dreiundzwanzig.

So.

I turned 23 on Tuesday.

And on Monday, I met one of my idols - Patrick Wolf - before his gig here.

Thus, it was quite the birthday.

Vidi: (Let's ignore my face.)

I even got a happy birthday. And we mutually liked each others shoes. ♥

blank expression

If you're a reader of style.com (of course you are), or indeed, up on your fash journalism types, you'll know of Tim Blanks. He covers the big shows; he goes off on tangents; he is awesome. He's also not too google-able - I couldn't find a biog nor nowt (on the first page of searching. What, I'm not going in-depth for this.).

Good job Vice done an interview with 'im then; very exciting.

pic from Vice, yeah?

So I knew he was all kinds of awesome, but I didn't know just how awesome...

Gander at some soundbites:

"I file so far after the deadline that the editor has no choice but to run with my tangents."

"I know a tiny bit about a huge number of things."

"I’m always obsessing about a couple of things - a band, an artist - to the point where I want to find out everything there is to know about them."

And he likes the XX. (Vidi the interview...)

What we can establish from this is that essentially, me and Tim are the same person. Wonderful! I'm off to pick up my paycheck from style.com; you stay here and read these three Q&A's, which both delighted and inspired me.

Which fashion magazines are doing the most to change fashion?
English ones.

Who are the most interesting designers?
Ones who aren’t afraid to fail.

What are the key ingredients of a good collection?
An unhinged intelligence, a sense of humour, and a strong morbid streak.

-------------

zac posen: hitting the target

Given the much publicised (but not by me, whatsoever!) Rodarte for Target collection, and previous successful designer collabos, it seems natural and totes approps for more big name American designers to get up in Target's grill...

Fashionista reported on and posted up the first looks - all pics are from there!

Bring on Zac Posen; April 25th 2010.

OK, so, my main problem with the Rodarte collection is/was that it looked sometimes ridiculously cheap...obviously the price points are a major factor, but they'll have known that - I mean, if you only have the budget for, say, cheap, plastic-y faux leather, you're not gonna design leather products, right? Unless that's the look you're going for... I use leather as an example cos it's pretty obvs, but I'm aware the Rodarte ladies were not down with the leather, kk?

Howevs I will congratulate them on their marketing campaign cos OBVS the hype and the bloggers and the ad campaign helped to sell that shit out, youknow?

Given that point, I think overall I'm much more of a fan of wor Zac 'ere...

That's not to say I love all the pieces, but I am a fan of certain looks. Taking these all with a pinch of salt though; again, it could be excellent marketing.

Talk through them? Don't mind if I do.

1. Oh, bright coat! I enjoy the black geometric lines.
2. Cute look, overall. I like the bra, but this is the only example of the fabric working in any sense of the word, right?
3. SO CUTE. So actually cute...I feel like I'm gonna overuse 'cute' in this review type thing, fyi...but the ditzy floral with the pleat details and full skirt is just sooo sugary in the best possible way.
4. I covered this fabric up in no.2, so, nuff said, non? Puckery, cheap looking.....if you're gonna do metallic jersey, you gotta do it right, and this is not it. Oh hell no.
5. .....
6. Recalls CKane x Topshop, non? I don't feel like this fits with the others, but I kinda like it.
7. Maybe the black was the theme. Hmm. This is nothing spesh, but I want to know what that ruffle affair is, cos if it's a bag I am down with it insane amounts. I smell a DIY.
8. Feh, kinda tacky...
9. Sweet; extremeeeely girly; like the seam detail. Not my kinda thing but I can see it working IRL.
10. I wish I could see the one piece suit in more detail. I kinda think I kinda like it, the print and such, and could see it working as a body kinda deal, but the previous swimsuit has totes put a downer on it. I love the sock/shoe styling, as I do often with a sock/shoe combo, but I wish the shoes were more.....something.
11. Yeah yeah, it's cute. That's the same print, I guess. It's alright, but I think I'd enjoy this more if it was an all over print on the top as opposed to a patch...reminds me of that early noughties trend of a different sleeve/bodice colour. Not into it.... BUT an all over print could've added some oomph to this look, a little Proenza Schouler S/S10, yeah?
12. I like this - mostly the styling - but I really want to feel the jersey in that skirt. I don't trust it. I don't know why.
13. I feel like this is the output of a thrifted outfit challenge of some sort. Cute short details though.
14. Gawwwwwd you can tell this is a spring/summer launch. More swimsuits....feh.
15. This dress keeps catching my eye. Cute details. Is it denim, or just denim look? I don't actually care.
16. This is where he steps up his game, as far as I'm concerned. Hot look. Smart but sweet trousers. Perfettamente.
17. This be what I is talkin' 'bout when I'm all up on fake leathaaaa an ting. Red faux leather? Really?
18. I have lots of love for this. It looks like posen, to a tee. I am a fan.
19. Sweet. Simple.
20. Oh maxi dresses, I have love for you. Yeahhhhh s'cool.
21. Bitch gon' done a suit. Clearly I'm not a suit laydee; clearly I won't be donning this full look; but clearly this is the best look of the bunch, IMO. The cut of that blazer looks like perfection, the scarf against the black of the suit and the crisp white of the blouse is just wonderful.

