Long time no see.

So hello again, it's been a while.
The causes of my lengthy absence are many, although the main one is that I have been having an amazing holiday, and have therefore been out doing what a person should be doing when it's their sixteenth summer instead of sitting at my laptop boring you all. Although it does seem that you haven't actually gotten bored, judging by the page views (which have not diminished at all), despite the fact that I haven't written a thing in over two months. Anyway. The point is that as September is fast approaching, this should hopefully be the end of my little hiatus. My two new-school-year resolutions for the blog are to post at least once a week (nothing new there, then) and to do more outfit posts.
Here is a little look at what I've been doing whilst you've all been missing me.

Inspiration Friday (Well, Monday): A realist, in Venice, would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him

Arthur Symons puts it perfectly - although I am far from a realist, Venice certainly captivated me.

Although I do feel that it is cheating a little to call this an Inspiration Friday, not only because it is in fact a Monday (sorry about that), but because this is more me telling you about my trip. However I couldn't call it anything else because I WAS inspired.

Most of the pictures speak for themselves, but a couple need a little explanation. Firstly, it was leading up to the beginning of the carnival whilst we were there and so I thought it was only appropriate, if a little bit tourist-y, to buy a Venetian mask. There are hundreds and hundreds of shops selling these around Venice and I could honestly stare at them forever. This is of course a simple version, but the most fascinating are the giant golden creations with stars and moons and butterflies. The design and craftsmanship that must be involved is stunning.

The last five shots are of what my mum initially assumed to be a gay porn shop, but was actually a little gallery/shop entitled Fiorella Gallery and run by an eccentric designer named Fiorella Mancini. It sold contemporary art and dazzling, crushed velvet smoking jackets covered in parrot prints, beaded crucifixes or Fiorella's trademark - rats. The shop is like being on the inside of a crazy dressing up box, and although the clothes are priced at hundreds of euros, I was hospitably accosted with jackets and skull-shaped goblets to "take pictures". It was amazing fun and I would have bought everything in there if I could.

Other highlights include...

-Walking through the city at night eating chestnut ice cream in the rain.

- Riding the water bus and considering about the logistics of running a city like Venice, the absolute strangeness of having no roads or cars. All food deliveries are done by boats. Hearses are boats. We even saw some cement mixers on a boat. Incredible.

- Visiting the palace which was so beautifully constructed, with such interesting history.

- The bizarre sight of the most opulent designer shops squeezed into the tiny, narrow streets.

But my favourite part of all was just walking. Venice isn't a big city, but I could just walk and walk and walk. Without the interruption of roads and fast food chains, only tiny bridges and cobbled streets, it is delightful to just explore and discover details you didn't see the first time. It was charming in every sense of the word and I hope it stays unspoiled for as long as possible.

P.s. I really encourage you to check out the Fiorella Gallery website, Mancini's story is beyond cool.

P.p.s Also, all of these photos are digital and I took a ton with my film camera, so expect a second update at some point in the distant future when they are developed.

Inspiration Friday: I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want.

Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington in Vogue Italia, March 1994 (Picture 1); Kate Moss in Vogue UK, January 1993 (Picture 3); Clueless, 1995 (Picture 4) ; Naomi Campbell in American Harper's Bazaar, February 1997 (Picture 5). All others from Weheartit.com or general googling. 


A recent urge I have had to wear brown eyeshadow, neutrals and crop tops all the time, and an afternoon of dancing around my bedroom listening to still fabulous Spice Girls songs are responsible for my nineties themed Inspiration Friday.
The nineties are my favourite decade in fashion history, the age of grunge, straighteners and too much denim. They were a fun, albeit sometimes cringe-worthy, time in fashion and saw the rise of the supermodel. I have, of course, included Kate, Naomi, Christy and Linda, all looking nostalgically smooth-skined and fresh-faced.
I also have a lot of personal memories of being a little kid in the nineties, from stick-on earrings which I wore religiously, to my favourite special edition barbie which I was given as a present. I chopped off her tiara with scissors because I couldn't understand why it would be attached. And last, but certainly not least, the Spice Girls. Spice World was my first ever cassette and those five girls became my very first definition of the word "cool". They played a big part in my developing interest in fashion as I was girlishly in awe of their confidence in what they wore, despite the fact that, looking back, they fairly closely resembled strippers. They were mind-blowing and melodramatic and I loved them with all my 5-year-old heart.


P.s. I know I skipped last friday, but I have since come to the conclusion that two Inspiration Fridays per month is more realistic and far less dull.

Inspiration Friday: We are the dancers, we create the dreams.

Amber Hunt ballet photography; weheartit.com; me, by whichever ballet photographer took my picture when I was 5. 

My very first inspiration friday, a concept that will hopefully force me to post more often as I have been very neglectful ONCE AGAIN.
I've always had a fascination with ballet. I think it is such a beautiful art form. I started ballet classes when I was about four and was inevitably always the clumsiest little aspiring ballerina in the class, the one with the perpetually messy hair, as is evident in the last photo. I stuck at it for a few years, but gave up when I finally realised it wasn't exactly my calling. Recently I've gotten back into it, starting a class which isn't exam oriented that I can just have fun with, and perhaps this post is a withdrawal symptom considering that I can't take part right now because of my neck.
Maybe the lure of ballet is a product of my secret longing to be graceful and floaty and actually have some balance or co-ordination, or maybe I'm just still that messy little girl.

