Intrinsically Florrie

Down in the Garden: Bertie SS12

2012-01-30T22:17:00.007Z

As much as I love flowers, wouldn't it be amazingly fun to have a garden which grew shoes? I've already shown you my snapshots of Dune SS12 and Bertie was another label shown at the amazing Dune Group Secret Garden Party themed press day. This area had a more cosy homely feel inspired by the humble garden shed and vegetable patch.
These shoes have that satisfying countryside feel to them as well as a sense of quirky fun that also works perfectly when rocked in the city. I'm a huge fan of the deliciously chunky heels and satchel bag, adorable little lace ups and androgynous but cute loafers for casual days and the elegant T-bar straps to be dressed up or down as you wish.
Inspiration wise we have Blocking the Way influenced by the bold colours of the 60s, Coachella the music festival of the Californian desert with shoes featuring Native American detailing and Aztec prints and Memories of Summer with shoes invoking memories of carefree childhood hours.

Little Pink Dress

2012-01-29T22:51:00.000Z

As well as the amazing white debutante dress I was honoured to wear in Shanghai for China's first International Debutante Ball, I needed to take an evening dress to be introduced in and also to continue to dance in after the procession and first dance. I chose this Coast Tamara Short Dress because of the gorgeous pink colour and how it was was also especially lovely in its lightness and smallness to pack in my luggage!
I took multitasking shoes with me in the form of these Faith shoes purchased at Debenhams- they went really well with all my dresses! I'm wearing amazing Chaumet jewellery here again and we were very lucky to be given a beautiful clutch bag by Kotur of New York and Hong Kong each as a gift. Mine is a beautiful pale green colour along with the silver and white embroidery of the, quite fittingly, floral design! It's really stunning and I am so grateful for such an amazing gift!

Fairy Castle Birthday Cake

2012-01-28T21:08:00.000Z

Here's a look at the pretty birthday cake I've got for my 20th birthday- which is today. :) I've been referring to it as my 'princess castle' though on the box it says 'fairy castle'- either's cute though! I'd been eyeing up the design in Sainsburys for a while and with no fresh Hello Kitty design on the scene a dedicated hunt round the local supermarkets proved fruitless in regards to any competitors. This cake has both cute factor and an amazing icing to cake ratio in its favour! My day's been filled with so many pretty things, and I'm looking forward to showing you some more in another blog post soon.

Little Botanical Paradise: Dune SS12

2012-01-27T22:26:00.000Z

The lovely people at the Dune Group definitely deserve major brownie points for their spectacular SS12 press day! With a theme of Secret Garden Party I was definitely intrigued and I certainly wasn't disappointed to find a little green paradise in the centre of London. Bertie and Pied a Terre also showcased on the day with their own unique areas, which I can't wait to show you as well. Even the lookbooks and the CDs within them were beautifully floral! So as you can imagine I was an extremely happy bunny and didn't really want to leave!
Upon laying eyes on the Dune collection I immediately spotted two of my hot colours from London Fashion Week: orange and turquoise, which are both perfect for the warm rays sunshine I'm dreaming of right now. I especially loved the scallopped edge details and the update on the classic patent court shoe for the new season. I also spied pretty pink glitter and heavy beading embellishment to dazzle at evening events as well as gorgeous nautically influenced spots, stripes and even hearts.
Themes for the collection include Hollywood Hills featuring plenty of good old-fashioned glamour, Tribal Mischief which is perfect for the upcoming season with all its exotic influences and Botanical Brights which features lots of wonderfully vibrant, colourful and oversized florals.
What would you love to be stepping out in these coming Summer months?

A 50s inspired photoshoot: Sandy, can't you see...

2012-01-26T21:37:00.003Z

Somehow despite my obsession with portraits I ended up photographing high rise buildings more than anything else at college last year. For A2 I was given free reign over my coursework topic so I jumped at the chance to work on my portraits this year. I particularly want to make the most of the college photostudio equipment.
This is from my second studio photoshoot, you can be nosey at the first in the blog post here. My model is Emma again. As well as one glamourous dress I specifically wanted for a 20s styled look inspired by the photographs of Edward Steichen, I asked her to bring something 50s inspired. This sweet dress made me think of Sandy from Grease pre-tight-black-trousers makeover. I used basic make up with a little eyeshadow and mascara to try and keep the look fresh and got Emma to put her hair in a swishy ponytail.
I specfically wanted a black background to directly relate to my research and as a contrast to my other work. This time I attempted to figure out the lighting on my own with the help of a super lovely college friend. It was a little hit and miss to say the least! However, over the three looks I styled I can definitely see some improvement and I'm looking forward to showing you the other two!

Little Black Bag: Kate Benjamin Clutch

2012-01-25T23:24:00.001Z

Kate Benjamin clutch via Accessories Direct, Autograph by Marks and Spencer dress via PDSA charity shop, Miu Miu headband, Dorothy Perkins shoes, H&M tights, Wallis cardigan.

The Little Black Dress is a wardrobe staple that can be transformed for different occasions. I was very lucky and found this one in a charity shop and it suited me so much better than anything else I'd found for the event I first wore it to, making me one very happy shopper. Since then I've worn it to a couple more occasions and I love it.
When Accessories Direct asked me to look at some images of their lovely items and tell them my favourites I was immediately drawn to this bag. I was absolutely delighted when they emailed me back and said I could have it, my first choice, to review! The clutch has that comforting squishy factor that I love but it's also smart and sharp with the very modern clasp structure. It's versatile, elegant aesthetic reminds me very much of the LBD and I'm now calling it my Little Black Bag.
OK so it's not actually fully black but I think this just makes it more versatile to go with more dresses. Shimmering below the lovely black lace we have a beautiful subtle pale gold fabric. The fabric manipulation is also in this stiffer layer with pleating, whilst the lace sits as a soft layer on top. It's really very cleverly done and can work with modern or classic styles to lots of occasions. I'm definitely impressed when it comes to the construction and quality of this bag.
This Kate Benjamin's black lace clutch bag has the huge bonus of being rather big without being bulky. Sometimes an occasion calls for a charming evening bag but practicality calls also. I like the fact I can fit as much junk as I need in it!
I am so, so pleased with my beautiful new bag and it's one I can foresee turning to again and again. Do you have an item you keep returning to that gives you that little extra confidence for special occasions?

I couldn't resist showing you the deer friends I made during the making of this outfit post- how I love Cannock Chase!

A lesson in elegance: Burberry Prorsum SS12

2012-01-24T23:44:00.008Z

I think Christopher Bailey is prepared for a very British Summer in the SS12 Burberry Prorsum collection. These are clothes that can withstand the mood swings of our fickle weather. Where in other collections I saw bright sunshine yellows, here they were more mustard toned but will still look gorgeous with the sun's rays catching them.
I really adore the silhouette of this collection: voluminous skirts and strong shoulders paired with a nipped in waist make for a lovely hourglass shape which is very elegant and just the sort of thing I love to wear and would like to see more of. This ladylike aesthetic paired with the practical feel of the clothes, seen in the number of parkas and hardy fabrics, comes across to me as capturing the essence of high fashion in the country, but given a modern twist that can be worked just as well in the city.
There's a sense of nostalgia and the hemlines hit a little below the knee, harking to the modest styles one could meet royalty in. However the hems sit in stark contrast to the steamy slashed bodices present in the collection. There are also more tightly tailored skirts with a more slick feel but still keeping the demure length.
As well as keeping with Burberry's classic heritage including the all important staple trench, the collection also nods to trends further afield and an African influence is felt in the vibrant patterns of embellishment and the rich and earthy colours. Meanwhile raffia woven hats have a well travelled feeling which lives in the other accessories, but then a kooky pom pom on top brings back that sense of British fun. I love the new take on the classic snuggly jumper. Sticking out from the crowd we have one shocking turquoise-blue coat which is in such an amazing hue.
Throughout the collection the clothes are gorgeously cut with an exquisite attention to detail and techniques. I especially like the pleating from box pleats to softly hanging industrial ones. I could wear them around a country house or for a smart day in the city. Bailey captures the perfect balance of old school elegance and modern Buberry attitude.

Images kindly provided by Darja Noren at Burberry.

Psychedelia: Malene Oddershede Bach SS12

2012-01-22T20:26:00.001Z

The vibrant colours of Malene Oddershede Bach's SS12 collection immediately caught my eye as I entered the Vauxhall Fashion Scout exhibition at London Fashion Week. The young designer graduated from Middlesex University in only 2010 and worked as the Assistant Designer at Preen by Thornton Bergazzi before setting up her own label and launching it in September, making this her first collection under her own name.
In this collection Malene was inspired by pyschedelic films such as David Cronenberg's Videodrome and Gaspar Noe's Enter The Void. For the new spring/summer season the designer has used cheerful sunshine yellow, turquoise and pink tones as well as slick black. However, upon chatting to the designer herself it soon transpired that there is much more to these fabrics than meets the eye.
The collection is partly drawn from feelings of loss and a sense of unfulfillment. The subtle print on the yellow is actually a close up view of the scales on a butterfly's wing. She has beautifully captured a gorgeous but delicate piece of nature. Then, with rather more ick factor, we have the turquoise print. This beautiful fabric has actually been designed from a close up view of mouse intestines! I must confess this doesn't sound appealing to me, but the print is just so visually clever. It certainly gives another layer of depth to the pieces and makes you think about the fashion you're wearing.
Amongst the fabrics are some very intriguing textures including silk georgette, hand knitted pieces and tailored leather jackets. Some of the pieces are made up of more than 25 metres of fabric! The garments feature unusual strong cut details, especially around the neckline and shoulders. Malene also uses interesting two-way pleating techniques and I just love the way the fabrics hang. The looks are perfectly finished with fierce footwear.
These are very elegant, wearable clothes with an edge, that look like a lot of fun. I'm really excited to see what Malene Oddershede Bach comes up with next. She was a part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout's 'Ones To Watch' and I couldn't agree more.

The Chunky Bow

2012-01-21T22:14:00.000Z

You'll enhance your lifestyle with these titles.

I bought this necklace on my shopping trip with Pearl with a plan to take it to London Fashion Week, but of course I couldn't not wear it till then! We spent a lot of time exploring the amazing Afflecks in Manchester, which is basically four floors of amazing alternative fashion, craft and general cuteness. The first time I ever went in I felt a bit overwhelmed and didn't get round many of its stalls. I did find one amazing one and yet missed it on further fun ventures, so as I was a determined bunny this time I described it to Pearl and *ta-da* we found it!
The store is called Thunder Egg and as well as lovely clothing they have a fair bit of Hello Kitty sweetness, Japanese goodies and delightful jewellery. This Punky Pins necklace caught my eye in a shiny display of pink, white and silver. The plastic is so satisfyingly oversized and chunky and just generally kawaii! I got it at a great sale price too.

The International Debutante Ball Shanghai

2012-01-18T23:15:00.000Z

I really cannot tell you how lucky I feel to have been a part of China's first International Debutante Ball, held at the beautiful Waldorf-Astoria Shanghai. Above are a few photographs of me taken backstage.
It was such a treat to wear the dress- it was custom designed and made to fit me! I was really pleased to have something that was waisted with lots of dreamy tulle. I cannot say that ascending stairs was an easy task with all that fabric but I was a very happy bunny wearing it.
Our hair was tended to by Hong Kong based Australian wonder Kim Robinson and his team. Kim has worked with the likes of Chanel, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino, and has been trusted to tend the tresses of many celebrities including Princess Diana, Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford. So much care and attention was put into creating my hairstyle- it was truly treated like a work of art!
We were decked out in gorgeous Chaumet jewellery. It was such amazing fun to wear a tiara and I especially adored my little bee earrings.
Of course I wouldn't feel myself without something floral so I was delighted to find out we would have bouquets of roses for our procession. My misbehaving stray petal was hastily spotted and dealt with after this snap and as can be seen in the videos I've found I simply couldn't stop smiling on the night.
At the end of the night I really didn't want to get changed out of my beautiful things. I took lots more photos backstage which I will surely be showing you some of shortly, and I've also started creating some paintings! My visit to Shanghai is definitely something I'll cherish forever.

Florrie, Pearl and a Pug

2012-01-16T23:00:00.002Z

Here's a face that has appeared on my blog a few times before: the lovely Pearl Westwood of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom. I'm really happy to have met her through blogging, and in person when she offered to show me Manchester's best shops. Now she's both my regular shopping buddy and London Fashion Week roomie as well as a really lovely friend.
We met to have a catch up, shop for and plan our Fashion Week wardrobes and generally had a good giggle! Pearl is completely and utterly devoted to Vivienne Westwood and the only non Vivienne Westwood thing I can find in this outfit is her tights! Even the gloves she later put on were from her faithful VW.
My outfit likewise was very 'me' with pink and florals. Here's my outfit rundown: Scope charity shop vintage dress, George at ASDA 300 denier tights, New Look boots, Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, Dorothy Perkins brooch on a H&M scarf, floral H&M snood and animal print purple cardigan, floral Forever 21 scarf (under snood) and Wallis coat.
You may have spotted an extra snazzy accessory in the form of the Pentax camera. I've borrowed it from college and am having fun playing with black and white film. I hope I've created some lovely images, you just never quite know how they're going to turn out! But I'll be sharing them with you as soon as they're printed.
For now I shall leave you with my favourite DSLR shot of Pearl, which oddly reminds me of one of those strange fish you find at the bottom of the ocean...

A Sprinkling of Shimmer: Jasper Garvida SS12

2012-01-15T21:44:00.001Z

As soon as I saw the images of Pixie Lott celebrating her 21st birthday I immediately recognised the gorgeous gown as the opening look of Jasper Garvida's SS12 collection. During London Fashion Week I stepped away from the cobbles of Somerset House to the glittering chandeliers and old fashioned glamour of the Bloomsbury Hotel to view the Central St. Martins alumnus and Project Catwalk winner's collection for the shiny new SS12 season. The above photograph was one kindly sent to me by Jasper Garvida team and is by Christopher Dadey, the rest are my own.

I was a huge fan of Jasper Garvida's work on Project Catwalk and he hasn't disappointed me since so I was really excited to see the new collection. Like the dress favoured by Pixie the collection featured three more full length gowns and I was blown away each time one came out- the movement in the flowing skirts was incredible.
The collection is feminine yet strong with circling patterns present throughout whether in print or the shapes of panels and ornament. Womanly curves were emphasised with tight waists, exaggerated peplum details and glistening gold and silver embellishment. The base colour palette was a sophisticated black and white, but emphasised with attention seeking metallics.
In addition to the statement gowns we had slick, tailored separates and a host of neat little dresses perfect for cocktail occasions and smart parties. I also saw oversized sleek flounce details, which I especially liked when symmetric for a very chic look.
The designs cleverly harked back to ancient styles but at the same time felt very futuristic in the choice of tough fabrics and powerful silhouettes. Some of the metal embellishment was very heavy indeed, almost like hardwear but more refined. I thought the collection was a delight with its mix of refinement and playfulness and I'm definitely ready for a summer with a little bit of sparkle.

