Nailing it part 2: Summer nail designs worth perfecting

Have you ever read the book Outliers? Well, if not, in a nutshell it tells you how no one gets good at anything without practice – around 10,000 hours to be exact. And if you saw my nail art post a few months back you may know that I have a new hobby, and have been spending many Sunday afternoons steadily becoming more and more light-headed through using copious amounts of nail varnish remover and learning to steady my shaky hands.

Actually that post now makes me cringe, but proves the Outliers theory about practice being key. All I can say is thank goodness for the likes of Pinterest and YouTube who are currently playing a major role in my nail education and to my friends who are now letting me butcher prettify their paws..

The idea for the Diet Coke cans were spied by our Katie on Twitter, and I am currently attempting to perfect them for her…

Bananas, watermelons, kiwis and strawberries complete my ‘fruit salad’ wheel…

Whilst I picked these neon colours up (four in a pack) for only £2 in good old Primark to attempt this Aztec-y neon design.  You may be able to see I am yet to perfect straight lines…

And here is my attempt at the Roy Lichtenstein pop art design…

So that is my current selection guys!  If you see any designs, have any great tips or would like your nails doing do get in touch and help a sister out.

Jenny Packham headlines the V&A’s ‘Members Week’, but you can still go!

Hey Guys! Guess what? Members Week at the V&A isn’t just for ‘members’ yo. Anyone can attend and tickets for three of the most exciting talks taking place between (17th-24th May) and include speeches by legendary designer Jenny Packham (celebrating her eponymous label’s 25 year anniversary), the magnificent Stephen Jones and visionary illustrator Jason Brooks. Following the phenomenal success of the current ‘David Bowie is’ retrospective at England’s leading arts museum, the V&A is currently gearing up for its fourth annual Members Week which promises to be the best to date.

Monday 20th May sees Stephen Jones: Model Millinery take place at 18:30 with the world-respected milliner in conversation with V&A curator Oriole Cullen. Having designed hats for some of the world’s most influential fashion houses, including Jean-Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler, Jones is considered one of the 21st century’s most reveled milliners. If you prefer your art more 2D, Wednesday’s talk entitled Fashion Illustration: Portraits of Paris with internationally famous illustrator Jason Brooks might be more up your creative street.

Having worked with major brands ranging from Vogue to Coca-Cola, and being responsible for creating the visual identity for the Hed Kandi brand as well as illustrating just about everyone from Couture week, Jason will be in discussion with Tony Glenville (Creative Director for the School of Media & Communication at the London College of Fashion). Friday 24th May sees the end of Members Week with Jenny Packham: Luxury Design celebrating Packham’s 25 years at the helm of her world-renowned luxury label. Having dressed the likes of Kate Middleton and Kate Winslet through to Kate Hudson (she must like the name) Jenny Packham will be discussing her sumptuous designs and how her label has become one of the UK’s most successful independent fashion labels.

All tickets, priced £15 for non-members, include a wine reception and can be booked by calling 020 7942 2277.

Gemma Goldstone launches on Asos, Makes Romy & michelle proud

Lucky for me, this week I get the chance to discuss three of my favourite current things: Asos.com, the nineties and new emerging talent. Love it or loathe it (and it’s clearly the former over here at Style & Then Some HQ) the current craze for all things nineties has not been limited to fashion alone, but has influenced the emergence of new sub-cultures such as ‘Sea Punk’ and kicked off the technological trend for premillennial GIFs which are currently flooding the world-wide web for our entertainment (whoever gifted the internet with this gem needs knighting).

Having been over-exposed to the eighties influences for almost a decade, it looks like the nineties trend may too be here to stay.  Having said that, a number of designers, from Dries Van Noten to 3.1 Phillip Lim, are already influencing the catwalk trends, incorporating nineties grunge which is no doubt a strong avenue which we’ll be seeing next season.

