practical.

And speaking of neon pops...

Weekday dress//H&M dress (underneath)+leggings+boots+necklace//New Look belt//hat bought in Oz...

(One of) My impractical and so-not-wintery Weekday dress(es). It's a bit see through and the side splits are a bit high and it just calls out for layering. So. Layered it is.

With a squinty expression.

I just can't look normal in photos.

week-end days.

Weather report: still cold.
I shopped and saw Drive yesterday. Many layers were worn, most of which you can't see.

vintage slip dress+boots+burberry trench+fur collar//2nd hand shirt+jumper//reality studio scarf//2nd hand/ebay rings

(1 pair of leggings, 1 pair of tights, 2 pairs of socks, black tshirt. still chilly.)

I went to Weekday - for some reason I hadn't realised there was a shop here despite having walked past the one at Friedrichstraße several times, but that has now been rectified. There was a sale on.

Two dresses at 10€ a pop were purchased (Calf-length tight navy jersey number//full length rose silk dress with side seam slits to thigh height and a waist tie).

And almost these shoes, too, but they didn't have a 38, and of course the 37 was too small and the 39 too big.

But they were so affordable and so...silver.

Still in my head, and heart.

minus 6.

It's been three times as cold as that. I've gone through the fur-coat-wearing period (that thing is falling apart, and I don't think it'll make it through another winter. Sob.) and am out the other side, to the trench-with-lots-of-layers period. Which is hard cos the sleeves are quite small, so once there are layers, there's not much room to bend and stretch. Ho hum.

reality studio scarf//vintage fur collar+burberry trench+boots//asos dress//H&M necklace//

zara jumper//belt = present//2 pairs of tights and 2 pairs of socks and still chilly toes.

Big quiff, huh?

reality.

OK.

So.

Here ends the stream of images (ahem) from Wednesday night - the Reality Studio AW12/13 preview show during Berlin Fashion Week.

Yeah.

One image, of the Turkish band rehearsing in an empty Voo store (great shop on Oranienstraße in Kreuzberg, just FYI) before we let anyone in.

Cos I was on bar duty and the crowd was between me and the models. Basically I missed half the show, and once I realised it had started I was too busy/far away to take pics anyway.

Luckily for you guys, Stil in Berlin and DERZEIT (courtesy of Hintmag) weren't too busy handing out free beers and stopping olives from rolling everywhere to take photos.

Stil in Berlin
Hintmag/Derzeit

If I see more reviews etc I'll stick the links here...

Les Mads (auf Deutsch - note the oversized print/white blouse. EVERYONE wants one.)

...and hopefully I'll have photos from the lookbook which we'll be shooting in a couple of weeks (backstage exclusives or the finished product, yknow, something.)

i'm alive.

I've just been lazy/haven't had much to write about/went home for Christmas/came back to Berlin for New Year/been busy again (the Reality Studio show is 10 days away), so...here are some pictures?

drunk hugs in Jukebox, back in Newcastle//

Bronze hippos (at Berlin Zoo) make excellent props//

Lions like meat//

Champagne all over the road at Rosa-Luxembourg-Platz after it went out of the window//

Attempted evidence of amazing fireworks. Fireworks don't photograph well.//

Course, you can't see the Cyndi-Lauper-esque cut of my hair in any of these pics, but it is chin length on one side and almost shoulder length on the other. And now with no obvious roots. I waited 'til I got home to re-dye my hair, knowing that I'd been sent this, the Tie Towel, to try out. It's the first time I've ever been sent something to try out, but since I've now been dyeing my hair continuously for nearly 5 years, I figured that being offered a special towel that wouldn't be patchy and horrible after a few months and would stay on my shoulders and avoid red splotches finding their way onto my clothes would be a welcome addition to my possessions.

Err, it's good? I don't know if I would have noticed it/considered buying it in a shop cos I'm loathe to buy things I don't think I need ("Pah, my old patchy towel and a hair clip will suffice! Oh, it keeps falling off."), but it's certainly a handy tool, especially if you're a serial dye-r. I don't know how necessary it is to have a towel that doesn't stain if you just dye yourself at home, but the tie mechanism/the ability to keep something around your shoulders are a help.

Probs should have done a quick review before Christmas as it would make a great stocking filler (I believe it's a tenner, avail at Boots/Superdrug/Asda)

rookie hair.

In that, this is both the first time I've tried my hair like this and it was from a tutorial on the Rookie site. I thought my hair wouldn't be long enough and I didn't have any big clips, but it turns out a shit load of bobby pins and hairspray make anything possible.

Zara jumper//2nd hand shirt, skirt, boots+bag//Primark socks+necklace//H&M coat//Reality Studio scarf

The scarf was a present from work for my birthday; I have worn it every day thus far. So snuggly. (Should've been) necessary since I went for a walk (and a little bit of shopping) in 2 degrees of heat. But no, I'm in a light jacket! Must be the northern blood. Two degrees is T Shirt weather in Newcastle. It's supposed to snow on Tuesday; maybe I'll finally need to put gloves on.