Shanghai Snapshots: A Stroll along the Bund

2012-01-11T22:21:00.000Z

Shanghai is such a stunning city visually. As we were driven from the airport to our hotel I was amazed by the display of architecture. The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai lies on the Bund, offering spectacular views of the surrounding river and city.
I took these photographs between breakfast and lunch on the second day when a group of us took a walk along the Bund and back on the other side of the road. I really wish I had taken my DSLR on the visit but as it was my first flight I was very stressed about luggage restrictions and perhaps cut down a little too much, and so all my photographs are from a compact digital camera.
I already really miss the city where I had such a wonderful time. Being me I took a lot of photos and I can't wait to show you the rest, particularly of the ball itself!

A debutante in Shanghai: The Sunday Telegraph

2012-01-09T23:24:00.000Z

I have just made it home from one absolutely magnificent trip to Shanghai. I was there as a debutante in the first ever debutante ball in China which was such an exciting opportunity. I hardly know where to start as the whole experience has been so amazing.
I had previously never even been out of the UK before so stepping into an airport was quite an experience in itself. The International Debutante Ball took place at the gorgeous Waldorf Astoria, Shanghai where we were truly spoilt. We were ever so well looked after the whole time and the ball is an occasion I will never forget. Thank you so much to everyone who made my time in Shanghai so incredible.
Here's a snapshot taken behind the scenes which appeared on page six of the the 8th January issue of The Sunday Telegraph yesterday. You can see yours truly standing at the back working a 60s inspired hairstyle and a tiara! There's also a lovely long article on The Telegraph Online here- see if you can spot me in the images again!
I was a photography addict in full swing on the trip and I am so looking forward to showing you all my photos and experiences.

Ethical and Sustainable Fashion for 2012

2012-01-07T12:00:00.007Z

I am having an absolutely wonderful time in Shanghai- it's such an experience and incredible opportunity! Of course I have also found the time to take lots of photos so I'll have plenty to blog about when I return. Today I have a guest post from the wonderful Ceri for you. As well as having her own very lovely blog Ceri is passionate about ethical clothing and has recently set up a community called Ethical Fashion Bloggers. I absolutely love the piece she's written for us so here it is:

Ethical and Sustainable Fashion for 2012

During 2011, I have been noticing a growing number of ethical fashion brands and retailers emerging, even many of the mainstream online and high street retailers including ASOS and H & M are getting in on the act with eco friendly and ethical collections. The great thing about ethical fashion at the moment is that many of these brands are as stylish and affordable as they are sustainable. I have high hopes that 2012 will be the year that ethical and sustainable fashion goes main stream. If you want to become more ethical with your in 2012, there is certainly no need to to compromise on looking good, there is so much to choose from.

Annie Greenabelle

The great thing about these exciting new labels is that they are doing their own thing and the creativity comes from the very fact that they are ethical and sustainable. Recycling is big news with end of roll, surplus , second hand and vintage fabrics all providing interesting, beautiful and high quality material that is used in innovative ways. These fabrics also create more limited collections with unique often with unique one off pieces which provide a more individual look than mass produced fashion. Amongst my favourite ethical labels using recycled fabrics are Annie Greenabelle (www.anniegreenabelle.com), Junkie Styling (www.junkiestyling.com), Goodone (www.goodone.co.uk) , Antiform (www.antiformonline.co.uk), Urban Renewal (at Urban Outfitters)(http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/collections/vintage-uo-renewal/icat/wrenewal/) and Tara Starlet (www.tarastarlet.com).

Monsoon

There are also some great Fairtrade labels that are utilising the traditional handicrafts from different parts of the world to create beautiful and unique clothing whilst allowing them to benefit from the profits of the enterprise. People Tree (www.peopletree.co.uk) and Monsoon (www.monsoon.co.uk) are just a few that have beautiful and on trend styles which include hand printing, beading, hand knitting and embroidery.

Nancy Dee

Sustainable fabrics are becoming easier to find with a number of brands using organic cotton, bamboo, linen, hemp, Rayon and Tencel (made from tree cellulose!) and even soya to make comfortable, wearable clothes. These fabrics are a far cry from many of our perceptions of sustainable fabrics which in the past have been perceived as almost sack like . Bamboo jersey is a great fabric as it is extremely soft and drapes beautifully. Nancy Dee (www.nancydee.co.uk) have some fantastic dresses made from it.

Patagonia

Finally, in terms of sustainability in fashion, there has been plenty of talk recently about 'buying less'. Many people are starting to question the sense of fast fashion both environmentally and economically and looking for alternatives which include buying classic styles to last, swapping, borrowing, hiring, upcycling old clothes, vintage and charity shopping and making do and mending. Even the high end designers seem to be conforming less to trends, instead creating their own signature style which will never go out of fashion.

Patagonia, one of the ethical fashion pioneers, has also made us think and begun to change ideas on marketing and sustainable fashion with their 'don't buy this jacket' campaign. Their sustainable approach has also in the past included encouraging customers to check out ebay for preloved clothes and resoling shoes, not marketing tactics that many would associate with a successful fashion company, but if they can do it why not others?

Hopefully there will be yet more exciting developments in ethical and sustainable fashion for 2012.

What are your thoughts on ethical and sustainable fashion for 2012? Will you be making it your New Years Resolution to shop more ethically?

Happy New Year!

Ceri Heathcote writes for Ethical Fashion Blog, Ethical Fashion Forum and Oxfam Fashion. She has also recently set up the Ethical Fashion Bloggers community for like minded bloggers who love fashion but want to minimise the negative impact of their clothing.

A tale in Vivienne Westwood: Nana

2012-01-05T12:00:00.006Z

I'm currently on a very exciting trip with the London Season as a debutante in the first Far Eastern Debutante Ball, hosted at the Walorf Astoria Shanghai! It's an absolute honour to be attending and such an adventure! In the meantime I've got a few scheduled posts, starting with this one by the fabulous Pearl Westwood of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom:

The first issue of Nana by Ai Yazawa

When Florrie asked me to write a guest post, whilst she is off traveling the globe, I knew right away what topic to choose. I have been rediscovering the Nana manga books I got into a few years ago and I knew they would intrigue Florrie and her love of Japanese fashion. I first met the two Nana's on the recommendation of a friend who knew my passion for Vivienne Westwood. But what do Vivienne Westwood and manga comics have in common? Well let me explain...

Nana Komatsu

The books are about the lives of two young girls who both happen to share the name Nana. Their paths cross by fate as they both embark on new lives away from home. Though they are both very different characters their lives seem inexplicably entwined. The stories of their lives will ring true for most women through tales of love, friendship, jobs, fun and also sadness, I can easily see anyone enjoying the stories. Yet it is the graphic illustrations which first drew me in and made me fall in love with the books.

Nana Osaki

The author and artist Ai Yazawa cleverly uses the fashion the characters wear to instantly help us understand and feel at ease with the new faces being introduced. We all have inbuilt reactions to stereotypes, people often talk about how we need to break them. In some cases we do, yet they also help us understand and interact with the world around us.

The Two Nana's with their very distinct styles

Nana Osaki is the wild punk singer in a band, her look mainly consists of ripped clothes and studded jewellery, further emphasising her 'devil may care' attitude. Whilst Nana Komatsu is slightly naive and a terrible romantic at heart. Her character is shown through her very girly and lady-like attire, pretty dresses, pearl jewellery and dainty handbags. When Nana K gets a job in an office her style changes to reflect appropriate work attire - pencil skirts, neck scarves, but it also shows us that her character has changed too. She is maturing with her new responsibilities.

Nana K wearing a feminine handbag, full skirt and head scarf

Nana K in her office attire

Both girls and many of their friends wear Vivienne Westwood. There are two things about this which I find especially intriguing, firstly that the author chose to use Vivienne's designs. Choosing to illustrate a certain brand is quite different to the style process for a film or magazine shoot. Here the author could have chosen to draw her own 'fictional' clothes yet she chose to use a brand. Vivienne Westwood designs have been popular in Japan for many years. Her early designs are the essence of Punk and so very fitting to use to illustrate a punk band. Yet Yazawa very cleverly includes the other styles of Westwood's designs to illustrate other characters. She uses softer aspects such as pearls and mini crinoline skirts to show pretty and playful characters.

Nana O in her trademark Vivienne Westwood heart jacket

There are so many other aspects of Westwood's designs intermixed with Japanese culture which is something I am currently exploring for my own blog. I hope you have enjoyed this introduction to the world of Nana and how we can learn more about fashion through unexpected sources.

Pearl

Getting into lolita: a first coord

2012-01-03T23:52:00.000Z

Every so often you may have noticed a mention of the lolita style on my blog and here is my first lolita outfit! Last month I actually attended two lolita meet ups which were great fun and will be blogged about shortly, but as I was waiting for packages to arrive from Japan I worked with my most 'loliable' items and a couple of proper lolita accessories and sadly didn't manage the full look. Luckily for me Vivienne Westwood has been a big influence in the style and her accessories are often used within outfits. Likewise, my collection of Hello Kitty things doesn't look out of place either!
Lolita is a street fashion and subculture originating from Japan. Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita has absolutely nothing to do with it despite the name. Within lolita there are lots of sub-styles though I personally seem to find myself drawn to classic and also sweet with its pastel tones. The fashion as we know it today is thought to have come around in the 1980s though has evolved alot print wise in particular since 2000. Its inspiration roots actually lie further back in the Rococo (think Marie Antoinette with large skirts, rows of bows and ruffles) and Victorian eras.
For the casual lolita look you can basically take elements of the style and pair them with other things. For example I could work lolita skirt and petticoat with a cute Hello Kitty t shirt. However there are guidelines, sometimes treated as rules, for dressing lolita. Luckily there's a very active and helpful online community ready to help which I've already made some wonderful friends through.
Full outfits are normally referred to as coords amongst lolitas. A dress with little sleeves is called a onepiece or is referred to as an OP online and one without sleeves like the one I'm wearing in these photos is called a jumper skirt or JSK. The style is a modest one and skirts are usually knee length, or longer in classic, and unless you're sweltering in a hot climate a blouse is usually worn under a jumper skirt. There are also certain colours which occur a lot, such as mint, sax blue, lavender, yellow and pink in sweet lolita. In contrast gothic lolita is all about dark tones.
I won't pretend to be a lolita expert but I do really, really love it. The style features a lot of elements already in my wardrobe and when I first discovered the style it really spoke to me. In this outfit I already owned the white H&M tights and Vivienne Westwood bag, and I bought the coat from Oasis as a general use one that by happy coincidence also fits the lolita colour palette. I also used a vintage reproduction petticoat, but I could do with getting one with more poof factor to achieve the desired cupcake shape.
My shoes and dress come from an online shop called Bodyline. Bodyline is great in that it's affordable but the designs are also variable. I have a few more things from them and just ordered another skirt which is on its way. You also have to watch for shipping charges and import tax when ordering from abroad, but at the moment Bodyline has a really good air shipping offer to be taken advantage of. Lots of the dresses and skirts come with detachable bows which is brilliant! This includes my dress and I slid the bow on a pearl headband I already owned. My blouse is also Bodyline but I purchase it off another lolita through the power of the Lolita Sales U.K. Facebook group which is absolutely fabulous.
My big pink bow ring and earrings were purchased at Qu'tse and my other jewellery is off Etsy which is a brilliant place to go looking for handmade kawaii gems. I'm also hoping to get crafty myself and sew a skirt and dress so we'll see how that goes!
I know I've got a lot to learn yet, but I'm so excited to be a part of this style. So what do you think of the lolita style? Is it something you've come across before?

Hello Kitty Christmas Crackers

2011-12-31T22:29:00.000Z

Visit Mags Direct for cheap magazine subscriptions.

The moment I spied these Hello Kitty Christmas crackers I knew I had to have them, and thankfully my parents kindly went along with my Hello Kitty obsession. The contents make a lovely change from the usual gifts and jokes and they're just so cute! I won the first on Christmas day and received an adorable little badge as well as a classic paper hat and Hello Kitty fact.
If there is something slightly bugging you about my blog layout today it is that I have changed the width of the middle column containing the blog posts! I have been pondering the change for a long time so that the photos are a little bigger. Next on the to do list is a new header, something which I've been pondering even longer, one that stretches fully across all three columns.
Wishing you all a wonderful new year!

Florals on Brindley Heath: Crown and Glory

2011-12-30T23:16:00.002Z

How beautiful are these floral bobby pins kindly sent to me by the fabulous Crown and Glory? They're all deliciously Autumnal in lovely rich natural colours that will look gorgeous all year round. They're very flattering and bring out the warm tones in my hair The red Cherry Cola is most subtle in my brunette locks, whilst Tequila Sunrise and Honeysuckle cheerfully stand out.
I really like the contrast of the cool and warm tones from the painting in the background for these pictures. It's Pine Trees on Brindley Heath by my father and is currently on show at R N Clarke Fine Art Gallery. When I'm feeling a little better again perhaps I'll take these flower clips out on Cannock Chase itself for a photoshoot.
I already own a couple of lovely pieces from Crown and Glory and they're really versatile. I've worn them on everyday occasions but also styled my daisy bobby pins into my sleek up-do as a guest at the Queen Charlotte's Ball this year. Today I went for a look inspired by vintage styles of the 40s but with a modern, dishevelled slant. I twisted my hair round each side, adding in a few little plaits for layers of texture and at the back plaited and pinned it all into a messy bun for a casual take on an elegant style.
All Crown and Glory pieces are both made by hand and truly delightful, yet they aren't ridiculously expensive but very affordable as a sweet treat or a present if you can bare to give them away. To get a sampler of all three colours like I have here it costs £5 but you can also buy individual colours in various quantities. From cute little bobby pins to frivolous fascinators and original commissions, I highly recommend trawling Crown and Glory and getting distracted by all that prettiness.

Bring Me Sunshine: Holly Fulton SS12

2011-12-28T23:24:00.001Z

After having arrived at London's Euston Station this September for Fashion Week I made a quick stop at my hotel but soon found myself whisked off into my first Fashion Week experience: the Holly Fulton show. I was so excited when my invite came and the show certainly didn't disappoint.
As well as being quite an experience in the glitz of Somerset House in full Fashion Week swing, it was also a learning curve in fashion show photography! At Fashion Week you have to be able to adapt to different lighting and find how to work as best you can from your position. I went armed with copious equipment but in this show found that the flash in my camera worked better for the shots than the external one I'd borrowed from college. The photos were much better by the time the last look stepped out but I have still been disappointed by the outcomes.
I've admired Holly Fulton's work for a long time now since she hit the scene with her fabulous AW09 collection. She has such an eye for colour and detail. Therefore I was an incredibly happy bunny to be kindly invited to Talk PR's press week where I could see the collection up close and take lots more photos!
The collection has a base colour palette of sophisticated monochrome but the quirk is in the vibrant colours, checkerboard squares and intricate yet bold patterns that Fulton is known for. This collection is for the girl dressed for Vegas but holidaying in Margate, and I think would gorgeous on any beach or breezing around the city in silks. The collection is inspired by the cool glamour of the 60s and 70s and takes influence from Pucci prints and early Versace, inspired by the neon lights of the arcades.
The Art Deco movement is also at work in Fulton's attention to detail and, often heavy, embellishment. Lots of the garments have plasticy elements to them and the perspex adds an interesting layer of weight and movement. Seed beads, shells and sequins work to emphasise patterns or create them from scratch and glitter as the light hits them. The heavily embroidered skirt in a vivid coral design gives a tough feeling to something that in nature is so fragile.
The jewellery is also anything but insipid in hard, chunky materials. The bags are in cheerful colours with satisfyingly big ones you could fit everything in Mary Poppins style and hard little structured clutches with insets of shell laminate and Perspex blend which shimmer like the sea. I really like the feel of an exotic ocean throughout the collection with sea weeds enticingly curving within the prints. The collection was a ray of sunshine on a September day and now I'm craving the summer's warmth more than ever. Bring on the summer colour palette.

