Vintage French

Flicking through an edition of Vogue Knitting from 1991 - it reminds us that vintage inspired fashions aren't a new trend, as everything they go round in cycles. Vogue took the fashions back to Paris - and while patterns and the images themselves are over 20 years old - like the curls and the locations they are timeless. Oh and the whole tights under shorts - clearly not a new trend either!

Holding on to Lies to Make the Truth

Band tees are great to be lazy in, granted they aren't the most flattering of clothing items but I love wearing my favourite bands on my back. I use to have loads of band tees that I'd picked up at gigs from The Paddingtons, Razorlight to Trivium but many either got worn out or left back in the UK [I regret leaving my original Trivium tee]. Luckily I can grab at Joe's collection like this Pink Floyd tee - perfect to laze in on a summer day in shorts.  

Musics always been an important part of my life, I read NME religious followed by Metal Hammer. I've grown out of my teenage ways of thinking you can only like one type of music - I love everything from the Backstreet Boys to Maximo Park to Trivium but my heart will always be in the heavier side of rock. In three weeks we get to see System of a Down - who'll probably be the biggest band I've ever seen and one I've longed to see for a while. It's outside too. OMG it's going to be so great!

 Source

One of the blogs I can't stop reading lately is Kiichi - granted it's by the guy that heads Trivium Matt Heafy, but I'd probably be following it regardless. His blog captures the places they go on tour just as any tourist would, with the people they meet and authentic foods they taste and as a reader I get to travel and explore through his daily photographs. Kiichi is certainly worth a view even if you don't like their music.

Littlewoods guest post - summer 2012

 Today I have a guest post for you provided by Littlewoods.com - although summer on either side of the pond has been complete polar opposites with the American heatwave and the English monsoon, fashion still has an important part to play.

Update Your Summer Essentials For 2012

If you want to give your summer clothing a fashion-forward twist then read our guide and discover how to update your summer essentials for 2012.

The sundress

This year the catwalks saw a wild array of clashing prints and fabrics. Choose a sundress that will nod to this trend and you’ll have an outfit that will be a go-to for the rest of the season. If your dress has a floral pattern then accessorize with a clashing belt featuring stripes or polka dots. If you want to go the whole hog, try a bold floral waistcoat that picks out a few of the colours from your dress.

The white vest

Most of us buy a couple of white vests at the beginning of the summer because they’re so versatile and can be teamed with a huge range of different outfits. This year’s most popular cut for vests is the racer back, which ties in perfectly with the sporty look. To tick off two trends in one, choose a neon vest that will add a pop of colour to any sports inspired outfit.

The denim short 

Denim cut offs are the perfect way to get your pins out in the summer. They’re comfortable and classic and they can be dressed up or down. If you want to bring your denim shorts into 2012 then adorn then with studs. Studs, beads and other embellishments are big news this year so rough up your cut-offs and embrace the rock chick look. You can buy studs online or from a haberdashery and they will look perfect teamed with black leather wedges.

The maxi dress

The maxi dress has been around for years and there are tonnes of styles and designs to choose from. If you want to hit this year’s hippy trend then team your maxi with plenty of beads and bangles and layer a couple of thin belts. Accessorize with a garland of flowers in your hair and leather flip flops to give an air of casual chic.

The blazer

A good blazer is a summer essential you can wear year after year and one of these classically cut jackets is the perfect way to complete any seaside inspired outfit. Nautical is one of this summer’s top trends and if you want to get the look then team tailored shorts with your blazer and choose red, white or navy accessories.

What are you key summer essentials, whether your home or aboard, rain or shine?

Crochet Shrug

Sometimes it can get a little samey crafting the same thing, I got a little suck into crocheting blankets and granny squares for various things. Time to step the crocheting up a gear. Raverly is a website I always turn to for inspiration, if you haven't investigated that site its well worth a view if your fond of crocheting or knitting and there's plenty of free patterns on there. On there I found this shrug come waistcoat pattern which I attempted, and somewhat successfully made.

