It is a rare occasion these days when I’m actually shocked by any media goings on. Whether it’s comedian Frankie Boyle happily poking fun at disabled children, women prancing around practically naked in what feels like every single contemporary music video, it seems to me there’s an almost blasé attitude when it comes to the proverbial line being crossed in popular culture. In fact, I’m not sure there even IS a line anymore. So imagine my surprise when a news story this week did actually result in a distinct eyebrow raise and small gasp on my part. Hollywood actor and star of the Transformers franchise Shia LaBeouf revealed he may partake in some real, unsimulated sex scenes for a film entitled Nymphomaniac from controversial director Lars Von Trier.
However, straight after my initial gasp of surprise, cynicism set in. This constant shock factor pursuit is getting a bit tiresome for me. I’m not entirely sure what they are trying to achieve with this latest project. Last time I checked Shia was a relatively credible movie star who doesn’t need any extra exposure (see what I did there) despite his claims that he wants to do this to push himself as an actor. The idea seems artistically barren - isn’t this just porn masquerading as a ground-breaking indie film?
I anticipate many people won’t want to see this film for its artistic credentials (whatever they may be) but more for the controversy surrounding the project. In the same way some of us are guilty of flicking through 50 Shades of Shite – sorry, I mean, Grey – in a bid to join in with everyone else, or like the time I had a browse online at ticket prices to see Equus on stage in London for no other reason than the possibility of seeing Daniel ‘Harry Potter’ Radcliffe naked. Oh, come on, like you weren’t a little intrigued too.
I’m very well aware that sex sells, but so far I’m just confused as to what La Boeuf and Von Trier’s point is in making this film. Is leaving something, anything, to the imagination a lost art?
The other day the following video landed in my inbox, and I just needed to share it with you all. Having been filmed in the 1930s, (and I will have you know that the first trend forecasting services did not exist until post WW2) it is an amazing insight in to how leading American fashion designers at the time believed the fairer sex would dress in the year 2000:
Now, not only does the narrator deliver a hilarious commentary throughout but it is incredible how accurate many of the points made have become. For instance, predicting dresses made out of ‘transparent net to catch the males’? It is like they jumped in the Delorean and wound up in Chelmsford on a Saturday night. Not only this, but the way that the rise of trousers on ladies is almost scoffed at by the narrator just shows how forward thinking and visionary that particular designer was; a Leonardo Da Vinci of the Fashion World, perhaps? (Ok, I may be going a tad too far with this). What struck me the most though, was the idea of ‘cantilever’ inspired heels. Excuse me, but did Alexander McQueen, Jeffery Campbell and the rest of the fashion world use this video as inspiration to create the most uncomfortable, unstable, amazing looking shoes for 2012? Let’s not be sexist though. Gentlemen readers, if this forecast is truly accurate, then by all accounts you all carry ‘candy for cuties’ in your jacket pockets!
So, just in case someone in 2083 stumbles upon our blog, I have uploaded a video by Lacoste Future, which by all accounts depicts the future of sportswear in the latter half of the century. Let’s just see how accurate they might possibly be.
Jo’s just returned from two heady-hot weeks in the tropics for her honeymoon (congrats Mrs Knowles!) Ever the blogaholic, she telegraphed this post over from her beach lounger…
After a fortnight in Thailand I’ve got a hint of a tan but having grown up in Australia, one would be rugby-tackled to the ground if found recklessly wandering minus an SPF 50 epidermis, so I can never casually sunbathe. I’ve avoided a post-holiday paunch thanks to the Thai rice and vegetable diet, but my hair…oh god.
Half way through it was ready to pack up and get a flight back on its own. It looked beachy and tousled from some angles but felt like a ready salted crisp with eczema. Being a beauty-bore I was armed with a UV hair spritz (which I’d offer up to fellow bathers like a first-aider handing out plasters at a festival) however the harsh salt and humidity had a stronger team. Luckily these rehab-hair treatments have calmed the frizz and twiglet texture:
Originally created for Audrey Hepburn to remedy the ills of over-styling . This pre -shampoo treatment repairs extremely dry, porous hair to restore elasticity, shine and moisture. If its good enough for Audrey…
It’s hard to sense the shift in the seasons this year; rain has seemed like a permanent fixture all summer, making us appreciate the few scarce days of sunshine more than ever. We have had apple and blackberry crumble earlier than usual, and the autumn fruit’s bitter juice has flavoured many of my walks along the river banks recently.
