chitty chitty bang bang

The fires burning away, my mum’s cooking chicken that smells delicious now but will more than likely taste quite the opposite later, and I'm home until the almost knee-deep snow thaws to let me escape down the hill.
I'm stuck on the couch (yet again) watching chitty chitty bang bang in my oversized grandad-style jumper that I bought a few weeks ago. Anybody else still petrified of the child catcher? 
I did manage to build an impressive snowman with Liam & Flick. As well as quickly discovering you can only be so stylish when it's -1345 degrees outside, I’m not really one for the cold.
Anyway, I'll leave you on a happy Sunday note with a few snaps of my day. Luckily for you there’s none of me dressed in my shocking snow attire. 

Be Happy
xx

Lanvin turns highstreet

H&M have arrived again with another opportunity for the everyday girl to grab a taste of something with a little more excitement in one of their 200 selected stores worldwide. The first woman waited outside H&M on Regent Street at 10pm on Monday just for a single Lanvin for H&M dress for her daughter, pretty impressive dedication on behalf of the mother. The preview of the collection held few days ago in New York was a quirky affair with a poodle & Pixie Geldof gracing the runway as names such as Vivienne Westwood looked on. A collection of playful pieces, perfect for the party season and in my opinion, quite Carrie Bradshaw-esque. Cocktail dresses, jewellery, and lipstick all available at just a fraction of the Lanvin price. The creative director Alber Elbaz entered the project expecting 4-5 meetings but instead endured 40-50 and reckons that this collection isn’t just an expensive H&M piece but a bargain of Lanvin. Hot on H&M’s Lanvin heels are Gap who have collaborated with Valentino to be revealed this Saturday in the London flagship store – but that doesn’t have quite the same spark if you ask me.

Have a nice day

xx

genius

There aren’t enough words for how much I would love to sit front row at a fashion show, preferably not one show casing New look & Dorothy Perkins for the local guides in a hall that’s also used for five-a-sides and gymnastics.

Chanel however, is a different story. Paris Fashion week in 2008 saw Karl Lagerfeld mount a carousel filled with over sized Chanel classics from quilted bags to pearls. I’m almost sure that at that point all I knew of Chanel was that Lauren Conrad was always wearing nice expensive bags by Chanel on that new program & she was pretty cool working for teen vogue so surely Chanel is just cool in general? Then my oldest brother let me in on the secret that vogue was a good magazine to read if I really liked fashion. And so the fascination began. The magic of incorporating an up and down runway with a carousel... Who ever came up with that had a pretty decent imagination. Spring Summer 10 pulled an equally exciting show described by vogue: “Chanel’s version of a roll in the hay was a pretty stylish affair.” A catwalk turned barn saw Lily Allen rise from under the ground to sing in the middle of it all. If Prince is impressed, I’m sure I can be too.

love jane.

xx

back to the 90's

Before I begin I would just like to stress that my Sundays aren't always spent entirely glued to my couch with poor tv & cheesy films although I am partial to a Sunday splodge. 

During my Julia Roberts movie marathon, runaway bride got me thinking. Not just about how I find Richard Gere really quite creepy but more about the revival of the 90's. Don't let the fact I was only 5 in 1999 suggest I have no recollection of what I was wearing.. I was a big fan of getting my mum to put my hair in "twists" and regularly longed to wear strappy, sparkly, kitten heels that could make a clip-clop noise. Not forgetting sporty spice and her green shell suit.
Although other trends such as combat boots, flannel shirts & dark lips have so far made a successful comeback in the noughties. Kicking about a lot at the moment is velvet: leggings, dresses and Tesco even went as far as velvet underwear. As well as velvet, leather is back. Maybe this time Posh will work the trend a little better & Becks won't step out matching her like they did in 1999.

Here's hoping Monday won't come too quick
xx

Some people are born with patience. I was not one of those people.
 When it comes to charity, vintage, TK Maxx & big sales I lack the tolerance to deal with rude people barging past me as I trip up over fallen & trampled over garments and have Liam look at me as if I’m forcing him to climb Mount Everest with me on his back (quick tip: sweets, pro plus and head phones can momentarily wipe the look.)
Or the times where you impulse buy because everybody has been talking about how great a certain shop is and you would feel like a great tragedy if you didn’t find anything – even though it is guaranteed to lie in the back of the wardrobe gathering dust & eventually wind up in a charity shop. Yet one of the most frustrating things is hearing a girl telling you her amazing blazer is vintage and her skirt is from her local charity shop – you just know she’s thrilled it isn’t Urban Outfitters for you to copy. I would like to note that the vintage section in the oxford street Topshop does not count – it doesn’t require nearly the same raking skills. So I'm now going to spend the next hour stalking vintage shops & somebody to drag along with me; it seems a better alternative to reading about subject and mandatory committee’s in the Scottish Parliament.



