Feeling a bit Wildfoxy...

There are some days when you just want to throw on a t-shirt (a.k.a Sunday) and Wildfox Couture covers just that.  I'd become aware of the brand through many a late night Asos visit and was drawn to the more ambiguous designs, so was delighted to be invited along to the press day to find out more.  Of course there are many celebs that are fond of these t-shirts, but that's not really what floats my boat, what I liked were the faded retro designs and longline shape making them the perfect length to wear with leggings.

The brand doesn't have a clear Summer collection, but there can be subtle differences in the illustrations for the seasons.  There is a strong 80s influence in the latest collection, reminiscent of icons such as early Madonna and films like Thelma and Louise, and although I might have been non-existent during this time, the rebellious spirit is captured and made relevant for today.  I spent the afternoon admiring the supersoft quality of the tees and picturing myself wearing them in sunny L.A, strolling along the 'sidewalk' with my chihuahua, before remembering I was in cold, rainy London and would need to layer them up to stay in good health.  I'm aware that at £60, the price is a lot higher than a typical t-shirt, but these would be an ideal present to request for Christmas or a birthday (or  you could just wait for an ASOS discount code like me, as I'm rather fond of this design).

I hope they do more with leggings; these have an intriguing gusset detail, but it's the skeleton pattern that really excites me.

Wildfox also has a rather nice blog here

The lookbook styling also proves that a lot can be done with the humble t-shirt and you could really make them your own with crazy leggings, printed high-waisted skirt or just a pout. I'm also in love with the zipper tights in the first picture and how the motifs clash, yet somehow work with all the other styling elements going on.  There's definitely a tee for everyone in the collection (and maybe about five for me)! Which one's your favourite?

One more exciting press day to go this week, I'll keep you posted...

Don't forget the Aussie competition below...

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How to look a bit Aussie...

I realise this is seriously delayed and I have some stiff competition, but when it comes to these things, it's really the taking part that counts. I've had a pretty good week anyway; is it too cheesy to say that I feel like a winner already? This is what driving test euphoria does to you...  So let me explain, a few weeks ago I received a curious looking parcel from Aussie, detailing a competition to sum up Aussie in an outfit and to share it with my 'community.' Now at first, I was slightly befuddled; how to sum up a hair product using clothing?

I love me personalised postcard...

I had to think back to when they first contacted me, with a mysterious sounding e-mail and lots of cheeky banter.  Aussie appears to be a laid back brand; rather than using confusing product jargon on their products, they tell it like it is, in fact the bottles are too friendly to just be bottles.  Where else would you see 'Don't just tame frizz, make it sit, beg and roll over' and be given advice to 'Use in a bath with good music on and candles lit.' Aussie wants girls to have fun, and so I present to you a chic yet fun outfit (plus a few new purchases)....

Velvet Shirt- Laura Ashley via Ebay

Lace dress- Topshop

Necklace- This Charming Girl

Bracelet- Topshop

Sequin Belt- Vintage

Tights- House of Holland (pair number three...)

Brogues- Office

So here's where you come in; if you can sum up Aussie in an outfit, then you can win something too!  You could either comment on this post, write about it on your blog, do a Polyvore or Looklet collage, or send me an e-mail.  As it's a quick competition, you have until midnight on Monday 30th November to do it.  I'm I realise that this is seriously short notice, and I'm very disorganised but as Aussie are such a nice and generous brand, it's definitely worth doing. It's open to international readers too, so comment away!

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How to be Rare...

Last week I got to go to the Rare Press Day at the swish Groucho Club in Soho, avec Fiona, Ozzy and Reena to see their offerings for next Spring.  Rare is stocked in Topshop amongst the numerous concession brands that are continuing to improve their stock and severely tempt my wallet. I'd always associated the brand with glitzy party dresses and lot's of glamour but being a scruff, I was quite delighted with the 90s vibe of the more casual pieces.

