head to toe.

Late to the party, but dammit, I've been blogging graduates - much more important.
The Topshop autumn lookbook came out a couple of weeks ago, and the images have been swirling around the Internet since. Topshop always do around 4 trends a season, accompanied by interesting names, and this seasons are no different - Psychobilly, Bavaria, Thrift and Glamrock.
Bavaria and Thrift are a little..."throw everything on", though there are some great pieces hidden in the melange, while Glamrock really does what it says on the tin (more glamourous than my usual style, very 'going out' and featuring very short skirts...) and Psychobilly adds an androgynous and really cool selection of pieces, which is something a bit different for the high street, and definitely my favourite of the trends.

Below are the looks I'd wear as is...

1//Psychobilly//chunky jumper (wonderful shape); shiny, skinny, cropped trousers

2//Psychobilly//leopard print boots. !!!. blues and reds and tailoring. wonderful.

3//Psychobilly//HOUNDSTOOTH TROUSERS. wahhhhhh.

4//Psychobilly//heels with socks, bodycon skirt, chunky cardi. yesyes.

5//Psychobilly//more animal print + chunky knits, plus awesome shoes

6//Psychobilly//leopard collar, leather pencil skirt. <3

7//Bavaria//the long and lean look will always be a winner with me. love the scarf under the hat.

8//Thrift//stripy calf length skirt; gorgeous colours

8//Thrift//i can live without the boots, but everything else? nipped in jacket, awesome bag, pleated shirtdress. aww yeah.

carven s/s11.

this is a 'first' collection in two notable ways: the first i'm writing about from Paris, and the first this season that i went through the whole thing gasping and putting in mental orders, then swiftly mental-cancelling them due to huge expense.

seriously. in. love.

i was sure i'd written about carven before, but perhaps they were one of those brands i meant to write about...hmm.

but, as i said about jil sander below, simple-on-the-surface pieces which i just want to wear. though here, that need to wear is multiplied by 10. maybe 100. little jackets, interesting cuts on skirts and shorts, draped and gathered form-fitting dresses, cut outs and high collars all feature, but it's the GORGEOUS colour palette of peach shades, dark blue (not quite navy), black, cream, pale blue, and, of course, shades of khaki which makes me a little weak at the knees. and the prints are great! shift dresses, for example are so note my thing - no waist definition, no sale at this end - but that grainy photoprint number with the little collar is begging to be belted and worn POSTHASTE.

to illustrate just how much i am feeling carven this season, vidi this: the only show where i've pulled a couple of looks out of the ones i love because i love them even more. there are no words, i think, to describe how much i need this dress (particularly the printed one) in my life - the only item seriously still on my mental order list.

imgs from style.com

stunning!

craving: river island.

oh elle.

elle; elle; elle.

firstly: you've brought on old age. this isn't really your fault, but i spent last night reading October's Elle whilst listening to jazz and eating a chocolate bar*. wearing fresh pyjamas. in bed. with clean sheets on. after having washed my hair and re-painted my nails - basically, generally being content with being clean and in bed by 10 on a sunday evening. i think it's the jazz part that's lulling me into old age. i'd quite welcome going straight from education to retirement at this point. reading fashion magazines and listening to Nina Simone all day every day sounds perfect.

secondly: your 'style for less' supplement is all well and good, but it is really 2 weeks early. meaning, there's loads of stuff i want but can't afford yet. THANKS. NO, REALLY.

one shop whose stuff they featured loads of was river island (the below bag and first lace up, high heeled boots definitely feature, though i've seen/coveted the buckle+shearling boots elsewhere). i never go into the newcastle store, because none of the actually awesome things from the website are in there - clearly the newcastle river island clientele are not in the awesome-boot-sequin-bag business. but they should be. here are some things i want and hope are still in store when i get money.

shoes: brown buckle ankle boots; £64.99//brown platform heeled ankle boots; £89.99//

grey leather cage wedges; £49.99//snake and suede wedges; £84.99//

beige leather clog heels; £74.99//brown leather buckle heel ankle boots; £74.99//

brown suede clog heels; £74.99//black leather cuff detail boots; £69.99//

socks; £3.99 each: lace//polkadot//leopard//

sequin backpack; £59.99//stripe skirt; £19.99//lace body; £19.99//

ok, i don't want ALL of these things - the sequin backpack is amazing but 60 quid is a bit steep - but i definitely have the collared body (!!!!), the leopard socks (my H&M ones are threatening me with threadbare) and the shearling boots bookmarked. i don't own any dark brown boots. SELL OUT AT YOUR PERIL, BOOTS.

oh, and the cream chelsea-clog-boot-things, which might be THE boots. i haven't decided yet. they're considerably more clog-gy and high heeled than the ones i have pictured, but they are severely awesome.

but the high heeled hiking boots, and the peep toe clog affairs, and the snakeskin heels......

dammit.

i hope a bunch of these go to sale so i can afford them. YOU HEAR ME, SHOES?