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. ♥

goldkohl.

I know. It's been nearly a month.
Not only that, I've had something to post for weeks; I am merely very lazy. Soz blog.

It was literally weeks ago (three, actually. Err. I think) that I worked all weekend at a warehouse sample sale situation - Premium - with a lot of other stores and brands. One that caught my eye (but I couldn't afford, even at sample sale prices. Not because they were particularly expensive, but because I am particularly skint.) was hosiery and jewellery brand kvast.

Their schtick is kitsch printed socks of varying length and vegetable jewellery. You heard me. Those are broccolis and cabbages rendered in silver and gold, respectively. Vidi:

All pics from kvast's site.

Their e-shop is here and they ship worldwide, which is always nice to hear.

ring ring.

Found myself in the perfect position for Kasabian last night - behind a tall man but with a view of Serge's face over one shoulder and Tom leaping about over the other.
Gigs call for flat shoes.
In fact, for the most part, Berlin calls for flat shoes. I haven't worn a pair of heels yet. SHOCKHORRORGASP.

dress asos//jacket+necklace+socks H&M//shoes topshop//belt matalan//shorts h! by henry holland

rings clockwise from top right: vintage//H&M//ebay (f21)//H&M

Today - hungover - I met a bunch of people from Couchsurfing for kaffee und kuchen at Mein Haus Am See and which led to a huge burger at a nearby American diner some hours later.

Travellers; backpackers; people moving to new cities/countries - I cannot recommend Couchsurfing enough. You have the chance to explore new cities, or even the city you live in, in a new way and through new eyes. Everyone (so far) has been wonderful: friendly, open-minded, well-travelled and interesting. If you're in Berlin any time, these Sunday afternoon coffee meetings are probs gonna be a regular thing (I organised the whole shebang, see, cos I'm dead pro-active in the making friends department) and will be up on the events page for Couchsurfing sometime in the week beforehand.

Also, travellers, you can find places to stay for free. I'm all for hostels and that but free accomodation and with (likely) wonderful people for a day or two is too good to pass up.

I wondered about adding a sort of 'things to see and do in Berlin' info page on the blog (or maybe start compiling one and adding to it as I find new places to recommend...) and perhaps one for Newcastle too (!) since I know it pretty well. Thoughts? Seems I'm slowly becoming a travelSLASHfashionSLASHstyle blog...

amazing spaces.

Got the chance to see a free gig last night (and again tonight - The Blood Arm/Art Brut/dEUS* yesterday and Kasabian...and some other bands I don't remember or care for...tonight).
The venue, Trafo, was too amazing not to share.

The last one is The Blood Arm doing a song.

Always a fan of useless facts, I greatly appreciated a guy I met sharing that this place used to be some sort of rubbish-burning factory. It's all spacious and concrete and warehouse-y and, I think, also a club; but the stage area was this little platform upstairs with 3 stages on 3 of the sides with one band to a stage (genius) - I was stood to the Art Brut side.

I already have a wall of gig tickets for the near future (Friendly Fires (next week) and The Horrors (Nov 13th) at the Lido; Patrick Wolf (Nov 14th) at the Astra... the Horrors/Patrick combo makes for an excellent birthday present to myself, on the 15th...)

I look forward to many more events/clubs/cafes/whatever being hidden inside amazing venues. Trafo looks like any old warehouse situation from the outside.

*I cared not for dEUS either. Hadn't heard any of their songs before last night...

wardrobe malfunction.

Ha.
I haven't had one.
Far from it!
My second case (bigger; mostly clothes, shoes and accessories) arrived today.
I unpacked it WITH HASTE.

ikea rail//shelves + ikea fold-away boxes (bottom shelf), in lieu of drawers//coat rack//

row of shoes//washing basket//

desk...table...situation complete with two mirrors, make up, hair stuff and dvds//big bag o' accessories//

shoessssssssss//

something off of the selby - shelves of clothes, rail of clothes, necklaces sorted into silvers and golds, clutch big sitting atop the mess//

I kind of like having all my clothes on display?

Course it still looks like I don't have much with me; but there are many dresses/longer skirts/trousers hanging under the shirts/cardis/other dresses on the rail, innit. Fear not. I have plenty to work with.

Definitely wearing the green jumpsuit tomorrow; I have literally been fantasising about wearing it all week. I don't think I've ever felt that way about a piece of clothing before.

It's easy to forgot how many socks and tights one owns until one begins to empty 'the big case' in preparation for a winter abroad. My previously 1/3 filled Ikea storage boxes became full (both underwear boxes and the pyjamas/miscellaneous computer cables box are also full).