But with such a rich melting pot of inspiration the decade contains, new emerging designers are starting to crack the tough fashion world, and one fantastic way to do this is through Asos Marketplace. While the competition to have your own boutique on the ever-expanding site is ridiculously tough, one new designer has launched this month with her fist, nineties-inspired collection, ‘Pic n’ Mix’.

Gemma Goldstone, an Essex based, Leeds trained designer has landed with a collection fit for a Shoreditch Princess. The brand is not only edgy and vibrant, but designed for a fearless type of lady who no doubt had her own dressing up box growing up.  Plus, what is Asos if not a grown-up’s version of a sweet shop? While fabric choices include metallic PVC (so Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion!) blue fur, fishnet and perforated sports poly, it’s the metal chokers, oversized zips and chains which really polish off the collection and cement Gemma Goldstone as the new nineties kid on the block.

So why not go check out ‘Pic n’ Mix’ and indulge your inner Nineties child?

You can also contact Gemma directly: gemma@gemmagoldstone.com and follow her on lovely twitter: @Gemma_Goldstone.

Are men now spending more time grooming before a date than women?

Sometimes something lands in my inbox that makes me question my fellow human beings.  The new ‘date-onomics’ poll, conducted by MSN is a prime example.  This new poll consists of data gathered from two thousand participants (men and women) regarding their dating lives and the results, quite frankly, leave me wanting to gauge my eyes out. 

For instance, did you know (according to MSN) men are now spending more on grooming before a first night of passion than women are? Nope, neither did I.  Nor did I realise that before a red-hot date, men are now investing in new bed linen, Columbian waxes (I don’t even want to visualise this one) and facials.  Now, if you are a member of the male species and you do partake in this behaviour, fair enough.  But I am pretty sure this poll must have been conducted either in The City, Liverpool town centre, or perhaps Romford, as I am hella sure if I interviewed one thousand men in the Yorkshire Dales I would get somewhat different results.  I have no problem whatsoever with male grooming, in actual fact male-only salons are a burgeoning market. But if this poll has been devised to make me believe all men are behaving this way, then I must be in Lala land…or just dating the guys that wear really bad underwear.

How DO they do it? Once again the Coachella celeb set puts Brit festival fashion to shame

Ahhh Coachella. You have a lot to answer for. Every year there I am, sitting in my office with the radiators still on frantically googling ‘Coachella Festival fashion’ and waiting for the blog posts to start pouring in. It’s probably bordering on addiction now, and I blame the horrendous weather we have had so far this year for my obsession really heating up (no pun intended).

The thing is though, this year I have started to question exactly how the masses of mere mortals (you know, the ones without the VIP wristbands, private chefs and Vogue following them around to instagram their hair bindis) actually survive. After reading an article on the Vice website last week, it dawned on me that I can barely stand two days at V Festival without looking completely rancid, let alone a couple of days in actual desert heat. It never even occurred to me that there’s the almighty danger of sandstorms as well as the very real possibility I may bump in to Vanessa Hudgens (get over it, I love her) and cry. Or at least try to, as I guarantee I will be so dehydrated my tears will come out like toothpaste.

So this year, I’m just enjoying the relentless stream of images of the young, rich and famous scampering around without a patch of sunburn, decked out in their boho-chic finest and being thankful, I haven’t passed out in the fairground and had Kate Bosworth sidestep past me.

So get ready to drool over the best (most definitely VIP) outfits I have collected so far…

MY FANTASY COACHELLA FESTIVAL OUTFIT:

Whilst daydreaming about hanging with Hudgens, I devised my own perfect Coachella outfit, while pretending I can actually wear sandals and get away without a hoodie for the night freeze. And that all that gold jewellery wouldn’t make my neck and wrists sweat.

Temperley, Timothy and Superdry, Oh My! Top picks for your Next Season’s Closet

If you are a fellow blogger, PR darling, or well placed and well-heeled within the world of fashion media, you too may have been bouncing from one AW13-14 press day to another last week to take in the next season’s key pieces. Although the faintest of promises of our long-delayed Spring are beginning to emerge, the stores are already gearing up for the next big chill, however depressing that may be. Alas, I still got to see some pretty amazing things, attend the incredible Superdry + Timothy Everest launch (see below) and even made acquaintances with a fantastic new blogger (check out Acid Brights here)…

Flying High Superdry!