This looks like something straight out of Clueless and I could definitely see myself teaming it with some high waisted denim shorts and white brogues next Summer.

I also liked the sportswear feel of this grey jumper, complete with handy mesh layer.  I'd be wearing this now over something lacy, if I could get my hands on it.  Hope the Winter months fly by...

 
Cute t-shirt dress with a print from outer space

Candy coloured stripes make this dress very pretty and just itching to be teamed with some Doc Martens

 

Also loved this longline military cardigan, perfect over a skater dress and teamed with some brown brogues

Really crazed looking picture, where I tried to look unaware of the photographer.  I also realised that a visit to the hairdresser is necessary very soon.

Photo stolen from Fiona

This press event was a rather swanky affair, with cocktails, manicures, miniature hamburgers and goody bags, making it quite a change to a typical Wednesday evening.  I'm obsessed with any shade of grey and wanted my nails to follow suit; I might just have to splash out on this Nails inc colour...

Afterwards we decided to go for some dim sum, but managed to catch the Luella for Liberty Christmas Shop type thing before the store closed.  A great place to get expensive yet much coveted stocking fillers, such as mini Vivienne Westwood purses and floral headbands.  Very jealous of any millionaire's daughters who might wake up on Christmas morning with all of this stuff under the tree.

Fiona and Reena looking very Louis Vuitton

Reena's attempts to Save Luella just weren't working...

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Put on your driving shoes...

Shoes to drive in, by Marais USA

You might have realised from some previous posts that my driving test has been stressing me out.  However, today I managed to pass with 6 minors!  To cut a long story short, I've been learning for three years (with maybe one of those years being a gap due to going to University and generally losing confidence) and had three different instructors.  The first instructor actually abandoned me and told me I wasn't progressing enough (steering did confuse me at first) and suggested that I start to use an automatic car.  It took a few months to find my second instructor, who gradually filled me with more and more confidence and helped me to progress a lot faster and to understand driving a bit more.  I still had a long way to go, but I was starting to get better...

Is it possible to drive in these?  I'm sure I'll try at some point...

In my second year at Uni, I was determined to keep going and found another instructor to help me drive in the tricky area of Nottingham.  This was worth doing, as I eventually got test ready (and perhaps drove a bit more like a man) but alas, my first test was cancelled a few days before the end of the summer term.  This meant I had to go back to instructor number two and get used to the test area again (and her very specific way of doing manoeuvres).  I also had a ticking clock situation, as I knew I was moving to New York for 7 months from late December  and didn't want to lose the momentum.  So I started my tests; as you know I failed the first and second (plus there was a cancelled one in between), but I actually failed a third test on the 9th, which I decided to keep secret from here, Twitter and Facebook.  I was pretty sad, but knew I had to re-group and focus on the next test, always with the ticking clock situation in the back of my mind.

Tods shoes, yum, yum

Reasons I may have passed fourth time:

1. I'm now a better driver, after using the extra lessons to finally master tricky hill starts and reversing around the corner.
   
2. Colour Therapy; I was wearing a green cardigan, white top and red tights underneath my jeans.  Apparently these are good colours to wear when having a driving test, though not what I would normally sport on a daily basis.
   
3. Jedward got voted out of the X factor.  This won't make a lot of sense to non-UKers, but I'd started to liken my failed driving tests to Jedward constantly surviving against the better singers in the competition. Now they're out, I was able to pass.
   
4. I kept my test date a secret from everyone, apart from work and my instructor, meaning that I had no pressure.  
5. The examiner was really nice, when he asked what I'd normally be doing today, I said 'Knitting!'  I actually started screaming at him when he said that I'd passed, might have scared him slightly.
   
