It’s close to midnight on the first of January. As I type this column, the first day of the New Year has drawn to a close. Shops have been shut, roast dinners have been eaten and tins of Roses and Quality Street have been hoovered of all but the most perplexing of sweets (Dark Orange Mocha Nut Crunch, anyone?). If you’re looking for Silent Night, you’ve found it here.
When this column is published, the sales will be well underway and people will understand that the first day of January is a day of silent contemplation - but only if you’re contemplating how to load that half price LCD screen TV onto the roof of your Astra, or of how many people you’re going to knock over to get to the knock-down Carvelas and Prada pumps in BTs.
It is also a time for the silent gathering of strength for negotiating crowds, the silent girding of loins in preparation for any potential punchouts over the last camel coat and silent meditation in order to instill in oneself the cunningness that makes you hide several bras in your size under a pile of coats and pray that they’re still there when you come back from the ATM.
We all know that January Sales shopping is a slog through shops filled, according to a friend of mine, with ‘stuff that we’ve frowned at for the past four months’. The appeal of mediocre clothing is amplified because it’s so cheap; we pick up something we’re not sure about and wonder if it would ‘do’ because it’s been marked down from €100 to 50 cents.
And the sad thing about all this is that we know what a bad ideas it is to buy these variously ill-fitting, unsuitable, wrong-sized clothes - but we still do it anyway. Articles materialise all over the popular press advising people on how to tackle the sales correctly. ‘Tackle’ being the operative word; one has to barrel through an oppositional scrum to get to scratchy jumpers with stretched sleeves and misshapen shoulders, a symptom of clothing carelessly tried on and discarded by all the people who came before you.
No sales are regardedly so rabidly as the ones held at the start of the year, and I have a (very) rough idea as to why.
The start of the year is one of renewal. We make resolutions to ourselves. We decide to become fitter, healthier, more motivated. We decide to take tasks upon ourselves that are fundamentally life-changing. We assess that we can change our personalities and literally become other people.
That is why the sales are so popular; we’re not buying for ourselves (which explains why we knowingly make foolish purchases), we are buying for the different version of ourselves that we will become once we complete our resolutions. Normal Sarah would never wear a leotard but Gym Bunny Sarah? She’ll take twelve!
We do this year after year knowing full well of the consequences of an overstuffed wardrobe. We do this out of hope for the future. Buying clothes is just a manifestation of that hope and a speck-like microcosm of New Years celebrations as a whole. Normal Sarah thinks that I should be sceptical. Future Sarah says that maybe, just maybe, all those leotards will come in handy.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
My Personal Style Resolutions #7: My Third Cousin
My Third Cousin is a dialogue between distant family members sharing their style snippets and views on 'fashion, art music and whatever takes their fancy'. One a vintage vixen, the other an avowed Wangette: both are well versed in the art of the outfit post. Sarah Commane takes us through their personal style resolutions.
2011 will herald a new style era for My Third Cousin; she has vowed to give vintage a chance. This, my friends, is something I have been annoying her about for a while and despite her 'but its old' retort, she has finally given in. Yes, I am dragging her to the nearest 'old clothes shop' (her words not mine). My Third Cousin will be converted to my mantra of 'vintage dress, nice tights, modern shoes. I’m dressed'. This little formula has saved me too many times to count.
However, where there is give there is take. My Third Cousin is taking my money. She has convinced me to buy at least one good pair of shoes now I’m not too sure what she means by this but I’m guessing she isn’t suggesting a trip to Clarks. I love Jeffrey Campbell shoes and this might be the direction I take this resolution in. Well, hopefully.
Also I have made myself promise to sort out my Wardrobe - eeekkk. I’m pretty sure this will involve being buried under some much neglected clothing from the gothic years of my life.
The final style resolution to be undertaken is to do with blogging and to improve, grow and have fun with our blog. Heres to a stylish 2011.
http://mythirdcousin.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/MyThirdCousin
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2011 will herald a new style era for My Third Cousin; she has vowed to give vintage a chance. This, my friends, is something I have been annoying her about for a while and despite her 'but its old' retort, she has finally given in. Yes, I am dragging her to the nearest 'old clothes shop' (her words not mine). My Third Cousin will be converted to my mantra of 'vintage dress, nice tights, modern shoes. I’m dressed'. This little formula has saved me too many times to count.
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| Source |
However, where there is give there is take. My Third Cousin is taking my money. She has convinced me to buy at least one good pair of shoes now I’m not too sure what she means by this but I’m guessing she isn’t suggesting a trip to Clarks. I love Jeffrey Campbell shoes and this might be the direction I take this resolution in. Well, hopefully.
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| Source |
Also I have made myself promise to sort out my Wardrobe - eeekkk. I’m pretty sure this will involve being buried under some much neglected clothing from the gothic years of my life.
The final style resolution to be undertaken is to do with blogging and to improve, grow and have fun with our blog. Heres to a stylish 2011.
http://mythirdcousin.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/MyThirdCousin
My Personal Style Resolutions #6: Think What You Like
Who’s yer woman?
My blog is Think What You Like, and my name is Aisling. I’m a freelance journalist, Beyonce
obsessive and garlic enthusiast. I write the Irish Independent Weekend Magazine beauty column,
and I do a few bits for the Evening Echo in Cork. I’m most likely to be found tapping away at my
laptop, rustling around in a fridge or in bed, my favourite place in the world. Prepare for a no-holds-
barred look inside my warped mind/wardrobe.
