Look-see-smile...

As some of you may have noted, I do love a sample sale, and browsing Fashion Confidential for them has always been a favourite part of my London-based weeks. Remember the Eley Kishimoto shoes???

When I’m in Cambridge, I tend to avoid it and all mentions of shiny shiny designer clothes I can't afford, for fear my heart may be broken by the news of a Kane or Kirkwood extravaganza happening just near enough to be possible yet just far away to be prohibited by the next impending deadline.

So of course I was delighted when they got in touch with me to see if I liked their new magazine-like format and revamped other-than-sample-sales content, which I'd never really paid much attention to before... So after I had finished my last supervision essay yesterday afternoon, and after today’s actual supervision (during which I had a very satisfactory argument about Foucault – woo panopticon!!! ;-D) I have spent a good hour or so compiling a couple of fantasy wish-lists and reading their articles (like this quick interview with a very chic Parisienne). Oh gawd, something else to keep an eye on. Not sure how I’m going to cope!

Also, normally, I also ignore any shopping emails that arrive in my inbox. Net-a-porter, Browns, Cocosa... GO AWAY I HAVE NO MONEY!!! (Possibly my own fault due to impending theatrical extravaganza and a trip to Stockholm in January...) Yet I have to admit to having loved the cute, purple-themed "stocking fillers" feature that popped up this afternoon. It's not really the products themselves - though I quite fancy a copy of the Camilla Morton book and that Aubin and Wills purple top... It's the adorable way it's all been put together. I'm really one for a slick piece of graphic design, and FC have, of late, been producing some rather good layout-porn!

Fashion Confidential has always, for me, been part of the pleasure of physical shopping, as it has pointed me towards some of my best sample-sale scrummages. Yet now it tempts me with yet another avenue of internet shopping: the best of the sales online. Arrrrrrrrrgh! Who could resist a page filled with those crossed through ridiculous prices, followed by red massively reduced ones...

Shame I'm "economising"... But doesn't mean I can't look!!!

Aren't these pretty... (Can you tell I'm procrastinating from academic work again? ;-D)

(Philip Lim and Roland Mouret from TheOutnet)

(Marc by Marc Jacobs from Matches)
(Aubin and Wills and Elle McPherson Intimates at Net-A-Porter)

If only I had money... Sigh. Silly recession.

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

Lies.

Now, I know I commented somewhere that I wasn't going to blog until I'd got these essay deadlines out of the way...

But I may have told a fib. Not on purpose. I was FORCED by T-B to go out and "play pick-chas!"

So. There you have it. I have no will power. Please excuse the fact that my skirt is unironed! ;-D

I like swinging from trees. Trees make me happy.

In these I'm wearing: 

- Zara cardigan bought in Florence... (I do find it funny that I can never find stuff I like in British Zara, but take me there in Italy, and I come back with a suitcase STUFFED with Zara clothes!)

- Hermes skirt that I found in a charity shop... (From the cherubs / eyepopping primary colours / nautical print, it's got to be 80's) 

- Eley Kishimoto shoes, bought in a sample sale at BStore last year... (Some of my favourite shoes ever, and despite the humungous heel - so so so comfy!)

- Topshop tights, Primark bag, Toy Watch and Macrame flower necklace bought in Florence... again! (I wandered into a tiny little craft shop, where the lady made things on a board in front of you. When I went in, she was giving lessons to another woman and they were chattering away in Italian, made me sit down - by gesturing madly at the chair and patting the seat, and proceeded to carry on with the lesson. I sat there for about half an hour before deciding I needed to carry on with tourist-ing! There were loads of lovely things, but this one caught my eye...)

Please excuse the large numbers of photos... T-B takes too many that I like. :-D He's trying to 'improve' you see, as the camera's relatively new. Any views on the photography will be appreciated from his quarter, as I'm not letting him put any of the me photos up on facebook. Personally, I think he's amazing at taking photos of people. His vistas are ace, but some of these come top on my favourite pictures of me ever; and that's hard since I HATE photos of myself and get really antsy when the camera's out. This is another reason for doing this -someone else taking my blog photos - thing. It'll maybe help me get over my photo hangups... Cross fingers! ;-D 

Hmmmmmm. I should probably go do some work. I have a black tie alumni dinner tonight, that I've spent the last month organising... So no time to work post-6pm. And it's almost 2 now. Sigh.