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*got a Twix Fino. they are good; just fyi.

good trouser wearing.

i've always hoped to be a "good trouser wearer", but i feel the world is really rather working against me - a penchant for skinny or tapered trousers, especially with a slight crop; and short girls with curves...well, they don't really mix. it doesn't deter me, of course.

anyways, i've always thought zara did a good trouser, and coincidentally they opened their webshop this week - there isn't a zara in Newcastle*, which greatly displeases me, but it shall no longer be a problem!

let's rejoice!

and look at some trousers!

riding breeches with leather applique**; £39.99//

pleated trousers with belt; £29.99//

cool wool ankle length trousers**; £25.99//

skinny trousers with turn up; £39.99//

great prices, great cuts, would go with loads of stuff. am especially partial to pairs 2 and 3 (that i like the cheapest pairs is really one for the books), which are, of course, cropped and skinny. methinks i shall invest in a couple of pairs of trews come loan time (2 weeks 2 weeks!).

course, zara's trouser department aren't always onto a winner...

velvet bermuda pants; £39.99//

hmm.

what's catching your eye in the zara webshop? are you also on a trouser-hunt?

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PS

Ana is doing a giveaway! jus' sayin.

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*i assume though, that there is one somewhere in the Metrocentre, but i also assume that i'm not alone in the thought that if you are sans car and don't work there, you are unlikely to be rollin' to the Metrocentre. what say you, northerners?

**their words, not mine.

doodle II.

this autumn; one wishes to dress like this:

cropped biker jacket.

ankle length print dress.

doctor's bag with overbody strap.

chunky black boots. we will refer to these as goth boots for the sake of argument.

it's a well publicised (by me...) fact that my must have item this winter is not the coveted-by-everyone shearling coat (though there is a Rick Owens number that i would kill for. surprise surprise. damn you Rick.), but rather, a pair of tan chelsea boots*.

and a cropped biker jacket.

and some goth boots, again a wish that has been well publicised.**

luckily the doctor's bag and ankle length (leopard!!!) print dress are already in my possession. THANKS EBAY!

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*with a small stack heel and black elastic panel; accept no imitators.

**at the time of writing that post, i wanted the 3rd pair mostly. now i want the first ones. LE SIGH.

most wanted.

despite saving money for a trip to london in the not too distant future (for research and definitely not for any sort of shopping), i'm now, as always, coveting some items.

i don't know about you, but if i'm a fan of something it ends up in my bookmarks posthaste.

currently bookmarked (and ebay watching)...

top row: asymmetric dress; topshop//asymmetric dress; topshop//grey maxi skirt; asos

bottom rows: navy tights//leather jackets//vintage lace+satin bodies//

more leather//cute vintage dresses//tiered leather skirt//

sequin bustier//anything khaki//err, a stainless steel jug for frothing milk. how'd that get there?

sheer sleeved dress//more vintage lace nightwear//graphic swimsuit

you know my love of asymmetry. although the first one is a beach cover up and the vest and maxi are both thin jersey and therefore totally supposed to be summer pieces, i'm looking ahead to autumn and desperately wanting these pieces for layering up and teaming with fabulous coats. preferably leather-based ones. which brings us to the ebay portion of the evening post.

i have a search out for leather jackets (as well as vintage pale blue jeans, preferbs high waisted, and chelsea boots, preferbs tan, but none in my size are presenting themselves to me. what gives, ebay?), in a cropped, tight, biker style. i love, adore, and cherish my Rick Owens inspired leath-urrr, but i just want cropped sleeves. i can't help it. the perfect one will turn up eventually.

vintage lace+satin nightwear numbers are all up in my grill right now. i own one - bought for layering purposes - in cornflower blue, from beyond retro, which has since made it into my pyjama rotation. cute, comfortable and perfect for warm summer nights. i can't bear to be uncovered when i'm sleeping, whether we're talking clothes or bedding. unless i'm drunk. or err, not alone. anyways, i want more in more colours, but of course the "underwear as outerwear" trend renders these expensive. ach.

as for the rest? i like anything khaki, sheer, leather, sequin-ed or polka-dotted most of the time, and these just happen to be on my watch list as of now.

side note: also craving pale pink.

hey new followers, btw. sometimes i have a surge; it is nice.

oh, asos.

oh, asos, what are you trying to do?

today on their front page; 3 styling options/themes and some items which fit them...:

though i don't want any of these pieces per se, the bracelets are awesome, and the leather+floaty dress+boots thing is making me happy.

err, likewise. although, the ring is cool. (as is a similar one i have bookmarked. i have a number of things i can't afford right now bookmarked in the vain hope they'll still be there when i do have money. unnnnlikely.)

but then, THEN, we get to this. LOOK AT THE LOOKBOOK SHOT. LOOK AT IT. AHHHHHH!

