tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13780561774840251752012-02-26T21:19:32.001ZLast-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.comBlogger1211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-27453001695264071462012-02-20T13:30:00.000Z2012-02-20T13:30:03.046Z

A Fashion Alphabet, 'Peplum: A skirt with a hip yoke, very fashionable in the 1930s' That's Janey Ironside's definition for these strange flounces that seem to have suddenly attached themselves to otherwise quite straightforward skirts and tops, and a term that seems to be plastered across fashion pages, ranging from Vogue to Reveal. (via) From what I can tell, the earliest peplums were

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-11637441390155787712012-02-14T13:30:00.000Z2012-02-14T13:30:03.509Z

These shoes date all the way back to the Autumn but were lost in a mass of moving. It isn't so much fun writing about heart-themed things when you're generally feeling a bit miserable. Designed by Peter Jensen for ASOS (and currently on sale here), you may remember I had mentioned them as part of my general September style crisis. I ended up buying them in tan and blue as I thought that would

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-44333822159883123102012-02-10T14:00:00.002Z2012-02-10T14:00:50.799Z

The Prada Spring/Summer 2012 collection has already been plastered all over the internet and the glossiest of the magazines, with no less than the February Vogue and Elle covers to its credit. However, how could I not post about a collection with such an amazing retro 1950s and 60s Americana look, not to mention that amazing car print fabric? In typical Prada style, the collection expertly

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-90466480733666762682012-02-08T10:30:00.000Z2012-02-08T10:30:01.108Z

There's a common link to lots of the things I like. Whether its gangs of the 1950s, moody girl groups or melodramatic handkerchiefs there's part of me that's hung up on the idea of being an emotional, rebellious teenager again. In reality I was a very good, well-balanced teenager, so it's obviously my sub-conscious telling me off for not staying out a bit later, or ignoring my parents just that

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-83222516492387428792012-02-06T10:30:00.000Z2012-02-06T10:30:01.553Z

I seem to have developed a weakness for bands with one-word names. One-word names that when placed together hint at some soap opera storyline: Friends, Knickers and Cults. I've now added Citizens! to that list - and perhaps the exclamation mark that goes after their name can offer a dramatic finale to that strange storyline. Last week, I went with a long-time gig-going partner-in-crime to see

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-71995103752827717552012-02-03T10:30:00.000Z2012-02-03T10:30:01.746Z

You wait all winter for a good handkerchief and then two come along at once. A handkerchief that references an old song lyric ... sorry I'm too busy fishing in my bag to get out my wallet to finish the rest of that sentence. It's designed by Canadian Olivia Mew but stocked at Hannah Zakari in the UK. Oh to be a teenager in love. I'd seen Cleo Ferin Mercury's icon scarves at a craft fair

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-62244560819075384002012-02-01T10:30:00.000Z2012-02-01T10:30:01.748Z

I was hot-footing it back down Oxford Street after buying my heart print shorts, desperately trying to avoid temptation. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the thing most likely to stop: poppy print. It was in the window of Forever 21, a shop I'd never been to before previously, or really had any desire to especially. Up close the top was a boringly, predictably rubbish fabric and a weird cut. I

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-25253990892322044762012-01-30T10:30:00.000Z2012-01-30T10:30:01.211Z

My weekend was full of fashion fun times. I finally made it to Alfie's Antique Market and The Girl Can't Help It. Despite their relocation sale, their clothes were too pricey for me. Still, it's always fun to look at proper quality vintage and afterwards I consoled myself by buying the heart shorts from River Island (the matching top had cut out shoulders - I'm still having a think about that). I

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-13230953902789193762012-01-27T10:30:00.000Z2012-01-27T10:30:01.113Z

With a band name that could have probably come straight out of the mouth of Lynda in Wish You Were Here, a 60s girl group sound and extra points for use of parenthesis in their song title, it's hardly surprising that I'm playing My Baby's Just a Baby (But I Love Him So) by Knickers on repeat. Last night, Mark Riley put it on air straight after Be my Baby and, well, it blew my M&S ready meal out

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-82754607242520555952012-01-25T10:30:00.000Z2012-01-25T10:30:00.300Z

River Island will always be the stuff of nostalgia to me. Growing up, it was one of the few high street stores that you would actually want to shop in on my actual high street and their decoupage-style carrier bags were THE bag to use carry your PE kit to school. The same store is also a great place for bargains come the Christmas sales: there always seems to be a host of pretty dresses or

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-59162941699992341912012-01-23T10:30:00.000Z2012-01-23T10:30:03.321Z

Jean Dawnay with John French: "To every model at the beginning of her career he is a sort of God" (via Larkabout) The glimpse behind the scenes at Ford Models got me searching for a book that told you really what it was like to model in that period. A scour of the further reading section of The Golden Age of Couture lead me to this book: Model Girl by Jean Dawnay. Written in 1956, it's her

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-42009122047079160962012-01-21T12:00:00.000Z2012-01-21T12:00:03.265Z

In the spirit of trying something new each week, last week I went to a screen-printing class at The Make Lounge. We were asked to bring images with us of things we'd like to print and typically I came armed with a whole stack of images and inspiration taken from the books at work. Here are my first attempts. 1) The letter F on a tote bag (placed off-centre but I did that on purpose, honest)

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-34091454022318462592012-01-18T10:30:00.000Z2012-01-18T10:30:01.090Z

