Long-awaited trip to WAH

The day before my birthday, my fashion partner-in-crime Lucy and myself

Dress - vintage. Cardigan - Uniqlo. Ring - Topshop. Necklace - Tiffany. Bird - from Vintage at Southbank. He's called Marvin.

ransacked first Patisserie Valerie, then Oxford Street for fashion finds. The highlight of the day was our long-awaited trip to WAH nails in Topshop, planned since March. I, of course, got terribly excited and became filled with paralysing indecision, resulting in slightly schizophrenic nails. I felt they were saved from chaos by their overriding colour scheme, but not everyone agreed.

They lasted for over a week, which for me is a record breaking achievement. I added a seche vite topcoat  in addition to the one WAH used, in order to protect my investment, which seemed to work rather well at preserving them.

All i have to do now is find some way to fund my new addiction for gorgeous, expensive, manicures...

100 years of fashion in 100 seconds

I love nail jewels and and and

and i love Gaga. And her new album was out yesterday. And my uni essays are finally done, dusted and handed in so i have time to kill. All of these fronted conjunctions add up to....

GAGA NAILS

Please do let me explain them. On the left thumb is a lightning bolt of nails jewels, obviously Gaga's symbol. On the right is a cross - from the single 'Judas', mostly because it's easy to create out of small fake diamonds. Shown here in close up:

I apologise for the gnaw marks surrounding my nail; blame the essays.

On each forefinger is 'Ga'.

On the second finger is a piano with glitter, as she is so amazing at the piano. On both ring fingers is a silver base coat covered with jewels. This is to represent both 'The monster ball' and a disco ball, as well as the Mcqueen Armadillo shoes she wears in the 'Bad romance' video. On each little finger is a different coloured glittery eyeshadow, because i love glitter and she wears a lot of glittery makeup. But mostly because i love glitter lots and lots.

So now i've revealed just how much free time i have at the moment and how much i JUST LOVE GAGA.

Love,
A little monster xxx

Monday night nails

So i tried to achieve this:

And it turned out thus:

Which i am fairly enamoured with! I do wish my nails weren't quite so short but they're so brittle they snap majorly if i let them grow. This was the first time i've tried out a new dotting technique which Gem Fatale so kindly enlightened me with her wonderful Tuesday Tip. I used a pencil tip dipped in polish for both the flower petals and the yellow centres. Pretty happy with the results! This design will definitely be going on the 'to do again' list.

Caught in the form of limitation / between un-being and being. Sudden in a shaft of sunlight / even while the dust moves.

This is what i wore today, Easter Sunday. I'm not religious (though i appreciate the music) and i don't even like chocolate that much so Easter doesn't hold any massive significance for me but i'm still quite fond of it as a holiday, synonymous as it is with lambs, buns, rabbits etc. Indeed a few days ago i showed my appreciation for Easter by consuming no less than four hot cross buns within a short space of time. It's a happy day! Which makes me happy. Also, it's been sunny every day this past week which has upped my previously deprived vitamin D quota, warming me up from the inside too!

This is what i wore today. There are more photos than i'd normally post but that's because a) i coerced someone into taking them for me rather than balancing the camera on a pile of books so i took advantage of it and b) sunshine and flowers are just too good not to photograph!

Dress - Ebay. Belt - House of Holland for Debenhams. Shoes - Pierre Hardy for Gap via Ebay.

I was trying to get an action shot of my skirt swirling out around me but sadly it was a bit short for that. I like the way the pattern got slightly blurred though. Spinning round and round in circles used to be a favourite activity of mine when i was 5 but here it just made me feel slightly sick..i suspect the large lunch i'd just polished off played a part in that!

My pink hair has faded so much! Can't remember if i've written about my hair on here or not...essentially i got bored and decided to jump on the bandwagon of the dip-dying brigade, so i dyed the ends of my hair with semi-permanent pink dye and some clingfilm. I'm getting my hair re-blondified next week anyway to get rid of the not-small amount of roots so it'll be gone completely soon. I wouldn't rule out doing it again though, i've grown quite attached!

 My feet and some daisies. To do this summer: make myself a daisy chain tiara.