I’m not going to lie to you. Most of the time, I feel like I live on the island that fashion forgot. If you asked my friends about my fashion sense, they’d laugh so hard they’d slip into a coma.
I never claim to know anything about fashion, and I certainly don’t claim to dress well. I go for whatever is safe, whatever suits my figure and whatever happens to fit me well.
I’m eternally jealous of those girls that can put outfits together in the dark and wind up looking like Olivia Palermo’s more stylish sister. But what makes me feel less of a fashion-failure is the knowledge that there are probably more girls like me than girls like Olivia.
In 2011, I’d be lying if I said I was going to go in all guns blazing and start buying vintage, styling myself on obscure models and wearing stilettos to Dunnes. Here’s what I’m actually gonna try.
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Resolution One: Drop two dress-sizes
When I look in the mirror, I don’t see a size 12, 5’9’’ average looking girl. I see a fat mess. And I assure you, I don’t have body dysmorphia. I’m just honest with myself.
A few years ago, I was a size 8 and could pretty much work anything. But then belly got me. And huge breasts tracked me down. Oh, and double chin took a shine to my face and stuck around.
I find myself turning down any clothes that are tight on my tummy, anything with a high neck and anything that gives me the dreaded muffin top. I do this so as not to cause widespread offence to people, but it leaves me with few fashion options.
So in 2011, I want to lose weight, which I know will give me more options. I won’t have to worry about covering my belly. I won’t have to worry about looking like one giant boob. I won’t have to opt for tracksuits 6 days a week. It’ll be great.
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Resolution Two: Go shopping more often, and spend less
But Aisling, that’s a big whopping paradox?! Bear with me, reader.
I tend to wait until there’s an occasion, then rush out and buy a last minute outfit. Big mistake. I make hasty decisions, I don’t consider value, quality or wearability and I end up choosing things I’ll wear once and never again. Not to mention I spend ridiculous money in the process, which I cannot afford as a penniless writer.
Panicked shopping sprees don’t work, I reckon. Unless Rachel Zoe is accompanying you, it’s likely you’ll get lost in the sartorial abyss and buy things you wouldn’t let your dog wear. Building my wardrobe piece by piece in a calm, controlled manner has always been an aim of mine, and 2011 is the year it’s gonna happen.
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Resolution Three: Be adventurous, but not someone else
You’d be forgiven for thinking my wardrobe belonged to an Amish person. I play it ridiculously safe, choosing items that can fulfil multiple functions, and winding up with plain EVERYTHING. No patterns, no embellishment, no wild colours, all muted tones and simple lines.
I have a morbid fear of accessories. I wear variations of the same outfit pretty much every day. ALL my ‘going-out’ outfits are black. I’m in a rut, and I need to start taking chances or I’ll be stuck in it for the rest of my days.
I need desperately to stop being so plain. If I had an amazing figure, being plain wouldn’t be so bad, because my body would make up for it. Same with my face – if I was stunningly beautiful, I could distract people with my gaze and they wouldn’t notice what I had on. In 2011, I’m going to start buying things that I’d usually shy away from, and try to express a bit more of my personality through my clothes.
I feel like a vibrant, colourful person trapped in the body of a capuchin monk. Change is needed. So, if you’re a stylist, personal trainer or unreasonably generous multi-millionaire and would like to help a misguided, would-be fashionista get her shit together, do get in touch.
FB Fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Think-What-You-Like/158573477502976
Twitter: http://twitter.com/aislingmkeenan
Blog: http://thinkwhatyoulike.wordpress.com/
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
My Personal Style Resolutions #5: Blaubushka
Blau von T from Blaubushka here; the lovechild of a wolf and a unicorn. Blaubushka is the fashion blog for the modern mistress of a world of feminine whimsy and all things whiskey. While Sarah is off an adventure I'll share with you a rant on my new love of the old.
Having just invested in my first SLR I find myself low on cash, but almost in an enlightening way; departed is any pressure to buy this seasons 'must haves' and arrived in its place is the challenge to create new looks from my existing collection with minor additions from thrift and vintage stores.
Delving into the back of my closet it feels like I'm meeting old friends I haven't seen for years; Hello leather jacket, metallic pleat skirt and lemon tea dress, lets catch up! I wont deny my fondness for the high street but with its popularity has come an almost uniform attire each season; everyone looking the same and possessing a Venn diagram of overlapping staples. My revolt has begun. I want to experiment with what I have and not get caught up in the 'must have...must buy' hype of high street.
I'll admit to being mostly inspired by the Kate Moss Style Book by Angela Buttolph which explores the formative years of Moss' style and the time spent in Portobello market. One point it raised is the way that vintage and thrift stores can have clothes just thrown together; the juxtaposition of patterns, colours and textures seeping into your subconscious and broadening your ideas of what goes together. That's my ultimate aim; to attain the confidence and vision to think outside traditional views and high street trends and just embrace and enjoy clothes for what they are.
Blau x
Image via We Heart It
Keep Calm and Embrace Thrift.
Having just invested in my first SLR I find myself low on cash, but almost in an enlightening way; departed is any pressure to buy this seasons 'must haves' and arrived in its place is the challenge to create new looks from my existing collection with minor additions from thrift and vintage stores.