It's a relativity easy pattern to use as a basis to introduce myself into crocheting items to wear only using double crochets, chains, trebles and treble togs [the English terminology]. It took only two balls off wool too which I grabbed on sale in JoAnns so it's ended up being something cheap and cheerful to wear over vest tops when its evening time in the warmer months ahead. Its certainly tempted me into challenging my crocheting in the future. 

Are you crafting anything at the moment?

Stars, stripes and sequins

Jumper and necklace - Forever 21

Jeans - New Look

Top [unseen] - H&M

I was thinking of trying throw the odd OOTD posts into LOTS, don't fear my blog will never become totally about clothes because I'm not that fashion geeky enough, but probably good to mention it every now and again especially now I have a tripod. I fell in love with Forever 21 whilst in London for my adventures to get my visa and now it's predominately the only shop I buy clothes from [I'm finding it hard to adapt to American clothing - it seems a little behind the times when comparing it to the UK scene] and Forever21 seem to offer quirky things. H&M is a bit of a drive away and Forever 21 is within walking distance so it's my favorite haunt. I picked this jumper up on my first shopping trip after getting here, the slight cheesiness and the total overload of sequins won me over. I never really use to be a jumper fan, they never seemed to suit me till I found the over sized cropped look, oh and I use to hate wearing rings too, but these two [engagement and wedding band] make me pleased as punch.

Have a lovely weekend guys, we're off for a curry tonight and I'll be spending the rest of the forthcoming days fighting my urge for new tattoos. 

All the little wedding things

Until you get married you forget all the added extras that come into call for your outfit. The back history is that I'm on my third dress for the wedding, after falling out with the first and the second not fitting. With the second result I went into panic overdrive and with only a week left before the wedding the hunt was really on. Then I stumbled over this little sheer knee length, sleeved dress from Forever 21. Its a gorgeous rich peachy colour and from the moment I tried it on, I knew it was the one. While it's not a traditional wedding dress as such, colour or design wise it's totally me. Our wedding venue was a little different, our vows were contemporary [they made me cry every time I read them and the selected reading before the day] but this all reflects us, and our wishes for our day. I guess when you pay for it all and organise it yourselves rather then having families involved you get that added extra freedom.

I have been very silent on blogger and twitter for the past week but now we're back from our honeymoon [five nights in Chicago] i'll find the time to bombard you with tales and loads of photographs of our adventures [will be hard narrowing down from the 450+ photos that I took]. 

Suitcase Sunday

One of the hardest things to juggle with moving is packing. It can become a challenge and i've sat countless times on my bed looking at my stuff wondering where to start in deciding what moves with me. I've managed to parcel a lot over already - Joe has to open them up and remind me what i've actually sent however. 

A popular question is about baggage and weight allowance. People assume with a visa you get a bigger weight allowance - if only! You book your ticket like every other passenger, no one knows your on a visa until you declare yourself. So like everyone else my weight allowance is 23kg - realistically I kept thinking that was loads, I mean i'm only packing a few cosmetic bits, some converse, couple of books and clothes. Yeah right, I've packed and repacked my suitcase three times in order to get more in and be more organised with the assistance of the bathroom scales, but i'm also working with how much I can physically lug around on public transport to and around Heathrow. 

But what do you pack? Michigan gets a bit cold so woolies are a must, I've thrown out socks to try and get other things in, my childhood teddy is packed, as to is Joe's [pictured] the remainder of my compact collection and some nail varnishes. You have to pack your visa paperwork into your hand luggage but whoever invented the size of the packet really didn't take into consideration the average backpack size [its huge]. I've managed to get my Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers book, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and my Road Trip USA book into my backpack along with my notebook, I've been eyeing up the 1Q84 book which looks an interesting read and I'll top myself up with some magazines before hand.

Yet I'm a person with the attention span of a goldfish so nearly a nine hour flight is somewhat daunting for my head sanity, so I'm asking;  

What tips do you have for self entertainment on flights or general flying tips?

FASHION: Forever 21

One of the things I was getting child likely excited about was visiting Forever 21, half being a sneak peek at American fashion and it's always good at being a nosey. I'd read mixed blogger posts about the store that some of the clothes weren't that impressive, or huge queues and whatever else, but I went with an open mind. I'm always up for a new shopping adventure.  