The final book in my Janey Ironside reading is A Fashion Alphabet. Written in 1968, it's her attempt to pin-down the "ever-expanding vocabulary of fashion" through describing its main terms, and in turn to reinforce the view that "Fashion in clothing is one of the great living arts of civilisation". Rather than simply running from A to Z, the book is organised into separate sections on things

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-16271969377729299442012-01-16T10:30:00.000Z2012-01-16T10:30:00.996Z

Remember Karen Walker's northern soul inspired North collection? While I couldn't justify buying the go go dancer dress, when I saw that her patches tee had gone into the sale at ASOS, I knew it had to be mine. I like it even more in reality. I think I probably look like an over-enthusiastic girl guide but I love the feeling I'm in a secret gang. (although, as I think this picture

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-59614134205674334852012-01-13T10:30:00.001Z2012-01-13T10:30:01.092Z

Janey and Me is the second of the trio of books I read about Janey Ironside this Christmas (the first one Janey, her autobiography, is here). This title especially wasn't happy holiday reading. Written by her daughter Virginia Ironside, who I knew best through her Dilemmas column for the Independent, it's about their complicated relationship, apparent from its sub-title, 'Growing up with my

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-46393199379714615652012-01-11T10:30:00.000Z2012-01-11T10:30:03.132Z

The 1950s and the British seaside: I'm not sure why it had taken me so long to watch Wish You Were Here. Set in a small and dull seaside town at the start of the decade, it's the story of bored and vulnerable teenage Lynda. Flirtatious, fun and very messed up, she's played brilliantly by Emily Lloyd. She's also given one of the best catchphrases in "Up Yer Bum" (I certainly plan on using it in

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-21388152853350202202012-01-09T10:30:00.000Z2012-01-09T10:30:03.343Z

"Necklines always make headlines ... Undoubtedly one woman may look charming and youthful in a Peter Pan collar - another may look as though she were mutton dressed up as lamb; one may look very chic in a polo neck and another may look as if she were a kennel-maid manque. Only hats, when they are in fashion, can do as much to help a woman or to kill her looks." 'Collars and Necklines', Janey

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-74039346789524975682012-01-06T12:00:00.000Z2012-01-06T12:00:12.608Z

(via Frivolene) The name Janey Ironside comes up again and again in books about 60s and 70s fashion designers. She was Professor of Fashion at the Royal College of Art and is credited for having taught and inspired such designers as Bill Gibb, Foale and Tuffin and Ossie Clark. This Christmas I had a bit of a Janey Ironside theme - fascinating from a fashion viewpoint but not really the most

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-58049619916583392692012-01-04T11:00:00.000Z2012-01-07T22:37:06.787Z

More Forties fashion. This time, however, it's the real thing rather than my or a designer's interpretation of it. Retronaut featured a selection of photographs by Nina Leen, taken inside an advertising agency in 1948. A bit more snooping and it turns out the agency is the famous Ford models (whose outrageously successful roster of models has included Dorian Leigh, Jean Patchett and Twiggy, as

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-32187671788103232582012-01-02T14:30:00.000Z2012-01-02T14:30:02.622Z

Happy 2012! The weather seems to be perfectly matching my new year mood: yesterday my hangover was matched by some full on rain in London but today, to match my clearer head and happier spirits, it's bright blue skies. As ever the start of a new year means I'm full of resolutions, lists and plans. My optimism must have filtered into my fashion brain too, as I realised all the images I've been

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-26561702476085536642011-12-30T11:00:00.000Z2011-12-30T11:00:11.565Z

Kennedy Fraser's The Fashionable Mind is a collection of columns that appeared in the The New Yorker between 1970 and 1982 under the now quaint-sounding title 'Feminine Fashions'. In fact her introduction states that she took over the column, "at the very moment feminine fashions ceased to count." Though the columns cover a myriad of topics - with names such as "Hail, covered knee!", "Denim

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-84600706116981089532011-12-24T18:00:00.000Z2011-12-24T18:00:05.101Z

Not the most seasonal of posts but my pre-travel up north routine at Kings Cross was interrupted by spotting this fantastic piece of poppy pattern. It was on the cover of Glamour, being worn by Tulisa, and I had to force my way through the crowds to surreptitiously flick through a copy (not buy it, oh no). Having found it was the YSL Resort collection and then found my seat on the train, I saw

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-49169447277674233752011-12-23T13:00:00.000Z2012-01-03T21:06:30.683Z

I found Industry of One via a post on the always reliable Miss Moss. Their claim for the site is to "explore the style trappings of various industries + professions and document the relationship between one's line of work + walk of life". In reality this translates to pictures of enviable New Yorkers with ... gasp ... real jobs. There's a nanny, a librarian, a managing editor, and you know what?