Delving into the back of my closet it feels like I'm meeting old friends I haven't seen for years; Hello leather jacket, metallic pleat skirt and lemon tea dress, lets catch up! I wont deny my fondness for the high street but with its popularity has come an almost uniform attire each season; everyone looking the same and possessing a Venn diagram of overlapping staples. My revolt has begun. I want to experiment with what I have and not get caught up in the 'must have...must buy' hype of high street.
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| Kate Moss combing the markets |
I'll admit to being mostly inspired by the Kate Moss Style Book by Angela Buttolph which explores the formative years of Moss' style and the time spent in Portobello market. One point it raised is the way that vintage and thrift stores can have clothes just thrown together; the juxtaposition of patterns, colours and textures seeping into your subconscious and broadening your ideas of what goes together. That's my ultimate aim; to attain the confidence and vision to think outside traditional views and high street trends and just embrace and enjoy clothes for what they are.
Blau x
Image via We Heart It
My Personal Style Resolutions #4: Vagabond Language
Vagabond Language is a lifestyle blog, chronicling the life and style of a twenty-two year old Irish girl living and studying in Glasgow. Zoe likes to read, she wishes she was the heroine of a Nancy Mitford novel. The blog was started in the Spring of 2010, in the hopes of meeting kindred spirits.
When Sarah approached me to do this post it came at the right time, as I was already considering my personal style resolutions for 2011, that is, if my clothes still fit me after the gluttony of the festive season!
This year I made a concentrated effort to be more considerate of what I buy – what its made of, where it comes from, quality, style, etc. I refuse to pay too much for an ‘on trend’ acrylic sweater from Topshop when I could buy a vintage 100% wool jumper on etsy for the same price or less.
I think with all the glossy magazines out there, pushing the latest catwalk to high street trends on you, the pleasure of shopping and dressing yourself has diminished. Our parents looked good and they had less disposable income (as my own like to remind me, anyone else?). This year I volunteered in an Oxfam shop in my town (Oxfam Sligo!) and I really embraced the charity shop culture. Previously, I used to do a monthly charity shop thrawl with one of my friends in Dublin. However, its in the small towns that the bargains and gems are to be found. There’s nothing more thrilling than finding the perfect blouse or blazer in a charity shop after a long search.
Many trips to charity shops may present nothing, but that’s missing the whole point of the experience. Consider for a moment all the ridiculous things you’ve come across in past thrawls, that bonkers artifical flower arangement that actually turned out to be a hat or the size 18 green viscose jumpsuit, they gave you a giggle and I bet you tried them on too! Not to mention that charity shops are nowhere near as crowded as high street stores and you're less likely to bump into someone you know, trying on the same dress as you, eek! This month I think I may have found the perfect pair of tweedy pants that I’ve been keeping an eye out for all year. For £2 in my local Shelter. They’re Italian made and fully lined, I can't wait to find the perfect cream shirt to go with them next!
My main resolution this year is to be more frugal. To forsake the temptation of the high street and its disposable trends.
My style icons are timeless, many of them fashion muses.
- The teddy girl, a working class revolution. A brooch or a ribbon; simple touches, carefully placed, add a degree of playful femininity to an outfit, they transcend the everyday and become dandyfied.
(Source)
- Diane Keaton is an obvious one, but I just love her masculine aesthetic, best demonstrated in Annie Hall, where she was permitted to wear her own wardrobe, rather than be ‘styled’ for the character. She is the ultimate girl next door; her teeth aren’t perfect, she forsakes make-up, she has flyaway hair and her clothes look slightly worn, in the best way. It means she’s lived in them!
(Source)
- That being said, I find Woody Allen a style inspiration too. Jam jar glasses, check shirts and courdroy blazers/trousers, yes please! Comfortable but still retaining an aura of intellectualism.
(Source)
- Next is Shelley Duvall in her 1970s hey-day. An unconventional beauty and dresser, embracing bold colours, patterns and textures with giddy glee. I want to have such a refreshing attitude to clothing, dressing for fun! I love her eye lashes, very mod.
(Source)
(Source)
- Finally… The British Bardot?… Julie Christie. She’s everything I want to be, but am generally too sloppy/lacking in grace/sexual allure ever to attain. I envy her svelte figure, her smile, her hair and make-up, such a sixties sex kitten, full of bounce, health and vitality! This is a girl you want to hit the tiles with in your local discothèque and she probably wouldn’t break a sweat! Men want her, women want to be her. I want her to do my hair. Ms. Christie has lost none of her elegance or beauty decades later.
(Source)
(Source)
(Source)
I can’t end this without mentioning a fictional character, books and films are where I find most of my inspiration.
- Cassandra Mortmain, heroine of Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle. Living in a decaying English castle, Cassandra can only dream of silk gowns while her eccentric family life constantly interrupts her daydreams. Cassandra finds beauty in the little things, despite her straitened circumstances. Wearing a simple dress, a cloche hat, some cardigans, oxfords and her journal, Cassandra is not deterred from embracing her romantic and imaginative spirit.