As an American brand Forever 21 has been open since the mid 1980s originally targeting LA's local Korean population. Since then it's opened stores globally, with shops in Canada, the Middle East and Europe. Following store openings in 2010 in Dublin and Birmingham, Forever 21 opened it's flagship UK in London's Oxford Street. They rival H and M on price but with a Topshop quirky vibe. What they have was a huge range of items across the three floors - a huge denim section, your more Americanised college football tops and hoodies through to your lacy, floral dresses and tops not forgetting, undies, shoes and so much jewellery. I really think there would be something for everyone.

So here's what i got;

 Top one -  £11 something

Top two - £14 something

Dress - £14 something

Necklace - £3.15
(the skirt is from Zara and dragonfly necklace is Topshop)

The dressing rooms were huge, with plenty of hanging space and a very good sized mirror. I was only queuing for five minutes [mind you this was gone 5pm also the downstairs fitting rooms were a lot quieter then their counterparts] but the store was very busy. The only problem is the lighting, as you can tell from the pictures it's not the best and it was very gloomy when your going from the shop floor to the changing rooms. The only other small issues I have is the colour of their bags being neon pink - I don't know I just find it a little trashy. But that is me being very picky. Luckily there's a store in the mall near Joe's house so I don't have to face the fear of now not having anything to wear/buy in America lol

Have you been to Forever 21? What you think of the clothes? Or where's your top fashion store at the moment?

Captain

Top - Marvel @ H&M, Necklace - Topshop sale.

You could say i'm becoming a little obessed with Captain America. I keep getting my head stuck in the tales of him fighting the Red Skull and being found by the Avengers. I could go on ... H&M was advertising this Marvel top in their A/W catalogue under their divided men's range. For £9.99 I thought it was the perfect steal to treat the boy too and add to a random parcel of things I'm sending him [part of which contains a present for his birthday which was in May and totally forgot and some shipment of my things over to their new home]. It's not just me with the Captain America addiction ... honest.

I think I might just have to reclaim it when I move, rather that then having matching his and hers. Tehehehe.

Sales

At the moment on the high-street there are some really good sales if you fancy having a rummage and walk around in Zara, Topshop and Dorothy Perkins to name but three that I had a look in. This weekend I thought i'd treat myself and get out into the shops on my Saturday off for a change. 

The shopping outfit: Cardi and vest top - New Look, skirt - Zara, necklace - H&M

First up was Topshop - it's a shop I rarely ever head into mainly because I think its rather over priced although they do tend to have some nice stuff, some of it's rather odd. However their sale line brings their products down to the normal price of other shops and they normally have pretty odd offers and in numerous sizes still available. I fell for this blue skirt with pale brown leather belt. Its the shape and style I tend go for, but all was left was one size, a size one bigger then my own. Was worth a try on;

Skirt - topshop (sale)

I loved how the top hemmed and ruffled up higher then the belt, yet the size really was too big and would have sat on my hips then my waist if it hadn't of been for the belt. With an aim of trying to loose weight I think I'd of out grown it. Shame because I loved it.

Next up was Zara I wasn't intending to shop there but the sale signs dragged me in, I'm glad they did - it became the most productive visit of the day.

Skinny Jeans - Zara, shoes - New Look (purchase from the week before)

If you can see past how messy I can be in changing rooms. Between my own clothes and failed items i've tried on you'll see one of my newer purchases - a pair of the comfiest shoes I've brought in a long way from New Look. I brought them on the off chance, saw them - grabbed them kind of moments. Anyway the jeans are part of Zara's TRF range which I love, they fit perfectly and I love the colour, they had them in navy, green and red too.

Skirt - Zara (sale)

So the only sale item I ended up buying was this flowery statement of colour from Zara, reduced from £22.99 down to £9.99. Zara's skirts tend to be the only ones that fit me properly, the joy of having hips and curves! The mash of colours at least gives me a huge range of contrasting tops to work and wear it with (not the stripes though I think that's a fail). Thank god there's a Zara in Chicago!

Also ended up adding to the cardi collection with a basic yet handy browny coloured cardi from H&M and some hair clips from Accessorise (again in the sale). All in all a very good shopping trip but my feet are feeling it now, so I'm spending the night msn'ing the boy and watching True Grit - heard really good things about this film so I'm hoping for big things!