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-51975902444709829342011-12-22T20:30:00.000Z2011-12-22T20:30:01.010Z

I mentioned my fondness for Frankie magazine in my last post. That gives only the slightest hint at what is a pretty serious magazine addiction. Bliss, Sugar, Mizz and Just Seventeen all advised me - wrongly or rightly - through my teenage years. Four years of jumpers and woolly socks wearing while at university in Edinburgh were punctuated by escaping into the glamorous world of Vogue. I

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-27472569508705970012011-12-19T11:00:00.000Z2011-12-19T11:00:15.008Z

One of my many magazine subscriptions is to Frankie. The tag line for this Australian magazine reads 'Design/Art/Photography/Fashion/Travel/Music/Craft/Home/Life', so it's safe to say it covers pretty much everything I enjoy reading about. I've just finished their November/December issue which seemed extra inspiring, even in relation to their usual high standards. There's an embroidery craft

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-82285580738526597392011-12-04T18:30:00.000Z2011-12-04T18:30:20.287Z

I moved flats again this week, this time to Camberwell where I'll hopefully stay until my own flat purchase goes through (everything crossed). With most of my prettiest stuff in storage, I went out hunting today for cheap thrills that would brighten up my room, and life. My first stop was Brixton Village, but alas their shops weren't going it for me today so I travelled on to Crystal Palace and

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-90220977914434164172011-11-30T18:45:00.000Z2011-11-30T18:46:35.753Z

Saturday night marked my superstar DJ debut. When I say 'DJ', I essentially mean playing half an hour of songs from my iPod but it was still terrifying, and exhilarating, to have a room of people dancing to your control. Here's what I played: Where Did Our Love Go? - The Supremes (hand claps) My Lovin (You're Never Gonna Get It)- En Vogue (time for a breakdown)   Dub Be

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-91295676982363058612011-11-25T11:00:00.000Z2011-12-21T16:30:31.810Z

"I love feet, they talk to me." So says Salvatore Ferragamo in his autobiography Shoemaker of Dreams, first published in British in 1957. It tells the story of his rise from a poor Italian family to becoming shoemaker to the stars. It travels from Italy to America back to Italy again, all set against the turbulent history of the 1920s through to the 1940s. But most of all it talks about feet.

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-39879147796870433582011-11-23T11:00:00.000Z2011-11-23T11:00:01.299Z

So I mentioned in my last post that I'd got a bit addicted to WIWT. It's that site I can thank for actually having pictures of my new purchases to show you (albeit all very similar pictures of me pointing my camera in the mirror with a messy bed in the background). It's also made me realise that I'm going through a complete red phase at the moment - it's my favourite colour so sometimes I have to

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-60610449387313370942011-11-21T20:15:00.000Z2011-11-21T20:15:00.609Z

This month saw the official release of the Domestic Sluttery book. I had foolishly thought this was something I'd take in my stride - after all, I've seen through hundreds of books as part of my day job. That wasn't the case at all: I was completely terrified about releasing the book we'd slaved away on for so many hours into the outside world (and I've subsequently vowed to be much more

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-24133102987789661142011-11-07T11:00:00.000Z2011-11-07T11:00:08.586Z

One of my very first posts on this site and my first Last-Year Girl was Pauline Boty. Pauline Boty surfaces again this week on Adam Curtis's blog. It's part of a fascination piece he's written on the Occupy movement, using Boty and her husband Clive Goodwin as examples of the failed dreams of the 1960s left-wing. The piece gives some great details given about Boty, whether you ultimately agree

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-87669246855631593322011-11-06T21:04:00.001Z2011-11-06T21:04:38.911Z

One of my favourite books I've read recently has got to be Alicia Drake's The Beautiful Fall which charts the alternate paths of Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld in 1970s Paris. So it was with great sadness that I learnt Loulou de la Falaise has recently died. As Saint Laurent's muse, Loulou is one of the major, and one of the most likeable, figures in this book. via Gabriel Wiel

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-56838813183714006472011-11-02T22:00:00.000Z2011-11-02T22:00:02.350Z

When you see me walking around ... chances are that this is the song that's playing in my head I've got the honour of doing a DJ session at a party at the end of the month. My playlist has been veering between '60s girl groups and late 80s/early 90s dance. The pop and sass of the Friends track combined with the music selection in the V&A's Postmodernism exhibition (which I finally saw

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-54189086696138502162011-10-26T19:16:00.001+01:002011-12-21T16:30:59.860Z

I've been temporarily transported back to student status, living in a small room and carting round all my stuff in a rucksack. It's strangely liberating. I am, however, missing all my books which have all been put into storage while I sort myself out. I've been crazily buying up old titles on Abebooks to fill this book shaped void in my life. There's been a definite lean towards the escapism

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-31054454210285885632011-10-15T23:35:00.000+01:002012-01-07T23:01:15.129Z

I'm back in the UK after my yoga holiday, which delivered on everything I thought it would and more. It's quite disappointing not to be sleeping in a yurt anymore. You can read all about the fabulous place I stayed in over on Domestic Sluttery. The week before going was ever so slightly mental, packing up all my stuff and moving into a friend's room. One break from the boxes though was a evening

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-24640200148302039892011-09-24T19:45:00.000+01:002011-09-24T19:45:00.863+01:00

First of all, apologies for the melodramatic wording of my last post, which lead to so many sweet enquiries after me. It's all down to a spot of old-fashioned heartbreak: Mr S and I have split up. As you might have guessed from my posts, it wasn't something I'd expected so the last couple of weeks have been spent in a zombie-like state. Packing up stuff that was collected and put into the flat

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-70934358069022828552011-09-12T08:37:00.002+01:002011-09-12T08:37:26.640+01:00

And then, just when you think things are relatively okay - a bit frantic and tiring maybe, but you know alright - something happens to pull that carpet out from under your feet. Might be a bit quiet on here for a bit, got quite a bit of stuff to think through and sort out.