(Source)
(Source)
Other mentions – Faye Dunaway, Mia Farrow, Sissy Spacek, Katharine Hepburn, Molly Ringwald in all of John Hughes films
I've only recently discovered the Argentinian model Tati Cotliar and her haphazard tomboy aesthetic. It's fun and fancy free and I love it! Looking at the shots here, the individual items all seem lovingly acquired over a period of time, a favourite pair of shoes, tights from the high street, blouses and waistcoats discovered in second hand stores from all over the world, all combining in a colourful encore.
(Source)
Read more from Vagabond Language at the blog or on twitter!
 |
When Sarah approached me to do this post it came at the right time, as I was already considering my personal style resolutions for 2011, that is, if my clothes still fit me after the gluttony of the festive season!
This year I made a concentrated effort to be more considerate of what I buy – what its made of, where it comes from, quality, style, etc. I refuse to pay too much for an ‘on trend’ acrylic sweater from Topshop when I could buy a vintage 100% wool jumper on etsy for the same price or less.
I think with all the glossy magazines out there, pushing the latest catwalk to high street trends on you, the pleasure of shopping and dressing yourself has diminished. Our parents looked good and they had less disposable income (as my own like to remind me, anyone else?). This year I volunteered in an Oxfam shop in my town (Oxfam Sligo!) and I really embraced the charity shop culture. Previously, I used to do a monthly charity shop thrawl with one of my friends in Dublin. However, its in the small towns that the bargains and gems are to be found. There’s nothing more thrilling than finding the perfect blouse or blazer in a charity shop after a long search.
Many trips to charity shops may present nothing, but that’s missing the whole point of the experience. Consider for a moment all the ridiculous things you’ve come across in past thrawls, that bonkers artifical flower arangement that actually turned out to be a hat or the size 18 green viscose jumpsuit, they gave you a giggle and I bet you tried them on too! Not to mention that charity shops are nowhere near as crowded as high street stores and you're less likely to bump into someone you know, trying on the same dress as you, eek! This month I think I may have found the perfect pair of tweedy pants that I’ve been keeping an eye out for all year. For £2 in my local Shelter. They’re Italian made and fully lined, I can't wait to find the perfect cream shirt to go with them next!
My main resolution this year is to be more frugal. To forsake the temptation of the high street and its disposable trends.
My style icons are timeless, many of them fashion muses.
- The teddy girl, a working class revolution. A brooch or a ribbon; simple touches, carefully placed, add a degree of playful femininity to an outfit, they transcend the everyday and become dandyfied.
 |
(Source)
- Diane Keaton is an obvious one, but I just love her masculine aesthetic, best demonstrated in Annie Hall, where she was permitted to wear her own wardrobe, rather than be ‘styled’ for the character. She is the ultimate girl next door; her teeth aren’t perfect, she forsakes make-up, she has flyaway hair and her clothes look slightly worn, in the best way. It means she’s lived in them!
 |
(Source)
- That being said, I find Woody Allen a style inspiration too. Jam jar glasses, check shirts and courdroy blazers/trousers, yes please! Comfortable but still retaining an aura of intellectualism.
 |
(Source)
- Next is Shelley Duvall in her 1970s hey-day. An unconventional beauty and dresser, embracing bold colours, patterns and textures with giddy glee. I want to have such a refreshing attitude to clothing, dressing for fun! I love her eye lashes, very mod.
 |
(Source)
 |
(Source)
- Finally… The British Bardot?… Julie Christie. She’s everything I want to be, but am generally too sloppy/lacking in grace/sexual allure ever to attain. I envy her svelte figure, her smile, her hair and make-up, such a sixties sex kitten, full of bounce, health and vitality! This is a girl you want to hit the tiles with in your local discothèque and she probably wouldn’t break a sweat! Men want her, women want to be her. I want her to do my hair. Ms. Christie has lost none of her elegance or beauty decades later.
 |
(Source)
 |
(Source)
 |
(Source)
I can’t end this without mentioning a fictional character, books and films are where I find most of my inspiration.
- Cassandra Mortmain, heroine of Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle. Living in a decaying English castle, Cassandra can only dream of silk gowns while her eccentric family life constantly interrupts her daydreams. Cassandra finds beauty in the little things, despite her straitened circumstances. Wearing a simple dress, a cloche hat, some cardigans, oxfords and her journal, Cassandra is not deterred from embracing her romantic and imaginative spirit.
 |
(Source)
 |
(Source)
Other mentions – Faye Dunaway, Mia Farrow, Sissy Spacek, Katharine Hepburn, Molly Ringwald in all of John Hughes films
I've only recently discovered the Argentinian model Tati Cotliar and her haphazard tomboy aesthetic. It's fun and fancy free and I love it! Looking at the shots here, the individual items all seem lovingly acquired over a period of time, a favourite pair of shoes, tights from the high street, blouses and waistcoats discovered in second hand stores from all over the world, all combining in a colourful encore.
 |
(Source)
Read more from Vagabond Language at the blog or on twitter!
Monday, January 3, 2011
My Personal Style Resolutions #3: S-oh S-ew!
Jo from S-oh S-ew!, a streetstyle and fashion blog, tells us all about her New Years Resolution. Jo is a music student and her blog has been shortlisted by British Vogue in their Fashion Photography Blog Competition. She's got a fantastic eye for outfits, so it's only fitting that she pays tribute to a true fashion visionary and sartorial aesthete.
