Off with a BANG!

My head, my head! I’ve been freelancing for 13 days now. I’ve spent 2 moving out of Dalston house and back to Finchley; 8 in Italy, and 3 skulking round the house in my pj’s (yes, the same pair – the horror)! Last night however I managed to break the stalemate and shower, jump into my trusty black tosho Jumpsuit and brave the Northern line to attend a. the Selfridges Christmas in July press day, and b. Marc Jacobs BANG launch party - fabulous fashion fun…

Sadly I proceeded to get hammered on rum cocktails and champagne (on a basically empty stomach) – accosted Marc, ranted at Henry Holland and starred at the utterly stunning Jonathan Kelsey and his gorgeous boyf Greg, then blanked them, then finally realised who they were through the champagne fug. Professional. Finally came round midday to full face of make-up, natch, and alternating waves of nausea and embarrassment. Classy. Days like these being freelance really pays!

Anyway, before the bubbles took hold this is what I saw…

Selfridges

Love this. A colour-in cuckoo clock. Perfect for me as I'm always late (as Bibi discovered first hand last night - Public apology: I'm SOOOO sorry), and, well, at times...slightly cuckoo! Also, much fun and practical too!



NEED!! Honestly, it's not even about want or like or love with these. I NEED them in my life. Ashish - obvs, natch. They're apparently the most expensive pj's in the world (bottoms £810, top £890) - total investment I say. This is how I see it. I'm now a freelancer, therefore I spend most of my time in my pj's, therefore I should own fabulous pj's, because then the fabulousness will rub off on me, and I'll be fabulous and get lots of work, which will mean I'll get lots of money (DEEP BREATH) - therefore, they are an investment! See!

Marc Jacobs BANG party, Harvey Nic's

Yes, once again I trekked down to SW1 for another top Harvey Nic's party (and they do throw the best)! Unfortunately I broke my usual eat-as-many-canapés-as-humanly-possible rule and stuck to liquids....looking back, that's probably where it all went wrong....anyway....

Grrrr. How hot is Marc. Last night was all about the boys; Marc Jacobs (LOVE - almost fainted when I first saw him. Honestly. No lie.), Jesus Luz (in my bed, ahem, I mean on the decks), Jake Shears, Jonathan (almost too beautiful to actually look at) Kelsey and boyf Greg and Henry Holland, not to mention my new friends from the (smoking/posing) terrace - Tom, Richard and Alistair. What a treat! Sadly the only thing I bagged at the end of the night was a bottle of BANG (not that I'm ungrateful)....just it won't keep my warm at night. Sob.

Sun, sand and San Pelligrino...

Ciao ciao, bella, bello…..erm….I’ve just got back from Italy innit! Apart from a slight sunburnt-eyes incident (no, I didn't know it was possible, but apparently it is...and it hurts!) it was glorious week of sun, sand and San Pelligrino. For me holidays are all about sunning, reading, eating and sleeping, and this one ticked all the boxes;

Sunbathed – 10 – 1; 3 -7 daily, for 7 days
Read – Grass stains by Kirsty Robinson (fabulous, touching, thought-provoking) and Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis (witty, funny, fucking terrifying – now living in the freezer Joey from Friends stylee)
Ate – Too much. Honey filled (or integrated as the hotel translated it) wholemeal croissants, at least one custard-filled doughnut per day, pasta with meat, pasta with veg, pasta with fish, mammoth plates of salad, incredibly moreish fried herbs in batter and ice creams the size of my head (no word of a lie)
Slept – endlessly…


See - not lying! Dark chocolate and peach sorbet - best combo in the world (and trust me, I've tried a few)!


Mummy and Daddy G - how cool do they look! I only had to get them a little tipsy to agree to pose on this Disney-esque bench outside an arcade. Fave photo of the holiday though!


Style inspiration...

Italians are known for their style, which I think is somewhat debatable, as if you ask me, the average Italian has no better idea of how to dress than the average anyone else. Having said that the over 60's are glamorous, stylish and sophisticated, so I decided to look to them for a style masterclass...