Looking forward to SS12, Selfridges at the Bullring Birmingham

2011-12-27T22:51:00.003Z

Of course sale mania has taken hold now, but a while ago I was kindly invited to attend a calm bloggers evening at Selfridges within the Bullring Birmingham and was a very happy bunny to attend as it's one of my favourite stores. We were warmly welcomed to the Moët Bar and Gallery Restaurant for a trend presentation for the coming SS12 season. I absolutely love the sound of both Underwater Love with blue tones, pastels and seascape prints and 50s inspired Film Blance. We had a good look at some lovely products exclusive to Selfridges and then embarked on a tour around the beautiful stock...

Looking at my outfits it soon becomes clear I have quite a penchant for handbags, and it could be said the accessories department seen here started it all off. Selfridges Birmingham was the first store I ever fell in love with. These days it feels like I'm constantly hopping on trains and trotting round cities but this has been a growing hobby for only a few years. I'm a country girl through and through but I discovered the world of glossy high fashion through devouring magazines and became determined to drag my parents to the shiny Bullring.
The top floor of Selfridges became my little haven of pretty things and has produced a lot of my favourite things in my wardrobe, including several beloved handbags. Then they've got the fabulous beauty area and menswear which is great for gifts, a fantastic high street floor and the lowest level with all kinds of food along with super cute stationary and interior items.

After the womenswear and menswear floors we stepped on the escalator once more to be taken down to the foodhall where we were very well provided for with the Neopolitan delights of Rossopomodoro. Tummies filled, we went our separate ways back upstairs in the beauty hall for our makeover treats, you can see my Dior Flash Makeover in this blog post here.
On the evening I wore a vintage dress, Luella bag, Mulberry shoes, Marc by Marc Jacobs scarf, Accessorize hair bow and H&M tights. Thank you so much to everyone at Selfridges Bullring for organising such an enjoyable event!

Little Pink Christmas Tree and Secret Santa Thank Yous

2011-12-25T23:55:00.002Z

On the last two Christmas days I have blogged what I wore to church, but sadly I have been stuck inside all day which is rather sad. I've got a horrible virus and even Christmas couldn't make it magically disappear. I hope you have had a less icky day than me!
At the beginning of the month I brought out my little pink tree purchased at Paperchase within Selfridges Birmingham last year. I really love their fabulous range of tree colours and sizes and this year they have had lots of lovely decorations to suit the miniature scale of the smaller trees!
The large shiny purple and pink stars were a gift and remind me of a fabulous Japanese brand called 6%DOKIDOKI's amazing hair accessories. The purple bead and star strings are both from Poundland. Then the little stars and sweeties as well as the glittery star topper and my adorable little glittery deer are from Paperchase.
I was animatedly expressing my desire to purchase a blue beaded string I had seen when my mother pointed out to me that the purple one I already had was 8m long... on a 2ft tree. I guess it's fair to say I love all things sparkly! I ended up not using the little sweeties and kept to the star theme and also didn't use the orange mini stars as it looked like one colour too many.

In this blog post I also wanted to say thank you to my Secret Santas! The first gifts seen above are from that organised by Char of t*rexes and tiaras. I received the most gorgeous belt which fits in perfectly with my love of chunky gems and is in the most beautiful blue colour which I love. I'm really looking forward to wearing it. I also received some very pretty tissues which combine florals, paisley and polka dots!
Then Ellie of Pretty Much Penniless organised a Second-hand Secret Santa which was a lovely concept. My gift came packaged in floral fabric and rik rak which was ever so pretty. Inside was a beautiful brooch in the shape of a rose. Thank you so, so much to my Secret Santas who both picked incredibly lovely things which I adore.

Showtime: Fortnum & Mason Christmas Windows

2011-12-23T22:39:00.001Z

As I made my way to the Royal Academy for the Krug Happiness Exhibition the windows of Fortnum & Mason twinkled at me in the evening night. Their Christmas displays this year are an extravagant vision in feathers and glitter inspired by the glamour of 1930s theatreland, capturing the backstage glitz. I can never resist a sparkly shoe and these windows are so fantastically opulent!

Smokey Eyes: A Dior Flash Makeover

2011-12-22T23:47:00.001Z

I was ever so kindly invited to the SS12 trend presentation evening at Selfridges within the Bullring, Birmingham. I've got so many lovely things to show you from the evening but I thought I would start from the beauty angle. All the bloggers attending were offered a beauty treat and I was lucky enough to land a pampering at the Dior counter. As a make up brand Dior is one I know a little about but not a lot so it was the perfect opportunity to get to know their products a little better.
The Flash Makeover is for those on the go, looking to gain a new make up skill but without the time to peel all their make up off and start from scratch. Therefore it focuses on one part of the make up process and I decided to try something new with my eyes! I was preened by the wonderful Nicky who talked me through the smokey eye she created.
I haven't had much of a play with a smokey eye before because super dark black tones can look a little severe on me, but I was really pleased with the effect here. Nicky and I had a good natter about my make up likes and dislikes and she knew how to be versatile with different faces. For example, my eyes are actually quite small within my face and eyeliner all the way round only emphasises this!
Nicky built up the layers starting with a beautiful shimmer blue-grey tone and contoured with darker shades. She chose to use an eye shadow palette with a hint of blue in it to bring out the colour of my eyes and the effect also went with my dress perfectly! The make up counter experience should always be a stress free one, and I felt I was in good hands all the way through. I ended up with a look I was really pleased with and felt that it suited me and I was equipped with the knowledge to recreate the it.

If you haven't noticed- hooray; but my eyebrows look a teensy odd in these photos. As I have discussed before I suffer with chronic migraine and whiplash, and on this day my forehead in particular was feeling especially painful. When I viewed these photos I realised one of my eyebrows is actually substantially higher than the other one! Thankfully this particular symptom had pretty much settled the next day day, but yes... odd.
Thank you to Nicky and I'll be sharing with you the rest of my lovely Selfridges at the Bullring experience very soon.

The Magic Roundabout: Tiffany Christmas windows

2011-12-20T22:34:00.001Z

I just love walking through the city and seeing the festive window displays. Bond Street has some absolute gems this year and the Tiffany & Co store is one of my favourites.
Peeping into the little boxed windows they have a feeling of Narnia to them. I adore the beautiful take on the whimsical carousel, with twisted golden rods and wild animals galloping free yet restrained. I must admit I'm having quite a carousel phase at the moment and how could such fantastical prettiness fail to put me in the mood for Christmas?
Have you got any favourite winter displays you've been admiring this year?

Glossybox

2011-12-16T23:40:00.004Z

Who doesn't love the exciting anticipation of receiving something fabulous in the post?
I absolutely love the concept behind Glossybox. For a fee of £10.00 plus P+P (postage and packaging not Pride and Prejudice which I must admit is what comes into my mind when someone says P+P) a month you receive a gorgeously presented box with 5 'high-end' products. From what I have seen the samples are sometimes full sized and sometimes not. I love trying out new beauty products and I also love little surprises! At the Motel Rocks blogger event Glossybox were there armed with yummy cupcakes and kindly offered the chance to receive the November box.
Even the outer packaging of my box was lovely and the inside box was beautifully sleek and an absolute delight to open. The products vary a lot each month and not everyone receives exactly the same, but on the website it looks like you can fill in a 'Beautyprofile' when you register which I assume must sway what you get as an individual.
The Arbonne FC5 Ultra Hydrating Hand Creme smells lovely and fresh and has a really pleasant texture to it. My hands are quite dry at the moment so I will see how it does but they're already feeling softer which is a very good sign! I'm looking forward to trying the Dead Sea Spa Magik Dead Sea Bath Salts also from the point of view of trying to improve my skin. The Illumasque Freak Due De Parfum smells wonderful, but is a rather small sample. A positive of the Glossybox is that you can try products on your skin without any pressure. There may be ones you've been curious about and there may be complete surprise unknowns.
Then I have the full size Monu Revitalising Moisturiser which is probably the least interesting product to me personally as I already have a moisturiser I am very happy with. Nail Rock provided a sheet of Designer Nail Wraps. I am not sure what I think of the whole concept of nail wraps but I do hate how easily nail polish applied Florrie style comes off easily. One needs to apply Acetone- a nail polish remover ingredient- to apply the wraps so I'm going to have an experiment. I can't say the bold black and white stripy design is what I would have chosen for myself- the polka dot ones in the range look far cuter and more up my street!
What I like best about Glossybox is the experience. Receiving things in the post is always fun and it would be like unwrapping a surprise Christmas present every month. The box also comes with discount codes for four of the brands to use up to the end of December which is very useful if you find yourself adoring a product. However, for myself I think it would be far funner to have a box with more make up in because I like to experiment with that more than I do skin care. Overall the Glossybox was a really fun treat to receive.

In Pursuit of Happiness: The Krug Happiness Exhibition

2011-12-15T23:22:00.001Z

The beautiful Lady Amanda Harlech was looking suitably cheerful at the launch of the Krug 'Happiness' exhibition which she co-curated at the Royal Academy. I was kindly invited to the event on Monday evening and gladly attended.
The concept behind the exhibition was certainly one that intrigued me. Celebrity patrons had been asked to donate something which embodies happiness to them, which is such a lovely idea. Lady Amanda Harlech donated a painting by her own hand titled Man in a Bath, capturing the simple pleasure of a relaxed moment.

Amongst the other exhibits we have a pair of Jemina Khan's children's riding boots which to her represent both the joy of childhood and one of her great loves. Also from the footwear department is one gorgeously ornate pair of stilettos by Manolo Blahnik and a donation from Rupert Sanderson. In addition to a signed design sketch of a Sanderson shoe was a battered but much loved book from The Royal Horticultural Society on daffodil species which the shoe designer uses to name his creations! A stunning Erdem dress hangs from the ceiling of one room and I thought Bella Freud's contribution was incredibly sweet. She donated a framed family photo of her parents together, prior to her birth, which is especially touching as they both sadly passed away this year within mere days of each other.

Vivienne Westwood meanwhile took the chance to highlight the campaign to save the rain forest, which is a cause I also feel passionately about. Her selection in the exhibition is beautifully presented with the poster on one side, the t-shirt on the other and in the middle acorn earrings gorgeously dangling off oak tree branches laid on classic Vivienne Westwood tissue paper.

Look who it is behind the fabulous Virginia Bates and Nicky Haslam! I've also spotted myself in Tatler's Bystander section online! For the occasion I wore my gingham Luella dress and made a stop at Liberty's to pick out an orange gingham ribbon to cinch it in. Also from Luella I wore my beloved SS09 heart shoes and Gisele bag along with a poofy vintage reproduction petticoat and my oversize Vivienne Westwood earrings.
All the guests were treated to delicious Krug champagne and Margareth Henriquez, President and CEO of Krug, gave a warming and enthusiastic speech on the inspiration for the exhibition and was joined by Charles Saumarez Smith of the Royal Academy.

Those Etch a Sketch screens didn't stay blank for long! Here's a quick snap taken on my compact camera, the rest of the photos in this post were sent to me by mission PR.
All the pieces in the exhibition are available to purchase via silent auction with the funds raised going to the Royal Academy Schools.
The exhibition runs til Tuesday 20th December and is open 10am-6pm Monday to Friday and 9am-10pm Saturday.

Bedazzled: a fashion love story

2011-12-14T22:12:00.001Z

Get your cheap magazine subscriptions at ValueMags.com with free shipping.

Oh Miu Miu, how you continually dazzle me with your fabulous accessories.
On my very first stroll down Bond Street, coming back from Luella's then Brook Street store, I had some time to spare on an artistic day trip with my father. Already a fan of Miu Miu handbags, I decided to step into their little store and oh how delightful it was! I became completely besotted with a headband which was tragically sold out by the time I returned on my next trip. However, as fate would have it, many months later it crossed my path in an even nicer colour for my hair and it is all mine.
Miu Miu has more recently located to a bigger store on the street which means more loveliness! Every time I'm in London I just love to take in the prettiness. I loved this season's glittery shoes as soon as I laid eyes on the first images of AW11, and then there was the ad campaign with Hailee Steinfeld gleefully lying in a rainbow of sparkly court shoes. Oh and they are even more wonderful in person!
Above you can see two images taken of the Miu Miu shop windows near the end of November. I absolutely adore the new butterfly motif in the jewellery. And of course Miu Miu does jewels so well, including on beautiful handbag straps. Here's the latest ad campaign glittering at me in this month's Elle UK:

Returning to London this week I could not help but be called back to the little haven of sparkles. The ornate screens make such lovely backdrops for the window displays.

By now you have probably realised I am a girl obsessed by Miu Miu accessories! They make me feel all happy and snuggly inside. I would so love to tote one of the lovely handbags one day, though I will have trouble picking the perfect one!
I hope you've enjoyed the love in, I'm going to stop gushing now. I feel so much happier now my wretched Photography essay has been submitted to college today! It's worth 50% of the coursework and I have been making myself a completely and utterly stressed out bunny but now I am free to dream in sparkles once more.

Lace and pink and florals, oh my!

2011-12-11T21:08:00.001Z

Upon walking into River Island's SS12 womenswear press day I immediately swooped upon the delights of the rack seen above. The sugary, candy tones of the colour palette reminded me of Luella SS09 (and it's well known my love for that ladylike but acid collection knows no bounds). Then the choice of lace and the gorgeous little appliqué floral details reminded me of Miu Miu AW10, making one dreamy combination I was very impressed with.
It's all very, very pretty but edgy too with a fascinating mix of textures, the latter of which River Island excelled in throughout all the other themes on display too. I think my very favourite piece would have to be the slouchy pink lace jacket which would be right at home in my wardrobe. I can't wait for this selection to hit the shops next year and I'll be showing you the rest of the River Island collection in another blog post soon.

Cath Kidston Business Card Holder: The Winner!

2011-12-09T22:54:00.000Z

Thank you to everyone who entered my Cath Kidston business card holder giveaway. I had great fun choosing the card holder and I love giving things so I truly wish I could give you all something! However, we do have a winner. I counted up the entries and headed to random.org. The lucky number was 38 which means France Irish is our winner! Many congratulations to her and hopefully I'll be having another shiny new giveaway for you all shortly.

