sparkle. smile. dance.

Boom.

2011-02-07T18:24:00.000+01:00

If you remember, way back in September I promised I had big plans for this blog. And while I cannot claim that this extended pause in posting is entirely as a result of these plans, they've certainly taken up a considerable amount of my time.

Anyway, I can finally reveal that this blog has moved. And grown considerably...

Go check out http://www.sparklesmiledance.com (and then, if you feel so inclined you can leave me lots of lovely comments telling me how clever I am...)

Also, if you're already following me here (or would like to start, in which case I will love you always and probably offer to have your children) then you need to start following http://www.sparklesmiledance.com/blog in order to be keep receiving updates.

I can promise that I will be doing my very best to post regularly and look after my little corner of the blogosphere much better than I have in the past.

So, what are you waiting for? Go, go, GOOOO!!!

An Apology.

2010-09-05T02:43:00.000+02:00

I'm a bad blogger, a really bad one. If I were a small child, I'd probably be resigned to the naughty step right now, or at least on an enforced time-out. A three month lapse in communication is all but inexcusable and I'm lacking any real explanation; let's just say it's been a phenomenally hectic few months and I've been far too involved in things outside of the blogosphere to make any worthy contributions (or any contributions at all...) However, September has come around again, it's a new academic year, the madness is almost over (for now) and I am ready to stage a comeback.

And anyway, I have plans, serious plans. Unfortunately I also have to pack all my worldly possessions up into boxes and move back to Canterbury for university this week so the big reveal of my super-amazing plans will have to be put on hold for a while. But hey, you've waited three months, another few days can't hurt, right?!

So, this is essentially a post to say 'Don't go anywhere, this blog will be up and running again soon, and bigger/better/more full of my crazy ramblings than ever before!'

Excited? You should be...

The summer night is like a perfection of thought. - Wallace Stevens.

2010-05-20T15:34:00.041+02:00

I know I risk sounding boring (and perhaps even borderline obsessive) with another Topshop themed post, but this is just too good not to share.
The Kate Moss Summer Collection has just landed and it is b-e-a-utiful! Think silk, lace, suede and all manner of other amazing textures carefully designed and shaped into some of the most wonderful playsuits, maxi dresses, underwear, mini dresses (and more) that I've seen in a long, long time.

Well done Miss Moss, you've done it again! And by it, I mean made me wish I could spend my entire years clothes budget on a handful of carefully selected items from this collection...

After much lusting and deliberation, I have decided upon my ultimate eleven favourites (because sometimes ten just doesn't cut it...) but check out the rest here and make your own decisions!

Individual Photos from Topshop

Fashion, put it all on me, I am anyone you want me to be. - Lady Gaga.

2010-05-18T00:34:00.001+02:00

I know, I know, I'm an appalling blogger and these extended absences are getting ridiculous. I promise I have lots of wonderful things to share, particularly the products of several loan-fuelled shopping spree, but that will have to wait for another time, a time when I have recovered from what was undoubtedly one of the best weeks of my life.

Beach parties, sunbathing, cocktails, ice cream, some of the worlds biggest clubs and amazing people to share it with...

Ibiza, I love you.

Anyway, while I continue with my sleep, rehydration and general detox plan, I urge you to go here and submit some questions for this incredible woman.

SHOWstudio.com are doing a live, unedited, two hour interview with the wonderful Miss Gaga on Sunday 30th May, as part of their In Camera series, and the questions will come straight from your heads.

Lady Gaga has provided us with some of the most daring and outrageous fashion inspiration of this generation; from the Telephone video to that bubble dress, not to mention the constant accessorising of her trademark blonde locks, she is one star that cannot fail to turn heads and raise eyebrows, whether on stage or in public. Regardless of whether you fall into the Pro-Gaga camp or not, I am yet to meet someone who remains ambivalent on the topic of her fashion and lifestyle choices.

Here is your chance to have your say and address the lady herself - make the most of it, I can't wait to hear her responses to your questions!

Photo

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination. - Oscar Wilde.

2010-05-03T17:05:00.007+02:00

It's probably not surprising, given the amount of travelling, shopping and general extravagance that has gone on in the past few months - the majority of which has been well documented and can be found in the archives of this blog - that I find myself rather financially restricted as the (academic) year comes to an end. Yes, the word 'impoverished' may have been thrown about, although I maintain that it's not an inaccurate way to describe a situation where one appears to have 9 euros left in the entire world...*

Fortunately, there is a light at the end of this desperately dreary tunnel, and it comes in the form of all that lovely free money that the government occasionally, and very kindly deposit into my bank account. Errrm, or you know, my student loan...**

So, as of next Monday, I will be in the moneeey! And, regardless of the fact that this money should actually be spent on rent, food and other dreadfully dull things like that, I have already been planning a few little treats for myself (because where's the fun in all that money, if I can't enjoy it just a little bit??)

(Necklaces and Floral Bikini - Urban Outfitters, Coral and Tropical Bikinis - ASOS, Diana Mini Camera - Amazon, Everything Else - Topshop)

Okay, so I probably (hopefully, almost definitely) won't buy all of it because that would leave very little money for the boring (but necessary) things, but I will most certainly be on the hunt for patterned playsuits, over-the-top jewellery, a new bikini and all things lacey. As for the camera, I've wanted one for so long, and they take such delicious photos, it'd just be a crime not to, right?!

* It should be noted that I am prone to exaggeration and this is probably not a fair representation of my actual financial situation.

** I am well aware that this isn't really free money, and will one day have to be paid back, but in the meantime, let's keep pretending, yes?!

Life's just a merry-go-round - come on up, you might get a brass ring. - Mae West.

2010-04-27T01:23:00.003+02:00

Killer views of the whole city, antique fairground rides and some of the best sunbathing spots in Barcelona, how could Tibidabo fail to capture my heart?! I'd happily spend every single one of the next fifty-something days enjoying the sunshine and breathtaking surroundings if I didn't have all these ridiculous classes to attend and essays to write...

(Blazer: Pimkie, Top: Urban Outfitters, Skirt: Vintage, Shoes: Topshop, Scarf: "Borrowed", Sunglasses: Vintage, Bag: Paul's Boutique)

I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see. - Alice in Wonderland.

2010-04-24T13:02:00.001+02:00

Another unexplained and extended absence, I'm sorry! If I said it involved a problematic volcano and a friend getting stranded in Barcelona, would you believe me?! Anyway, I promise to be better in future, but for now, the sun is shining and the beach calling...

Ooh, I saw Alice in Wonderland (I know, about a million years after the rest of the world!) last night. It was in Spanish so may not have got the full effect but I loved it nonetheless; the styling of the whole film is amazing and Tim Burton is an absolute genius.

(Dress: H&M, Sandals: Primark, Everything else: Vintage)

I will keep on loving because I believe in love. - King Charles.

2010-04-14T17:08:00.001+02:00

I am absolutely in love with everything about this man - his voice, his eyes, even his crazy, beehive-esque hair - and have had his songs on repeat all day, but this is my favourite; King Charles at his very best.

Enjoy.

In the meantime I'm off to tidy the flat and make plans for the next few days - my wonderful friend Harriet is coming to Barcelona to escape the dreary world of essay-writing and revision (and really, who can blame her?!) so I've got some cultural activities to plan and some sunshine to pray for.

I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty. - Imelda Marcos.

2010-04-13T19:00:00.002+02:00

It is a sad but true fact that the amount of fun I'm having in the real world can be very easily gauged by my activities (or lack thereof) in the blogosphere. An absence of two weeks can mean only one thing then - my wonderful friends and family have been keeping me far too busy and entertained over the Easter break and I have neglected my blogging duties. Fortunately for you (because I know you have been missing me terribly), I am now back in Barcelona with a long list of blog posts and lots of lovely time to write them in.

Starting with this...

Lots of loooovely heels, all by the amazing Steve Madden.

I'd been on a hunt for a new pair of vertigo-inducing heels for months and, after a brief trip to the Steve Madden shop in Soho, have spent a hideously long time lusting after almost every single one of his designs on the online store - I would quite happily add any one of these pairs (or preferably all of them?!) to my shoe collection, if only my finances would allow it.

Or maybe some kind, rich man will pop into my life, just desperate to spend hundreds of his hard-earned pounds on beautiful shoes for me?! Enter http://www.sugardaddie.com - this website actually exists; I saw a billboard advertisement for it on my way to Norfolk at the weekend. I'm joking. I think. For now.

In the meantime, I suppose I will have to make do with these Madden-inspired beauties from New Look...

Last pair in the shop. My size. £25. Meant to be?

Right, now that boasting is over, I'm going to make myself a laaarge cup of peppermint tea and start reading all the wonderful posts that I have been missing out on during my extended absence. This mammoth task could well keep me occupied for another fortnight, so in the meantime I will leave you with these exciting discount codes for some of your favourite online stores, courtesy of Daisy Bell at discountcoder.com.

ASOS - Free standard delivery when you spend £75 - Code: STANDARD - Expires 31st May 2010.

Ann Summers - 20% off when you spend £60 - Code: HEARTS - Expires 15th April 2010.

Boden - 10% off all orders and free delivery - Code: LN9P - Expires 30th April 2010.

Littlewoods - 15% off all clothing and footwear - Code: XV158 - Expires 15th April 2010.

Hotter Shoes - £5 off all orders - Code: XBCOBD - Expires 19th April 2010.

BeCheeky - Free first class delivery on all orders - Code: FREEPOST4 - Expires 11th April 2010.

Love Your Shoes - 10% off all orders - Code: LYOURSTEN - Expires 30th April 2010.

Now don't say I never give you nothing, yeah?!

Love you all really...

Don't look back into the Sun now you know that the time has come. - The Libertines.

2010-03-30T15:47:00.005+02:00

The last Monday in March is a very special day to my people, one which is eagerly anticipated and prognosticated over, and has the potential to induce absolute ecstasy in some, while causing others to tumble into a spiral of desperation and distress. Yes, for the past few years, I have worshipped at the alter of all that is Reading Festival, with the excitement kicking off on this fateful day; one which is fairly insignificant to the non-festival-goer, but to us means initial line-up announcements and that inevitable (and highly stressful) scramble for tickets.

Despite having decided that I was not going to 'do' Reading this year for a variety of reasons - a conclusion which forces me to face up to the possibility that I may actually be growing up?! - I still had that familiar feeling of excitement in the pit of my stomach for most of yesterday and an overwhelming urge to check out the line-up as it was released. I'll even admit to some wistful pangs of sadness as I witnessed others manically trying to get their hands on those elusive tickets (although the prospect of spending a month travelling round Europe with two of my very best friends instead of a mere weekend frolicking in festival-land more than compensates for any nostalgic regret!)

As for the line-up - there were no real surprises, it's pretty much what we've all come to expect from this festival and, if I'm quite honest, one of the main reasons behind my choice to do something different this summer was that they tend to recycle the same bands year after year. Of course, there are several bands in the mix that I would absolutely love to see, but so many of them have appeared previously that I'm not entirely sure I could have justified spending the money to see the same acts all over again.

Having said this, there are two bands listed so far that I am slightly gutted to be missing out on - I absolutely loved the Libertines in their heyday and never got to see them live; while I keep telling myself that it would never be the same this time round, I can't help but wish that I could be there for it. On the flip side, I saw Blink 182 when I was about thirteen years old and still see it as one of the defining moments of my adolescence; the chance to see them again would bring back so many memories - I got unbelievably excited by the rumours that they would headline last year and cannot believe they've come to fruition in the first year that I won't be in attendance!

The fairies break their dances and leave the printed lawn. - A. E. Housman.

2010-03-25T19:48:00.000+01:00

Just as I think I'm getting to know Barcelona and fully comprehend what it has to offer, I stumble across wonderful new places and am reminded of (and slightly intimidated by) just how amazing this city truly is.

Our most recent escapades led us to a new bar, 'El Bosc de les Fades', which literally translates to 'the forest of the fairies'. As the name would suggest, the interior resembles a magical, fairy-inhabited forest, complete with waterfall, bridge and many, many fairy lights. The whole experience is incredibly over-the-top and really quite bizarre - some of the 'fairy' dolls are actually rather creepy - but the amazing sense of magic ultimately shines through and my inner-child couldn't help but fall in love with the place.

The next few weeks are looking rather hectic; the Easter break from uni means lots of visitors to receive and visiting to be done, I'm barely going to have time to breathe between now and mid-April but I promise to do my best not to neglect you all as I'm sure I'll have lots of exciting things to share!

Photos - Flickr

I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for. - Georgia O'Keeffe.

