Here We Are Again

I have now lost count of the number of times I have said that I am going to start blogging again, but this time (I hope) is the last time, and I actually stick with it. I guess a factor is now having found my feet at university and having things I want to share and talk about; so this will become a mixture of all things fashion (my own work and styling) and things that inspire me generally. I apologise for the terrible aesthetic of my blog at the moment, but I will hopefully come up with something a little more exciting soon.

The Dish and the Spoon

I have now have a new favourite film. The Dish and the Spoon is directed by Alison Bagnall, whom also wrote the story and the screenplay, and stars Grata Gerwig as Rose, and Olly Alexander as The Boy. I discovered the film while researching Olly Alexander, as he stars in the latest series of Skins as part of Cassie's story, and it is a love story which knocks the likes of 500 Days of Summer into the dust. (If you want to watch it I advise you don't read on as there are some plot spoilers in the rest of this post.) It is rough and raw, if quite odd, but beautifully filmed. I couldn't fault it from a cinematographic perspective, with little details such as Rose becoming better dressed as the story progresses, and the fact that we never know the name of the Boy or weather any of the stories he tells are true.

Olly Alexander is fantastically talented, and I want to be his friend in real life. His roles in this and Skins: Pure are very similar, he plays a gawky awkward boy who likes art and music and wears grandfather jumpers, who falls in love with a girl who ultimately leaves him. The relationships in both stories are very similar also; very strong emotionally, both claiming to be in Love with the other, but devoid of much physical contact, Jacob in skins claims to be a virgin, and Rose and the Boy never do anything beyond kiss. The parallels give the impression of both relationships being real and honest, yet still seeming very unrealistically perfect at the same time.  

Though if you like cute indie films with crazy heroines and gawky heroes I reckon you would love this. 

(None of these images are my own) 

Internship

As this summer has become a working summer for me (sadly I have very little to no time, what with working at the Yacht Club three or four days a week and still at Dorothy Perkins one or two days a week) I decided to add an internship too my already busy life. So every Monday I go into Octagon Marine: Canvas and Sail, where I make and design handbags on industrial grade machines. It is really good fun, and keeps me in a sewing mindset through out the summer, as I am terrified I'll forget how to sew if I stop!

I have been making a variety of handbags from patterns for them, these pictured above fold open to reveal another two pockets, making them perfect for travelling! The bags are all made from scraps from the sail making side of the business so it is two birds with one stone, as we are removing the wastage and creating new stock simultaneously. The colour palette is limited though, and most bags are made up in blue or cream canvas; though canvas is sometimes ordered in in brighter colours for certain designs, and also to get some variety into our range of products.  

 

I also make a lot of what are referred to as "Bucket Bags" designed to hold bottles of beer without them toppling over, and leaving a space in the middle for ice to chill the drinks when on the boat or at the beach. Most of the bags have rope handles, as to follow a nautical theme. 

A few weeks into my time there I began designing my own bag, a satchel style rucksack with a small internal pocket, and a pocket especially for a 13' laptop. I designed it to be practical for art students, so there is a lot of space to carry the vast array of art related materials we have to carry about on a daily basis, though it could be used by anyone. Though finally after about a month and about five different prototypes in various materials, I finally have a prototype I can trial.

It is made of old sails, and includes a clear polythene pocket, to keep all the little things that get lost at the bottom of your bag easily visible and accessible. I was also amazed at how much stuff I could fit in it, having used it a few times now, it's almost as if it is a Tardis bag! I am so proud of myself, as it is one of the first things I have designed and followed though into construction, and a final outcome, and it gives me hope that I have some basic skills to start with at university. To develop them I might look into putting sail numbers on the top of the flap, though I personally prefer it minimal. The straps also need a bit of work, I am thinking slightly wider and more padding. I am also getting some good feedback from my friends about it (though I think they are just being nice) but hopefully some people might want one of their own. 

Shoes

For anyone who doesn't know me that well, I have a serious shoe obsession, with well over 60 pairs now, so I figured I would give a little insight into my shoe shelf and talk about my favourite pairs.

Studded Slippers, Topshop (£25ish)

These are my go to shoes as they go with pretty much everything! I am very happy with how long they have lasted too as I brought them quite a while ago, and considered buying a second pair for when these wore out, but by the looks of things that wont be for a while yet. 

Doctor Marten's, Ebay (£50)

I love my DMs, and literally lived in them last winter, and while they are not practical right now they will get worn once the weather cools down again, as it inevitably will. I am also taking them to Beautiful Days with me as a substitute to Wellington boots as they are far too mainstream. I brought mine off of eaby, which is worth checking out before you commit to paying full price for them. I ended up paying half the price for a basically brand new pair of shoes and they were delivered the next day! Warning if you're breaking in a new pair of DMs they will destroy your feet, so buy plasters and power through as it will be worth it in the end!

Velvet and Leather Ankle Boots, Topshop (£40 Sale)

As someone who has tiny sized 3 and a half feet I usually have the pick of the best when the sales roll around, and these were no exception, I had my lecturer lusting over them for weeks, and I don't doubt she would have killed me for them if she could. They are attractive for ankle boots, and have an inch and a half block heel, and are packed full of details like the metal caps at the front and back, and the leather appliqué in a western style. The velvet is holding up well, and they have survived snow in Amsterdam and nights out in Plymouth, and only a little stitching has started to fray, which can be fixed with a couple of hand stitches.