Usually I cling on to the vestiges of summer until the first frosts come and even I can’t deny any longer that flip flops, sun dresses, and playsuits must be ditched for boots and woolies. But this year is different; this year I’m waiting impatiently for the autumn to begin. Changing leaves and shortening days means my wedding day is getting closer. I’d always thought of engagement as a romantic state to be in, teetering on the brink of a life-changing decision, a poignant farewell to a single life. In reality, though, I’ve discovered that once you’ve made up your mind about something, you generally just want to get on and do it. Engagement is a state of limbo, and I’m like a young child counting down the days till Christmas. I know the day itself will pass in a quick surreal blur, but it’s not the day I’m waiting for. I’m waiting for the rest of my life to begin; a very big adventure with a man I am crazy about by my side.
My little sister recently went camping by Lake Aspen in Sweden for a couple of weeks, and came back with some breathtakingly beautiful photographs and some equally gorgeous music. She and her friends took all of their instruments with them and recorded some mellow tracks by lantern-light in a deserted band stand in the forest. Listening to them, you can almost see the stars in the clear night sky. I’m trying to persuade them to release their Swedish lake-side music as an EP on iTunes, but in the meantime, here is one of my sister’s songs. It’s the soundtrack to my last few months before I plunge into the mysteries of marriage.
Apologies in advance dear readers, I promise this will be the last K-Dash post I do in a while (as P’Trique would say, perhaps I am OOOOBSESSED). But, thanks to my Twitter feed and the Huffington Post, I found myself checking out this short clip (awful quality, but you get the gist) at the weekend that features in the latest series of Keeping Up With the Kardashians…
Oh yes, your eyes doth not deceive you. Kanye West is actually, truly, 100% helping Kim ‘evolve her style’. In other words, he’s embarrassed by the way she dresses and needs to burn her collection of Muk Luks and doggie carrier bags before Fashion Week rolls around. Can you say damage control? Now, I am all for experimentation, style evolution and such like. If not I would still be strutting around in my baggy jeans and Camden Market Ghost Busters T-Shirt from when I was 15 (shudder). But what I do find astonishing about this clip is the volumes it speaks about ‘Kimye’s actual relationship. Yes, so Kanye spends around 12 hours a day thinking about ‘cool’ things, and yes apparently he’s a real life Fashion Designer these days (I wont even touch on this point, I get too angry), but surely he should be with Kim because he likes and respects her? Or am I being naïve? Call me cray, but if my boyfriend, designer or not, pulled this trick on me and kamikaze’d my wardrobe, he would find his collection of Maison Martin Margiela cardigans in the shredder faster than you can actually say Maison Martin Margiela.
Kim previously favoured the early 00s J.Lo look
The worst/most hilarious bit (apart from Kanye’s reactions of ‘Oh hell no!’ to some of Kim’s fashion choices) is seeing Kim begging to hold on to a bag deemed ‘uncool’ by Kim’s wardrobe Nazis, as she wants to pass it down to her daughter. Get a grip woman! If you want to keep your OWN bag, keep the sodding bag! Unless of course you want your daughter to actually have the surname West, and in that case, well it looks like the bag is the price you will have to pay. Bummer. What is more infuriating/hilarious is the way Kanye has clearly convinced Kim this is a brilliant idea and even got her to declare how much of an inspiration he is and how he has ‘inspired me to, like, be more of an individual’. Does Kim need reminding the man she is dating was responsible for popularising the most ridiculous festival eyewear EVER.
Kimye take 1
Kimye Take 2
I don’t know about Obama calling the guy a jackass anymore. He seems well versed in the art of Jedi mind tricks and managed to get out of Kim’s prized wardrobe completely unscathed. If only I had betted Kim’s new inspo for 2012 would have been the likes of the Antwerp Six…the odds would have been insaaaane.