Va-va-voom indeed (or whatever the Italian equivalent is)! What's not to love here? '60's fluro-floral dress, loads of beads and bangles, leopard print trolley and crazy red hair (both of which I already posses), and tiny pooch...stop me if I'm wrong, but this is a good look!


So maybe my mum and I stalked this lady on the beach for 4 days....does that make us bad people?! It's no excuse, but she looked so good we just couldn't help it. There I was, beach wreck - looking like I may have been washed up in the last storm, and there she was, (in what I really really hope was) an original 1960's quilted yellow velour cut-out detail kaftan with white piping, looking like she'd stepped of the set off Mad Men! Inspirational - must work on that whole groomed thing...


Possibly my favourite Granny however was this lady - partly because she reminded me of my Nana Golda - always my ultimate style icon. Floral midi-length (v on-trend) dress, turquoise turban, blue drop earrings and massive blue cocktail ring - forget Liz (makes me want to) Hurl-ey - this lady has beach glamour locked down.


The nearest you'll get to a Playboy style beach shot of me (unless some serious air-brushing's involved). Despite the fact I packed half-a-ton of glitzy kaftans, it was just too hot for me to contemplate anything that had to go over my head, so I ended up resuscitating this old wrap. Fave new Marc Jacobs bag or arm, and new I-couldn't-afford-the-Karen-Walker-pair-so-had-to-settle-for-Hennes sunnies on, I hit the beach and hoped I didn't bump into anyone I knew/ the most gorgeous man in the world. I didn't.


Poor old LA - always getting shtick for being the most ridiculous place on earth, when here on a little strip of Italian beach on the Adriatic coast a couple pulled out a bamboo mat and bowl filled with premium mineral water for their devil little dog....god help us all!

Yum yum yum - I sacrificed one beach morning to go to the market. How good do these pumpkin tomatoes look? I had to laugh because the first time I ever saw one was in Wholefoods a few years back, and I got all excited and brought one, and a clove of smoked garlic (which later rotted in the back of a cupboard) and paid over a fiver for the two of them! Here in Italy they're almost giving them away. Typical!


Right at the end of the market (which was filled with plastic shoes, non-sensical lycra tops, rip-off bags and kitchen ware) we found this stall selling vintage clothes for basically nothing! Needless to say Mum and I nose-dived in, and dad spent the next hour telling us how nice we looked in stale smelling 2nd hand bargains!


Speaking of which here I am airing out on of my finds. Hand-made, 1970's mini-dress - cute, no? And mummy, also in a market buy - not too shabby, eh?

Ding ding ding - all change!

Long time I hear you cry! Last time you did this you promised it wouldn't happen again. I know, I know, but this time it really has been exceptional circumstances; for not only have I left my job to go freelance, BUT I'm also moving house - all in the space of 3 days...yes, one life changing event per week simply isn't enough for me! So, I hope you'll be able to forgive me, and that you've kept yourselves amused reading old posts and watching the footie!

It's been a long, hot, emotional week, but here are some things that made me smile and filled my heart with joy...

Here I am giving a masterclass in how NOT to pose. I was the office fire marshal (oh yes - many strings to my bow!), and as if by magic (and much to everyone's amusement) on my last day we had a fire drill. Now, when I got dressed in my glorious Zambian jumpsuit yesterday morning it hadn't occurred to me that by midday I'd be accessorising with a hi-vis vest. Having said that I have to say I think it kinda works. On this occasion I decided to simply knot it - in the past I've belted, but I thought it might be a bit much this time. Anyway - all of this was enough to get me a shout out on Graziadaily - beyond flattered!


My recent (Marc by) Marc Jacobs obsession continues with my lovely leaving gift from work. It's an absolute beast of a wallet, with space for about 20,000 credit cards. I have none, but my Nandos, Nectar and Boots cards are all now most comfortable and accessible!