Leather Laser Cut Heels, Topshop (£30 Sale)

I brought these especially for my private view of my final show at uni, and they are surprisingly easy and comfortable to walk in considering how high they are, which I think is down to the wedge like heel, and we all know it's just that little easier to walk in wedges. I love the laser cut detailing on these shoes, and how soft the leather is, the only downside to them is that I think they look odd when worn without tights as the high front shortens my legs considerably. 

Oriental Print Heels, River Island (£15 Sale) 

These shoes were an absolute steal and look so much more expensive than they actually are, which I think is down to their resemblance to Mui Mui's Spring/Summer 2010 collection. They are very unlike my usual purchases, as they are not black, but they look very classy and are very easy to wear for formal occasions. 

Amelie Studded Ankle Boot, Topshop (£80) 

I rarely buy things at full price, but I had to make an exception with these. I got them while still working at Topshop, and they became my work shoes as they were very versatile, and instantly smartened up my work attire! A couple of the studs have fallen off over time, but that is to be expected from footwear as it goes through so much more that clothing. I have now decided when more of the studs fall off I'm just going to paint the toes silver, so that they retain some details of interest. 

Patent Stilettos, Topshop Unique (£20 Sale)

These are yet another tiny feet having the best pick of the sale shoes buy, and the amount of money I saved made it impossible not to get them! Though they are very very high and the stiletto makes walking difficult, so they are currently being saved for a flatter city (Plymouth has a lot of hills). I love the iridescent colours of the patent, and how they change colour depending on the light which I think was my biggest draw to them, alongside how tall they make me!

My Five Year Old Child Shoes, My Grandma (Free) 

I was given these by my Grandma when she was clearing out her old clothes, and at the time I graciously took them, though didn't have the confidence to wear them until I got to PCA and I began caring less about people's opinions of my clothes. I adore the fact that they have maps on the soles which is a wonderful detail, and I keep meaning to take sole prints of them, but I really don't want to ruin the colour. They are very practical for everyday in the studio, and I even managed to wear them on a night out once so they have some versatility too. 

Black and White Vans (I paid around £35 for them, but they are now selling at £52 on their website!)

My battered vans are nearly two years old, and are looking very good for their age and still have plenty of wear in them. Though I was very shocked to see how expensive they have become since I brought my pair! So I think when these bite the dust I will end up buying a pair of Nike Janoski's as they are just as expensive and much more durable, due to the fact they are designed to be worn skating, and as I rarely skate I wont wear them out as quickly as others would. 

New

I've been frantically busy with work as of late, though there is always time to go shopping. Here are some of my latest purchases.

Contrast Jersey Tee , Dorothy Perkins (£18) 

I spotted this at work, and knew instantly I must have it. It's got the air of the basic tee, but with a bit of a twist, what with the two contrasting tones. So far I've worn it with black skinnies and maxi tube skirts.  

Strappy Cami Jersey Maxi, Topshop (£18)

I had been eyeing this up for a while, but what with being 5"2' the regular was going to be way too long, so I patiently waited for the petite version to arrive in store. I decided to go for a slightly larger size, so that it was a looser fit, as with the heat we've been having recently I really didn't want clothes which were going to be clingy. It is a fantastic basic to have in my wardrobe, and I can wear it simply with a turquoise belt (a rare pop of colour for me) and sandals, or dress it up by layering a cropped tee or shirt over the top or underneath and pairing it with heels. 

Cat Print Jersey Tee, H&M (£12) 

As an avid cat lover I felt compelled to buy this tee for the adorable cats on it; though I did wait weeks to see if it would go into the sale and when it didn't I got impatient and brought it anyway! It's not too practical at the moment, but I know I will get plenty of wear out of it in the winter months. I've worn it over a grey skater skirt with my vans too an Irish gig, as well as wearing it tucked into my white denim shorts. 

Checked Cropped Shirt, Topshop (£35)

This was an impulse buy, but as soon as I had it on I knew I never wanted to take it off! Being slightly bustier than I would like, I usually stay away from shirts with buttons as it's horribly unflattering when they stretch open, but this top is oversized so that is not an issue! I love the little details of this top, such as the contrast in pattern direction on the pocket and the back panel which makes it a little edgier. I have worn this with so much as it is super easy to dress up or down; over maxi dresses or with tube skirts or tucked into Levi's shorts or circle skirts. I also like to add a gold band necklace under the collar so it's just visible between the collar points. 

Willis Leather Sandal Flatforms, Topshop (£35)

After reading through the reviews for these shoes on the Topshop website, I saw many negative remarks regarding them, yes they hurt the back of your ankles, but doesn't every new pair of shoes need wearing in? Especially leather ones. Mine are slowly softening, though I am still wearing plasters on my ankles to be safe, and I am loving them. I am having to try so hard not to wear them everyday, as I really want them to last, but they are a very versatile shoe and perfect for the summer heat! 

Leather and Tapestry Rucksack, Charity shop (£3)

I spotted this when on a book run through the local charity shops and just had to have it as it will be absolutely perfect to take to Beautiful Days Festival with me, and it was an absolute steal at £3.