Sunshine on a rainy day

Day 5 of freelancing, and it hasn’t been all lie-ins, daytime tv and partying….well actually it kinda has, and to be honest it was kind of getting me down. As much as I hate to admit it I’m a creature of habit, and love a bit of routine. Also, having just moved house (I’ve decided that sounds better than ‘back home’) my whole life’s scattered round the house in various bags and boxes (which I’m yet to get my head around unpacking), and I’m also working towards the deadline of my first freelance commission (exciting/ terrifying in equal measures right now), so I decided what I needed was a quiet, sober, early night in. So, obviously what I did was jump in the shower, throw on a dress and head into town!

1st stop: Yellowdoor winter preview

Boots

Clarks! Can you believe it. I love these though - the next step on from the biker and the army boot. Ankle, sheepskin lined - what's not to love?


Comptoir des cotonniers. Absolutely love these too. Obviously skeepskin's going to be massive this winter (remember Burberry's awesome flying jackets?). These really remind me of the GAP boots everyone went mad over last winter. I'm not usually one for a wedge, but I really like it here...may have to treat myself!


Acne
100% undisputed label of the moment...

Acne have totally managed to tap into the zeitgeist, and are making the clothes all the cool kids want. I'm predicting this is going to be their next hero dress following on from their iconic (and yes, I really mean that) extreme stripe maxi (which even Primark have now copied, boo hoo). Strapless, draped, with deep pockets, I'm expecting to see this dress (and it's many imitations) everywhere very soon!


Leather sleeved top. Good for looking super-hot-badass-chick....bad for perspiration I'd imagine...


Acne mens
for boys who just wanna have fu-un...

Flipping everything on it's head Acne have taken women's wear as their inspiration. See - frilly vest...


and women's cut blazer.


Forget the Hawaiian shirt, the way to my heart right now is totally a man in a tropical jean, mmmm!


Not so sure about these though....bit too Village people for my liking!


And...

No no no no no! All I'm saying! We are not amphibians. Socks should not be worn with flip flops, ever. No!


These however are a joy and a delight. Also, interesting back story as they're by the London based design studio Paternity (who's work, as you may have guessed is all based around patterns). These tights are limited edition, screen printed, and a total bargain at only £30 each!




Really strong pieces from Carianne Moore's new Futuristic Tribalism collection. V S&M I thought, and strangely, particularly liked the headbands!


2nd stop: Ronnie Scotts for Ruby Sings

This is my beautiful friend Ada, who by day is a scary lawyer, and by night is the enigmatic host of Ruby sings at Ronnie Scotts. The night is on the last Tuesday of the month and showcases new and unsigned acts in the lush surroundings of Ronnie's upstairs bar (who by the by do some of the best/ strongest cocktails in London). Basically it's a brrrrriliant night out, and if you live in London you should 100% definitely go down and check it out...that's an order!


3rd stop: Dinner with Sunshine and random Charlotte street Blues action!

The one and only Sunshine. Sunshine by name, Sunshine by nature, as she really does manage to brighten my day whenever I see her! We met for a bite to eat, catch up, gossip etc etc, and randomly ended up....


at Charlotte St Blues (because I needed a wee!) - in the middle of this amazing show! It's now my new favourite venue in London. As well as this amazing band (no idea who they were), there was this crazy dancing girl who just got up and started dancing like she was in Flashdance - amazing!

Big knits and tiny jeans...

What a difference a day makes. This morning - coco pops and raisins (awesome combo, you should try) in the kitchen with the cat. Yesterday - eggs Florentine in the Charlotte Street Hotel with lovely Vanessa from Lainey Fashion pr. As I sat there I thought to myself what could be a better start to the day than a delicious breakfast with delightful company in genteel surroundings....then we hit the showroom, and I realised trying on thousand pound cardigans was, of course!



Yes in the words of my friend Kat it may look like 'a knitted My little pony', BUT my dear fashion doubters that's only on the hanger. Trust me when I tell you that once on Tahir Sultan's fantasy creations suddenly look regal, not ridiculous. A Central Saint Martins fashion knits graduate and former intern for Galliano, I predict big things for Mr Sultan. Still not convinced? Well a little birdy told me that Browns Focus are showing lots of interest, and when was the last time Mrs B was wrong?!

A slightly less conspicuous number...

Crazy hat. Am expecting to see this cropping up in all kinds of main fashion shoots soon!


And now for something a little different...

C.R.A.F.T jeans are Kate Moss' current faves, and can't you just see why. We all know La Moss likes a bit of premium....denim....and the whole rock chic vibe is totally up her street. I haven't brought a proper pair of jeans for a while now, but will definitely look to C.R.A.F.T for my next pair - if only for the reason that it stands for can'trememberaf***ingthing - genuis!

