Boater Success...

Morning all!

After a beautifully sunny (if a little chilly at times) day yesterday, it's chucking it down this morning. I'm home for the weekend and desperately trying to get my head together to get dressed and off to lunch at T-B and Becks' in Sarf London. But I thought, before I left, I'd post a photoshoot I got my long-suffering mother to do with me yesterday!!!

The light in the back garden was gorgeous, and I was so hyper about my new boater, that I neeeeeded to get some pictures done! The boater is hilarious, as it's a men's large, but since the price was a steal, I didn't really care... I'm planning a costume-wench bodge (boy-word alert) with a foam ring and some glue!

Wearing: Antique Store Boater find, Gap teeshirt, Jaeger Jacket (courtesy of mother's wardrobe), St Michael (i.e. v.v.v. old M&S) skirt, vintage suede belt, TopShop tights, Kate Kuba boots, 1940's WI badge...

How pretty are those sleeves!!! (And my dad's flowers... :D)

Nattering on at Mother... Standard.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I do love our old swing... (And yes, that is a farm, and yes, I live on a London underground line, about 20 minutes drive / 30 minutes tube from most destinations in Central London... Oh Yes. Best of both worlds win ;D)

Crouching Tiger... (With a Boater)

Boater in the Bluebells...

LOVE this badge... Another Cambridge antique store find.

Oh, and meet my cat, Jasmine... She's a completely crazy little critter who I adore beyond all other crazy little critters. She was given to us when her owner went to Africa, and when she came back, Jaz had settled in so well, we were given her to keep! She has a habit of sleeping *under* my bed and sitting on people for hours at a time, and is the most lovely reading companion, until she starts chewing the pages... Attention whore!!! ;D

Right, I really should be off... Half an hour before I should DEFINITELY not be here anymore... Oops!

Xxxc

Vintage Loveliness, Family Goodness and Inspirational Architecture...

I have mentioned a couple of times in the last week or so that it was my confirmation on Sunday. It was lovely as my parents, several close family friends and my godparents came down to attend, and, of course, my best friend was there, as always. 

Getting confirmed while at uni was really important to me, as if I go into academia, I'll most likely do church history or theology, so being involved in college chapel life is a big part of what has made this year really, truly, one to remember. We have *the most gorgeous* early George Gilbert Scott designed chapel, adorned with truly beautiful carvings and a roof covered in paintings of obscure saints - this means I spend most of my time in there, neck craned back, staring at the ceiling, trying to identify the saints above me based on my very crude knowledge of iconography!

image copyright 2008 St John's College, imported from www.joh.cam.ac.uk/chapel_and_choir

Anyway, enough about that, here's the photos of *the dress* I wore... which is far more important ;-D 

Me, chattering away about something. Looking rather pale, but that's usual, so not giving away my completely shattering - physically and emotionally - previous 48 hours... Oh, the WONDERS of MAC concealer and foundation, NARS blusher and Max Factor mascara ;-D

These were all taken in the lovely gardens, overlooking the Cam, of the Master's Lodge in college... (The mothership is in green and my daddy is the big guy between Will and me.)

Since, I believe, it was Mother's Day *everywhere except the UK* quite recently, I thought I'd show you a picture of my mother and I... She's my rock and my confidante. I am quite a daddy's girl too, but I couldn't do without talking to my mum most days. Silly huh. She and I are quite different but equally, we are *exactly* the same in so many ways... Though she's far more *chic* than I could ever be! Something to do with the rail thin, ex-model / alpha-female, senior-partner-lawyer thing lol.  I also find the deathly pale vs. healthily tanned / nut-brown from 2 seconds in the sun contrast hilarious... Shows what years living in Jamaica will do ;-D

This is probably my favourite picture... Sitting between the two men in my life may have been a bad plan... ;-) Hilarious!

This silky floral shift dress is *absolutely* my favourite thing in my wardrobe now... It's vintage from the 1960s and, as far as I can tell, handmade. I love the subtle, wide boat neckline, the high waist (- mine falls higher than average, so "waisted" stuff often looks crap on me -) and the unusual colours - the orange flowers matched my watch and nails ;-D. It was perfect for the weather and the ceremony (though it was covered up by a massive floaty white piece of cotton  - a surplice - for the service - all members of college have to wear one on Sundays, Saints Days and for special services like this one... It's just college variant academic gowns for others!)