New Year's always brings an onslaught of (welcome and unwelcome) emotions and reflections. Resolutions are made on the strength of all the improvements we wish to make in our lives and some of us re-evaluate what's important for us to prioritise in the year to come. While best laid plans and intentions will, inevitably, fly out of the January window for most of us, I have decided to embrace a sartorial challenge in the spirit of all things 2011.
This year, I am going to try and push the boundaries in terms of what I wear and try to be a little more adventurous in my attire. For me, that may mean as little as donning a hat, wearing that purple lipstick or having the courage to get dressed up for a party when I know most people will be in sweats. I’ve used the excuse for far too long that in my hometown it'd just look funny to wear the things I admire, but New Year new confidence I say!
I'm currently reading Blow by Blow, a biography of Isabella Blow (the British fashion editor, pioneer and icon) and her unashamed dedication to outlandish outfits is a great example of how to wear what you like wherever you are...Her spirit and life were from another time; she brought a vision and attitude to American Vogue that was so removed from everything they embraced at the time and ultimately this made her loved and hated by those around her. She was unapologetically herself and that is surely resolution worth holding on to this year. Clothing is , if we choose it , a reflection of who we are and , I believe, the sooner we are brave enough to display it on the outside the sooner we realise our true potential inside too.. Here are some of my favourite photographs of Isabella which I will be sticking to my bedroom wall as a visual source of fortitude. Here’s to style and courage for the New Year!
Jo's Blog http://s-oh-s-ew.blogspot.com/
New Year's always brings an onslaught of (welcome and unwelcome) emotions and reflections. Resolutions are made on the strength of all the improvements we wish to make in our lives and some of us re-evaluate what's important for us to prioritise in the year to come. While best laid plans and intentions will, inevitably, fly out of the January window for most of us, I have decided to embrace a sartorial challenge in the spirit of all things 2011.
This year, I am going to try and push the boundaries in terms of what I wear and try to be a little more adventurous in my attire. For me, that may mean as little as donning a hat, wearing that purple lipstick or having the courage to get dressed up for a party when I know most people will be in sweats. I’ve used the excuse for far too long that in my hometown it'd just look funny to wear the things I admire, but New Year new confidence I say!
I'm currently reading Blow by Blow, a biography of Isabella Blow (the British fashion editor, pioneer and icon) and her unashamed dedication to outlandish outfits is a great example of how to wear what you like wherever you are...Her spirit and life were from another time; she brought a vision and attitude to American Vogue that was so removed from everything they embraced at the time and ultimately this made her loved and hated by those around her. She was unapologetically herself and that is surely resolution worth holding on to this year. Clothing is , if we choose it , a reflection of who we are and , I believe, the sooner we are brave enough to display it on the outside the sooner we realise our true potential inside too.. Here are some of my favourite photographs of Isabella which I will be sticking to my bedroom wall as a visual source of fortitude. Here’s to style and courage for the New Year!
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| Photo: Steve Meisel |
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| Isabella's wedding to Detmar Blow. Photo: Cheltenham Echo |
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| Blow wearing a Philip Treacy hat |
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| Photo: Steve Meisel |
Jo's Blog http://s-oh-s-ew.blogspot.com/
My Personal Style Resolutions #2: A Chick Named Hermia
Hello Folks, this is Hermia here from A Chick Named Hermia. I'm so flattered to have been asked to contribute to The Licentiate while the lovely Sarah is away and it's lovely to have the chance to meet you all. On my own slice of the interweb, I usually just drone on about myself and my life, while dotting the prose with a smattering of photography and fashion....and I don't see why I should do anything different here! :) Oh and if you want to follow me, you can find me on Facebook and also on Twitter.
I'm not usually one for New Year's Resolutions, mainly because I don't believe in making promises I can't keep.
You see, I'm actually incredibly stubborn; so stubborn, in fact, that I will rebel against myself. For example, one year I decided I would give up biting my nails, and by the second week in January, half of my fingernails were bloody. Another time, I decided to dedicate myself to a healthy eating resolution and by the start of February, I'd gained half a stone.
Last year, I started the Giving My Life Some Purpose Project, which consisted of ticking items off a list of 85 things my readers thought I should do before I die. Although I couldn't keep up with recording my efforts, I did manage to get more than halfway through the list by the end of the year, and while I was proud of myself for doing that much, it really was too big a challenge for someone who has little-to-no willpower and a definite lazy streak.
So this year I'm going to tie myself down to three to four attainable goals.
The one you'll probably be most interested in is my decision to start shopping in charity shops. I'm a little OCDish when it comes to dirt, especially other people's dirt, and so used clothes have always been a no-go area, to the point that I can't even borrow clothes from other people! Obviously, that has meant I miss out on a lot of bargains and some really pretty vintage pieces, which is made blindingly obvious when one is friends with fantabulous thrift-store-raiders such as Whisty. So hopefully by December 2011 I'll have some vintage additions to my wardrobe and a slightly fuller back account.
Hermia
oxox
I'm not usually one for New Year's Resolutions, mainly because I don't believe in making promises I can't keep.
 |
| Photo via Funambula |
You see, I'm actually incredibly stubborn; so stubborn, in fact, that I will rebel against myself. For example, one year I decided I would give up biting my nails, and by the second week in January, half of my fingernails were bloody. Another time, I decided to dedicate myself to a healthy eating resolution and by the start of February, I'd gained half a stone.