Xxxc

Eeeeeek re. Summer

Yikes.

I think I just agreed to work for Browns at the press office from 22nd June to 2nd October...

I've just given up the Ghana plan until Christmas, as it seems to fit better with my travelling partner and I's plans. This meant that when I was asked to change from 10 to 15 weeks interning, this afternoon, I Could Not say No!

OMFG!!! - I'll be working during London Fashion Week! (And through some of the others...)

Hugely hectic and high pressure, but I have to admit... I JUST CAN'T WAIT!

Too excited to do my essay reading.

8-D

Xxxc

Gotta Love the Sart!!!

Here are a few of the Sartorialist's posts at Style.com that I'm LOVING... Got to love Fashion-Week styles. Such variety makes my head go whirly, and they really give food for thought!

- Simple. Scarf. Want.

- Pink. Pop. Blue. Pop. Yum.

- Forest green + Wine-dark-purple + Sunniest yellow! (Admittedly on someone else.) Great colour combination that will haunt me for WEEKS!!!

- Denim ahoy. Just so casual, yet sweet. I'm reeeeeeeeally getting the roll-ups and hat vibe...

- Again. Purple. Pop. Blue. Pop. Yellow. Pop. PLUS. Turban magic + Roll-Ups. Sigh. Heaven. Yum. Overload.

;-D

Xxxc

Love for Literary Feeling

Jumping on the Clothes Horse's beautiful bandwagon... I love bookshelves. When I go to a lecturer's office for a supervision, nothing fascinates me more than taking a gander at their bookshelves. One thing in this place that makes us lucky (in my view) is all the lovely lovely space for books. I have 11 good sized book shelves in my room... Far more than I could fill with the books my parents allow me to lug back and forth, but I do my best!

So... Up first we have my two 'down time' shelves... Top Shelf: One half filled with dvds (a strange and mildly embarrassing selection of Studio Ghibli cartoons, Buster Keaton silent loveliness, Star Trek films, chick flicks of an extremely unintellectual nature, and lots of French films), the other half, with juice (and alcohol out of the picture... Such a student eh ;-D)

Bottom shelf: Holst - The Planets score, psychology books, bibliophilia and fashion interviews, my Ghana guide, a bit of (soc and bio) anthropology and some 'classics' - I believe we can see Tolstoy's War and Peace...

 

Now we have a little further along the same bookshelf, missing out Mitford, Golding, Dante and Rillke, we come to my depressing Russian novel, Kapuscinski and Tenessee Williams obsessions, part of my Cambridge Pocket Shakespeare collection, Henry James spine chillers, the obvious Austin, the Bride of Lammermoor and Wuthering Heights... The stripy spine is a book of ghost stories. The rest of this shelf contains marshmallows and a lot of books on sewing and costume, a book on Mikhail Baryshnikov and my college's 500 anniversary book.

Next up, we have my 'everyday' bookshelf... The one with academic books; my own and library ones. They're made up of lots of archaeology, a few tomes of theology, a bit of art history and a few biographies and historical accounts. We also have my BRIGHT folders, some of my birthday cards, my Fresh Horses DVD for a moment when I can justify the procrastination, pictures of my cats, my Greek orthodox rosary, lots of post-its, some NARS and paul and joe make up, my CdG perfume, rescue remedy and my notebook stash. No particular order to that. FIT huh! ;-D

My room mate and I really are different in too many ways to count... One of these ways is in our bookshelves. Firstly, my room has quite a bit more book space... Secondly, we have completely different book-taste! Lookie-see...

See! Lots of scary science and management... Though some of those management tomes might work their way onto my shelves next year since I'm (*crossed fingers*) taking it for part III... What a strange thought!

Lots of DVDs, a few art materials... And the Badger-Pooh! I got these (Squirrel, Deer, Beaver and Badger) for myself and my closest friends a little while back... Mine will probably be shown in my next room post...

