Getting Back In The Swing

As mentioned in my last post, the camera's back, if not quite up to previous standards of photography...

It's been so warm lately, my outfits are swinging from spring to summer and back again on the occassional day of rain. Summery thingshave been sorely lacking in my Cambridge wardrobe since the whole "grown-up life" began, so starting to collect some flimsy things to wear in the warmer weather, so my few bits from my "previous" (i.e. unencumbered by work dress codes) life aren't worn out!

 

PLEASE excuse the moody expression... I'd just got the camera working, and tried so many times to get it to capture my new *bright* dress, but it was refusing to play ball. Trust the only remotely decent photo to be of me looking Massively Grumpy!!! Also, sorry for lack of anything other than dress.  (I'll probably try some different belt options with this soon.) Haven't quite worked out where to pose yet! The dress is actually a size 20 tunic top with ties that you can use to pull in the "dress" massively at the back... I got it, as usual, from a charity shop. We have a massive East Anglia Childrens' Hospice shop next to our local coop. Yay Saturday charity-plus-grocery shopping!!! =D

And here we have a slightly different outfit... My work outfit from the other day! After days of blindingly-hot sunniness, we woke up to gray, and threatening rain this morning. So I paired a knit tank with a long skirt. Under my lovely warm coat and black cashmere cardie it was warm enough (if slightly nippy) to walk to work in, and cool enough to keep me from sweating buckets / keeling over / getting a migraine in our boiling-whatever-the-weather office!

 

I wasn't expecting this outfit to garner much attention, but it got several favourable comments today! Odd what people love! I wasn't sure if the length of the skirt plus the high neck was a bit matronly, but I think the bare legs and the high high black suede-and-snake pumps lifted it out of the no-go area into rather a nice outfit! (If I do say so myself.) The components are a John Smedley black knit tank, M&S via Oxfam charity shop floral skirt and Jaeger enamel buckle criss-cross leather belt, plus old Kate Kuba shoes (not pictured).

Apologies for the bare feet. My left foot looks a bit mottled, and my right foot has disappeared completely into the duvet / mattress quicksand! Trust me, I was wearing hot shoes, but I kicked them off as my right foot got a bit chewed up on the 50 minute (there and back) walk, so I was eager to get them off once I was in the house, and didn't want to wear them to jump on our clean duvet! I think for the moment this will be my pose of choice, so shoes might not feature very often... Oops.

How's everyone else doing with the can't-make-its-mind-up weather?

Xxxc

Suuuuuuuuunshine on a rainy day!!!

So last weekend was a London one, as I mentioned in my last post. (Gosh, almost a week ago. Oops!)

Of course, I had to see T-B and his lovely missus. They had just got back from Mexico, and apparently had a craving for burgers. So we headed from Sarf Laahndan to Soho for lunch! (I would like to point out that, due to gluten / dairy / potato issues I had a squash and goats cheese salad... Nomnomnom. They had biiiiiiig burgers though...) And of course, we did photoshoot-ness. YAY!!!

- Moi in the burger joint...

- Sheltering from the London-rain under a rather dysfunctional umbrella...

- Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiindy!!!

- Giggle. Standard.

- Ooooh, and look at this lovely necklace that Becks has... It's from Mixco on Etsy. IWANTONE!!! :

And how awesome are the elephants appearing around London at the moment?! Street art for a charitable cause? WIN! I love this one in Covent Garden...

It was a lovely day, despite the rain... Home is such a sanctuary for me. London makes my heart beat faster and calms me down all at once. Yay for graduating and moving back! (Well, ish... More to come on that conundrum.)

Anyhooooo... In this photoshoot, I was wearing a vintage floral dress from Etsy (putonthatdress), vintage yellow slouchy cardigan also from Etsy (joyelizabethG), a vintage white leather bag (from Topshop's Peekaboo vintage concession), Jonathon Aston white lace tights, black Converse and a fabric and button brooch I made myself... Oh, and the watch is a Lego Star Wars one with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo lego men on (- now sold out but they have some cool new ones in... I quite like the C 3PO one). Hehe! Funsies.