6. Possibly might have overdosed on the Rescue Remedy.

Broguey loving, by NW 3 at Hobbs

I know this post is a bit random, but I've wanted to write it for ages!  I guess it shows that you should never give up on achieving what you want to, as seeing a lot of younger drivers got me down.  I know there's going to be more challenges for me to face in life (hello graduate collection) but after this, I feel I can cope with anything.  If any of you have failed a few times or are yet to start learning, then I'd definitely recommend that you persevere. After all, if I can do it, after three years, three different instructors, three Mulberry bag's worth of lessons and four tests, then so can you!

Now I'm a lot less stressed, I can focus on sorting my life out before I move away!  I will be finishing off a more fashion-related post soon, and figuring out my outfit for the latest Aussie-related challenge.  It's going to be a good week....

P.S This was also my 100th post, what a wonderful way to do it!

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Ode to Luella

Now I've been trying to put off this post, wishing and hoping for some kind of resolution, but is it time to think the unthinkable?  Can Luella really be saved?  I bloody hope so, as that SS10 collection needs to be made and I need to figure out a way to get into future shows and become the house muse.

Image taken from Show Details SS10.  You might know that I'm partial to a 50s style prom dress and this collection has them in abundance.  It's not quite as subversive as some of the previous collections, but I still love much of it, it's very 'to the point.'

Now in fashion terms, I guess Luella wouldn't be classed as 'edgy' or technically ground-breaking and some of the fashion elite might prefer something a little less 'cute'.  However I prefer to interpret from her collections a sense of irreverence and fun, taking her inspiration from the snootier elements of British culture and mixing them with music, superheroes and witches, making them accessible for all.  When I say accessible, I don't mean that I'm out buying bits in Harvey Nicks every weekend, but in theory I could save up for one of her pieces and still be in my twenties by the time I was able to purchase it.  Failing this, I could resort to a £79 t-shirt or £2 sticker depending on  the state of my finances, still buying into the Luella aesthetic. This brand creates multi-faceted collections, drawing on a rich source of inspiration, for those who want to have a bit of fun with what they wear, referencing the past and playing with the present.

Row by row, left to right: AW 2001, AW 2003, AW 2005, SS 2006, AW 2006, SS 2007, AW 2007, SS 2008, AW 2008.  All images by Style.com

You can see from her past collections certain elements of her aesthetic starting to form, such as the quirks in styling (loved the AW 2003 creepers) and strong 80s influence.  The early collections appear quite different to what she does now, less cute and more grunge but I'm pretty sure some of the looks aren't too far from what's on street style websites today. You might think that all the quirkiness would make it date easily but I see things differently, and would be happy to update the body-con dress of SS06 with a mesh shirt and crazy two-tone tights.  Many of the looks  consist of basic and trend-led pieces, which just need a bit of tweaking to make them more '2009', proving the versatility of the brand.  I hope there's somehow more to come.

My favourite recent collection has to be Spring Summer 2009 as the concept of 'garden party gone wild' was executed perfectly with acidic orange hues and crazy amounts of pearls and brooches.  There's some cheeky rebellion in the form of vests under dresses and short hemlines to contrast with the 'prim and proper' idea of such an institution.  The collection suits me as it is youthful but demure, as I'm partial to covering up with cardigans and jewellery yet still wearing a short full skirt with a nice pair of heels.  My aim is to eventually get something similar to the pictures above in the outlet, as I'd love one of these creations as my graduation dress.

Illustrations by moi

When we had a university project to design a collection for a brand, well, you know who I chose.  My inspiration was British sporting culture and country activities with the 'wrong' twist that she likes to include.  The colours were inspired by racing jockey sweaters and I tried to convey a strong equestrian influence with rossettes and buckles everywhere, meaning that you could in theory jump straight on a horse after your wild night out. I had a really fun day of research in the Barbour section of Harrods (sketching like a crazy person) and later ended up at the Brook Street boutique where the assistants were extremely handy in telling me the design features she often uses, such as hidden bows, frills and support built into dresses. They even gave me a carrier bag, which was pretty much the highlight of the day.

