More Style Shake....

Ok so here are some better images of my Style Shake designs (screen grabbing is the solution!). I'm now completely addicted to designing dresses (and the odd skirt)! I've done so many, have a look here. I decided to purchase one (below), I'm just so curious to see the results! Hopefully I will get it in time for new years. Of course I will report on it once it's here!
The dress cost £39 plus postage (a bit hefty at £7), but still the whole thing seems very well priced which obviously makes me suspicious as to the quality but we shall see!

Style Shake Fun

style shake designs by Gwendoline Curl

I actually did read about this site awhile ago but somehow didn't investigate it, but today I saw it featured on Catwalk Queen and gave it a better look! It's so much fun to design your own dresses, especially as you can add bows and peter pan collars to all of them! I'm very tempted to order one of my designs; the prices are very reasonable. I cannot decide which though! There are limited colours at the moment but they are bringing in more on a most votes basis, I voted for navy and teal as a navy dress would be so lovely (I do have quite a few but not designed by myself!)

Lusted for Sweater

whistles sweater by Gwendoline Curl

I love this Whistles jumper! As I blogged earlier, Whistles' collection this season is ticking all my boxes and as predicted many items are now reduced (not much of a prediction considering my inbox is full of emails from clothings stores proclaiming sales or discount days!). The prices are still a little out of my league but maybe they will sink further. The Sweater is now £47.47 and the skirt is now £85.47. The shoes are Miu Miu, the gloves Mulberry and the bag of course is Chanel, all far far too pricey for my budget but Polyvore inspires me to go a bit crazy!

This would probably be my dream Christmas day outfit, but I imagine I'll probably be in something comfy as I'll have car journeys and massive meals to contend with!

A great flickr for vintage fans

Vogue 1939
Originally uploaded by myvintagevogue

'My Vintage Vogue' is an awesome collection of fashion photographs ranging from the 20's to early 60's. There are so many inspirational photos, this one is particularly amazing and from 1939 which is odd as it looks typical 50's!

Check it out! (click on the photo to go to the flickr site!)

Time -where does it go

I am in the middle of writing a draft of my dissertation so blogging has become rather neglected as you can see. I keep seeing things I want to write about and am mentally making a note of them but at the moment my head is too full of theory!

As I have a little time now I must say I'm very impressed with Whistles revamp of late. They've got some quite vintage looking pieces.
Of course they're all a bit out of my price range, however at the moment they're having a sale and the reductions are good so maybe january sales will be a good time to explore Whistles again!

Ivana Helsinki at Topshop

Ivana Helsinki at Topshop1 (Vogue.com UK) by Gwendoline Curl

I really love all the items I've seen online, I want all of them! Practically the cardigan would be a wise investment as I really really need a better black cardigan, my current one is not even that black anymore and very boring!

I'm sure they're going to sell out so quickly so I need to make a decision soonish!!

Grumpy

You know what I'm reeeeeaaallly tired of ?
This bloody skirt...





Hiked up and secured with a vintage looking plaited belt + long cardigan and plimsolls.....YAWN. People are so content to look like each other, like men and their stupid plaid shirts.

Sorry but I am just really bored of this look. I go to Art school and live in Brighton so it's practically impossible for me to go through a day without seeing this type of thing.

I will make a positive post soon as an antidote to this with new items that i'm actually excited about but I just keep getting more depressed as I can't buy anything.

Busy Busy....

I've been back at Uni for just under 2 weeks and the work is already piling on. I'm in my final year so I can already feel the stress levels rising!

I haven't had time to read or look at fashion sites/magazines etc so I'm feeling pretty uninspired. Plus I am very poor as I'm on my budget so looking at clothes is a little painful!

Hopefully things will change soon!

A tale of two Dresses!

My planned day of immense amounts of drawing has all been disrupted....by a dress!

Yes, the coveted Oasis dress arrived this morning and I tried it on a few times and was generally quite happy with it. I then settled down to work.....but I thought it was only right that I double check the dress was perfect before putting it in my wardrobe...