Hmmmmm. Quite sleepy now, and I haven't finished my dinner yet, so I should probably get to that before boy grumps because I haven't eaten all the yummy food he made me... Night all!

Xxxc

Pretty, Sparkly Things

I Love Christmas... Seriously... I love the cake baking and big wooly jumpers and jangling bells and midnight mass SO DARN MUCH! Christmas present shopping is also AWESOME. There's something so satisfying about finding that present, or baking something that will make someone smile. And best of all, I love the excuse to dress up and wear sparkly jewellery; something I don't really do at any other time of the year!

So, as part of the altruistic urge to gift, and the mahooosively irresistible urge to look at sparkly things I can't really have, I ended up jewellery browsing online. Noooooooooooooooooo! So much I want! (I have a feeling there are going to be quite a few posts like this... No money, no photographer, LOTS OF YEARNING!!!)

How cute is this?!

A reindeer pendant from Astley Clarke, purveyor of all things fine and designer jewellery ish. I think this range is just so adorable... Shame I don't have £225 quid to spare as it's SO GORGEOUS!

Now who wants a pair of ludicrously expensive diamond snowflake earrings to see out the Winter season?! I have to say, I probably wouldn't say no to a man who bought me these for Christmas, but it might seem like selling my soul for Tiffany's...

And how adorable are these Links of London charms?! I DEFINITELY want the mitten one... At £45 each, they're slightly more attainable, but not really on my current budget. Recession bites, eh!

Ok, so I can't afford any of these very very pretty things, so I think I might make my own Christmas earrings instead...

WOOP! CRAFT PROJECT! I'm very excited now...

Jewellery is one of those things for me which only really comes up when I find something really special. I have my watches (woo, bright orange bit of plastic on my wrist!!!) and my name necklace, and a few bits of vintage painted goodness, but most of the time I find jewellery a faff. My ears are pierced, but they rarely see a bit of dangly metal, mainly as I'm far too lazy to coordinate! Do you girlies have any bits of jewellery you always wear? I get a bit panicky if I'm not wearing a watch, but otherwise I tend to find it all just a bit of a nuisance! Except at Christmas...

Right, now, I must be off to perfect my christmas cupcakes! ;-D

Night!

Xxxc

Green Light at the end of the dock...

Now I'm the first to admit that I've been crap at this blogging malarkey of late... It's been bloody ages since my last post, and I haven't even been checking in on other people! Naughty huh.

I've been working at my internship since the end of June and I think that I just needed to separate work and play a bit. Inspiration has been oddly lacking, and I've been madly dashing from one "London thing" to the next, so updating online hasn't exactly been a priority!

My life of late has been hectic to say the least, filled with lots of time with friends, theatre, film, art and yummy food. Claire from The View From Here is teaching me how to bake, and life's really rather satisfactory.

Work's fun as I work with lovely people, but I have come to realise that as much as I love fashion and clothes and making visual statements through my wardrobe; creating a character, I don't want to make it my career... Which I guess is why I haven't been online. I need a bit of separation between work and play.

However, with fashion week coming up, and work being frenetic, I thought now would be an *ideal* time to start blogging again (see the slight sarcasm?)!!! ;-D I won't be around commenting too much, but I'm going to try to post content more often.

So. Where to start?

Well, first up, I have a couple of reviews and an update on my current addictions:

1) my name necklace

Okay, so Sex and the City is a looooong way gone, but I got sent a Cassiopeia name necklace by the lovely people at mynamenecklace.co.uk! Exciting times. I shall put up a photo as soon as I can, but my camera is currently not exactly working. It's silver and I wear it several times a week. It makes me smile! It's good quality and came in a lovely purple gift box too. I'm a sucker for pretty presentation... The only reason I don't wear it every day is that as far as jewellery goes I usually prefer gold, and I wish I'd asked for an 18" not a 16" chain, but overall I'd really recommend this website if you are going to get one! I certainly love mine, and if I weren't completely broke I'd get myself another one!!! I rather like the acrylic necklaces like this one. So thanks to Steve for getting me involved!