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-66604869678744437652011-09-10T15:30:00.000+01:002012-01-07T23:00:52.183Z

There seems to have been a bit of a thread running my year: The image I chose to kick the year off, my latest book project at work (still under wraps), my involvement in Make Shift, even the way I chose to celebrate my birthday and some of the people I've interviewed, like Pat Albeck: they all seem to be linked to the Festival of Britain. While I can't afford Mini Modern's Festival

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-34757947387759853542011-09-08T21:45:00.000+01:002011-09-08T21:52:22.045+01:00

The latest issue of Oh Comely is now out and, I have to say, it's my favourite yet - what a beauty! As I was flicking through to snap images of my favourite pages, I realised I wanted to photograph almost all of them. These are my favourite favourites: Three great illustrations of movie scenes. Here's ET as seen by Jes Hunt. Some gorgeous sounding natural beauty recipes. Hunting

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-47848224385322048222011-09-06T22:30:00.000+01:002011-09-06T22:32:16.643+01:00

I'm feeling a bit like a failure this year. Like many people I know, September always feels like the proper start of the year to me. The season of the things I find the most fun: hibernating reading and eating, embracing wholesome pursuits like walking, sewing and baking, and cosying up in colourful tights, nice knitwear and new coats. Normally by this time a new school bag will have been bought,

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-53575628962171028192011-08-24T11:30:00.001+01:002011-08-24T11:30:02.673+01:00

Growing up in an area not known for its musical heritage, I cling to the one bit that seemed to have touched  its northern shores. Discounting a few early 90s raves, I'm talking about Northern Soul. While that explains my interest in it, I'm completely fascinated why New Zealand-born Karen Walker chose it for inspiration for her 'North' collection. via Rag Pony Tops, trousers, skirts and

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-23370251814552054682011-08-22T12:15:00.001+01:002012-01-07T23:01:41.918Z

If you follow me on Twitter, last weekend you would have been subjected to a series of slightly frazzled tweets, all tagged with #48hrmag. I was part of a project, pulled together by Stack Magazines, to produce a magazine in 48 hours as part of the Southbank Centre's Power and Production weekend. The paper was staffed by volunteer writers, illustrators, photographers and designers from a host

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-23847867299088962222011-08-02T21:13:00.001+01:002011-08-02T23:23:06.603+01:00

My birthday this year coincided with Vintage at Southbank. We went along lured by a cheapo ticket offer, and a Friday off work. I had a great day but it wasn't really anything to do with the festival itself - more the fun of the Southbank in the sunshine, and some very lethal cocktails. This picture is taken from the roof of the Royal Festival Hall, we had a very pleasant time exploring all of

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-87327602959952859442011-07-27T17:54:00.000+01:002011-07-27T17:54:39.810+01:00

It's snuck up on me. This Friday I turn 31. I seem to have been stupidly busy and haven't really had time to stop and think about it. Also I am now sat on the couch with a horrible sniffly cold which is physically stopping me thinking too much. A while back you may remember that I put together a 30 before 31 list. I feel it's a bit like an appraisal form stuffed away under my desk that I pull out

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-20498228263526238082011-07-23T18:58:00.000+01:002011-07-23T18:58:24.395+01:00

Remember this pill, stuffed full of seeds from the Urban Physic Garden? Less than a month later, look what it's grown into... A mass of wonderful plants have grown from this little pill case. It's now been re-potted so this small pocket of natural randomness can continue to flourish and thrive.

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-80926404173776677372011-07-07T10:45:00.001+01:002011-07-07T10:45:00.335+01:00

After my moan about how I was feeling about the way I dressed - and the money I'd devoted to trying to counter it, I've tried to avoid buying any more clothes during these sales. However, this hasn't stopped me trawling through all the sale sites and emailing myself the things I like. So - to scratch that itch - here's a few of the things I'd be buying if I was lucky enough to be able to afford

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-62782807662315907262011-07-06T11:30:00.001+01:002011-07-06T11:30:00.154+01:00

Remember that sweltering Sunday a few weeks back? My friend Vicki and I ended up slowly and stickily lumbering down to the Urban Physic Garden, near London Bridge. It's a patch outside London Bridge based around the idea of historical physic gardens, growing plants with medicinal purposes. And, in this case, with added seesaws. There are the seesaws - an installation by Skart. In the

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-65189655018984876672011-06-20T11:25:00.001+01:002011-06-20T11:25:00.502+01:00

Yes, more stuff has magically found its way into my wardrobe. It's down partly to the brilliant sales at the moment (and for the other part keep reading). While my fancy is normally captured by dresses, skirts and shorts, for once I've been 'relatively sensible' - note the desperate air of self-justification about that phrase - and bought some new tops. I don't know about your colleagues and

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-75729884034131607532011-06-17T10:45:00.001+01:002011-06-17T10:45:00.625+01:00

Warning, I have a new band crush. If I termed Summer Camp my band of 2010, Cults are turning out to be 2011's choice (sorry Lykke, otherwise a strong contender). I'm not going wildly off type here: boy/girl duo who have clearly listened to far too much 60s girl groups - you get the picture. Mr S got the CD and before it reached track two I was already desperately typing Madeline Follin into

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-42337316993192132202011-06-15T11:45:00.001+01:002011-06-15T11:45:01.044+01:00

Mr S was away in Finland playing football this past weekend and I thought I'd use the opportunity to entertain chez Last-Year. I'm not the most skilled cook but writing for Domestic Sluttery has given me the confidence to at least have a bash. There was a (very) loose Spanish theme to the evening with lots of Rioja wine to wash over my mistakes! We had a feast that included Paprika potatoes (