Beauxoxo

2011-12-07T19:30:00.002Z

I was lucky enough to attend the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham this week. The huge fashion event involves not only performances but stand upon stand featuring favourite well known brands at bargain prices. However, what I found really fun was walking round discovering the little independent gems and this blog post is about one of them.
I was coming to the end of my visit when I strolled by the Beauxoxo stand, but it was love at first sight when it came to its contents. Everything was so kawaii and would fit in perfectly with Japanese street style trends such as lolita fashion. The sparkly bow delights could brighten up a more casual look and would also be perfect for a special occasion.
When faced with such a selection I must admit my brain turned to glittery mush and I was tempted to take the lot. However, after several indecisive minutes taking it all in I knew which were the pieces I couldn't walk away from.
The first is a headband featuring a row of pink and purple sparkly stars. All the star headbands were lovely but those colours are just so me. I really like how there are big glitter specks and little teeny ones too.
Then from the couture range I fell for a gorgeous big velvet bow with a cameo, princess castle and Swarovski crystals, how was I to resist? All the things I saw were beautifully crafted and the felt on the back of my bow is shaped in a heart which is such a pretty touch.
I also picked out some cute little plastic bows which are so much fun and easy to wear. It's fair to say I went away from the stand one very happy bunny.
Let's take a look at the other yummy delights of the store...

And here's the lady herself, standing amongst the shimmering butterflies. Georgie has such a great eye for creating beautiful accessories and was really lovely to speak to. You can tell she just loves making them too. The Beauxoxo Etsy shop can be found here.
So what do you think of my shiny new hair things?

Degas Dancers

2011-12-06T22:28:00.002Z

Ever since I first discovered his work, the Impressionist Edgar Degas has firmly held his place as my favourite artist and has greatly influenced my own art work. My father is another very clever bunny when it comes to using paint brushes and when he came to open his own art gallery to showcase his work last year, R N Clarke Fine Art Gallery in Stafford, I had more than a few ideas as to what to fill the shop area with!
The first item on my list was a miniature figurine version of Little Dancer Aged 14. The real art work is my favourite sculpture I have ever seen and I've loved displaying my own little figurine of it in my bedroom. A little research later and we found a few more dancers in the range!
Going all 'buyer' on my father I also suggested some Degas prints for our selection and the Degas brolly is my favourite from our elegant umbrella range. It really makes the gallery such a delightful place to help out at, surrounded by my favourites. Oh and if anyone does want to pay a visit there are some of my paintings up too as well as lots more art geekery and gifts.

R N Clarke Fine Art Gallery,

Suite No 1, St Mary’s Mews,

St Mary’s Place, Stafford ST16 2AP

Tel: 01785 241325

Website: www.rnclarke.co.uk

Email: enquiries@rnclarke.co.uk

Normal Gallery Opening Times

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Sat 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.

Wed & Sun closed

Also open by appointment

Before making a special journey you are welcome to telephone for confirmation of gallery opening, current exhibition details or stock availability.

Please be aware that there are steps up to the Gallery.

With my Degas obsession you can imagine my excitement upon finding out there was going to be an exhibition devoted to his work at the Royal Academy of Arts! It's sadly in its last days up to Sunday 11th December, but I was lucky enough to visit and it is absolutely gorgeous. I really had to resist the urge to skip as I entered and had such a very lovely time. So if you're in London in the next few days I cannot express how much it is worth a visit!

Don't forget to enter my Cath Kidston giveaway ends noon tomorrow and is open internationally!

A sunny SS12 from F&F Clothing at Tesco

2011-12-04T23:27:00.002Z

As bloggers arrived at Clothing at Tesco's Florence & Fred SS12 event we were given a really pretty little heart to tie on to our favourite item later in the evening, which was a really cute way of getting feedback.
As I walked in I found my feet immediately carrying me towards the two dresses in the first picture. The whimsical ivory lace one would be perfect for floating round the countryside and the second is so very elegant in an unusual but ladylike floral print. Then in the second picture we have a frock which I spotted very near the end but also stole my heart. It was a tough decision, but I decided on the the pastel toned 50s inspired floral frock, wouldn't it be perfect for a summertime event?
These weren't the only gems of the collection though so let's look at the other treats in store at Tesco for SS12...

After getting over the initial jolt of seeing the beautiful dresses which I started the post with I couldn't help but head to a delightful rack of soft pastel tones.
The romantic selection is inspired by The Great Gatsby and the 20s and 30s. It's a delicate dream in peaches and cream with a good helping of lovely lace. The dragonfly print cardigan was a very pretty piece, as well as the bow print blouse with a sweet double collar detail. All one needs is a picnic basket and lawn for the perfect summer scene.
The vintage vibe continues to swimwear with the most fabulous floral swimming caps. In contrast to the pastels we have more lovely florals but sitting as colour pops on a base of darker colours such as black and navy.
Then in contrast sat some more modern graphic prints and touches of the tribal trend. The collection moves into vibrant and zingy brights. From stripes to a continuation of the floral theme, the colours scream cheerfulness and make me yearn yet more for the rays of the sun. It's well known I'm not a jeans person, but there's something about dying them in bright colours which is just so appealing to me.
Clothing at Tesco has been really impressing me with its designs recently and it looks like things are only getting better with SS12. There were so many clothes I'd wear in a heartbeat and standards of quality were great too. I'll definitely be heading to my local aisles for an affordable fashion fix come spring with pieces I know I can wear again and again whilst showing off new season trends.

I had a really lovely evening at the Florence & Fred event and not just because of the gorgeous clothes. It's always lovely to have a big blogger get together and we were very well looked after. As well as the treat of my beautiful WAH Nails glitter and rose manicure, festive Christmas crackers were soon spied under a tree. Having soon cracked them open we discovered pretty little rings inside as well as classic paper party hats.
The F&F photobooth was great fun to play in and have a silly time. I think it's fair to say that the children's Christmas costume range was a great success! I took a scrumptious vanilla cupcake for company on the way home and bid farewell to the upcoming summer's delights which I am very, very excited for.

Charity Shop Find: The Vintage Tea Dress

2011-12-02T20:57:00.004Z

Working my way round my local charity shops I was absolutely delighted to find this vintage dress on the racks of Scope, Stafford. I really love the colours in the pretty floral print.
You can also see another recent purchase in the form of my shoes. I have gone through several pairs of a similar shape and heel height because they make the perfect everyday shoe for me. The heel isn't too high for a long day but a bit of structure makes me feel that much more elegant. These are from New Look.
I've had the striped fabric of the bow in my sewing box for a long while but decided to turn it into something cute a few weeks ago, Then more recently I decided to attack it with a carousel pony and a little heart for a sweet look and attached it to a hair grip. I've wanted to make myself a collection of hair bows for a long while so hopefully I'll get better at finishing the ends neatly! Here there's one hand sewn and one machined as an experiment.
Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, H&M tights and scarf, Wallis coat.

Don't forget to enter my Cath Kidston giveaway! (Ends 7th Dec, open internationally)

The Elusive Party Dress

2011-11-29T23:34:00.000Z

Is anyone else on the search for the perfect party dress right now? They always crop up when you don't specifically need them rather than when you're desperate. I'm currently on the look out for several for upcoming events and so the hunt is most definitely on in what seems an uphill challenge.
Now do you search for something that's steeped in the new season's trends or something that will be timeless for years to come? For me it's all about whatever makes me feel fabulous, which I guess is my approach to fashion in general! The best part of dress shopping? When you finally try something on and it literally makes you jump in glee.

An essential part of any evening dress is its ability to make you feel wonderful so you can relax (any corseting aside!) and enjoy the occasion. Ellos evening dresses step in with a gorgeous selection to be considering and I think strike the balance of wearability and fun, and they have dresses to suit lots of different figures- hooray!

I've been craving jewel toned velvet since I first laid eyes on Michael van der Ham's gorgeous AW11 collection. I'm also loving dresses with fabulous flounces which add a girly, elaborate touch and I can't resist dresses which flare out when I twirl, which is really rather regularly.

The Long Black Dress or the Little Black Dress? Here we have both an elegant long number and a figure hugging one, but both are lovely and waisted. I think either would look absolutely fabulous with this season's trend for very sparkly accessories à la Miu Miu. What I like best about the LBD is that you can have as much fun as you like with a rainbow of accessories and keep it fresh every time.

All the lovely dresses in this blog post can be found at http://www.ellos.co.uk/.

Are you on the lookout for a party dress, and if so what's your action plan?

Summer Holiday: Love Label at Very SS12

2011-11-28T23:07:00.002Z

Here are the delights of the Love Label collection for SS12 as seen at the Very.co.uk press event. I really enjoyed looking at the clothes as there are some absolutely beautiful ones I'm already coveting for next summer.
Here's my blog post on the Holly Willoughby, Dee V by Diana Vickers and Fearne Cotton collections I also saw at the event.
What SS12 trends are you already craving?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

The magical allure of hair straighteners

2011-11-27T23:39:00.002Z

A whole new world of hairstyling was opened when I realised hair straighteners could be manipulated to do far more than just straighten errant waves. In fact I now love my faithful straighteners for curling and barely ever just straighten. ghd have really been pushing the boundaries of straightener styling, and I really admire their imagination and creativity.

“Mirror, Mirror on the wall,

ghd Scarlet makes you the fiercest of them all”

Katy Perry dazzles in a 20s inspired do shot by photographer David LaChapelle. She works a vampy look that is rather Snow White. Of course on trend with the upcoming films featuring Kristen Stewart and Lily Collins, both versions are much hyped but starkly contrasting. Yet this is definitely a uniquely dangerous and alluring take on the fairytale. The wonderfully luxurious limited edition Scarlet Collection captures all of ghd's classic high quality but gives it an opulent touch of red and the excitement of the roaring 20s.
There are two deliciously decadent sets to choose from and wouldn't either make such a gorgeous present? The art deco inspired 'heat resistant red satin styler roll bag' would actually make the most beautiful clutch and would definitely take pride of place on my shelf. Then the Deluxe set is even more beautiful, who knew hair straighteners could be so covetable?

Here's a fascinating glimpse into behind the scenes and how Katy's hairstyle was created. I love the history behind the look but it also keeps to a modern feel for a really special hairstyle take on a vintage style.

I've been loving the Charleston performances on Strictly Come Dancing and now thanks to ghd I'm definitely feeling inspired to play with a 20s look for myself. Do you have a favourite style to create with hair straighteners?

Holly, Fearne and Diana at Very SS12

2011-11-25T23:09:00.001Z

Holly Willoughby

It's no secret I adore my own Holly Willoughby for Very dress, so I was very excited to see her offerings for SS12 at the Very.co.uk press event. I was immediately drawn to the dress above and fell for it, but then I saw the other colour version! The frock is so very sweet with its cute collar, buttons and sleeves. Both colours are beautiful but I can't resist the dusty candy pink version.

Holly really didn't disappoint with her wonderful prints and vintage inspired tea dresses.

Dee V by Diana Vickers

Diana Vickers' collection swings us into the 60s and beyond with little dresses and super fun prints from groovy spots to apples and a giraffe! Then on the more elegant but still fun side I adore the white blouse with its beautiful organza ruffles and black bow. Very Gossip Girl's Blair Waldorf in her Season One Constant Billiard school uniform don't you think?

Fearne Cotton

Fearne's SS12 collection features some nautical tones including beautiful red lace, and also some lovely candy tones. We also have some quite neutral colours and an eerie crow print t-shirt. The polka dot platform shoes are fabulous and the small details in the clothes, such as a romantic rose trim, are beautiful.

All three of these collections have very different feels but I love how they take elements of the past and make gorgeous, wearable, modern pieces. Has anything caught your eye for next spring?

An outfit fit for a press day or three

2011-11-24T22:38:00.002Z

The source for cheap magazine subscription deals.

This is what I wore for an exciting London day involving previews of the Dune Group, River Island and Very SS12 collections. I saw lots of excessively lovely things at all three which I'm excited to show you in upcoming blog posts! These photos were taken at Very.
Having pretty much killed my feet on my previous trip I decided a comfy pair of Clarks flats was the way forward! All the locations were central London but that's still a way to get round. I wore my gingham Luella dress from SS09 with a petticoat underneath for lots of fabulous volume. Of course this is just the sort of look my new winter coat from New Look is perfect for in its shape!
I really wanted to wear my dove print H&M cardigan print and colour wise, but it wasn't the right length for the dress and petticoat to wear buttoned up. Then I had a lighbulb moment and tucked it under, which thankfully didn't require too much adjusting throughout the day.
My amazing WAH Nails manicure lasted amazingly well but by the evening before my London trip all but two nails on each hand were starting to get rather chipped, not helped by a day of decorating R N Clarke Fine Art Gallery for Christmas! I couldn't bare to remove the glitter and the remaining roses though so I worked with the nail polishes and a tube of green glitter I have at home for the other nails for what I hope was a complimentary look. It's actually pathetic how badly the freshly painted nails did in just a day! Any recommendations for a good top coat?
The bow in my hair was a gift, the bag is Marc by Marc Jacobs, the scarf is H&M, the tights are Marks and Spencer and both my carousel pony ring and bunny earrings were purchased on Etsy.

Don't forget to enter my Cath Kidston giveaway! (Ends 7th Dec, open internationally)

Cath Kidston Business Card Holder: a Giveaway!

2011-11-21T22:51:00.016Z

Oh the allure of crisp new business cards. I'm constantly printing them out because I love playing with different paintings and drawings of mine on new ones.
Business cards are really useful for a blogger, whether you've been chatting to a shop assistant about your nails and a have a tutorial they can see or you're at a press event and the organisers would love to know your details. I also have a link to my art work on mine so that people know I'm an artist too.
Whatever line of business you're in, there's no denying cards are snazzy, so why not have something delightful to show them off in? Daydreaming in the basement of Selfridges Birmingham I couldn't resist the call of Cath Kidston and their amazing prints! I spotted the basket of business card holders and thought they were really cute, and why not share the sweetness? It was tough deciding on a pattern but in the end I went for a ditsy floral which I adore, and hope you do too.

The giveaway to win this shiny new business card holder is open internationally and will close at 12 noon UK time on Wednesday 7th December giving you just over two weeks. I am giving you up to four entries, but you can do as many or few as you like.
1) Be a follower of this blog on Google Connect or Bloglovin. New followers are welcome and if the 'following' concept is new to you all you have to do is sign in with a google email/gmail account which takes a couple of minutes to create and hit the 'Follow' button then you can get all the blogs you read in one place. Or if you use Bloglovin you can find me here.
2) 'Like' my Facebook page. Which is handily located here.
3) Follow me on Twitter @iflorrie.
4) Blog about my giveaway. This could be in a blog post or a button in your sidebar.

Once you have done 1, 2, 3, 4 or any combination of these leave me a comment telling me so! Be sure to leave me a way to contact you whether it's through a blog, Twitter or email address.

Twirling through Winter: a new coat!

