Studstudstudstudstudstudstudstud... etc.

So today, I got a bit of a DIY-bug... The brainstorm was mainly as I received (and ordered more) studs to play with today. These are just silver stars and pyramid studs, which I’m using on denim...

First 'play' was with a Top Shop layered frill denim skirt that I studded with a smattering of stars... Mainly for clubbing wear as I’m not this skirt’s biggest fan, but it was on its way out, so thought – in the interests of reduce, reuse, recycle – to do this instead:

Outfit is TopShop denim skirt, H&M white vest, M&S grey lace vest, M&S silver pumps and GAP baby blue men's cardigan...

The pyramid studs are currently being used to convert my 5 year old, rather shabby, black Cheap Monday skinny jeans into something along the lines of this:

 from Jak and Jil blog

Not exactly original, but looking okay so far... Another piece of denim I'd consigned to the 'rarely-wear' part of my wardrobe. They remind me far too much of my 17 year old self, head over heels in love with a blonde, blue-eyed, Harrow(School)-boy-metal-head lol. He liked them as they were the only thing in my wardrobe that was black! Hehe. Not much has changed eh. Except maybe my taste in men... So hopefully this'll give them a new lease of life other than being worn when there's no other option ;-D - I'll post pics when they're done.

I also ordered some skull-shaped studs and coloured (purple and baby blue) pyramids that I'm going to try to persuade myself to use on my beloved AA purple tri-blend tee... I might have to buy a double of it tho. Or get a blue one and play with That! Oh the possibilities!!!

Don't know if my heart can take the risk otherwise! ;-D  Yeeeek! I'm getting all these from the AMAZING ebay seller denk_universe who I cannot recommend enough... They're really quick for shipping, cheap compared to other retailers, and just generally really sweet! Plus the Mexican stamps on my package are just Too Kwl!

Sigh. They're even 'Tajin, Mexico, ARQUEOLOGIA' stamps... How fitting!?!?!? 

:-D

I think the skull studs are going to be used for a project along these lines:

- I'm currently waiting for this tee-shirt from voltage.vox on ebay... and I reckon, if I use the studs to attach (along with some sturdy invisible stitching) some velvet ribbon to the sides to pull it in at the waist it could be really fit! I ordered a medium to get some length and loose-ness around the shoulders and neck (which I'll probably cut out anyway ;-D). Thoughts on colour for the ribbon? I haven't been in VV Rouleaux for aaaaages and I can't quite bring myself to buy online as their shops are Such Fun... So this one might have to wait til after I've been home.

In other news... 

I was supposed to be 'smart' and on box office today, so in the ultimate boring outfit, I'm workin' my amazingly amazing grey Acne jeans - I buy a new pair every year in their brilliant online sales lol and they're the only jeans I wear... Slightly different washes, but always Hep style and grey! Unoriginal much. But I suppose I don't wear jeans much, so these do the job and go from casual to smart rather well. Plus a vintage Jaeger silk shirt (missing a couple of buttons - *note to self: replace them before Mother, whose shirt it was originally, cottons on!*), black M&S pumps and necklace from Etsy, yeeeeeeears ago... I got to their shop after a tip from SusieBubble (and I think, from Queen Michelle too, but can't find that post...) - Paraphenalia was the name, but they don't seem to be on there anymore, which is a Crying Shame!

Right... That was supposed to be a short post. Ha ha ha.

Back to the dissertation-grind!!!

Xxxc

P.s. Thank you so so so so so much for all the amazing comments on yesterday's blog post. I was having a really really really bad day (yesterday and today), and they got me through... Hugs. You're all immense!

*Edit* Paraphenalia can now be found at http://shop.paraphernalia.nu/ - thanks to Rebecca of The Clothes Horse for that!!!

Another day...

So today is the day I post make-up free outfit photos! It may seem strange to some people that I'm bringing this up, but bear with me - I have some things to get down on (virtual) paper...

Basically, I find it really difficult to do anything in life without my ritual make-up application, and quite a lot of hair brushing, skin touching, deep breathing at the rising anxiety etc.

This probably sounds vain to most people. Obsessive concern with one's appearance? Vain and shallow right?

Well, that's what I try to avoid thinking, because underneath the surface perception of perceived defects and ugliness, that, rationally, I know are at least a tiny bit ridiculous, there is an underlying issue.

I have something called Body Dysmorphic Disorder. This is something which causes excessive concern about one (or many) perceived defects in appearance, and means I can get completely consumed by panic just by looking in the mirror for too long without any make-up to hand. It combines both obsessive and compulsive aspects, and is strongly linked to instances of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ( - guilty as charged! ). It involves some problems with social situations, and can take over your life really easily.

For some people, it leaves them completely crippled - unable to go to work, socially interact, lead normal lives... It can become that consuming. I'm one of the lucky ones. For me, it's not too bad. I have a very low register of the disorder, that I manage easily most of the time. I had a really bad patch when I was ill with CFS / ME, and last year during exams, but most of the time, like the OCD, it is only noticeable to the people who know me well.  Or who try to take photos of me! This is part of the reason I'm doing this blog... Working on photoshoots with T-B is part of my 'training' myself out of the bad reaction I used to have to cameras. So far so good. 