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-37864341166752969782011-06-13T11:30:00.002+01:002011-06-13T11:30:01.911+01:00

After some serious internet lusting, I finally took the plunge and purchased the Tweety dress from Nadinoo. It arrived this weekend and I've been staring at it ever since. It's made from a gorgeous Liberty fabric, covered in hundreds of little birdies. Given my ongoing pattern obsession, this is right up my tweet ... sorry, street. With a fitted top, neat belt and fitted skirt, wearing it

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-23199260950863640032011-06-11T23:46:00.000+01:002011-06-11T23:46:02.193+01:00

As mentioned in my last post, on Tuesday I headed to Chichester to see the Robin and Lucienne Day exhibition at Pallant House.  The Days used to live in Chichester and had apparently been involved in planning this exhibition up until their deaths last year. (Allegro, V&A) (Sunrise,  V&A. Currently being revived as a bed-linen) The exhibition was small but with plenty to inspire. Alongside

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-74171265701188779612011-06-06T22:30:00.001+01:002011-12-21T16:31:47.443Z

Working in Knightsbridge/South Kensington is quite a funny experience. It's utterly hopeless if you find your self needing something simple (read cheap) like a safety pin or a light bulb? Elaborate dream teas, Scandinavian design classics, multi-hundred pound dresses are much more on the agenda - though sadly not in my budget. Another bonus for the less than minted is the presence of some very

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-88155947244026568742011-05-14T20:00:00.001+01:002011-05-14T20:00:00.927+01:00

I've been in a real fug this week. I switched onto autopilot at work and haven't wanted to do much more than sit on my couch. I'm not sure what brought on my grump - I'd had a lovely weekend learning how to bake bread in Cornwall for Domestic Sluttery and perhaps I just wasn't ready to come back yet. The second I arrived back into Paddington, people seemed to start being rude and thoughtless and

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-25692314224842478712011-05-05T23:15:00.001+01:002011-05-05T23:15:00.148+01:00

I haven't been doing too much posting on this blog recently - however, I seem to have bought a lot of shoes. More specifically, these shoes. Swedish Hasbeens, which have been stomping and clomping all over this country. As you might be able to tell from the state of them, the blue sandals are old. I got them about a year ago in a half price sale on Yoox and they've been firmly wedded to my feet

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-10836162267468629052011-04-15T08:47:00.001+01:002011-04-15T08:50:26.231+01:00

Err, hello. Is there anyone still there? Yep, it's been really quiet round here. I've been using almost spare hour of the day working on the forthcoming Domestic Sluttery book.  Text deadline is next week and we're almost there, so I'm grabbing this little spot of time to breathe... Despite a huge amount of hours spent looking at the computer screen, I've managed to cram in quite a bit of

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-41896496763726824032011-03-15T20:40:00.002Z2011-03-15T20:40:59.279Z

If, like me, you are a fan of pretty, pretty Peggy Moffitt, this cushion from Jonathan Adler is sure to be the finishing touch for your pad. If only I had $165 to spare... sigh...

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-37536346559850303732011-03-07T10:00:00.000Z2011-03-07T10:00:07.090Z

Once again, we're back to that both immensely motivating and extremely frightening list I wrote of stuff I'd like to do. At number 24 with a bullet is 'write for someone new regularly.' Well, I'm proud, thrilled and a tiny bit nervous to say that I've started helping out with editorial bits and pieces on the charming oh comely magazine. While I love all my online stuff  and, of course, my books

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-14308180150678027922011-03-04T11:00:00.001Z2011-03-04T11:00:09.835Z

A long held ambition and right here, at number 19 on my list, learn to knit. I'm a huge knitwear fan, enjoy doing all things crafty so I assumed - with a few lessons - I would easily master this art. But, oh no. This was not to be. At my first class last week, I was lost. My brain wouldn't take on board what it was meant to do, my fingers did not engage, I got very angry with myself and my yarn

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-73384460152808404032011-03-03T09:00:00.002Z2011-03-03T09:00:12.414Z

All the way back here, I mentioned in passing the concept of a 'cake and make'. The term is something I've made up with my friends - the idea is that it's a session where we spend an afternoon swapping some form of crafty skills and scoffing cake. We'd previously 'done' crochet and inspired by Miss Cay's piece and, aided by a W.I. book on pickles and preserves, last Sunday's Cake and Make was

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-83120533603703454912011-02-28T23:10:00.001Z2011-02-28T23:10:00.247Z

So after all the fun of the seaside in Margate, last Saturday we drove into Kent and East Sussex. After a rather indulgent lunch at The Curlew, we took a scenic stroll over to Bodiam Castle. If you had to draw what you imagined a castle looked like, you'd probably come up with something like Bodiam. It's got a moat, portcullis, battlements and is in a suitably picturesque state of ruin. Now

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-75189753750568167082011-02-25T14:00:00.000Z2011-02-25T14:00:56.641Z

A very, very quick post in what has been a busy week. I had intended to show you some pictures of Saturday's travels to the lovely Bodium Castle - one unintended delete later and I guess that will have to wait for another day. So what's been keeping me so busy? Too much fun really: Those Dancing Days and Frankie and the Heartstrings on Monday, Gruff Rhys at Cadogan Hall on Tuesday, a tasty

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-10895249897408676432011-02-20T20:55:00.002Z2011-02-21T19:03:25.748Z