This is where the problem started. The Zip. It just kept getting stuck! It had been a bit tricky this morning but now it just refused to budge. I took it off and tried it, it did up fine as long as it was pulled at the right angle, however the angle with which I needed to pull it to do it up just made the zip get completely stuck with or without me in it!

So I debated, I could get a nice sturdy zip put in it but that would cost quite a bit and I was only buying this because I was getting it at a bargain price. I realised maybe it just wasn't right for me. I very very rarely wear strapless dresses and I did feel a bit WAGed up in it, it was short and left my shoulders and back bare.

In the end the dress was returned. I am closing the book on this bloody dress!

However all is not lost. I trotted up to Topshop and bought the Miu Miu-esque dress. I tried it on again, (again the zip was a little sticky but nowhere near as bad as the oasis one and I unzipped and zipped it about 10 times to check it was ok!) and thought it was still great, short yes but the high neckline and collar make it demure. I also think I could wear this dress in the day as well as for evenings out.

I'm going to try and keep the dress stored in my wardrobe until the rush has died down on it, then I will bring it out in its full glory!

P.S High street sizing charts are useless, the size of the dress was significantly smaller than their size chart states it should be, was ok for me as I thought the dress would be a bit too big, but anyway. No more on the dress. Ever.

Purchasing and Lusting

(from left to right, Oasis dress, dress and jacket, both Topshop)

I finally got the Oasis dress I had blogged about previously, it was reduced to £35!!! I ummed and aahed over it for hours, do I need it? can I afford it? The answer to both is probably no but I couldn't resist. I have promised myself that if it is not perfect once i've tried it on then I will return it! I may end up getting it altered as I am between sizes but a thin belt may remedy this.

Yesterday I also tried on the MiuMiu-tastic dress from Topshop, it is divine but £50 and rather short (nothing that some opaque tights couldn't cope with though!). I may still get my hands on it but I fear it will sell out as its such a catwalk copy; which is not something I'm particularly a fan of but I really admired the Miu Miu dresses of last season and would never be able to afford the original.

The jacket is something I actually need, it would be better with full length sleeves! It's not in my local store so I can't try it on, it looks like it would be a flattering fit though.

I was going to make a post about some ebay finds but pickings are so slim, last night when I was debating the Oasis dress I went on both UK and US ebay to see if I could find anything vintage that I would rather have but there really wasn't a lot. Maybe my taste is changing but I am struggling to find exceptional dresses...maybe they've all been bought!

Clara Bow

My idol and definitely my favourite (in aesthetic terms) silent film actress. I am still trying to get my hair into the perfect Clara Bow fuzz!

Watch 'It' for a perfect example of her charms, its light fluffy stuff in cinematic terms but still very cute and funny, and the fashion is to die for.

More Polyvore Dreaming...

All Topshop :-S

Ever since I started this blog I've found myself looking at 'new' clothes more and more. I still love vintage but I think I have less inspiration as I haven't been buying or seeing any great vintage pieces. I used to rely on Ebay to deliver me with vintage gems but there seems to be a dearth of quality items on there at the moment.

Bows, Bows and more Bows

Moschino dress
Topshop shoes
Rodarte sunglasses
Topshop hairband
Pamela Mann stockings
Valentino Bag

Even I'm making myself sick of them now.... I would still like to possess every item here though...

This was my first experiment on Polyvore hence it looking a bit clunky. I can see myself getting slightly addicted to it though!

Drawings

I am doing them. Slowly getting back into things ready for the term to start again. I am tight on money so have tried not to think about my increasing desire to kit myself out in a new wardrobe!



(Photograph: Alastair Grant/AP) from The Guardian


However a small nod to London Fashion Week. I'm almost ashamed to say that I liked the PPQ show as it does seem to be the domain of Peaches Geldof and Daisy Lowe. But it was lovely and girly!

Today

Is a day to enjoy Physics and not think about clothes!

I'm catching all the news from Cern at BBC Radio 4's website!

