If you don't believe in something, then you'll fall for anything

Plan B "Lost my way"

A couple of months back now I competed in Miss Worcestershire for the chance to make it through to the England finals, to take a shot at taking the crown as Miss England 2012. In Miss Worcestershire I took the titles of Miss Eco for my Olympic themed Eco outfit, and Miss Charity Queen, for raising the most money for the official charity of Miss World, Beauty With a Purpose. Miss Worcestershire was made a patron for the Acorns Children Hospice; as she was busy competing in the Miss England finals that take place today and tomorrow, I was asked by the event organisers to attend to help with the day distributing medals and trophies to the runners. The weather forecast was bleak and I was advised to wear 'appropriate' clothing, which translates to clothing suitable for traipsing across a muddy field and something remotely waterproof in case there was a downpour. 

I always find it hard to dress when I am given a brief, for instance as soon as someone says lets get dressed up and go 'glam' I freeze up, I don't like to label outfits, I'm more of a 'dress how you feel' kinda girl, which means you tend to never be out of your comfort zone as you are always dressing for you. 

Barrets (ancient!) leather boots, New Look knee high socks, M&S tights (best black tights ever!) River Island skirt via ebay, H&M necklace and sleeveless shirt, Oasis leather jacket, Disney and H&M jewellery

To combat the given brief, I reassessed my thinking and attuned my thoughts to familiar territory to what would I wear if I was going to a beer festival, or a music event say in the current weather. This meant I was able to happily get dressed without hitch at 7am this morning. (Knowing I had at least an hours drive I didn't have the luxury of trying on outfits before I left; a normal weekend occurrence.) 

I had to do a close-up of the necklace I wore to do it the justice it deserves. I had spotted it on my lunch break in gold a couple of weeks back in H&M and left the shop empty handed. Low and behold the necklace has plagued my every thought since, so it came home with my in silver, a) I couldn't find the gold and b) I couldn't not have it at all, so it was silver or nothing. (Keep your eyes peeled for when the gold one makes an appearance on the blog. I need it.)

It turns out I was very practically dressed, which isn't a feeling I am overly familiar with. NB The earlier made comment about always dressing for you, there was no mention of appropriateness, but thats all part of the fun! 

The race is split into three separate races, with them all crossing the same finishing line, a 1km 'Chicken Run', a 5km run and the Half Marathon. All the runners self submit, so it's a great opportunity to really push yourself if you aren't sure of your ability. (St. John's Ambulance are on standby for anyone that pushed themselves too hard!) There were around 1200 runners in all, with about 700 of them opting to run the half marathon, this included dogs and their owners, children and babies in pushchairs-yes one yummy mummy ran the half marathon with her little girl in her pushchair. The fastest 5km run was 19minutes and the fastest half marathon runner managed it in 1 hour and 13 minutes, impressive times even to someone with as little knowledge of running as me.

My duties required me to smile, a lot, and hand out medals at the finish line to the very grateful runners. It was so nice to be involved in something completely different, even though I chose not to go forward for Miss England, the experience has really opened up a whole host of other activities happening that I can get involved in. Who knows, maybe next year I'll knock out a quick 5k when I go. (Highly unlikely, but it's not to get caught up in the moment sometimes!)

KDx

You say that everything sounds the same

The Streets "Let's push things forward"


Sometimes the simplest outfits are the best. Uncomplicated. Guaranteed to work. Functional. No brainers. 

New Look vest and patent peep toe shoes, Miss Selfridge bag, Topshop bra, Topshop Kristen jeans via ebay, River Island belt (just seen), jewellery various (Miss Selfridge, New Look, Topshop, Accessorize, charity shops and Dorothy Perkins)

This by no means should be confused with boring and/or nice. The addition of a couple of bright accessories in the same colour will pull the look together (note: this is not a case of bag and matching shoes-unless it's black it's a bit cringey and too try hard.) In this case I went for red; a hint of a lacey bra, lipstick and a big clutch, adding some pattern breaks the block colours up with my leopard print belt that can just be seen and heaps of interesting jewellery. Dressing up doesn't always have to mean a pretty dress and lots of flesh on display, sometimes you just need to think about the accessories and start with a good base.