"All the lights were on and the world felt like magic. Margate looked like Las Vegas." I mentioned in my last post that I was hoping to spend Friday by the seaside. In what's become an annual traditional, my friend and I took the day off work to have an out-of-season day by the sea. We've been to Whitstable, Brighton and this year our travels took us to ... Margate. Having grown-up in

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-53630446997492660542011-02-16T20:15:00.002Z2011-02-17T22:02:04.181Z

If you've read my bio on Domestic Sluttery, or indeed this blog, or are lucky enough to see my Facebook pictures, you'll realise that I quite enjoy dressing like a sailor. Navy stripes, old-fashioned tattoo emblems, retro shorts: sign me up for all of the above please. Seagull accessories sometimes too. It's no surprise then that my heart skipped a little quicker when I saw this blue sailor

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-77912452112104973932011-02-14T10:30:00.001Z2011-02-14T10:30:01.215Z

I discovered UK based vintage site Treasure Dress this week through a post by Sally Jane Vintage, giving me a new online source of clothing lust. The site was originally a bridal site and the prices seem to reflect that (it's divided into under £200, £350 and £500 categories). It's definitely a site to be bookmarked for those special occasions in your life. My favourite thing on the site has to

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-81175281894664949522011-02-13T21:00:00.002Z2011-02-13T21:00:03.185Z

(via Nancy Girl) (via Dreams in Dresses) (here) He created the hair cuts of two of this year's favourite Last-Year Girls: Mary Quant and Peggy Moffitt, now I've learnt Vidal Sassoon is the subject of his own film. It's hot on the heels of his autobiography, which I've yet to read - have any of you? I'm hoping it's full of some great sixties footage (rather than those 80s ads which are imprinted

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-55737757024611900342011-02-09T10:30:00.002Z2011-02-09T10:30:00.402Z

(via Time Out) Following on from our visit to see Brighton Rock, the weekend continued on a sixties theme with a visit to The Museum of Everything. Close to Primrose Hill, the museum is in its third incarnation and this time has been put together with Peter Blake. His interest in British folklore and popular culture pervades the whole place - whether it's freakshow postcards, adverts for

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-88378942871488826502011-02-07T10:30:00.004Z2011-02-07T10:30:00.729Z

On Friday we went to see the remake of Brighton Rock. As I'm sure you're aware, the novel has been moved forward by a few decades by director Rowan Joffe to take place against the Mods and Rockers seaside battles in the 1960s. While some of the attitudes and language contained in Greene's novel don't quite match up to the new setting, it makes for a fantastic visual impact. Brighton (and

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-62676323990633334562011-02-04T10:30:00.003Z2011-12-21T16:32:14.092Z

(via Lulu Bonanza) Quant by Quant had been on my radar for a while but it was Luella's words in her guide to English style that finally made me hunt down a copy (it's out-of-print and £60+ on the internet). She said "Whenever I am at a loss I reread her autobiography which is one of the most inspiring books that I have ever read." If you want facts, dates and a clear chronology of Quant's

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-51787199704622507752011-02-02T10:30:00.001Z2011-02-02T10:30:02.003Z

I first wrote about Summer Camp back in April last year and my teenage style crush is still as strong as ever. I've seen them a couple of times more: supporting Frankie and Heartstrings (also at the Lexington) and at Bestival. They've started adding vintage slides to their set - kind of like the Trachtenburg Family Slide Show Players with a little less kookiness and fewer songs about eggs - and

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-4259220495409629942011-01-31T10:30:00.003Z2011-01-31T10:30:01.071Z

More sewing adventures as part of my resolution to master my machine. Last Thursday, I attended a basic sewing machine class at The Make Lounge which helped us all create our own cushion covers. My effort is pictured below. Obviously, you won't be able to tell it apart from the handmade, cross-stitched cushion also pictured so I'll have to reveal that it's the one on the left. Joking aside, I

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-78953949867039638852011-01-28T10:30:00.001Z2011-01-28T10:30:00.310Z

Remember this teaser of a post? Well,  I made it and here it is! My very own book bag, crafted from a sample book case for the soon to be re-issued of The Art of Being a Well-Dressed Wife.  With the help of this Curlby video, some fabric, handles and a couple of hours, I managed to make something that looked, if maybe not haute couture, quite respectable. With a bit more time, a bit more

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-39105021442759630982011-01-26T10:30:00.001Z2011-01-26T10:30:02.181Z

"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked,dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night,who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyed and high sat up smoking in the supernatural darkness of cold-water flats

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-3115722467695068972011-01-24T10:30:00.004Z2011-01-24T10:30:00.446Z

Sewing machine up and running and one trip to John Lewis later and I've got everything I need for my new craft project. Can you tell what it is yet is going to be yet? The book case in the picture is from a reprint of Anne Fogarty's 1959 The Art of Being A Well-Dressed Wife, coming out in February. And for a clue to my craft project, should it prove successful, take a look at Natalie Portman's

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-72700895616348726312011-01-21T10:30:00.001Z2011-12-21T16:32:40.714Z

(via Loopzilla) I've had it on my shelves for a while but it was the ft of all things that encouraged me to pick up Nicholas Saunders' Alternative London Survival Guide for Strangers up again. In 1970 Saunders wrote up the swinging London scene for newcomers to the city. Not just anyone though, "it's for people who are interested in what's really happening in London and who want to take