Okay I will admit it.  I have never even set foot in the Superdry flagship store on Regent Street before, but when Style & then Some were invited to the private launch of the new AW13 Superdry + Timothy Everest collection I couldn’t say no.  What would take place at the launch itself was kept under wraps.  Personally I was expecting a mainstream mini catwalk show and was pleasantly surprised when the music blared out and a secret curtain was drawn back to reveal four megababes lounging around a beautifully decorated set.  With each model sporting a different look from the collection and all getting up in turn to give a little shimmy, the ten minute presentation was executed perfectly.  The other great surprise?  Check out the Magic Mirror now located in the store for everyone to use.  Just try something on, then the mirror will photograph you and upload it to either your twitter or Facebook and you can get your audience to help you decide to buy or not to buy.  Although this has already been trialed out in various other stores, this is the first one I have used (hence the scared Bambi look).

 

 

 Somerset by Alice Temperley

Alice Temperley has always been one of those designers that make me want to cry.  Her brand is just so beautiful yet so unattainable for the masses.  Probably hence the relatively new ‘Somerset by Alice Temperley’ diffusion line available at John Lewis.  The AW13 collection on offer at the John Lewis Press day last week was designed to make you feel like a Princess.  The dresses, the delicate blouses with matching cigarette trousers, the sequins, the beads! It’s a wonder I didn’t faint at the sight of this floor length sequined gown.  Obviously, being a winter collection and all, the stand out coat had to be this quilted leather offering.  Just lush.

 

So there you have it people.  Get writing to Santa already!

Colour Me Happy, Let’s Bring The Color Run To The UK

I only heard about The Color Run (yes, it’s obviously spelt colour but we will let our American friends off this time – it’s all for a good cause after all) last week after seeing some amazing images on instagram of runner being doused in powder paints and smiling their faces off.  Also known as the Happiest 5k on the Planet, I found the event only started last year and is snowballing so fast that there is now over 1 million participants registered for 2013.  The website claims The Color Run is all about promoting fitness and well-being, and seeing as there are no winners unlike other marathons and runs, everyone can join in without fear of being left behind.

With the only two rules being A) wear white, and B) end up covered in colour, this seems like one fun run.  The only snag?  It is yet to take place in the UK.  However, if you too want to take part and can’t afford the flight over to America or Oz, there is already a Facebook petition to bring the The Color (or maybe it will be COLOUR) Run to our shores so get ‘Liking’!

 

All images courtesy of The Color Run.

The Perfect Prehistoric Love: How to Rock The Dino Trend

Maybe it’s an underlying psychological need of mine to regress back to a time where my dinosaur shaped crayons were the most important thing in my life, but for this reason or another I seem to be drawn to anything and everything shaped like T-Rex and friends in the fashion world right now.

With Land Before Time inspired tees in abundance thanks to Tee & Cake via Topshop (this brand have supplied me with some of my favorite t-shirts ever over the years) I have pulled out a couple which I think are particularly key to the ‘dino-craze’ and relatively affordable for all…

RAAAAAR! Tyrannosaurus Rex Tee £20

Science College Tee £22

I also came across this little gem courtesy of Babbletees.  Anyone else think Droma looks a tad camp?

If you would rather give wearing your Dinosaur literally on your sleeve a miss though, and would prefer to declare your love of the prehistoric a little more demurely, how about check out this bargain of a ring I picked up at H&M for £2.99:

Yes his eyes sparkle with Diamantes!

Next week…SHARKS!