2) borders and frontiers teeshirts

Again, everyone's got one of the Tavi tees by now, and the Igor and Andre blog ones are doing the rounds too - and you all look GORGEOUS! But since I haven't been online much lately, I thought I'd just spare a moment to wax lyrical about these tees. These are my favourite basic wear-with-anything-anytime tops. I wear them to work with skirts and belts and on the weekends in city or country with jeans or dresses. The cotton is so thick and yummy and though they blatantly don't exactly make me look stick thin, I love them anyway... The adorable Drew even sent me this lovely specimen new one that, bad me, I'm not sure which blog it belongs to, but I adore, which again I will have to wait to put pictures of up as camera = dimwitted. I am also *loving* Rumi's one and have had a long term crush on the one by Bonjour Girl... Wish (as usual) I wasn't so darn broke!!!

3) lots and lots and lots of theatre

My life of late has revolved around shows... I love that the calibre of things being put on in and around London this summer has been so high. As I had saved up to enjoy my time at home, I've done a tonne, and loved every minute of it.

A few highlights:

Dominic Cooper in Phedre. Love Racine. Love his arms. Sigh.

Ian McKellen in Waiting For Godot. Perfect. Bumbling through Beckett. A Class Act.

Arcadia... Just a lovely play.

The Mariinsky Ballet at the Royal Opera House - not technically theatre... The Homage to Balanchine was amazingness personified, and their Sleeping Beauty was breathtaking.

Jerusalem at the Royal Court. I've loved Mark Rylance since he was artistic director at the Globe, and he's just AMAZING. Such stage presence. Such a beautiful voice. Such a great play.

I've also been to a lot of Proms - managed 5 concerts in one day on the bank holiday!!! And a lot of film... Anyone who gets a chance to see Mid-August Lunch SHOULD!!!

Okay, enough rambling now. I should sleep. I'm off to the Tate in the morning bright and early to see the Futurism exhibition with one of my closest friends who has been away in Edinburgh for a month... Woop!

Night. I promise there'll be more pictures next time!

Xxxc

It's been aaaaaaaaaaaaaages!!!

Hello all :-D

I'm finally free, and rested, and I'm going to try to get back into the swing of things blogging-wise... Woop!

For starters, we have the extreeeeeeeeeemely unflattering photos of me sans-makeup, sans-sleep, sans-sanity post-last exam... (See my pink keyboard that I typed all my exams on! ;-D)

I was actually the last person to finish, which kinda sucked, but now I'm done, and am leaving, and it's slightly scary but reeeeeeeeally exciting! :-D I've got a summer intern-ing to look forward to, and going home to one of the most exciting, confusing, large cities in the world, and I'm so so so happy about it. No idea what results, or the end of the summer has in store, but for the first time ever, life's plan is uncertain, and that's kinda insanely amazing.

Do I sound mad? Probably... ;-)

So anyway, since the champagne (which I'm actually allergic to, but I took piriton allergy tablets so I could celebrate traditional-style ;-D), I've basically just been sleeping... A few bits of admin here and there, but mostly snoring away!

However, last night was technically the beginning of May Week, and the fun of balls and garden parties, so I started it off with a bang at Robinson May Ball... It's one of the less formal ones, but was great fun as I went with some of my closest friends and we ate SO MUCH FOOD! Hehe.

*There had to be a twirling picture... ;-D*

Great start to the week ahead... I was wearing Jigsaw dress (shock), Wolford stockings, Kate Kuba heels, Zara clutch bag, borrowed scarf.

SO much fun. Right. I need to get changed and run to a garden party. Yay!!!