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-59759674823208649032011-01-19T10:30:00.001Z2011-01-19T10:30:01.031Z

Over Christmas I read Stan Barstow's A Kind of Loving. Published in 1960 and typically seen as one of the kitchen sink dramas of the period, it tells the story of Vic Brown, a draftsman in a Northern factory. He falls for Ingrid and the book charts both their relationship and also how Vic is forced to grow up, take responsibility and leave behind some of his dreams childish notions. There's no

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-45066638906518476322011-01-17T10:30:00.002Z2011-01-17T10:30:01.051Z

Saturday saw another item ticked off the 30 before 31 list - number 11, to walk another stage of the Green Chain walk. The Green Chain links areas of woodland across South East London so it's possible to take a lovely leafy walk without having to go too far to do it. You get to discover fascinating places along the way too - last time we did it, about two years ago, we started at the Thames

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-16625399048932380242011-01-14T10:30:00.007Z2011-12-21T16:36:46.591Z

Over a decade ago now, I did an internship for a summer at a New York museum. It was an amazing experience in many ways and while I didn’t professionally or socially shine in that particular environment, my imagination and creative ambitions flourished from being in the city. I loved the stories of the city. I sucked up its history, making pilgrimages to obscure sites in the city, devouring

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-45977366055082248982011-01-12T10:30:00.001Z2011-01-12T10:30:00.159Z

I'd seen the World War II posters telling people to dig for victory but never to sew for victory. It's an American poster, designed by Pistchal in 1941, designed to encourage women utilize their sewing skills to help with the war effort. No such a vital imperative for me, but sewing did feature quite prominently in my 30 before 31 goal list. There it is at number 3 - learn to master a sewing

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-17806123469378150082011-01-10T10:30:00.006Z2011-01-10T10:30:01.259Z

And now time for a subject that's literally so last year: New Year's Eve. I thought I'd let you see what I was wearing for the big event as the outfit uses various new buys. We had quite a low key evening, going to a pub with friends, so the actual outfit is quite low key too. In both cases, low key doesn't mean low fun, as we had a great time in the pub dancing round to Motown and '90s dance '

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-77516015209103061582011-01-07T10:30:00.003Z2011-01-07T10:30:01.607Z

(via Hair inspiration) To kick start what I hope will be an exciting and stylish new year, I'd like to introduce a new Last-Year Girl to add to my small collection to date. That honour falls to 60s model and muse Peggy Moffitt. This is one seriously inspiring lady, so if you need some style impetus or resolutions, or just a bit of conviction in your own look, this one is for you. The above

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-42945850577075447562011-01-05T10:30:00.001Z2011-01-05T10:30:00.607Z

(via The Nifty Fifties) Hello, welcome back! I hope you had a very lovely Christmas break. I thought this image was a great way to herald the start of 2011. It's called Lights of London and was painted by Ruskin Spear in 1951, the year of the Festival of Britain. 2011, of course, is the 60th anniversary of the Festival and this anniversary already seems to have inspired some great contemporary

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-64542545470535712242010-12-22T12:00:00.001Z2010-12-22T12:00:00.975Z

Are you ready? Presents all bought, greeting cards all sent? I went for Stefi Orazi's Modernist London cards this year but for a different look, how about these seventies designs? They were designed by Juliet Glynn Smith for Hunkydory designs in 1970. I like their chunky shapes and pattern and their reminder to incorporate a bit more purple, brown and gold into our lives this Christmas - why

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-48806262033853888622010-12-20T10:30:00.001Z2010-12-20T10:30:00.803Z

via Dangerous Minds A few years ago - before I got so old and before Crossrail got their hand in - I spent quite a lot of evenings around the end of London's Tottenham Court Road - Metro, The Astoria, The Borderline, The Mean Fiddler ... and the 100 Club. While three of those on the list no longer exist, the 100 Club is currently in the news, fighting for survival. In fact Paul McCartney played

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-32705253528069810962010-12-17T10:30:00.001Z2011-12-21T16:37:15.055Z

Last Thursday, I attended the launch of a new book on Zandra Rhodes. Subtitled 'Textile Revolution: Medals Wiggles and Pop', it looks at the designer's early work and the influence of Pop Art on her work. The author, Samantha Erin Safer, is perfectly placed to write the book having started her own career interning at Rhodes' Fashion and Textile Museum and also for sharing her love of colour

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-15468159548975693532010-12-15T10:30:00.004Z2010-12-15T11:33:18.712Z

One of the best bits about my job is the great things you can stumble across while just, you know, working. Take today. I was searching through Corbis for potential covers for a book that I'm working on about knitting when the above image leapt out at me. It was taken by Jack Fletcher in Canada in 1949 for National Geographic. I love the fact that while the girl looks quite contemporary in her

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-12816299563750090572010-12-13T10:30:00.000Z2010-12-13T10:30:00.373Z

To finish off my little series of party looks, I present to you the 70s. I've always found seventies-style a bit tricky to include into my wardrobe - it doesn't fit my figure as well as 50s stuff or as easy to pop on as a 60s mini skirt, for example. Recently though, it's been becoming more of a favourite, partly thanks to the inventiveness of designers like Celia Birtwell and Zandra Rhodes (more

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-40363141299701899522010-12-10T10:30:00.001Z2012-01-07T23:02:20.809Z

