I'm not going to lie - I've been a bad blogger lately. Inspiration has been low and I've come to the end of the broadband contract, so the flat is internetless. And cold. But that's beside the point. Most of the blog writing has been done in a very dodgy internet cafe near my flat, populated with sleeping winos and people conducting very loud arguments via Skype.
But, and this is a big but, I do have some cool and interesting stuff in the pipeline, which shall be revealed in due time. Here are a few interesting links to show you that I'm still connected to the world in some way and tide the regular readers (thanks guys...) over 'til I get my blogging mojo back.
- I've got a facebook profile - fancy being friends?
- Disneyrollergirl revealed! There goes my claim to fame of seeing the back of her head at London Fashion Week in September...
- Free samples of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream. This stuff is amazing - the offer is only open to people in the UK and Ireland. Go forth and be moisturised (or accelerate the rate of burn recovery if that's what floats your boat).
I'm really looking forward to watching this at The Pavilion, Cork tonight. The Way of the Crowd is about the Wigan Casino, which was the epicentre of the Northern Soul scene. When Paul Smith is one of the talking heads, you know it's going to be interesting. I'm also looking forward to seeing some flash dance moves afterwards. It's what I imagine I look like when I'm drunk - the reality is much crueler.
- The-Coveted vs.thecoveted drama; get informed and weigh in with your opinion.
- Friend of The Licentiate, Jo Linehan of S-oh S-ew! is competing to be one of Elle Magazine's next fashion interns - go throw her a vote if you have a spare moment (maybe this way she'll hire me when she becomes a Big Shot Editor Type).
- I noticed that my column from last week didn't recieve the same amount of feedback as the others normally do. The views are the same, so I'm wondering if it's the subject. Do fashion and politics mix? Or is Margeret Thatcher too evil/sacred to comment on? Let me know what you think. Click here to read the column if you haven't got the foggiest notion what I'm on about.
Showing posts with label competitions and giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label competitions and giveaways. Show all posts
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Fancy some swag?
I'm giving away a copy of the Isabella Blow bio 'Blow by Blow'. Written by the late, great stylist's husband, the books is relevatory and revealing in equal measures. Entering the giveaway is uncomplicated, you just have to be a fan of The Licentiate on facebook. Click the link or the sidebar on the right, then leave me a comment on the facebook page telling me why you want the book. G'luck.
Monday, December 27, 2010
And the winner is...
Hello all. I hope that you had an excellent Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/ Festivus/Whatever and that all your wild gift dreams came true. I got a mighty haul of fashion-type books. More on that later.
Here is what happened at the Licentiate household this festive season.
1. The water was cut off.
2. Then the pipes in the bathroom burst. So, on the upside, we had water. It was just leaking through the light fixtures and onto the kitchen floor.
3. Then I got food poisoning. On Christmas Eve.
4. So Christmas was spent in bed and in dire need of a shower.
Anyway, enough about me. How was your Christmas? Not too stressful, I hope.
It's a less then smooth segue from food poisoning to the giveaway I held last month, which ended on Christmas Eve. The winner, chosen my my sister from a lot of tiny pieces of paper in a bowl is Zoe of Vagabond Language. Check out her blog - it's very interesting indeed!
Major congrats to Zoe and all who entered!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Style Icon - Wallis Simpson
Today started well. I found out that I was a nominee for Ireland's Top Fashion Blogger. This is a total surprise, because I didn't solicit a nomination, but now that I've got one, I'm going to cling onto it until my fingernails fall off and pimp myself out for votes like an underage Jodie Foster. Can you tell that I was the kid who never won any prizes on sports day?
I don't for a second think that I'll come out on top with so many excellent blogs nominated, but if you like this blog and don't want me to be Sad Sack Sarah at the bottom of the pile (fingers crossed!) please do vote for me by clicking here. Go to my pic (I'm number 41), then press vote. Easy as pie!
Then I popped down to The Fair Alternative to find a super-cute prize for my QUESTION! post and bumped in the lovely Lorna of Loladee (check out her etsy here) who gifted me an amazingly cute zipper brooch that I want to keep ALL TO MYSELF.
The winner, with an exhaustive list of blogs is Anne-Marie. Congrats! I'll tweet you with details.
Now onto the blog post at hand...