if that dress weren't £85.... the asymmetry + the sheer + the fitted bodice is making me drool. true story.

i'd muchly enjoy anything on this page (although a non-holey jumper would be preferred...) but the bank account says no, no.

i could, of course, attempt a recreation - i have a grey jumper (definitely not slouchy enough, though. tight fitting if anything...), and i bought a sheer maxi skirt in the mecca that is RSPCA Byker a couple of weeks ago that i have yet to wear.

well, i have yet to wear it outside of twirling around in it in my room. it is wonderful. and was £3. toot!

my point is, asos, it's like you know i have no money and your taunting me.

why is it, when you have money there's nothing you particularly want, and when you have nothing you want everything? hmm? HMM?

turning point

So hey, this giveaway malark is still happening... Click on through. It's a whole lotta fun; prizes to be won. etc.

So I'm mostly not down with this clog trend. I will note that, in my eyes, a wooden heel does not a clog make. A clog is essentially a Croc with a wooden heel, amiright? Yes, yes I am.

Anyways, in the wooden heel stakes, a whole load of em are ugly things.
It occurred to me mere moments ago that if the criteria for being a clog is a wooden heel, I already own a pair - strappy brown leather sandals, as thrifted a couple of years ago...
Anyways.
The point of this ramble was as follows: £90 is a bit steep, but my clog-blindness was momentarily lifted when
these babies popped up on ASOS.

Look! See! Gawp! Gasp!

The wood heel/dome stud clog hallmark is there, sure, but it's like they bred with THOSE Opening Ceremony/Jeffery Campbell wedges with allll the buckles and this is the beautiful and chunky and tough baby.

Sidenote: I bought some buckle-y shoes - heels, not wedges - in that ilk in Matalan (!) the other day, and they are orangey/brown and amazing and were £14 and everyone was like "OMG WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES FROM ETC". Yeahboiii.

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awesome autumn

Susie Bubble posted about Carven the other week, and I was quite taken with the AW10 collection...

So, of course, I looked on through to their site and came upon their SS10 collection (meh. I mean, it's cute, and it's got a lot of the same flavours as AW, but it's just not got it, for me.)

Everything here could slot into my wardrobe with ease; I'd be willing to wager yours too?

But my, the colour scheme? The well places cut-outs? The textures? The twee collars? The cinched waists? The ruching detail? The cropped pieces? The proportions!

That floor length, slit-to-the-waist dress...top....dress....thing!?!?!?!?!?

GET. IN. MY. WARDROBE.

POSTHASTE.

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Sidenote

I have election fever...? Yeah, I don't know either. This time last week politics was a snooze in my eyes, and now I am a-buzz with debates and policies and other such stuff. Twitter indicates you lot are following suit; very well done all round. If we have the power to vote, we should use it wisely. K, I'll stop the political chat now.

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fit for a queen

Is this not the perfect shearling??

from stylorectic

Saw it; needed it. Much softer, warmer and more drape-y looking than my £1 rail beaut (although, yknow, mine was £1).
I think I'll see how much I make when I get round to ebay-ing stuff but I might have to splash some cash on this one. As long as I avoid the rest of the site it's available from...

QUEEN'S WARDROBE has some cute pieces; nice bags, and most importantly, AWESOME SHOES. Vidi below:

GLASSHEELEDWEDGESGAHHHHHHHHH. I adore that lace maxi, too. Hmm. Hopefully I'll make lots of money on ebay, right?

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oh, S/S 10, lemme count the ways I love you.

Swear to God I've posted about future classics before, but can I find it in my history? Can I fuck.

Anyways, S/S10 is COMING SOON on their website (above, above) so since my love for the label is pretty high I thought I'd show you what was a-happening.

What is happening, evidently, is drapey, arse-bearing, stripey, floral, sheer, monochrome, dotty, clashing, slouchy, bright, and sparkly. All at once.

J'ADORE.

Particularly?

Look 2 - slouchy coat perfection.

Look 8 - this jacket thing is amazing, non?

Looks 9/10 - oh come on, do I need to explain this? Floral without being at all twee, interesting colours, amazing cut and drape. Head to toe floral never looked so good.

Look 15 - sparkles in the front, sheer in the back. It's like a backwards mullet (...business in the front, party in the back...). Only, it's not, cos it's party ALL. OVER. Oh yeah. I was gonna be all "although, orange? idk." for a second there, but then I realised it would totally clash with my hair and that's totally the look I'm going for. Oh my yes.

Look 16, 17, 18 AND 19, goddammit. - the stripes, the sheer polkadottedness (that is a word; shutup.), and of course the slouchydrape.

Ahhhhhhh.

I just wish these pictures were bigger.

It prompted me to look at the sale(!) for the previous collections. Some favourite pieces (sheer, drapey...) are below. Particularly the first one (want, need, want), but at £510 in the sale, I think not. Sorry FC, no can do.

pictures from fashion156 (linked to the right!) & future classics site.