The Look of Frangance

Christmas is near and the tv is full of loads of glossy adverts trying to make us part with our dosh. In particular there are loads of perfume ads and they get me every time. The concept of advertising a fragrance through television, a medium that does not actually allow it to be smelt, is surely rather strange? We are basically watching a visual representation of a smell; how does this even work?

All I know is that last Christmas Keira Knightley made me want Chanel Mademoiselle. I hate Keria Knightly, she can't act and attempted to play Elizabeth Bennet (idol), yet put her flouncing around in Paris in a beautiful red dress and I want the perfume.

I want to unwrap a necklace from my ankle and put it around my neck, I want a hot french man and a bowler hat. The actual smell of the perfume would not have tempted me should I have tested it in store, yet after watching the advert it has become one of my favourites.








Similarly the Gucci perfume





Wow! I love Blondie and as soon as the girls start swaying and swooning as the lyrics start 'in between', I think that I need this perfume now. If I wear Gucci will I be all ethereal and long limbed with hair flowing and eyes closing?? This is how influenced I am by the world of commercials! I don't even like this scent, I find it almost repulsive yet show me some supermodels dancing and I would buy it!

My Christmas perfume choice this year is Viktor and Rolf Flower Bomb. I requested it without even remembering if I liked the smell or not; my recent experience at the exhibition has cemented it in my head that I should quite like to smell like a Viktor and Rolf model. Also, the name is taken from one of their spring collections (I forget which), and the catwalk music consisted of a deep voice over saying FLOWER BOMB repetitively and sexily. I shall hear this in my head as I seductively walk up Hackney Road with a dab of Viktor and Rolf on my wrist!

Vice and Bungalow 8

The other night we stopped by the Vice party in Shoreditch for some cocktails and laughs. It was in a warehouse type space, arched and bricky and filled with the usual suspects. We didn't stay long and rolled away in a black cab to Faris Badwan's night Marriage in Bungalow 8. The trouble is that I can't afford a drink in this place, but I had one anyway and the night went swimmingly! It was full of writhing black clad folk (a request from the host), all shiny and groomed.

Here is my favourite photo of the night taken by the very talented 'Kevin Morosky'

Hello Kitty, Goodbye Money

I feel rather rotten as I have a cold, but I am not letting it get the better of me; an industrial layer of foundation around the red nose, a handbag full of germ busting kleenex and I am out on the town! What cold?

Annoyingly our BT Home Hub has broken down so no night blogging anymore for me; I am writing this in work and though on my lunch it feels naughty! But I simply must write about a collaboration I am super excited about: MAC and Hello Kitty!






I know I know, I write about MAC a lot, but who could not get a little frivolous over the combination of beautiful make-up and a the cutest cartoon character? Perhaps Hello Kitty is not generally an adult thing to like but I for one traipsed around Japan searching for HK to spend my yen on.

This range is full of cute bubble gum colours and equally cute packaging. There are two ranges Kitty Colour Collection and Kitty Koture; Kitty Koture is high end with fancy crystal and silver packaging whilst the other is more affordable! I know a certain sister that will go crazy for that fuchsia lip gloss, it even has a charm!

Whilst Americans can get it in February, we Brits and the rest of the world have to wait until March! Boo! Though in fact that is my birthday month, which could be handy! HINT TO SIAN (only joking)

Fashion Music Style

Fashion Music and Style and three of my favourite things so the launch of this new magazine was very appealing! Christelle and I heading down to Punk to kill the Monday blues and to check out what was going on.


The magazine features a monthly 'five unsigned' bands and the five were performing at Punk that evening. From what I heard the people at the magazine have a ear for a good tune; I only stayed for 2 bands but they were both really quite good live and I would be interested to hear more about them.

The magazine comes out in December and I am looking forward to seeing how the fashion measures up. The combination of music and fashion has never really worked successfully in the publishing industry without one industry leaning into the other, but they do come hand in hand and it is a concept that could really take off if tackled in a clever way.

Check out their facebook page.

And also check out this pretty from one of the bands! So dramatic!

Beauty By Bouncers

As my 4 friends sidled into a Soho bar I was trapped by the bouncer for ID. I am used to this and am no longer offended by their disbelief of my age but decided to ask exactly why I look so young. Is it my long hair? I questioned. He answered no, that I would look even younger if I went for a chop! The crux of my youth apparently rests in my skin, 'You have no marks, lines or scars' he explained.

It is true that I have been very fortunate with my skin through teenage years. I have always been military with skin care; though I don't use expensive brands (Olay all the way) I am dedicated to my morning and evening routine. However even so its not as if everyone else has trenches and pot holes on their faces, we are all young with clear skin!