The Vanessa skirt....no comment!

Just another fashion week - cut knees, ticket thieves, old friends, new friends and lots of booze

Whadda-day, whadda-day, whadda-day. After a shaky start (literally, I feel over and cut my knee, and a French exchange student laughed at me, so I maturely starred her out then told her to fuck off) – I’ve had an absolutely fan-bloody-tastic day.

You won’t be surprised to hear that I didn’t make it to my first too shows….in fact, I didn’t make it to my third either, because I’m a shit Londoner and never know where anything is and got on the wrong bus! I therefore started my day with cocktails at Somerset house with the gorgeous Angel Jackson girls. Whilst there I met (well, actually kinda accosted) stylist extraordinaire Anna Trevelyan, and made a total prat out of myself telling her how jealous I am that her blog has a disclaimer before you can enter it – smooth, so smooth. After really embarrassingly over staying my welcome (nothing worse that a loiterer, eh) I eventually stumbled to Leicester square for the Alice screening….to realise (i.e. actually read the ticket properly) that I was a day late – twat! Anyway, all’s well that ends well. I made up for my lack of show action by hitting Ann-Sofie Back and PPQ. Get this; I was at queuing to get into th PPQ show and some stole my ticket…can you believe it???? We’d got through the main door into the tent, and then we were just queuing again to get into the actual space. I had my ticket tied to my arm (don’t ask, was tipsy, thought it was a bright idea), and I took my jacket off for a picture (the jumpsuit was properly working for me today – got papped loads….sadly mainly by student papers and other blogs….French Vogue – where art thou???), and my ticket dropped on the floor. Next thing I know some blonde bitch with a Calvin Klein shopping bag has swiped it! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! I went storming off to find her and couldn’t, told the pr’s and they said I wasn’t the only one – madness! People, watch your goodie bags! In fact, with people like that about watch your accessories too! Anyway, polished off the day with a bit of a boogie (and by breaking 3 glasses) at the PPQ after party. After only eating an almond croissant all day, and drinking almost constantly since 3 in the afternoon I’ve finally hit (literally) the sack……Ahhhh, what a lovely day though – I met SO many beautiful, talented, generally gorgeous people…love fashion week, love fashion people….kinda hate my shoes!

p.s. meant to be at Betty Jackson at 9am….wish me luck! xxx


My one meal of the day, breakfast on the bus - how glam, not!

My cut knee, boo hoo - the shame, the shame!

Me and Felicity my soulmate meet at last. Love her, love all the Angel Jackson girls - everyone should buy their gorgeous bags! (p.s. please note my 'pimped' AJ bag)!

Um, how much am I loving! It's a friggin holster man!

Mary from The Uniform project blog. Thought she looked AWESOME.

Lovely Holly Fulton necklaces....yes please!

SUPER-skinny model at Sofie-Ann Back...eek!

Fierce earring - part robo-cop, part bluetooth headset - full-on sex!

Crazy greasy, 3-week old hair at Ann-Sofie Back show...I will never (intentionally) be doing this to mine!

A bum veil....wtf?????

Hhhmmmm....not sure this look will translate well to the high-street.....can you imagine the Primark version!

The only full look I actually liked at Ann-Sofie Back - can't resist a bit of double denim action.

Gorgeous Julia my housemate in her pimped out Harpers Mercedes....alright for some!

Mr Gaga! No, not really, but you get what I mean. Not sure how I feel about this....sorry....you are very sweet though!

Jodie Harsh being out-wigged at PPQ - Hilar!

A Fashion Ed in the PPQ FROW dressed as a box of chocolates....odd....

Jo Wood in the PPQ FROW - celeb spot of the day

The PPQ show. Sadly nothing too exciting - typical PPQ, nice, wearable, 80's-ish, black and gold dresses. Blah.

Lee McQueen tribute in BFC tent. Too sad.

Me and the one and only, utterly fabulous Theo at PPQ party. LOVE this boy - he always has a face full of glitter and a heart full of love and mischief.

My good friend Lou, and the soon-to-be-famous-watch-this-name Rian Peters both in MJ T-shirts - I felt very left out!

Rian's superb-for-a-straight-boy shoes....smokin!

I heart your high-top!