Clockwise: much loved carrier bag; h&m ditsy floral dress; peacocks ditsy skirt; Bread 'n Butter Geek t-shirt bought in Hong Kong; Topshop Batman print t-shirt; Luella Margo bag (which I speak about as if it were a real person, ie 'Luella doesn't touch the floor.')

Here's some of the influence Luella has had on my wardrobe.  The main item is  my Margo bag, bought at the Bicester outlet (and also a Geek badge) but most of my Luella inspired bits are either high-street or vintage.  As much as I'd like to pretend that I started the trend, I guess I started to wear more floral prints as they started to filter down from her SS08 collection and have since gone a bit overboard and gravitating towards them as my print of choice.  What influence has Luella had on your wardrobe?

I sincerely hope that a backer can be found in the near future, but if not, I'm sure Luella Bartley will bounce back in some shape or form.  As painful as it sounds, many labels can be revived decades after their first outing (think Halston and Diane Von Furstenburg) and I'd welcome seeing how the brand might adapt to this ever-changing world in a few years time (maybe I might be able to afford more of it by then). And so the waiting begins...

Love some Luella linkage:
British Style Genius on Luella
Collections at Style.com 
How Luella Bartley fell from planet fashion


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Now, where is my Swedish bank account...

There hasn't been a lot of Monki love on here for a while but believe you me, it's still there.  The site is still as whimsical as ever and the clothes are just a bit more interesting than your usual high-street fare.  I know I'll soon be catapulted into the world of American shopping (hello Forever 21), but that won't stop me forgetting my favourite European brands.  In fact I'll be stalking them from afar.  These are the bits that I would buy, if I had some Swedish Kronor to hand...

All Images found by here.  If you do happen to have a Swedish bank account, do you know how much this might cost and can I pay you back in monthly instalments?

I love the shapes, prints and quirky details  they include in their clothes (such as the sleeveless black shirt above with so much layering potential), which remain reasonably priced.  The imagination behind the design team is incredible; what other high-street brand would create it's own land straight out of a modern fairytale, involving bugs and high-rise buildings? I'm also fond of their dancing Lookbook, which I could probably watch all day. 

I'm not sure if they will ever open in the UK (please, please hear my pleas) but they have a few new stores in Germany, giving me a reason to visit my aunt who lives there.  I'm sure she'd like to drive roughly 100 miles to get all my future Christmas and birthday presents.  Let me know what you like from their new collection and whether you live within a 500 mile radius of a Monki store.

I was also given this lovely award by Oranges and Apples, a fellow knitter!  Thanks again, and I pass it along to:

London Rose
Diamond Canopy
We Scream Style
Tan Shoes with Pink Shoelaces
Pixelated Blonde
Ripped Knees

Enjoy the links above and I hope you have a great Sunday!

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The many faces of Somerset House

After numerous blog recommendations, I finally got round to seeing the ShowStudio- Fashion Revolution exhibition at Somerset House.  It was strange to see the venue deserted without the hustle and bustle of fashion week, but also somewhat refreshing to see no fashionistas, photographers and general randomness. In fact, it was so deserted that we almost got lost trying to find the exhibition.  This gave the perfect opportunity to take an outfit picture.

Wearing the h&m dress I'd bought the previous week over a white t-shirt and underneath the much loved denim shirt.  The two-tone Asos tights also make a long-awaited re-appearance.

This is what you wear when you're ever so slightly deluded about the weather. I bought this Topshop leather biker jacket a few years ago when I received my first ever student loan payment and went a bit crazy, but the amount of times I've worn it has more than justified the purchase.  I'm sad that I won't be able to get away with it for much longer, due to inevitable Arctic temperatures.

In my opinion, Showstudio was one of the first sites aiming to make fashion an interactive experience, before all these designers started tweeting and streaming their runway shows online.  The exhibition has taken this to a new level, inviting visitors to observe and play around with many exhibits, immediately bringing to mind a fashionable version of the Science Museum.  What I like about the exhibition, is that it doesn't stay the same for long; there are constantly updates and additions, such as new body parts being revealed on The Fashion Body (beware of the NSFW* image) reflecting the fluidity in the world we live in today.  There are even computers at the exits so you can immediately share your thoughts online, reinforcing our need to constantly document our experiences (I realise I'm obviously a big victim of this). 