Bookshelf organising aside, I really am a bibliophile... I love spending hours in book shops... Independent, new booksellers or Dusty old booksellers. Just no high street chain, thank you very much! My favourite places have to be Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street and John Sandoe Books off the King's Road, both in London. The former is an amazing building, filled with travel writing and fiction mostly, but they have a gorgeous 2nd hand gallery above the Western Europe room. John Sandoe is probably where my heart lies... I've been going there since, well, I was pushed around in a pushchair! We used to live in Chelsea, on the KR itself, and it still feels like home to me. I try to make a trip to John Sandoe about once a fortnight when I'm home, as the people in there are so amazingly knowledgeable, and I've known several of them since I was teeny-tiny... They can find anything, from anywhere too!

I also love to read books about books. If you ever want a quick and uplifting read, Anne Fadiman's 'Ex Libris' is a beautiful little collection of essays. And looks cute too!

Finally... If you're ever in a bookstore with me, get out of the way... I'm a fiend when it comes to buying the things. Always have been, always will be. 

At least I don't buy Mills and Boon by the bucketload anymore!!! (Yes, that was a middle school phase...) Hehe ;-D

Xxxc

I Like Bright #2

I like bells. 

Bells are necessary for my happiness.

Bright bells are even better.

These two circlets normally hang over my desk, and I swing them in a playful manner far too often. Both were gifts. The silver was brought back for me by a good friend, from India, and the multicoloured string was given to me by an American shopkeep in a little new age-y store in Lucca, Italy. I was on my way home from a month in Tuscany, a little heartsick, a little lonely, and wandering was proving a tad demoralising. But when I stopped in this shop, initially to try on some ballet pumps (that I regret not buying ;-D), I ended up chatting for nigh on an hour with the lovely 50s-ish gent. We covered topics like my dig, San Fransisco, the Tuscan countryside, and my love of bells. I couldn't resist tinkling the display on my way out, and he very generously gave me one of the strings... It's a little big to wear often as a bracelet, but it's presence in my life always makes me smile, and remember that there's good to be found in every new experience, and that talking to people is the most wonderful pastime in the world...

Then, we have my diary... Stickers and post-it yummyness. The everyday admin happies!

New Favourite

As I start dressing for the new season (it being freezing in August an'all, on top of the shops being filled with A/W goodies, the nicest of which will be snapped up by Actual Autumn), I find myself using one particular item a great deal.

I bought it in my local TRAID about a week before I trotted off to Italy, and had no idea it would become such a staple!

Said item is ticks several 'trend' boxes, according to glossies such as Vogue and Elle etc lol, such as being mid-calf-length and mustard... Despite the fact that on the surface such a description doesn't exactly lend itself to instant lust, I LOVE IT!

It is probably from the early 90s or late 80s, but is in great condition... It goes with Loads, and it's colour is actually really easy to wear!

Worn here with a navy Zara cardigan, bought in Florence. (I always find stuff in Zara abroad, but never at home!!!) Please excuse the mess at home and the - as usual - wierd colour in the photos...

And... the Cat loves it! Hehe.

It has even prompted the resurfacing of my gorgeous sample sale Eley Kishimoto shoes! (Pictured with cat and sadly neglected sewing machine...)

I've done quite a few outfits with it in the past week, and will have to post some more, so you can see how versatile it actually is!

Sigh... Xxx (a lovestruck) c ;)

I Really Want to Run Away to Paris...

Over the last week, I've felt an overwhelming urge to take a day trip to Paris...

First came this (that I have purchased from Urban Outfitters... On sale... Cross Fingers it's fulfils my HIGH expectations!!!) :



Then I found a £49-£69 under 26 deal on Eurostar returns!!!

Now I await my best friend's verdict on a day to go!!! Woooooo!!! Let's hope I can get this plan off the ground!

Xxxc

Oh Joy! Exams!

So, I'm back in Cambridge for the hell that is Easter term...

Exams are a little way off - they start on the 2nd of June - but I really need to keep on top of work and starting to revise... I've been on a field trip and ill for the last few weeks, so very very behind. Kinda like with this blog!

Well, never mind... Had a non-date date drink with unattainable boy (still in love with ex, leaving for new life in Australia in 3 months) this evening, and really edgy... Would go and kill myself in the gym, but I have a recovering sprained knee and sprained elbow, and having done a little (nurse advised) exercise yesterday, the knee might complain if I forced it this evening... It's not achey or sore, but slightly uncomfy... Oh how I want to be on a bike right now!!! Grumble.