My mother very thoughtfully bought me a copy of Any Human Heart by William Boyd a few days ago. I'm a bit of a pedanto at times, so I decided to watch the entire Channel 4 series in one go before reading the book. Sometimes I read the book before watching the TV series/film, but my reasoning was that it wasn't so much the story that I was looking forward to as much as Boyd's writing itself. I'm so glad that I watched it now, because the series is so immaculate and well made and the characters so finely tuned and nuanced that I can't wait to read the book just so I can replay every episode in my head, complete with the fleshed-out details that the book provides.
One character who definitely didn't get enough screentime was Wallis Simpson, played by Gillian Anderson. She plays Wallis as an abrasive, self entitled social climber with a dress sense as sharp as her cheekbones and one liners. Paris Hilton - start taking notes.
Historical accounts of the real Simpson's personality run the gamut of bad to just plain evil. She was characterised as a control freak with OCD (definitely) gold-digger (possible), a Nazi sympathiser (probable) and a pseudo-prostitute trained in the sexual arts in a brothel in China (eh, I'll get back to you on that one). I remember reading that people thought that she was a hermaphrodite (or intersex, if I'm being very PC) in a bid to explain her childlessness. Not very likely.
Whatever you want to say about her, the woman had charisma. People are still boggled by her life, her personality and her political motivations. I'm boggled by her wardrobe. Wallis was exceptionally long and lean. Her wedding dress was copied into the hundreds of thousands and she was (and still is) lauded for her personal style and attention to detail.
In an article for The Telegraph, the author Rose Tremain says:
What Tremain sees in the Penn portrait is a look of abject fear. I, and many others, might disagree. That's the allure of Wallis Simpson, who didn't just dress well, but was totally unknowable, and always will be.
I don't for a second think that I'll come out on top with so many excellent blogs nominated, but if you like this blog and don't want me to be Sad Sack Sarah at the bottom of the pile (fingers crossed!) please do vote for me by clicking here. Go to my pic (I'm number 41), then press vote. Easy as pie!
Then I popped down to The Fair Alternative to find a super-cute prize for my QUESTION! post and bumped in the lovely Lorna of Loladee (check out her etsy here) who gifted me an amazingly cute zipper brooch that I want to keep ALL TO MYSELF.
The winner, with an exhaustive list of blogs is Anne-Marie. Congrats! I'll tweet you with details.
Now onto the blog post at hand...
My mother very thoughtfully bought me a copy of Any Human Heart by William Boyd a few days ago. I'm a bit of a pedanto at times, so I decided to watch the entire Channel 4 series in one go before reading the book. Sometimes I read the book before watching the TV series/film, but my reasoning was that it wasn't so much the story that I was looking forward to as much as Boyd's writing itself. I'm so glad that I watched it now, because the series is so immaculate and well made and the characters so finely tuned and nuanced that I can't wait to read the book just so I can replay every episode in my head, complete with the fleshed-out details that the book provides.
 |
| Gillian Anderson and Tom Hollander as Wallis Simpson and Prince Edward |
Historical accounts of the real Simpson's personality run the gamut of bad to just plain evil. She was characterised as a control freak with OCD (definitely) gold-digger (possible), a Nazi sympathiser (probable) and a pseudo-prostitute trained in the sexual arts in a brothel in China (eh, I'll get back to you on that one). I remember reading that people thought that she was a hermaphrodite (or intersex, if I'm being very PC) in a bid to explain her childlessness. Not very likely.
Whatever you want to say about her, the woman had charisma. People are still boggled by her life, her personality and her political motivations. I'm boggled by her wardrobe. Wallis was exceptionally long and lean. Her wedding dress was copied into the hundreds of thousands and she was (and still is) lauded for her personal style and attention to detail.
In an article for The Telegraph, the author Rose Tremain says:
"She, who is said to have coined the statement that "You can't be too rich or too thin", was stigmatised as being too ambitious, too ruthless, too greedy, too mannish, too sexual, too cruel, too divorced, too pro-German and too American. In the brilliant Irving Penn photo-portrait of her, which hangs in my study, she is backed into what appears to be a narrow cell, from which the only escape is towards the camera, into the glare of the flash and the click of the shutter."
 |
| Portrait by Irving Penn |
 |
| Portrait by Cecil Beaton |
 |
| Portrait by Cecil Beaton |
Friday, December 10, 2010
QUESTION!
