23/04/13

top - silence and noise - £31

jeans - h&m - £14

shoes - urban outfitters - £12.50 (down from £68)

jewellery - vintage

skull necklace - topshop - £4

denim jacket - urban outfitters - £55

wore this out for my gorgeous friend's 17th birthday, and the top is owned by my other very gorgeous and lovely friend who let me borrow it for a bit.

love the sportiness of this outfit. casual but dressy enough to wear out; the perfect combination. I originally saw these shoes when they were (i think) £68 in urban outfitters and - being the forever skint spend-a-holic that i am - had to tear my eyes away and continue my bargain hunting. however, the biggest stroke of luck ever brought me straight back to these shoes to see them in the 2 for 1 offer for £25... WIN.

bought these jeans 2 and a half years ago.. they didn't fit me then, and they sure as hell don't fit me now, but i somehow have managed to squeeze into them religiously for the past few months and they have become my holy grail jeans.. despite the daily struggle to get them on.

New Shoe On The Block

For as long as I've been wearing heels, it's been all about the platform. The bigger the block, the higher the heel, the better. I don't have one stiletto shoe in my wardrobe - I've always been a thick, sturdy heel type of girl (particularly anything black and booted) beause anything less than 4.5 inches is not cool, right?

Wrong. In the last few months, I've been drawn to an unlikely kulprit - the much more chic, 'grown up' alternative. AND I LOVE IT!!

I am pretty sure these shoes are from Zara, but I know that these are sold out in most stores and online. They are generally going for £60+ on ebay, but it's always worth a check! I have seen some convincing versions from atmosphere of all places. get on it, cause these are without a doubt the new 'it'' heel.

To A Point

Lets just take a moment to appreciate the new nail trend - the stiletto nail. The oh so fabulous, glamorous, luxurious stiletto nail. I am obsessed.

Some may say they're too long, too 'claw like', but my oh my, you cannot argue their wow factor. First brought to our attention by the beautiful Lana Del Rey, they are now backed by the queens of pop fashion; Rihanna, Gaga and Beyonce. It is time to say goodbye to square, squoval, and round nails, and in their place welcome the new 'it' nail.

Take a look, then run to the nearest nail salon.

08/04/13

worn to a family dinner.

jumper - vintage (knitted by my great gran)

trousers - H&M - £15.00

shirt - Urban Outfitters - £35

shoes - New Look - £25 (I think)

crystal ring - Topshop - £8

chain bracelet - Rokit Vintage - £5

all other jewellery - my gran's and great gran's

love the combination of the hard and soft between the jumper and the trousers. jewellery is the key to this outfit. never be afraid to mix and match with silver and gold - I think it adds to the vintage style wearing an outfit like this. I think chains are so great with a plain shirt, they instantly make an outfit a little more exciting. this ring from topshop is my new favourite, have hardly taken it off since i bought it. excuse the scuffs on these shoes, they have been well loved! 

to tell you the truth, I wouldn't recommend these trousers from h&m. this material and an elasticated waist do not get along.. resulting in a particularly odd looking crotch. I never wear these without a top that covers it. it's definitely worth investing in a good pair of leather trousers if you have the money, but if you're skint like me these are a reasonable alternative.

hope everyone's having a good holiday.

Dx

My Obscure Obsession

Multi coloured fur jackets, neon tie dye maxi skirts and a hint of rainbow coloured pony; it could only come from one place - the magic that is, Obscure Couture.

A pink, bejewelled chandelier hangs from the studio ceiling, party streamers still dangling from it's arms from their opening night's party. Rolls upon rolls of fabric flood the top floor - rainbow fur and tie dye, silver pleather, masses of baby pink tulle. Every inch of the walls are covered with notes, pictures, glitter, studs, and skulls. There's not a hint of conventionality about the place - nor about Lyndsay Pagan and Jenn Coyle (the designers and company owners) - nor their brand. They are about being exactly who you are, about having fun with clothes, and raising eyebrows when you walk down the street. 

The company is split into two branches; couture and ready to wear. Being a sucker for couture anything, this is the side that really has me in awe of them. They showed me that couture gowns don't have to be worked on by 50 pairs of hands to be beautiful. Their ready to wear is for the types of girls that they both are; fun, exciting, ridiculously stylish and a just little bit mental.

Their A/W 12 collection, 'The Lithium Party': "Set over a 24 hour period of debauchery, the Lithium party explores the intricate and muddled mindset of a beautiful mess. a blurred vision disrupted by jittered, juddering fLashes of sparkLing glitter, the sumptuous feel of luxury and the glint of traiLed metaLs. Look through the bloodshot eyes of youth - off the rails and out of their minds."

Take a look at the fashion film they made for 'The Lithium Party' to see what I'm blabbing on about. Click below to experience the magic for yourself.

THE LITHIUM PARTY

Could they BE any more amazing?!?! SO MUCH OBSCURE COUTURE LOVING! 

Anyway, enough of my chatting. Just want to say a massive thank you to Jenn and Lyndsay for rubbing some of their unbelievable creativity off on me and for giving me the best work experience imaginable! Love you ladies.

D  x

(also, if you're loving all of these clothes like I am, head on over to asos marketplace to get your hands on some of these gems before they are sold out)

Nailed It

Rainbow leopard print, neon aztecs, and holographic houndstooth. Sound a little scary? Then keep on reading.

If you're like me and tend to stick comfortably to the dark end of the colour spectrum (I blame it on the Scottish weather), then the mere thought of neon or rainbow anything will have you running in the opposite direction. However, a new phenomenon has hit the streets, and I have well and truly jumped on the band wagon. Nail art is my new favourite thing.

Intricate patterns of every style and colour are now ten minute jobs thanks to brands like Models Own teaming up with nail art professionals 'WAH nails' to create the 'nail art pen', which conveniently comes in many, many different colours. All you need is a base colour (or two), a nail art pen and a steady hand and you're good to go.

Instagram, Tumblr and countless other photo/blogging sites make for the perfect places for nail-spiration. Take a look at patterns of wallpapers, fabrics or animals to get some top ideas... Or you could do what I do and just hit up the WAH nails website and copy theirs.

Nail art is the perfect way to add some excitement into your oh so dreary winter closet, and I am most definitely a fan! Here are some of my favourite styles by WAH nails, along with some of my attempts. Enjoy!

D x

Alexander McQueen

It seems only right that I write my first blog post in honour of the wonderful Alexander McQueen. Idol doesn't seem like a strong enough word.. He i
s, quite simply, artistic genius, and I couldn't be any more infatuated by his work. His clothes aren't just clothes, they are pieces of art that capture an idea and display it in the most beautiful way possible.

There is something about the depth of his pieces that evokes every sort of emotion, from pain and heartache to surprise and wonder. In a fashion industry obsessed with the trends of each season, Alexander McQueen's work is a breath of fresh air in the way his collections aren't just a transition from S/S to A/W, they are an idea; the reversal of evolution, the history of Scotland, the cruelty of nature, death.

He has revolutionised the meaning of 'fashion'. His work was about questioning what our society perceives as beautiful and empowering women, rather than showing them what colours and patterns they should be wearing for spring.

Don't get me wrong, I love fashion, I mean I really, really love it. But Alexander McQueen's approach to it has captured my imagination and filled me with a creativity and passion I didn't even know I had.

And not forgetting the brilliant Sarah Burton who has taken over as head designer.