my brain, just behind the memorised facts about reaganomics and the new deal agencies. really can't wait to have studying over and to reimmerse myself into wearing outfits that don't need to be dictated by library comfort and aisle side fashion parades as i'm quickly learning that study periods at university equate to the 'real life' equivalent of fashion week.

perfect polka dot dress

A simple long sleeved polka dot dress that hangs nicely and avoids any prim-ness is perfection. Worn with a large brimmed straw hat, tanned legs and clarks originals. See Ann's (left) from Turned Out and an anonymous girl dug from the depths of my inspiration folders. After much searching I managed to find one on etsy a couple of months ago but sadly upon arrival it didn't fit. The search continues..

friday

fishermans coat, eBay, jumper and dress from h&m.

Well on Friday the 13th it rained and it poured and it's barely stopped since. After the sunniness of April it's like having a little pocket of winter tucked into the spring requiring once again the use of macs and more layers. The day was free of any hocus pocus (I don't really buy Friday 13th creepiness) and well spent. I experienced an odd practice simulation of a MRI scan as I'm having one today as part of a neuroscience experiment. While I was inside I was thinking of 'IRM' by Charlotte Gainsbourg which incorporates the clunky sounds of the scanner into the song. I attended my last ever seminar of my 1st year at University (discussion: religious ideologies and evangelism in America). Went to Wasabi with some of the girls and we treated ourselves to Sushi. Spent money I do not possess in h&m (woo, month of eating only couscous to repent! I hope my Mum isn't reading this..) and in the afternoon I drank some Horlicks and wrapped up in my raincoat to battle the rain.

hot and cool!

Hurrah! After a couple of days of stalking my postbox my issue of Hot and Cool has arrived! I've been extra excited to see the results of Alice Goddard's (along with her friends Letty, Louise and Theo) hard grafting as I wrote the 'In Praise of Dressing Down' article. Really love Hot and Cool's liberal use of low-tech Word font templates and the editorials are perfect- think Teva sandals, girls sitting on sofas and tying up their laces. It's printed in black and white and rather Corrine Day meets Alisdair McLellan. You can see pictures here. Apparently it's been selling out like hotcakes but it's still available for £4 at B Store, Clare de Rouen, Wardour News and Rococco News in London.  For my fellow non-Londoners, you can thankfully buy it online. The amount of hard work Alice and her friends put into the 2nd issue is insane and makes me wonder why I didn't put my gap year to such creative use..

Outfit wise: Margaret Howell caridigan (I dread the day my Mum asks for this back..) with second hand crochet hemmed shorts, new balance 420, 17 lipstick in 'hot chilli', and a small plait in an attempt to counteract the dreaded process of growing out a fringe.

mood

i'm in the mood for summer, eating peaches, wearing knickers in the garden, reading this book and this book in the sunshine, wearing cats eye glasses like these, regretting not buying the now sold-out chiara 5 sandals from swear, channelling heathermary jackson and the araks lookbook.

may 11th

Apologies for the absense! The internet in my halls of residence has been kaput for the last week and I've been spending lots of time in the library (quite a rarity) with exams just around the corner and the conditional incentive of a semester studying abroad in Massachussetts as a kick up the arse to do well.

After a bit of an eBay spree recently my Hilfiger jumper has arrived, as well as a rather 90s brown halterneck dress (a word combination which produces a bit of a baffled 'oh?' face amongst my friends) that I'm considering as an option for our end of year Ball this weekend. Re the Hilfiger jumper, it does feel sort of lame to be wearing it when I study American studies. Bet you wouldn't find Physics equivalents with SCIENCE written across their top and a really really enthusiastic grin paired with a double thumbs up. I thought not..

Also this weekend I spent far too much time and money at new port of call WH Lung (which incidentally would be the perfect name for a Chinese WH Smith equivalent?) with the intention of buying my best friend a birthday present and then leaving with lots of seaweed, white rabbits, lychee juice and miso paste for myself. 

In other news this week: 1. Tonight I made myself a delicious dinner of udon noodles, spring greens, seaweed, in a miso and soy soup. scoff scoff. 2. My friend Joe has been asking people whether they have extention leads so that he can sit next to a reoccuring cute girl in the library and still be able to plug his laptop into a socket. See! The romantic potential of the library!

denim and plastic

 On my mind: Sleeveless tops and halternecks, clear framed sunglasses, Prada SS10, Lisa Corneliusson's plastic Cheap Monday heels, Clarks Originals white Kestrals, A-line denim skirts, skirts with splits, button down denim skirts, clear plastic heels, silver nail varnish (Topshop), Stella McCartney SS10, Freja at Derek Lam SS10.

outfit

What I wore yesterday: cardigan, margaret howell; button down skirt, secondhand from ebay; sunglasses, topshop; straw bag, beyond retro; nails- supreme shine by 17 in 'sphinx'.

full bellies and new purchases

I'm back in Manchester with a belly heavy with Spinach Stew. I'm finally reveling in the glories of having parents drive you back after the holidays. I always used to whimper from the window as I watched people from my halls unpacking swag bags fresh from the supermarket to line their fridges when their parents were in town, or being taken out for wining and dining, friends in tow. Well this weekend it is my turn and along with my friend Nanon I took my parents to Aladdin, the Syrian restaurant that makes a mean lamb meatball and spinach stew and is always packed with chattering families and locals who look like they've been in the know for over a decade. For me and Nanon it was like Disneyland for 19 year olds with the possibility of being treated to a starter, main and pudding, my oh my. 

But enough of the undignified gloating (or in my case bloating) this is after all a 'fashion blog' and such things should be indulged. My quarterly desire to blow lots of money on clothes has reared its head again interestingly enough just in time to coincide with the latest installment of my student loan. But no hardcore blow-outs just yet, instead this pair of pocket money friendly sunglasses from Topshop which remind me of Prada SS10 which I always associate as 'the collection with the amazing accessories', ie transparent plastic heels, low bunches that escaped playground connotations and indeed big clear glasses rather like these.They have some really great sunglasses in at the moment-cats eyes, pervert aviators, and lots of tortoiseshell frames. It took about 40 minutes to whittle it down to one pair.

Also (because I can't stray from the topic of food) note my excitement over the Nordic Bakery Cookbook
 my Mum bought me for Easter. After I wouldn't stop telling her about the success of the batch of cinnamon rolls I'd made from a Nordic Bakery recipe on the internet and how much I love the crockery in the cafe it was a welcome surprise to find it along a pile of chocolate on Easter Sunday. I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy if you can for easy mastering of Scandinavian breakfasts, cakes, tarts and rye breads. So far I've baked an adapted version of the Rhubarb Meringue Pie and next must be the infamous Tosca cake..gobble gobble.