Next time you have a few hours to kill – I imagine between the hours of midnight and two – take a look at Retronaut. It’s a eye-widening photo archive of pop culture and oddball snippets from history that says the past is a foreign country and Retronaut is your passport.
Still, in my headline I said I want to be a part time Retronaut didn’t I? Having recently watched Woody Allen’s very sentimental and silly Midnight in Paris I’ve been thinking about what time period would have suited me best. The 40s or 50s maybe for the fashion. Or the 60s and 70s for the freewheeling hippie vibe and seeing all that amazing music live. But as Gil realizes he quite likes antibiotics, despite his love of 1920s literary Paris in the film, I’d caution against becoming too obsessed with retro and vintage culture.
Here’s ten things I love about right now:
1. Contact lenses 2. Skype 3. The whole world being one flight away 4. The pill 5. Wes Anderson 6. Festivals with alt-rock/indie AND dance music 7. Magazines (and blogs) 8. Women having as much freedom as they’ve ever had 9. Hackers 10. People who stay mysterious in the face of the big web giants
Last week I spent three days in Scotland with Katy Spry for my first ever trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2012. After friends had raved about it for years I was expecting something pretty spectacular and that’s what I got – three days crammed full of comedy that ranged from epically hilarious to disastrously bad (hundreds of comics perform for free so there’s always a diverse range in quality terms). So, ignoring the dross, here they are, in ascending order, my top five comedy shows from Edinburgh 2012. The Fringe is on until Monday so you might still have time to catch them if you’re already in town.
We knew we enjoyed this show at the time, but it was only later, after enduring hours of tedious material from comics who are old enough to know better, that the precocious talents of Edinburgh University’s comedy society became clear. Five baby-faced students (including a girl who could easily forge a career as a Zooey Deschanel impressionist) blasted through an hour of fast-paced sketches in a free show that outranked even some of the paid gigs we saw. Delightfully kooky and rough around the edges, I’ll be looking out for these kids in future Fringe shows.
‘We are Extreme Friendship Trainers and we’re going to help you become better friends’ claimed tracksuit-clad Kieran and Joe in this self-help seminar with a difference. Featuring an intervention for an audience member with an unusual addiction, lessons in the six golden rules of friendship via a series of instructional skits (I was plucked from the audience to go on a ‘romantic date’ with Joe – it was terrifying), and finishing up with a hands-in-the-end-air swaying ballad singalong, you’ll most likely leave doubting that Kieran and Joe are in fact friends of steel as the cracks in their friendship become apparent. But you’ll have some serious fun along the way. We also saw Kieran’s solo show the next day, which was a tour de force of regional accents.
Officially the best show of the Fringe, according to aggregated reviews. That was what we were told about Bane – and we could totally see why. Joe Bone plays Bane, and every single other cast member, in this one man film noir parody trilogy (there’s one installment per show). With just a live guitarist for accompaniment, Bone acted out every character, accent, sound effect and action astonishingly well and often at breakneck speed. In fact, he worked so hard that he appeared to be sweating out of his knees. It was extraordinary to watch (if it times slightly hard to follow) and the plot was as gripping as it was funny. No wonder it’s won about a million awards.
Now please don’t be under the impression that by endorsing this show that I actually like the book 50 Shades of Grey. I don’t. I think it’s easily the worst book I’ve ever read. Clearly, Baby Wants Candy, the Chicago improv group behind 50 Shades! The Musical did too, because this was a wonderous hour-long send up of the atrociously-written S&M novel that’s sold about a gazillion copies worldwide. Everything about it was a scream. Anastasia Steele was portrayed as dumb and dumpy, Katherine Kavanagh was a drunk. Christian Grey was played by a short, fat Asian guy in a red wrestling unitard. The songs were hilarious, as was the dialogue, which superbly highlighted the absurdities of the book – ‘I’ve never felt so liberated,’ Ana gasped as Christian placed an electronic tag around her ankle. This was a one-off performance but I think it will be a crime if they don’t show it elsewhere. The world NEEDS to hear such beautiful ditties as show closer ‘My Butthole Is In Control.’ I’m thinking of starting a petition.