My Attempts at Nailing the Nail Art Trend

Did you know that the nail industry is worth an estimated £50 million pounds these days?  Those little nails on the end of your toes and fingers have become as big a business almost as hairdressing and skin care.  Now, I’m not saying popping down to the salon for a lil’ mani pedi is a recent invention, but since 2012 the trend (and demand) for innovation in the nail biz has boomed.  With the likes of Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Lana Del Rey, as well as designers such as Mary Katrantzou and friends demanding unique and trend led nail art for their shows and public appearances, it seems every make-up brand who serve up their own polish is attempting to outdo each other in the innovation stakes.  Take Barry M’s crackle effect for instance.  What nail brand doesn’t have a version now?  Essie’s concrete effect is set to be the next standard, as is the increasing desire for at home Shellac and such manicures, causing UV lamps to soar in popularity (although the jury is still out on whether LED lamps would be a less risky alternative). 

Having loved painting nails since I was little, I have recently started to get back in the saddle and invested in some nail art pens from Nails Supreme after visiting their stand at the Vitality Show.  apparently these are the pens of choice the Wah Nails team uses, so I was assured I was purchasing the best.  After watching quite a few you tube demonstrations on various techniques (seriously, what did we do before you tube?) I spent some of my Easter weekend attempting several various designs…

As far as first attempts go I am relatively pleased.  But as they say, practice makes perfect.  Now, can you guess what they all are?

Top Soft Bras On The High Street

I enjoy a good shopping session as much as the next person, but there are a few items that when I am faced with replacing, I literally go cold at the thought.  Jeans, shoes and bras are my shopping kryptonite and I tend to leave it until the very last minute to brave the high street in search of worthy replacements.  Whilst I am fully aware I also bitch about knicker shopping in the UK, bras can be an even worse experience.

Whilst I am not blessed with a Kelly Brook-esque rack, nor the desire to ‘plump things up’ surgically, this does mean that I don’t particularlly need the support of Mr Underwire and his welt-inducing friends.  So if you are like me, and find buying bras a torturous experience, why not opt for the soft variety?  Urban Outfitters and Topshop have been doing a small line of cracking soft bras for a while now (Some of the below I actually have and they are ridiculously comfy you forget your wearing them).  Furthermore, I ventured to the new & Other Stories concept store last week and was delighted to see they too have jumped on the soft bra bandwagon and launched a gorgeous range with matching bottoms to boot…

Urban Outfitters (Approx £16)

& Other Stories (£19)

& Other Stories (£19)

Topshop (£18)

Topshop (£12)

Pretty, pretty, pretty.

It’s all Nineties Fun and Games Now, But What Happens When it’s the Noughties Turn?

They say fashions make a comeback every twenty years, so for many people (myself included) this is the first time I can honestly say ‘Hey! I had the ORIGINAL Adidas triple stripe sweat pants, and they did not look good.’  As Calvin Harris famously sang, ‘If you were born in the eighties’ or early nineties for that matter, there is no escaping the fact that nineties inspired fashions are currently the ‘in’ thing and you WILL be transported back to your die-hard Spice Girls fan days.  Been down to Shoreditch of late?  That place is nothing short of a buzzing 90s microcosm breeding crop tops, oversized denim jackets and fluoro dip dye jobs.  And while it is fun to reminisce, and appreciate that the powers that be have thankfully selected some of the ‘crème de la crème’ of nineties chic and taken inspiration from much of my beloved childhood films (Seen WildFox Couture’s SS13 look book lately?  Hello Cher Horowitz!), some it of it truly makes me cringe.  Kappa jackets anyone?  Leopard print bras and ten-inch white platforms guys?  Thanks Spicies, but lets leave some of it in the fashion time capsule for another twenty years.

While I can deal with the majority of ‘nineties-chicness’ and subconsciously channeling my inner Romy or Michelle for ‘fashspiration’, I have started to ever so slightly panic about what will happen next.  What happens when the nineties evolves to the Noughties?  After discussing this in panicked voices with a friend recently, we were at a loss as to what could possibly be made fashionable again?  Is it because the 20 year magic cycle isn’t upon us just yet? Can we not see through the mythical trend smog?  Help us Fashion Gods, we pleaded. Surely the peasant skirt with matching metallic disc belt has been banished to Hyades forever?

