Barn Door

Cardigan: Vintage
Jeans: Topshop
Shoes: Topshop
Shirt: Very old Primark.

Sometimes the worse looking days turn out to be the nicest days; When rain falls from heavy looking clouds and you just stick a big old cardigan and hope for the best. Chilly walks down grey, remote country lanes can lead to unexpected places and finds, such as discarded false teeth and dilapidated barns. If only everyday was so fruitful.

Photos: MM &L3

Hotel Mabor

Hat: Topshop
Top: Unknown
Trousers: Very Old Primark
Shoes: New Look, Customised.
Sunglasses: Vintage

So here are some more of the pictures from Portugal that I have been meaning to post for some time now. These are a little more 'touristy' and reflect the more traditional side of our holiday.One evening we wandered into the main town where there was a really great Ice cream parlour that sold pretty much every flavour you could think of, a fountain, and small fair ground with an old fashioned merry-go-round and candy floss vendor. There is always something quite magical about a fair ground, with the lights, noise and movement. It's a shame I'm too old for all the rides.

Top: All Saints thin knit t-shirt
Skirt: Urban Outfitters
Belt: Vintage
Earrings: Unknown (and I lost one on the beach)

Daddy... I Want a Pony!

    Luella Fall 2006

   Luella Fall 2007

   Luella Spring 2008

Luella.... How I miss thee. Luella has always been, pretty much, my favourite designer. Of course I'm fond of others such as Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs, Charles Anastase, Erdem and (of Course) Karl Largerfeld for Chanel; but there was always something about Luella that made it different. Maybe, it was that the clothes were all so wearable and fun, it seemed accessible as well as being luxurious, or maybe it was that no one was doing anything like her when it came to whimsy as well as style. Her collections always seemed so...cool, I usually dislike that word when it comes to description but I really can't think of a better way of articulating it. I love the inter-play between classic, lady-like tailoring and cute floral's and cartoon prints with a hard edge.

  I was really hurt and sad when her label ended in 2009. I had always dreamed that one day I would own my own little piece of Luella. I remember on a couple of occassion's going into Urban outfitters just to browse her latest collections, and always leaving empty handed and sad because I couldn't afford a £200 cardigan. I even found a nude, leather Giselle Handbag in TKMaxx last year for a low (but still expensive) price, now I wish I had bought it, but alas, I am stingy.
  I really hoped her label would continue some how and she would keep inspiring me and high street trends for years to come.
  So it made me very cheerful when, through a happy accident, I discovered she had written her guide to English Style...I'm hoping it will pop through my letter box next week when it's released.

This nugget of information set me off on an Luella eBay clothing adventure, and Oh My Gosh! I got myself a white cashmere Love!Love!Love! jumper from the Spring 2008 collection, and for a really good price, I also acquired the Luella and EJF collaboration t shirt, which is sooo lovely in real life, and means I can finally stop wearing my sonic youth t shirt all the time.
I will hopefully post some pictures of them both soon...

   Luella Fall 2008. My favourite ever collection... I want to dress like witch all the time.

  Luella Spring 2009

  Luella Spring 2010. The collection..How amazing is that pink Dress and A-line powder blue coat?

All Pictures from Style.com.

The Corn..

Skirt: Zara
Sweater: Zara
Belt: Vintage
Bag: Vintage, Charity shop thrifted (it's an old fishing tackle bag!)
Ring: H&M
Shoes: Primark (£3!)

And so Fall is finally here.. as it gets colder and the nights draw in I believe it may be time to break out the tights and sweaters, Hurrah! Zara has become by go-to shop for fall pieces, their current range of knitwear and skirts is beautiful as well as wonderfully made and classically styled. I have recently decided however, to spend less time in high street stores and return to my old charity shop haunts. There is something really satisfying in finding an item by chance and falling in love with it. I put this new resolution into practice last week and happened to come across a silver Anya Hindmarch purse for £1.49 and a pair of brown, leather, granny ankle boots for £5, both of which are excellent. I also picked up a couple of new books including Zadie Smith The Autograph Man in hardback for £1.50. I loved  On Beauty and White Teeth so I am really excited to delve into this one. 


These photos were taken in a corn field not far from my house, I have been meaning to take some pictures in here for a while and was extremely pleased that when I finally got round to it the corn hadn't been harvested. For me the uniformity of the lines in the planting of the seeds creates a weird juxtaposition between nature and human agriculture, the wildness of the corn and its leaves, but in perfectly straight, equally proportioned rows.

Photos: MM 

Apartment 711

So, little over a month ago I went on holiday to Portugal, we stayed in a place called Praia da Rocha in the  Portimao area. I went with very few expectations. Of course there were the typical tourist beaches, shops and restaurants, but what I really enjoyed was when we ventured away from the main tourist drag and went into the suburban town. The mix of old and new, affluent and impoverished was really interesting to explore and photograph. Some of these broken down buildings had such beautiful garden areas with little barbeque's cooking up lunch, and dogs running around unleashed.
 There were also a lot of high-rise flats, each one was unique to its owner and with window boxes and vibrant colours. They had much more character than any other the modern buildings which all looked the same, too clean and angular and ostentatious.