KDx

Take me out to the crowd

Frank Sinatra "Take me out to the ball game" Ft. Gene Kelly

The varsity jacket has been one of those creeping trends. Alexander Wang showed them in his Spring/Summer collection in 2010 and it kind of missed the masses the first time it surfaced on the market around 2011. The stores stocked them, they subsequently went into the sale; a trend to be filed away under 'fail' perhaps. However, it would seem as though sometimes fashion can sometimes get it wrong and they quite simply missed the mark and got their timings awry. Fast forward a year or so and it seems to be that their popularity is gathering pace as a streetstyle trend, having spotted numerous ladies choosing to wear their varsity jackets as a casual throw over, or to add some edge to a more formal outfit. The sportswear trend has been evident in a number of the Spring/Summer 2012 collections amongst the likes of Rag & Bone, Isabel Marant (who of course is also responsible for everyone wanting to wear concealed wedge trainers. If you had have said that before I am sure I wouldn't have been the only person who had flashbacks of this awful trainer-heel hybrid catastrophe) and our very own Stella McCartney, which is no surprise seeing as she has designed the official Team GB Olympic kit; which I feel is another coincidental factor in the rise in popularity of the varsity jacket, you cannot escape the pull of the Olympics!

Photos via Telegraph online and Vanessa Jackman

From models looking casual after shows, to bloggers visiting shows and Liv Tyler quite simply looking hot, the varisty jacket works on all occasions. Less formal than a blazer, but moreso than a hoody, the varsity jacket offers a spring jacket alternative to the leather jackets of winter and the plethora of denim jackets this time of year.

Topshop varsity jacket, Levi's vintage skirt, Converse all via ebay, H&M vest and Topshop belt

Jacket as before, Levi's cut off shorts (jeans brought from ebay) Urban Outfitters t-shirt and New Look studded loafers

Here are my varsity jacket outfits two-ways. Both pretty dressed down outfits, so I would like to experiment with a more dressed up look, maybe a pencil skirt and pointed court, or my H&M floral trousers as seen here. Those of you that haven't got to grips with the joys of ebay, you must! This cost me 99p with £4 postage. If that can't convert you then I can't think of many more persuasive sells!

KDx

Ball. So. Hard.

Jay-Z and Kanye West "N***as in Paris"

Finally. The wait is over. Last night I got the absolute pleasure to see the Watch The Throne Tour, Jay-Z and Kanye West in one arena, in one night. To be quite frank, I'm stuck for words; how do you describe something that was quite simply utterly incredible? As such a long-standing Jay-Z fan, (with the back catalogue of albums to prove it), I still feel a little palpitation at the thought of it being a reality. So now we have firmly established that I am in the 'super fan' camp, I can somehow attempt to eloquently describe the experience. 

Firstly what I wore:

H&M Trousers, New Look Vest, Zara pumps via ebay, H&M and Topshop jewellery

Printed trousers Statement trousers seem to be as common as the trophy blazer of seasons past, mirrored florals, tropical scenes and pyjama prints are the obsession du jour. These trousers must have been a massive hit for H&M, having seen them on a number of fashionistas throughout the bloggersphere, and in numerous street style shots, with them subsequently selling out. This is no surprise, with the £12.99 price tag they were hardly a drop in the ocean. I teamed them with leopard print for some ‘print clash’ action, and a simple loose fitting grey vest, my thoughts being: I wanted to look like I had made an effort, but was also thinking practically; having got standing tickets, there was going to be no way I was going to stand and watch all the action from the perimeter, I wanted in!

It would appear that Jay-Z and Kanye have some seriously stylish fans. I have to say that I was somewhat surprised by the diversity of the crowd, I'd been expecting it to be predominantly 'hip-hop', but was proved wrong, despite the plethora of New Era caps! For the ladies it was a mix of AA disco pants, (back to the statement trousers), in mostly black, with the brave branching out and opting for red or safer charcoal and navy. A smattering of Jeffrey Campbell Lita's were seen, as were cut-off denim shorts sported both with and without tights despite the minuscule amounts of fabric. The boys seemed to keep it casual in printed tees and chinos, but they weren't afraid to throw on an accessory or two, with many a bespectacled beauty to be seen.

Just to give you an idea of scale, this was the arena bowl filling up before the lights dropped and that all important announcement that the show was about to start was made.

For those of you that have tickets, but haven't seen the show yet, you are in for an absolute treat! Jay an Ye have such a presence when they are on the stage, they really do know how to command an audience, of which all remained standing throughout. The light show was incredible, at one point it looked as though there were clouds floating on the stage, and as for the huge led, light-box stages-unreal! 

For me, despite N****as in Paris being undoubtedly the headline song of the night, four times over in fact, performance of the night for me was Izzo (H.O.V.A), as at that point Jay asked the crowd to put their diamonds up in the air, and seeing the whole crowd raise their hands and show Jay-Z the rock, was a real euphoric moment.

You constantly felt throughout as though there was a real sense of rapport between the two on stage, even so much so that when each the other took centre stage to do a song from their solo album, you caught glimpses of the other lip syncing along, it was little details like that, and the obvious respect that was mutually shown that made the show so special; just two artists on stage, without backing dancers, simply doing their thing.

Cannot deny the fact that I have felt somewhat deflated today, I'm sad it's all over, but yes I did get to Watch The Throne, and I think it is going to take some serious beating!