And then I saw an episode of ‘Date My Mate’, and every conceivable, horrific crime against fashion came flooding back in to my memory.  If you are ever after a good fashion-inspired drinking game, I insist you download the Date my Mate (yes, a low-budget street date style Trouble catastrophe)  back catalogue and shot your drink every time you spot something that used to hang in your wardrobe, which you have since blackened out from memory.  These may include, and not limited to the following:

Scarf belts

Bandanas

Bangles

Punky Fish

Pedal pushers

Baggy combats with the noticeable G String poking out

Backless trainers

Baby G watches

Yes, we have absolutely nothing to look forward to. 

Hating on Hath? The Anti-Anne Rampage Needs to Stop

I may have been blogging on Goats too much in the recent past to have noticed the ridiculous hate campaign that’s been demonising Anne Hathaway through social media and online press.  I caught up on this yesterday after reading about it in Look magazine (I was on a very long train journey and left my headphones at home, okay?).  But seriously, WTF world?  Where has this come from?  Last time I checked Hathaway hadn’t murdered anyone, committed any crime worthy of an international hate campaign or have psychologists analysis the shape of her face and conclude the following:

    “When times are good, we prefer actresses with rounder faces,” psychology professor Terry Pettijohn says. “They convey these ideas of fun and youth.” But Hathaway’s face is bony and slender! “As the economy improves, Hathaway—whose peak of fame, post-boyfriend, pre–Oscar hosting, came amid the 2008 crash—may just be a reminder of bad times.”  (Courtesy of the Daily Beast).

So we are to go on an anti-Anne rampage because her FACE reminds us of the recession?   Apparently Anne just doesn’t have the ‘likeability’ factor anymore either?  Well, I don’t really get this either when she’s just landed an Oscar and in my eye, and scored the best damn short cut money can buy.  At least Lena Dunham (guardian angel and Style & Then Some heroine ((I’m working on my Hey Arnold! Helga inspired Shrine to her as we speak)) stood up for The Hath on Twitter:

Sometimes, like right now to be precise, I have little faith in the intellect of the human species as a whole.  Don’t make me go all ‘Leave Britney Anne alone’ again.

Where There’s a Niche There’s a Way | The Perfect Lipstick to Wear with Your Double Denims?

Call me crazy, but when I was given a tube of Lipstick Queen’s ‘Jean Queen’ to test out following our night out at the Giles Deacon QVC Jewellery event on Monday, I did laugh out loud.  The beauty industry generates billions of pounds each year recycling the same products and blinding us with new packaging, new marketing tactics and new ‘scientific discoveries’ which will trick us in to handing over that Boots advantage points card.  Now, don’t get me wrong,  I am a beauty product junkie but I’m not naive about it.  I know what works for me and I know that there aren’t really crushed diamonds in my VO5.  But as long as you are aware of this, then what is the harm in having fun at the beauty counter?  

Despite my reservations and the brazen statements put forward by ‘Jean Queen’ founder Poppy King about this being the perfect shade for any skin tone to wear with your skinnies etc, I decided to not write it off straight away and have indeed been testing out the theory.

Whilst the lipstick claims to perfectly offset ‘the blue in the fabric and lights up your whole face’, as well as suit ALL ethnicities, ALL ages and ALL types of jeans (starting to sound a tad farfetched now, isn’t it?) it also promises to be extra moisturisng.  Now, I can’t say I have had any compliments about how much my lips draw out the hues in my levi’s jacket so far, but I must admit the colour is a dream and does (despite my attempts to prove it wrong) suit my complexion quite well.  Not only this but it stays true to its word on the nourishing side and hasn’t yet required a quick slick over with the gloss or lip balm.  Surprisingly, I find myself with vitally no complaints and actually applauding ‘Jean Queen’ even if it is just a nice shade and sits well.  At $18 (available online- ironically this is now sold out temporarily on QVC but you can read other reviews here) it isn’t far off the same price you would spend treating yourself to a decent ruby-red Chanel lipstick or a Dior lip glaze is it? Whether it does the rest of what it claims remains to be seen…