I think that clever make-up really helps to achieve the smooth (childish) skin look. I use a very light Benefit foundation in the day and am keen on blending products for evening looks. I'm like a little alchemist and mix a some cheap goth foundation which is pure white with MAC to get the correct shade for my skin. If you blend this with some Benefit High Beam you get a wonderful glowing look- this is particularly useful for mornings that you feel a little worse for wear. This formula is the perfect skin deception.


face by sarahedwinarose

Of course having chubby cheeks and dimples also helps. I wonder if this is the true source of my youth and the bouncer was simply being polite!!

Links A La Mode: The IBF Weekly Round Up

Links à la Mode : November 20th

• 39thandbroadway - The truth behind your size label and your vanity!
• A Few Goody GumDrops - A Few Goody Gumdrops is drooling over the all diamond necklace from Mauboussin!
• Being High Maintenance, not Bitchy - How to capture classic 3.1 Phillip Lim style for less
• Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog - The Steampunk-stylings of two indie jewelry artists who take wire-wrapped rings to another dimension…
• Debutante Clothing - Debutante Clothing finds vintage inspiration from couture safety pins
• Diary of a Style Addict - is coveting Rihanna’s look on her new “Rehab” video
• Dogmom’s Dish - Tokidoki’s Simone Legno In San Francisco
• dreamecho - Weapon of Choice: Cultural Commentary, Trivialization and Personal Responsibility in Fashion
• fashion fille - A realization of the blogosphere’s current sequin obsession.
• fashion in my eyes - In Maglia E Meglio,Christian Louboutin for Rodarte
• Fashion Pulse Daily - Fashion Pulse can’t wait to get its hands on the Hayden-Harnett handbag collection for Target in December; get a sneak peak now!
• Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy - Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy is loving these young, easy, chic looks from Sandro-a trendy-chic Parisian brand!
• Hello, Lover… Shoe Daydreams - A special limited-edition collaboration between Pantone, the definitive guide to color and SeaVees, the purveyors of California casual
• In Life and In Fashion - Why I am inspired by the woman who invented the wrap dress.
• Independent Fashion Bloggers - Geek Chic: Best Tech for Fashion Bloggers
• Iole in fashion - Sex and The city…again!
• Little Black Book - Fashion Palette: a must for aspiring designers and persons hoping to make it in the fashion industry.
• Mademoiselle Robot - With Christmas approaching, it is useful to know how to wear sequins without looking like a Christmas tree!
• Or False Glitter - - Cherry Lip Lolita: youthful yet provocative beauty
• PONY RYDER - A story behind Laurel S. sign up with NY model management.
• Retro Chick - Baby it’s cold outside: A Guide to buying your perfect Winter Coat.
• Shopping and Info - Shopping and Info found some great clutches that look like Angelina Jolie’s from the Changeling Private Screening in London
• Some Like It Fashion - Going for Gold: The metallic look has evolved and given birth to a new trend. Some Like It Fashion discusses the merits of metal within clothing.
• Style Discovery - “Transformation: Fremantle High Street Collective 2008″. Local fashion delight brought to you by Style Discovery from Perth, Western Australia.
• Style Symmetry - Eyeliah calls cream and yellow a trend to watch!
• The Bare Skinny - Hitting the Trenches to Find the Perfect Coat
• THE COVETED - Faking Confessionals…and reasons why not to do it….
• The Ongoing Project - Developing your personal style, part 3
• The Subadult Years - A personal look at the effectiveness and limitations of the eco-friendly fashion trend in Toronto.
• Your Style Star - 5 Simple Tips For Surviving Holiday Parties

Note to Self:

Do not wear 6 inch heels to an all night rave.

Barbie Girl

I read in the excellent source of info that is 'The Metro' about a designer whom mutilates Barbie dolls to make jewellery.

Margaux Lange carefully inserts Barbie's plastic staring eyes into rings, and servers her hands to make earrings. She describes her work as so:

I enjoy the funny juxtaposition of wearing the body, on the body. Barbie has become the accessory instead of being accessorized. I take pleasure in the contrast and contradiction of something mass-produced being transformed and revealed as a unique, handmade, wearable piece of art.

This idea certainly is an interesting one, and the results are freaky to say the least! I never cared much for Barbies as a child, I was far more of a My Little Pony girl, however, I would rather like the 'breast' necklace and I love the hand earrings. You can buy them on Hannah Zakari, a UK based site but they are all around £100, slightly over my budget of £1.



Barbie W by sarahedwinarose

Learning to be a Dancer at a Party

Ok, apologies for what possibly may be the worst blog title ever... running low on inspiration after a day falling asleep at my desk in work. I was feeling like death because last night we went to this:

I am well acquainted with Punk; it has become an uber trendy club since Kate Moss popped in there but I must say that the nights there are usually genuinely fun with little pretense and no celebrity attitude.

I used to be a regular at Thursday's Smash and Grab (oh to return to the student life) but had not yet tried The Learner Dancers Party, a monthly event that packs in bands and lots of people.