2011-11-20T20:30:00.001Z

This coat may look a little familiar to those who saw my Winter Warmers Wishlist. They were sold out except for one of the blue version at New Look's Oxford Street store last week, and having spotted it and tried it on in my local store I realised I'd very much regret it if I missed out on it.
My faithful pink coat of winters past has been banished to the drycleaners for a little TLC but I won't be neglecting it entirely! I really like the warm red tones of my new coat which I think will look lovely with things the pink one doesn't particularly.
I also adore the shape in that it allows room for twirling in skirts! When I happen to be standing the silhouette also looks lovely and flared then. The volume at the top of the sleeves is a lovely, girly touch. I'm not often a fan of double breasted coats but here the shiny gold military buttons work delightfully.
I got out my dark red Paul & Joe lipstick (shade 22) to flatter the coat, my porcelain tights are from H&M as well as my animal print scarf, my shoeboots are from New Look, my dress from Holly Willoughby at Very, my squidgy quilted bag is Luella and I believe the ring is Accessorize. Does anyone else find it hard to always remember where accessories without labels are from?
What coat will you be wearing this Winter?

Lula Magazine Issue 13

2011-11-19T22:21:00.001Z

girl of my dreams

I'm still as besotted with Lula Magazine as I was when I first spotted my fellow bloggers admiring it in my very first months of blogging. I'm so glad I was introduced to it as it is a real delight. I'd love to get my hands on some back copies, but Issue 13 is at present my fifth issue.
After the first few pages the magazine is pure, uninterrupted and gorgeous content. The photography is all fascinating and whimsical, but there's a lovely variation within the pages. This provides lots of inspiring images for fashion blogs and outfit photos! I love it down to the sweet necklace on the spine. There are two beautiful covers to choose from, both with lovely photographs but of course I went for the dusty pink typeface over the red one!
Where to buy it? Lula is a complete gem but quite tricky to get hold of. I once had some luck in Lichfield's WHSmith but have yet to see another issue there. Borders was also a good bet but has now bitten the dust in the recession. Recently my failsafe has been WHSmith within Selfridges Oxford Street where I'll head at the end of a London day before trudging back to Euston. It costs £7.99 but is literally like the most beautiful book and so well worth the money. It only comes out twice a year, making each issue highly anticipated but a joy when it comes.

The Motel Rocks Christmas Look Book!

2011-11-17T22:33:00.002Z

Oh the sparkles! One of the details I spotted and loved most at the Motel Rocks blogger event were the little rectangular sequins on some of the pieces. They're sequins so of course they're very, very pretty but they've also got that edge of cool.
The Motel Rocks Christmas party collection boasts short and sassy takes on the classic LBD and quite a bit of lovely lace. The colour pops of the season are really beautiful blues, purples and rich greens.
Then there are hints of the wild in leopard prints and some very snuggly (faux) furry pieces. The trend trickles subtly into a warm beige print with sweet uneven black spots.
A cheerful and vibrant red stands out and needless to say I adore the rose print version! From cute little vintage inspired colourful frocks to little numbers to shine in I'd say Motel has got some great options for Christmas festivities.
The print I was most intrigued by is the crackle one as seen in the third look up. It's littleness makes it sweet but it also has plenty of attitude. I can't wait for my little top in the print to arrive so that I can mix it up with my floral skirts and cardigans.
So what trends are you planning to work this coming party season?

WAH Nails: Pink Glitter and Roses

2011-11-16T20:00:00.002Z

I really am quite besotted with my current nail polish. Yesterday I attended the Clothing at Tesco SS12 preview at which there were some truly delightful clothes, which I will be blogging about shortly. After a long day walking round the city I hopped in the queue for the Wah Nails bar for a manicure treat at the event.
I had no resistance against the allure of the pink (Magenta Divine) glittery Models Own polish but I did have a tough decision when it came to my accent nail art- daisies, roses or a sweet little bow? My love of roses won out in the end and I'm really pleased with the final effect! In fact, I've been staring, mesmerized, at my nails all day. I'm really happy there haven't been any chips so far so I hope they'll last a good while yet!
A big thank you to Tesco and WAH for making me a happy bunny!

The Motel Rocks Blogger Bash

2011-11-14T22:18:00.002Z

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful event organised by Motel Rocks to view the new winter collection. It was also a wonderful opportunity to catch up with some lovely bloggers and meet some who I've now been talking online to for years in person for the first time! And they really did treat us well...

Glossybox were at the event, bringing with them the cutest cupcakes from my favourite, Lola's cupcakes!

The cupcakes got Harriet of Where is Harriet?'s approval!

This is what I wore: a Motel Rocks skirt, H&M tights and floral top, Marks and Spencer t-shirt and Luella bag and hairclip.

The amazing Motel Rocks blocks- what a lesson in pattern mixing!

How I loved the pretty balloons in my favourite colour scheme of all time: pink, lilac and light blue.

Faye Marie All These Pretty Things and Rachel of Rachel Phipps tuck into some yummy candy floss. The Candy Event Company were behind the sugar rush and also the popcorn at the event.

Hannah of Bow Dream Nation's amazing sparkly nails!

The new Motel Rocks collection also shimmers with sparkle and beautiful reds.

We were all very spoilt in that we got to pick a piece from the new collection for ourselves! However, this then led to much indecision when presented with such an array of lovely clothes! Hello to Dina of She Loves Mixtapes in the background!

I also really adored this rich dark green colour.

Harriet of Where is Harriet?, Emma of Oh Really, Sarah of Essbeevee and Ellie of Pretty Much Penniless weigh up a sparkly LBD.

A trio of lovely bloggers: Kristabel of I Want You To Know, Lucy of Snippets of Shiny Thoughts and Jazmine of Jazzabelle's Diary!

One much coveted sparkly LBD.

Lil of A Storm in a Teacup's super sweet bunny ring.

Isn't the crackle print amazing? I picked something in it and I think it will be great fun to contrast with florals.

Sarah of Essbeevee and Ellie of Pretty Much Penniless have such gorgeous smiles.

The lovely Amy of Wolf Whistle attempting to make a tough sartorial decision.

I love this photo of Ellie with one of the balloons.
Thank you to Motel for a really lovely evening. I had a fabulous time and it was wonderful to meet so many bloggers! At this point I think this post is picture heavy enough, so I'll be showing you the Motel Christmas collection in more detail soon!

Outfit: Lop Eared Bunny

2011-11-13T21:34:00.002Z

You will love these sophisticated and stylish titles.

Oh how I've been missing these boots! The one good thing about the cold so far is that I finally won't get boiled wearing them! Here I am wearing: New Look boots, H&M dress, cardigan, tights and snood from different seasons, Luella bag and vintage parasol. I bought the little flamingo brooch for an amazing 50p in the Primark sale, how could something so fabulous and sparkly go unwanted?
You may have noticed I've been somewhat experimental with my styling today. My mum said my hair made me look like a lop eared bunny, which I thought was rather cute! I've been admiring Sweet Lolita fashion for a long while now and it's gradually been inspiring my wardrobe more and more. On paper this Japanese trend is very me; all petticoats, frills, bows, Rococo inspiration and cuteness.
Yesterday I was browsing the internet as one does and decided to look into how to get the hairstyle look. Here's the original Youtube video which inspired my styling:

However, I did do it slightly differently. I've become out of practice at curling my hair with an iron lately, but I have been a busy bee curling it with rags. So last night I started to put in some rag curls as I usually would. I then realised that if my parting wasn't already in place at that point the curls would get messily separately the next day. So I started again and kept one half in place with a bobble while I worked on the first. I only curled the bottom sections as I wanted the top section straight.
The curls look a little different on each side. The front rag curl on my left fell out long before morning so the top of that side was smoother after I curled the ends with an iron to get rid of the straight bits sticking up. However on my right side the hair kept hanging further back! Here's an extra snap from later in the day when I tried to fix this!

I don't think I did perfectly but this hairstyle is really cute and pretty! I can try placing the bobbles higher and also perfect my pinning technique. Then when I have my hair trimmed I can play with the shorter bits at the front, so I think I'll be having a go at this again.

High Street Hits: Winter Warmers Wishlist

2011-11-12T23:01:00.001Z

I don't know about you but I'm really feeling the chill. Here are some gorgeous pieces from the high street I'd love to snuggle up in:

1. Twill Military Coat in Plum, was £49.99 now £34.99 New Look
In need of a new winter coat I've decided to search for a rather different look. As much as I've loved my faithful pink coat I'm craving a more waisted look with fullness extending in the skirt to allow my flared skirts and dresses room to breath without cramping their style! I really like this New Look one. The double breasted buttons give it a tough edge but it's still very sweet and I adore those shoulder details.

2. Beret in orange, £3.99 H&M 3. Pink faux fur trapper hat, was £20 but currently £5 off so £15 River Island
I really want to add to my beret collection and this H&M one is really cute and in a cheerful colour. The River Island hat is absolutely amazing in its pink, fluffy ways. Then there's the added allure of pom poms, there's something about the little delights I find so pleasing.

4. Short cable crew cardi, £32 Miss Selfridge 5. Black bow cardigan, £30 H by Henry Holland at Debenhams
This Miss Selfridge cable knit cardi looks incredibly snuggly and the trim detail gives it a cute but smart feel. Then the bow print on the H by Henry Holland cardigan gives the piece an especially sweet feel.

6. Aztec Snood, £22 Warehouse 7. Oversized Love Heart Print Scarf, £20 Oasis
My scarf collection is quite possibly the most important part of my wardrobe. One of the things which triggers my whiplash injury most is the cold so they really are an essential for me. The print of this Warehouse snood really caught my eye, the colours are so vibrant and I haven't seen one quite like it anywhere else. Then the heart print Oasis number is majorly cute and I very much approve of it's oversized quality for the cosy factor.

8. Float Lace Socks, were £12 now £5 Tabio 9. Pamela Mann Black and Pink Heart Tights, £8 Motel Rocks
I really want some cute new ankle socks to layer and these Tabio ones are just beautiful! The ornate detailing puts them in a whole other sock league as far as I'm concerned. Then these heart print Motel Rocks tights are super fun and perfect for cheering up chilly days.
What are you craving for the winter months?

Happy 35th birthday Warehouse!

2011-11-09T20:47:00.001Z

Can you believe high street favourite Warehouse has just celebrated it's 35th birthday? I had no idea but the recent celebration of 35 years of fabulous style has let me glimpse into a fascinating hertiage. The brand has been super lovely both on Twitter and Facebook and in store, treating fans and shoppers to #WareStyleTreats. I was so lucky as to receive their very last one on Twitter last week which completely brightened up my day! I already have my eye on a rather gorgeous dress to spend my yummy voucher on so I'll be sure to let you know what I order! So many thanks and happy birthday to Warehouse!
Thanks so much for all your kind messages about my little Chanel. I'm missing her lots but am gritting my teeth and doing my best to get through. Your support means a lot and I really do have the best blog and Twitter friends. ^_^

RIP Chanel the guinea pig

2011-11-07T20:45:00.001Z

As some of you may know from my Twitter, one of my guinea pigs, Chanel, has been very poorly for a couple of weeks. We have been taking her back and forth to the vets so she's been as comfortable as possible. She seemed to be getting better but had very much deteriorated today and was not at all happy so we took her back this evening. This time it was obvious to the vet that something was wrong that was growing very quickly all of a sudden and impossible to operate on without her passing a few days later in pain anyway. I'm extremely sad and distraught and miss her greatly already, but I know she's not suffering anymore. I took these pictures this morning between washing her and her antibiotics, having a snuggle in my arm and generally being a little cutie.

Obscure Couture SS12

2011-11-06T22:54:00.001Z

The collection before had finished with soaring classic music, but the change in atmosphere was extreme for the final collection to show at LGN Events emerging designers showcase. The music was loud and thumping with heaps of attitude. You may have noticed that this is obviously not a classically Florrie collection but I do think the label's one worth noting.
The Obscure Couture label was founded in 2010 by the Glasgow based duo Jennifer Coyle and Lyndsay Pagan. All of the clothes are handmade and created in a limited edition for a fabulous quality paired with this brash punk take on fashion.
I won't repeat what was on the back of the first hoody, but let's just say these clothes have aggression aplenty, more than equalling the music. The designers have a spirit akin to that of a rebellious young Vivienne Westwood and the plaids made me think of Cher in the 90s film Clueless. The SS12 collection is titled Us Vs Them.
Some of the metallic leathers were a little gaudy. I liked the pink but not so much the red, though I do think red was the right colour in itself to go with the yellow. On the other hand the collection so glorifies in being a little trashy, but in a good way.
Then in contrast there are the floaty, beautifully painted silks, soaring wonderfully, but also reminiscent of blood splatters! Within the collection I felt the colourful pieces were stronger than some of the mainly black ones. All the looks were finished off rather fabulously with neon shoes, which was a wonderful touch.
The finale dress was a vision in two plaid fabrics. It kept up the attitude but with lots of added drama in the volume that would be perfect for sweeping on to a red carpet. I also really liked the earlier top with stack upon stack of ruffles, mixing up plaid and flashes of pink.
This dynamic duo have some exciting prospects ahead of them, just perhaps with a little more polish. These might not be clothes I would wear but the aesthetic of them I would and do. Coyle and Pagan design for women who dress to please themselves, projecting that image for all to see. They follow instincts rather than trends, and that I very much applaud. With this sense of style paired with such clothes I think they have amazing potential and I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Shoes for Show: The Sculptural Art of High Heels

2011-11-04T22:45:00.004Z

There's something about the allure of the shoe. For centuries we have contorted our feet and put our limbs through agony for the sake of a fabulous pair of heels. Footwear is a practicality of everyday life but is also a chance for a daydream fantasy. Let's face it some shoes are definitely not made for walking and some are so exquisitely beautiful you could barely dare to get a speck of dust on them!
For the sake of everyone who loves admiring divine shoes as much as I do I wanted to share Javari.co.uk presents ‘Shoes for Show: The Sculptural Art of High Heels’. The exhibition started today and I was kindly invited to a private view but sadly could not make it. However, it would have been selfish of me not to share!
The last day of the exhibition is only 8th November so you'll have to trot over pronto to take a peek. Open daily 11.00am - 7.00pm and 11.00am - 5.00pm Sunday, the free public exhibition is at the Loading Bay, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL and features one-off pairs loaned by the likes of Daphne Guinness, Nicholas Kirkwood, Christian Louboutin and Gareth Pugh!
There are shoes that are modern icons such as McQueen's Armadillo and Louboutin's SS12 collaboration with the English National Ballet, as seen above, featuring the ultimate skyscraper heel. Then there are the golden Pughs worn in a Beyonce music video. Going back to the 80s there are Vivienne Westwood's catwalk rocking horse shoes and then historic but no less extreme designs dating all the way back to 1851.
With themes based around the catwalk, couture and innovative design this looks like a really special exhibition to see, and if any of you do go I'd love to hear all about it!
What's your favourite pair of fairytale shoes to dream about?