I got the dress from a website called Love Miss Daisy Vintage, which I have to say, is probably the best online vintage emporium in terms of service and quality I've so far encountered. They have some really beautiful pieces, in great condition and which are extremely good value - prices range from £18 to £100+ for dresses... I stalk their new uploads most days, and yearn for quite a large percentage of things! Today, I gave in and ordered a skirt and completely unneccesary cocktail dress to compensate for the pain of revising the 1948 UN convention on Prevention and Punishment of Genocide! Laura of LMD is so so lovely, and you can add her on twitter (@LMDvintage ) to ask questions and just generally chatter! :-D This site is *seriously* worth your time, and they're featured in quite a few magazines and on celebs so the stuff is only going to get *hotter*! I'm greatly amused by the fact that my new dress is going to be in the July issue of Woman & Home hehe.

Thanks tonnes to the Novelista Barista, who gave me an award yesterday!

She has a really lovely blog, so you really should all check it out. I think the rules run to something like - I'm supposed to give out 15 of these, but I'm just going to give it to the people who immediately spring to mind, irrespective of numbers :-D

So, Claire, Laura, Winnie, Tina, Liz and Casey... Have this award, you are all AMAZING! 

Also, thanks to everyone who commented such lovely things on the last post... The location was in fact, not a castle or park, but one part of the (massive) gardens of my college, down by a stream-tributary of the River Cam. It's my new favourite place as it's sheltered from the wind and covered in daisies! Nice place to revise on a warm day :-D

Right... Talkking of revising, I should be doing that now... 

Xxxc

Kidnap / Escape, Countryside, Theatre... Oh, and a GIVEAWAY!!!

Yesterday evening, I went out to dinner with my best friend, Will.

In honesty, I have four people in the world who I might genuinely refer to in such a way... To me, the term is one I personally don't attribute to the people I've known the longest, or neccessarily to the people who know Absolutely Everything - friendship is a voyage of discovery after all! To me, a best friend is someone I feel completely myself with and trust to be able to deal with all my crap if I need someone to be there for me, without worrying they won't be there the next time. (And it goes the other way, as the million-and-one conversations on the kitchen floor with room-mate attest.)

Will is basically my adopted-big-brother. His mother does actually describe me as "the daughter I never had", so that's pretty much correct... These two photos pretty much sum us up - one was taken at a May Week (in June) garden party last summer, and the other was at a friend's birthday party about the beginning of my 2nd year.

Anyway... Carrying on with my ramble...

Will, being the dashing gent he is, recognised, over dinner, the distress I've been in, and immediately decided that I could not spend Easter weekend in Cambridge, but that I was going home with him to his parents' house in the Hampshire countryside. Let me just point out, that I know his parents very well, and this is not an irregular hide-out for me...

So, at 4am this morning/yesterday, after racing each other down the motorway, we arrived at his. Since then, it's been pouring down with rain, but it's warm and cosy and quiet... Well, note exactly true, as they have a dog and a puppy! (I'll try to post pictures of them before the weekend is out, as they're JUST ADORABLE.) Not managed to do work yet, but that's partly due to exhaustion. And yet I do feel inspired. It may be grey, but the colours of the landscape around are so comforting. The greens and browns and occassional flashes of red and yellow from hedgerows and gardens make me smile...

I was also the happy recipient of benefits of someone else's misfortune. Will's younger brother, who came home from Oxford today, was ill and unable to attend the performance of Merchant of Venice that was on at the Watermill Theatre tonight with Will and his mother, so I was roped into attending too.

Oh yes. Such a hardship. I hate Shakespeare I do. Oh wait. I love Shakespeare. I lied. Very Badly.

