Thursday, 28 August 2008

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

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

Tuesday, 19 August 2008

Honestly... Where have I been?

So, this time I shall make no excuses, except to say I've finished my summer digging and chasing round small children, and am now getting back into summer living, reading and wearing ;-D

Exams went fine in the end. Planning for the next few years - a.k.a. stay out of the real world for as long as possible - goes on apace... Current thoughts include MA at York and then a year at a boarding school in Beijing as a grad teaching assistant.

Anyway... I'm currently on the sofa, having spent 2 days... on the sofa. I'm listening to a radio 4 drama about Cambridge... It's hilarious! Kind of missing the ol' place! Luckily, I'll be back there in about 2.5 weeks for 2 weeks of dissertation work and the glorious fun of a fundraising job in the evenings. I hope to spend at least some of my time off from both these things in Cam's wonderful charity shops... Without all the annoying 'arty' types who usually frequent them...

Tomorrow is the first of my days out in the world post-summer school... I've already decided that I'm going to wear my lovely mustard skirt, eley kishimoto shoesies and Zara blue cardi... But we shall see about the weather!!!!

Saturday, 7 June 2008

FINISHED!!!

Yay!!! Exam went almost as badly as I predicted, but at least it's over now eh!

On a much more fun note, went to see Sex and the City - and though the girls behind me (in a totally Cambridge-snobby way) pronounced it crap - I loved it... the clothes, the girly fun, the drama... sigh... I cried THE ENTIRE WAY THROUGH! Yes, I'm possibly the soppiest person ever (I cried movie star tears at an episode of Dr Who once...) but I loved the film... Might even see it again!

Today, family descends, so after imbibing a Little alcohol last night, I've had to tidy and push through the slightly worse-for-wear feeling... Oh well... I'm finished with exams for another year!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Bring on the fun of May Week!

Xxxc

Friday, 6 June 2008

Last Day of Exams!

Yay!!!

Okay, so now I've yay-ed, I should probably get on with that last bit of cramming before the afternoon exam... Wish me luck! (I need it.)

Trying to cheer myself up using clothes:



Gap top, Reiss belt, Warehouse skirt, Topshop tights, Converse two-tones, Vintage pendant...

Summery (despite yuk weather) and suitable for (hopefully) going to see Sex and the City later!!! :-D

Xxxc

Thursday, 5 June 2008

Pouty and Not Revising

Now, I know I complain when I have one exam after the other, but to tell the truth, I wish I hadn't had a 2 day gap between the nightmarish exams and my last one... The last one is actually my most important one, and up until last weekend was the only one I was really revising, but having gotten absolutely exhausted by the three at the beginning of the week, I gave up yesterday, post Roman Cities exam. Not a good plan. I overslept today, and then procrastinated. It's now 9.10pm and I have my exam at 1.30 tomorrow... I can't remember anything, and just can't seem to get down to work! Gah!

Oh well... So I wanted to do my MA in the same field as this paper... who needs MA's? I get a fake one from Cam anyway!

Wish me luck anyhoo! Maybe I'll recapture the exam spirit in a minute... Or maybe I'll go to the gym... Hmmmmmmmm...

Ok, so here's what I'm wearing today... (Tee from realitee at topshop - it has a cute crossed and knotted back, indian elephants necker from charity shop, vintage Jaeger brown tweed blazer with velvet collar from my Mother's closet - it's older than me!!! hehe, Sass and Bide high waisted jeans, Jaeger shoes that were on sale last term, gorgeous crystal dangly earrings - they have a really unusual shape - bought from Nomads in Cambridge)

Pouty much? ;-D





Xxxc