Images kindly provided by Javari.co.uk

Pink Lace

2011-11-01T21:27:00.001Z

This outfit post is ending up showcasing a lot of my most recent purchases! The pictures were taken when I was feeling slightly more alive and it was also a little less cold, after my last lecture before half term. I headed to the gorgeous greenhouse in Stafford's Victoria Park which was lovely and warm.
I started the outfit wanting to show you my latest dress. I actually spied it on a girl at London Fashion Week and was tempted to go after her for a street style snap but she was too far ahead and heels are just not made for running on the Somerset House cobbles. Back in Stafford I was browsing the rails of Topshop and couldn't believe my luck at finding the dress, and in the sale too! Bargainous.
I believe these New Look booties are still my latest shoe purchase. I tried to go shoe shopping today but my feet were in such pain with tendonitis I just couldn't decide what fitted nicely. However, if you love the current trend for sparkly footwear get down to New Look as they have some amazing court shoes!
Then there are my two latest Etsy purchases. I've been eyeing up bow rings for a while and couldn't resist this purple, sparkly one which was worn for the first time here. I already wore my Hello Kitty carousel necklace to London Fashion Week but I wanted to show it you in more detail. I'd been searching terms such as 'Hello Kitty carousel pony' for months and was so delighted to find this adorable necklace! The Etsy shop I bought it from is Tragic Stitches, and the maker has lots of other kawaii things to peep at!
I also wore ivory H&M tights and my beloved blue Mulberry Roxanne bag.
Do you have any interesting stories about finding clothes you love?

Stency Kidega SS12

2011-10-31T22:36:00.003Z

Who'd have thought I'd be so enamoured with a collection so neutral? However, there's something magical about Stency Kidega's SS12 collection. The designer studied at the University of the Creative Arts Epsom, where she showcased her final year collection at Graduate Fashion Week in 2010, and has worked at Matthew Williamson. She created her own label only this year and was the fourth designer to show at the fabulous LGN Events emerging designers showcase I attended at London Fashion Week, stepping out to soaring classical music.
Her clothes are very chic, with gorgeous little manipulations of fabric adding interest. Well that is until the finale wedding dress below! It was absolutely magnificent with its full on detail of lace, gold highlights and soft gathered ruffles.
What is true of all the garments is that they start with a fascinating base with gorgeous strong shapes. Complimentary embellishment then adds a little sparkle whilst also creating further shaping within the garment. Beading in geometric shapes stands out sharply whilst draped seed beads twinkling on a hemline add another layer of movement.
Some of Stency Kidegas's inspiration comes from mechanical structures and studying their shapes. She plays with both sleek shapes and splashes of volume, with exquisite pleating in play and smart cut-out shapes. I really like this collection and feel the designer behind it is a strong and imaginative pattern cutter who also possesses a great eye for detail, combining the two for a stunning execution.

Ghori RTW by Azim Khan SS12

2011-10-30T22:20:00.001Z

Azim Khan's SS12 ready-to-wear collection for his label Ghori was the third to show at an exciting presentation of emerging designers organised by LGN Events at London Fashion Week.
One of the great strengths of the collection is the feeling of cultural heritage. The designer is Pakistan-born but London based and you can see the cultures merge in his work. He only set up his own label in 2010, but obviously has a great eye for gorgeous colours and rich embellishment.
I like the pieces best with lots of luscious, swaying fabric. However, for me not all the pieces were cut as strongly, for example the first orange dress sags a little under the bust. The hemlines were absolutely beautiful though as they moved down the catwalk.
Wouldn't the full length navy dress with the green sash look absolutely stunning at a black or white tie event? There are some gorgeous dresses for special evening occasions. The combination of stunning colours, heavy embellishment and lots of lovely movement make for dramatic pieces to make an entrance in.

The Cashmere Challenge

2011-10-29T22:11:00.003+01:00

Touch is such an important part of any shopping experience to me, and when cashmere is done right it's one of my favourite things to stroke! There's no denying it can get rather expensive though. I was delighted when Most Wanted, the online lifestyle magazine at VoucherCodes.co.uk, sent me the loveliest email inviting me to take part in their Most Wanted Seasonal Staples series – The Cashmere Challenge.
I'm part of a group enlisted to review the 100% cashmere jumpers the high street has to offer, looking at price, look and quality. This review will shortly be compiled into a survey to unearth the best of high street cashmere. (And here it is, Most Wanted's Seasonal Staples: The Cashmere Challenge.)
I was kindly given the choice to choose a jumper from John Lewis and picked the v-neck style in cobalt blue. The toughest part was choosing the colour as they have several yummy options.

I partly chose the design and colour because it reminds me of one of my dad's old jumpers. I have a habit of 'stealing' them when they get worn out and then snuggling in them at home. So for me this was partly a chance to update that secure feeling into a fashion statement. In a more flattering way too- my dad's over 6'4"!

I really like the fit of the jumper. I'm not normally a fan of jumpers which are too close fitting but this one is a little slouchy in a cosy way whilst still being womanly and not swamping my waist. I tend to buy one of two sizes on the high street right now and went for the larger. So if you have a similar mix of sizes in your wardrobe you could probably get away with going for the smaller size for a closer fit. I, however, like the looser snuggle effect.
The v-neck is great fun when it comes with choosing what to layer and have peeping out underneath. You could pair the jumper with jeans, layer it over a dress or tuck it into a skirt for a more ladylike look. A truly versatile wardrobe staple. I also approve of the seams- they're nice and discreet, not bulking up the line of the garment.
Then of course there is the all important texture! I'm pleased to report that this is one gorgeously soft piece of cashmere to delight in wearing.

This jumper has the great positive of being machine washable- cue huge sigh of relief from my mum! Cashmere's never the easiest fabric to care for but the high street has made it a much smoother process.
The jumper isn't especially cheap at £69 but I think it's a good investment as a piece that stands out on quality amongst my knitwear collection. If you're looking to splurge at John Lewis I definitely recommend hopping over to the John Lewis offers page to get yourself a fantastic deal.

So do you love the touch of cashmere as much as I do?

Inbar Spector SS12: A glittering nightmare

2011-10-27T22:30:00.001+01:00

Arriving at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout location earlier in the day I spied a model who must have been there for a make up test and was intrigued by her eye make up which comprised of vivid gold and silver glitter. The Inbar Spector SS12 collection is one that delectably shimmers in metallics. Then in contrast there are floating white, subtle dusty pink and mint green. For me the collection had a futuristic, space age feel, but was grounded in a more earthy colour palette.
The hair was fierce and a little unruly, held in place with metal clips. The footwear complimented the collection perfectly with metallic embellishment and strongly sculptural heels.
I especially loved the outerwear in rich brocades, some with zips and chain as stand out ornament. I felt some of the pieces had a period feel to them and referenced crinolines and corsets in the structures and I also think of Elizabethan ruffles, but on a much more voluminous scale! Then in contrast there were very modern little shiny dresses, but all the garments had complexity to them. Inbar Spector's work also nods to the Gothic era for a dark 21st century fantasy.
The collection takes inspiration from the theme of nightmares and the juxtaposition of heaven and hell. A great part of the designer's hometown in Israel was destroyed by fire this year and visions of violence and flame inspired her work.
What is most impressive about Inbar Spector's work is the way she constructs and manipulates fabric. Just look at the intricate work in those dresses, as exemplified in the three dresses below. The final dress is a vast structure but moves beautifully; it is an epic feat of fashion in perforated faux leather and the perfect finish to a magnificent SS12 collection.

iFlorrie: A Tumblr Project

2011-10-26T23:29:00.001+01:00

I thought it was about time I introduced you to iFlorrie, my Tumblr project. My Photography lecturer asked all my class to create Tumblr blogs as places to collect inspiration. Though not completely enamoured with Tumblr I set about the task when I got home and soon found myself somewhat addicted and completely won over! It really is so much fun.
The site can be found at http://iflorrie.tumblr.com/ and I'd love to know if any of you have Tumblr so that I can fill my dashboard with gorgeous fashion, art and photography.

High Street Hits: The Cocktail Dress

2011-10-25T21:08:00.001+01:00

Oh the allure of the cocktail dress. Whilst not as formal as a full on black tie event or white tie ball, a cocktail attire dress code is a chance to sparkle. Embellishments are welcomed on chic dresses paired with snazzy accessories and a good pair of heels. Whilst scouring the internet for options for an upcoming event I am attending I decided to turn my search into a blog post! I haven't published a High Street Hits post for a while but they are such fun to put together. I seem to be drawn to a fabulous range of jewel colours in green, blue and purple. So let's take a look at the gorgeous dresses I've found window shopping online:

1. Knife Pleat Dress, £70 Oasis 2. Emerald Corsage Dress, £55 Wallis

3. Turquoise lace prom dress, £85 Debut at Debenhams 4. Midi Dress with One Shoulder and Corsage, £75 Asos

5. Blue Ruffle Corsage Dress, £45 Dorothy Perkins 6. Frilled Tea Dress, £39 Holly Willoughby for Very

7. Lucy Dress, £49 Monsoon 8. Sequin Prom Dress, £65 Teatro at Very

ZA by Zerrin Akinci SS12

2011-10-24T22:15:00.001+01:00

Edgy body con cuts and explosive pops of shape and colour make up ZA by Zerrin Akinci's SS12 collection. This was the second collection to show at the LGN Events emerging designers showcase at Browns Courtrooms one evening at London Fashion Week. The Cyprus based designer's pieces are all very modern, and her strength seems to be in chic and wearable but fun dresses. Her work has both elegance and vibrancy for a fresh feel.
Akinci's garments are mainly asymmetric in cut and detail and many showcase peek-a-boo cut-outs. Now I'm not normally a huge fan of cut out details, but in this collection they just feel like part of the garment rather than putting them in for the sake of it. Unusual spiky shapes add a touch of pizazz.
The model wearing the closing look walked out with a paint pot in her hand and when the designer herself joined her she came equipped with a paint brush to place her signature on a panel of the dress. A literal presentation of what she does in all her figure-hugging dresses: she starts with a well cut base and adds joyful character.

Emma: The Studio Photoshoot

2011-10-22T21:44:00.001+01:00

Despite my fascination with portraiture, it somehow avoided featuring much in my first year of Photography. In my 'High rise' exam project I managed to sneek in a few snaps inspired by The Sartorialist and Face Hunter featuring stylish people in city scenes, but that was it.
I entered my second year all the more determined to learn about portrait photography! The artists I have researched in my project are painters Antoine Watteau and John Singer Sargent and photographers Edward Steichen and Cecil Beaton.
Yesterday marked my first studio photoshoot! Which is rather exciting, but also intimidating because of the scary equipment. Both Steichen and Beaton worked in the first half of the 20th century and I wanted to style my best friend Emma to have that vintage feel. She bought the tea dress on one of our trips to Manchester from the vintage shop Cow and I asked her to wear it and twist her hair round in a vintage updo. Then I did her make up with brown eyeshadow, a slick of eyeliner, soft pink blusher and a dark red lipstick.
How do you think I did? The shoot was lots of fun so I'm hoping to get in lots more in this project!

Intrinsically Florrie in the Staffordshire Newsletter

2011-10-20T10:51:00.002+01:00

I'm absolutely delighted to be featured in the Staffordshire Newsletter again! This time not for my art work but my style. The new edition dated Thursday 20th October 2011 came out today and features little old me on page 14. The photo, taken by the lovely Pearl, is of my first London Fashion Week outfit and in the piece by Kerry Ashdown I ramble about my style, my blog, Luella and the whirlwind that is London Fashion Week.

Q by JIN JOO MA SS12

2011-10-19T21:57:00.001+01:00

One evening at London Fashion Week I trotted off to a lovely showcase of bright new designers organised by LGN Events at Browns Courtrooms. Five collections showed, all fascinating in their own right and deserving of their own blog posts so here we go...
The first collection to show was Q by JIN JOO MA, who is an alumni of the London College of Fashion. The collection has a sleek, chic feel to it with smart tailoring and very clean colours but is also fun and vibrant for the summer. The first two looks were in a beautiful, rich bronze fabric then the collection was built around a palette of white, navy and sunshine yellow. My absolute favourite fabric was the genius flamingo print, which was just what was needed to balance the collection and put a huge smile on my face.
Like at Michael van der Ham I felt the pieces exhibited a feeling of slick car drivers in their uniforms. Then some also showcased an almost jigsaw-type effect with interesting curved shapes interlocking. They're confident, wearable clothes with joy to them. The perfect wardrobe attitude to take into the new season.

SS12: The Stephen Jones Experience

2011-10-18T21:15:00.002+01:00

I am a bit of a geek when it comes to Stephen Jones' hats. The man creates millinery marvels, and always gives the impression of being a lovely chap when I've seen him both in person and in the press. I absolutely adored the exhibition he curated at the V&A museum in 2009, Hats: an Anthology by Stephen Jones. I still regularly reach for the accompanying book for a dose of fabulous inspiration. I dream of having a huge collection of hats, a millinery wardrobe of sorts, and a Stephen Jones' design has just got to be in there.
The day I visited the V&A exhibition was quite the fashion whirlwind. As we finished our viewing my father and I noticed that there seemed to be a buzz going on as a queue wound round the corridor. We enquired at the desk and were told about the ensuing Fashion in Motion show which was such good luck as I had no clue the exhibition had any accompanying activities, now I always check.
Not only that, we were then handed the best front row tickets! Maybe it was the Chanel shopping bag that did it? Whatever it was, the show was an absolutely amazing millinery showcase and also a wonderful experience. I'd been having such a bad time with my health, having to drop out of school, but the whole day made me feel really special and I got to see Stephen Jones himself! I did a little blog post on the show in my very early blogging days but sadly my camera of the time did not fare very well!
Fastforward to London Fashion Week for SS12 and the exhibition space at Somerset House and here are some of the delightful hats I spied. I also spotted Mr Jones himself smiling away in the courtyard one day. Isn't this bow just dreamy?

Hello Kitty heart Japan: the nurse plush

2011-10-16T14:51:00.001+01:00

I've been pining for this little cutie for months. She was first brought out in collaboration with TY Beany Babies in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan this Spring. I spied her on the American Sanrio website but didn't seem to be in luck with getting my paws on one.
This nurse Hello Kitty isn't just a pretty face, she's a total sweetheart and a limited edition to show friendship and support to Japan, which is why I'm especially glad she's made her way over to the UK. Hello Kitty <3 Japan and I do too.
I also love that TY made a big donation of $1 million to the American Red Cross in the relief effort. I got my little Kitty in Selfridges, Oxford Street, but I've also spotted her in other stores so I'm hopeful she'll be available far and wide now, retailing around £6.00/£7.00.

Autumn Butterfly

2011-10-13T21:38:00.001+01:00

I've been a bit of a poorly bunny lately and you can probably tell my eyes are looking very sleepy here! My voice was nearly non-existent for a few days but I'm doing better now. Yesterday my parents took me to Shugborough, a local National Trust property which has appeared in blog posts a few times. These photos are at the Doric Temple in the grounds, but my favourite bit is the farm!
I love visiting the animals, especially the guinea pigs! It was even cuter than usual because three have recently given birth! I saw one lot of three babies about two weeks ago along with two very pregnant piggies. Now there are 11 cute babies in total! The second lot of three came a few days ago and the rest had only been born the night before. The oldest three were tempted out along with the mummy pigs by grass and the rest stayed inside in a huddle of cute. Here are couple of pics from my compact camera to squee over:

Back to my outfit: I was tipped off to the presence of some rather lovely floral garlands in my local Topshop sale and I love the butterflies on this one! I've been finding myself drawn to orange more lately, which is good because there was a lot of it on the catwalks at London Fashion Week!
I thought it would look lovely with the colours in my new Motel Rocks skirt. Then I decided to try out my oversized lace Topshop shirt tucked in, normally I leave it loose or belt it. I put a green Topshop vest underneath to bring out the colour of the leaves as well as a green leopard print H&M scarf. My tights are also H&M and my shoes are River Island. Then there's my beloved Vivienne Westwood heart bag.
I won my sweet little Battenburg cake earrings in I Love Crafty's blog giveaway last week, the little bow is so pretty!
Don't forget that Motel Rocks' student giveaway ends on the 16th! Find the 20% discount code in my previous blog post.