Bettie Page Clothing

A kind of recent discovery. I've always been aware of Stop Staring clothes but have only just started looking at Bettie Page Clothing. Their dresses are similar in style and are made of the same stretch bengaline fabric.

I have a Stop Staring dress with a sailor collar and full skirt. I really like it and if these kind of clothes weren't so expensive I'd definitely invest in more. You can get a better deal by searching on Ebay US and avoid custom charges too!

I am very lucky...

As my mum bought me these today.




They go so well with my 1940's dresses!

Bloomer Update

Alas my Bloomers came today but they are not quite right :-( They're far too baggy at the stomach in a quite unflattering fashion. So unfortunately they will be sent back today, perhaps it is for the best as I can't really justify spending 17.50 on knickers! I will have to stick to my Dorothy gingham ones for now!


In other news I really want to buy new shoes.

I wish....

H&M did online shopping. Not only so I could buy their clothes without leaving the house but because on the rare occasion I do splurge in there I could blog easily what I have bought!

Anyway I recently did break my self imposed shopping ban and did splurge in H&M oops. I feel a little guilty as I am trying to be good and buy second hand plus I shouldn't be spending money. However I really needed to er 'update my look' however ridiculous that sounds but I was just getting sick of my vintage dresses (god forbid but unfortunately it has happened!)

I will have to take some pictures the next time I wear my purchases out as posing in my house just doesn't cut it and I feel ridiculous!!

Basically I bought 2 items which are rather short. A lot shorter than I would normally wear and I was at risk of flashing my derriere to all and sundry. My solution to this was to wear some splendid what katie did gingham knickers, pictured below. They have great bum coverage and looked pretty with my pink skirt! I wore white tights underneath in a kind of superman style ha ha! This set is currently in the sale at the site!


These bloomers would have been even better and I am still very tempted by them however in the end I have purchased the black satin version (the last picture) as I think these will be more versatile to wear under my new short items! What Katie Did is a great vintage reproduction lingerie site, I've bought bullet bras and other bits from there and the quality is very good.
These bloomers should be with me soon so I'll have to try out their suitability and report back. I know a lot of people wear hotpants under short things but I'm not really that sort of girl plus I really like big pants! They are also good for wearing over a suspender belt which I think is what has been done in the photo, I think it looks really nice and would definitely make me get more use out of my suspender belt.

I'd gotten out of the habit of looking at underwear sites but suddenly I find myself creeping back...dear me.

Things

I am back after an extended holiday. I am now unemployed after my current work decided they didn't need us lowly temps anymore. Ah well.

Anyway on to more exciting things.....Ireland (my holiday destination)

(photo courtesy of my friend Eleanor )

That is me in a 1950's dress, white tights and vintage brogues. The area we visited was beautiful and I got to look after three cats for a week (I am a cat obsessive but cannot have my own!)


(all my photos)


It was a lovely break but the real world has returned with vengeance. Clothing myself has had to take a back seat due to financial worries about my last year of uni. I am going to be job free for the rest of the holidays so I can concentrate on reading for my dissertation and illustration work. This situation does not leave me with much in the way of surplus funds unfortunately. But we shall see.... I am selling clothes on ebay to make some cash and if this goes well I shall perhaps treat myself to something!

Office has some lovely offerings this coming season which have already been tempting me terribly!



This is just a selection of the pairs I am lusting after....perhaps if I buy one pair a month for the next few months.....hmm.

Holiday...

Lots to follow in a week...

oh god why...

I shouldn't be looking. I saw it on Gok Wan's show a few weeks ago and have been waiting for it to be in stores.....and today....I found it.

There are 2 obstacles to me possessing this dress
1. It's 70 quid
2. Oasis sizes really don't suit me it seems. I've tried on the purple version of this dress and my size was really tight but the next size up was too big so I would either have to get it taken in or perhaps wear a belt....


Oh I want it so much.