Last year, I started the Giving My Life Some Purpose Project, which consisted of ticking items off a list of 85 things my readers thought I should do before I die. Although I couldn't keep up with recording my efforts, I did manage to get more than halfway through the list by the end of the year, and while I was proud of myself for doing that much, it really was too big a challenge for someone who has little-to-no willpower and a definite lazy streak.
 |
| Photo via Kisses and Cross Stitches |
So this year I'm going to tie myself down to three to four attainable goals.
The one you'll probably be most interested in is my decision to start shopping in charity shops. I'm a little OCDish when it comes to dirt, especially other people's dirt, and so used clothes have always been a no-go area, to the point that I can't even borrow clothes from other people! Obviously, that has meant I miss out on a lot of bargains and some really pretty vintage pieces, which is made blindingly obvious when one is friends with fantabulous thrift-store-raiders such as Whisty. So hopefully by December 2011 I'll have some vintage additions to my wardrobe and a slightly fuller back account.
 |
| Photo via Bleubird Vintage |
Hermia
oxox
Sunday, January 2, 2011
My Personal Style Resolutions #1: Noisy Shoes
Our first blogger to talk about her personal style New Years Resolutions is Jane of Noisy Shoes. Her blog is full of inspiring pictures, catwalk looks and her own incredibly cool textile designs. Check out her blog or say hi to Jane on twitter!
This time last year I resolved to spend less time procrastinating on the internet. Actually, no that’s
a massive lie. I resolved to use the time procrastinated on the internet in a more pro-active way and
decided to start a blog, to record my procrastinating, as well as some thoughts and other things.
A year later and I am still avoiding work by lusting at things on the internet, but I digress. 2011
Resolutions... Style resolutions are incredibly difficult, because it’s kind of like trying to predict how
I will feel in the future, but the lovely Sarah asked me to give it a go, so here’s what I got...
Back in September, I bookmarked these looks for SS11, so I guess I want to incorporate them into my
2011 look somehow...
1. Laser cutting – I’m obsessed with laser cutting at the moment, I really want to incorporate it
into my own work, but more importantly I want to wear it on my body!!! Philip Lim’s colour
palette for SS11 was really interesting too, I like the black,tan,blue combo.
2. Summer Black – I’m so obsessed with black, but summer black can be a bit extreme. Looks like
these are a nice, summery way to wear my favourite staple. I love the sheer top & the distressed
detailing on the skirt.
3. Shirts - I’ve been wearing shirts with increasing frequency for a little while now, they are fast becoming
another staple for me. I like the casual elegance, and the boyish element that they can bring to an
outfit. So more of those please!!! I am also having a bit of a Mexican-gangster style moment where
I keep buttoning the neck button and leaving the rest of them open...I don’t know why, I just can’t
stop doing it!!!
4. Maxi-everything - I have recently embraced the maxi thing, and I resolve to wear more maxi things in 2011. I currently only own one maxi skirt so I will be on the hunt for new maxi things over the coming months.
5. Prints - Final resolution for 2011 – I resolve to wear more print on my body. I study printed textiles but I
am hopelessly devoted to block colour. Which is a bit silly really, it’s not very supportive of my own
endeavours!!! My only problem with this resolution is that while Erdem and multiple other designers
create amazing prints, the ones on the high street can be a bit crappy, and overwhelming when seen
on just about everyone. So maybe I should amend it to “prints and second hand”, as more than likely
I’l just try to source good prints second hand, as it’s pretty much the only way to make sure every
other bird around you isn’t wearing the same thing!
So, I think that’s it! I’ve been very good at keeping this year’s resolution (resolving to procrastinate
has to be the most inspired/stupidest thing I’ve done in a while). Hopefully 2011’s resolutions are as
easy to slip into!
Thanks to Sarah for inviting me to do a guest post, and for challenging me to think about
things in a way I probably wouldn’t have otherwise! I normally think about things here.
*Final thought: Seeing as this snow is clearly not going anywhere til the new year, for 2011 I resolve
to fully enjoy wearing normal shoes and appreciate ice-free ground every day!!!! I MISS MY SHOES!!!!!*
This time last year I resolved to spend less time procrastinating on the internet. Actually, no that’s
a massive lie. I resolved to use the time procrastinated on the internet in a more pro-active way and
decided to start a blog, to record my procrastinating, as well as some thoughts and other things.
A year later and I am still avoiding work by lusting at things on the internet, but I digress. 2011
Resolutions... Style resolutions are incredibly difficult, because it’s kind of like trying to predict how
I will feel in the future, but the lovely Sarah asked me to give it a go, so here’s what I got...
Back in September, I bookmarked these looks for SS11, so I guess I want to incorporate them into my
2011 look somehow...