What show have you been to that simply left you feeling elated? Have you ever been to a gig and wondered if anything will ever live up to that performance? Would love to hear from some of you.

KDx

Anything you need you can find it at the market

Mac Miller "Frick Park Market"

Here's the follow-up post as promised. This really is an easy little diy, no need for a sewing machine, a few hand stitches was all it took.

To get started all you need is one dress, a pair of scissors and an unpicker. This dress worked well to be turned into a crop as it was seamed at the waist, which provides a guide for where to cut it and also means that the top half will retain it's shape, which is what attracted me to the dress in the first instance.

This dress had a side zip, so I started by unpicking the stitches to remove it, having a smocked elastic back panel means that taking the side zip out will still allow me to get it on and off easily.

When removing a zip, once started if you hold the zip and the fabric taught between your fingers, you can easily get the stitches out without snagging or cutting the fabric in the process.

Having removed the zip I turned the dress inside out and cut as close to the seam as possible, for one it meant that if I wanted to use the remaining dress fabric for something else it wasn't dog-eared, and as I wanted this to be a quick little project, I wasn't planning on stitching the bottom at all. The fabric of this dress  is best described as light weight denim, so it shouldn't fray too much.

The seam allowance where zip was removed was sewn together by hand, I used back stitch, but a couple of rows of running stitch would work if that's all you know.

And there you have it, literally that simple. Not bad for a dress that cost 99p! And yes, the labels were still in it. If you want to see the finished crop and how I styled it, the post is here.

On Wednesday, I will finally get to see Jay-Z and Kanye on their Watch The Throne tour, I am beyond excited!! It seemed like an age away when I booked the ticket, but it's come round so quick. I'm hoping to remember to take some pictures and not get overwhelmed by the whole thing, I feel a little giddy just thinking about it. I am a huge Jay-Z fan, and I mean MEGA! I look forward to filling you in on :)

KDx

Don't you drag me down cause I'm living my life

Benga "Icon" Featuring BeBe Black

The Jubilee Weekend Round-Up in Numbers:

Days to enjoy the Jubilee: 6

Street Parties Attended: 1

Bbqs Attended (in the rain!): 1

Scones Baked: 12

Scones Eaten: 2

Blueberry Muffins Baked: 12

Blueberry Muffins Eaten: Yet to be confirmed...

Cups of Tea Drank: Too many to count (ranges from 4-8 cups daily)

G&T's Drank: 'Enough' (I do not recommend a Disarono, G&T mix if you have any sensibilities about you!)

Queens Spotted: Numerous! (I went to GLAS Super Pride as part of Gay Pride in Birmingham over the Bank Holiday, celebrating the reign of the Queen surrounded by queens-how apt!)

Roast Dinners Eaten: 2 (Neither of them fell qualify for the 'Sunday Dinner' tag)

Yorkshire Puddings Eaten: 8

Hangovers Endured: 0 (This one still surprises me)

Trips to the Gym to Account for my Overindulgences: I'm still working on that one...

Well good ol' Queen Liz, she sure knows how to throw a party doesn't she? In somewhat unpatriotic fashion, I didn't watch much/any of the Jubilee concert/floatilla/awkward celebrity meetings; but I am looking forward to catching up on a glut of who wore what, and how much he/she/we/they loved or loathed it. But I thought I'd share a bit of what I've been wearing throughout:

Headband Dorothy Perkins, flowers Accessorize, top Topshop and skirt River Island both via ebay, Miss Selfridge belt,Topshop boots, jewellery H&M, Dorothy Perkins, and Topshop

This was the outfit I chose for GLAS, I thought I looked more like Xena Warrior Princess, opposed to our Royal High-streetness, Princess Middleton. The top was formerly a dress, it was a really simple diy that I will post about later this week. I got it for a steal at 99p on the ebay, which is why I had absolutely no qualms about cutting it up!

New Look vest, River Island skirt and Zara pumps via ebay

For my one and only street party appearance I thought I'd indulge in a little red, white and blue, or in my case....just red. Despite my sunny disposition, the weather didn't match up; it didn't rain (for a change) but I was a little optimistic in opting to go bare legged, I did wear my trusty Oasis leather jacket, but that didn't stave off the leg chill.

Oasis leather jacket, New Look denim shirt, Dorothy Perkins necklace, Zara shoes via ebay, and River Island sequin shorts (just seen) via carboot

A bbq in Britain is never going to be a simple affair, but we Brits do have a love for alfresco dining and all things outdoorsy. (Picnics included) I left my house in the rain, so despite the footwear in the picture I actually made a last minute change for my Zara ankle boots, not that it helped with the bitter cold. When the perfect addition to your bbq would be a pair of gloves and a granny-lap blanket, you know it's time to call it a day. Disappointingly I only managed to snaffle one burger, as good as it was, the decision to either sit on my hands to conserve heat, or eat, wasn't really a decision at all.