I'm trying to reorganise my blog reader and do an overhaul on my reading material.
Here's where you kind readers come in.
What blogs do you enjoy reading? What eye candy lights up your day? Which bloggers inspire you? Whose photo blogs make you think? Who's the funniest or smartest fashion blogger out there? Do you have any guilty pleasures tucked away in your reader?
Let me know in the comments box below. No blog is too obscure or too obvious. Give me one link or a directory, a broad street style blog or a Tumblr of Turgistani interiors; it's all good. The submissions I like the best will get a wee prize of, well, I haven't thought of what I'm giving away yet. But in case you're worried, click here to see how good I usually am at giving away stuff.
And because no post is complete without a picture, here's an unrelated fluffy bunny.
Here's where you kind readers come in.
What blogs do you enjoy reading? What eye candy lights up your day? Which bloggers inspire you? Whose photo blogs make you think? Who's the funniest or smartest fashion blogger out there? Do you have any guilty pleasures tucked away in your reader?
Let me know in the comments box below. No blog is too obscure or too obvious. Give me one link or a directory, a broad street style blog or a Tumblr of Turgistani interiors; it's all good. The submissions I like the best will get a wee prize of, well, I haven't thought of what I'm giving away yet. But in case you're worried, click here to see how good I usually am at giving away stuff.
And because no post is complete without a picture, here's an unrelated fluffy bunny.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Licentiate's Big Fat Goodies GIVEAWAY!!!
Wilkommen. Bienvenue. Welcome.
I've been blogging for a while now and have been lucky enough to get some fantastic readers whose comments make me think, laugh or just generally feel warm and fuzzy inside. Dear readers, I would like to thank all of you by holding a brand spanking new giveaway filled (mostly) with things that you just can't get in the shops. Astound your friends and make your enemies seethe with envy at... The Licentiate goody bag!
Nice, isn't it? Unfortunately, I have yet to learn how to edit photos. Drumroll please...
Item One: A London Fashion Week tote bag, made by Mulberry. This was given out to all the press/buyers/etc who attended Fashion Week this past September. It's 100% exclusive and not sold in the shops, which didn't stop some people from selling theirs at exorbitant prices on eBay. It has a picture of a cute bunny peeping out of an Alexa bag. It is also a little bit wrinkly, but I'll get rid of the wrinkles, I promise.
Item Two: A bottle of Barry M Instant Nail Effects, the cult crackle nail varnish that is sold out EVERYWHERE and flies out of Boots pretty much the minute it's put on the shelves. Paint it on over your varnish and watch it crack before your very eyes.
Item Three: A pristine, never read copy of Face Forward by Kevyn Aucoin. Possibly the best make-up book ever written. This book is for every skin colour, doesn't tell you to buy expensive brand products and shows you haw to create exceptional looks and (my favourite part) transforms celebrities into other famous women with only the power of makeup. See pic above - that's Liza Minnelli as Marylin Monroe. You can also see Christina Ricci as Edith Piaf, Gena Rowlands as Ava Gardner, Karen Elson as Elizabeth I... the list goes on and on and on. It's such a great book to have and to share.
Item Four: Some postcards and a guide for The Enchanted Palace Exhibition in Kensington Palace. If you live in London and haven't gone, please go now. Walk, don't run. I'll wait here. You can't buy the guide in the shops as it's only given to those who attend the exhibition, but here's one that is unblemished by my fair hand and ready for you to scribble all over (or stick to your fridge, whatever works).
Now don't say I'm not good to you.
HOW TO ENTER
Here comes the tricky part.
There's one day left, so I'm going to make it so much easier to enter. Become a follower on Google Friend connect in the bar on the left, then leave a comment in the comment box. You can follow on twitter or facebook for extra entries, just let me know in the comments! - easy peasy! Merry Christmas all!
1. You must be a follower to enter (that's how I know you read this blog). Become a follower by clicking the Google Friends Connect bar on the right hand of this page. You can become a follower if you have a gmail address, a twitter account, a yahoo account or an AIM so there's no excuse not to really!
2. Mention this giveaway in your next blog post (just tack it on to a post if you'd like - but if you want to devote a whole post to it, that's no harm)! Then leave a link in the comments section of this post.