2010-03-22T23:59:00.004+01:00

The single most frustrating thing about the crazy jet-setter lifestyle I currently lead is the horrendously restricted clothing options that airline luggage restrictions have forced upon me. Twenty kilograms just doesn't cut it when it comes to packing for five months away; I've lost count of the number of times I've reached into my wardrobe for a particular item, only to realise that it didn't make it into the already overflowing suitcase.

Long story short, there was a rigorous and well-thought-out selection process behind what may have resembled a rather haphazard packing technique; one which I must thank for landing this gem in Barcelona with me, despite it only having had a handful of outings beforehand.

The dress in question was an Oxfam bargain at only £3 - one which I believe may have led a rather sad and unremarkable existence as an old lady's skirt in a previous life. However, that pattern and those colours leapt out at me and I felt compelled to rescue it, give it a new lease of life. A bit of imagination, and a few quick alterations later and I had myself a brand new dress!

(Dress: Oxfam, Denim Jacket: Vintage, Necklace: H&M, Shoes: Topshop)

I will never be the woman with perfect hair, who can wear white and not spill on it. - Carrie Bradshaw.

2010-03-21T12:21:00.000+01:00

I'm the first to admit I had serious reservations over the decision to make a second Sex and the City film; it's not that I don't absolutely adore the series - I have watched every single episode over the course of the last seven years and it never fails to cheer me up - or even that I didn't enjoy the first film, despite some initial misgivings. If anything, I think it's that I love the girls and the world that they live in a little too much and am afraid of the implications of another film - could it ruin everything we all know and love about our favourite show?

Despite my concerns, the release date edges ever closer and there is one thing that never fails to fill me with excitement - the clothes! Patricia Field has already proved herself to be an absolute styling genius and I cannot wait to see where she'll take Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha next...

In the name of all things promotional and raising the profile of the soon-to-be-released second film, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis made an appearance at the ShoWest awards in Las Vegas and, in true 'Sex and the City' style, the trio wore not just one, but two fabulous dresses over the course of the evening.

Personally, I prefer both Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon's black dresses over their more colourful offerings, but when it comes to SJP, I am quite literally torn between the two - sparkly yellow Lanvin or heavenly black Marchesa?

Photos - GossipCenter

Can I confess these things to you?

2010-03-19T01:51:00.004+01:00

(I would like to point out that this is not the video being slated in this post, but an example of the xx at their very best...)

My love for 'the xx' is no secret; I've been positively raving about them for months now and encouraging everyone from my little brother to the next door neighbour's cat to listen to them, buy their album and essentially follow my lead by declaring undying and eternal love for them.

So yeah, I kind of, maybe like this band a little bit, and just might have had their album on repeat for the last million years (or at least a few months...)

Now, imagine my excitement when that faithful red light on my Blackberry alerted me to the news that my absolute favourite band of the moment and the geniuses at DazedDigital.com had made an 'Exclusive The XX film'.

Wow, the xx and Dazed & Confused, could a collaboration possibly get any better than that?!

Erm, yeah, actually.
Turns out that this 'exclusive film' is also the most heart-crushingly disappointing thing to grace the media world since Robbie decided to pursue his solo career.

Eugh.

This absolute travesty is yet to hit youtube (although I doubt I could bare to give it airtime anyway, so that may be best for all concerned) but feel free to go and waste a minute and forty-seven seconds of your life here - there's also a classic comment from a chap called Benjamin, who seems to share my disgust, several times over!

The cure for boredom is curiosity, there is no cure for curiosity. - Ellen Parr.

2010-03-17T17:38:00.000+01:00

A quiet Tuesday night in Barcelona and boredom strikes, along with a Fanta and Oreo induced sugar high which make cutting my own hair and pulling ridiculous faces on Photobooth seem like the absolute best way to spend the evening.

The results of my productivity can be seen above...

Thoughts?

But, what minutes? Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day. - Benjamin Disraeli.

2010-03-16T01:25:00.002+01:00

Strange how some of the most incredible times are the most difficult to put into words?

A month in Barcelona, a whole month. And while in some respects it's flashed by a little too quickly, I can't help but feel rather settled here; like everything that came before is somehow quite distant, further away than I would expect it to be after only a few weeks. Not that life in Barcelona isn't absolutely wonderful, quite the opposite in fact - it's just that these places, these people, they all feel so familiar by now that it's quite difficult to believe they've only been present in my life for such a short time.

It has been utterly fantastic though; a bizarre cocktail made up of late nights and crazy dancing, quiet nights in with peppermint tea and films, long Skype chats with my very best friends, vaguely cultural wanderings around this beautiful city and a whole lot of reading and writing.

And it's not over yet. Far from it - two weeks left before Easter, into which I must somehow squeeze a weekend trip to Valencia, St. Patrick's day celebrations and a visit from some of my lovely uni girls. Then it's back to England to play a quick game of 'how-many-people-can-I-see-in-two-weeks' before my very best friend joins me out here in Barcelona for a few days. Oooh, so much excitement, so very little time - maybe I'll get some work done at some point?!

"Each piece is unique, as was he."

2010-03-10T14:27:00.002+01:00

So far, Paris Fashion Week has given us some really wonderful things - Karl Lagerfield's iceberg on the Chanel runway anyone?! - but, none more so than this: A beautiful, private showing of Lee Alexander McQueen's final collection; one that can only be described as a dignified and respectful tribute to the late designer. The collection comprised sixteen pieces that McQueen had all-but finished before his untimely death earlier this year and has been hailed as one of his best, showcasing his incredible genius and highlighting exactly why he will be so terribly missed in the fashion world.

McQueen had turned away from the modern influences that were so prominent in his recent collections, and instead was looking much further back, towards the Dark Ages and Medieval era, drawing from the religious iconography of these times. This is particularly apparent in the detailed embellishment, rich colours and strong patterns used throughout the collection, while references to the Old Masters of this period scream out at every turn - the fabric for one of the dresses is a digital print of Bosch's angels and demons and the ornate gold patterns are intended to emulate those of a Baroque cathedral. Indeed, the historical allusions are unmistakeable, but in classic Alexander McQueen style, they have been taken, twisted and manipulated, until something new and revolutionary springs from these ancient roots; there are elements of light and beauty in these pieces that one would not normally associate with such an epoch and that, without any doubt, is the genius of McQueen.

May he rest in peace.

Photos from SHOWstudio

Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it. - Yves Saint Laurent.

2010-03-08T22:40:00.008+01:00

Right, I'm going to make a heartfelt promise to you all to never, ever boast about the weather in Barcelona again - if I so much as mention the word 'sunshine' on this blog, you have my permission to inflict whatever painful punishment you see fit upon my sorry self. Less than forty-eight hours after publishing my last post about the glorious sunshine and how winter dressing is all but a distant memory, the most unimaginable snow-storm has hit the city - blizzards, thunder, lightening and all!

So, in an attempt to stay warm without central heating and distract myself from the fact that the world may well be ending, I am curled up with a blanket, cuddling my electric heater and procrastinating wildly.

Any procrastination on a day that follows a major awards ceremony is only going to end one way, and predictably, I have lost almost the whole afternoon to that vast black hole of red carpet photos from last night's Oscars. What I initially found to be a rather unimpressive selection of outfits, lacking both imagination and originality, has crept up and up in my estimation over the course of the afternoon - there are some truly beautiful dresses which single-handedly compensate for the number of uninspired outfits, and even some of those that I had originally dismissed lingered on at the back of my mind, until I eventually had to admit that I did rather like them.

Diane Kruger in Chanel

I already have a serious girl-crush on this woman, and seeing her looking perfect on yet another red carpet in these wonderful cream ruffles has only encouraged it to reach dizzy new heights; I'm fairly certain Diane Kruger can do no wrong.

Zoe Saldana in Givenchy

Undoubtedly my favourite dress from last night - the colour, texture and sequins all work beautifully together and the simple hair, make-up and lack of accessories allow the dress to really stand out and speak for itself.

Demi Moore in Versace

Having originally dismissed this as slightly bland, I have to now admit that, while it wouldn't be my choice, this nude, layered dress works very well on Demi - her colouring and accessorising add interest and make the dress stand out.

Cameron Diaz in Oscar de la Renta

Yes, it's incredibly over-the-top, but if you can't be excessively glamourous at the Oscars, when can you?! It's a gorgeous dress, which could easily be overwhelming; fortunately Diaz is a strong enough character to wear this dress as God (or Oscar de la Renta) intended.

Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel

I really love her, so was initially slightly disappointed by this choice, but the more I look at it, the more it just screams SJP. Admittedly it wouldn't be my first choice of outfit for an award ceremony, but then I wouldn't wear a lot of the things that she does and that's precisely why she's completely amazing!

Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab

This dress is beautiful, and a perfect example of the sort of thing I would wear (if I was, for some reason invited to the Oscars and happened to have the money for a designer dress...). Rachel McAdams looks wonderful in it too and, for somebody who has never really come to my attention fashion-wise, I'm very impressed.

Anna Kendrick in Elie Saab

This is another one that I immediately dismissed, but it just kept popping back into my head and I can't put my finger on why - it's really quite a simple dress and I'm close to finding it dreadfully boring. I love this colour on Anna though, and I think all those ruffles and draping tug on my heart-strings, melting any resistance.

Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham

It almost causes me actual, physical pain to include her in this post, but I just can't get away from it: It's a beautiful dress and she does look good in it. After much deliberation I've decided I can justify her presence as long as you all know this does not make me a Cyrus fan.

Carey Mulligan in Prada

I'm not usually a fan of black dresses for award ceremonies, preferring a bit of colour and imagination, but this embellished beauty is just too good to begrudge it an outing at the Oscars - it works so well with Carey's short blonde crop and beautiful earrings.

Vera Farmiga in Marchesa

Wow - this takes everything I love about ruffles and colour and amplifies it tenfold! The results are dramatic and slightly extreme, as one would expect, but it works so very well.

With this many fabulous dresses in one place, there will inevitably be some slightly dodgy choices made and a handful of undeniably bad outfits on display to counteract all that amazing style...

(Click to enlarge)

Hilary Swank appears to have borrowed her outfit from somebody's slutty younger sister (or perhaps just run out of material while making what could have been an okay-ish dress), while Cat Deeley has been raiding the wardrobe of a dowdy relative, who is clearly several sizes larger than Miss Deeley herself. And don't even get me started on Katie Price - the fact that she managed to get her grubby mitts on a ticket might just be more horrendous than the ridiculous ensemble she then chose to wear?!

Photos from - Harpers Bazaar, Elle, Vogue.fr and Marie Claire

Winter dies into the spring, to be born again in the autumn. - Marche Blumenberg.

2010-03-06T14:42:00.005+01:00

The sun is shining in Barcelona today. Like really, really shining; so much so that I'm almost tempted to stop writing and run outside in my pajamas, just so that I can feel the warmth on my skin.

Anyway, I'm well aware that boasting about the weather is unlikely to win me any points with those of you enduring rather less glorious climates and, as wonderful as it is, the sunshine is not the reason for this post. My point is, when the weather is this beautiful and we have the whole summer stretching out in front of us, it is very difficult to imagine a time beyond it; a time when we will be welcoming warm coats and scarves back into our lives with open arms. However, as unlikely as it may seem at present, winter will inevitably make a reappearance and necessitate warmer dressing and hey, if something's worth doing, it's worth doing well, right?!

Issey Miyake - A/W 2010

If we absolutely must accept colder weather back into our lives at some point, this is how it should be done - with some seriously bright colours and wildly varied textures all layered up to increasingly decadent levels of excess.

Photos - Style.com

Summer set lip to earth's bosom bare, and left the flushed print in a poppy there. - Francis Thompson.

2010-03-04T16:57:00.002+01:00

Summertiiiiiiiime!

Okay, not quite.

But the sun is shining and the temperature is doing its very best to creep into the twenties, which can mean only one thing - time to roll out the t-shirts and denim cut-offs. Admittedly I'm not quite brave enough to go tight-less just yet and threw on a blazer before actually leaving the building, but I am well and truly inspired and ready to channel summer dressing into my spring-time outfits.

After a week (or four days) of being vaguely studious, the weekend is here and I am all set to embrace it. Not quite sure where it'll take us but things are kicking off tonight with some cava and cocktails in a wonderful little bar called the Lexington and there is definitely something debaucherous planned for Saturday night.

I. Can't. Wait.

Hope you've all got similarly exciting plans for the weekend??

(Top: Topshop, Waistcoat: Camaieu, Shorts: Made from an old, non-specific pair of jeans, Shoes: Topshop, Necklace: H&M)

In quiet places, reason abounds. - Adlai E. Stevenson.

2010-03-02T23:41:00.006+01:00

So, if you've been paying attention, it shouldn't have escaped your notice that I have recently upped and moved to Barcelona. This can mean only one thing - new city, new flat, new bedroom! A blank canvas upon which to make my mark, imprint my personality and create my own little corner of the world.