My friend Francis (who runs MyTailoredSuit with 3 of our other friends - check it out) and fabulous new PR friend Sunshine

Me....drunk....wearing Rian's hat....was seen shortly after doing a chicken dance and professing my love for a dyson hand dryer....dignified

5 reasons why I LOVE Angel Jackson

It’s not just because I’m kinda obsessed with their crazy, brilliant, pr manager Felicity, and think she might be my soulmate (although I am, and I do), but right now I just wanna blow my entire crappy measly salary on Angel Jackson….here are the 5 reasons why…

1. It’s a Young independent label. When I was younger (and far more naïve and idealistic) I vowed I’d only ever buy clothes from young up-and-coming designers. Then the British High Street got its act together and my money and morals went down the drain. Angel Jackson is that young independent label you’re always hoping to find though – i.e. one that’s actually good. And despite their success Katie and Millie (the sisters behind it all) have remained uncorrupted and stayed true to their dream. Arcadia group go suck on that (except Tosho which I love, eek)!

2. Their Jaguar bags. I have two, and apparently I’m not the only one with a thing for them. French Vogue have just called in a selection of the patent luxor totes, and Anna Trevelyan (aka Gaga’s stylist) loves them too…I’m in good company don’t you recks?

3. They’re Ethical! Yes yes, I know it’s very de jour at the moment, and believe me I don’t usually go in for all this eco/ charity bull, but, Katie and Millie have acheived what I was beginning to think was impossible and created a young, sexy, ethical fashion label that’s not shit, smug or preachy. Hallelujah!

4. Bumbags. I love them, and really am too excited that 2010 is the year of their triumphant return. Mark my words, by 2011 you’ll all be wondering how you ever lived without one (or 8). I can’t wait to start freeing my hands and shoulders and putting my hips to good use once more, and these beauts are top of my bumming list. Oooh yeah!

5. Felicity. Ok, I know I said it wasn’t about her, but what can I say – I warned you I was a little obsessed……

The Ugly Game

In case you hadn’t already guessed I’m not really into my football (gasp) – in fact I’m missing the whole competitive sport gene in general (although thankfully not the competitive gene per se). Not only do I not get the obsession with “The Beautiful Game”, but as far as I’m concerned the dress sense of your average fan leaves a lot to be desired. I’ve never been into herd mentality dressing, so the thought of turning up to an event wearing the same thing (let alone a polyester t-shirt with someone else’s name emblazoned on the back) as a few thousand other people has never really appealed to me. I therefore had to laugh when I received the following email today;

Dear Si,

I hope this finds you well.

I wanted to let you know about a collection of limited edition product Grosvenor Shirts have created with FIFA / Global Brands for the 2010 World Cup™ as I thought it would be of interest to for any relevant World Cup features, news round ups, product round up you may be working on….

Erm, no. Never. Not in a million years. Please see said shirts below….

…..speechless? Yes, so was I. Thankfully I’ve now regained my composure, and can whole-heartedly say that these are truly THE most disturbing garments I’ve seen in while. I’m at a total loss as to the circumstances in which you’d think – Hhhmmm, I need to dress smartly, but still want to express my total love and devotion to my national football team. Ha, I know my £200 (YES - £200!) white, premium, 2 fold Royal Twill limited editition2010 World Cup™ shirt should do the trick...I’m sorry, but there’s just no need for them…in fact, I’ll give a prize to anyone who can give me a legitimate fashion related reason for their existence....in fact, i'll buy you one myself!

And there I was naively thinking the football shirt couldn’t slip further down the barometer of good taste. We live and learn.

Stationery nirvana - my Smythson dream

Before you start reading I just want to let you know that there’s no real story to be told, no moral, no funny anecdote – it’s simply me boasting.

Today I managed to escape the office to pop into the Smythson press day and meet at long long last the lovely Bianca (one of the pr girls) who I’ve been speaking to for over two years now but never met, and…..I got my very first ever Smythson diary!! For those who don’t know what I’m talking about – duh! No, but seriously, I’m not so deep into fashion la-la land that I think everyone knows who Smythson are. You see in fashion circles they are the first and last word in stationery. No fashion editor would be seen dead on the FROW without their Smythson fashion diary, and their personalised thank-you notes really are the only polite way to thank pr’s for their generous gifts. Established in 1887 and with Sam Cam as Creative Director their products are beautifully made and quintessentially British, and I’ve been desperate to get my hands on something ever since entering the world of magazines a couple of years ago! So, today a dream was fulfilled as I was gifted a beautiful Panama pocket diary! It may not be the Fashion diary I was hoping for (and starting at £125 I may be waiting a while, and anyway I really want the one with the special Smythson clasp which is £195, so the cheaper one’s actually totally irrelevant), but when I carefully untied the navy ribbon and peaked into the box (ok – I ripped into it like a crazed toddler high on a whole pack of Harribo whilst stomping up New Bond street) my heart fluttered as I saw what it was. It’s safe to say I’m in love, and I fear it’s gonna be an expensive affair!