Xxxc

Sleepy... But PHOTOSHOOT!!!

Hey all,

Exams creep ever closer - they start with one on Monday, then two on Tuesday, then I have a week before my final final on Tuesday 9th - and I'm so unprepared. But never mind... Sleepiness pervades, but I'm just popping in to post up a photoshoot we did a few days ago. 

This is one of my favourite outfits - because it is made up of my favourite charity shop find ever, some of my longest serving shoes, and the cutest cardie in my wardrobe! Sorry for the generic-streets venue. Exam term doesn't leave much time for photoshoots in the nice places - only in the bits in between! ;-)

So...

I love yellow... Really??? Never... (Captioned)

- "Alex, there are *People* around!"

- "Alex, stop taking photos like a paparazzi!"

- "Alex, I'm ignoring you!"

- "Alex, you still there?"

- "Alex, seriously, what are you doing?"

- "Alex, can I twirl with shopping bags? No? Why not?"

- "Alex, you're a meanie..."

- "Alex, whassat???"

- "Alex, there's a cute boy over there... Stop taking photos so he doesn't think I'm a tourist!"

*Please excuse the shopping bags.* We didn't quite think the order of the afternoon's activities through. I lugged these (and dragged TB) to a book launch and then for photos, for no real reason, since the supermarket is actually, technically, on the way back to college from all these places. Hmmmm.

Anyway, I'm wearing: vintage, handmade floral dress bought at Sally Ann's Salvation Army store in Cam; Pringle cardigan (the seams are stitched in pink and green, which you can't see here, but is just the cutest detail ever!); Kate Kuba suede heels; vintage, purple sunglasses; vintage, tooled leather belt; Maptote Cambridge (Mass.) bag and Lady Luck Rules OK brooch. 

On that note, I really must get back to the library. Life's very dull at the moment. But got to keep going... for another two weeks. Sigh.

Then, I'll be back properly, with a vengeance ;-D

Hugs to all,

Xxxc

Images, as ever, taken by Alex Tatton-Brown. Thanks to Pamela Jane Smith.

Grey Day So We Invade Trinity

Ok guys, it's a photoshoot day!!! I was going to save this 'til tomorrow, but I think the next couple of days are going to be spent in la library removing myself from the internet... No shopping. No procrastinating. Just attempting not to fail exams... At least 'til Tuesday! ;-D

But, since you're all so lovely, I thought I'd leave you with this *attempt to make the world at least pretend to be sunny and warm...*

I'm Blue! Dabadee Dabadi Dabadee Dabadi...

I just love twirling TOO much... But the skirt does FUN THINGS!!!

Gratuitous accessories love...

Pose... And TWIRL!!!

Stumbles...

Fights with tree... And giggles.

Oops! Sorry Tree!

Lost.

Hop, skip and a jump... But not quite home!

As you can see, the sun has decided to desert Cambridge for the time being... I'm trying to keep in the sunny feeling, by wearing bright colour, but I have a feeling all this spring chicken energy may sap away the longer this grey dreary spell continues. Let's keep our fingers crossed tomorrow brightens up!!! 

The location for this shoot was Trinity, which is the college next door to mine... We're supposed to be mortal enemies. 

Trinity has canons pointed at John's!!! 

No Kidding!

In this shoot, I'm wearing a GAP tee and GAP men's cardigan, vintage skirt, Accessorize and confirmation present bracelets, vintage tooled leather belt, Melissa for Vivienne Westwood T-Bar Mary Janes, ToyWatch and Anya Hindmarch woven clutch. 

                                           

So, that's today... I'm well behind on an essay, and rather sleepy, but never mind! 

I've mostly spent the day admin-ing and searching for the perfect Stepford Wife half-apron with Angie (@Norwegian_Wood) via Twitter and Etsy. I got a new haul from Love Miss Daisy Vintage today, including a raspberry pink  cocktail dress that just *screams* silly themed dinner party... WOOP! for post-exam planning! My current favourites for the job of *my apron* are these:

from Serendipity Treasures and phase three

from Boojiboo

from Spice Rak Designs

Also from Spice Rak Designs, and currently very much the favourite... Hmmmmm.