I don't how clothes can have such an effect on me :-S

Budgeting

Okay, I am really trying to save money before going back for my last year of uni. This means my purchases will be few and far between. However I still aim to make 1 decent purchase per month!

However this does all mean that my online clothing trawls have become something akin to torture. Ah well, I am a glutton for punishment it seems....

wish list - shoes

The top two are Topshop and the bottom two are both Office. I really like the above pair from Office, they have an odd vintage feel to them as well as being modern, shame there isn't a wedge heel as this would make them more 1950's...

I'm in Love...

Chanel autumn/winter 2008-9

I have caved.....

I bought this today. I got my first pay packet from my temp job on friday and although I am on a shopping ban (imposed by my boyfriend and kind of by me) I was in a crappy mood today and just thought I have to go and have a poke around the shops. I hadn't been near any in weeks and weeks! H&M have this lovely 50's style floral skirt with a elastic waist, it had 2 different tops to go with, it really was rather pretty but I couldn't afford to buy both parts so I let it be. Maybe in a few weeks....

Anyway back to my skirt. This photo really does not do it justice. It's a really stiff fabric, fitting high waist and poofs out in a skater skirt style. I've been looking for a good navy skirt for ages. I think I may have finally found it. I'm planning on wearing it with an 1940's cream blouse I got from a vintage fair a while back. I need to try the combo together, if it's not right I may have to forsake the skirt but I'm hoping it will be a great match. The skirt seems really long in the Topshop image but it's quite short on me. I'll feel confident in tights with it but a little scared if I go bare legged!

I have to say there is a little guilt that I bought brand new but I find vintage skirts quite tricky to find so the high street has to come to my rescue....

The dark side....

I would say that at least 90% of my purchases these days are vintage/second hand. I like that I am in effect, recycling by wearing second hand clothes and that I am also breaking free of the habit of buying cheap unethically produced clothes only to wear them once then set them aside. For that reason I avoid Primark as I know at first glance something might look lovely but after one wash and a few wears its lost its condition and appeal.

So well done me. Ha. I wish I could congratulate myself but really I mostly buy vintage because I love 1940's/50's fashion and love owning something unique. The fact that I am being more ethical/green is a happy by product...it's a start though.

But...and this is perhaps a large but, I still trawl sites like Topshop, Warehouse and Oasis as sometimes these shops will produce some vintage inspired gems and just generally lust worthy items. It's not often I do buy clothes from the high street but if I do I will make sure it's a quality item that I know I can get a lot of wears out of. Avoid cheap materials and badly cut clothes as a little tip...

So onto what has brought out the above musings...the newest offerings from Warehouse
This is the 'Twist Knot Dress' from Warehouse, priced at £45. See now in a lot of ways this isn't quite me but something about its simplicity is really alluring. I can imagine wearing it with my loafers and ankles socks for a relaxed day look.....

I also really like the strapless party dresses Oasis are offering at the moment. This burnt orange one has caught my eye.....



This is £65..... Oh not to be broke!

The dress I wore on a sunny beach day....

Such satisfying colours. I have tried in vain to avoid checks after an avalanche of plaid shirts has covered the UK. I started to feel a faint rage welling up in me as I traipsed the Brighton streets in my usual haste and repeatedly found myself staring in to the back of yet another of those bloody shirts.

Anyway, I deviate. I will still allow myself my fill of checks and when in such autumnal hues I could hardly resist. A peter pan collar, almost 3/4 length sleeves and in breezy cotton. Perfect. I only wish the waist were a litte larger as it is quite snug however I am working on trimming my waist so hopefully it will be a perfect fit soon.

Although the dress looks like a perfect example of 1950's daywear, I can't help thinking it's actually of a later age. The condition is just too pristine and the colours very bright. It could in fact be 1970's/80's but I just cannot be sure. I'm usually very good at ageing vintage clothes but this dress confuses me a little. Either way its a beauty.

Hello, this is an outlet away from Death Stares where I can indulge my materialistic urges. I try to get the better of them but I just cannot....

In this photo: Bow, custom made from Lou Lou Loves You