3. For an extra entry, follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway, then leave a separate comment on this post!
4. If you don't have a blog or a twitter, then become a follower (see step 1) just click 'like' on the brand spanking new Licentiate page on Facebook, recommend it to your friends and post a link to the giveaway (this will also work as a third entry if you so wish). Then leave a comment at the end of this post.
There. Easy peasy.
NOTE: This competition is open worldwide (even if postage will cripple me financially). You must be a follower to enter. The closing date for entry is midnight on Christmas Eve GMT (ooh, festive). I will never, ever share contact information or email my followers with spam or third party junk or annoying offers (but feel free to email me with any questions you might have). The winner will be determined by a random draw, to be chosen by an independent adjudicator.
GOOD LUCK!
I've been blogging for a while now and have been lucky enough to get some fantastic readers whose comments make me think, laugh or just generally feel warm and fuzzy inside. Dear readers, I would like to thank all of you by holding a brand spanking new giveaway filled (mostly) with things that you just can't get in the shops. Astound your friends and make your enemies seethe with envy at... The Licentiate goody bag!
Nice, isn't it? Unfortunately, I have yet to learn how to edit photos. Drumroll please...
Item One: A London Fashion Week tote bag, made by Mulberry. This was given out to all the press/buyers/etc who attended Fashion Week this past September. It's 100% exclusive and not sold in the shops, which didn't stop some people from selling theirs at exorbitant prices on eBay. It has a picture of a cute bunny peeping out of an Alexa bag. It is also a little bit wrinkly, but I'll get rid of the wrinkles, I promise.
Item Two: A bottle of Barry M Instant Nail Effects, the cult crackle nail varnish that is sold out EVERYWHERE and flies out of Boots pretty much the minute it's put on the shelves. Paint it on over your varnish and watch it crack before your very eyes.
Item Three: A pristine, never read copy of Face Forward by Kevyn Aucoin. Possibly the best make-up book ever written. This book is for every skin colour, doesn't tell you to buy expensive brand products and shows you haw to create exceptional looks and (my favourite part) transforms celebrities into other famous women with only the power of makeup. See pic above - that's Liza Minnelli as Marylin Monroe. You can also see Christina Ricci as Edith Piaf, Gena Rowlands as Ava Gardner, Karen Elson as Elizabeth I... the list goes on and on and on. It's such a great book to have and to share.
Item Four: Some postcards and a guide for The Enchanted Palace Exhibition in Kensington Palace. If you live in London and haven't gone, please go now. Walk, don't run. I'll wait here. You can't buy the guide in the shops as it's only given to those who attend the exhibition, but here's one that is unblemished by my fair hand and ready for you to scribble all over (or stick to your fridge, whatever works).
Now don't say I'm not good to you.
HOW TO ENTER
Here comes the tricky part.
There's one day left, so I'm going to make it so much easier to enter. Become a follower on Google Friend connect in the bar on the left, then leave a comment in the comment box. You can follow on twitter or facebook for extra entries, just let me know in the comments! - easy peasy! Merry Christmas all!
2. Mention this giveaway in your next blog post (just tack it on to a post if you'd like - but if you want to devote a whole post to it, that's no harm)! Then leave a link in the comments section of this post.
3. For an extra entry, follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway, then leave a separate comment on this post!
4. If you don't have a blog or a twitter, then become a follower (see step 1) just click 'like' on the brand spanking new Licentiate page on Facebook, recommend it to your friends and post a link to the giveaway (this will also work as a third entry if you so wish). Then leave a comment at the end of this post.
There. Easy peasy.
NOTE: This competition is open worldwide (even if postage will cripple me financially). You must be a follower to enter. The closing date for entry is midnight on Christmas Eve GMT (ooh, festive). I will never, ever share contact information or email my followers with spam or third party junk or annoying offers (but feel free to email me with any questions you might have). The winner will be determined by a random draw, to be chosen by an independent adjudicator.
GOOD LUCK!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A massive roundup (with bonus giveaway section!)
I've been pretty much incommunicado due to travel and 'fat finger' syndrome from eating too many of my sister's delish cookies, cakes and brownies from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. That, and I'm spending the next week in the hometown, clearing out my old room and attending the excuse for drinking on the street that is this monstrosity.