If I said The Boy With Tape On His Face is like a comedy magician I realise that sounds a bit rubbish. But he sort of is. Using only audience members, music and some decidedly homemade props (mopheads, balloons, ), Sam Wills sets up these brilliant comedy tricks, all while with his mouth firmly taped shut with black duct tape. The build up to each skit is half the fun. Katy and I found ourselves dancing to the 80′s tunes and you could feel the entire crowd utterly captivated by Wills’s every move, waiting for the (always awesome) punchline. This was one of those totally joyous shows that has to be experienced live – not least because the epic finale piece involved every single member of the 1000 strong audience. I’m not going to give anything away, just urge you to go and see Tape Face Boy if you can. Actually, sod it, here’s a video:
Every August something rather funny happens to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. The city transforms itself almost overnight into the world’s cultural hub as it’s descended upon by thousands of comedians and performers with their acts. I am of course referring to the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
For one month only the Scottish capital becomes a bustling metropolis of entertainment, catering to every genre and taste. Spread over 258 venues, it attracts tens of thousands of visitors making it the biggest arts festival in the world. The Fringe has been responsible for launching the careers of some of our best loved comedians such as Stephen Fry, Steve Coogan,John Cleese and various other Monty Python alumni, so as you can see, the bar has been set pretty high. The Festival’s popularity continues to grow each year with a record 2500 plus shows available to choose from, therefore the pressure is on more than ever for new performers to stand out.
However this pressure also extends itself to the aforementioned tens of thousands of Fringe attendees when trying to pick a performance; not the easiest task to narrow down such a large choice. Luckily there are many great, affordable and often free review guides on hand to help people decide, such as The Scotsman paper and the official Fringe Festival 2012 Programme, making it a far quicker and efficient process thanks to their very helpful, clear and trusty star rating systems.
I am excited to be contributing to The Skinny – a free independent cultural magazine guide to what’s going on in Scotland – which can be found at many of the various venues around the city. Still, a rather daunting prospect, putting your name to something that could potentially upset someone if a dire show deserves an equally dire review, but I’m hopeful. I’m not a religious woman but have strangely found myself praying frequently this week for the same thing, “Please, please, please everyone I see be side-splittingly hilarious!” Not the most conventional reason to pray but rather apt for this week wouldn’t you agree?
If you are looking for something fancy pants to do in London, whether it be for a special occasion, birthday, anniversary or just because, then I would thoroughly recommend booking up (well in advance mind) afternoon Tea at one of London’s most famous and breathtaking hotels, The Savoy.
Ranked up there with the likes of the Ritz and The Dorchester, The Savoy, with all its old world charm, is one of London’s most famous and universally recognized hotels. And from £40 per person, you can enjoy the delights of its 5 star service in the form of its infamous ‘Afternoon Tea’. Having taken my Mother last weekend (birthday outing – and yes, I did score Amazing Daughter Points) we rocked up and, after scanning the selection of sparkly rocks on display in the Hotel ‘gift shop’ otherwise known as Boodles we settled down to, well, the BEST tea, cakes, tea, pastries, tea, finger sandwiches and more tea I have ever experienced in my life. Seriously, I don’t think China had any tea left. I drank it all. While we celebrated a birthday, so apparently did about 6 others, and if you mention that it’s that special day, you will be treated to a slice of very fine birthday cake after you’ve managed to get through all the sugary treats!
And while I was banned from doing my amazing fork in the napkin magic trick, which is usually reserved for Nandos and fast food joints, I did have to remember that the waiters aren’t being fresh when they ‘tuck you in’ to your seat. If this is how the other half live, well I am sure I will be able to get used to it. If only Prince Harry would return my fan mail…
If you haven’t yet hop-footed it down to the V&A this summer, and you call yourself a fashion fan, then where exactly have you been? Not only have the long-standing Fashion Galleries been revitalised and remodeled, boasting an amazing array of fashions from the last few hundred years (seriously, I doubt even Victoria Beckham could fit in some of the 19th Century corsetry on display), but the ‘Ballgowns: British glamour Since 1950’ exhibition has proudly opened up along side it.