Having an extra day off today as work thought they'd throw a concessionary day our way has been spent perfectly by baking with the MB*. We plumped for blueberry muffins. I don't know if it's just me, but what I thought would be a quick google for a recipe turned into a 20-minute trawl; as an American favourite it seems as though everyone wants to add buttermilk, or have you measure everything out in cups. Eventually I came across this recipe on the Daily Mail, the addition of the streusel topping really pepped them up, so my only recommendation would be to make more than stated as there's not much sugar in the actual recipe, the muffins can take the additional sweet topping

Fresh out of the oven

Only two days of work and it's the weekend again!

KDx

*MB is the (lovingly given) shorthand for Momma Bear

My home, is where you are

Paul Van Dyk "Home" Ft. Johnny McDaid (Wippenberg Remix)

I own a lot of stuff. Having the (extra) day off today meant I had ample amounts of time to get my life into order. I amass things throughout the week, and it's not until I have some free time I find that I am able to integrate these items into my bedroom and get them accustomed in their new home, now I am not just talking about clothes here. It's a known fact that I love stuff. Period. I buy things because I like them, not necessarily because they have a purpose, just because the thought of not having them is so overwhelming I can't leave them behind. (Charity shops play a big part in my conspicuous consumption). So as can be imagined the issue of storage comes up a lot. I'm fortunate to have a big bedroom, but as us girls know it isn't merely an issue of size. Make of that what you will... *ahem* How you make use of the space you have available will ultimately save you time, and help you keep on top of what you have. 

I've always been interested in interiors, you spend so much time in your house/bedroom, so I think it only right that you invest some of this time in making it fit for purpose. This could be a creating a calming environment to relax in after a busy day, or providing a space that allows you to work from home and let the creativity flow. For me it's a feast for the eyes, I'm a magpie by nature, and I like busy, not messy, but full. I think my need for things to be on display stems from momma bear, we are in stark contrast. She likes clean, simple lines, everything has a place, and that place is generally out of sight.

I look around for inspiration all the time, I like the mix of old and new and it just so happens it is so readily available. I do admire the sleek American aesthetic towards decoration, as can be seen here at Cupcakes an Cashmere. I particularly like the way that The Coveteur "takes you inside the closets of internationally influential cultural forecasters, showing us what culminates in their personal style - one item at a time." In their own words. It's a visual buffet of delights! I urge you to take a look, although be forewarned, I cannot be held responsible for any feelings of lust and envy that will undeniably ensue throughout.

The backdrop to many of my outfit posts is this rather sizeable unit:

It's pretty old now, and I think it comes courtesy of those storage solving Swede's at Ikea. This is the most similar design, if not the same available here, not sure how much I paid, but retailing on their website for £79, it ain't half bad for the amount of stuff it houses. If I were to go through every cube, item by item, I'd bore myself, but a few notable things you will see is that I use my shoes as an ornament-they are beautiful though right? Why can't you use items of clothing or accessories as decorative touches? My thoughts are if I love it so much, and you're not currently using it, why not enjoy it by looking at it? The same goes for the vast amount of jewellery I have, which artfully 'clutters' the majority of the top of the unit.

 

Now these are definitely old, but a relatively new purchase, either birthday or Christmas, but since getting rid of my low bed in favour of a high cast iron framed bed, I needed something of equal or greater height. These are perfect, draws and cubbey holes; extra space for stuff stuffing. Again note the shoe 'display'. A great way to store and display jewellery is through cake stands, these two are genuinely old, but the high street is full of them, from New Look to Next, John Lewis to Wilkinsons, and start upwards from around £8. If you are a bit of a bargain hunter like me, then it's always worth checking out your local car boot and/or charity shops as they do tend to crop up, but since the influx of cupcakes and kitsch kitchenalia coming back onto the radar, they don't tend to stay unsold for long.

Inspired by using suitcases as permanent storage, as Jen over at a little bird also demonstrates in a number of posts, I went in search of some of my own. Again, since changing my bed, I have now gained a wealth of extra space I can put things, however, knowing that whatever I put under my bed would be seen, suitcases seemed ideal, and a little quirky, this is what I came away with:

 

The top one cost £7.50 at a carboot, and the bottom one cost be a bargainous £2 off a man at a market, literally. They now live happily under my bed and are currently and quite comfortably housing the bulkier part of my winter wardrobe, which judging by the forecast for this weekend might have been a bit premature of me...

Anyway, hope everyone has some fun plans for the Jubilee and extra long weekend, did I mention I have 6 days off? Not that I am playing top trumps of time off or anything!

KDx