It's very much work in progress - I want to get some posters to go behind the bed and will continue to collect ticket stubs and photographs to adorn the walls - but goes a long way to make me feel more settled and at home in this huge, new city. Looking at these photographs and everything around me, it is quite hard to believe that I only brought one small(ish) suitcase on my travels; I've filled the room up rather nicely and it definitely feels like my place, rather than one that I will be merely inhabiting for the next five months.

This burst of decorating and vague creativity was largely fuelled by a new-found addiction to 'Coeur de Pirate' - a wonderful singer who's enchanting melodies I first discovered courtesy of the lovely Isabelle at Bohemian Musings and have been listening to on an almost constant loop ever since.

Baby, please don't lose your faith in the good Earth...

2010-02-27T19:02:00.004+01:00

One day, many, many years ago (okay, so early 2008?!) I stumbled across a song on a friend's iPod which had me absolutely and immediately captivated - so much so that the friend was soon struggling to wrestle their beloved mp3 player from my grasp as I declared that I absolutely must listen to the entire album! That song was 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' by the incredible Vampire Weekend and before I knew it, I was addicted: their eponymous album became the soundtrack to my summer - it kept me going through the essay-writing and revision sessions of the Summer term and lulled me to sleep on a Valencian beach after one-too-many crazy nights out.

Anyway, fast-forward (almost) two years, and, having seen them live twice and continued to worship at the alter of all things Vampire Weekend, I was understandably excited for the release of their second album 'Contra' in January. And I was really, truly, heart-wrenchingly disappointed. I just didn't get it - it wasn't as catchy as their first album, they certainly hadn't done anything massively new and groundbreaking, yet it failed to live up to the (admittedly high) expectations that they'd already set - however, I couldn't bear to give up on them, after all this was a band that had kept me going through highs and lows, and who I had danced madly round my room to on countless occasions. And s0 I persevered - and with each listen, I liked it a little bit more than the time before. 'Contra' has now been playing on a continuous loop for a good couple of weeks and I've got to say, it's still growing on me; I love it as much, if not more than their self-titled album and think this one may well be my soundtrack to 2010.

The seemingly happy ending has a slight twist to it - only a few weeks after my arrival in Barcelona, Vampire Weekend are performing within spitting distance of my apartment, great no? Wonderful, except for the fact that it's sold out and, alas, I am not in possession of a ticket or the opportunity to declare my undying love for them. In order to make up for this travesty, I implore you to listen to 'Contra' not once, not twice, but at least five times - and if you don't love it by then, I will...erm...eat my hat?! Probably not, but just trust me, you will be amazed!

Photos from here.

Everything being a constant carnival, there is no carnival left. - Victor Hugo.

2010-02-24T19:33:00.006+01:00

So, I promised photos of the 'Carnaval de Sitges' as soon as I had sorted my camera problems, and here they are! It was a fabulous initiation into the Spanish lifestyle - a night of sangria, music and absolutely phenomenal costumes. I don't know quite what it is about the concept of a carnival that urges Spanish men to don their wives clothing and dress up as (concerningly believable) ladies but that was definitely the overriding theme of the evening...

Inside of all of us is a Wild Thing. - Maurice Sendak.

2010-02-22T20:14:00.001+01:00

Fashion Week fever has hit London hard and thanks to some absolutely appalling timing, I'm missing out on all the fun: less than two weeks ago, when Somerset House was of no real interest to me, I lived only a short train ride away. Now that it is filled with all things wonderful and fashion-related, I'm in entirely the wrong country! The good news is that my fancy new life in Barcelona also comes with a decent internet connection, so I've been able to happily keep up with all things LFW while enjoying the sunshine and sipping on cheap pink cava - all is not lost?!

So yes, thanks to all you lovely bloggers who are currently residing and reporting on all things Fashion Week (and sparking a huge debate amongst threatened media types - a story for another post I think?) I have seen more than enough photos and stories of the last few days in London town to get a real feel for the A/W10 collections. And I've been very, very impressed by the latest offerings; never more so than by this from Unique at Topshop...

Fur. Sheepskin. Duffel Coats. Thick woollen knitwear. Crunchy leaves underfoot. Khaki and burnt orange hues. Even the animal-themed headdresses. Everything about this collection screams autumnal cosiness - it almost makes me want to skip through summer and don a pair of antlers along with my fur coat and woolly scarf! And don't even get me started on the wildly backcombed hair; if that's what this autumn is going to be about, I am there in heartbeat!

Photos - londonfashionweek.co.uk

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon, or not at all. - Harriet van Horne.

2010-02-20T22:29:00.003+01:00

It is no big secret that I am incredibly rubbish at feeding myself. While I absolutely love good food and will quite happily cook yummy treats for others, I am totally lacking in motivation and inspiration when it comes to cooking my own meals. Supermarkets confuse the hell out of me, there is far too much choice and I rather resent spending my money on food when I could instead be donating it to Mr. Topshop. And anyway, if I'm the only one who's going to get to enjoy the extra effort, I can't help but think why bother? My time could be much better spent elsewhere - most likely on Facebook!

My wonderful friend Sophie found this whole set-up rather infuriating, she is pretty much my polar opposite in this respect - the girl loves to cook and was rather distressed by finding herself resident in a kitchen-free hotel for five months during our stay in Lyon. While I had a perfectly good kitchen that I absolutely refused to utilise, she was struggling to cook pasta in a metal jug... Until suddenly a solution occurred to both of us - I'd happily grant her access to my kitchen in return for a plateful of whatever delicious dish she happened to be concocting. And so began a happy collaboration involving my kitchen, her amazing cookery skills and my very happy stomach.

Anyway, fast forward a few months and Sophie and I are now both in Spain - unfortunately in different cities so I have reverted to a diet of pasta with pesto and salad. However, my loss is her gain; she now has a fully functioning kitchen and the opportunity to be culinarily creative. An opportunity which has inspired her to fulfil the long-term ambition of starting a food blog - and not just any food blog, but one which dedicates its very first recipe to yours truly!

So, go check it out noooow - The Ever-Changing Kitchen - if my experiences of Sophie's cooking are anything to go by, you will not be disappointed!!

There is no prettier fall than carnival. - Toon Hermans.

2010-02-17T23:17:00.024+01:00

Five words to sum up my first week in Spain?

Carnivals.

Sangria.

Beaches.

Sudden bursts of sunshine.

Okay, so strictly speaking that was nine words, but you get the general idea - life in Barcelona is amazing, I love it and probably won't ever leave. Well, I might be able to be persuaded to return to England for short periods of time, but Spain has captured my heart and has no intention of returning it any time soon.

Anyway, I promise a more descriptive update of my exciting new life in Barcelona when I have some photos to go with it - having some serious camera issues, which should be resolved within a few days - but I trust that the above few words will be sufficient to induce mad feelings of jealousy, particularly in those trapped in a rather cold, snowy England.

In the meantime, here is a sample of the music that has been keeping me awake and cheerful on those early morning journeys to uni...

TheHouseThatModernArtBuilt

Photo - Flickr

R.I.P.

2010-02-13T22:46:00.000+01:00

A few days have passed since the news of Lee McQueen's tragic death first broke, and in that time I have written, re-written and then deleted this post several times. It's not that I don't want to acknowledge the loss of such a wonderful, important man or honour his life and achievements - I do, and that is what keeps me coming back; how I've ended up writing these very words over and over again. It would be all too easy to harp on about my own personal sadness at the loss of such a creative genius, the huge gap his passing will leave in the fashion world and what can possibly come next for the Alexander McQueen label, but this all pales in significance when compared to the absolute devastation that his close friends and family must currently be feeling.

Yes, he was one of the very best designers of our time - one who will undoubtedly be remembered and held in high esteem for years to come - but the fashion industry is notoriously fickle and it will move on, perhaps a little too quickly. In the mean time, there are people out there who have lost their son, brother, or very best friend, and who's worlds will never be the same again - my heart goes out to them, and I hope, for their sake, he is allowed to rest in peace.

Photo from showstudio.com

Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings. - Jane Austen.

2010-02-09T19:33:00.003+01:00

Wow, it has been a hideously long time since I posted anything at all, much less anything worthwhile or interesting. I would apologise but I fear that an apology would give unnecessary importance to my ramblings and their place in the blogosphere. And anyway, such an extended absence does not come without good reason - the past few weeks have passed in an mad whirlwind of activity, excitement and general insanity; I suppose that's what you get for complaining about January-induced boredom?!

Three countries, five cities, several flights and a whole handful of road-trips: I partied far too hard and have the (physical and mental) scars to prove it, all the while trying to plan, co-ordinate and pack for yet another move abroad. It's only now that I'm sat in my new bedroom, in this city that I will call home for the next few months, that I finally have time to stop, catch my breath and consider what my next move may be - my first night in Barcelona, what to do with it? Part of me wants to do something crazy - go on an exciting adventure, drink and dance the night away and meet wonderful new people - but after a day like today (and the frantic few weeks I've just had) I mostly just want to drink lots of tea, unpack my suitcase, and crawl into bed for some much needed rest before things really kick off here and I end up sleep-deprived all over again!

I have been here less than six hours so far, but I'm already falling in love with the place and have no doubt that the next five months here will be utterly amazing - I just cannot wait to get started! I'm off exploring tomorrow with Viv, a friend from Canterbury, and will undoubtedly return with stories and exciting new photographs to share, but in the meantime, I leave you with some from the last time I was in Barcelona and the promise to be a better blogger in future, regardless of the exciting and dramatic events that may well fill the coming weeks.

I like my money right where I can see it - hanging in my closet. - Carrie Bradshaw.

2010-01-22T03:48:00.003+01:00

I know I'm not alone in finding January to be horrendously depressing - I vaguely remember reading that more people kill themselves in the first thirty-one days of the year than at any other time and I'm not entirely sure I blame them. Okay, so I'm being slightly melodramatic, but seriously, the combination of the post-Christmas anticlimax, almost developing snow-induced cabin fever and being abandoned by all but my very closest family as they pursue more exciting endeavours; how could January fail to induce anything other than feelings of utter despondency?!

This month does have one, rather substantial and exciting saving grace and it landed with a satisfying thud right into my bank account on Monday morning, in the form of the latest student loan instalment. While I am fully aware that this money needs to pay my rent for the next three months and should definitely not be charitably donated to Philip Green or any other equally needy entrepreneurs, I could not resist treating myself slightly in celebration - I guess old habits really do die hard!

I was actually uncharacteristically restrained and only made purchases which were either a) absolute unimaginable bargains or b) completely and utterly necessary to my future happiness and well-being. And so I introduce - courtesy of my new camera, an inherited tripod and a series of bizarre facial expressions - the most recent additions to my wardrobe...

Black Velvet Body - Topshop

* Blue Bodycon Skirt - H&M

Lace Tights - H&M

* Cocktail Ring - Topshop

* Bracelet - H&M

Pearls - H&M

* Flower Hair Clip - H&M

* Sheer Blouse - H&M

Bandeau Bra - American Apparel

Black Jeans - Topshop

* Flower Hair Clip - H&M

* Cocktail Ring - Topshop

Pearls - H&M

* Bracelet - H&M

* Floral Cut-Out Dress - Topshop

Lace Tights - H&M

Pearls - H&M

* Cocktail Ring - Topshop

* Bracelet - H&M

I should add that only the starred items are actually new, unfortunately I wasn't quite the spend-thrift that this post would like to imply!

Anyway, I am Canterbury-bound for the weekend to visit some of my favourite, hard-working third years, and am then headed back to France for a brief visit on Tuesday so will probably be rather absent from the blogging world in the meantime. I do, however, promise a dramatic return at the end of next week and some (hopefully) exciting stories to tell - let's face it, any stories would be better than the news that I've been moping around Surrey with the January blues for another week!

One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art. - Oscar Wilde.

2010-01-20T21:20:00.001+01:00

Introducing my very favourite new method of procrastination - Looklet. Piecing together new and interesting outfits from my rather limited (but ever-increasing) wardrobe is already a favourite hobby, but the discovery of this wonderful new website combines this with an extensive online 'wardrobe' an endless possibilities for fabulous ensembles. As a result, I have already lost a large portion of the past few days to the ongoing plight for the perfect hypothetical outfits; here you see some of my most recent attempts and I encourage you to join me in channeling your creativity into online styling - after all, if my productivity is going to suffer as a result of this, I'm bringing you all down with me!

Life's pretty good, and why wouldn't it be? I'm a pirate, after all. - Johnny Depp.