Running until the 6th January 2013 (so you still have time people!) the exhibition spans 60 years of strong British design, and proudly boasts an eclectic collection of ballgowns (and one token jumpsuit if you can spot it) that have attended some of the most prestigious events in society. We are talking proper dresses too. Like the kind you fantasise about wearing as a child playing dress up and imagining you are Cinderella. While the collection features outfits worn by the Queen Mother, Princess Diana and other (less famous) royalty, dresses by Vivienne Westwood to Peter Worth litter the ground floor, while the upstairs Mezzanine holds more modern delights.
And this is where is gets really exciting (and shiny). With designers now being as, if not more famous than the movie stars and shlebs who get sewn in to their creations, the ballgowns of the 21st century are really something to behold. Hussien Chalayan, Erdem, Mark Fast, Craig Lawrence and Jenny Packham all have their masterpieces displayed along side Alexander McQueen, Giles Deacon and a specially designed Gareth Pugh creation produced purely for the V&A. Oh, ff only these dresses could talk! So, if you have not yet visited the exhibition, take an hour out of your schedule and go and be dazzled by our country’s incredible designer talent, old and new.
I recently discovered the brilliant blog, Sidewalk Ready, and have been inspired by the wonderful Kayley Heeringa’s DIY tutorials to try and be a bit more adventurous with how I style my hair.
I’m going through a few important job interviews at the moment, and in my humble opinion no hair style says ‘hire me’ quite like the sophisticated chignon. It’s grown up, it’s creative, it’s the right mixture of fun and different and mature. It’s sensible without being boring. It’s a reliable and yet stylish kind of hair style, and Sidewalk Ready has loads of different video tutorials to show you how to do various different kinds yourself.
Perhaps I’m waxing a little too lyrical about chignons. But then, beautiful hair styles hold a special kind of fascination for me, as you’ll know if you read my post last year about stalking someone on the underground who had a beautiful crown of plaits. I think it’s because growing up with two sisters meant that I never had to learn to do my own hair nicely – sure, I did my sisters’ hair, but they also did mine, and as you all know, doing your own hair is very different from doing someone else’s. Having a slightly unusual, fancy hair style makes me feel like it’s a special occasion, and the discovery that every day can feel like a special occasion without needing to dress particularly smartly still excites me. Doing your hair nicely but dressing casually is like saying ‘Hi world, yes I am just naturally sophisticated, what about it?’
I even emailed Kayley to ask if she had any ideas for special half up-half down hairstyles that I could do for my wedding in October, and she emailed back to say that she’d do a post for that soon. Watch this space!
In other wedding related hair news, what do people think about tiaras? I always hated the idea (way too princess-y for my like), but my sister recently found a beautiful understated alternative one with gold leaves and pearls selling for cheaps on a second hand wedding website (I won’t tell you which just now because I don’t want someone else to buy it!). It reminds me a bit of the beautiful hair band by Twigs & Honey, above. My oh my they have the most delicate, pretty hair pieces I’ve ever seen. Sadly rather out of my budget, but still… a girl can dream.
So what do you think? To tiara, or not to tiara? It’s hard to say without seeing it, isn’t it, so maybe I’ll buy it and show you a photo so you can help me decide.
It’s no secret that us Style & Then Some-rs are pretty keen bakers. From Sophie’s perfect American cookies to my experiments in cupcakes we love a bit of sweet kitchen action. Which is why we’re pretty excited about the Cake and Bake Show, taking place at Earls Court, London on 22 and 23 September 2012.
We’re not the only baking enthusiasts either. New research shows that 41% of Brits bake at least once every two weeks and the average consumer eats home-baked goods more than four times a fortnight. The Cake and Bake Show promises ‘everything the home baker, sugarcrafter, cake eater, amateur enthusiast or professional baker’ could need. There will be demonstrations from expert bakers, a food market, stands selling the latest must-have culinary equipment, as well as workshops for you to try your own cake and bake skills out. Plus, the stars of everyone’s favourite baking programme, the Great British Bake Off, will be making an appearance. Baking legends Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood will be at the show along with series one winner Edd Kimber and last year’s champion, Jo Wheatley.
I’ll be heading down to the show to see if I can pick up some pro baking tips. Expect a follow up blog post with some serious baking porn photos.
