Dressed for the Occasion

There's nothing quite like a bit of escapism on a dreary Tuesday morning.  When I first heard that Ballgowns - British Glamour since 1950 was to be the main exhibition at the V&A this year, I wasn't quite sure how I'd relate to it.  I do like a good designer retrospective and had hoped that the museum would treat us to one of those this time around, but nevertheless I was still excited to be invited to the press preview last week.  I must admit the fashion area of the V&A tends to be my first port of call when visiting the museum and it's long hiatus means that I've discovered a few other areas in its absence.  The gallery has had a bit of a refresh and it's wonderful to finally see some new pieces to learn more about. In keeping with the Cool Britannia theme of 2012, this exhibition focuses purely on British creations from the last 60 years.  Although much has changed within fashion during this period, ballgowns still continue to be relevant and reinvented with the country house occasions of yesteryear being replaced with red carpet events.

As you enter the space, you are transported into a world of sophistication with the ground floor displaying over 30 gowns from the museum's permanent collection laid out as if you've just managed to sneak into a secret dressing room.  The traditional layout complements the dresses within this section, though I was partial to the open space of the mezzanine level featuring gowns from 30 more recent designers and a stunning ceiling. Finally, I was able to be within touching distance (though of course I didn't) of the McQueen dress Daphne Guinness wore at the Met Gala all those years ago and the Christopher Kane dress Shailene Woodley wore just a couple of weeks ago. 

In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by the exhibition and came away with a few favourite designs.  You have to really appreciate the amount of knowledge and craftsmanship that goes into making such a piece and it really does give modern designers the chance to show off their skills in a world where fast-fashion is so popular. One metallic-leather piece by Gareth Pugh was even created specifically for the exhibition and there is a lace-printed latex gown by Atsuko Kudo (you can see a hint of in the picture above), which is an interesting take on the traditional concept.  I've never really thought about the evolution of ballgowns much before but it'll be intriguing to see how they adapt with changing trends and whether new events will arise.

One think I love about going to exhibitions is having a mooch around the shop afterwards and buying some affordable memorabilia.  The Fashion gallery now has it's own dedicated shop, which isn't as vast or chaotic as the main one next door, but still worth a look.  I'd pretty much given up trying to get one of these bow rings after hearing that the Whistles version sold out way before Christmas, but lo and behold they were in the V&A shop in silver and gold for a mere 8 quid! It was the ideal memento of the morning and really made my day.  Expect to see it featured here on a regular basis...

Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950 takes place in the fashion gallery until the 6th of January 2013, giving you plenty of time to catch it before it goes.  I think it's worth a look due to the pure fantasy element and hopefully one day I'll have an occasion where I can wear such a dress and am forced to be a bit graceful!

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Legs and Lobster

It's always tricky trying to work out when to go bare-legged in this country.  My threshold is usually 23 degrees but this year I'm willing to make an exception as you never know what's around the corner.  In this country's case, it's probably Autumn.  It's become quite tricky to pair the right tights with my outfits and as Carrie and Lucy have proved in the past, some things just look better with bare legs.  This was my outfit for a sunny Saturday afternoon, in no way was it comparable to the heatwaves that are a rarity in this country, but I felt particularly brave on this occasion.  Have you been getting your legs out recently?

T-shirt - House of Holland

Skirt - Monki

Shoes - Swedish Hasbeens c/o Spartoo

Jewellery - Forever 21, Marc by Marc Jacobs

Socks - Tabio

This House of Holland tee is another one of those AW11 sale finds that I never got around to blogging about, but I'm finding it quite suitable for SS12.  Somehow this granny square adorned tee seemed more appealing at half price as in the past I've tried and failed to crochet a few myself.  I couldn't resist picking up this skirt in Monki as I've been searching for a replacement for this too-short American Apparel number I sold recently.  Am I getting a bit sensible with my skirt lengths these days?  I think my days of awkwardly tugging my hems are over.  I've been wearing my new clogs with tights for the past few weeks, so it was finally nice to ditch them and pair them with some cute ankle socks.  My Mum despaired at another pair of Hasbeens as they're not particularly alluring and might seem reminiscent of the clogs I had when I was younger, but I love them anyway.  They're extremely comfortable (don't be fooled by the wobbles) and I'd take these over your typical stilettos any day.

After visiting the Dover Street Market sample sale, I finally managed to get to Burger and Lobster with Stella (see her review here) and am counting the days until my next visit.  It's not very often that I can afford to eat in Mayfair, but at £20 for a whole lobster (aka the gift that keeps on giving) and unlimited chips and salad, you definitely get a lot for your money.  I'm attempting to become a bit more of a foodie these days (methinks it's a result of all the tantalising Instagram photos floating about on a daily basis) and trying to discover new places to eat in London instead of relying on old favourites.  In typical 2012 fashion, I've made a Google Map to keep me on track when deciding on places to eat when on the move and I'm hoping to cover most of the list this Summer.  I hope it helps any of you that are around the capital and I'm open to any more recommendations.