I was trying to go for a nautical look with Naomi, complete with vintage belt and polka dot tights.  Computer says no.

Whatever your feelings are about Naomi Campbell, you can unleash them here by drawing on a giant sculpture of her.  You don't even have to be in the exhibition to be a part of it, try it online.  If you're ever bored, I'd highly recommend writing cryptic messages to people such as 'I know what you did.'

 Power of Witches by Rei Kawakubo

Sweet wrapper inspired dress, maybe we'll all be wearing this in 2019?

In theory, there is meant to be a live model here that you can talk to, but unfortunately they were otherwise engaged.  I somehow saw the funny side in this, I guess similar to when arriving at a zoo and being told there are no pandas that day or that your favourite theme park ride is out of order .  The point of the performance project 'Sittings' is that a model is styled by Simon Foxton and sits in a chair, which is linked up to a live webcast, showing the reality of a photographer's focus.  You can even phone the model, which could go either way depending on the personality of the subject involved.

 

 Maison Martin Margiela left a half finished pattern, leaving particpants to come to their own conclusion.

Being the creative person I am, my personal highlight was seeing the results of the Design Download project.  Many well known designers submitted paper patterns for viewers to interpret, and participants were able to send in a styled photo of their garment to be judged, with the most inventive and well-executed being shown in the gallery.  If you're able to decipher the pattern, you too can become part of the fashionable elite that owns a high fashion garment, whilst putting your own spin on it.

I was very taken by the above Alexander McQueen design, and will be on the hunt for the perfect fabric to make such a creation, as well as this Junya Watanabe dress.

Video is not amazing quality, but hopefully you get the idea

The highlight of the exhibition is the many live events they have going on each week, and I just happened to be there when they were shooting a live Vogue cover shoot with the gorgeous Natalia Vodianova.  You get to see the process through a two-way mirror and although it was extremely confined where I was (forget about the desertedness I spoke of before, everyone was in here), I found it a revealing experience.  It was great to feel the energy of such an important shoot and to see the way how Natalia responded to the photographer Nick Knight, putting any of those ANTM contestants to shame. 

Meet the happy cupcake family, clockwise; chocolate cookie, peanut butter, red velvet and coconut.  Ella's Bakehouse are now doing 4 for the price of 3 on a Friday.  Didn't matter that there were only two of us...

After the exhibition, we decided to reflect on everything while consuming some tasty cupcakes. Although random at times, Fashion Revolution managed to capture the Zeitgeist of the interactive fashion experience; where news and trends are instantly shared online and people in both Brazil and Bratislava can both be rocking the same 90s grunge look.  There were so many unique exhibits such as a candid webchat with Kate Moss (who wishes never to return to Croydon) that could be appreciated by more than just the desired audience.  Even though the exhibition is happening right now in London, it can be experienced all over the world and in years to come.  The viewer is rarely passive, but a part of the experience and it's certainly made me think about the changing way that we are viewing fashion today.  As Nick Knight says, 'We have only just begun.'**

*Not safe for work
** Quote found here.


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Save Luella!

Super quick post before I go to work, but I couldn't hear the news about Luella going under and not do something about it.  It is the one label I aspired to buy if I ever managed to get a 'proper' job, and possible bankrupt myself over if I didn't. I even based a Univerisity project around the brand and went to the boutique as 'research.' Being the Photoshop geek I am, I quickly whipped up this badge to show my support, so feel free to put it on your blogs too.

This campaign has even been featured on the Australian Marie-Claire site!  Randomness!  I will try and do a 'proper' Luella love post when I've fully digested this news and a final verdict is reached.  I'm still living in hope that a backer can be found before Christmas. If not, could there be some kind of Luella shareholder scheme for the fashionable masses? 