Jesus, you'd think I was sponsored by Ikea (the mirror on the table is also Ikea. As are my bed clothes and little lamp. At least you can't see those.)

...I hope this satisfies various folk on facebook who keep asking for pics of my place!

storm and stripes.

I hear it's windy in the UK? See, still in the loop. Thanks, Twitter.

Berlin is a bit windy today, but last night I encountered the biggest (longest, loudest, brightest, scariest) thunderstorm ever - it went on for about an hour, the whole sky lit up and the building felt like it was shaking.

It was fun to watch from the balcony before the rain started but after an hour of booming thunder I was cowering under my duvet. And I usually love storms!

Went and wore my boots today. And a dress. Still surviving on my little case of clothes; the big one is on its way!

H&M dress//primark belt//vintage boots//cut my fringe back in, didn't i?

sunday, sunday.

Busy working week = sleepy evenings.
Saturday = couch-surfing organised bike rides and amazing apple strudel.
Sunday = too hot. I'm going to go ahead and assume this is a weekly thing since I have seen no evidence to the contrary...

This week was a trip to Mauerpark. (the link will take you to google maps, incase you'll be in Berlin soon/ever and want to go.)

I went in search of a bike, but even though there was lots of choice, they were all too big for my tiny legs or too expensive, so I just bought these awesome boots (for a mere €15), and a beer (!) and sat on the grass to read for a bit in the blazing sun.

Most enjoyable. Mauerpark is a huge bustling market - especially on a day like today - and was really too busy today, when I got there around 2pm. I was advised by a girl I met yesterday that the afternoon was better - people are just setting up at 11am, which is in direct opposition to flea markets/car boots in the UK, non?

There were lots of food and drink places, and a couple of man made beaches with deck chairs AND EVERYTHING in the middle with drinks stalls (selling beer, wine, and spirits as well as coffee and soft drinks), plus stalls for everything from vintage clothes to random old crockery (I dubbed one huge stall 'where kitsch comes to die'.), but I'd definitely recommend it for leather goods. So many stalls selling gorgeous, affordable leather bags (mostly vintage) and everyone was up for haggling.

gone.

I'm here; I'm moved in. See look:

3 nights of hostelling in Mitte aren't much fun when you miss home and are worrying about finding somewhere to live and such, and have already visited and seen all the big tourist sights, but now I'm out in the east ("out", Friedrichshain is like, 10 minutes from Mitte on the U-Bahn) and settled a bit it's all good.

It's odd, F'shain feels like another country, what with the super wide streets, and, today, the RED HOT WEATHER. Seriously, it's like....California, or something*
I find Berlin is all quite spread out; the roads are really long and it takes longer than you think it will to walk somewhere, but Mitte is a lot more 'city like'; tall shiny buildings and busy streets; and it seems more chilled out here (and within walking distance to work - in one direction - and Humana, in the other.)

*I have not been to California...

the rock shoe

I'm an ankle boot fan; you may have noticed.
I'm also a Berlin fan.

A Berlin based, ankle-boot specialising label? Yes. Yes please.

Enter Kamaeleon, who do quirky ankle boots in suedes and leather, all named after rock bands - my favourites below.

Sonic Youth//Slayer (in grey and blue)//Kiss (in black; in pink.)

Kiss comes in other colours, too.

The skeletal blue/grey on Slayer is just fantastic, twinned with the suede texture, non?

And the flat headed studs on Kiss, which are wonderful and a kind of different take on the stud trend...

Mmkay, I'm off for sushi.

PS

UK FOLK. STOP READING THIS. GO AND VOTE.

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

berlin based

So me and some girls from my class were gonna pop over to Berlin when fashion week was on, but...we didn't end up doing it, yknow? Last minute/lack of being arsed/just starting back at uni etc etc

But I've took my time getting around to checking out the shows from BFW (they can all be seen on this site!), and mebs now I'll post a bit about some that caught my eye, yeahhh?

The BFW site is pretty awesome, by the way - they list fabrics, colours and accessories used in each collection, which is unusual but brilliant.

ARRONDISSEMENT AQ1

Interesting cuts, love the embellishment on the 4th look's trews. The blue in the 3rd look is a beautiful shade, too. And are those velvet cage leg adornments??

LENA HOSCHEK

Slightly mismatched, these looks...? I dunno what it is about the first, but I was amused by it. Cute military dress; awesomeeee duffle coat! Seriously need it.

MARCEL OSTERTAG

You could've taken one look at his and known I'd be a fan - grey geo prints, structure and sheer, wheeeeeeee! I love the shape of the trousers in the third look.

SAM FRENZEL

These knits are AMAZING. Look at the second one! That dress is amazing; and if I could knit better I'd be DIYing that bad boy.

STRENESSE BLUE

Some excellent check mixing, and the perfect leather dress. It looks butter soft. Sometimes I wish I could touch fabrics through my screen.

all pics from the BFW site.

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