I didn't have the foresight to grab a setlist off the wall so I cannot be terribly accurate in my rememberings of exactly who played, but through the wine I still noted that all the bands were very good looking, and all the DJs were very good looking.

My favourite of the night were these fellows below, O. Children who played dark yet catchy songs with deep and drawling vocals. The band started the first song and then the lead man ran on last minute to clasp the mic and beging the vocals. I LOVE stuff like this, so dramatic! I felt a little sorry for the guys as there was a terribly over enthuistic ginger guy in a blazer at the front pulling some serious comedy dance moves throughout the set; it must be hard to keep a straight face through that.

Sadly we left before the 'mystery DJ' due to my needing to wake at 7am (and get up). It might have been someone really good. It was a shame to leave as the party was just getting started on the dance floor and I could have been quite happy to pull a 3am-er without a morning beckoning me.

Very good night and definitely value for the mere £5 to get in. I recommend.

I shall conclude with some photos


A girl- I love this 60s style but personally I don't have time to be so groomed.


Spot the stylist



DJ on the decks


Obligatory taking a photo of yourself when merry

Cherry Lip Lolita

Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of a tounge taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo.Lee.Ta

I am not a fan of films but was very interested to watch the 1997 adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, the famous story of the relationship between nymphet 12yr old Dolores and her stepfather. I love the book and am usually a real snobby cynic about novel to film adaptations but I have no complaints about this one. The hysteria and twisted inner workings of Humbert Humber (Jeremy Irons) are beautifully present.

I imagine that the earlier Stanley Kubrick is perhaps a more sordid portrayal with dramtic direction, however this 1997 version had great merit for me as it was in colour and allowed me to fall in love with Lolita/Dolores' freshed face teenage beauty.

In the film Dolores is constantly shown slathering on a red twist up lipstick. It is a grown up paint on a young palette but somehow only increases her youth and supposed innocence. The way she applies it with such reckless abandon gives a natural flushed effect rather than a false painted smile. Combined with braids and baby soft sun rippled skin it is playful yet coy look.

MAC are currently plugging winter reds with new jewelled collections in tempting rouge hues. They are championing 50s glamour rather than smudgey teenage rebellion however the model does have a youthful air of lolita about her.

Right now I cannot afford a loaf of breaf so I will not be partaking in MAC's latest offerings, but I shall definately be digging out some old tubes of red lippy, abonding the lip brush and trying a Lolita inspired look. I get ID'd daily anyway, so I might as well indulge in my child's face. Heck I might even plait my hair into the cross braids, I know that the doorman at Freedom in Soho (a constant ID fiend even though he knows me now) would find it quite bemusing on checking my driving licence to find that I am actually officially an adult if I rolled up looking like 12yr old Dolores Lolita child.

Happy Birthday Tank!

Tank magazine is 10 this year and a bit of a bash was required to celebrate its century of existence. The party was in the Venidome, the same venue that PPQ hosted their fashion week party at- though you may remember this was not a successful evening. So yes, it was nice to finally see inside rather than stare at the outside wall for an hour.

I was accompanied by the newest members of my shoe family- ASOS peep toe wedges. They are actually 5 inches high which I didn't realise when buying them off the net; I had planned them to be a day shoe but London is no easy feat in these skyscrapers. I felt like a bit of a twerp perched on the escalator nestled amongst tourists but this is the price one must pay when they are too poor for cabs.

Here is their poloaroid passport:


The party was usual; vodka mixed with hungry looking girls and boys in thick rimmed glasses. The fashion pack were out and I spotted a look that I will definitely try that includes black lipstick and a scraped back ponytail.

We danced the night away but were modern day Cinderellas and fled before midnight,though it was less to do with pumpkins and more to do with the tiresome thing called 'having a job' (ruins the social life).









Ps. Thank to Jeanie for taking charge of my camera and taking the photos

Grotesque

I don't write enough about books. After university and being forced to read 3 novels a week I did not pick up a book of my own accord for quite some time. However, recently I have rekindled my love of reading and I can once again get excited about books.

I found Grotesque through the least respectable means possible. I was browsing Amazon and saw that people who had bought The Crimson Petal and the White (a book I was enamored with) had also bought this. The synopsis looked interesting; modern day Japan, two prostitutes educated in the same privileged young ladies school end up murdered. Interesting, sounds like the sort of thing I would rather like.

I was doing a late night Boarders book run and stocking up on some tube reads. I had to ask for Grotesque and to my surprise it was in the Crime section. In my opinion it is totally misplaced. Yes, it is a crime novel and the plot revolves around the crime, but the murder is really the background theme.