The Cake and Bake Show 2012 takes place on 22 and 23 September 2012 at Earls Court exhibition centre. Visit the website for tickets (starting from £12.50 for adults) or visit the Facebook or Twitter pages.
I can’t think of anything braver for an illustrator than agreeing to do the portrait of another illustrator. But that’s what the hellohead charity exhibition at CARGO, Rivington Street (this Wednesday 22nd August) demands so that’s what these courageous souls have done.
On Wednesday, Rosie Shorter and Lucy Joy’s night of face related fun will run from 6pm till late and include live portrait drawing in two minutes, a pop up shop and an interactive set plus a silent auction of all the prints from the portrait-swap. All the money raised will go to the National Autistic Society and some of the portraits on display will come from NAS artists. And on Thursday, Style & Then Some favourite Zeena Shah will be running a screen printing and art workshop with Bread Collective for children with autism and Asperger’s from 11am to 2pm.
Over 60 illustrators and designers are taking part – you can see the names and work of some of the artists in the above image, from the hellohead site. If you fancy sticking your head into the exhibition (sorry) or noseying around some of the work online (OK, I’ll stop), you can find out more at the hellohead website or the event’s Facebook page. Style & Then Some will be there getting our face painted so we’ll post some snaps up afterwards.
Some people say if you start using lip balm, you’ll become addicted. I have to admit, I do get panicky when I’m not within arms reach of a lip moisturising hit and some days ‘use’ bi-hourly. I manage my dependency with multiple fixes (or rather, fixers) scattered throughout my bag, desk and flat. That’s why I’m devoting this week’s beauty basics to that most essential of all lip products.
Lips need to have a good surface area to provide a base for colour. No one wants crumbly, chapped lipstick. Regularly exfoliating will keep your lips supple and stop you peeling the dry skin when bored in meetings. So try Clarins Extra-Firming Lip & Contour Gentle Exfoliator, £19. This is only a recent discovery of mine and it is incredible. Micro-sugar crystals smooth-away dry, flaky cells and impurities which may sound harsh on such a delicate area but the scrub is silky, gentle and is so darn good it leaves you feeling like you’ve got a brand new mouth.
Facial features which ‘stick out’ from your profile (namely nose/lips/tops of ears) need extra sun protection. Think zinc-tinted aussie cricketers if you need a visual reminder.
Day lip products should therefore provide medium-high UVA/UVA protection. For a less sport-fiendish look go for these versions which go on clear and smooth, like Piz Buin In Sun Sun Lipstick SPF20, £5.99
Murad’s solution cleverly combines moisture with an exfoliating component which is great on the go. As a bonus the consistency is that of a luxury lip gloss making it doubly addictive. Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Therapy SPF15, £11.70
At night go all-out and slather on enough to last you eight hours. These are my trusted lip repairers:
Eve Lom Kiss Mix not ony has a super-cute name but contains refreshing menthol to cool and freshen along with beeswax to seal in moisture. It can be used alone or over lipstick making it great for date night too. Eve Lom Kiss Mix 7ml, £16
Reports of the Russian feminist punk-rock group Pussy Riot and their quest for justice continue to dominate the news this week as they face up to seven years in jail for simply daring to speak out against their President, Vladimir Putin, and what they claim is his “anti-feminist regime”. Although this particular case was more a serious violation of human rights than blatant sexism, it did thrust the subject of feminism back into the media.
Someone else hitting the headlines this week who appears to have forgotten feminism ever happened is Hip Hop sensation Kanye West after the title of a song he had written for his girlfriend, Kim Kardashian was revealed as the rather misogynistic to say the least, ‘My Perfect Bitch’. An attempt at a love song would you believe, how sweet. Oh to have been a fly on the wall when he announced that one over the dinner table. I find it very doubtful that she would have thrown her arms around him whilst beaming with pride and would hazard a guess it was more a scene involving some uncomfortable wincing in a bid to salvage a smile, followed by a panicked call to her Mother and Manager to discuss any possible implications.
I think Mr West should take a leaf out of his mentor and right hand man’s book, Jay Z, who shortly after the birth of his first daughter earlier this year announced he would no longer be using the ‘B’ word to refer to ladies. Apparently his wife and partner of over ten years, Beyoncé, wasn’t a big enough incentive to ditch the derogatory term before, but hey, better late than never right?