Dans La Vie SS12: Clash Beauty, My Pop Madonna

2011-10-12T22:21:00.005+01:00

The Dans La Vie show was the first time I stepped into the Freemasons Hall which was the Vauxhall Fashion Scout location at London Fashion Week, and oh wasn't it gorgeous! The upstairs show space which you can see here was particularly lovely and added historic character to all the shows.

The designer behind Dans La Vie, Rira Sugawara, stands out with her bright and bold collage effect prints which posess a Pop Art quality. The print theme for this SS12 collection began in the aftermath of the earthquake that hit and devastated Japan in March, it then developed with Madonnas defiantly overcoming the situation, serenely offering protection and hope in the chaos. Then modern female music icons came into play as muses.
First stepped out the Camouflage Print garments to Madonna's Like a Prayer. The print has a rather citrus colour theme to it featuring a Madonna figure harshly cut across with stripes and flowers.
Then there were the Red Angels to Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, a more sombre toned fabric with large red flowers and angels. A romantic yet strong print.
The most colourful, and my favourite, section was the Rose Madonnas to Rhianna's Only Girl. It's the happiest print in the collection with pinks in contrast to cheerful blues. Here the angels are more picturesquely sweet amongst roses and hearts and the Madonna occurs again.
Lastly were the more sombre but visually fascinating City Tokyo prints to Lady Gaga's Born This Way. Within the print city skyscrapers loom in contrast to old religious art along with an ornate floral print and green apples, the latter highlighting the slightly sour yellow colour in the print.
The skin of the models was kept quite bare but the eyes were given a flick of eyeliner and pops of blue lipstick stood out with the City Tokyo print. The hair was scraped back in a high bun for an elegant look with a kooky twist. I also loved how the looks were finished with accompanying handbags in the vibrant prints.
I absolutely adored the voluminous skirts with nipped in waists for a 50s feel, but with very modern and unusual fabric choices with a glossy feel to them. The black skirt with layers of tulle underneath had a dramatic prom dress feel to it, and was one of my favourite pieces. Then there were structured cropped tops paired with cute shorts. The prints were absolutely fabulous and the cut of the clothes only enhanced them, with a few sheer warm toned fabrics thown into the mix. I came out of the show a cheerful bunny inspired by this very shiny new take on the 50s housewife look, which is pretty but in a complicated way.

I've decided I'll be posting the full SS12 collections from London Fashion Week on the Intrinsically Florrie Facebook Page. I fear the blog would become far too image heavy if I posted them all, but it's such a shame for them not to be seen and the Facebook photo albums are lovely and neat to do the job.

Kawaii socks and a Hello Kitty daydream

2011-10-11T22:25:00.002+01:00

Have you ever purchased a pair of socks that is just too cute to hide away? I spotted these ones in my favourite 'cute section' of all things kawaii at Selfridges Oxford Street, between the Food Hall, Paperchase type area and the high street fashion on the ground floor. They have the sweetest Hello Kitty things amongst the copious delights. Leia knows how excited I got over the giant Hello Kitty plush that I dream will come home with me one day, though perhaps with an extra train ticket to guarantee her a seat!

OK I totally got distracted there in a HK daydream, back to the socks! These ones came with a polka dot label by 'cozy socks' proclaiming just for the cute girl. Go take a peek at the Artbox online sock section for my style and further cuteness. £2 really isn't bad for a pair of socks and they make me smile so that's good enough for me. The lace design is really lovely, especially with the bow print at the top of the lace design which my shoe straps mask a little here. I'm going to have to stock up on some more designs next time I'm in London.
I wore my pink vintage dress from Pearl as a top which I've done before but with a different skirt, so I thought I'd try it with this one. This H&M skirt was a complete bargain from the Katherine House Hospice's £1 charity shop in Stafford. My floral snood and ivory tights are also H&M and I used a little floral Dorothy Perkins belt and my Luella Gisele bag with New Look shoes.

Air: J Smith Esquire SS12

2011-10-09T23:04:00.001+01:00

Stepping into the exhibition space at Somerset House during London Fashion Week I was immediately drawn to the ready-to-wear feather headpieces of J Smith Esquire. They have both a delicate and tough feel to them and have been exquisitely shaped for a sculptural quality, gorgeously curving round. The work in each hand-made feather must have been highly painstaking, and the final execution works brilliantly.
All the styles are available in black, taupe, light blue and red. The feather perch design is rather sweet, sticking up like an errant curl, and I also adore the more extravagant styles. They all work wonderfully in their own way.
The milliner's SS12 collection, Air, also features ready-to-wear straw cloud hats which have each been double-dyed with unique clouds. Each style is available in royal blue, mid blue and light blue and I can't decide which I like best they're all so lovely. The prints are beautiful with a daydream feel to them, reminding me a little of Surrealist artist René Magritte's work.
Then there are the couture parrot headdresses which are absolutely stunning. Here the feathers are hand-cut from twin layers of suede for a softer effect. Paired with the Venetian-style masks they are simply breathtaking. The Swarovski crystals sparkle beneath the feathers for a vibrant but elegant showstopper.

At Sandon Hall

2011-10-07T17:41:00.001+01:00

This week I trotted off to Sandon Hall for the Annual General Meeting of the Stafford Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a delegate of R N Clarke Fine Art. This sounds very fancy but basically it's a collective group of businesses which my father has recently become a member of. The venue was absolutely gorgeous with the long drive, beautiful architecture and stunning interiors. I especially approve of business meetings where afternoon tea is served afterwards, now that's my kind of networking!
I decided to dress as a smart version of my usual self with my tweed and tulle Luella jacket. I almost wore black tights but I went for this H&M pair to play up the blue in the dress whilst still sticking to the existing colour palette. The windswept look was provided by the countryside, the dress is vintage from a shopping trip to Manchester, the bag a Luella Gisele, the scarf Marc by Marc Jacobs and the shoes Office. I also wore a pearl necklace I bought at the Wallace Collection on my latest trip to London. It features little freshwater baroque pearls in pale pink and also a rose quartz heart, which you can see peeping out from behind my scarf in the last photo. Rose quartz is my favourite gem so I couldn't resist the prettiness.

À La Disposition SS12: Mechanical Failure

2011-10-06T22:53:00.002+01:00

A trio of girls opened the À La Disposition show at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, working together in a choreographed walk down the catwalk. The design duo behind the label, Daniel Kinne and Lynda Cohen, play with controlled restraint and explosive volume. The collection is titled Mechanical Failure and throughout the show it did feel a little like each model was a cog in a wider mechanical structure.
Yet at the same time some of the colours were versions of very natural ones with the muted warm tones and greens. There was an unusual mix of fabrics at work, some jewel colours in a metallic sheen and some that felt more like a uniform, in some ways implicating the models were restricted. The colours and textures don't all classically go together. However, they have been expertly placed in a way that is defiant but subtle. The first stripes and the shimmering purple stood out for me as favourites.
Throughout the collection are strong juxtapositions: the angular and the curved, the sleek and the voluminous, the simplistic and the complicated with layer upon layer of fabric manipulation. The constructions were all very elegantly executed.
The centre parting and little plaits of the hairstyle have an innocent feel to them and yet the style continues around the neck like a chain, giving it a discomforting edge. The eyeshadow was deep and moody. I was a huge fan of the chic shoes Anastasia Radevich created for À La Disposition. It was a sleek collection with heaps of attitude.

Bloggers Do It Better: Animal Instincts

2011-10-04T22:18:00.005+01:00

The latest Bloggers Do It Better Challenge is Animal Instincts, encouraging us to take our animal prints out of the wardrobe and into the wild. It seems I admire animal prints more often than I actually purchase them because I really don't seem to have many and it's not because I dislike them.
The purple cardigan is a few years old now and I only bought the scarf last week. They're both in jewel colours and are actually both from H&M though from very different seasons! Stocking up on knitwear it was my mum who pointed out the scarf to try and I was really pleased with the colour. Didn't the famous green scarf go wonderfully with Isla Fisher's red hair in Confessions of a Shopaholic? I'm thinking it's a good colour for hair with warm tones in.
You can also see another recent edition to my wardrobe- a Luella top Pearl won for me on Ebay. I already have the floral version which I bought on a trip to Bicester Village, so I could be confident the SS09 design would look lovely and the colour is beautiful. Maybe I should make it my goal to collect the entire collection?
I also wore my black Next ballerina skirt, some New Look booties, ivory H&M tights and my beloved Louis Vuitton Speedy. I continued the animal theme in some very dangly earrings with feathers which were a Primark bargain. Pearl is totally to blame for introducing me to these stand out 50p sale bargains that are really very pretty.
In the background you can see the aviary in Stafford's Victoria Park- the last time I posed in front of it was back in February 2010! It's so lovely to visit though, I don't know why I don't say hello to the birds more often.

The fellow (or lady, maybe an expert would know from the colouring but not me) above was so cute grooming itself when it pulled loose a feather which it then decided to hold in its mouth as a stylish accessory. Annoyingly it lost its grip and the funniest scene erupted below when the other birds made a dash to grab it. A black hen triumphed and ran round like a mad thing with the feather in its mouth, employing sneaky moves to avoid its competitors. It then proceeded to shuffle shiftily to the corner and try to eat the feather. Are we missing out on a new food trend here people?

Bunmi Koko SS12: The Allure of the Sirens

2011-10-03T22:46:00.002+01:00

The stage was set to a nautical feel with washed up nets and life rings for Bunmi Koko's SS12 collection, The Allure of the Sirens looking to the temptresses who lured sailors to their deaths in Greek mythology. The designer, Nigerian born Bunmi Olaye, wanted to play with alluring designs and a sense of danger. The make up was a strong statement and glowing with a fantasy element to it, and the hair the biggest and wildest I saw all London Fashion Week.
The team at Bunmi Koko worked with talented young singer Tallia Storm to create a unique piece of music for the soundtrack of the show. The live music had a mystical feel to it and complemented the collection perfectly, making the show an extra special experience.
The garments showcased a vibrant colour palette with yellow accents complimenting navy, along with gorgeous shades of turquoise, ocean blue and burnt orange, sometimes with contrasting colour pops in rope jewellery. These clothes will look absolutely gorgeous out in the summer sunshine. There were a few pretty pale salmon tones too and the odd washed out stone colour, reminiscent of something washed up on the beach and bleached of its colour. The models were elegant and yet they felt a little like scavengers.
There were some intriguing heavily structured pieces but I particularly liked the soft ones with lots of fluid movement like lapping waves upon the shore. The free feel of the fabrics fits suggests the freedom that the sea represents to sailors. The accordion pleating in soft fabrics was especially successful, I thought, creating another element of texture and movement within the piece.

Motel Rocks and Student Month

2011-10-01T22:42:00.002+01:00

Oh what a glorious sunny day, the perfect opportunity to take my gorgeous new skirt out for a spin. I have been admiring the Cherry Blossom print at Motel Rocks for a while now and so when kindly offered the chance to pick something out I jumped at the Mandy Midi Skirt in the print and there it was waiting for me promptly the very next day. The lovely Selina looked fabulous in her Rockies version of the skirt at London Fashion Week and how could I resist such a beautiful floral? It looks great in the sunshine and the warm colours will also look lovely in the transition to Autumn.
It's nicely made and fits perfectly on my waist! They haven't scrimped on the fabric and it hangs well- even my mum says so! It could be styled with quite classic pieces or more edgy ones for different looks and could be worn out in the country or amongst the bustle of the city. Motel have a great range of garments that are perfect for student life and what's even better than gorgeous clothes? Gorgeous clothes that come with a student discount! It's Student Month at Motel right now and they're offering a rather fabulous 20% discount, running till 16th October. To take advantage of it type in the code STUDENT20.

Galaxy (nails not chocolate)

2011-09-30T21:02:00.002+01:00

This was one of those outfits where I actually started my look from my nails. I've been spying the trend for galaxy nail art around the blogosphere for a while now and it appealed to the messy artist in me. One starts with a dark base nail polish and adds swirling and dotted highlights to create a Space Age feel. Sparkles don't go amiss either. My Paul & Joe nail enamel was in its element with its translucent green tones and flecks of glitter. Mine aren't the best example of the style but they made me smile.
Next I picked the vintage dress from the wonderful Pearl Westwood and the sparkly gem earrings which were a bargain on one of my recent forages into Primark. Then I chose the New Look shoes; the photos don't show it so well but they actually have the most amazing sculptural effect on the shiny plastic heels in contrast to the suede of the main court shoe.
I've been wanting to experiment more with my hair and beauty looks so I scraped my hair right back, attempting but not quite succeeding in obliterating my stubborn parting!
I couldn't resist the satchel on my summer trip to Bath. I spotted it in the Uttam and Yumi boutique in The Corridor and how could I say no to a three floral hit? Its label says Cotton Candy by Disaster Designs. I also pulled out a trusty pair of ivory tights from H&M.
We've been hit with glorious rays of sunshine this week, not that you could tell from these photos of last weekend. The setting looks moody and even a little sinister don't you think? On a family trip to Powys Castle I wanted to be by the statue of a girl holding a chicken for my outfit photos but I also really like the green of the background against my dress.

Michael van der Ham SS12: an elegant collage

2011-09-29T21:49:00.001+01:00

The split colour trousers of Michael van der Ham's SS12 collection reminded me a little of slick racing driver uniforms. The more I look at the garments the more I think there's a slight sporty feel to them despite their prettiness. There's also an emphasis on strong shoulder silhouettes in the sleeves and smart tailoring. The collection is very feminine but has a little boyishness about it.
The best tickets (inducing ticket envy) featured haphazard strips of dazzling patterns stuck on the white invitation in a collage so that each one was unique, giving an idea of things to come. The classic van der Ham manner of cramming many contrasting elements into a single garment in a fascinating way still stands, but he also took this approach and turned it into prints for another patchwork effect.
He is such an exciting young talent with his unique approach. This new collection has a more sleek feel to it, complimented with gorgeous T-bar Louboutins showcasing van der Ham patterns. The hair and make up were quite subtle, though a little wild at the eyebrows, except for the pops of colour through glitter on the eyelids.
Fiery reds and oranges broke out of the colour palette along with peach-pinks and hints of sunshine yellow. The shades of aqua blue in varying textures were gorgeous in what is fast becoming my favourite colour of the new season. I cannot wait for the new season's colours to hit the rails! I was particularly taken with the shimmering brocades and this dress girl even found herself somewhat besotted with a couple of pairs of trousers in the fabric.