So, here are a few things I missed in the past week or so.
The trailer for The Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman and a hell of a lot of Rodarte costumes. It's got high fashion, psychological intrigue and slightly gross bird transmogrification going on, so something for everyone...
Speaking of birds, Cheap Monday have gone for an 'oil-on-water' look at Stockholm Fashion week. I'm not a massive fan of the jeans on the catwalk, but the cuts are great and the tops are a perfect mix of sheer and slouchy. Mostly, I just want to know where I can get those plazmoid boots. Waterproof and I have to force myself to wear matching socks? Excellent. (Fashion Gone Rogue)
New favourite editorials ; Josephine de la Baume gets sacrelicious for Oyster, German Vogue's massive triumvirate trend spread and Cintia Dicker having a modern West Side Story moment for Marie Claire France.
Moschino - one of my absolute, all-time, top 5 favourite labels, cross my heart and hope to die (exhale... phew) has collaborated with Gabriele Muccino on a short film, titled Senzo Tempo. And it's only beautiful.
You can throw a load of blood diamonds at Naomi Campbell via Super Fashion Stars. Unfortunately, it's just a flash game and not real life.
SUPER DUPER BONUS GIVEAWAY SECTION!!
Ok, less of that. Typing in caps makes me feel like I've just climbed a hill.
1) The lovely Ms LolaDee of Things I Fell in Love With Today is hosting a giveaway of her incredibly cute handmade accessories for her 300th commenter. Just go to http://www.loladee.com/ and leave a comment. It's that easy.
2) If you happen to be in Cork, the Lewis Glucksman Gallery is giving away free posters from the Mixtapes exhibition to all it's twitter followers today. There's three designs - I really want to get a hand on the Linder Sterling punk ladies poster - don't suppose anyone wants to pick one up for me?
3) I'm a big fan of Nina Chakrabharti and her whimsical illustrations and have blogged about her amazing book, My Wonderful World of Fashion before. You can win a signed illustration and a copy of the book just by displaying your best colouring efforts here.
P.S You can read my newest Licentiate column, only in The Cork Independent, out today! It's about leggings - they're not trousers, so cover your shame.
So, here are a few things I missed in the past week or so.
The trailer for The Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman and a hell of a lot of Rodarte costumes. It's got high fashion, psychological intrigue and slightly gross bird transmogrification going on, so something for everyone...
Speaking of birds, Cheap Monday have gone for an 'oil-on-water' look at Stockholm Fashion week. I'm not a massive fan of the jeans on the catwalk, but the cuts are great and the tops are a perfect mix of sheer and slouchy. Mostly, I just want to know where I can get those plazmoid boots. Waterproof and I have to force myself to wear matching socks? Excellent. (Fashion Gone Rogue)
New favourite editorials ; Josephine de la Baume gets sacrelicious for Oyster, German Vogue's massive triumvirate trend spread and Cintia Dicker having a modern West Side Story moment for Marie Claire France.
Moschino - one of my absolute, all-time, top 5 favourite labels, cross my heart and hope to die (exhale... phew) has collaborated with Gabriele Muccino on a short film, titled Senzo Tempo. And it's only beautiful.
You can throw a load of blood diamonds at Naomi Campbell via Super Fashion Stars. Unfortunately, it's just a flash game and not real life.
SUPER DUPER BONUS GIVEAWAY SECTION!!
Ok, less of that. Typing in caps makes me feel like I've just climbed a hill.
1) The lovely Ms LolaDee of Things I Fell in Love With Today is hosting a giveaway of her incredibly cute handmade accessories for her 300th commenter. Just go to http://www.loladee.com/ and leave a comment. It's that easy.
2) If you happen to be in Cork, the Lewis Glucksman Gallery is giving away free posters from the Mixtapes exhibition to all it's twitter followers today. There's three designs - I really want to get a hand on the Linder Sterling punk ladies poster - don't suppose anyone wants to pick one up for me?
3) I'm a big fan of Nina Chakrabharti and her whimsical illustrations and have blogged about her amazing book, My Wonderful World of Fashion before. You can win a signed illustration and a copy of the book just by displaying your best colouring efforts here.
P.S You can read my newest Licentiate column, only in The Cork Independent, out today! It's about leggings - they're not trousers, so cover your shame.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)