2010-01-13T14:20:00.008+01:00

I have spotted these Alexander McQueen Swarovski skull rings in so many different places over the past few days, I'm beginning to feel like they're stalking me, trying to catch my eye and pull on my heart strings. If this is indeed their intention, I would be inclined to suggest that they are succeeding - I've always been a fan of McQueen and his trademark skull designs, having lusted after that scarf from the moment I first set eyes on it, however these wonderful cocktail rings go a step further, bringing together a blissful combination of some of my very favourite things - obnoxiously large rings, sparkly Swarovski crystals and Alexander McQueen's winning designs - how could I fail to fall absolutely, head-over-heels in love with them?!

Now I just need to decide which one I love more (I'm leaning towards the silver at the moment), and find somebody who loves me enough to spend £180 on outrageous jewellery for no real reason - shouldn't be too difficult, right??

Photos - Net-a-Porter

Confessions of a List Addict...

2010-01-12T13:49:00.001+01:00

I have a confession to make: I am a chronic list-maker. To-do lists, shopping lists, playlists, lists of quotes I want to remember - any sort of list you can imagine, I've probably written it, in fact, if you took all the time I've ever spent writing lists and put it towards actually achieving the items on them, I'd probably be a hell of a lot further along with my life goals (another list that I have, of course, written!)

Anyway, this not-so-groundbreaking confession (if you know me, you are probably well aware of the habit) comes with a story - several months ago, while procrastinating and generally perusing the blogosphere, I stumbled across something. Something wonderful, something that made my compulsive list-making feel a little less like a guilty pleasure and slightly more socially acceptable - well, at least I realised that I'm not the only crazy list fiend out there. I am, of course, talking about the Secret Society of List Addicts, an amazing blog run by a whole group of fellow list-makers.

Having read religiously ever since, and basked gleefully in a shared obsession, I finally plucked up the courage to submit one of my very own lists, which can now be found here in the form of my very first ever guest post - check it ouuuut! I hope you'll enjoy my list and the many other fantastic ones that can be found there - you name it and they've listed it!

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. - Anne Bradstreet.

2010-01-07T16:32:00.000+01:00

Surrey is currently trapped in the depths of winter - and when I say trapped, I mean it; it has been snowing since Tuesday and is showing no signs of stopping, driving is incredibly difficult on the horrendously icy roads, and going anywhere or getting anything done without getting in a car is all but impossible in this town. While this was all very fun to begin with - hours were spent yesterday sledging and playing in the snow - it is now becoming rather tiresome as life has come to an almost complete standstill and we're all beginning to show signs of cabin fever! In an attempt to forget quite how cold it currently is outside, I've taken to reading and daydreaming about the upcoming spring trends instead...

♥ Manicured Ruffles – Beautiful ruffled designs, so entirely symbolic of the romance of springtime, yet clipped and styled in a way that they’re not overly girly or frivolous – what’s not to love?!

♥ Extreme Wedges – Nothing indicates the ending of winter like a pair of wedges – just as this season has verged on the extreme, so will the footwear trend that bids it goodbye. The bigger and bolder the better, lets join together in banishing this icy-cold weather and welcoming in the spring!

♥ Accessory Overkill – As a die-hard fan of both accessorising and outlandish statements, any trend which suggests adorning oneself with as many accessories as can be physically managed is immediately going to appeal to me. My advice is to embrace the opportunity to be slightly outrageous and pile on the jewellery while you can!

♥ Lingerie Galore – Having previously raved about the upcoming ‘underwear-as-outerwear’ trend, I feel that my enthusiasm needs very little explanation. There is, of course, scope for it to all end disastrously with one looking more ‘sex worker’ than ‘on-trend’ but as long as this look is handled tastefully (i.e. don’t just wear your underwear) there is no reason that a corset or some sheer fabric can’t take their place in your spring wardrobe.

♥ Pretty Pastels – After months of dark colours, harsh fabrics and excessive studding dominating our lives, there is nothing like a breath of sartorial fresh air in the form of some pretty pastel colours. While I’m not going all floaty and feminine on you, I am a firm advocator of season-appropriate colours, and nothing says spring quite like a bouquet of pastels.

- Cut-Out Dresses – From innocent slashed necklines to more revealing windows and cut-out designs; this trend has the potential to go either way – a little bit of extra skin on show could work wonders for a slightly unusual spring look, while if too much is ‘cut-out’ it could end up rather on the trashy side.

- All-Weather Leather – For something normally associated with the colder months of autumn and winter, there was a surprising abundance of leather in the Spring ’10 shows. It is, however, a fresh, vernal take on the use of leather, with bright colours and unexpected uses of the fabric – whether it will take off in the real world remains to be seen, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this unusual trend.

- Digital Prints – I’m all for prints and patterns - life (and fashion) would be exceedingly dull without them, but I remain somewhat dubious as to the place of digitally created patterns in our wardrobes; it all seems to be a rather complicated way of creating what is not necessarily a superior pattern and I can’t help but wonder what’s wrong with a simple floral print?

∅ Mid-Blue Hues – Spring ’10 sees the comeback of very blue denim, not a bad idea in theory, but the prospect of this excessively blue and overused denim, possibly alongside more, slightly washed-out denim, just screams Europe in the early 90s – an era I’m not quite ready to recreate yet!

∅ Khaki Crazy – I’m all for a bit of military influence on my wardrobe and have worn army-inspired jackets with the best of them but khaki is my least favourite colour, and while it does have its place in the world, I’m inclined to believe that this place is more in the realms of a fancy-dress get-up than my own spring outfits.

Photos

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instil in us. - Hal Borland.

2009-12-31T14:56:00.000+01:00

And so we find ourselves at the very end of 2009 - it's been an incredible year with some absolutely mind-blowing highs and equally exaggerated lows; life today is virtually unrecognisable when compared to that of a year ago - everything that could have done has changed completely and I've changed a huge amount with it. It remains to be seen quite what effect these changes will have on my life; not enough time has yet passed to allow things to be seen entirely clearly and who knows how things will end up in one, two, or ten years time. The one thing I do know is that tomorrow is supposed to be a time for new starts - an idea that I've always been rather sceptical about; I firmly believe that change should come from necessity or good timing and not simply because that is what society dictates for a particular day in the year. There may well be destructive habits that I should leave behind me and new, more positive activities that would facilitate my development into a happier, healthier and generally better person but this will not happen over-night and certainly not simply because it's what I should be doing.

Tonight is really just another night, nobody will undergo a radical transformation into a miraculously superior human being at midnight, just because a new year is upon us - we will all be the same flawed individuals constantly striving to improve ourselves in one way or another and doing our best to be the people we would so like to be. For this reason I'm not against the idea of 'New Year's Resolutions' or any other attempt at self-improvement which can only have a positive effect on the individual and the world around them, but firmly believe that resolutions need not be restricted to this one day of the year - we should feel free to make vows to change for the better at any time. Instead of making resolutions, I'm working on a list of 10 things I would like to achieve in 2010 - this will not necessarily involve forcing myself to become a slightly better person, but will hopefully give me the motivation to accomplish some things that have been on my to-do list for a while!

Despite this rather ambivalent attitude towards the whole idea of New Year's Eve and the traditions associated with it, I'm always up for a celebration and will indeed be out tonight. While there is often too much pressure put on NYE to fulfil everyone's expectations and see the new year in with a bang, tonight will be spent with my very best friend, lots of wine and even more dancing - I fail to see how this could be anything but the perfect way to spend the last night of this year.

I've complied a playlist of songs which define 2009 for me, one which will most likely be playing tonight as we decide what to wear and get ourselves all dolled up for the fun and games that will follow. Some of these tracks highlight the best and most significant moments of the year, while others are just amazing songs that were released this year - either way, they're all rather wonderful and I hope you enjoy them...

theverybestoftwothousandandnine

1. Passion Pit - Little Secrets

2. Kings Of Leon - Knocked Up

3. Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

4. The Cribs - Cheat On Me

5. Chase & Status - Against All Odds

6. Lady Gaga - Paparazzi

7. Kasabian - Fire

8. Florence & The Machine - Drumming Song

9. Shakira - She Wolf

10. La Roux - In For The Kill (Skream Let's Get Ravey Remix)

Happy New Year!

I hope that you have an amazing night, whatever you may be doing!

Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time. - Jean Paul Richter.

2009-12-29T23:42:00.000+01:00

I wore - crushed velvet body - Topshop, high-waisted skirt - American Apparel, butterfly patterned tights and pearls - H&M, black sequinned shoes - Etam, and a cardigan/shawl thing of questionable origin, I just know it's been in my wardrobe for years!

My 21st birthday party; quite possibly the best party I have ever had, certainly worth turning 21 for! Ignore any reservations I may have previously had about celebrating or the unfortunate timing of my birthday, my wonderful friends and various relatives all made a huge effort to get themselves to my house (which incidentally is a pretty much impossible task after 6pm unless a willing chauffeur is available!) to help make this birthday one to remember. It truly was the recipe for a perfect evening - a handful of amazing friends, lots of food and even more wine, finished off with a generous helping of gossip and giggles - I couldn't have wished for a better birthday:

Thank you all!

Every gift from a friend is a wish for your happiness. - Richard Bach.

2009-12-27T23:49:00.001+01:00

And so the first week of my Christmas holiday has already flashed past in a whirlwind of excitement, shopping and champagne. It's been a particularly strange week, one that has passed with phenomenal speed whilst also giving me the strange impression of never having been away. Fortunately I still have a couple of token Euros in my purse and random French words popping into my head (and occasionally out of my mouth) without me really asking them to, all reminding me that my time in Lyon was more than just a bizarre and slightly surreal dream!

This week has been spent in the midst of a huge flurry of activity and excitement - the sort that can only truly be induced by the most festive of all seasons. It began with frantic shopping, wrapping and card-writing, while also trying to organise reunions with as many friends and family-members as possible and culminated in three days of tremendous indulgence with some of my very favourite people. We all ate and drank far more than would be normally acceptable - so much so that my first New Year's resolution will definitely involve some sort of detox and exercise regime - and received many, many wonderful presents.

So many lovely things, I barely know what to do with myself: My family obviously know me and my love affair with all things sparkly far better than I thought and I have several more items to add to my sequin-covered collection. I am also now the proud owner of a beautiful MacBook Pro and Canon DSLR camera - courtesy of my parents and grandparents - and have spent a large part of the weekend playing around with them and making a nuisance of myself with incessant photography and computer-based activities. Aside from this uncharacteristically sizeable helping of electronic gadgets, the remaining gifts were more in keeping with my usual wishlists of make-up, perfume, jewellery, clothes and money (to be spent on more make-up, perfume, jewellery and clothes!)

While I appreciate every one of these amazing presents immensely and would hate to be labelled spoilt or ungrateful, they only improved what would already have been an utterly fantastic Christmas. The longer I spend away from my family, the more I value the short and increasingly infrequent opportunities we have to spend time together; this Christmas I have been lucky enough to spend some time with nearly all of my most cherished family members - from completing puzzles with a young cousin to Christmas shopping with my mother and playing board games with my grandparents, I could not be more grateful for the chance to enjoy the company of those that I no longer see nearly often enough.

Anyway, the madness of the festive season is not yet over in my house; my 21st birthday party is tomorrow and there is still rather a lot to do! While there are considerable obstacles to this party - I'm not entirely ready to accept the fate of being twenty-one and the timing of my birthday leaves something to be desired as far as party-planning goes - my family and closest friends will be here to celebrate with me and for that reason alone, I am extremely excited!

'Tis the season...

2009-12-22T17:27:00.001+01:00

Wow, so I'm home for Christmas. Already?! I am utterly confused as to how almost four months of my life managed to flash by without me really noticing and land me back in England before I knew what was happening.

While I have had an absolutely amazing time in France over the past few months, it's rather lovely to be back in sleepy Surrey for a while. There's something wonderful about cosy evenings in front of the fire and home-cooked food that I've never managed to replicate when living away and I intend to maximise my enjoyment of all these home comforts during the next month - hopefully it will be enough to keep me going through the next five months of being abroad!

Having rather underestimated the chaos that always occurs at this time of year, as well as the mayhem that I have created for myself by leaving all of my shopping to the last minute, my absence from the blogging world has continued for far longer than anticipated. However, I do promise an exciting and dramatic return after Christmas (and my 21st birthday!!) when I will have a brand new laptop and DSLR camera to play around with and possibly even some money to spend on lovely new things for my wardrobe...