1. Laser cutting – I’m obsessed with laser cutting at the moment, I really want to incorporate it
into my own work, but more importantly I want to wear it on my body!!! Philip Lim’s colour
palette for SS11 was really interesting too, I like the black,tan,blue combo.
 |
| 3.1 Philip Lim |
2. Summer Black – I’m so obsessed with black, but summer black can be a bit extreme. Looks like
these are a nice, summery way to wear my favourite staple. I love the sheer top & the distressed
detailing on the skirt.
 |
| BCBG |
3. Shirts - I’ve been wearing shirts with increasing frequency for a little while now, they are fast becoming
another staple for me. I like the casual elegance, and the boyish element that they can bring to an
outfit. So more of those please!!! I am also having a bit of a Mexican-gangster style moment where
I keep buttoning the neck button and leaving the rest of them open...I don’t know why, I just can’t
stop doing it!!!
 |
| Paul Smith |
4. Maxi-everything - I have recently embraced the maxi thing, and I resolve to wear more maxi things in 2011. I currently only own one maxi skirt so I will be on the hunt for new maxi things over the coming months.
 |
| Givenchy |
5. Prints - Final resolution for 2011 – I resolve to wear more print on my body. I study printed textiles but I
am hopelessly devoted to block colour. Which is a bit silly really, it’s not very supportive of my own
endeavours!!! My only problem with this resolution is that while Erdem and multiple other designers
create amazing prints, the ones on the high street can be a bit crappy, and overwhelming when seen
on just about everyone. So maybe I should amend it to “prints and second hand”, as more than likely
I’l just try to source good prints second hand, as it’s pretty much the only way to make sure every
other bird around you isn’t wearing the same thing!
So, I think that’s it! I’ve been very good at keeping this year’s resolution (resolving to procrastinate
has to be the most inspired/stupidest thing I’ve done in a while). Hopefully 2011’s resolutions are as
easy to slip into!
Thanks to Sarah for inviting me to do a guest post, and for challenging me to think about
things in a way I probably wouldn’t have otherwise! I normally think about things here.
*Final thought: Seeing as this snow is clearly not going anywhere til the new year, for 2011 I resolve
to fully enjoy wearing normal shoes and appreciate ice-free ground every day!!!! I MISS MY SHOES!!!!!*
Thursday, December 30, 2010
2010 Roundup - favourites, highlights and everything in between
It's that time again. Sluggish bloggers, slowed down into a cosy Christmas chrysalis are sloughing off the excess of too many mince pies and slices of blue cheese and evaluating the year in order to burst into 2011 a beautiful blog butterfly. Like the alliteration? I wrote it just for you. Here's my 2010 'best of' blog mixtape.
Blog Highlights: I started this blog in March with the aim of sharing what I liked and meeting a few like-minded people. In the space of a few short months, I've racked up readers from around the world, landed a fashion column, learned a hell of a lot about the fashion industry, joined the Vice Blogging Network, went to London Fashion Week, networked like a mad thing, was mentioned as one of Ireland's most influential bloggers and made some truly exceptional, hilarous and supportive friends. All of this due to blogging aspersions. So, to my readers, I'd like to say a massive THANK YOU! You guys are the best. Seeing all your comments really brightens up my day.
Click 'Read More' to, ehm, read more, look at nice pictures and watch some fashion films...
Blog Highlights: I started this blog in March with the aim of sharing what I liked and meeting a few like-minded people. In the space of a few short months, I've racked up readers from around the world, landed a fashion column, learned a hell of a lot about the fashion industry, joined the Vice Blogging Network, went to London Fashion Week, networked like a mad thing, was mentioned as one of Ireland's most influential bloggers and made some truly exceptional, hilarous and supportive friends. All of this due to blogging aspersions. So, to my readers, I'd like to say a massive THANK YOU! You guys are the best. Seeing all your comments really brightens up my day.
 |
| (source) |
Click 'Read More' to, ehm, read more, look at nice pictures and watch some fashion films...
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Get yo' swag on
Was Santa good to you this year? I must have been a good girl, because I got a mighty sack of Christmas swag, mostly in the form of some excellent fashion books. To be honest, I could have done with a sack of coal too because It. Is. Freezing.
Here's what I got book-wise, in no particular order.
Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow by Detmar Blow. This biography of the famed and much mourned super-stylist purports to be her definitive biography. But really, it's not. It's not particularly well-written and her husband goes into too much detail in some places (he paints Alexander McQueen as an egocentric, cruel megalomaniac) and not enough in others (Blow's heroin use and both his and her extramarital affairs are casually touched on or barely acknowledged). It's distinctly unbalanced, but I feel as if I know Blow a bit better after reading it.
The Look: Adventures in Rock and Pop Fashion by Paul Gorman. From Elvis to Gwen Stefani, this book charts the intermingling of fashion and music. Where the musos bought their clothes, what the trends meant and what people thought of them at the time - it's a supremely interesting read. And there's introductions and forewards by Paul Smith AND Malcolm MacLaren. AND a free CD.
Style Wars by Peter York. Published in 1980, this book is now sadly out of print. If you're a fan of subculture, then buy it second hand on Amazon. I got a nice clean ex-library copy. Reading about the different style tribes in the 80's and thinking about how radically different the world is now after only thirty years is a bit of a mind-melt. A good mind-melt. Chapter on Sloane Rangers = Hilarious.
Take Ivy by Teruyoshi Hayashida. Loads and loads and LOADS of iconic pictures of preppy men (and a few women) at Ivy League universities. All of the photos were taken in the early sixties, so it's collegiate cool at it's most distilled, before Woodstock and Women's Lib changed the face of the common college uniform.
Face Hunter by Yvan Rodic. Enough said.
The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius and Glorious Excess in 1970's Paris by Alicia Drake. I cannot wait to get my teeth into this book, which tells the story of the friendship and rivalry between Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld before they achieved their godlike statuses. It's reassuringly thick, which is always a good thing when it comes to non fiction. More pages equal more juicy details.