So we've done a contemporary take on a '50s party look - what did you think? It's now time to shimmer and shake into a new decade. For sizzling sixties style, I'm thinking monochrome with a touch of festive sparkle... This is a stunning vintage number from Nina and Lola. It's an easy to wear tunic shape with a lace shoulder detail. It's £90 but looks like a million dollars. Check out the

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-2776337288163684202010-12-09T09:44:00.000Z2010-12-09T09:44:23.350Z

Phew - after all that heavy-ish stuff, I'd like lighten the mood a little. In case it had escaped your notice, it's the season of parties and sequins and twinkling and all sorts of festive joy. I've put together a few possible party outfits for you - a mixture of the vintage and the contemporary - and roughly inspired by different eras. Let's start in one of my favourite periods for stylistic

Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05339517973272134452noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-79383355169554361902010-12-02T19:05:00.013Z2010-12-03T13:55:08.053Z

My short time away has left me energised and determined to try and make some of my daydreams into reality. Feeling a bit bored and uninspired at work, I've been trying to spend some time reconsidering - and formulating - my own goals, plans and dreams. At the same time, I've discovered the wonderful blog A Beautiful Mess. It's written by Elsie who seems to have it all: she's a successful blogger,

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-78125670836865496972010-12-02T14:46:00.007Z2011-12-21T16:36:05.345Z

As an attempt to celebrate Mr S's birthday and to banish the winter blues, earlier in the week we hopped on the Eurostar to Amsterdam. The city was very much in winter's grip but looked absolutely stunning. This view across the museum area, taken from inside the Van Gogh museum, reminds me of a Bruegel painting - I half expect to see a deer bounding across the picture. Instead, cyclists on their

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-90389946020041405262010-11-26T16:00:00.001Z2010-11-26T16:00:01.000Z

This is old news now (just my kind of news) but I recently revisited MadMenYourself. There's been some pretty intensive Mad Men watching going on in our flat recently and we're now half way through series three. I'd caught the odd episode before and was swooning over the frock and the sideboards. Now I actually care a bit too much about the characters and caught myself trying to tell someone

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-56256911078396064942010-11-24T10:30:00.001Z2010-11-24T10:30:00.426Z

I've been in desperate need of new shoes. Although I am always enticed by heels, I always end up wearing my flats which are much more suitable the hills of South East London. Because I walk a lot and in what isn't a very graceful manner, the heels of my shoes always get worn down ridiculously quickly. I've had to take stock this wet winter as I realised (converse excluded) that I only owned one

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-11242778552805616912010-11-22T18:23:00.007Z2010-11-22T18:43:35.654Z

I managed to actually stop thinking about the rodent horribleness for half an hour or so thanks to the KENZO Fashion in Motion at the V&A. The Fashion in Motion's are always great experiences, allowing you to experience designer clothes on the catwalk (rather than guiltily scurrying around Harvey Nicks as I tend to do). While often the event is used as a retrospective, this Fashion in Motion was

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-48054779309212799572010-11-18T13:53:00.008Z2010-11-19T13:18:51.802Z

How smug I was when I wrote about Last-month's move. Alas, my contended air was not to last long as this last week has brought us a new visitor. As you might have guessed from The White Stripes song above, our little home has been taken over by a rat! I was in the house last week, waiting for the landlord to look at a nasty bit of damp we seem to have in the bedroom. I heard some serious banging

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-57930175366798219662010-11-15T10:30:00.002Z2012-01-07T23:03:37.360Z

One of my first gig going experiences was V 96, a present for my 16th birthday. Living in the middle of nowhere my sister had the job of accompanying me on the Solid Entertainment coach to Staffordshire for the day. It was a Brit Pop era special, headlined by the triumvirate of Cast, Supergrass and Pulp. It was an eyeopening day in many respects. It was the day I stopped believing that

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-63827277504853443612010-11-12T11:00:00.000Z2010-11-12T11:00:11.347Z

It's an unlikely trend but lampshades seem to be the latest accessory for bands. Not slim-lined modernist numbers either, but full-on granny style shades. Take a look at the evidence...First spotted at Bestival, Lulu and the Lampshades were accompanied onstage by a couple of backing dancers, wearing a pair of lampshades. A power problem meant that one poor dancer was really executed but a good

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-89879257927503505722010-11-10T10:30:00.002Z2011-12-21T16:35:48.253Z

Relationships have been the stock story matter of books surely since time began. While the stories are instantly identifiable, the difficulty is finding something which is inventive but still rings true. Important Artifacts by Leanne Shapton - or to give it its full title Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, including books, street

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-3791879861543859212010-11-08T10:30:00.001Z2010-11-08T10:30:01.462Z

October skipped by in a blur ... of festivals, of holidays and of moving. Yes, after six and a half years I've said toot toot to Tooting and decided to get pally with the Palace. Crystal Palace that is. And although my legs seem to be constantly aching from all those hills, I'm very happy with the move, especially on beautiful autumn days like today when everything, from the trees in the park to

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1378056177484025175.post-35385212848065416662010-09-01T19:56:00.009+01:002010-09-01T20:34:23.133+01:00

Post-birthday party tired and emotional, I went to see The Illusionist. Featuring a French magician and set in 1950s Edinburgh, it was always highly probable that I'd enjoy it. I loved it. And how it made me cry - the like of which hasn't been seen since the Billy Elliot debacle (he's a Northern boy that just wants to dance!). I cried for about the last quarter of the hour in the cinema, I cried

Last-Year Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874476850659793403noreply@blogger.com0