In the meantime, I'll leave you with a Christmas playlist to fill your hearts with all sorts of festive joy. I'm rather bored with the usual Christmas songs that surround us at this time of year, so instead have compiled an alternative playlist, brimming with slightly different but utterly festive songs - I hope you enjoy it!

an alternative christmas playlist

1. Nat King Cole - The Happiest Christmas Tree

2. The Hives & Cyndi Lauper - A Christmas Duel

3. Pet Shop Boys - It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas

4. The Wombats - Is This Christmas?

5. Lady Gaga & Space Cowboy - Christmas Tree

6. Sufjan Stevens - That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!

7. Twisted Sister - Heavy Metal Christmas

8. The Beach Boys - (I Saw Santa) Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

9. The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song

10. Slow Club - Christmas TV

11. The Raveonettes - Christmas Ghosts

12. Frightened Rabbit - It's Christmas So We'll Stop

13. The Kinks - Father Christmas

14. Sufjan Stevens - It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad!

15. The Beach Boys - Santa's Beard

16. The Who - Christmas (Remixed Album Version)

17. Sufjan Stevens - Did I Make You Cry On Christmas? Well, You Deserved It!

18. KT Tunstall - Mele Kalikimaka (Christmas In Hawaii)

19. Smash Mouth - The Christmas Song

20. Jackson 5 - Someday at Christmas

Happy Christmas!

So snow comes after fire, and even dragons have their ending. - J.R.R. Tolkien.

2009-12-19T18:51:00.000+01:00

Jumper - Vintage, Leggings & Pearls - H&M, Boots - Zara.

My first ever outfit post; it's not even a particularly good outfit, but does accurately highlight my snow-induced obsession with all things knitted. I've discovered that clothes shopping when it's icy cold outside is almost as unproductive as food shopping when hungry - my head is filled with desires for oversized jumpers and leather gloves when I should instead be focussing on Christmas gift ideas!

The past week has been absolutely manic, even by my usual too-rushed-off-my-feet-to-think standards and between exams and trying to say goodbye to everyone before I leave tomorrow, I've had no time at all to post anything of any real quality. Sadly this period of frenetic activity will soon be a distant memory; as of tomorrow, I'll be back in the sleepy British countryside, most likely with more time on my hands than I know what to do with, so normal blogging should resume shortly.

Anyway, I must continue with the rather laborious task of packing - trying to split all my worldly possessions between two suitcases, one destined for home and the other for Barcelona is certainly not an easy job, particularly for somebody who suffers from chronic indecisive-ness!

There is no delight in owning anything unshared. - Seneca.

2009-12-15T17:08:00.066+01:00

Between the almost-Siberian winter that seems to be going on outside and the three exams that I must take in the next two days, it is rather difficult to remain upbeat at the moment - frozen toes and a revision-addled brain are certainly not conducive to maintaining a good mood! Fortunately my spirits are fairly easily lifted with a bit of cheerful music and I have spent a little too much of the afternoon dancing around my room in an oversized jumper, leggings and very thick socks.

As Spotify has been encouraging me to do so at every possible opportunity, and I have very little time or energy to post anything more extravagant, here is a sample of the playlist that has been fuelling occasional bursts of productivity in a largely procrastination-filled afternoon. These twenty songs are hugely varied in their nature - some are long-standing favourites, while others are newly discovered gems that I cannot stop listening to, however they are united by the fact that they have all served to brighten my mood and distract me temporarily from this rather dreary day.

happyhappyhappy

1. Lykke Li - Let It Fall
2. Cage The Elephant - In One Ear
3. The Big Pink - Dominos
4. The Cribs - Cheat On Me
5. Florence + The Machine - Drumming Sound
6. Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Thou Shalt Always Kill
7. La Roux - In For The Kill (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Mix)
8. Passion Pit - The Reeling
9. The Libertines - Time For Heroes
10. Regina Spektor - Eet
11. Animal Collective - My Girls
12. Marina And The Diamonds - Mowgli's Road
13. Biffy Clyro - The Captain
14. Empire Of The Sun - We Are The People
15. Cajun Dance Party - Colourful Life
16. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
17. Kings Of Leon - Knocked Up
18. Le Tigre - Deceptacon
19. The Maccabees - No Kind Words
20. Bon Iver - Blood Bank

Right, I'm going to take my dancing self off to the kitchen to bake some chocolate brownies in a last-ditch attempt to distract myself from the three utterly terrifying exams that will monopolise the next forty-eight hours of my life. Then maybe, just maybe, I'll settle down for an evening of hardcore revision. Ugh.

I'll be back soon, most likely in an exam-free state of ecstasy, and hopefully with some more inspired and interesting things to write about! In the meantime, happy listening - let me know what you think?

'Tis my faith that every flower enjoys the air it breathes. - William Wordsworth.

2009-12-13T23:16:00.165+01:00

The weather here continues to deteriorate at a rather concerning rate; what began as a slightly wet and windy week has ended with rapidly declining temperatures and a brief flurry of snow. While this sparked some initial excitement and served to enhance our already blossoming festive spirit, it soon became very apparent just how inconvenient a prolonged period of snow and biting cold would be and we all returned, rather speedily, to our previous stance of bemoaning the bad weather and longing wistfully for those all-too-distant summer months.

The sad fact of the matter is that we are only just entering the early stages of what I predict to be a rather long and miserable winter - one which I imagine will necessitate a variety of ingenious methods to ensure emotional survival! One of my most successful winter coping mechanisms, aside from the frequent utilisation of woolly scarves, thick socks and cosy evenings spent by an open fire, involves fantasising about that elusive moment where one can cast their winter coat to one side and begin immersing themselves in the exciting new clothes of the moment.

This technique is already being heavily employed as an antidote to the depression which would be otherwise inevitable when faced with months of 'sensible' dressing - a rather dreary prospect, lessened considerably by the inspiring trends which seem to be emerging for Spring 2010 (I still can't quite get used to writing that, is 2009 really almost over?!) For a self-confessed pattern junkie, the most eagerly anticipated of these trends is the wonderful amount of floral patterning which is currently sweeping across runway shows and will undoubtedly be popping up in high street stores everywhere in the springtime.

Left - Chanel, Centre - DKNY, Right - Christian Dior

Left - DKNY, Centre - Marni, Right - Dolce & Gabbana.

Left - DKNY, Centre - Richard Chai, Right - Adam.

I quite simply cannot get enough of floral patterns at any time of year - a quick glance into my wardrobe over here reveals at least five items featuring some sort of pretty, petal-inspired motif, without even considering the vast amount of clothes that I have left in England - and I particularly feel that putting emphasis on the use of florals in the Spring is utterly wonderful. What better way could there possibly be to emerge from the bleak monotony of winter than with these bright, beautiful patterns, symbolic of new life and all that the springtime encompasses?

Photos - Elle.com

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present. - Francis Beacon.

2009-12-09T17:00:00.168+01:00

After an unusually long absence from the blogosphere, I am back, and not without some stories to tell. A sudden disappearance which I feel can be reasonably justified by such an uncharacteristically manic and exciting weekend - one which stretched from Saturday right through until Tuesday no less! It was, of course, the weekend of the annual Fête des Lumières in Lyon and so the whole city descended into absolute chaos.

It was a wonderful sort of chaos though; huge crowds of people filled the streets and it was difficult to get anywhere with any speed, but everybody was feeling particularly cheerful and we were all quite content to slowly meander through the streets, enjoying the incredible light displays and sampling the vin chaud from various different street vendors along the way. Quite apart from the fact that half of France seemed to have come to join in with the festivities, we also had several visitors of our own, with friends and family members from every corner of the globe (or at least Europe) making the journey to Lyon, hoping to see the city in all its festive glory.

This opportunity to play host in a city that I have been living in for several months, but have still not full explored, allowed me to discover a few new things myself and made me rather proud to call this city my home (or at least my home-for-now!) The festival itself was utterly amazing; I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting, but it certainly exceeded any expectations I may have had! There was such an incredible amount to see, with exhibits ranging from gigantic, themed light displays on the city's major buildings to indoor laser shows and the projection of 'La Dolce Vita' on the fountain at the Place des Jacobins. With more than seventy individual light installations - some of which were far more spectacular than others - it would have been all but impossible to get to them all in only four days, but we did our best to see as many as we could and I feel confident that we did the festival justice.

Unfortunately, the photos taken on my 4 megapixel, point and shoot camera leave something to be desired - I feel it would be rather unfair, having raved on about how spectacular all these exhibits were, to share my rather blurry and lacklustre pictures with you, so I have instead selected some of the very best photos from the 'Fête des Lumières' group on Flickr, which will give you a far better idea of just how wonderful the weekend was.

An Ode to Topshop...

2009-12-03T01:54:00.005+01:00

Yet another afternoon lost, sucked into that oh-too-familiar black hole of online shopping, never to be returned or used for more productive pursuits. Oh well, why change the habit of a lifetime?! In all seriousness though, I was utterly captivated by Topshop.com for a good couple of hours and probably wouldn't have stopped there if Sophie hadn't arrived to drag me out of the flat and force some actual human interaction. I don't know if it's due to my current lack of funds and unfortunate global positioning which make any non-hypothetical purchases all but impossible, or if Topshop are now making their clothes (and bags and shoes and hats and jewellery......) out of magical fairy dust which instantly makes them more appealing?

Whatever they're doing, they're definitely on the right track - my usual game of 'let's fill my shopping basket with as many items as possible before I realise that I can't afford any of it and quickly step away from the computer' led to some phenomenally unrealistic numbers appearing at the bottom of the screen. I couldn't help myself; so many wonderful dresses/shoes/bags/hats/necklaces/{insert any item of clothing here} all in one place, it was all I could do to keep my already battered debit card firmly in my bag (in reality, the whereabouts of my debit card are irrelevant - years of online shopping have left my bank details permanently imprinted on my brain, but you get the metaphor...)

I had to distract myself somehow and prevent the financial ruin that would undoubtedly occur should I allow myself to make even one purchase - it's a slippery slope, and one that I would quickly tumble down, landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom. This distraction came in the form of collage compilation, and so I proudly present a relatively small selection (when compared to the contents of my basket!) of hypothetical 'must-haves' that would find themselves in my wardrobe in a heartbeat, should money suddenly become no object.

1. Vintage Sequin Beret - £16 - I need a hat, Lyon is incredibly cold at the moment and sequins as well as a warm head? This beret is my idea of heaven!

2. Parisian Wedges - £130 - I feel no explanation is necessary here, just look at them, they are beautiful!

3. Velvet Cameo Cross Body Bag - £30 - Velvet-y perfection in bag form. I'm still struggling to convince myself I can live without it.

4. Pearl Double Fabric Belt - £35 - A belt like this would bring a touch of class and elegance to any outfit - who doesn't need that in their lives?!

5. Sequin Mini Skirt - £85 - More sequins? Not really surprising, it is my wish-list after all...
6. Velvet Bow Playsuit - £60 - Velvet is rapidly making its way on to my list of obsessions, after all, who doesn't enjoy wearing clothes that everybody wants to stroke?!
7. Striped Gold Button Cardigan - £28 - The first practical item on this list - everyone needs cardigans in the winter; this one might actually manage to worm its way into my wardrobe!
8. Cameo Print Purse - £20 - I love the cameo print and the monochrome colours, it's just a shame that Topshop will soon have all my money and I'll have no need for a purse.
9. Diamante High Waisted Hotpants - £35 - The word diamante would normally put me off, but for some reason I'm still lusting after them. I think the 'high-waisted' element must counteract it somehow.
10. Bow Charm Bangle - £8 - Big, bangle-y goodness with added bows and beads? I realise this sounds like a cereal advert - I think this bracelet would improve my mornings more than Special K ever could.
11. Fur Trapper Hat - £22 - Another sensible suggestion - everybody needs warm ears in the depths of winter and your head will be so much happier in a beautiful (faux) fur hat!
12. Leather Metallic Bag - £25 - Wonderful colour, beautiful gold edging and big enough to actually put things in - a match made in bag heaven?!
13. Large Flower Ring - £14 - Obnoxiously large rings are definitely the way forward, especially when they're flower-shaped.
14. Sherbert Bow Platform Shoe - £70 - Monochromatic without being boring, bows without being cutsey, what a delicious combination!

And my hypothetical spending spree comes in at the rather terrifying total of £578! Well, who needs to pay rent anyway?!

We've found a witch, may we burn her?! - Monty Python.

2009-12-01T23:44:00.001+01:00

Wow, so it's December already?! Where exactly has 2009 gone? While part of me is absolutely terrified by how quickly time is passing, I cannot help but be insanely excited about the wonderful things that this month will undoubtedly bring - three more weeks of fun in Lyon before I will return to England for Christmas, birthdays and time spent with some of my very favourite people, all of whom have been rather too absent from my life as of late. Ooooh I cannot wait!