So, as it turns out, apart from that shiny gold terror fabric, my main problem with the Zac Posen for Target line is that it won't be on sale over here....

Hmph.

Oh, wow, that was a lot of typing.

Amsterdam Bound

Ferries are really boring when there's no Internet, FYI. Lucky I found Gilmore Girls episodes on my laptop that I forgot I had.

I'm herrrreeeee! And I have 17% battery. And this cafe doesn't have plugs. Shall have to recharge back at the hostel. Hmm.

Here's some photos what I've done already: leaving Newcastle (wellll North Shields, what's yer point), view from hostel (AWESOME), some bikes an' ting.

The other side of Tynemouth...err...castle? I don't even know. But yeah, off of the beach pics? The other side!

And for good measure; my almost packed case. Very heavy. I love/pity the guy who carried it up the 5 flights of extremely narrow stairs in the Hostel.

Attempting to do a blog a day but so far so few places with wifi! Cept said hostel, so maybe I'll do some there? IDK.

I am a world of eating here tomorrow.

10% battery....

business ventures.

Vidi this!

In some sort of attempt to get rid of the masses of fabric under my bed and hopefully make some money in the process, I'm opening an etsy store.

The going is slow, because I am a bit lazy, but so far I have one and a half necklaces complete, as well as a draped jersey cardigan...type...thing. Haha, good descriptions abound!

Everything will be a one off, and priced accordingly, especially since everything is handmade. Painstakingly, in the case of this necklace, which has taken my the better part of 2 weeks:

Ahhh crappy camera phone pics, how I secretly adore you.

In its defence, I was sewing on approx one button a day, until today when I stitched it all together and finished it off. Aaron was impressed, which bodes well.

Currently trying to hammer some studs into the grey/blue/silver version, but I should really be getting a shower and having some tea before Daniel comes round.

Anyway, I shan't be blogging on here about much to do with the 'label', 5feet3, but I shall be blogging about it at the business ventures blog, so if you're interested to see previews of pieces, news, maybe things like initial sketches and styling ideas, follow that blog!
I'll also be putting a link in the sidebar...

Kane-ing It

Hey, what's this? A new post?

'citin.

I'd like to say I've been too busy with really important/interesting things, but in all honesty, I've mostly been sleeping/eating/going out/eating/wandering around Heaton early in the morning/sitting around the house in my pyjamas/eating/saying ...i heard too much.

Lots of eating.

Somehow I manage to still fit into my clothes, it's a win/win situation, I feel.

ANYHOO

on with the post!

Christopher Kane for Topshop, I heard:

Oh, these are the ones I want most! The sheer studded leggings, and the cut out stud dress, the velvet (?!? Looks it from here..) one sleeved number, THE BLUE SWISHY DRESS!!!! It will be mine. I'm enjoying the sheer dresses also, but since they won't be cheap I probably wouldn't go for them....

Mostly the shoes, also!