The production was directed by Edward Hall (Sir Peter Hall's son), and had an all-male cast. They are doing Merchant in rep with Midsummer Night's Dream, which Sally (Will's mum) went to on Monday and proclaimed as hugely successful. Well, tonight's performance was equally successful. Though the women really annoyed me - partly from inconsistencies and partly because the guy who played Jessica was Just Weak! Basically, it was really well staged, in a prison, with a great set of leads and some really strong acting and direction. Merch can be incomprehensible at times, but this interpretation was affecting and clear in direction and speech from the word go. Brilliant. I just hated that Portia was played like a Tranny, while Jessica seemed to be supposed to be a girly actual-girl which were portrayals neither consistent with each other, nor with the prison-setting, in the case of Jessica. But that's small fry really, considering it was a throughly engaging production of a play I've never before liked. Even the gory scenes like the eye-removal were done well! And the choosing of the box for Portia's hand in marriage - pick which of the gold, silver and lead boxes have Portia's picture in, get the clue right, or otherwise get a skull or a mirror with mean verse attached - was extremely well done. Especially considering the last Merchant of Venice I saw, my mother and I almost shouted "sack the hatter" at bows... They did have silly ones.

So anyway. In the spirit of this week's outfit posts, I do have a few, though please accept my apologies for the wearing of the same dress I wore last weekend! This time, with different stuff, but essentially, not Massively interesting...

- "slaving" at the computer...
- poseeeeer! that fire is so so toasty! this is the annexe downstairs, that is basically a self-contained flat, where I'm working / sleeping for the weekend.

- this weird lavender thing makes me happy!

- reading Conrad by the fire...

I wasn't massively dressed up for the theatre... It being a provincial one, there's no need to think more than country-smart and warmth. So I'm wearing my Acne Jeans, Topshop dress, mother's old charcoal cardigan, Kate Kuba heels and Tiffany tear drop necklace, bracelet and earring set. Relatively standard in a countryfied, comfy way.

Hmmmmm. This was supposed to be a short post... So I might stop there. And go to bed. Lol.

But before I go... Lazy Oaf have a SALE on til Monday... 20% off at the checkout with the code youareggshellent until Midnight, Easter Monday! Check it out! I'm thinking of getting one of these... Maybe...

Night night!

Xxxc

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

The Weekend of London Lovliness Series - #1

As I said... This weekend, at the boat race, we did a photoshoot.

Although I said the photos would be in limbo, T-B has come through for me, and since there are a few different aspects that I want to show off, I'm going to break down the shoot-posts into three 5-picture parts... # 1 is the photo shoot itself, # 2 is inspiring images of the surrounding area and # 3 is detail shots.

I'm going to do them interspersed with posts about my former life as a costume wench at the ADC theatre in Cambridge, so bear with me this week! Hopefully there'll be plenty for you to enjoy feasting your eyes on, and I'll try to find interesting things to say about it all ;-D

So...

Step 1) Ignore boat race. Hug instead.

Step 2) Go home and dance in the streets

Step 3) Admire motorbikes.

Step 4) Have fun with reflections

Step 5) Strike a pose. In. Vogue. (Well, almost...)

It was a great day, and thanks to all involved in that. Not only was the exhibit in the morning one of the best museum trips I've ever had, but my friends at the boat race were on top form, and taking T-B to my childhood-home bit of London - Chelsea. 

We moved to a more suburban area when I was school age, but due to friends and family, most of my formative memories are here... It's where I am most comfortable. Our flat was above a quite famous pub on the even more famous King's Road - where Vivienne Westwood had her SEX shop...

In a Susie-Bubble-esque shops-googlemaps-venture, on a smaller, much more personal scale, I created my London Life-Map (1 - Chelsea). Hopefully I'll do some more soon, but here's for starters... 
View Larger Map 

- when you click to a larger map, you need to go up and to the left slightly if you can't see any of the pins or the KR - for some reason it sometimes decentres... -

Going back in the midst of stressy dissertation time was a breath of fresh air.

Anyway... on the day I was wearing Adidas patent basketball shoes - bought in Paris with my mum on a girlie holiday last year, the Topshop tights, the purple leather skirt from Rokit, blue GAP tee, GAP shell pink cardigan, scarf from charity shop in Rochester, Toy Watch, purple leather flower cuff from ARK, Rodchenko and Popova exhibition brooch (detail forthcoming in #3), Dolce and Gabbana red patent clutch bag, Paul Costelloe coat...

Oh, and my AIDS day ribbon that I refuse to take off. I'm Cambridge's student's union executive Sexual Health and HIV Awareness officer, so wearing it is part of my job description as well as being for a cause I really believe in. It's so so important... Have a look at CAMFED - a campaign to educate girls in rural Africa and help them gain economic independence after leaving school in a bid to end their poverty and the spread of HIV/AIDS. It's a really amazing cause!