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When Sport and Fashion collide

It seems that November is the month for press days aplenty and I was beginning to feel I was out of luck, until I received an e-mail from the lovely Pam inviting me to Adidas HQ in Covent Garden.  Now having shunned any form of exercise since the age of 16 apart from walking to, from and around shops (I lasted for around 3 months being a gym bunny) I'm not much of a sportswear devotee. That could change after seeing the latest Y-3 for Adidas collection, designed by world renowned Yohji Yamamoto and learning how his ethos is translated into sportswear. The latest collection was inspired by the upcoming 2010 World Cup (the only time when I will actually sit down and watch a football match) and the federations involved.  Ok, sports-speak over, what I liked about the clothes was the exaggerated silhouettes, deconstruction and attention to detail, so here's a few of my favourite elements of the collection.

A bit of summer knit action; I loved the quality of this fine top and the cut-outs which encapsulate the idea of having a vest layered underneath.  A very clever idea.  I could see myself jogging in this or at least pretending to, then giving up and getting some Nandos.

Gorgeous photo-floral prints are here to stay next summer; I loved this fun take on the sporty bikini.  I wished that the bottoms next to them could be made in a tighter, leggings like form.

Now here's something you might get tangled up in; I was extremely drawn to the numerous ways the humble vest top can be reinvented and how the once simple structure can played with and turned on it's head.  The multiple straps and barely visible layers underneath definitely appealed and each design had some extra kind of detail added, separating it from the usual sportswear fare.  These pieces made me think of a stripped down version of the deconstructed  jersey I'd seen at the Hussein Chalayan exhibition earlier this year, though this time the basic colour scheme meant the form could truly be appreciated. 

The catwalk images were also intriguing, with a laser cut mesh structure present in many of the designs, reminding me of large knitted loops.  I'm not sure what the garment in the third picture is, but if it's a bodysuit, then I'm definitely interested.  On the whole, I had an interesting evening at Adidas, seeing how the game of football could be translated into fashion forward garments and with all the creative elements I saw, my perception of the brand has definitely changed.  Now I can only hope for some of the pieces to appear in future Net a Porter sales to kickstart my new sportier lifestyle for 2010. 

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Circle Scarf Tutorial

As it's getting a lot chillier, I thought it'd be a good time to post the Circle Scarf tutorial.  The circle has quickly become my favourite kind of scarf, as not even the most determined gust of wind can separate it from your neck and there are numerous ways to wear it.  It's a simple 2x2 rib pattern, as you only need to know how to knit and purl and recognise the stitches to keep everything consistent. After a few rows, the pattern makes a bit more sense...

Diagrams taken from a really old book, the Readers Digest 'Complete Guide to Needlework'  More general knitting advice here.

I bought my yarn here.  Alternatively you could double up thinner 4ply yarns or even mix different shades of the same colour for a marl effect. It's best to do a tension swatch to check the knitting is neither too tight nor too loose. As a rule, 10 or 12mm needles work well with the yarn I specified.

Some more circle scarf imagery for you all; I'd really like to get creative with different stitches when I make my next one, as the possibilities are endless, just as long as you join it together when you finish.  Sources Hel Looks; Fashion Girl; Copenhagen Street Style; Glamcanyon

I'd love to know how you get on if you make this and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.  My next aim is to knit one in moss stitch, but I'll be saving that one as a little project while I'm across the pond.  I hope it all makes sense!

P.S Check out the sidebar for a sneak peek of the latest Giles Deacon for New Look collection.  It's out on Monday and I've picked out some of my preferred party pieces... 

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Goodbye October...