The winner of the Wah Nails book giveaway is Azra, congrats!

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A Wish Party

Have you ever wondered how your blog might look if it were a party?  I'm sure mine would be suitably chaotic, with plenty of things going on (nail art, photobooths, exhibitions) and about several different cuisines to choose from.  Last Sunday, when the whether was particularly sunny, I went to a party that combined the aesthetics of Carrie and Lucy's blogs to celebrate Wish Magazine.  The content and layout represents the things they love and is the perfect antithesis to all of the airbrushing and diet obsessions of modern magazines.  As you can imagine, there were photo opportunities around every corner and it took a good while to whittle down the amount of photos to give you a sense of the afternoon.  Described as a 'children's book for adults' the issue allows for dreaming and boasts plenty of inspiring interviews, illustrations and lifestyle features and even some gold stars for a bit of interactivity.  Although I seem to inhabit the online world more than the average person, I'm definitely welcoming buying more special magazines that perhaps come out twice a year and offer something more worthwhile than your typical gossipy title.  I can't wait to get my hands on the first issue and I hope there will be many more as it seems there's an important message to be spread.

Everyone dressed suitably for the occasion and it was the ideal time to bring out any sundresses that had been languishing in the depths of the wardrobe due to miserable weather.  I wonder if turning the things you blog about into some kind of offline brand is the future of blogging.  I can't help thinking that in ten years time, some of the blogger friends I've made might be the editors, journalists, stylists, designers and creatives shaping popular culture.

I decided to bake some Red Velvet cupcakes as my contribution to the party.  I tried to make them look as professional as possible but luckily they tasted better than they looked and disappeared throughout the course of the afternoon.  Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to start making them four hours before the party started and I did end up being slightly late, but it was definitely worth it (although my Mum wasn't too happy I turned the kitchen red)...

Wish magazine is available here from Monday 21st of May.  Will you be buying a copy?

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Night at the Museum

I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd love to visit an art gallery after hours and take all the pictures I want and luckily I was able to have the Fashion & Textile Museum (practically) to myself before an exciting talk.  I'm at a loss as to why I haven't visited the museum in a while, it obviously isn't because of transport issues as I'm at London Bridge more often than I'd like to be plus it's one of the few places solely dedicated to fashion exhibitions.  With a bright orange exterior it's hard to miss and it's not too far from the Design Museum and one of my favourite areas, plus it has a SE1 postcode proving that South London has some great attractions.  Like most creative places in London, it brings back fond memories of afternoons spent researching and broadening my knowledge (and even a random visit to Zandra Rhodes' apartment upstairs as I knew a friend staying there).  Currently there's an exhibition entitled 'Designing Women: Post War British Textiles' and wish I'd taken a few more notes instead of just photographing everything I was drawn to.  It was great to appreciate some prints with simpler graphic components that were progressive at the time and I recommend a visit if you're in the area and similarly textile-obsessed.

After a quick look around, we were treated to an exciting talk led by Melanie Rickey, Clive Reeve (Design Director of Oasis) and Nicky Albrechtsen, a vintage clothing collector and curator of The Printed Square.   She owns an immense archive of carefully sourced clothing in East London, which is constantly visited by designers and High-Street design teams for inspiration (she even supplied a garment which kick-started Chanel's ice themed SS12 collection).  The reason for the evening was to understand the reasons behind the collaboration with Oasis to produce a scarf print collection, which features more understated hues and gentler motifs in comparison to other versions out there.  All of the prints have been developed from Nicky's collection of vintage scarves and reworked to complement modern shapes and to add something new to the fashion landscape, by using something older and created in a far less technological age.  The evening constantly reiterated how designers are referencing the past and making it right for today, whether it's by using a minute stitching detail seen on a garment or copying something in it's entirety with updated styling.  Being the geek I am, I managed to note down as much of their insight as possible and can only hope to catch a glimpse of Nicky's collection of vintage clothing one day.  I've pretty much accepted that I'm an avid hoarder and am taking her advice to 'find something you love and collect them' very literally!  I might have to start looking out for printed silk scarves after hearing about her passion for them and how she frames some of her favourites.  Are there any items of clothing you love to collect?

Have you visited the Fashion and Textile Museum before?  The current exhibition is on until the 19th of June and will be replaced by POP! Design. Culture. Fashion on the 6th of July.

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