Queen Charlotte's Ball 2011 in Hello!

2011-09-27T22:58:00.001+01:00

The Queen Charlotte's Ball 2011 with this year's lovely debutantes of the London Season is featured in the current issue of Hello! magazine, dated 3rd October 2011. Phillipa Lepley stands amongst the beautiful ivory gowns she created for the debs. The amazing Jive Aces can also be seen in the stunning Lancaster Ballroom at the Savoy in a photograph by Mike Daines at Photocall Events.
If you'd like to hop over to the official London Season blog I will be posting there in much more detail about the wonderful event.

Win tickets to BINTMLive 2011

2011-09-26T21:20:00.003+01:00

I absolutely adore giving things so I've teamed up with BINTM to give you lovely readers a chance to win tickets to Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live 2011!
I was so envious of everyone at last year's event and the upcoming weekend of fashion, beauty and shopping sounds absolutely fabulous. I'm treating not one but two of you to a pair of admission tickets to Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live which is making its anticipated return to London’s ExCeL Centre from 28th – 30th October 2011.

Based on the hugely successful reality TV show hosted by Elle Macpherson, Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live will bring the top model world to life. Fans of the TV series will get the chance to join the show’s infamous judges and the contestants from BINTM Series 7, for the ultimate three day live event, featuring stunning catwalk shows, live music, fashion, styling, shopping, beauty, pampering, exciting entertainment and a range of interactive features all under one roof.

Visitors will even get the chance to get spotted as the next big thing, as you learn how to walk the walk on the Open Catwalk or get papped in Company Magazine’s Paparazzi Zone, making this a full on fashion experience and the ultimate girl’s day out.
For more information on the show visit WWW.BINTMLIVE.COM

Here's your chance to win...
BINTMLive and Intrinsically Florrie are offering two lucky readers the chance to WIN a pair of Admission entry tickets to this year’s Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live, London 2011.
To be in with a chance to win, simply answer the question below in an email to me at intrinsicallyflorrie@yahoo.co.uk.
I'll need your address to send the tickets to you if you do win so you can include it in the email or I'll come hounding you for it should you be so lucky as to succeed. Good luck everyone!
Question: Where is this year’s Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live being held?
*Terms and conditions
1. This offer is only open to UK residents
2. Competition winner’s tickets are valid for any one day of Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live, being held at ExCeL London between the 28th – 30thOctober 2011.
3. These tickets are Admission ONLY.
4. Tickets are non transferable
5. Complimentary tickets obtained through this offer may not be duplicated.
6. All tickets will be scanned on entry to the show
7.The closing date for this offer is midnight Monday 10th October.

London Fashion Week Street Style

2011-09-25T21:04:00.001+01:00

I've always been curious about street style photography and love looking at it, but I'm not naturally the most confident person to go up to people and ask them. I have quite a determined personality though and got a teensy bit street style happy before and after the Michael van der Ham show at the Topshop Venue.

If it wasn't for Louisa here this Fashion Week newbie would never have made it to Michael van der Ham at all! Pearl and I had successfully wondered across the river but upon seeing several entrances to Waterloo Station had no idea how to get to the old Eurostar terminal! Thankfully her fabulous look caught my eye and she was heading to the show too- phew! She works for Harvey Nichols online and is contributing to Notion magazine. Her hairstyle is so cute with her lovely smile and I adore the print of her trousers, which she contrasts with a rather gorgeous heavily structured bag.

Why hello there metallic pink shoes! A very shiny product of ASOS.

I loved the classic shape of this girl's skirt in such an unusual fabric and I am always a fan of extravagant hair accessories.

These trousers were in such a beautiful fabric and paired with a stunning pair of shoes.

I liked the way this girl mixed pale colours with candy ones and reminds me why I need to wear cute ankle socks more often.

Hello squidgy green Chanel bag. *drools*

In striking Prada, champion of the fashion individualist Anna Dello Russo of Vogue Japan definitely deserves two pictures!

And look who I spotted opposite me in the show- it's Jennine of Independent Fashion Bloggers and The Coveted! It was lovely to meet her and she is so sweet in person! I love the bright purple colour of her gorgeous trousers.
I think next Fashion Week I'll have to go in with more of a Street Style frame of mind as there were just so many inspiring outfits which deserve to be shared.

London Fashion Week outfit: Day 3

2011-09-24T21:18:00.001+01:00

Here's my third and final outfit from London Fashion Week. I'd have loved to come earlier in the week but the timing coincided with an opportunity to exhibit my paintings which was too good to miss! This is another very Luella look. As I unpacked my hotel room really did look like a Luella explosion! The dress, Gisele bag and heart shoes are from her SS09 collection. I popped my new vintage reproduction petticoat underneath the dress for a little extra volume. I absolutely adore the effect, I might have to invest in a petticoat collection.
The scarf doesn't have a label but I wear it such a lot. I pulled out a new pair of blue H&M tights and a red hat which makes me think of vintage styles from the first half of the 20th century. I bought it from a tiny boutique in Lichfield called Dame Oliver's a few years ago, the label is 'Plaza Suite New York'. I'd only packed one belt in a hurry- a skinny black patent one. I'd probably thought I'd wear this dress with my green and black Luella bag and monochrome New Look shoes. On the morning I wore this outfit I realised it wasn't quite going to work with the candy coloured look I was working so I grabbed my Marc by Marc Jacobs scarf from the day before and wrapped it twice round my waist!

London Fashion Week outfit: Day 2

2011-09-23T22:13:00.002+01:00

This look was inspired by 50s silhouettes, my country girl roots and equestrian style; do you think Luella Bartley would approve? I wore my H by Henry Holland bunny print top with my Next tulle ballerina skirt and New Look shoes as well as my quilted Luella bag, chunky jewelled Miu Miu bracelet, H&M ivory tights, a Monsoon corduroy jacket with floral embroidery with a label-less brooch and a new Marc by Marc Jacobs scarf.
I love my John Boyd birdcage hat very much but don't have many opportunities to wear it so I thought where better to than the cobbles of Somerset House at Fashion Week? When approaching how to dress for Fashion Week I basically took my usual style but wore some of my more unusual pieces. I wanted to stay true to myself, if the most sparkly version. In the past I've read people saying that there are those who go to Fashion Week to photograph designs and those who go to get photographed.
I think the best way to approach it is to go to get some great coverage of fantastic designers but make an effort with your looks as the crowd is so diverse and appreciative compared to little country towns or even London on a normal day. Bask in the visual feast, it's great for inspiration. Don't let the spectacle keep you from work though and dress to make yourself a happy bunny, you don't want to be stuck in something you're emotionally uncomfortable in. So if a street style photographer wants to photograph me yay and thank you, I'm flattered as having one's style appreciated is always lovely.

Elisa Palomino SS12: A Fairy Dance

2011-09-22T22:48:00.001+01:00

The moment I first laid eyes on an image of Elisa Palomino's work online I fell in love. How could I not with such a visual feast of whimsical designs with Rococo and Asian influences? The new SS12 collection is inspired by the Victorian fairy painting movement and aptly titled A Fairy Dance.
Spanish born Palomino graduated from Central St Martins with an MA before continuing to Moschino, Roberto Cavalli and Christian Dior Haute Couture and has been head of the studio at John Galliano and Vice President of Design for Diane von Furstenburg.
She's clearly one very talented lady creating beautifully cut clothes with a rare attention to detail in heavy, ornate decoration. Her fresh new take on fashion is strengthened by looking at historic techniques and silhouettes, for example 1920s flapper dresses with fringing, but using the latest modern technology. The subtle colour palette of ivory, blue, pink and gold was broken up with vivid flashes of red in garments influenced by 18th Century Chinese design.
The make up was glowing which I thought suited the etheral, fairy feel perfectly, paired with gently curled wet look hair shaped around the forehead in a vintage manner. I have a weakness for fabulous millinery and each look has been finished off with an amazing headpiece creation in collaboration with Angel Amor, Laura Fernandez, Angel Fernandez and Rafa Mollar. The hosiery too was a gorgeous touch for each look.
Let's take another look at my favourite dress, which I think may be my favourite look from all the shows I saw at London Fashion Week!

In beautiful pale pastel tones I would so love to twirl in that skirt with layer upon layer of soft organza ruffles, and wear an oversized but delicate silk flower on my head. The boots are gorgeous and the exquisite sleeve detail sets this dress apart from other pretty prom dresses out there. Just divine and definitely one of my LFW highlights, this collection makes me one very happy bunny indeed.

Aminaka Wilmont SS12: Changeling

2011-09-21T23:40:00.001+01:00

Entering the BFC Showspace at Somerset House I was already a fan of the amazing cuts at Aminaka Wilmont courtesy of designers Aminaka Löfvander and Marcus Wilmont. My anticipation was heightened upon finding orchids laid upon the front row before me. I was not disappointed by the slightly graphic but soft and subtle floral prints that soon came down the catwalk in tones of grey, black, white, lovely powder blue and hints of pale rose pink.
The SS12 collection is called 'Changeling' and inspired by Scandinavian folklore, making this collection a little away with the fairies but despite its etheral quality it is still very much wearable. As well as patches of floral prints the designs featured beautiful ornate butterflies. The chain necklaces were a gorgeous and slightly whimsical touch to compliment the clothes with colour pops from the butterflies inside the bottles, nodding to taxidermy for inspiration, a beautiful but harsh practice for collecting butterflies.
As well as soft shapes and beautifully flowing trains the collection also featured sharp tailoring and some historic armour inspired design features, which were intriguingly but brilliantly executed. I really like this juxtaposition of feminity and toughness. Elegance with attitude as it were and delicate decorative details contrasted with strong structures. Shall we call the models floral warriors?
Many thanks to Vitamin Water for being the saviour of many a parched fashionista and for the wonderful tickets Pearl and I had for the show.

London Fashion Week Style: Day 2 Pearl

2011-09-19T23:59:00.004+01:00

Fashion Week is made so much more fun by sharing the experience with the wonderful Pearl of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom. One of the best things about blogging is the people you come into contact with and I now count Pearl as one of my closest friends. She's such a sweetheart and we have a good giggle together whilst bonding over shoes and vintage shopping.
Here she is today at Somerset House in the most amazing vintage necklace purchased on Etsy and shiny new Chanel heels. Her gorgeous Patrick Cox clutch and Moschino coat are both from T K Maxx.
My first London Fashion Week is such a brilliant experience so far, there's nothing quite like it. It's a little insane and very tiring but such a thrill to be here in the heart of fashion. I've seen some wonderful shows and taken some street style snaps which I can't wait to show you. Now for some sleep before another day begins.

London Fashion Week outfit: Day 1

2011-09-19T10:19:00.003+01:00

I've brought a fair bit of Luella with me to London Fashion Week. This outfit from yesterday comprises of a tweed and tulle jacket, a Gisele bag and heart shoes from SS09, I really could live in this ladylike dream of a collection in candy colours described as "Princess Anne on Acid" by Bartley herself.
I bought the dress in London last week when I was in town for the Queen Charlotte's Ball from a vintage shop called Pop Boutique on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden. I arrived in the city in the dress but soon headed to Collectif as I thought it might look nice with a vintage style petticoat as a change of silhouette. I've been playing with the idea of a petticoat for a while now and I'm glad I finally tried one on as I love the movement in them. I really like looking to the Japanese Sweet Lolita street style trend for inspiration and though this is not the full on look, it is a little influenced by it with the pastel coloured dress with petticoat underneath.
The floral snood is from H&M as well as my ivory tights, the Hello Kitty carousel necklace was purchased on Etsy and I made the lace and floral headband myself. You can look into the headband DIY in a blog post here.
Somerset House seems an unlikely place for a gathering of well heeled fashionistas when you get down to the practicalities: all those cobbles and steps! I think a lot of people come prepared with not one but two pairs of shoes each day. Both Pearl and I had a pair of Chanel flats sneaked away in our bags for traipsing between venues and I'm pretty sure they will be coming with us today.

London Fashion Week Style: Day 1

2011-09-18T23:22:00.002+01:00

Today I joined the lovely Pearl of Fashion Pearls of Wisom in London for Fashion Week. I had a little exhibition of my own up in Stafford yesterday and I'm staying in London town till Wednesday. Pearl wore a lot of Vivienne Westwood today with her gorgeous dress, belt and those amazing shoes! She bought the hat in Collectif Covent Garden just a little while before we headed to Somerset House. I took her in search of a petticoat for myself and she discovered the hat which finished off her look perfectly.
It's lovely bumping into bloggers you've been talking to online for so long, such as Dina of She Loves Mixtapes in her cute red skirt and vintage collar. Pearl also introduced me to Lawrence who writes for Stylish Kids in Riot who you can see above. I've had an amazingly fun time so far around Somerset House and the shows I've seen have been wonderful. I will report soon with them and what I wore!

Mulberry window: Tweet Tweet

2011-09-16T23:03:00.001+01:00

Do you think I should just go live in Floral Street, Covent Garden? It's name could not be better suited to me and the vicinity has the most delightful shops.
Mulberry always create eye-catching window displays and as a country girl I am especially fond of the current ones for AW11. If only gorgeous handbags grew in the lanes by my village! The giant spotted mushrooms are whimsical but it's those little birds I adore, including the print on that 'birdsnest'. I have such a thing for scarves and it is so cute! Very soft and snuggly too. I'm also a little besotted with the pink/purple handbag which I believe is a drawsting Tillie shoulder bag? It certainly looks like the Birds Nest Maxi Grain Nubuck one on the website, except in a more 'Florrie' colour, but then I always do seem to be drawn to pink bags.
What do you think of this dose of country cuteness? Do you have any favourite window displays inspiring you right now?

Hello Sunshine: Kate Spade, Covent Garden

2011-09-15T18:47:00.003+01:00

I have been admiring the label Kate Spade New York from afar for quite some time now, so you can imagine my glee upon finding out they have just opened two stores in London! Girly and a little bit frivolous, the designs would work at a tea party or in an office.
I found myself lusting after candy pink dresses, colour pop lipsticks, squishy quilted bags as well as more structured ones, statement jewellery, boots with bows and sparkly court shoes, but my favourite thing was one extravagant... well it seems to be a cross between a necklace and a scarf, as you can see on the middle mannequin in the photo above. With a pink grosgrain ribbon tie it comprises of ridiculously soft ruffled layers. With my neck injury meaning I need to be careful to keep my neck warm I'm always on the look out for ways of doing it fashionably and wouldn't this be perfect for an evening at the opera? I was really impressed with the quality of everything as well as the design.
The shop itself was a delight to visit. Of course I've never been known to resist the allure of a hydrangea and I adore the large scale floral wallpaper! The changing rooms are also rather fabulous- what an amazing zebra print! Emma, my glamourous assistant in the photos, and I called at the store on 1-4 Langley Court in Covent Garden, which is just off Floral Street, but there's also a store at 2 Symons Street on Sloane Square. Spanning two floors the Covent Garden shop is a treasure trove of delights I'll definitely be visiting again.