Giles Deacon Goes Libertine (Not inspired by Pete Doherty)

Katie and I spent last night at the Ivy.  I know, I know, sounds like we live lives full of canapés and car service, wearing curb to cab heels sometimes, doesn’t it? Well guess what! My night of glamour was put in rather stark contrast when I ran for the number 8 bus home.  But what were we doing there, you might ask?  Well, it was actually all in aid of potentially meeting one of Britain’s most renowned designers, Mr Giles Deacon.  Now I’ve been a fan of Giles ever since Pinterest made private pin boards where I could stash all my Abbey Clancy wedding dress images so we thought we would go and check out what the craic was regarding his new collaboration with QVC.  Yes, you read right.  The duo have joined forces to create a designer jewellery range and rumour is Giles will even be appearing on the shopping channel this week (according to a little tweety bird I heard). 

The collection itself is entitled ‘Libertine’ and thankfully was not inspired by Pete Doherty, but encapsulates quirky design which goes against the grain of the mainstream, using bold colours and unusual elements to create pieces that talk:

Oh yeah, and we weren’t sure if this ^^^ was Miranda Kerr’s twin?  Either way she could pull off a Morticia Adams dress so well it made me jelly.  The collection seems overall extremely fresh and right up the Style & Then Some’s (jewellery) street.  With the trend for original and talking-point jewellery still going strong, it’s a no brainer that this designer collaboration will do well.  With prices starting at £14 to £70, it won’t break your bank manager’s heart too much either.

(He said he wouldn’t make my wedding dress)

A Healthy Way to 5-a-Day and Where to get You’re Jiggle Fix in London

One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2013 was to eat better and get fit.  BORING I KNOW.  That doesn’t mean I haven’t already tried this, and failed by the second week (at the sight of a crème egg) for the last four years running either.  But after a few nasty bouts of tonsillitis, colds, flu etc towards the tail end of last year I decided I was not going to let the London germies win this war.  It is my body after all.

Now, I’m not going to bore you with general food tips as everyone is different, but I did come across an app that I think has, somewhat embarrassingly, really helped me.  I say embarrassing as it looks like a children’s game, with farm-yard noises to boot (yes, you do have to remember to put your phone on silent when in public, as it WILL MOO AT YOU).

The Munch 5-a-day app itself is completely free, and all it does is log how many fruits and vegetable portions you consume in a day.  The big wigs in Government say this should be a minimum of 5 whereas other countries recommend 10, but for someone with an aversion to both substances I found just aiming for 5 then increasing as I went along really helped.  It also gives you handy tips and when you reach a certain level of consumed goodness you even win broccoli points (yay!)

However, we all know exercise is also crucial blah blah blah.  I’ve joined several gyms over the years and enjoy the odd exercise session, but since moving to London I haven’t really found anything to fit in with my busy schedule.  So when my manager suggested joining the Good Vibes gym class programme in Fitzrovia I was a little intrigued. Good Vibes aren’t a gym per se.  They provide you with either 30 minute Power plates classes (them machines where you go all jiggly on vibrate) or a 30-45 min spinning class.  They offer a £30 for 3o days introductory offer – I am currently 2 weeks into it and can honestly say I feel ten times better than before already.  Both classes are run by exceptional instructors, and although I’m yet to morph in to a Victoria’s Secret model, I am really enjoying being pushed to my max for the first time.  I am planning on blogging more about this when my intro offer ends and I wake up as Miranda Kerr’s twin, but I would recommend to anyone in the Fitzrovia or Covent Garden area to check out this offer and take full advantage.

Munch 5 App is free and available to download from the iTunes app store.

Antipodium at London Fashion Week | Achingly Hip for a 9am Start

And just what is Antipodium?