 I mentioned previously that i'm not a massive chocolate fan, so these are my easter eggs! I normally get nail varnish but these were also extremely welcome. I haven't had a chance to peruse them throughly enough for my liking yet because i'm trying desperately and not completely successfully to write an essay, but when i do i'll photograph the best pages and post them. I am a HUGE Tim Walker Fangirl so am rawwther excited about the whole thing.

So that's been my Easter! I have intentions of watching Hamlet later; it was broadcast two (i think?) Christmases ago and have only just got round to intending to watch it! It's the National Theatre's production with David Tennant and the real skull which i actually saw in January with Rory Kinnear instead of Tennant. I do need to read it for my course before returning to uni soon so i do have a legitimate reason, but to be honest anything with Davey T in catches my attention. Shakespeare and David, how can that combination get any better?!

So i shall love you and leave you. I hope everyone is fulfilling the usual Easter prophecy of stuffing yourself silly with chocolate in the afternoon sun. Have fun!

I want a robot elephant as a pet. He could live in my garden and i would feed him bananas.

(notes on) biology from ornana films on Vimeo.

Procrastination

No words needed, really. 90s era plaits in my hair, i wore those to school regularly in Year Two or something. I might wear this makeup out with purpley lipstick and try and scare people.

In which I make a confession.

The set: A dusty hall, lit by rays of sunlight falling through high windows. A circle of flamboyantly dressed people sit surrounding a dowdy leader in the centre of the group.

Leader of group: "Welcome, Alice, to this week's meeting. Would you like to introduce yourself?"

Alice: (Stands up, gulps nervously) Erm, okay. Okay. So...my name's Alice. And I'm...I'm addicted to (with a visible effort)...playsuits. Yes, playsuits! I just can't stop buying them! Every time i catch a glimpse of those distinctive shorts and irresistible silhouette, my heart just goes wild! I can't control it! Floral, spotted, striped, anything to feed the addiction! (She sits down heavily, drained. Dutiful applause from members of the circle).

Leader of group: Excellent, excellent. Thank you for sharing that difficult piece of information with us, Alice. Next...Lisa, how are you finding your struggle with sunglasses?

Scene fades out.

You've caught me. I'm trapped like a fly on a flyswat. The outcome of the aforementioned Vintage Fair? Not one, not two, not even three but yes, readers, FOUR playsuits. If even i think this is a little excessive, i dread to think what normal, non-playsuit obsessed individuals would make of this.

They are all gorgeous though, of course. 

This one came with a matching sun cover up shirt. Think i might wear this separately though.

Oh, and i bought a long skirt. With such a fetching pattern i thought it deserved a close up:

Mmm. I could just eat them all up. The other one i bought (don't pretend you weren't counting them with growing incredulity) had already gone in the wash when i took the photos, but the skirt/shorts and top are separate with red and white pinstripes.

On my busy, busy Sunday, i also took in the light afternoon entertainment of Frankenstein in the National Theatre. Bloody hell it was good. And not only because it involved a fully naked Benedict Cumberbatch, though that was a definite advantage. I studied it at uni last term and although it missed some elements of the novel e.g. the story-within-a-story aspect, as a piece of theatre it was truly excellent. I'd recommend you go and see it but i'm pretty sure it's sold out...

I'll leave you with this as a parting gift.

Almost as good as the playsuits, don't you agree?

Go team go go

You know what's been annoying me lately so much i've been considering turning my back and blocking my ears?

 The Varsity trend. It's so American it needs its own Capital Letter. Smug.

I don't

it, exactly. It's just...okay. I'll talk to you properly. Let me turn round.

Jacket - Ebay. Sweatshirt - stolen from a male friend, i think Primark. Jeans - Urban Outfitters.  Shoes - Doc Martins.  Headphones - RP-HTX7 via Amazon. Grumpy grimace - all mine, baby, all mine.

 See this jacket? I got it from Ebay this time last year. It's an actual Canada Roots jacket, no fake cheap nasty polyester impostor imitation. I wore it consistently throughout the summer and autumn, and it's only now the American trend has started to catch on. This has decreased my

for said jacket. I guess what i'm moaning about is how when trends come to fruition, the people either who were ahead of it or just bought the damn jacket because they like the colour and warmth it provided, look like mindless copycats. Sigh sigh. I'm tempted to hide the jacket at the back of my wardrobe until next autumn when it will have gone off trend again.

What i'm not showing here is the super-sexy pair of calf length white socks with stripes at the top. Bet you're sad you missed those.