Dresses

I've been slightly needing some retail therapy for a while, it's slightly hard when your meant to be saving money. Its hard to make myself buy things or treat myself when im saving, i think I make myself mad when I do that though. I pushed together the honeymoon, moving to America and treating myself into looking for a dress. There seems to be absolute tonnes of dresses available on the high street at the moment - most at a decent price which makes it even better, I was just tempted into New Look because I hadn't been for ages and it was my lunch break and I had to, just had to get out of work.

clock wise from left - Mela loves London £24.99, Pussycat £25, floral belted sundress £27.99

Ended up taking three to the changing rooms - all three I could of brought if I was feeling crazy and richer. I'm still getting use to seeing me in a dress, wearing them on holiday helped, but if you'd of said even a year ago i'd be openly aiming for and looking to buy a dress i'd of thought you had me confused for another girl. My choice all came down to texting Joe "floaty or tight" - I was stick between the blue dress and the white and black butterfly.

And the result;

I loved this sheer whitey cream dress on the hanger, it hangs gorgeously and looks pretty decent on if I say so myself. I love the floatiness of the sheer fabric covered underneath with a little slip. The butterflies colour varies in strength when it moves with the light. It'll be a bit posh for everyday wandering and car sitting when it comes to the road trip but it'll be perfect for visiting museums or towns. I just get paranoid about how my stomach looks in dresses - they tend to cling to it and reveal that i'm not as skinny as i'd like to be. Or how I was when I was at university - those where the days of not having to eat my mams (not overly perfect and or nice or healthy) food.But that deserves a rant in its own right.

If your a keen New Look shopper and/or fancy a bargain, their magazine is offering a 20% discount voucher running between the 20th May until June 5th in store. Worth grabbing if you want to stock up on some things for summer!

Belts

Belts over clothes - is it something only tall or skinny or no boobed people can pull off? I've seen around on the net how it's the prefect way to create yourself an hour glass figure - that's if you haven't got one already. But what happens if you already do have that figure or your small or you have boobs - can you still wear your belt over your clothes with pride?! Or is it a trend, people of all shapes and sizes should stay clear of? I've heard both opinions.

I'm a curvy girl and i've tended towards using the belt over clothes look. Not over everything - haven't over coats and only a few over cardis - i'm more likely to tend to opt for this if i'm wearing a dress or a skirt. But I definitely op for wearing a belt over a pretty top. My mam, she likes to get her thoughts involved, says I wear said belts too high - I sit them against my ribs - just under my boobs what's the preferred blogging terminology for boobs?! Rather then drawing your eyes towards my chest I always think having the belt there is like having an pendant necklace or wearing a v shaped top - it attracts your eyes elsewhere.

Dress - Yumi

Cardi - New Look

Belt - New Look (brought in a sale for £2 baaargin)

Necklace - H and M

A good or a bad look?

Being an hourglass/curvy shape naturally I often feel a bit drowned out by some clothes out there. they'll fit perfectly on the top, but they'll just floppily hang off my chest or so it seems, or they just seem helplessly shapeless in to start with. Adding the belt just tightens and pulls the fabric in enough to flatter and recreate what I naturally have.

But what's your take on the belts over clothes debate?

Boots

As long and overstated as it might sound, a pair of boots actually changed my wardrobe. After leaving university - yeah like lets see over a year ago, my sense of "fashion" or at least my sense of who I was when it came to clothing myself vanished. I no longer had shops to wander and look around on the way too or between lectures when I couldn't face another day in the library. I didn't have to dress myself every day because my day became 9:30 to 6 at work with a horrid uniform [I may be pushing the boundaries with wearing a non company black cardi - i'm rebelling for sure] with an hour and half each way commuting. When I got home I just wanted to laze in comfy baggy clothes. Plus being in an LDR you don't have that need to dress up and impress your OH every day/date because between Skype you can't really see such detail. See LDRs have their good sides at times!