Until next time chicas!

Xxxc

Bad Habits Die Hard...

Ok, so I'm awful. I use shopping to procrastinate, and today I let myself loose on M&S and Topshop... I was planning a film inspired blog-post, not another testament to my non-stop(ped by recession) consumption, but it wasn't to be...

I have to admit, although I love shopping for scarves and skirts - the easy things - there are some things that scare me shi*less, and I do far less often. Those things would be trousers, all-in-ones and underwear... 

My body just doesn't DO normal sizing. 

I think this may be something to do with the fact that though I LOOK top heavy, it is in fact my thighs that make everything difficult. That and the strange fact I am not an apple or a pear or an hourglass, but a butternut squash... You know... Out (boobs) In (waist) Out (spare tire) In (between hips and thighs) Out (arse and thighs) Down. Oh, and my body is far too long: my waist is far higher than looks natural. Arrrghhhh!!! It may seem silly, but it is rather annoying... 

I suppose we all have hang-ups.

So M&S - necessary and annoyingly unproductive. I needed new all-purpose bras and ended up with none but did get a push-up bra (trust me - don't need one, didn't want one, but it was on sale and I don't actually have one, so maybe it'll be useful?), a nightie that I wish was wearable as a dress as it's such a pretty colour, and a nightie that Is wearable as a dress and will be appearing on here very soon.

So underwear nightmares aside, I did have a mission in Topshop. I've been wanting a playsuit/jumpsuit/romper for AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGES, and I decided today would be the day to try a few on... 

I first fell in love with one with straps (currently on the Topshop website here) which unfortunately had annoying moulded cups that on neither the 10 nor the 12 fitted my curves, despite the rest of the suit fitting fine. The 14 was taking the mick a bit, so I decided it wasn't to be.

Then I found one (currently up on the Topshop website here) that I never would normally look twice at... But it's just too cute! Ok, so the lack of straps = no bra, and the shorts are a bit shorter than I usually like, but I just couldn't leave it! Extravagant, perhaps, but - weather permitting - I foresee days out on the backs reading in this cute little thing. Or nights in hot sweaty clubs hehe. (Please excuse the shameless changing room posing... And the scaaaaary winter legs!)

I reckon one could wear it over a tee and cyan or burgundy tights anyway (with different shoes lol), so I'm very much looking forward to road-testing it over the next few weeks. A welcome distraction from dissertation stress... As much as I love the Venerable Bede and visible traces of Christianisation in the landscape, outfit creation is a much more satisfying way to pass time ;-D 

I also got some darling tights - a pair of floral ones and some in ballerina pink... Both fill holes in my tights collection, so I don't feel too bad about that one ;-) 

Slightly less self-and-shopping-centred tomorrow... Honest!

Xxxc

P.s. I've added myself on bloglover... I use googlereader, but I know some people use this...

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Not Quite So Bright...

After several days of producing substandard, short essays, (and continuing to do so,) I took a break, between a meeting about stage managing a Ball and a repatriation debate, to walk with T-B to his lecture, through King's College, via the University Library to drop off my uber-late book!

The light was quite stark and wintry again, but we did get a few nice shots... My outfit's a bit less RARRRRGH-COLOUR! And a bit more academic-eccentric, than the last two, but I like it :-D especially since the skirt arrived from ebay, via home, yesterday, so I was itching to give it a test-drive!

Laugh a little... Live a lot!

In these pictures, I'm wearing a nice mix of my basics and special items... Gap forest green tee, Gap shell pink cardie, Jaeger brown leather court shoes, Give Aids the Sack tote, cream lace tights I remember buying in John Lewis but not sure who they're by (and love love love the seam up the back), new ebay green, white and red skirt, (which is hemmed with red crocheted thick lace trim and what shows up as red stripes in the photo is actually a sort of sprig print,) and my GORGEOUS massive silver and POPPY SEED CAPSULE pendant on cord... The capsules rattle and clang so I sound like a Swiss-Alpine-Cow walking along! I bought it in Nomads in Cam and it is a piece of "artisan jewellery" made by a Turkish woman. I love it so much but it's hard to wear on a library day, (and every day's a library day,) as it makes so much noise!