Ah well, I have to be up (far too) early in the morning, so maybe an early night is a better plan?

After a term spent Trying to work...

I'm back on the blogging bandwagon...

Partly due to a renewed vigour in my search for some sense of sartorial self

and Partly due to my need to procrastinate Further from an essay on medieval death. There's only so many descriptions of leprosy one can read...

So...

In the past two months I've:

a) gotten addicted to granola, blueberries and aubergine dip mixed with sweetcorn

b) lost almost a stone in weight - finally listening to my doctors saying 'you've got a small frame... your bmi may be fine, but you're going to bugger up your joints even more than they already are if you don't eat right and excercise...' oops! - the coupledom / illness / first year of uni / depression weight is going, I'm eating healthily and I'm just about starting to get on track exercise-wise... WOO!!!

c) realised i'm much happier without boy-drama, cut ties and am contented and de-stressed with my group of close close friends who i love more than anything in the whole world, and my 'friend-with-benefits' when I'm home for the hols ;-D

d) realised my wardrobe's undergone a radical switch away from my mother's loathed 'earth mother' dresses and bright, baggy, eye-catching fare to a more slimmed down, classic, still adventurous and slightly eccentric, self-possessed air-ified stance on the whole fashion thing.

e) actually Done my work (well, apart from that one teeny classics essay... lol)

f) stayed out of the theatre more... and seen more plays as a result! David Hare at the Royal Court and The White Devil at the ADC being highlights...

g) not spent much of my weekends in cam - i realise now, more than ever, that it's neccessary for me to escape the bubble as much as possible. Whether it's just to go to the theatre, or to celebrate my birthday joint with my two best mates who turned 21 the week before my 20th, I've loved the return to the big city (or the visit to another city - Rome was such fun), where in a lot of ways, I feel like I can breathe again...

I've probably done tonnes more stuff, but those seem like the important points - right now anyway... The rest of term's looking busy - several dinners, including the one i'm organising, two shows - one professional, one as a favour, trips to london for an opera and a play, and much more besides...

Right... back to the clothes and fun! ;-D

Xxx

P.s. in an update on 'the ex' - he's still going out with rebound-girl - almost a year now, so not sure it can be classed as such, but hey... Recent photos of both parts of that couple... Not so flattering...
God how I love being bitchy ;-D

New term...

Gosh, I really am bad at keeping up with posting! I wonder if there's still someone out there to read this!?!?

Anyhoo... term is so far going well, I've mildly changed my style towards something a little less eccentric, a little more glamorous and smart...

It's partly been stimulated by a little bit of a weight-loss... I'm currently eating very healthily and generally looking after myself... woo!!!

Essay crisis looms, but I'm strangely unstressed. Probably due to the prospect of a trip to Rome this weekend! Hehe - much fun... Okay, so 4 days in the middle of term is probably silly, but hey, it'll be worth it!

I'll try to take photos and have something entertaining to say when I get back ;-D

Xxx

Theatre theatre theatre...

In danger of turning this into a theatre blog rather than a style-boy moaning hybrid...

The Arsonists was fantastic... I thought Rhinocerous was brilliant, but this one blew me away. They were two such different plays, and each was mesmerising... the actors managed to play their roles in both so well, you wouldn't even know they were performing two completely different plays at the same time.

Anyone in London, I'd advise a trip to see either! Rhinocerous is a theatre of the absurd comedy on individualism and conformity, while The Arsonists is a crushing comment on the destruction wrought by appeasement.

Right, that's my play plug done... Quite tempted to go see one or both again to be honest, though have a feeling finances will constrain me - I have two plays already booked at the Royal Court for January and February, and am lusting after several plays at the National and the Globe for Feb and the summer... I can feel a lot of debit card bashing coming on!

And a lot of trips back from cam to london... oops!

This isn't helped by the fact I'm going to Rome for 4 days in the middle of term... hmmmmmmmm... and I thought this was going to be a non-stressful term... there's a reason college wants us to apply for exeats ya know... bugger!!! hehe

Niiiiight!

Xxxc