Travels and Treasures

Jewellery. Accessories. Bags. All of these things mean treasure to me. I think it's my Nanna's fault, she always had tins full of glistening cocktail jewellery for us to rummage through when we went to visit. From South Shields, she's a proper magpie - coming back from jumble sales with the wacky, weird but truly magical. Guess I've inherited the hoarding habit...

Decided to do a quick staging of some jewellery, since so much of what I have is exciting and odd. I won't name everything, just pick out a few bits, but please open the photos in a new tab so you can zoom in for more detail! This collection is, Phileas Fogg... steampunk... railways and halcyon days. Tough brown leather and a lust for adventure.

Bags:
Miniature suitcase - Topshop
Stripe hard case - Topshop
Small satchel - Vintage ebay
Tall satchel (on the bottom) - Vintage ebay

 

Floral heart - Primark

Silver pocket watch - ASOS

Umbrella with cloud and lightning - ASOS

Taxi - Accessorize

'a' watch - ASOS

Bronze pocket watch - Picked up from a stall at Whitby Goth Weekend

Hot air balloon  - Present from my Nephew

Green ink pen - ASOS

Rocking horse - Present from a friend

Books owl - Present from my Sister (www.ellymental.co.uk)

Pearl with bow and embellishments - Present from Al's Sister, Accessorize

Bugle and flag - ASOS

Soldiers brooch - Cath Kidston

Guitar case, Bear and Diving Helmet - ASOS

Pipe - Anna Lou of London (www.annalouoflondon.com)

Bow Wow Wow

BOWS! It's hard not to coo over bows, even as a non girly-girl there's something precious about them and I freakin' love them. So when I received this pink-tissue wrapped package of delights from the postman I did a shameful teenage squeal...

Kiss Like Daisy make (amongst other things) hair bows that make you look like you've walked right out of a Japanese cartoon, or are BFF's with Minnie Mouse. This gigantic black leather fascinating fascinator sits atop a flat headband, guaranteed to wow. The shape is Disney style perfection and it stays that way - funnily enough, leather is a pretty perfect material for cute bows, despite it's saucy rep!

Bow: Kiss Like Daisy

Studded Collar: JuliaHeartsU (www.juliaheartsu.com)

Shirt with collar tie: Primark

Black skinny jeans: George at ASDA

Black leather biker boots: I think these were MIA from John Lewis a long time ago...

The giant leather bow wasn't the only delicious thing in that parcel, these beauts are going to be rocking my bonce over festival season too...

1. Black Leather - Style Icon: Betty Boop
2. Pink Courderoy - puffed out with stuffing so it doesn't go flat to your head. Style icon: Hello Kitty
3. Red Tartan backed with leather - Style Icon: Anime Schoolgirls a la Studio Ghibli, Tenchi Muyo and Battle Royale

Kiss Like Daisy's amazing products can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/KissLikeDaisy?filter=3

and on Twitter @kisslikedaisy too, with the new website launching soon! Keep a look out for these beautiful bows gracing my noggin in posts to come... 

(open photos in new tab to get a bow-closeup, a bows-up... ha...)

Maiden Voyage

My precioussss...

Thank you Schuh, for not only finally stocking these in Womens sizes, but also for massively reducing them in the sale. I get it, there's not many chicks out there who want a pair of devil emblazoned Iron Maiden sneakers but that's A-OK by me if I can snag them for twenty five quid. 

The sizing translates a little weird with this particular pair of Vans sk8-hi tops, so I ended up with a half size too big, but it doesn't really make much of a difference if you wear them loose like I do anyway. Worn with denim turn-ups and some lace topped pop-socks, it's my homage to both school and rock... school of rock, if you like. The socks were from ebay, and the trainers from Schuh as I said. Wanted about half the shoes that went into sale so be careful if you're a shoemania type like me, and decide to take a look.