Tomorrow i'm off to a vintage fair. Yay, an opportunity to spend more of my limited student budget! I'll be sure to show you the results of my efforts...

I'm still here

Everything here is vintage.

From a vintage fair i went to on Sunday. Spent four hours there, heavenly. Sunglasses were a fiver, couldn't quite believe my luck. I'll be back soon.

After my spate of actually posting over christmas, i am determined to keep going. BUT sadly i have much, much work to do this week so will be back in a week or so! In the meantime, consider these amazing sunglasses...

From the film Lolita. Which was less creepy than i expected, and lolita herself had a pretty rad wardrobe. Ebay searching time i think. 

And you should also watch this film http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC0vb9XDz38. 

Back soon!

The snake is on legs

Wore this yesterday in London. The dress was one of my christmas presents, it's vintage and silk and from Ebay. It was raining pretty hard and i was slightly worried about ruining my shoes, but turns out they were just the right height to keep my feet protected and dry from the puddles. I think this is an effect of wearing platforms that should be more widely publicised, personally.

Dress - vintage. Jacket - Jack Wills (urgh, i know, but it's actually quite nice).

Tights - Primark. Socks - American Apparel. Shoes - Pierre Hardy for Gap via Ebay. 

Belt - HOH! for Debenhams. Bow on jacket - hair bow from Primark.

I've somehow managed to look completely gormless in this picture, and like i'm wearing a back brace in the next one. I was going for a Spank-sy vibe but with slightly more edge, and i think it worked. I'll definitely wear this again at some point.

How is it i can not manage to take a pic where i look normal?! Also i apologise for the terrible quality; these are taken on my iphone mostly because i'm far too lazy to use an actual, proper camera because that would involve leads and shit so let's not go there. Way too much effort. I'll ignore the fact you can't actually see the outfit very well for now.

I look inherently evil in this. Sorry. It was supposed to show my hair clip, which apparently my godmother gave me when i was three. Good to know i'm still getting use out of it! I attempted something different with my hair (well, different for me..) - i twisted some of it until it kinked up on itself and then pinned it in a twist. Radical for me, truly. I NEVER do anything with my hair.

This isn't relevant, i saw it in London, but..it's a snake. On legs. On LEGS. Do you understand how amusing i found this at the time? Much laughter was had, let me tell you. Much, much amusement was gained from this simple picture.


More posts coming soon! I've got some photos lined up already, get my organisational skills.

How the days fly by

I've only just realised quite how long i've been (failing at) blogging for - my first post was November 13th 2009!! Nearly a year and two months; does that count as a toddler yet?
My failure to notice this just shows how much attention i don't pay. You know what i need to do? THIS is what i need to do.

I also need to get back to doing this with the work i'm wrestling with. Laters folks.

Just thought I'd drop in

So I'm still alive. No, really.

I have no excuse whatsoever for not posting, except that I love uni a lot a lot and I spend far, far too much time getting very drunk on cheap vodka, wearing flats for nights out - shudder! what has become of you? - and watching Gossip Girl online.

Plus quite a lot of my friends think fashion is vacuous and a bit silly, so I've been trying to appear mathematical and serious for at least some of the time. Not sure who I'm trying to kid as this is what i love so I'll just give up and embrace my shallow nature!

Here is me. I have been, at various times:

1) An Adam-Ant-esque smurf.

2) Covered in glitter. Nightmare to get off, i recommend a dry toothbrush. Ouchy though.

3) A creepy doll. I did this for halloween and when i first checked it in the mirror i actually did make myself jump, just slightly.

So essentially, i've been having a ball. One of my new year's resolution (though i don't really want to call it that), sooo, one of my 'good intentions' is to wear whatever I want to wear, fuck anyone else. Especially when going out, i feel like i'm stuck in a rut clothes-wise. Obviously i don't want to change too drastically, just..keep things fresh. I've got enough clothes after all! I'm also going to start writing for the fashion section of the uni paper, hopefully.

I do honestly intend to post more regularly, even if it's just pictures. I must admit, when i'm home at uni raawwwther a lot of time is spent wearing hoodies and furry socks. But i'm cool with that. As we long ago established, i can be (read: i am) quite lazy. Hey, i'm a student! We're allowed to be, right?!

So, we will speak again soon. Very soon, my precious...