The last Friday of October was an eventful day.  As I'm moving to New York in less than two months  for my internship (I hope you don't get tired of me saying this, as I'm sure I'll find a way to work it into every post), I thought it was about time to get my visa sorted.  I managed to book my American Embassy appointment pretty sharpish and mentally prepared myself for a day of waiting around, as I'd heard that the process could leave me waiting around for almost four hours!  It's a rather strict place, with no phones, iPods or cameras allowed on the premises, meaning that I had to go back to basics, reading Twilight whenever I was bored and consulting a random watch if I ever needed to know the time.  My bag even had to go through an airport style X-ray scanner and my Christopher Kane for Topshop keyring was viewed with much suspicion. Luckily I was let inside and the visa interview didn't take too long (it was approved, meaning that I had managed to fill in many, many forms correctly at 1am earlier that morning) and I was able to unleash myself on Oxford Street with this month's wages securely in my bank account.

I like to roll my sleeves up, yes I do

I hadn't been into H&M for a while, due to having my Topshop blinkers on, so thought I'd better pay a visit as I'd heard they were doing a (brief) 15% student discount.  With the temperatures plummeting, I wanted to be sensible and buy a jumper that I'd seen on a blog, but couldn't remember the jumper or the blog, so didn't get very far in describing it to the shop assistants.  Luckily I found a cosy alternative, not the most interesting colour, but ripe for some Satorialist style latering with a blazer and a red scarf.  Being a knit fanatic, I always check the fabric description of my knits and was pleased to see it was an angora/cotton mix, making it really soft.

Trinny and Sussannah would probably say my body shape is a combination of a Lollipop, Cornet and Goblet, meaning that these kind of dresses aren't the best thing for me.  Despite this, I like to break the rules and think the ruching helps to create a bit of hippage. Of course it's a bit tricky to wear when you've just had a bacon sandwich...

After the moment of practicality, I got really distracted and ended up buying this body-concious dress, which isn't exactly the warmest thing in the world.  You might remember me saying that I'm not really a slinky dress kind of person, but really I had other ideas for it...

The dress is a proper bargain at £7.99.  Cost per wear will probably be about 2p by next Spring.

Having so many pairs of patterned tights and leggings means that I need plain tops and dresses to complement them.  Although this dress is rather fitted, the idea is to chuck shirts, cardigans and jumpers over it to create more of a shape while jazzing up the legs with the best of the tights/leggings archive.  Of course I also have the option of wearing it on it's own as a 'sexy' kind of dress, but that's not really me; more is more.

If you've managed to follow this rambling post, all of the stuff so far is from H&M and cost around £24 combined.  Bargain.

Also bought this years beanie hat, that I will probably lose in the next few weeks.  It's a vicious circle.

I told myself I could bring them back, I probably won't, bringing my brogue total to five pairs.  Next stop, penny loafers...

I only popped into Topshop Oxford Circus with the intention of buying yet another pair of tights (light grey ribbed to be exact) but ended up buying these Miss Selfridge brogues instead.  How did that happen?  I'm easily sidetracked...  Seriously, I've been underestimating good old Miss S lately and saw many dresses that were trying to tempt me and might have ended up on my staff card, if I weren't so adamant that I was going to try and make one.

I hope everyone had a good Halloween weekend!  I went as Lady Gaga, which bemused people at first, but I love any excuse to dress a bit crazily and in this case become a slightly dodgy blonde.  I wore the infamous Topshop sequinned hotpants over my jester tights, which was a liberating experience that I probably won't be repeating.  I was slightly dubious about the £4.99 wig at first, but I managed to tame it into something remotely Gaga-like.  I was singing along (Cheryl Cole style) to Poker Face all night.

This photo is one of the few that don't show all of the blonde hairs stuck to my face...

Here's a close up of the make-up for all you beauty bloggers out there, courtesy of Mum.  She also sourced the vintage jacket and belt I wore, which I shall almost certainly be borrowing whenever I want to channel a bit of 80s Dynasty. Next year I either want to go as a mime, or form a Anna Wintour/Grace Coddington double act with a fellow fashionista.  Who's with me?

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