"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different" -Coco Chanel





Monday 27 September 2010

Last of the Summer Fayre's find

At Victoria Hall just off Bethnal Green Road was the bi-annual 'Bust' fashion fair for young designers. Its a great place for unique jewelery, custom-made clothes & vintage finds & includes a bar & a tea room with delish cakes and pretty ladies dressed in forties fashion that serve you. The themed dj's played 90s old skool pop that you remember dancing to at school discos - those were the days!
Anyway, back to the task at hand, these are the designers that caught my eye:
 http://www.dotyourteas.com/home.html  young designer of whom I bought a customised retro Adidas tee complete with shoulderpads & gold studs - bargain at £15!

http://www.madebymememe.com/index.htm 'Mememe' - beautifully made porcelain and silver jewlery - in ice cream shades, a piece fromthere will be perfect for next Spring / Summer 2011!
Sign up to Bustmagazine's website for info on the Christmas Bazaar!

Pushing the boundaries

I ran into this store under cover from the rain & WOW I picked the right shop to do so. Just off Carnaby street in Fouberts Place, this 2 floored shop boasts collections from a range of new cutting edge designers. All pieces are hand-made & one-offs at great prices! Ideal for that last minute impulse that actually won't be regretted in the long term.
shirts
directional designs
Worldwide Shipping
Visit http://www.aquabyaqua.com/ for more info & check out the online shop!

Bassheads buy this!

This song has been making big moves in the underground rave seen. Released today its had interest on Rinse FM, Radio 1 & been requested for by the likes of Shy FX.




From producer Kashmir Kid his debut takes influence from his ancesteral background mixed with deep urban beats. An undiscovered talent thats finally been found!

Sunday 25 July 2010

Charlotte Olympia - I love thee!




Full name Charlotte Olympia Dellal - yes the other sister is model Alice, this sister is a shoemaker & my god they're amazing pieces of perfection! Inspired by 40s & 50s glamour, these are statement shoes with an added unique quirkiness that I know were meant for me, (especially the piano shoes!)...I'll add these & the rest of her collection to my wishlist.




Saturday 24 July 2010

Cee-lo excitement


Yes its a cover, but its a damn good cover. I LOVE the video/mini-movie...
Mr. Cee-lo, I am SO looking forward to the upcoming album.........
In the meantime, american road trip anyone?



Obligatory for all fashionistas! MMM Celebrating 20years



Go & see 20 years of Maison Martin Margiela & how this still very fresh , new brand has taken on the world of fashion & continues its ground-breaking ideas of fashion, beauty & design. On at Somerset House, London until Sept 5th!

Kitsch new fun pop! BANG BANG BANG

Damn how I wish I was a close friend of Marc Ronson, but as I'm not P-Diddy, theres a slim chance of that happening (slim but not a zero). The man always comes up with awesome new, fun ways of making music collaborations and this doesn't disappoint! Geeky Barbi, I want your glasses...
Q-Tips back in the game!



Kele's -The Boxer


I know I'm late on the review but I bought this album a few weeks ago thinking, "something ex-Bloc Party will be good!" & couldn't put it down for the catchy bass lines kept me listening. However, besides Kele's distinctive 'shout' its clear that it wouldn't be placed in the same genre as Bloc Party in a record shop. Kele seems desperate to get rid of any indie association he ever had and jump straight into electronica.
I liked the melodies & the way the different drum beats & synths were used but sometimes wished he wasn't 'singing' over them, like in 'Walk Tall' - where its obvious he's stamping on the face of all things Bloc Party - I just want to hear the bass kick in with none of the yelling, sorry, singing. I know, I know, that's just the way he sounds but at that point I thought it was unnecessary.
I wouldn't have chosen Tendoroni as the 1st single either, not so 'visionary electronica' as he's been PR'd to be, more unoriginal pop- its the video, it cheapens the song (black swirly lights, girls dancing around in kylie-esque dance outfits - not so sleek). Hmm, so all in all, its mixed feelings on the album, at first glance I liked it, turned up loud and appreciating the bass but I'll just try not to watch anymore videos for his upcoming songs! I reckon this will be a great album for remixes (hello you dubstep dj's out there?!) ...and the Bloc Party diss, I mean sure, feel proud of your new stuff but don't hate, they made you Kele!

Tuesday 23 March 2010

Simple, thought provoking music - Laura Marling

Representing for UK music, more of a folk sound than Florence, but I think the similarity to Florence first attracted me to her. Soft, airy yet strong voice with a really cool relaxed sound that could capture you into a dream-like state on a Summer's afternoon. I loved the haunting sound of her voice, particularly in a song 'Night Terror'  taken from the 'My Manic & I' EP (definately worth a listen!!). Her much more publicised new album "I speak because I can" sounds less Florence-esque, more mature and I guess she's 'grown into' her voice a little more. "Devil's Spoke" is the new song off the album -  you can imagine being in a country barn dance or at a remote festival, lol, v.catchy. However you guys can Youtube that song, here's the haunting 'Night Terror'.