My close uni friends only started noticing when I got addicted to Sour Skittles in the bar, and spend about five minutes sorting them into groups of 4 of the same colour (or two and two)... I then eat them in 4s, and get very protective of the little groups... I count pretty much everything (especially food) in 4s. My room mate has known for much longer, mainly because she has had to sit through many dinners where peas were involved, and I would sit for aaaages, sorting, and eating them in 4s, to her amusement and eventually, once twenty minutes passed, horror!

But it's a big decision for me to put these photos of today's outfits on here. I didn't really go out today, and noone was coming round, so I had one of my 'brave' makeupless days lol. I also tend to change clothes several times a day to cope with how I'm feeling. All part of my strategies, but it does lead to a very messy room! Hehe. My room mate jokes that I change more times in a day than she does in a week! 

So. Deep Breath. Here goes.

- I wore this for a bit of twirling mid-panic attack about dissertation. Cheered me right up! ;-D - in a Betty Jackson "Two" dress, Kate Kuba shoes, Jocasi belt, ToyWatch.

- Worn for most of the day - my favourite American Apparel tri-blend tee, Warehouse skirt, Kate Kuba shoes, ToyWatch, Max C London cardigan...

That's all from me today... I'm supposed to be writing up a case study of conversion (to Christianity from 'pagan') of the landscape of a site in Northumberland... The excavation report is from the 70s and I'm dying here! ;-D

Xxxc

P.s. I hope noone thinks I wrote this post for sympathy / compliments... I just wanted to get it out in the open as an issue which is so rarely talked about. I tend to be quite self-depricating, and this is why... Thanks for reading this far and not writing me of as some self-indulgent crackpot! :-D

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Ok, so it's been uber-uber-long since I posted properly, and there's probably noone left reading my inane ramblings, but hey... I am going try to start posting a bit more regularly as a) I need procrastination as 3rd years builds up the pressure and b) I need to get in the habit so I'm raring to go for my summer job, which is... 

*miniature fanfare*

WORKING AS A PRESS INTERN AT BROWNS!!! Yeek! The stores on S.Molton Street are AMAZING, and I love everything they stock, so here's to 10 weeks of excitement, working in Fashion PR! No idea yet what I'll wear, what I'll get to do etc. It's at the height of summer, so it'll probably be slow compared to fashion week season, but I think that might be good... Take it slow, be really enthusiastic and build up contacts! 

I don't really know if I want to work in fashion or arts when I graduate (2010 cross fingers) or if I want to go back to the archaeology post-management studies to do a masters and PhD... The latter is definitely what my DoS (Director of Studies) wants me to do, and I'm tempted, but this summer is definitely going to get me used to the idea of work, so I suppose we'll just have to wait and see!

My numero uno concern at the mo is having clothes suitable for my uber-stylish environment. I have no idea if I'll get any kind of store discount or what kind of price-point is going to be expected of me, but I'm thinking about slowly but surely building up my wardrobe which has gotten a little stale of late. Recession may be hanging over us all but I'm in a relatively good savings-position at the mo, and maybe I'll be able to do a bit of work over the coming months to prop my intern-expenses-only-salary up a bit... I've got a couple of shifts lined up at the theatre over the Easter break, and am stage managing a MAJOR May Ball in June for a hundred quid, so that's a start anyway. However, I'm also going on a chapel retreat in March and to Ghana for a couple of weeks in September, so I have to prepare for that too. Oh the joys of recession gloominess and no summer holiday payment prospects... I gave up my summer camp job for this internship, so bye bye easy money!

I am relatively happy, however, to just go slowly slowly. Ish. I have my Toy Watch that was bought last summer (though it needs a teeny repair if I can find the warranty...) and the Sonia Rykiel cardie I bought in the Browns sale shop on my way to interview. Those two items, I reckon, got me the job hehe. I got asked why I wanted to do the job and I explained about doing theatre costume, and the importance of clothing in building up any character that you want to present yourself as... The interview was quick, but I enjoyed it far more than my one other - politico - interview for summer stuff. Sigh. I suppose only time will tell where I end up, but hopefully this summer will be Fantabulous.

Today's naughtiness involved the buying of shoes from net-a-porter, which was BAD but OH SO GOOD... I couldn't bring myself to get them delivered in the black boxes. I'd be too embarrassed! I will post a pic when they arrive. I never know what size to go for, but I went for 39.5 which is my best guess. Knowing my luck, they'll be too small and when I try to exchange they won't have any 40s left. I will say that these shoes are flat, and therefore EXTREMELY naughty for me, little miss physio-tells-me-off-for-wearing-flats-as-my-ankles-are-wierd... Oh well. Time will tell if they're keepers!

Xxxc

P.s. I have some new topshop items - sale purchases of a ruffly light denim skirt and a "DANCE" Rainbow Brite blue tshirt... Love! Here I'm wearing them with my shell pink gap cardigan, generic gray tights and two tone converse. Don't I look happy!

Oh, and AA came up trumps for the first time ever with an orchid purple tri-blend tee. So wanting more tri-blend, and almost gave in today after seeing the black jumper on the stylish wanderer ... 

Woah. Uber-long post. Oops!