So after that, and the trauma of paying a £1.25 fine, I went to my last heritage lecture... In a toga! All of the 3rd years had decided to do so. It was EXCELLENT! No pictures of me I'm afraid, as I was photographer, but there are some funny photos :-D

It was strange thinking that this is my last week of proper lectures in archaeology... And if I don't get on the MST next year, they'll be the last ever! EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!! :-S

Alas, alack, I must carry on with essay. I've been given a deadline extension of a couple of hours, so I must NOT waste it!!!

Xxxc

Life, our universe, and everything...

After yesterday's megapost, I thought I'd follow up with a bright-living post of lots of pictures... Just to give you an idea of the calm-chaos thing we have going on in our set!

1) We like post-its.

2) I don't get up in the morning...

3) We like birthdays and balls best of all.

4) Childhood should never be left behind... (Meet Squirrel-Pooh!)

5) Pink to make the boys wink ;-D

6) I usually kill plants. This is an experiment that may turn out very very badly...

Right, I'm off out now, to conduct people around a museum in the dark... Wearing rather high Eley Kishimoto heels. Oh well. Wish me luck!

Xxxc

About Face

In another turnaround from one of my earlier posts about my hatred of Topshop, I have, I must admit, ventured into the murky (to my mind) waters internet clothes shopping at Topshop.com - very late to the game! I had tried on a shaped black skirt with a red rose print on a few weeks ago at Selfridges, but refrained from buying due to being unsure and at the same time, making a purchase of too expensive office-wear trousers from the Isabelle Marant diffusion range (high waisted, navy wool, nautically inspired button up bib front, to die for!!!).

Since then, I've not really been near a Topshop store, but had been mooning over it online... A few days ago, my lust for the skirt, along with a grey jersey 'origami' skirt and two items used in the latest ad campaigns - a batgirl tee and a black and coloured metallic stripes structured puffy skirt, had caught me, hook, line and sinker. And since my four items of joy added up to the scary total that Topshop.com require for shipping it all free, I thought it must be fate! That and the fact that I can return things to the nearest Topshop store, rather than faffing about with postage, if they don't quite work!

They all arrived today... I excitedly ripped open the pleasantly polka-dotted package, and tried them all on. First was the 'origami sweat skirt' (not exactly the most pleasing of titles!). I have a bit of a love affair with grey going on in my wardrobe, but I must admit that this will not be added to the collection. In part, probably due to it being rather big, and on arrival was creased and not particularly good quality. I quite liked the front, but what made it interesting there made the back hang badly and though it wasn't expensive, I have too many clothes, and additions really have to work...

Then I tried on the rose print black skirt that had been the reason for my purchasing in the first place. I love the print as I did before, but I realised that my misgivings in the store were not misplaced. I just felt quite apathetic about it. It's nice an' all, but I don't know if it will fit perfectly into my wardrobe. However, I'm going to mull until I venture out to my local Topshop tomorrow, as I did think over the purchase, and I'm going to have to get a second opinion from the mothership...



In part, my willingness to return the rose print skirt is because while I'm not poor at this particular point in time, I had wanted to save up a bit post-summer jobs... I decided that the Batgirl tee would fit nicely into my wardrobe and fits my too long, kinda lumpy body well (also, my big boobs don't obscure the print - bonus!!!).



And I am growing to love the striped skirt... While on the surface, I am going to have to work hard to get it to fit my wardrobe, it really ticks my boxes for a going out skirt... Short, shiny, interesting shape (not puffed out as it seems on the ad pics, but slightly lantern shaped), sits high.



It was sold out on the website in all but my size and one bigger (it's now sold out completely), and I'm really glad I got it. It's in a slightly crumpled state, which shows a bit due to the stiff fabric, but I really like it! I'm planning on wearing it for my next dinner and cocktails out with the girlies with a forest green strappy top, black tights, black (and gold detail) suede ankle boots and a vintage red cropped suit jacket I rescued from a covering of dust in my mother's wardrobe... What do you think?

So... All in all, I have added to my Topshop stash! A skirt and a tee for definite, and poooooossibly, a second skirt. Though that will depend on mother's eye and how ruthless and thrifty I'm feeling pre-shops tomorrow!

Xxxc