Then I found these boots; they keep going down in price even now (I got them for £23.99 in the brown shade) not only are they the most comfiest boots i've ever owned by they seem to go with almost ANYTHING! Skinny Jeans. Yes i've mentioned those jeans again - these are the boots that made me want to retry them. Oh and they go with skirts, dresses - so much so that i've even brought some! You name it

While they look a bit "heavy" they don't feel it when your wearing them, and I love the flappy bits around the edging. What is more they even have some grips on the bottom - okki not really needed now but at least you don't have that fear of slipping on say wet leaves. I have been known to do that, or even on drain covers in the middle of footpaths - i'm a walking liability for sure. 

The boots in action with those jeans again;

 

 Saturday (what I actually wore - not trying on)

Cardi - H and M

Top - Zara (brought in the sale)

Necklace - Primark

Jeans - Dotty P's

Boots - New Look

Handbag (seen in the mirror) - H and M

Boots do seem to be everywhere at the moment, I think they deserve more loving especially if they are practical and i would use the word "pretty" but it's not the word i'm looking for. Maybe its not all down to the Boots - the OH is over in two weeks and I did need a new reason for some new clothes.

Have you given into some boots loving or you more a heel kinda gal?

Skinny jeans

I have a love/hate relationship with skinny jeans. I've tried oh so many times to get on with them starting when I was a bit of a rocker with my converse. But I'm a short house (standing 5 foot 3") and not on the skinny side - i'll admit to being a curvy size -12/14 depending on where I shops. I joke and say I have "Thunder thighs" - I think they look huge but I guess we always over aggravate parts of ourselves that we hate. I guess? Sometimes I see myself in them and start rethinking I need to loose weight just because how my thighs look in them. Gah. Maybe I just need to wear them more.

  

Saturday:

Jumper - H and M

Top - Zara

Jeans - Dotty P's

Boots - New Look

Necklace - Primark

Is there any piece of clothing you wish you could get your head around to wearing more? Or do you just wear things no matter what?

Trying to find THAT dress ...

... and our plans are going really well. It's weird how quick you just know what you want. We want our "do" to be simple. That's the key, that's who we are. I don't think we could do with everything all flashy and large and loud. That's just not us. We've picked our witnesses [even if they themselves don't know it yet], we're hoping for a little ceremony with just our witnesses and married by a judge and then onto our little vintage afternoon tea reception made up of numerous unmatching teacups and saucers, mini cakes and sweets, cake stands, traditional flowers  [very English ones] and a music list made up of Glenn Miller, Fred Astaire, Bing Cosby and Louis Armstrong to name but a few. 

The hardest task at first was thinking omg what kind of dress. I know some girls daydream for years about the dress they want, be it huge or tiny, meringue or a line. However, I have a bad relationship with dresses. 

THE dress was one of the thing i've started to really search for intently, being an hour glass shape it kind of adds to the issue - just seems like no dresses seem to fit this kind of style typically on the high street anyway. The tend to fit in one place and not in another. Me and shopping don't tend to go well on the average kind of of day, yet alone for a dress this important. The internet therefore is my saviour, and I will be risking it by buying a dress on the Internet - why because i'm willing to risk it, i'd get to try it on in my own time, in lighting that's natural [rather then fake lighting that makes you look fine in something at the time until you get home and your like "why the hell did I ever buy this?!"] also because of our budget. I really can't justify spending loads on a dress that probably isn't "me" and i'll only wear once. Plus loads of dresses you see in shops and magazines tend to be all the traditional kind, i'm not really one for traditional, i like breaking the rules at times. The net offers me all this at a fraction of the price.

So i'm opting for a 1950s halter-neck, mid length dress in white maybe even with a bit of fancy patterning or lace. Perfecto me thinks, jazz it up with some accessories and it'll be perfect!]. But i'm loving all 1950s inspired and original vintage dresses

I utterly love the last image, I love the idea that the dress doesn't have to be red to make it a wedding dress, and the shoes are just yum. I've also developed a thing for bunting! 

BUT .... I could just do with ideas for accessories [ie jewellery] do I do with the colour of the dress - so your going down the route of white beads/pearls or go with the colour theme [currently pale blue/purples/pinks]. I'm asking this mainly because i'm having a lot of issues trying to find pure white beads at the moment, everything seems to be off white/cream.

All ideas highly welcome!