I was thinking I could attempt to make my own, but THE LEMONS ONE IS SO DAMN BLAST PRETTY!!!

Thoughts, comments and suggestions are welcome. I'm also looking for a hair tutorial (youtube?) for 50s Stepford Wife hair:

Definitely thinking about this waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much... Hehe.

Oh, and one final thing:

Can we all express the LOVE for T-B's teeshirt...??? (From teetonic.com - they have a girl's version in lilac too!)

Hehe. The boy done good.

Night all!

Xxxc

New Day, New Sun, New Photoshoot!!!

Hello all,

I'm still terribly behind and about to get more so as "exam fear" hits... Please bear with me while I try to balance huge amounts of work for finals with retaining a presence in the blogosphere. Will try to post 3 or 4 times a week still, but might remain behind on my Google Reader and replying to comments for a while. It's not that I don't love you and really appreciate you all commenting, but I just can't find the time to do everything! :-(

Anyway, apologetic rambling (it's getting to be a habit now...) over, it's time for A NEW PHOTOSHOOT!!!

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do. I'm half crazy, oh for the love of yoooooou!

The outfit today was far simpler than usual. Or at least not as crazily coloured/patterned! It was sunny so out came the legs, and I've been on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster since Friday, so I needed some sartorially-induced-equilibrium...

I'm wearing a Zara top - bought in Florence, GAP men's cardigan, very old TopShop denim skirt, 2-tone Converse, vintage purple sunglasses, one of my myriad, anonymous tote bags containing revision for post-shoot, belly dancer's bell belt from Nomads in Cam and the interlinked, silver and gold, cast-hearts bangle I was given by my godparents for my confirmation... And my new favourite nail polish, which, in case anyone was wondering, is Manga from Miss Sporty!

In case anyone was wondering where I'd got to since the last post, I was in Oxford. I got to spend a bit of Saturday with the Lovely Lovely Claire from The View From Here, who has been my longest running commenter and blog friend, and we finally - after about 2 years - got around to meeting up when I was conference-ing in her uni town! 

We had an absolutely lovely few hours, sipping fancy fizzy drinks and munching chocolate coated coffee beans in "The Vaults" and then went shopping around town. She got some lovely things, including a gorgeous blue zipped top that I covet TREMENDOUSLY. I managed to be hugely indecisive and not quite fit perfectly into the couple of things I almost got. But we had a FANTASTICALLY lovely time. I managed to be out of it enough to leave the photography up to her - I really was Completely sleep-deprived, (see earlier rollercoaster comment and below photo - zombie!) and wish I could have been more on top form, but it was an excellent few hours spent in each others company, gossiping and getting excited about clothes together. Both of us will admit we're definitely solitary shoppers usually, but rather enjoyed the bloggers-together experience... At Last! Someone who understands! Someone who gets the need to be adventurous and who sees all the possibilities inherent in clothes! She's also covered the day on her blog, with pics of her purchases and an even less awake, touristy photo of me! (In case anyone was wondering, I was wearing a C&C California tee I bought in NY about 5 years ago which has held up SO well, a GAP men's cardie, an ICB silk pleated skirt, the fabled lace tights and Kate Kuba white leather boots mentioned in Claire's blog post...)

*Thanks Claire... Here's to our next jaunt! ;-D*

So a good weekend... My confirmation also went swimmingly, and I had a blast with all my family down. I was wearing my New Favourite Dress which I will endeavour to post if any of the photos came out well, and if they ever make it to me - they're on the parental camera...

Wish I had more energy, but I think that's all for tonight! I've become someone who goes to bed before midnight... Scary times!!! ;-)

Hugs,

Xxxc