Modern music Icon - Ebony Bones

So I was watching a PR video at work & loved the song playing in the background and decided to search out more music on the artist - which happened to be Ebony Bones.
OMG, I cannot believe I haven't come across her music before!! I don't want to compare her but if I had to she's like a London Lady Gaga. Her style is amazingly mad & I can't fault any of her songs. Theres a really cool urban sound to these catchy tracks, be it the bass line, drums or synthesized sounds, if I was an artist, she'd be my muse. The lyrics are clever, hilarious and blunt - just how I like them. Her voice shares these lyrics perfectly with a cutting London accent.  Here's the song I heard that made me look her up:



Definately want to see her live - apparently she's fab!
Download the album: Bones of my bones

Tuesday 9 March 2010

*Vintage Marie Claire*

Well I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Vintage Marie Claire from 1940s!!
Below are a few fab select pages from the Winter issue. Enjoy!

Front Cover
Fab French Ads
Something warm for him...
Beautiful hat & fur combo for her!
And intricately illustrated fashionwear to keep warm in Winter

Monday 8 March 2010

A new home for Lazy Oaf

Quirky fashion label in the shape of fun cartoon characters with a love of old skool wit, has moved out of Kingley Court in Carnaby Street just around the corner to Fouberts Place in a opening night called "We like to move it! Move it!".
So the Easties & I thought we'd pop down after work to show support to our friend & check out the cute graphic-print greatness that is Lazy Oaf, only to be greeted with a queue out the door & around the corner. It was then decided time to call upon dear Jerry to let us in! So, on ramming ourselves through the door, we shuffled our way amongst the other sardines (journalists, bloggers and stylists alike) & were offered a thirst quenching bottle of forest fruits cider, delish! Famished & sweating jelly beans from the earlier crowd  giveaway, we got a sneek preview of all things cute & colourful.
We liked to move it move it, in fact we loved it, the goodie bags were fab & i'll definately be buying something from the new collection, i'm thinking the pair of eyes necklace.. check it out below!
Fred Butler!-->

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Wahey! Wah nails comes to Topshop!!

In the run up to LFW, whether you're going to the shows or just hitting the shops, get fab and funky customised nails as Wah Nails hits Topshop!
The amazing nails boutique hailing from Dalston that the Christopher Kane models are going mad over:
You can actually bring a moodboard of a designers collection along for inspiration & the nail artist will create nail art individual to you!
My personal fave is leopard, though the nautical strips with a dash of red polkadots is also quite tempting...I could go all out mad & alternate each finger??! Then again maybe not.

Book now below & go experiment at topshop@wah-nails.com

Transfer a bit of Chanel onto your body!

Taken straight from their Spring/Summer catwalk collection, Chanel are offering a tattoo service exclusive to Selfridges stores! All the fashionistas out there ready for their next temporary fashion fix will find that luckily it is ofcourse that, temporary.


The tattoos look fab as a necklace on your decolletage or as seen above as a cute garter (perhaps if we lived somewhere hot). I'm geting myself on the list but staying safe, sticking to the neckline or arm for one of these.

One to watch: Rox

I'm one for supporting homegrown, UK talent & love Rox's musical style. A singer from South London, shes a cross between Corinne Bailey Rae & Lilly Allen (in my opinion) her records are catchy-check 'I don't believe' below, damn cool (in the form of 'Distant Dreams') & just true to life.




Definately good tunes for the coming summer in the pub/park etc.

Saturday 13 February 2010

YSL takes it to the streets

The 6th edition of the YSL Maifesto is coming to London next weekend! Throughout fashion weeks worldwide this February, YSL has launched their Spring/Summer collection publication - its Manifesto. Under the creative direction of Stephano Pilatti - their chief in-house designer, Innes van Landsveerde & Vinoodh Matadin photograph the gorgous Natalie Vodianova (love her!), the face of the campaign.
Check out the sneeky peak video in all its fashion drama below.
Thanking you, YSL for using Florence & the the Machine music.



Anyway, the point is, 2,000 are being given out around London town next weekend with what I really want from this...the limited edition strawberry canvas bag, the reason to go on the hunt!


I should really keep this to myself if I want a chance of one of them but visit http://www.yslmanifesto.com/ to find out where to go.

Good Luck!

Monday 1 February 2010

Hello Maam!


Ok so it looks like a bra & is advertised in the 'lingerie' section but I like to think of it as an 'outer-bra'.
Pretty, feminine, and bright on a dreary, dark morning (notably Mondays, the start of the working week). Worn OVER a tee (for play), or sheer blouse (for office), though peaking through under a blouse could be a good look. Either way you decide, think of yourself as the naughty librarian, no ounce of flesh on show, just a hint to frivolity!
Librarian chic hear I come! And at only £20 (Urbanoutfitters.com), I'm keeping the faith, the Alexa bag fund will not be broken into!

Welcome! Salut! Mushi Mushi!

Welcome to my blog! After months of contemplating and indecisiveness, it really was as simple as just having the time to sort it all out. An amalgation of fashion & music - the two crazy clashes in my life that have made me so indecisive in career choices that i'm hoping this will satisfy my love of the two, blur the boundaries & encourage me to experiment with both industires more!
Enough of the rant, enjoy!

xxx