There was some light at the end of the slightly sexist tunnel this week though. In the run up to the release of their debut single ‘Wings’ we have been seeing a lot more of last year’s X Factor winners, Little Mixin the news looking great yet surprisingly covered up. They have simply stuck to their guns after vowing to not sex up their image in order to sell records, therefore keeping it all about their music and talent, painting the group as refreshingly good role models for the younger generations. Good on the girls I say.
If, like me, you find it impossible to actually keep up with the Kardashians you might be blissfully unaware (and if you wish to remain that way I suggest you don’t read on) that the K-Dash sisters are soon to be invading the UK High Street. Yes, the inevitable has happened, and to be fair it is a wonder it has taken this long. While there is no news yet that a DASH London store will be launched, Khloe, Kim and Kourtney will be infiltrating the British market through collections set to launch in Dorothy Perkins from November, dubbed the awfully amazingly alliterated ‘Kardashian Kollection’.
And from the sounds of it, it doesn’t look like it will be a Kapsule Kollection (see what I did there?!) either. With more than 100 pieces from the ready-to-wear collection ready to drop in 250 Dotty P stores throughout the UK, it looks like the Kardashians are attempting to gain some serious retail klout (sorry, last one! It’s just so easy!) across the pond. With footwear planned for early 2013 as well, it looks like old Philip Green has high hopes for the K sisters, and no doubt hope this celebrity partnership will help make up for profits lost from the Arcadia group in 2012. Hey, it worked out pretty damn well with Kate Moss. Maybe all ‘K’s are a charm.
‘How did I cope without Evernote?’ is a question I frequently ask myself.
This productivity app, which was recommended to me by a friend about a year ago, is probably the most useful iPhone app I’ve ever used. It’s essentially a note making app, and yet it’s so much more than that. For me, it’s a way of keeping track of my many ‘to do’ lists, a way of remembering everything I’m supposed to be doing on a daily basis – frankly, it’s a way of life.
‘Remember everything’ is the Evernote tag line and that’s exactly what it allows you to do. The great thing is that it’s accessible on your smartphone as an app, your PC or laptop as a downloadable programme, and on any internet browser as a web app that you log in to. All the version sync automatically, so whether you’re at home, at work or on the move you can always access your notes, adding and deleting as new tasks come up and your complete others.
The way I use it is to have a series of ‘to do’ lists. One is for this here blog, so I know what post I need to write, edit and publish; one is for my other writing projects; another for finances; and my favourite one is for social activities. But most important is my Daily list, which tracks what I need to do each day of the forthcoming week.
I always have the app open on my laptop at home and always have an internet window open at work so that when I think of something I have to do I can add it straight away, along with any web links, attachments, photos etc that need to go with it. I used to constantly have a little yellow post-it note stuck to the back of my iPhone, and it would invariably fall off and I’d have to send myself an email as a reminder to pay my rent or Skype my Mum and Dad.
It turns out that there’s loads of other great features I’m not even using. When researching this post, I discovered there are cool things like Evernote Hello, which helps you to remember people you meet (useful for networking, social or otherwise), Skitch, a tool you can use to annotate pictures, and Evernote Food, to preserve food memories and recipes.
If you struggle to stay organised, or even if you’re a super organised person who wants an even more efficient way to stay on top of things, I couldn’t recommend Evernote highly enough.
Is it just me, or does Pinterest make you think you have crafting super powers? My recent Pinterest addiction is definitely to thank – or to blame – for making me think I can knit.
Look, here’s a picture that shows you how to cast on (aka start):
Here’s something to show you how to keep going once you’ve started:
And then a handy video to show you how to cast off (aka finish):
It’s simple, right? Somehow all of this lead to my conclusion: I’M GOING TO KNIT A BABY BLANKET.
So the general concept is that you knit a lot of plain squares in different colours and then sew them together. I am making mine for a friend who is just about to have a baby and her husband is on his deployment with the US army in Afghanistan. The idea of making an American flag baby blanket only really came about because I started off knitting in blue, and wanted to be able to sew something over the holes/wonky bits… hence the stars. But it’s actually working out quite well. I’m working on the last four white squares, and then it will be finished. (The stars are little bits of lace that I sewed on.)