Knitting Masterpieces by Ruth Herring. This (also out of print) knitting book shows you have to make jumpers with some of art's greatest works emblazoned across the front. I will not rest until I figure out how to knit a Mona Lisa sweater. It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.
Style and the Man: How and Where to Buy the Best Men's Clothing by Alan Flusser. Everything a person could possibly want to know about how to buy a suit, how to wear a suit, the best proportions to suit a man's figure, how to tie a cravat - basically every GQ fashion article ever written that never actually appeared in GQ. I'll be passing it on to the boyfriend according.
Great Fashion Designs of the Sixties: Paper Dolls in Full Colour: 32 Haute Couture Costumes by Courreges, Balmain, Saint-Laurent, and Others by Tom Tierney. Sixties. Paper. Dolls. Marrying my love of sixties fashion and cutting shapes out of paper. The words 'childish glee' were made for this book
Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: Frida's Wardrobe by Carlos Phillips Olmed and Magdalena Rozenzweig. Many people love the art of Frida Kahlo, but equally fascinating was her attitude to clothing. This book is full of pictures of her flamboyant outfits (found in a trunk in a disused bathroom in her house, still smelling of her cigarettes) and essays about the artist's relationship and attitudes towards her wardrobe.
Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life by Justine Picardie. Coco Chanel was so protective of her own life story that it seems that there will never be a totally truthful and authoritative biography written on her. Justine Picardie grapples admirably with what she has to work with and the book is printed on gorgeous glossy paper with some seriously great, insightful images.
It's going to take me a while to get though these. Wish me luck. Did you get anything nice for Christmas? Got any fashion-type reads that you fancy sharing?
Here's what I got book-wise, in no particular order.
Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow by Detmar Blow. This biography of the famed and much mourned super-stylist purports to be her definitive biography. But really, it's not. It's not particularly well-written and her husband goes into too much detail in some places (he paints Alexander McQueen as an egocentric, cruel megalomaniac) and not enough in others (Blow's heroin use and both his and her extramarital affairs are casually touched on or barely acknowledged). It's distinctly unbalanced, but I feel as if I know Blow a bit better after reading it.
The Look: Adventures in Rock and Pop Fashion by Paul Gorman. From Elvis to Gwen Stefani, this book charts the intermingling of fashion and music. Where the musos bought their clothes, what the trends meant and what people thought of them at the time - it's a supremely interesting read. And there's introductions and forewards by Paul Smith AND Malcolm MacLaren. AND a free CD.
Style Wars by Peter York. Published in 1980, this book is now sadly out of print. If you're a fan of subculture, then buy it second hand on Amazon. I got a nice clean ex-library copy. Reading about the different style tribes in the 80's and thinking about how radically different the world is now after only thirty years is a bit of a mind-melt. A good mind-melt. Chapter on Sloane Rangers = Hilarious.
 |
| A photo from Take Ivy. Gotta love those preppy boys. |
Take Ivy by Teruyoshi Hayashida. Loads and loads and LOADS of iconic pictures of preppy men (and a few women) at Ivy League universities. All of the photos were taken in the early sixties, so it's collegiate cool at it's most distilled, before Woodstock and Women's Lib changed the face of the common college uniform.
Face Hunter by Yvan Rodic. Enough said.
The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius and Glorious Excess in 1970's Paris by Alicia Drake. I cannot wait to get my teeth into this book, which tells the story of the friendship and rivalry between Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld before they achieved their godlike statuses. It's reassuringly thick, which is always a good thing when it comes to non fiction. More pages equal more juicy details.
 |
| Knitting Masterpieces via etsy - buy it! |
Knitting Masterpieces by Ruth Herring. This (also out of print) knitting book shows you have to make jumpers with some of art's greatest works emblazoned across the front. I will not rest until I figure out how to knit a Mona Lisa sweater. It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.
Style and the Man: How and Where to Buy the Best Men's Clothing by Alan Flusser. Everything a person could possibly want to know about how to buy a suit, how to wear a suit, the best proportions to suit a man's figure, how to tie a cravat - basically every GQ fashion article ever written that never actually appeared in GQ. I'll be passing it on to the boyfriend according.
Great Fashion Designs of the Sixties: Paper Dolls in Full Colour: 32 Haute Couture Costumes by Courreges, Balmain, Saint-Laurent, and Others by Tom Tierney. Sixties. Paper. Dolls. Marrying my love of sixties fashion and cutting shapes out of paper. The words 'childish glee' were made for this book
 |
| A plate from Portrait in a Velvet Dress - a beautifully composed and considered shot |
Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: Frida's Wardrobe by Carlos Phillips Olmed and Magdalena Rozenzweig. Many people love the art of Frida Kahlo, but equally fascinating was her attitude to clothing. This book is full of pictures of her flamboyant outfits (found in a trunk in a disused bathroom in her house, still smelling of her cigarettes) and essays about the artist's relationship and attitudes towards her wardrobe.
Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life by Justine Picardie. Coco Chanel was so protective of her own life story that it seems that there will never be a totally truthful and authoritative biography written on her. Justine Picardie grapples admirably with what she has to work with and the book is printed on gorgeous glossy paper with some seriously great, insightful images.
It's going to take me a while to get though these. Wish me luck. Did you get anything nice for Christmas? Got any fashion-type reads that you fancy sharing?
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