December also brings with it the excitement of advent calendars; I refuse to accept that I am too old to open windows and eat chocolate first thing in the morning, even if it is now integrated into my morning coffee and make-up routine rather than as a special Christmassy treat after cereal and orange juice. There is a small part of me that secretly uses it as a countdown to my birthday and for this reason I believe I will never be too old for this rather child-like activity! This morning's window revealed a jolly little snowman, bringing some festive cheer to an otherwise cold and unremarkable day.

Unremarkable, that is, until the particularly enjoyable events of this evening: I have just got back from a screening of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' at a Terry Gilliam retrospective which has taken over l'Institut Lumière for the foreseeable future. Aside from the fact that the man is clearly a film-making genius, Monty Python has a rather special place in my heart; I was essentially brought up on their films and sketches, and when I wasn't watching them, I was having lengthy sections quoted at me by my father (and at times my brother!) As I am rather far away from home at present, it was lovely to do something that reminded me so strongly of them both, along with all of our silly family jokes - I suspect I'll be back to see rather too many of the other Gilliam films showing between now and the end of the month!

Anyway, I must now take myself to bed - I have a French grammar exam tomorrow and a rather distressing amount of work to complete before the weekend comes around, bringing with it many visitors and the excitement of the Fête des Lumières.

Goodnight.

Photos - Flickr

Topshop - Dress Me Up, Please?!

2009-11-29T22:13:00.004+01:00

Lanvin Dress - Donated by Kate Moss

Dolce & Gabbana Dress - Donated by Peaches Geldof

Nanette Lepore Dress - Donated by Scarlett Johansson

Christopher Kane Dress - Donated by Christopher Kane

Jayson Brundson Dress - Donated by Dita Von Teese

Antik Batik Dress - Donated by Kimberley Stewart

With the festive season fast approaching, women all over the world are united in the quest for the perfect party dress. While the occasions may vary hugely in their nature and dress-code, the desire remains the same - to stand out from the crowd and wow your friends/family/co-workers/neighbour's dogs with your stylish apparel. In this situation, who wouldn't want to turn up at a party in a one-of-a-kind designer dress?! For the majority, this prospect has always been a distant fantasy, wildly concocted as they stared longingly at magazine pages or into shop windows, however with Topshop's new 'Dress Me Up' initiative, this dream could now become reality.

The deal is this, if you can get yourself down to the flagship Topshop store at Oxford Circus any time between now and the 6th of December, you can try on any of the extensive range of dresses donated by celebrities and designers, which include, but is not restricted to, those pictured above. Once your decision has been made - and as far as I'm concerned, picking a favourite from this amazing selection would be the most difficult task! - you can have the dress (or dresses if you're so inclined) of your choice for the night of your event, all for the very reasonable fee of only £40. If you do decide that you simply cannot bear to be parted with your new favourite dress, the range will be up for auction after the Christmas season and a few lucky women will be able claim permanent ownership of these wonderful garments.

If you're not already convinced that this is the best idea to come out of the fashion industry in decades, add into the equation that neither Topshop nor the contributors are making a penny out of this scheme - it is all in the name of charity, and the proceeds will be split between Age Concern and Help the Aged. So you can get your hands on a beautiful dress, look fabulous for your Christmas party and do your bit for charity, all at the same time!

Unfortunately I won't be back in England in time to make the most of this offer, but I urge anybody in need of a party dress to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to indulge their sartorial desires whilst also donating to a very worthy cause.

Photos - Vogue UK

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. - W.T.Ellis.

2009-11-26T23:34:00.001+01:00

And so the countdown begins; today is the 26th of November and Christmas is officially less than a month away! Words cannot express how much I love this time of year, there is something so incredibly magical and exciting about the lead up to Christmas that makes all the other seasons pale in comparison (it probably does help a teeny, tiny bit that Christmas also means birthday time for me, although the prospect of turning 21 is actually more terrifying than exciting at the moment!)

The people of Lyon seem to share my love of all things Christmassy and the city is currently gearing up for some serious festivities - the Christmas market opened today (and it is amazing!), a ferris wheel has appeared in one of the main squares and there is more vin chaud on offer than anyone really knows what to do with. Eeeek!

More exciting than any of this, however, are the preparations for the annual 'Fête des Lumières' which takes place from the 5th to the 8th of December. The festival actually originates from the 15th century when the people of Lyon displayed candles in their windows to show gratitude towards the Virgin Mary after successfully evading a plague epidemic; but anything which involves adorning buildings in masses of pretty lights is always going to put me in a rather festive mood!

Having spent a large part of this evening procrastinating my way out of that enormous pile of translation work by looking up previous years displays, I am now feeling the Christmas spirit more than ever. Particularly when combined with my own romantic vision of us, wrapped up in our warmest clothes with vin chaud in one hand and a crepe in the other, making girly 'Ooooh' noises in response to the pretty lights. Aah, it's almost exciting enough to compensate for missing out on Bonfire Night!

Photos - Flickr

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't. - Alice in Wonderland

2009-11-25T01:17:00.008+01:00

Last Easter, just minutes after my student loan had been deposited into my bank account, I decided to go shopping (anybody who knows me will not find this remotely surprising, but I urge you to continue reading!) Anyway, among other things, I stumbled upon this rather delightful floral print dress in Topshop which I instantly fell in love with - a love affair which reached even dizzier heights when I glanced at the price tag and registered that it could be mine for under £20. Before I knew it, I was at the counter and it was only as the word 'Nightwear' flashed up on the screen in front of me that it all suddenly made sense. Not one to be influenced or concerned by labels, I handed over my card and purchased it anyway - after all, if I had confused it for a slightly short but very pretty dress, I'm sure others would too!

In a later phone call to the bff we giggled at my mistake and hypothesised over how many of our other undergarments we would be able to pass off as acceptable daytime clothing before vowing to start an 'underwear as outerwear' trend. It appears that we were not the only ones tempted to parade around in our bras and knickers in the name of fashion, as lingerie dressing has recently been making an appearance on catwalks all over the world...

Left - Dolce & Gabbana Centre - Bottega Veneta Right - Christian Dior

Left - Chloe Centre - House of Holland Right - Vanessa Bruno

Left - Yves Saint Laurent Centre - Jean Paul Gaultier Right - Alexander Wang

Left - Fendi Centre - Christian Dior Right - Cushnie et Ochs

What do you think - will we all be running around in a state of undress this Spring or is it called underwear for a reason?!

Photos - Imaxtree

All that glitters is not gold - if you're really lucky, it's sequins!

2009-11-24T01:32:00.009+01:00

My intense love of sequins is quite possibly one of the world's worst kept secrets; just ask anybody fortunate enough to have been one of my many shopping companions at some point during the past few months and they would almost certainly verify that I am drawn to them like some kind of sartorial magpie. What began as a fairly minor appreciation of all things sparkly grew gradually over time until I laid eyes upon that blue Balmain dress (photo below) at which point it snowballed into a full blown obsession and before I knew what had happened, it was all I could do not to adorn myself in head-to-toe sequins every time I left the house.

This waistcoat from H&M is my current most coveted item - it is literally haunting me, I even had a sequinned-waistcoat-based dream a couple of nights ago, so I fear I may have to neglect my heartfelt vow to save the ever-decreasing amount of Erasmus grant left in my possession and snap it up before it disappears!

When I'm not staring longingly at that particular item and daydreaming about the immediate benefits that would undoubtedly result from its purchase, there are several other (less realistic) sequin-laden garments that I have been lusting over for longer than I care to admit...

1. Blue Striped Dress - Balmain

2. Silver Dress - Issac Mizrahi

3. Gold Trophy Blazer - Topshop

4. Multicoloured Dress - Topshop Unique

5. Black Leggings - H&M

It is the most wonderfully extravagant and outrageous trend to grace the highstreet for some time, and as the Christmas party season approaches (not to mention my 21st and NYE!) it's showing no signs of wavering; hopefully I'll be able to indulge my inner magpie for a little while longer?!

On y danse, on y danse, sous le pont d'Avignon...

2009-11-23T11:20:00.009+01:00

And so, the harsh reality of Monday morning bites again after an absolutely wonderful weekend that none of us were quite ready to leave behind. This week will mostly be filled with tedious activities – lectures, presentations and translation – although I will also try to squeeze in some fun stuff, particularly as the realisation that I only have four weeks left in Lyon before returning to England for Christmas has now hit rather hard and there is still so much for me to do here!

Anyway, enough of boring plans for the week ahead and back to the adventures of a weekend spent with friends in Avignon…

We arrived on Friday after a rather long and crowded train journey from Lyon and spent the first part of the evening at a bar in the main square in Avignon catching upon on two months worth of Erasmus gossip and silliness before moving on to Delirium – a rather sophisticated jazz club housed within a deceptively rundown building. Once inside, this place, with its live music, interesting décor and waitresses in 1930s style dresses, was essentially my idea of heaven. I could happily spend many more evenings enveloped in this incredible atmosphere, if only it could somehow be transported to Lyon?!

Saturday was largely spent sleeping and sitting in various cafes drinking coffee, interspersed with occasional bursts of energetic sightseeing until it all became too much and we settled for dinner and then drinks at another bar on the main square. We were soon feeling sufficiently fed and refreshed and so ventured on to the infamous ‘Redzone’, having been told that it was a necessary part of the Avignon experience. And experience it certainly was – the place was absolutely packed and played a bizarre range of music, but we still managed to dance and giggle for several hours, until our feet and eyes began to grow weary and we decided it was time to call it a night.

Having done a considerable amount of sitting, drinking and dancing so far, we felt that Sunday should be a ‘cultural day’ and so embarked upon a whistle-stop tour of all the important sights in Avignon, ending with a quick dance under the Pont d’Avignon.

Once we were all tourist-ed out and feeling in need of some serious nourishment, we found yet another café to provide us with fizzy drinks, tartines and an array of delicious desserts and stayed there until the time came to jump on our train back to Lyon. Fortunately the train was not nearly as busy this time, we managed to grab some seats and were quickly back home, feeling rather worn-out and ready to crawl in to bed.

Days of wine and roses laugh and run away like a child at play. - Johnny Mercer.

2009-11-20T12:57:00.014+01:00

There are very few things in life that have the potential to make a person feel as incredibly French as the idea of attending a wine festival. And that is exactly what we did last night; the third Thursday in November is particularly important in the French wine-making calendar as it is the date on which the ‘Beaujolais Nouveau’ is unveiled – an event which arouses a great deal of excitement in France and led to the majority of the Lyonnaise population descending upon the old part of town in order to sample the new wine.

A wonderful atmosphere, lots of vin chaud and chocolate crepes and a handful of street performers; I don’t think the evening could have been more up my street if it’d really tried! We spent quite some time wandering up and down the crowded streets, absorbing the excitable mood – it all felt very Christmassy and I am now more excited than ever about the lead up to the festive season in Lyon.

Anyway, I am off to Avignon for the weekend and I really must start packing so I shall leave you with these photos of lasts night’s fun and promise to return with more tales of my French adventures on Monday. I apologise for the blurriness of the photos, my rather ancient camera does not deal very well with the lack of light provided by night-time street festivals!

Tracksuit + Heels = ?!

2009-11-19T23:26:00.007+01:00

Cheese on toast, gin and tonic, Lady Gaga and sequins – some things are simply meant to be together; joined in a blissful union and destined to make the world a better place, while others – such as Katie and Peter – are more or less doomed from the outset. Then there are the more confusing pairings; those which really, really shouldn’t work but somehow manage to pull it off. In this instance, I’m referring to the tracksuit-bottoms-and-heels combination which seems to be popping up with increasing regularity.

At first I was entirely against the concept – I mean really, what a ridiculous idea?! I’m all for heels, at any time and under any circumstances, but tracksuit bottoms? Now there is an article of clothing that I have always firmly believed should be kept within the confines of one’s own house, and should certainly not be allowed to venture any further than the gym. But when a trend has Garance Doré and Vogue on its side, it becomes rather difficult to ignore and I now find myself wondering whether it might actually be within the realms of acceptability…

After all, while tracksuit trousers are so quintessentially laid-back and comfortable that they are often frowned upon, heels have, for several decades, been one of the primary tools available to (wo)mankind in dressing up even the most casual of outfits. Why not combine the two and drag your sweatpants kicking as screaming into the world of suitable day-wear?

There is, of course, a catch – well you didn’t really expect to throw your trampy jogging bottoms together with a pair of sparkly heels and be hailed a fashion genius did you?! It is all about the cut and shape of your trousers: Think low-waisted, slouchy and preferably with a tapered leg – a slightly warmer and more substantial version of the drop-crotch harem trousers from this summer – and you’re on to a winner!

Having said all of this, I’m not entirely sure that I’ll be wearing my tracksuit bottoms for anything other than their intended purpose. I’ll keep you posted but am fairly sure that I enjoy getting dressed up a bit too much to allow any gym-clothes-out-to-dinner moments myself.