Antipodium didn’t come about in the usual way. The label wasn’t born straight out of Central Saint Martin’s or London College of Fashion, but rather started as a boutique/PR/wholesale agency before Creative Director Geoffrey J. Finch spotted a gap in the market and began creating Anitpodium’s own capsule collections. With Antipodium obviously knowing how other areas of the industry works, they gained a cult following and began showing at London Fashion Week in September 2006. With the likes of Alexa Chung, Beth Ditto, Pixie Geldof and Poppy Delevigne all praising the brand, it’s no wonder the success of this East End label is snowballing.

So what does Antipodium have in store for Chungy, Pixie and the rest of us then?

Well, a whole lot of multicoloured leathers and patent raincoat dresses apparently. The collection, entitled ‘Sex, Lies and CCTV’ was quite literally a rainbow affair. The appearance of white high-heeled stilettos at times did get my inner Essex girl cringing, but aside from the footwear the use of metallic leathers with contrasting fur collars and clashing contrasts of lime green hues with turquoise cardis for instance did wake one up after having to drag myself out of bed for an achingly hip 9AM show.

All good in the hood then?

Personally, I’m not the kind of girl who could pull off wide legged leather trousers (damn those whocan!) but many aspects of the collection did seem wearable and I can definitely picture Ms Chung donning the printed blouse front row and centre next season (pictured bellow).

Sass & Bide at London Fashion Week | Shut the Front Door, it was ‘Wearable?!?’

Who are Sass & Bide?

Well, Sass & Bide is the conjoined efforts of two ridiculously blonde and beautiful Aussie ladies, Sarah-Jane Clarke (sass) & Heidi Middleton (bide).

What was their show like?

First and foremost, Katie and I were having a very jaded day on Friday.  Having done the LFW hoopla many times over, you do start to forget why you are doing this.  It can become extremely stressful, exhausting as well as emotionally and physically draining.  Queuing, running from space to space, fighting for laptops in press lounges and basically having to listen to other people’s utter self indulgent drivel whilst waiting in the freezing cold for up to an hour, with no guarantee of entry (Felder Felder, here’s an idea – stop giving out so many tickets) can touch on the laborious side of things.  FYI if you have any golden nuggets from overheard fashion shat (shit chat) use the hashtag #overheardatlfw – thank you Telegraph for peddling this! So I would just like to say personally to the ladies of Sass & bide, thank you for reminding us why we put ourselves through it.

So it was worth it then?

Definitely.  The collection, entitled ‘Wintergate’, was an elegant and sophisticated affair, which above all managed to push the brand forward whilst remaining vastly wearable.

A wearable collection at Fashion Week?  Is that a joke?

Fortunately it isn’t.  Despite the majority of collections at fashion shows retaining very little that could ever hit the shop floor, Sass & Bide provided key looks which not only I wanted to wear, but ones I could actually see translating successfully from a 8ft tall, 7-stone model/avatar on to a variety of diverse body shapes.  For instance, fitted chevron blazers, relaxed peplum tops (FYI, insider knowledge here, but the peplum is still going to be hanging around until SS14 so get embracing), and drop-waisted dresses all work wonders, and if not even look better, on ‘non-models’.

Did you see any celebs?

At first glance it appeared the ‘shlebs’ had crashed out from Fashion Week for an early night, much to my excitement.  Don’t get me wrong, I do get relatively star struck depending on the person in question, but once you go through the notions of LFW a few times, the novelty of seeing Kate Nash, that one from the Noisettes and Diana Vickers FROW every season becomes rather boresome.  So I was rather surprised I couldn’t spot my old pals anywhere in the crowd until outside on the steps of St. John’s Church we spotted the likes of Olivia Palermo, Caroline Flack and Pixie Lott milling around for the photographers.