P.s. Don't expect me to say how relevant this ballet focus is, coinciding with the release of Black Swan, like every other magazine and blog on the entire planet. Because I won't.

P.p.s. I loved that movie though.

The Seven Wonders.

Marilyn Monroe said "I don't know who invented the high heel, but all men owe him a lot."

Bette Midler said "Give the girl the correct footwear, and she can conquer the world."

Karl Lagerfeld said, simply, "Oh yes, I do love to do shoes. I am not a fetishist, but I love to do shoes."

Shoes. Fascinating, aren't they?
We wear them almost every day of our lives, from cradle to coffin.
They don't discriminate against size and shape, but heels possess the ability to transform any pair of legs.
Countless women all over the world are willing to spend hundreds of pounds on just one pair.

And I admit, shoes are my vice.
I just love the way I feel so much better about myself and so much more confident when I'm wearing amazing shoes. I love to be tall. I love the way shoes can completely change an outfit. And I love the way that it is difficult for designers to come up with fresh, new ideas for clothing, but with shoes the possibilities seem to be endless. There is so much that hasn't been done yet.

A few months ago I cleared all the books from the bookshelves in my room to create... "shoeshelves".
Evidently, I love shoes. Too much.

So, I thought I share with you my current seven favourite pairs...

The I-was-broke-but-they-were-pink-and-on-sale Shoes.

My most recent shoe purchase. I was in Topshop and I saw them and it turned out that they were the only pair left in my size. So of course all rational thought disappeared and the fact that I had no money ceased to matter. I asked them to hold them at the till while I called my mum and begged her to transfer the money to my account, I'd pay her back later, it was really important.

The Designer Collaboration Shoes.

The Christopher Kane/ Topshop collaboration was one of the most exciting and highly anticipated and, of course, I thought the boots were the best bit. Plus, as far as I know they are my highest pair of heels. I feel like a GIANT when I wear them. It's great.

The only annoying thing is those tassels which I'll have to replace. You just look at them, and the leather strips fall out. Serious design fault, Mr Kane.

The Summer Shoes.

I don't really have any excuse or explanation for buying these, only that I love them and I needed some summer heels. And they make me feel like I have hooves. 

The Vintage Shoes.

I found these vintage DMs on Ebay fairly recently, and I think they are the best vintage item I've ever bought (so happy I set my alarm and got up extra early to bid, yes the shoe problem is that serious). I couldn't help giving you a little close-up of the gorgeous print, I've personally never seen any the same. Apparently the person I bought them from bought them while at art school here in London in the 80s, but they are in absolutely perfect condition. They're my first pair of Doc Marten's and they are so very perfect for me, being so resilient, as I notoriously destroy boots by wearing them to death.

The Shoes That I Fought For.

These are not so much a favourite pair, though they are definitely attractively preppy and chunky, but more a pair that I feel are significant and have earned their place on this list. They are in fact my school shoes, but when I first bought them I was told that they were "too fashionable for school". Of course indignation and general outrage followed, as I was not exactly aware that being fashionable was against school rules... But after weeks of e-mailing and arguing and defending them, I won. 

I think that's dedication :)

The Break-up Shoes.

There's not a lot to explain really - my boyfriend broke up with me and so I went out and spent over £100 on a pair of shoes. I would just like to say I have never found a way of making myself feel more content more quickly. 

They are beautifully warm and just generally heavenly.

But I'd like to apologise for how dirty they are, I wore them to my halloween-slash-birthday party where I dressed as a slutty fox (yes, I know) and it rained and there was a sea of mud in my kitchen. 

The Shoes That Soldier On.

I mentioned above my habit for destroying boots, but I think my Aztec boots have suffered the most. I photographed them in my bed because they find it a little difficult to stand up other wise. They are missing a strap, a buckle, the backs are totally collapsed, the lining is ripped to pieces and they have been re-heeled more times than I can count. They are my walking wounded shoes. But I still wear them more than the majority of my other shoes.
True love never dies.

I don't think anyone will ever be able to truly explain shoe phenomenon, but personally I think Manolo Blahnik puts it best:

"You put high heels on and you change"

But I was thinking of a plan to dye one's whiskers green.

I get bored very easily, if that hasn't already come across. And that coupled with the fact that when I want something I become utterly obsessed until I have it, I have become a woman possessed.

Yes, I'm talking about dip-dyed hair. And no, I won't blame you if you're about to make a noose because you're reading about the "ombre" hair trend AGAIN. But I have gotten desperate. And when I say desperate, I mean beside myself.

I have never felt the desire to try a brave hair trend before. I've always been a grow-it-a-bit-longer-cut-it-a-bit-shorter-just-maybe-try-a-side-fringe-if-I'm-feeling-daring kind of girl. I've only admired from afar. But now everything has changed. I google "dip-dye hair" more often than is healthy. I'm past the point of caring that I've already looked at every picture I can find on the whole, entire internet. I'm bored when I look in the mirror because who wants hair that's all the same colour??


And now I've written about it, I can't back out.

So I'm going to stop moping around like some ombre-thirsty weirdo and book an appointment. Tomorrow.

Catwoman.

Pretty fucking cool.