Photos

Friendship is rare, do you know what I'm saying to you? - Tenacious D.

2009-11-17T02:37:00.006+01:00

After a slightly stressful journey, I am rather happy to say that I have now been safely returned to Lyon courtesy of Easyjet. I must confess to not being entirely comfortable with the concept of air travel at the best of times – there is something decidedly suspicious and un-natural about large lumps of metal flying through the air at such great heights and incredible speed, without plummeting rapidly down to earth – and I find the idea all the more unpleasant when combined with the prospect of dealing with it by myself.

My fear of travelling alone comes largely from its association with the idea of leaving the people that I love and embarking upon rather terrifying adventures into the unknown. While these adventures have always ended with entirely positive experiences, I am still considerably unnerved by finding myself alone in an airport's departure lounge. Fortunately a bag full of magazines and the prospect of arriving in a familiar city managed to keep me distracted until I was on the plane and the flight passed surprisingly quickly, landing me back in Lyon sooner than I had expected.

Anyway, enough about the vaguely nerve-wracking end to my weekend and on to the more exciting (and interesting!) part…

I did not inflict this mild trauma upon myself without good reason; the previous week had seen two rather significant birthdays – that of my best friend, Harriet, who turned 21 on Wednesday and also my father, who may prefer that I don’t publicly broadcast his age! And so it seemed only reasonable that I return home and celebrate with these two wonderful people who have played such incredibly important roles in my life – and celebrate I certainly did, so much so that I completely neglected to take any of my own photos all weekend!

Harriet and I met during those initial few weeks of secondary school where important friendships are so often formed. The close proximity of our names on the register meant that we were nearly always seated together and the rest, as they say, is history. Before long we were almost inseparable and have stuck together through many years, several different friendship groups and the numerous dramas that our teenage years inevitably brought with them.

Her 21^st birthday party on Saturday, aside from making us all feel rather old and grown-up, was also a poignant reminder that while we may have drifted apart on occasion, the process of growing up together combined with recent(-ish) events in both our lives, has rendered us closer than ever. There are very few people in the world that anyone can truly rely on, but I am lucky enough to have an amazing group of friends (which includes the wonderful Miss Swan herself) all of whom know me painfully well and are so unbelievably supportive that I am never really alone in anything I do, something which can be incredibly comforting when I am hundreds of miles away and feeling slightly lost.

The downside of these lifelong friendships is that these girls have seen me grow up and therefore have witnessed the bad haircuts, questionable fashion choices and completely misguided crushes that haunt my younger years. The good news is that we all have similar dirt on each other, a fact that was highlighted by the array of slightly embarrassing photos proudly displayed by Harriet’s parents on Saturday night which led to lots of giggling and echoes of ‘Oooh, do you remember…’ as we pieced together some of the cringe-worthy moments of our school days. Having reminisced over these awkward memories for a little too long, there was only one way to recover – with the help of champagne!

Lots of champagne, followed by some absolutely delicious Italian food and more sophisticated topics of conversation, and we eventually succeeded in pushing the memories of our younger and less polished selves to the back of our minds and began to feel rather too grown-up once again!

It was, without doubt, one of the best evenings I’ve had in a long time; the opportunity to have so many of one’s closest friends in the same place doesn’t come around that often and it was wonderful to catch up with them all while making the night as special as possible for the birthday girl! I am now very excited for my own 21^st (although not quite so excited at the thought of actually being 21!) and am determined to have a party to remember. Not the easiest task considering the unfortunate placement of my birthday on Christmas day, or the fact that I am currently living in France, rather far away from the intended venue, however I will do my best… Any thoughts or ideas on anything to do with party planning would be greatly appreciated!

I believe in believing the things that we don't see...

2009-11-12T01:01:00.007+01:00

Having spent less than forty eight hours recovering from one week of absolute madness, my inner masochist decided that it was time to embark upon yet more adventures and sleep deprivation, and so, for the second time in under a week, I was voluntarily out of bed before 6am. This is probably an all time record and I expect you all to be suitably impressed, particularly as it is highly unlikely to happen again in this lifetime.

This insanity did not, however, come without good reason; today was a national holiday in France and so all classes were cancelled. Opportunities such as this do not come around that often (particularly here, where they like to fill your timetable up to maximum capacity!) and it was universally acknowledged that something worthwhile should be done with an unexpected day off. Our ‘something worthwhile’ came in the form of a day trip to Geneva, a slightly odd choice, made for several reasons – a) tickets were particularly cheap, b) none of us had ever visited the city before and c) it gave us an opportunity to meet up with several friends from home who are currently living there.

Geneva itself wasn’t quite what I expected; there wasn’t a huge amount with which to occupy ourselves and we spent a long time wandering around staring wistfully into shop windows (which is, of course, one of my favourite pastimes so I wasn’t complaining!) but it was lovely to have a little adventure somewhere new and absolutely wonderful to catch up with a friend from Canterbury, exchanging year abroad gossip and making plans for our move to Barcelona in February.

The day passed unbelievably quickly and before I knew it, I had left the others and was back on a train to Lyon. This sad state of affairs was significantly improved by the excitement of my plans for the evening. Passion Pit, a group I was recently introduced to by my good friend Sophie, were playing at an exceptionally small venue in Lyon and we were lucky enough to have tickets. After arriving early to enjoy some cocktails and getting slightly distracted by free vodka shots and a bizarre conversation in broken English with a man who didn’t realise we spoke much better French, we managed to catch the end of the support act ‘The Kissaway Trail’ who were surprisingly good and are now firmly on my download list.

Passion Pit themselves exceeded my expectations considerably; I danced non-stop for the duration of their set and was incredibly disappointed when they disappeared off stage – fortunately they re-emerged for an encore and I was granted a few more precious minutes of dancing time! The crowd was largely made up of English and American indie kids, with a few token French representatives, all of whom were rather excitable; dancing and jumping around, making the already tiny venue feel even smaller. This enthusiasm seemed to fuel the band’s already brilliant performance and they put on an amazing show – I am still slightly unsure as to how a grown man manages to produce the high-pitched sounds that the lead singer achieves, but he does it with a considerable degree of success and even manages to look rather attractive while doing it so I am definitely not going to complain!

Anyway, I must take myself off to bed as this morning’s early start combined with the prospect of a full day of lectures tomorrow is making me feel rather sleepy…

Goodnight.

An artist has no home in Europe except in Paris. - Friedrich Nietzsche.

2009-11-10T00:46:00.007+01:00

So, my love affair with Paris continues after spending an absolutely fantastic weekend there. If anything, I am now more in love with the city than ever before and certainly more determined to one day call it my home; I just feel that life, and all its little dramas, would be much more palatable when played out with a Parisian backdrop. After all, how can one possibly be sad when they can see the Eiffel tower from their bedroom window?!

Anyway, enough fantasising about my future life in Paris and all the wonderful things that this would encompass, and on to the stories of my real life trip.

While I, myself, have been to Paris countless times and therefore seen nearly all of the usual tourist attractions on at least one occasion, there were others in our group who were not nearly so fortunate. Consequently, we spent most of Saturday on a whirlwind tour of the main sites, partly for their benefit and partly because it seems absurd to go to Paris and not give them at least a brief visit.

As day gave way to evening, we met some friends for coffee at a wonderful café in the Parisian equivalent of London’s Soho and gossiped rather loudly, much to the annoyance of the rather surly waitress. Coffee turned into dinner and drinks at Leah’s fantastic apartment in central Paris and we stayed there, drinking red wine and conversing in a confused mixture of French and English until the early hours of the morning.

Sunday came around all too quickly, bringing with it some of my favourite activities. The first of which was a vintage market, filled to bursting with so many wonderful items, just begging to be taken home. I was incredibly restrained and made only two purchases, a pair of purple leather gloves which I am now unwilling to remove unless strictly necessary; they are such an incredible colour and so very soft and wonderful, and a leopard print head scarf which was a bargain at 4€ and I simply could not resist.

Having spent quite some time perusing the market and staring longingly at items that I rather desperately wanted but could neither afford nor justify buying, I was finally prised away from the market and we moved on to my second favourite thing to do in Paris – wander aimlessly round Montmartre with a crêpe in one hand absorbing the Parisian atmosphere.

I could happily have done this all day, but as we were only there for two short days, it would perhaps not have been the best use of our time, so once we had maximised on the atmosphere absorption, we moved on to something new in the form of a visit to la Cimitière Pere-Lachaise. Our intention was to find (and leave our lipstick prints upon) Oscar Wilde’s tombstone; however we were too easily distracted by the likes of Apollinaire, Balzac and Proust and before we knew it the cemetery was closing and we had not yet succeeded in our mission. As we tried to sneak off to pay our tribute to Mr Wilde, some angry French men began shouting and ringing bells at us and we were forced to admit defeat.

Ah well, it gives me an excuse to go back again soon (not that I’d need one!) as two days was definitely not long enough to satisfy my appetite for all things Paris.

Anyway, I am safely back in Lyon, although barely have a chance to get back into any sort of routine before I’m off again; Wednesday is a national holiday in France so we’re going to Geneva for the day (tickets were cheap and I am still craving adventure!) and am then popping back to England for the weekend on Friday - it’s my very best friend’s twenty-first birthday party on Saturday night and I am so incredibly excited to see her and all the other amazing friends that have been absent from my life for far too long!

Right, I’m going to go and watch Paris, Je T’aime and drink peppermint tea while day-dreaming about how wonderful my life would be, if only I lived there…

Sex and the City, take two...

2009-11-09T02:13:00.011+01:00

I've just got back from the most wonderful weekend in Paris; so many stories to tell and photos to share. Unfortunately, the task of uploading and sorting through them all is really rather daunting at this moment in time, so for now you will have to be content with a sneak preview of some of my favourite outfits from the set of the new Sex and the City film.

While I absolutely love the series and thoroughly enjoyed the first film, I cannot help but feel that another film is a step too far. However, as filming progresses and the spoilers begin to filter through, the die-hard SATC fan within me must admit to being rather excited to see what will happen next; I just hope that this film doesn't disappoint us all, and that they will finally leave Carrie and co. in peace when it's finished.

Anyway, having had less than nine hours sleep in total this weekend and spent the majority of my waking hours walking around Paris, I am currently insanely tired and must go to bed before my brain gives up on me completely!

I promise to share all things Paris-related with you tomorrow...

Photos from The Sun

I believe in a glamorous life. - Lady Gaga.

2009-11-02T23:53:00.011+01:00

Over the course of this evening, I have become increasingly mesmerised by this video from DazedDigital.com…

I can’t quite work out what it is about this clip that has captivated my attention so fervently, but I have watched it several times in the past hour. The combination of sparkling sequins and slightly erratic movements with dramatic make-up and lighting, and a slightly eerie piano soundtrack, just keeps urging me to hit repeat.

This is all rather bizarre as I am normally slightly wary of Lady Gaga. Her music, although admittedly very catchy, isn’t exactly my cup of tea, and while I find her absolutely fearless attitude towards fashion quite admirable, I do sometimes feel that she is playing up to the ‘weird pop-star’ stereotype a little too much.

Having said this, there is something decidedly refreshing about an artist who writes their own lyrics and designs the majority of their own stage clothes; her eccentricity isn’t channelled into 'Mariah Carey-esque' diva style behaviour, but instead into something that she is completely passionate about – fashion and the desire to be unique.

After spending nearly two months in a country where a large proportion of the population seem to insist on wearing some form of androgynous uniform, comprising largely of jeans, a jacket and a pair of Converse, I feel that we could all learn something from her. No, I’m not suggesting that everyone should start wearing bubble dresses to pop to the shops, or leather bikinis to the gym, but just urging them to step slightly out of their sartorial comfort zone without a second thought for what anyone else might think.

With a few more viewings of that video under my belt, I think I’m actually beginning to develop a soft spot for the Gaga – after all, who am I to criticise anyone who wears that many sequins?!

Rien ne se peut comparer à Paris. – Eustache Deschamps.

2009-11-01T17:47:00.010+01:00

Yet again, I find myself sat at my desk on a Sunday afternoon with very little comprehension of where the weekend has gone. I don’t know if it is because I am so very busy at the moment or just a sign that I’m getting older, but time seems to pass with increasing rapidity; what exactly happened to October, and why is it November already?!

The past weekend saw a series of highly entertaining nights out – Thursday we got all dressed up for a Halloween party at Route 66, which proved to be the best Erasmus event yet and kept us amused for far longer than anticipated. This was followed by a Friday evening spent in Cosmo, where cheap cocktails and free beer fuelled our giggles and silliness until the early hours. Finally, Saturday was a rather bizarre night, which involved several taxis, serious indecision, lots of walking and ended with our return to DV1, where we danced until the metros reopened at five this morning.