Here are some things I have learnt about knitting over the past few months:
1. Don’t do it when you’re drunk. (Husband-to-be leans over and says helpfully, ‘I think you just missed a stitch… or few.’)
2. It might be easy once you’ve got the hang of it, but it takes much longer than you think it will.
3. Bamboo needles are better than metal ones. (Metal ones are cold and slippery.)
4. No matter how trendy knitting has become (was Emma Bunton to blame? I forget…), it will never be sexy. You will always look like a granny as soon as you get those knitting needles out, but who cares, right? Grannies are awesome.
5. Knitting on trains is a good way to pass the time, unless the train is crowded in which case don’t. You’ll end up elbowing everyone.
So: happy crafting, fellow Pinteresters! For all my complaining about how I’m not a natural knitter, I think it’s pretty cool that Pinterest is inspiring people to try new things outside their normal comfort zones, and put some extra time and effort into the details of life. The little things matter, after all.
UPDATE: I finished! Finally! After sewing together the last row of white squares, I sewed a panel of starry fabric onto the knitting as backing, and finished off the edges with blanket stitch (again, something I learnt from Pinterest). Hurrah!
Broadway Market has long cemented itself as one of the ‘go to’ markets for Londoners and tourists alike. Set in the heart of the East End, it boasts an array of international food stalls, famed for its impressive florists and brilliant bric-a-brac. It is often listed as one of the top tourist destinations if you want a truly authentic London experience, and as such if you head down to Broadway Market on a Saturday be prepared to fight your way through the throng stretching down from the Canal to the calm of London Fields. Seriously, if you get to the end, sit down in the park and treat yourself to a much-needed chocolate Brownie. You deserve it.
However, if tourists aren’t your bag, or you just want a little more of a browse without getting your ankles pinched by some clever dick walking his bike through the crowds behind you, head over to Netil Market just along the way. When you get to the bottom of Broadway, turn right and walk down for roughly 30 yards and you will come across what can only be described as a market oasis amid the hustle and bustle of the main strip. Selling a dedicated cross section of everything you find duplicates of on Broadway, there is even, shock horror, room to sit and chill with a beer, or green tea infusion home-made lemonade if that’s more your bag. Rummage at your leisure through the stalls selling vintage clothing and accessories, old magazines, bits and bobs along with a selection of BBQ and authentic Caribbean food. Oh, and do check out the one and only cake stall selling the BEST Bailey’s and chocolate cupcakes going. There is even an old bike shack where you can get your roadster mended (although I doubt they see the likes of Vicky Pendleton around there). There is even a vintage camera stall selling photographic equipment through the ages, and incidentally blasting out what I can only imagine is a Now! That’s What I Call Music album circa 2001. So if you fancy a mosey, head down to Netil Market, and go ‘off-Broadway’ for a change. You can locate Netil Market more conveniently on Google maps by searching 11-25 Westgate Street, E8 3RL.
I am having something of a letters revolution this week. First of all, Sophie Caldecott wrote me a lovely, long letter from Oxford, taking up the responsibility of sending me my first non-financial bit of post at my new flat (apart from birthday cards).
And then today I discovered (via the web section of the newly relaunched, and excellent Geek magazine) this incredible archive of letters, memos, faxes and other bits of paper: Letters of Note.
There’s something about getting your thoughts and feelings down on paper, especially now, that requires a lot more care and attention than banging out an email or sending a text message. After reading Sophie’s letter, I tried to think of the last few I had received or sent. The list included a letter from my ex boyfriend for me to open when I arrived in Asia to mooch around for four months, notes to and from an old flatmate and an explanation of what I had been doing since a wonderful charity gave me a small loan towards my journalism studies.
A Letters of Note book will be published this November – it’s available for pre-order at £30 for a cloth-bound hardback and would make a lovely limited edition gift. The book will apparently feature examples Usher has held back from uploading online and also include a letter from Hunter S. Thompson starting ‘Listen you lazy bitch’ which was addressed to a film executive but removed from the site.