House of Avalon - Yorks new vintage find!

There is a gorgeous new vintage shop in York called House of Avalon which specialises in vintage wears from 1900 to the 1960s, proper proper vintage they claim, rather then the numberless retro editions. While I would love to keep it to myself I know there's not only a few vintage girlies who follow my blog, but there's also a few of us Yorkshire lasses that tag along too.

Its more then just your "normal" vintage shop, its a "social enterprise". As a not for profit organisation The House of Avalon is a northern charity aiming to provide funds for adults who need help due to learning, health or disability needs. Based along High Petergate [right behind the Minster] it opened it's doors just this past Saturday [1st May], so today I went for a peek inside.

Only three days old, it already feels amazingly established upon the street. To open the door you enter inside into a dressing up room of delights, of rails of dresses of every colour, an array of jewellery, handbags, and even to my delight crocheted gloves, a compact or two and some dressing table accessories. They even keep their bags and tissue paper in a delightfully glam dressing table.

As an added twist they provide a hairdresser intended to allow you to not only dress the part - but have the vintage hair to suit! Through into the back room you enter into a gorgeous little tea room - where teas and coffees are served in vintage cups and saucers, each being unique as the table and chairs you sit upon. The glamour even extends to the glorious little Bespoke cup cakes.

For the furnishing vintage hearts among us - the part that captured my heart is the pile of vintage table clothes, cushion covers and crocheted dressing table sets. When could I ever say no to a crocheted dressing table set? Especially when it was a bargain at only £3 made up of two long "runners" and two circular dollies of the same design all so delicately styled in two contrasting yarns, I think it was the sharp contrast in colours which really caught my eye.

The circler dollie of the same pattern

But I was also tempted by a gorgeous little embroidered "tray cloth" but it's large enough to be used as a table cloth, it's something i'll save for when I have a home of my own, and you can't really say no when it's only £3.

When your next in York it really is worth a look inside, even grab a cuppa while your there. You can also find the House of Avalon upon their website and additionally follow them upon their Facebook!

A thank you and a mountain of scarfs

I want to say a massive thank you to everyone that posted me a great well yesterday. I bit the bullet and I went to the doctors - I apparently have a very very very painful bladder, urging on kidney infection. It's horrid to say the least - think period pain multiplied by about five. I have some antibiotics [I get a bit obsessed about learning all about pills now I'm working in a dispensary] so hopefully they might work some kinda magic. I feel better knowing what's wrong I just want the pain to go away now!

But back to business;

One of my addictions is scarfs, some people swoon over shoes, handbags, mine is scarfs - the more the merrier. I blame Primark for this addiction [its easier that way] they always use to sell their pretty pretty ones so they always seemed value for money and really they are just a jazzy, fun and cheap way of altering or adding something to an outfit.
My scarf mountain from left to right - my brand new street seller one [see below] pink sparkly from F&F Tescos £9, blue & black desert scarf - Primark £3, purple sparkly - Primark £3, white & black desert scarf - Primark - £3, pink wooley scarf - M&S £5, purple & black spotty [reverse-able] H&M £10 and purple multicoloured - Primark -£1.50. You can totally tell my favourite colour in purple, no?!

My find of the week [last week] or my "treat for the week" as I call it was a £2 scarf I stumbled across in York. Admittedly it was from a street seller so god knows what I was funding handing my my money over - but it was just calling for me.
I just love it, its so bright and thick and just right for the spring time. Perfect!

What's the one accessory you can't fail to walk past without swooning?

Spring happy times

It feels so weird that its March and therefore 'Spring' already - if only the weather could be more spring like but at least over the last day or so its been more sunny. I'm so very bored of snow - especially with more forecast for the end of the week [oh the joy], its nothing like when you were a kid and you wanted it to snow all the time. But at least there are signs of life in the garden, some pretty bulbs, the sound of birds and some blue in the sky.

Is it only me or is this year really zipping away in a whirlwind?!

Not that i'm complaining too much, I'm rather looking forward to this year especially summer and autumn when things should be falling more into place with things in my life that will get sorted and a big, brand new, shiny chapter will start. Lots of things need to fall into place first but its good to hope, right?