Anyway, in the spirit of seizing opportunities while I’m here and making the most of my remaining time in

France

, we have officially booked tickets to go to Paris next weekend. I am so incredibly excited, I can barely think about anything else, let alone focus on the essay that I need to finish before I leave; Paris is one of my absolute favourite cities and I haven’t spent any time there for far too long. The prospect of this little trip has given me a new favourite method of procrastination, one which consists mainly of looking at photos of Paris and planning exciting activities to fill our short weekend there.

Ooooh, I cannot wait! I just hope this week goes as quickly as every other one I’ve spent in Lyon has… Who wants to write an essay on Voltaire and his attitudes towards slavery for me?

Paris photos from Photobucket.

To Snood or not to Snood...

2009-10-29T15:09:00.026+01:00

As much as I may complain about winter and the cold weather, there is a small part of me that gets rather excited at the prospect of winter clothing. Big coats, gloves, scarves, ear-muffs, hats; there really is nothing better than being all wrapped up and warm on a frosty day. Having said this, there is one winter trend that seems to be popping up with increasing regularity, and I’m just not sure I’m a fan.

This part-scarf, part-hood cross-breed has got me rather puzzled (even its name confuses me, if it’s a cross between a scarf and a hood, surely it should be a scood? Or a harf?!), and the sensible side of me can’t help but find the whole concept rather bizarre. However, against my better judgement, there is a small part of me that actually rather likes them, and is even slightly tempted to purchase a rather cosy-looking one recently seen in H&M. The question is, would I be able to wear it in public without feeling absolutely ridiculous?!

Photos from vogue.co.uk.

Of all the worldly passions, lust is the most intense. - Buddha.

2009-10-26T21:28:00.017+01:00

Having finally had a chance to pause for breath, I’ve managed to accomplish several things that I had been intending to do for some time. This includes finally giving my October copy of Vogue Paris the attention it really deserves, a task which led to me staring lustfully at these photos of Kate Moss for longer than I should perhaps admit to.

They pretty much embody everything I have been craving recently; anyone who has been shopping with me recently will tell you that I am automatically drawn to anything with fur, leather, studs, sequins, lace, or any combination of the above. It’s all I can do to stop myself from wearing them all at once, and this editorial has certainly done nothing to dissuade me!

Aside from continuing to gaze longingly at Kate Moss and her beautiful clothes, my plan for this week includes actually getting round to writing this ridiculous essay about Voltaire and trying to stop myself from spending money at quite such an astonishing rate - I ended up shopping again today but was uncharacteristically well behaved and only purchased a couple of pairs of (lace) tights.

Also, I’m going to a Halloween party on Thursday (I am well aware that this is several days early, but hey, that’s the French for you?!) and am in desperate need of something to wear. I have nothing even remotely reminiscent of a decent Halloween costume here, so any ideas (taking in to account my limited budget!) would be greatly appreciated.

Photos from Vogue Paris October 2009.

Source - voyonsvoir.fr.

We don't have eternity to realise our dreams, only the time we are here. - Susan Taylor.

2009-10-25T19:05:00.008+01:00

It’s Sunday already?! How exactly did that happen?

France

seems to be eating up my time more quickly than I can decide what to do with it!

So another weekend has passed; a whirlwind of drinking, dancing, late bed times and lots and lots laughter. Any attempt to be studious and well-behaved during the week seems to go straight out the window as soon as the weekend shows its face, and we spend the evenings having huge amounts of fun, the following mornings sleeping and the afternoons recovering and preparing to do it all over again…

Oh well, my student days are well and truly numbered, might as well make the most of them while I still can!

The highlight of the weekend was, without doubt, going to see Kasabian at ‘Le Radiant’, an intimate venue, somewhat reminiscent of the local town hall where my fourteen year old self spent many evenings watching friends’ bands perform. Seeing such a huge band in this setting was absolutely amazing and has reignited my love for them; I have been listening to their albums on repeat all afternoon!

As my time here seems to be slipping through my hands at such an incredible rate, I’m rather concerned that it will soon run out, landing me back in Surrey for Christmas without having achieved or seen many of the things that Lyon has to offer. I really need to start to work out exactly what I want to do with my remaining weeks here and schedule it all so that I don’t miss anything. A task which will take far more organisation than I am accustomed to, but I shall try my best…

Wanna disco? Wanna see me disco?

2009-10-22T23:26:00.022+02:00

I can say with some certainty that giving me an Erasmus grant is pretty much the stupidest thing that anyone has done in a long time. All I’ve done since it arrived in my bank account is buy clothes from absolutely anywhere that will sell them to me. I went on a shopping spree on Rue de la Republique when it first arrived in my bank account, and since then the debit card has taken some serious abuse as I’ve splurged at various online stores.

The worst of this occurred when I decided that the time had come to remedy the severe Topshop withdrawal that has hit me during the past five weeks, and went ever so slightly mad in the process... Internet shopping is so incredibly dangerous, whoever made it possible for me to spend horrendous amounts of money, without needing to get dressed or leave the house, has got some serious explaining to do!

This doesn’t include the items I bought in yet another charity shop binge the other day - a gorgeous navy woollen blazer with big gold buttons (which I sadly think is actually too big for me, so will probably get put on eBay), an oversized dark green jumper, which nearly comes down to my knees and is ever so cosy, a cream silk blouse and another floral patterned blouse – all of which are currently drying after today’s rather traumatic trip the laundrette (not having your own washing machine is NOT fun!). Photos to come later, I’m feeling rather lazy at the moment!

Aside from this excessive spending, I have also been rather more industrious than usual over the past few days and am now almost up-to-date with my work, which is far preferable to the normal ‘way-behind-and-panicking’ state of affairs!

Despite this sudden burst of productivity, I still managed to find time for cocktails on Tuesday night (because who can say no to 4€ mojitos?!) and sushi last night at a wonderful restaurant which is only minutes away from my flat. This is a dangerous discovery, which could easily end with me eating far more sushi than is good for me!

The playlist for these few work-filled days has pretty much consisted of the bands that I used to listen to years ago and have since all but forgotten about, and I have been dancing round my room to the Strokes, Tenacious D and Le Tigre, to name a few! This revival of my teenage years has been rather fun, I urge you all to dig out your old CDs (or just look them up on Spotify!) and dance around to the soundtrack of your youth, the more embarrassing the better!

Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment. - Robert Benchley.

2009-10-20T11:04:00.012+02:00

So much for productivity yesterday! What started so well with me taking lots of notes for the Voltaire essay that I desperately need to make some progress with, ended incredibly badly as I spent most of the evening making the new title you can see above this post, and reading any website, magazine or other form of procrastination I could get my hands on!

While I was undertaking said procrastination, I found this on whowhatwear.com…

I love the patterned tights that can currently be found in so many high street shops, and have already purchased several pairs for myself. It’s good to know that the trend will be sticking around for a bit longer, as I’d particularly like to get my hands on some of the houndstooth and heart print ones!

Anyway, I should really stop wasting the morning, my translation work is calling me and I really must be slightly more industrious today as I’m out tonight, in lessons tomorrow and the week is, yet again, running away with me!

Let's get this party started...

2009-10-18T23:31:00.002+02:00

The excitement of last night’s events left me in a somewhat fragile and unproductive state today, as I spent the majority of the day in my pajamas, reading French Vogue while drinking copious amounts of anything containing caffeine.

The evening was, however, definitely worth the lack of productivity that ensued, even if it does mean I’ll be playing catch-up for the rest of the week! Having been in Lyon for nearly 5 weeks and therefore in this flat for at least a month, we finally got around to throwing a (rather belated) flat-warming party.

It was a wonderful evening, the party was a definite success; the flat was filled with many people, drinks and lots of laughter and everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves. As the fridge began to empty, and we all started to feel slightly tipsy, it was decided that we should move our party away from the flat and to a new destination. We ended up back at ‘Sirius’, as we so often do at that time of night, and danced until closing time. Among the discussion and confusion of what we should do next, (because nobody could possibly be ready to call it a night at 3am could they?!) we ended up back at Laura’s house, three of us squashed into the rather limited floor space, and there we stayed until early this afternoon.

This weekend also saw the conception of some very exciting plans: now that we all have some money, thanks to the arrival of the Erasmus grant, it seems only right to make the most of the many possibilities available to us and see as much of the country as we can. There are serious thoughts of a trip to Paris in early November, which I am extremely excited about (who wouldn’t be?!) as well as the possibility of visiting some of the many friends who are scattered around the country. If only there weren’t such tedious things as university and work restricting my freedom and preventing me from spending all my time gallivanting around

France

!

Anyway, my bed is calling to me from across the room and. despite having already spent a large portion of my day as a loyal resident, I feel rather willing to oblige. After all, tomorrow I must make up for today’s excessive procrastination and actually achieve some of the things on my ever-increasing to-do list!

Baby, it's cold outside...

2009-10-16T15:55:00.011+02:00

It has suddenly got horrendously cold here, to the extent that I am now reluctant to leave the flat unless strictly necessary. I can’t quite understand how this very drastic change has happened so very quickly; it was still really quite warm this time last week. All I know is that I’m not particularly happy about it and would rather appreciate a return to the sunshine we were enjoying so much!

Thank God for the Erasmus grant, which arrived in my bank account this morning, and means that I can now buy myself lots of cosy gloves, hats and other wonderful things to make life a bit warmer and more pleasant (and yes, shopping does constitute a good enough reason for a departure from the safety of my warm flat!). There are so many things I desperately want to buy…

What began as a shopping list somehow turned in to a tribute to all things warm and cosy as I procrastinated my way out of leaving the warmth of my bedroom. I must remember not to buy it all as it would leave me with very little of the grant left to spend on anything else!

Right, I am going to go and psych myself up to brave the outdoors, before I give up on the idea completely and waste my whole day on the internet.

Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping. - Bo Derek

2009-10-15T18:30:00.009+02:00

I promised you stories about my venture in to the world of French charity shops, and stories I most definitely have, however I feel it necessary to say, before I begin, that I am as absolutely and totally amazed by Emmaus as I was told I would be.

This did not come easily, in fact, the road to my very own vintage heaven was littered with a great number of obstacles and I very nearly gave up on it too soon. Anyway, I will stop being quite so cryptic, and explain the long and complicated journey which eventually led to some entirely wonderful purchases.

Sophie and I arrived in Venissieux feeling much more prepared than we had on our previous attempt, as we at least had some idea of where we should go, enough time to explore and the good fortune that, while it was insanely windy, it was at least not raining. However, some misleading directions from Google Maps took us in the opposite direction to our intended destination, and yet again, we ended up rather lost, until we bumped in to a very helpful girl who pointed us in the right direction.

The shop itself was huge; in fact I feel that the term warehouse may actually be more appropriate! Unfortunately, it was not, as I had initially hoped, filled to bursting with many wonderful clothes for me to purchase, but most of the floor space was instead taken up by large items of furniture and we were told that there is another branch at Croix-Rousse, which is much better for clothes. However, there was still a reasonably sized clothes section at this branch, and as we were already there, it seemed rather silly not to investigate further.

This resulted in rather more purchases than I initially expected to make, as once I had adjusted to the lack of light and slightly bizarre looks from my somewhat elderly and toothless fellow customers, I uncovered some rather exciting things, such as this off-white blazer and sleeveless blouse, as well as a belt that I haven’t yet managed to photograph. Please excuse the slightly blurred mirror shots, I’ve left the remote for my camera in

England

and am currently lacking a photographer!

There were also many things that I’m now regretting having left behind, in particular, a huge, obnoxiously patterned jumper that looked amazingly warm and comfortable and would have served me very well in the horrendously cold weather we are now experiencing.

A bit of online research when I got home, as well as re-reading the messages Clare had sent me the other day, revealed that there is actually a small branch of Emmaus very near to my flat, which sells just clothes. While part of me couldn’t believe we’d gone all the way out to Venissieux, when there is one so close, I was mostly just excited to see what this one had to offer. And this is where my real love affair with Emmaus began, after the slight disappointment of the previous day; I walked in to this branch and instantly stumbled upon my idea of jacket heaven, in the form of this studded, fringed, shoulder-padded leather beauty.

It was so cheap I couldn’t possibly resist, and while I was initially slightly unsure, it is now all I can do to take it off when I go indoors. There is a real danger that if I fall any more in love with it, I will have to have it surgically removed.

I didn’t get the chance to look around as much as I’d have liked, as the shop was closing and I had to leave, but I could literally have spent hours there, and cannot imagine it will take me long to find myself back again…