Have a nice day


xx

a touch of hidden inspiration

In an institutionalised all girls’ boarding school where more than one earring in your lobe is unacceptable & any form of nail varnish or make up is totally forbidden, it’s a struggle finding stylish inspiration. Particularly when I should be focusing on my highers which I hope will result in A’s and not just weight gain and stress. But amidst immature rumours and catty arguments, the kindest and sweetest woman accidently inspired me with her mid length skirt. I don’t think our librarian deliberately hopped on board the trend but then again some things are better when you don’t try. The skirt that doesn’t require you to bare your poorly and often patchy fake tanned legs, leaving more to the imagination – oozing feminine elegance.  The recommendation for the lady-like trend seems to combine  a full mid length skirt with a heel. Big names daring to drop their hemline include Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Alexa Chung, Blake Lively & Sarah Jessica Parker to name but a few. The hunt for a flattering 'midi' has begun, when I’m brave enough to wear it out is a different matter.. 

happy wednesday!

kate moss & her final topshop collection

Spotted by an agent in JFK, a handful of Kate Moss’s famous campaigns include Calvin Klein, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Versace as well as gracing the cover of 300 magazine covers from Vogue to Vanity Fair. Not to mention appearing in videos for the white stripes, primal scream and Johnny cash. Four years ago she turned to fashion design for Topshop. And now the final Kate Moss collection is here. 14 have past with a few favourite pieces from previous collections back for one last time. Described by Topshop as “70’s inspired looks, luxurious limited edition evening dresses & girly underwear... that will set your heart aflutter” but it’s not the complete end, (none of your take that breakup sobbing malarkey) just the end to her mainline collection. Personally I’m a fan of the silk embroidered cape and the sequin poncho dress. For the reveal of the new collection Kate didn’t disappoint in a black/glittery jumpsuit with a plunging neckline, red lips and her tousled blonde hair that never fails to look less than perfect. You couldn’t expect less from her.



Ps. Anybody that calls Philip Green “uncle Phil” was clearly born with too much luck.

joan rivers and her fashion police

If you’re close to me you’ll be more than aware of my poor and trashy choice in TV. So as I was waiting on the next episode of keeping up with the kardashian’s I sat through a few minutes of pain. E!’s fashion opinion comes in the form of Joan Rivers who is hilarious and brutal: “why don’t they hold fashion week during Ramadan so they can all starve together.” but personally she’s just not up there in style icons and her opinion isn’t too hot either. Then she ripped into Blake Lively.  When she graces the pages of best dressed so often, doesn’t have a stylist and was better dressed than the whole of the panel judging her – I was seconds from changing the channel. Dressed in Vivienne Westwood teamed with Chanel boots and a tan belt straight off the runway.  It wasn’t one of her finest moments but they were slating her as if she was Janet Jackson on serious wardrobe malfunction day.  Can you tell I’m not a fan?  

Tibi

For those who read Grazia you'll have noticed Tibi, dubbed by them as "the new label to watch". The cast of gossip girl and Olivia Palermo have all been seen wearing the New York based label. After a perv at their collection I spotted some pretty hot smudgey print dresses, cute beaded shorts and loads of nice shapes. Admittedly net-a-porter seems to have picked the best bits but on tibi's site there is loads to feast your eyes on. Next time you feel like getting distracted & you already know the intire topshop collection inside out then pop tibi into google.

I'd also like to big up ITV2 for that golden session of the only way is essex they just provided. Nanny Pat & Amy's cousin make great tv on a Sunday

xx

silly degrees outside

Even though Scotland’s version of winter is more iced grounds, torrential rain, gale force winds and a thousand miles away from the romanticised version I have in my head - I’m still keen to get my vintage fur coat out that I bought last year for peanuts. I’d also like to add that my wardrobes too petite to fit my coat in so it lives in my mum’s wardrobe most of the year. But there’s the dilemma of dressing too cold or too hot. Last weekend Laura and I were quick to rediscover that shops in Glasgow have working heating systems but of course by that point we’d already made the dress-too-hot mistake. The stress of sweating while trying on handfuls of clothes is just hassle. Especially when you throw in your own bag filled with essentials that arent actually essential, alongside a few new purchases. Shopping aside, fur coats and any of the other on-trend A/W coats are perfect for any wintery occasion. Particularly when you live in Scotland.


Until the next time 


xx

Alexa

A couple of years ago it seemed acceptable in my naivety to think that at the tender age of 16 a mulberry would be the perfect gift for me (I think mtv & the brats they showcase could be linked).  Admittedly at that point, I was more interested in owning a mulberry and less interested in what the bag actually looked like. Then the Alexa arrived – inspired by the beautiful and effortlessly chic Alexa Chung. Oversized in oak soft buffalo is enough to make you dribble a little bit over the keyboard. Surely a more than worthy investment? If only my mother & her credit card understood...   

In other news the power went back on at school and im now back safe and sound in the convent till 4:10pm, I got the impression my teachers weren't overly thrilled at my skive yesterday. 

Have a nice day x

power cut

Spending a day in a freezing building with no heating or electricity didnt seem like it would hold a great deal of educational value so i opted for the day at home promising myself i'd do loads of work... but i havent opened a book. Partly because im lazy & have little motivation for writing to an imaginary pen pal in German and partly because i've been so engrossed in fashion blogs i've tripped over in the last few days!
This months vogue is also waiting for my undivided attention after i get back from walking Flick (my adorable fat chocolate lab).

Happy Tuesday

xx