Get Your Asteroid Rocks Off Honey, Only Child is Crashing on to the London Scene

You may have noticed, if you are an avid reader of our dear blog, that I tend to post about jewellery a lot.  A lorra lot.  I am a magpie for anything shiny, distracting and out of the ordinary.  Give me unusal trinkets, roped bracelets, statement necklaces – anything to catch another magpie’s eye.  So when I heard about the brand new debut collection from Only Child, which isn’t just ‘out of this world’ (you’ll get that pun in a minute), but they used a PUG to model for them, I had to check it out and contact the brand’s founder Kelly Jackson to pick her brains:

Firstly Kelly, how did you come up with the name ‘Only Child’?

The name Only Child came about as, probably quite obviously, I am an only child but also it seemed to make sense with the general brand I wanted to build as it has an undertone of eccentricity and individuality.

Launching a jewellery range must be quite a daunting experience.  How did you come to find yourself launching a jewellery collection, and what is your main source of inspiration?

I started making my own jewellery a few years ago as I’ve always been completely obsessed with it, I’ve worked for other designers and as a stylist for the last few years and it felt like the right time to design my own collection. I’m inspired by conspiracies, the unexplained, the extraordinary…the first collection is definitely reflective of that.

Your designs are completely up my street, as I love anything a tad out of the ordinary.  Do you feel this is burgeoning market?

I think a lot of people love something a bit unusual, I know I do. Convention is boring, especially when it comes to fashion.

As a jewellery fan yourself, who are your favourite jewellery designers currently on the market?

There are loads of jewellery designers that I think are great, Solange Azagury Partridge has got to be an all time favourite for the expensive stuff. I’ve been mad for skulls for as long as I can remember and there’s nowhere better than The Great Frog for statement skull rings, I’ve been wearing one pretty much every day for the last 5 or 6 years.

Lastly, how did you end up using the adorable pug in your shoot? (I’m so glad you did, I’m obsessed), and is he yours? And what is his name/can I have him?!

The pug’s name is Jeffrey, he belongs to two of my best friends and he is AMAZING! Since they got him a couple of months ago his facial expression has made me laugh so I thought he’d be an awesome model and he definitely was!

Only Child is available to purchase online here.  Why not follow the brand on Facey, Twitter and Instagram too if you are a fan like me.  If you’re not a fan…then we can’t be friends.

From Friday 1st March to Sunday 3rd March Only Child will be ‘popping’ up at Boxpark, Shoreditch and even more new items will be added to the collection.  Look forward to seeing you all drooling over the jewels then!

Kris Jenner is morphing in to Oprah…

I’m not going to lie.  I love Kris Jenner.  She’s over the top, ridiculous and downright crazy for making her entire family right down to the pet dogs everyone’s business, but where would I be on a hungover Sunday with out the K-Clan?  And now it has been announced (much to my squealing delight) she will be following in the footsteps of Oprah and Ellen, with a Fox Network talk show simply entitled ‘Kris’.  Oooooh gives you goosebumps, no?!  Whether it will be car crash or couture viewing, I guarantee the Chanel reps have already been assigned to kit out Kris’ on-air wardrobe.  

Here’s hoping Chris Humphries is the first surprise guest…

My Nan Fed A Goat A Cigarette Once…and Other Reasons I’m Obsessed With Them

Ever since I was tiny and took my first trip to the local petting zoo I been obsessed with Goats.  My Nan, in an attempt to prove to me that the cloven hoofed species will literally eat anything, actually fed one a cigarette once.  She was a crazy old Irish lady mind, who also had a penchant for foxes and stray cats (makes more sense now, doesn’t it?).   Although I refrain from following in her antics and feeding them poisonous substances, I still go gaga around goaties.

I understand this blog post might be aimed at an extremely limited audience (please other Goat lovers, speak up!) but I felt I had to share the following blog all about my farmyard favorite which I was actually introduced to by the other S&TS ladies.  Even if you aren’t a fan, this still makes for some hilarious viewing, if not just for the ‘witty’ captions.  Enjoy!

>>>>>>>>GOATS ON STUFF<<<<<<<<

Images courtesy of www.goatsonstuff.com.