The world of Band-meets-shoe collaborations has really expanded in the last few years, Vans working with The Prodigy and Metallica, Converse with The Who and Gorillaz... I like it, it's a decent way of getting your hands on some longer-lasting merch than the generally crap quality overpriced tour shirts, or bank-balance-busting jackets they push (seriously, who spends £80 on a zip hoody at a festival??). I'd like a few more bands in the mix though, classic stuff - I would totally buy some Aerosmith sneaks...

 

Being bad feels pretty good, huh?

Today's blog is a tribute to The Breakfast Club, alright Sporto? I love the movie and am not ashamed to say (well... maybe a bit) that some of the fashion choices in that film have inspired some of my own... yes I own a varsity jacket and a checked shirt or two, but hey, the film is legendary.

The Breakfast Club jumper - Men's section in Primark, picked it up last year sometime. They've always got some obscure printed jummies in there, I usually buy them oversized so they're long in the body. It's been styled up with the stunning JuliaHeartsU (www.juliaheartsu.com) spiked collar to give a cleaner and sharper edge to the round necked jumper.
 
Floral skater skirt

JW leggings

Sorel Tivoli plaid short snowboots - Al bought me these last year for Snowbombing in Austria, they're waterproof and fleece lined, and super cute! I don't think the exact colour is still available but you can get a very similar kind from www.sorelfootwear.co.uk

Red sparkle nail polish from Rimmel

Caped Crusader

Brrrr. The snow may be on it's way out but the cold is here to stay. Frozen noses and plumed breaths mean everyone is out in ski-wear force, even me. So instead I bring you playtime in the garden so I can show off some special pieces. I guess this is sort of Punk meets Victoriana?

The beautiful burgundy cape is from - www.obsidiangothic.co.uk but I picked it up at Whitby Goth Weekend where they have a trade stall. It has a high clasped collar and lace edging. It won't be winning any warmth awards but it is just adorable!

White pintuck shirt with black tie collar - Primark

Chandelier baroque print jeans - Next (zoom in for detail, they're so pretty)

White leather boots - Dr. Martens. They've been very slightly customised with white flower beads on the laces and silver stud spikes in the top two eyelets. I love these but they're a little small and so hard to wear in, they rip my feet up, need a stretching trick!

Burgundy socks with lace edge - Primark

Knit beanie - Animal

Alice in Winterland

Ahhhh it's here at last! SNOW! My favourite weather type, everything (even our city street, my dirty car, the disused factory by us...) looks beautiful. The snow does one other thing to the world that is just absolutely sublime when you live in a city... quiet. Less cars, less people, more peace. I've spent most of today popping in and out of the house to marvel at this January Winterland, and when the soft powdery snow falls it's like a million tiny kisses, I love it. I feel a bit like Madeline in this outfit, I think it's the dress...

Blue overlay dress - ASOS

Nordic knit long blue cardigan - http://myworld.ebay.com/parker-road-trading-company/ It's from this amazing company that operates in the UK but gets hold of loads of Korean fashion items. You've got to go a bit risk with the sizing but I love the stuff they sell.

Skinny nude belt with flower buckle - maybe Next?

Long grey socks - ASOS

Grey snood - can't remember it's so old! Maybe American Apparel

Grey knit beanie hat - Ebay (HK, some random shop about £3!)

Shoes - Wooden wedge, peep toe mary janes with blue leather: Topshop

Bite of the Buckcherry

December's Buckcherry gig at the HMV Institute Birmingham -  it was a bloody freezing night, but deadly hot in the crowded room. Had a pit pass for photos too, and totally wrecked my new leggings sitting on the back of the barriers, booooo :( It was a great night, the band were amazing and I was close enough to lick the sweat off Josh Todd (I didn't though...) ha!

Anyway,

Proper fan-girl style, it's a Buckcherry tshirt! Mens size with the arms rolled up a little, comfy to move around in.

Dark denim knicker shorts - ASOS

White stud belt - Lowlife

Black leggings - JW

Trainers - Converse high-tops

Accessories - Burgundy bandana, studded and leather bracelets, spike ring, small diana camera necklace