Yeah, actually, I'm sorry, can we take a minute just to vidi the shoes?!?!?!

Oh, yeah, yeah we can.

AHHHH.

I can only find prices in dollars, apparantly...but everything is between $60 and $310? Which sounds pretty steep, I'm not gonna lie. Shall update when I find £££'s.

So there's obviously some nods to his previous main line collections. And there are a hell of a lot of studs and sheers (this makes me happy), along with some neons and frills akin to his earlier collections. Course there are also some prints in there, including the photorealism of his last collection - this time with crocodiles instead of gorillas and the like, though....

And might I point out, that this one 'ere was manufactured through RTW (I got a sneak preview, therefore. I've been seeing this one around for months!)

So, to summarize, he's amazing and should be lauded as such. ♥

Lots more pics to be found here, FYI.

Also; Bow Down To My Awesomeness.

Commencing.....now.

One of the blogs I read on a regular basis is IS MENTAL.

This post appeared almost two weeks ago - this is how long I've been meaning to post about this! This is what placement reports have reduced me to! Two weeks!!!!! - where was I? Oh yes. This appeared on July 12th: clickity click

Regarde le.....main picture. I need to stop acting like I know French.

So yeah, Boutique leggings for Topshop, which I totally designed. AHAHAHA I am brilliant etc.

Yeah, so not even in the "I drew up the sketch" sense of the snake print oversized crop tee...thing...thats in Topshop also right now, but in the actual "I came up with designs, Topshop picked their favourite, I drew this up, it got sampled, it got bought, I am awesome" kind of way, which is about 56 million types of awesome.

XD.

You too can buy a genuine pair of Topshop leggings (it doesn't sound as exciting when I say it like that.) right here if you follow this link plzkthnks.

Amanda of IS MENTAL, if you happen to stumble upon this, ta for the photo. I am too excited/smug to not put this up here, and lord knows when the next time I'll get to feel excited/smug is. :D.

Smells Like Early-20s Spirit

Jeeez early 20s. Still not used to not being a teen, 7 months on. Meh.

So my docs came XD

Bwahahahahahahaha

They are awesome.

Oh yeah, I clearly didn't blog about my change in decision re: what colour to get - I was hesitant to get black ones cos they'd be too similar to my black buckle boots I wear alll the time; but then it occured to me, the style of boot doesn't go with everything, and by getting a colour I'd be limiting that so much more, I might hardly wear them, which would be pointless. So I decided to get black 10 holes, which go higher up the leg, ergo they are different enough from my other boots that its allll goooooood.

So yeah.

Here they are with some outfits: the first one is grunge-tastic, I might as well have gone back in time to the early 90s. The second is what I wore to go to the post office (ooooo exciting ¬_¬) earlier. (Posting ebay sales, yesyes.)

I have no idea why the first one is so blurry....apologies.

Pic 1: Pyjama top, ahaha, oh yes. Vintage Levis, Black knee socks....I do not know where these are from.

Pic 2: Oversized blazer ♥, brown pleated vest from work, vintage blue pleated skirt.

Speaking of shoes, here are some beauties I came across earlier today :D

Pics from Jak +Jil Blog

I have no idea how you would walk more than about 3 metres in these but clearly some people have managed it.

Fit.

Oo, in other VAIR EXCITING news, I got the idea to email a couple of places in Newcastle about journalism/styling experience, in addition to my design experience down here, and hopefully some graphics experience at some point this year.

Anyhoo, I emailed the student magazine (cos yknow, i am one, and I'm part of the uni, if anyones gonna let me do a feature it's them), and The Crack, which for non-northern types, is a pretty widely available free mag in the North.

So today I got an email from The Crack saying they already have a fashion section, called What & Wear, but if I had any ideas for content for this section for the August issue, they'd be interested to hear it! Wheeeeeee!

So know I'm trying to think up something - interesting websites, shops, items, looks; hopefully to do with the north, maybe new shops or new labels, whatever - to pitch them about.

Scary.

I have no ideas.

I'm now going to spend the rest of the day pissing about on Photoshop, seeing what I can come up with in terms of new illustrations....