Whilst we were there it was also extremely hot (so warm in fact, that there was a series of forest fires in other areas of the country), this was incredibly limiting when it came to comfortable dressing, it was easier and cooler to wear as little as possible while still remaining decent. I mainly stuck to cotton dresses and shorts with bikini's (of which there are no pictures, thank god, I hate typical holiday bikini shots). It didn't even get cooler at night (which made sleeping in a non air conditioned room unbearable), pretty much rendered any of the evening wear I took useless. It was comforting to return to England, and cardigan wearing. I think I like sleeves too much.

Dress: H&M
Shoes: New Look
Bag: Vintage leather, from a shop in Portugal
Sunglasses: RayBan Wayfarers
Belt: Vintage
Photos: MM & L3

Lasts up to six weeks

An old shoe is better than no shoe.

T-Shirt: Sonic Youth American import
Skirt: Topshop
Belt: Vintage tooled leather
Bag: Cambridge Satchel Company (Skeleton charm from an old necklace)
Shoes: Vintage, Claire II T-bars
Jacket: New Look, with Vintage fur collar added by me.

I am looking forward to Fall (I have decided I like the word Fall better than Autumn) I like it when it gets a bit colder at night and I need to wear a cardigan when I go out for walks through the woods. There is something magical about the colours of the trees and the feel of the air. I think September is my favourite month. I love the transition the seasons go through and the expectation of winter mixed in with the rush to make the most of the last of the summer. I am also looking forward to Fall because I feel strangely comfortable dressing like a granny. I love chunky knitwear, mumsy skirts and practical boots with socks. I am DESPERATE to find a nice midi length dress (this might be it, but I am unsure of the hemline detail) I like it when it feels like a season is made for you, it makes getting dressed all that more exciting.

I am also looking forward to Fall because for me it means change it more ways than one. I have recently given up my job to concentrate on my degree and  the more creative endeavours which actually excite me. I'm lucky enough to be in the position where I can survive without a steady income for a couple of months and I plan to spend the time wisely; reading, writing and rediscovering the things I love to do. I am also going to take a photography course, so, finally I will actually understand my camera properly.

P.s The Perfect dress turned out to be this one, the hemline is just the right length, what with me being so short and all.
Photos: MM & Lthree

Big Yellow Taxi

Wide Leg Trousers: Topshop Petite
Clog Sandals: Topshop
T Shirt: H&M
Waistcoat: Kate Moss Topshop, First season drop.
Sunglasses: Vintage
Ring: Accessorize
Necklaces: Short: Vintage (from my mum), long: Vintage (gifted)
Belt: Vintage

Joni Mitchell listening, and hot weather make me want to dress like I've come from the 1970's. The urge to be in wide open spaces, lying under trees and watching the birds makes it difficult to drag myself to work or do much else to be honest. The tree these pictures are taken under contained the most incredible bird nests I've ever seen, it was like a small town, each was so established and so precise in it placement, the picture above really doesn't capture the magnitude of it.
    I really don't think there is anything better then being outside when the sun shines, surrounded by nature and not doing much else. The colours of the summer are so inspiring, the greens mixed with the bright explosions of the colour from the wild flowers make me want to fore go black and grey and wear brighter and more varied shades like these trousers.
 These Topshop wide leg trousers are pretty much the best item of clothing I have bought this year, I seem to wear them all the time. They are so comfortable and cool in the heat and they give you more freedom then a skirt.

Photos: M.M

J'adore Tim Walker

                      Unknown                                                                     Tim Walker with Blue Lamb.         
            
I cannot put into words how much I love Tim Walker's work. I think it's his use of nature that gets me the most. His work makes me feel the way I do when on a summers walk, relaxed and warm and joyful and excited by what is around the corner. For me his use of colour and natural aesthetic really bring the fashion to life. I don't think there are many fashion photographers out there who make fashion fun, which in my mind is what it's meant to be, I think there is nothing worse then when 'fashion people' take it too seriously and take all of the pleasure of out it. Surely the point of dressing up in all of these clothes is to feel good and to enjoy wearing, and looking at them. Everyone always looks like they are having such fun and I don't think the whimsy of the shots detracts at all from their subject which I think is a real accomplishment.

 Vogue UK                                                                       Tim Walker for Hermes 2009

 

                       Vogue Italia 2009.

I think I have a thing for cinematic photography which is another reason I love Walker so much, all of his shots seem epic even when they are just portraits, the attention to detail makes them like mini works of art, or short films or stories. I was recently gifted his AMAZING book Pictures (thanks Thom, x) which is, honestly the best book I own ( it should be for £70) there is such a vast amount of pictures (obviously) and sketchbook work to look and that I can't even contemplate the work that must go into each shoot, spraying sheep purple of making large scale swan replicas. It all sounds and looks like good fun though. Maybe one day I will accomplish photos that meet his brilliance. In my dreams! (Though he does come from Devon too, so there is always hope, eh!)

 Vogue Italia 2009                                                              Unknown 2009