I 'won' well more given an amazing goodie bag of The Sanctuary products at work the other week for the job I did over Christmas. I've always heard amazing things about Sanctuary products [I guess they are the next indulgent beauty/bath range after Soap and Glory that people rave about] but I've never had chance to try any of them, and now I guess I have no excuse.

What isn't pictured is one shopping bag and another big gold weekend bag and a pair of exfoliating gloves. The latter I wish I had found and used years ago - if you have dry skin, or skin that gets a bit rough they are the perfect invention even though because your wearing gloves it makes it feel like someone else is washing you.

New Look has some fabulous offers on at the moment - a lot of their tops and knitwear are being reduced and I grabbed the bag [above] for £5 down from £12 - bargain and a perfect new bag for work. Also grabbed the purse for a fiver too can't go wrong at that price. H&M also have some smashing bargains on knitwear too atm.

The only bad thing though is from having five days off in a row and having to go back tomorrow - I really want to just stay home!

VINTAGE: Night and Day

Ginger Rogers is a goddess. Her figure, her acting, her beauty, her everything was truly divine and not only do I cast green eyes of envy over her gorgeous presence and figure, but additionally over her delightfully feminine dresses. Not more so then those within the 1934 film The Gay Divorcee. 
 Every girl needs a sexy little negligee, something utter feminine, ultra gorgeous. Hiding things is often far more sexual then revealing everything.

This dress has given me far too many ideas for wedding dresses ... someday!

Snuggley Knits

One of the best things about the weather changing into colder days and nights and having a mother that knits [I'm afraid I'm more of a sewer] is being able to get away with sticking on chunky and cosy knitted garments. My mam seems to be able to knit everything and anything, from babies clothes, jumpers, cardigans, socks. Anything that could possibly be knitted.

Mind you, I've never always liked my mam knitting me stuff, okay I will admit during school I never thought it was "cool" to wear anything hand knitted by my mam or my gran. Not that they weren't any good but due to the delights of the school ground and the swamping of young media's via the media and so called "fashion", knitting was never given any credit.

Now I'm at the point of no longer caring and generally just requiring more warmth. I always think home made woollen items always seem several degrees warmer then items purchased from the high-street, and with possibly the coldest feet in England my mam's knitted socks warm me up at tonne.

[Wrigley wriggle toes]

I have five pairs in multiple shades of rainbow colours, some topped with cream, pink or blue. Its weird how all the patterns and the shades work when they are being made - how they are made is beyond me. Bar understanding the use of needing four needles with no ends and going around and around in circles.

But seriously, knitted thick socks warm my feet up like an electric heater, more so then sticking them on a radiator ever would - mind you it has got to the extent of wearing one pair "normal" one pair knitted. Meh, I hate cold feet!

But then again as the saying goes, cold feet warm heart.

So when mam started knitting hats for Christmas boxes to Eastern Europe, I kinda wanted one. About three days later a viola, a bright red double knitted soooo warm hat is now mine! Normally I would never consider me and hats to have any form of friendly relationship, sometimes some things just don't suit - hats tended to be in this category. Until now. Regardless of its looks and its painless its so cosy and warm.

Seeing my new job doesn't finish till six and having to wait god knows how long for a bus back into the Yorkshire sticks my hat will be more then useful. I've already asked for another one - this time in purple!

So I guess embracing the knitting is the way to go, maybe I'll even try for about the thirtieth time to put up a pair of knitting needles and make something. Maybe.

One of my confessions, or probably one of my sins was the delights of MySpace in the days gone by, that's before the world of Facebook [so rightly I renamed Faceache] took over the Internet super-highway. I guess I became a bit of a photo-whore, but since then I tend to limit the pictures of myself that I post, even on Facebook - I think I'm one of the few that just doesn't post and comment about her life twenty four seven, instead I guess my blog is the one place where I'm most open and honest virtually.

I also found out today that I did properly past my Masters, so now I can properly add more fancy letters behind my name [I'm now an MA, BA (hons) blogger]. But I'll blog more about my masters and university when I graduate next month!

And to all you fellow Brits - have a fabulous and hopefully not to cold Bonfire Night- sadly due to the era of health and safety my local celebrations have been put out years ago!