My darling Nompas (complicated PJ - sorry!) brought me this phenom Tatty Devine necklace. I like to think of them as wings of freedom - v fitting! Thank you Nompas!


How cute is this! My fabulous Editor brought me this slightly mental Sonia by Sonia Rykiel bag as a farewell gift. I've been wanting a new cross-body bag for a while now, and it's made from THE softest silkiest Nylon - mucho snuggly! I heart.

Glasto Glasto here I come!

Last night was hell. I had to pack for Glasto (where I'm working, although sure I'll squeeze a little play in!), as I'm out tonight at the ViceStyle party (yay!), and will no doubt have a massive hangover and be incapable of spelling my name in the morning.

When I was younger and my parents were packing to go on holiday I used to throw massive tantrums because I wanted to join in and have my say (yes – looking back I was horrendous child diva). I just didn't understand why they were being so mean and not letting me join in the fun...oh how times have changed!

The main problem (in the words of many an ex-boyf) is that I just have SO MUCH STUFF. Add to that the fact that I'm chronically indecisive, and the whole thing just turns into a monumental Lord of the Rings epic style saga.

So, last night, I decided to add a new twist/ just a tad more pressure to proceedings by chronicling my living hell (as well as my Glasto buys and looks) for you. Really hop you like.....oh, and wish me luck!

My to-do, or should I say to-pack list. Believe it or not I'm actually quite organised most of the time (although not last Tuesday when I had my knickers inside out and left my house keys in my bedroom door)!


The obligatory Hunters. Can't imagine stepping into a muddy field without them. These are my much -loved festival edition pair. I like that fact they're short as I'm rather chunk-of-calf, so they stop at a v flattering place for me.


Somewhere under all this is my bed. I like to put things I have to do/ pack on my bed, as I need to get them off before going to sleep, so will HAVE to pack/ do them. You see? Method in the madness innit!


I swore I wouldn't buy anything specifically for Glasto this year....and then I saw this baby, and new I couldn't go without it. It was a total bargain, as a. it's only £19! Yes, you saw right ONE NINE! And b. It's day-glo which means I won't get lost, which means it's basically a safety item, so bargain!


And then....I saw this! It's a purse on a strap! How handy, and only £9! HAD.TO.HAVE.


So hat options. I always think it's good to have a beanie in your bag, because come sunset it can get a bit chilly, and you loose most heat from your head, and also by the end of the day my hair looks like Russell Brand's after a week on the town, so it's good to hide it! Perfect example of having TOO MUCH STUFF though - honestly can't decide which to take. Giant Hennes beanie, old beanie I knicked off me dad, or River Island lace veil number...help please!


Look 1: Maxi dress, Zambia. Visor, Ebay. Bag, Marc by Marc Jacobs. Have never done a maxi at a festival before, but it's cut just above ankle, and the weather's meant to be amazing this weekend, so reckon it's worth a shot. Also - really easy to go to the loo, and can also easily layer with tights/ leggings underneath. Perf!


Look 2: Vest, Hennes: Body, Primark. Headscarf, my mum got me from a charity shop. 3 necklaces, old house-mate Julia, my aunty with Juicy Couture rings on, colleague's desk! Whistle, Notting hill carnival back in the day. I love this look - I'll probs wear it with leggings. It's just so easy to wear. A bit TMI, but I'm not planning to do the body up, he he!


Look 3: Shorts, Hennes. Vest, Hennes. Necklace, loser table at work! I LOVE my boyfriend shorts. I got them to go to Zambia, and they're so comfy and flattering I could just live in them.


My amazing waistcoat! I brought this at a vintage stall at Glasto last year for £15 and I LOVE IT. I'm not sure when I'll wear it (maybe with shorts), but I just have to take it with - it just epitomises that festival spirit.


Finally, my beauty goodies which were kindly sent to me by my friend at Aveda. I'm SOOOOOOO grateful - just looking at them feels me with joy...my little bit of festival luxury!