On reading the book it becomes apparent that the real question is that of modern concepts and ideals, in particular that of beauty. The multiple narration allow you to delve into the the psyche of all the main characters, and also makes you wonder how far we can ever trust a first person narration. With no authoritative voice you wonder whether our perception of the story is anywhere near the actual 'truth' (albeit a fictional one). We are the jury in this novel, but the verdict is really besides the point; it is society being condemned rather than the murder.

It is published in translation and as I have found before, the Japanese sentence structures and adjectives seem so much more beautiful than our English construct of language. A really poetic read.

Furthermore, it is an easy read, a page turner that is not a chore to pick up. The fact that I choose to read rather than sleep on on morning commute speaks for itself!

Sister Style Swap

Sister Sian and I are the best of friends, but very very different, especially when it comes to style. Our parents find this really amusing, especially when we were dressed up for a night out.

'Oooh you girls ARE different!!' Mum would chortle as we clattered across the kitchen tiles. And it really is true. I am never without tights, even in summer and Sian is never with tights, even in winter. She goes for figure hugging, body con dresses whilst I layer up in baggy tunics and floaty capes. She loves pink, I love black. She likes flushed glossy lips with fluttery lashes, I like nude and matt lips with black eyes.

We know what we like, and we know what suits us. However some times it is fun to mix it up a little.

I paid a visit to Sian in Cardiff recently, and tagged along with her Friday night her usual haunt Tiger Tiger. This type of club where girls dress up and boys wear ironed shirts.

'You can't go to Tiger Tiger in the clothes you've been wearing all day!' Sian said to me pointedly noting my baggy black dress. I had packed really rashly (unusually) so my only choice was to delve into her wardrobe.

I found something black. Tight but black. Sian buckled me into a leopard print waist belt. Sian tried to remove my hat (didn't work). The results were quite interesting.. although we still look totally different, I must admit there are some merits in choosing a tighter dress. It does actually seem a more flattering choice and I am now wondering whether baggy coverings actually cover anything at all.

Links A La Mode

A Few Goody GumDrops - A Few Goody Gumdrops has just ordered the Ultimate Digital Goody from Vivienne Tam!
Agent Lover - Mad Crushin’ on the magical world of photographer Kate O’Brien
Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog - The Devil Wears Etsy (Prada, Eat Your Heart Out)– handmade plaids from emerging artists and designers on Etsy.
Dogmom’s Dish - Understanding Kawakubo Mania @ Harajuku’s H&M
dramatis personae - Blood Rhinestone Productions (a burlesque troupe) shares with us: 15 Tips on How to be a Burlesque Superstar!
eye4style - Luxe leather and wool line Mackage launches mens outerwear.
fashion in my eyes - Welcome to my world
Fashion Pulse Daily - Fashion Pulse dishes on Chanel’s Spring 2009 Collection!
Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy - Gloves: short, medium length and long- fabulous looks with gloves for Fall and Winter!
Fushion Magazine - Get “fringed” out this season.
In Life and In Fashion - All Bundled Up: Shopping for the perfect cold-weather coat
Independent Fashion Bloggers - Fashion Bloggers Claim Your Media Credentials Today
Iole in fashion - Bad Hair Day
Little Black Book - The False Lash Revolution: Think false lashes are a bit boring? Shu Uemura has you covered…
Mademoiselle Robot - How to make a good first impression.
Or False Glitter - A Polaroid aided shoe sort
poetic & chic - Review of the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition at its one and only American venue - the MH de Young Museum in San Francisco!
Retro Chick - Top 5 funky wellies for Autumn
Shopping and Info - Spotted: Kim Kardashian, Ashley Olsen, and Kate Moss all wearing black on the same day.
Style Discovery - Songy’s thoughts on the presidential election, racial issues and diversity in the fashion/style blogsphere.
Technology Starlet - Move Over Size Zero, Slim and Sleek Gadgets Are Taking Over The Catwalk
THE COVETED - The Coveted finds happiness with celebratory socks.
The Life and Times of a Problem Child - A certain tendency towards nostalgia and an affinity for white shirts.
Your Style Star - Style Star takes on the mullet dress.

The Appeal of Poppies

Today I wore a bright colour, red to be precise; not clothing wise, but my coat was accessorized with a paper poppy.

I thoroughly support the Poppy Appeal; the fact that hundreds of years after WWI and WWII the public show their remembrance and thanks to the war heroes through a paper flower is quite wonderful. I think it is one of the only times that our society displays the better aspects of human nature: respect.

It is always a terribly touching time of year and that has a quiet air of grace around it. You see old hunched shuffling men sitting in a cold station all day to sell poppies to the public, they have experienced war are still doing a duty to their lost war friends.

I think I am particularly sentimental after doing a War Literature course in university. The poems, written by those who were there are horrific. I'm a cold hearted person, but tears threatened to spill into my Starbucks reading these words. The least we can do is to pin a poppy on our lapel.

Dulce Et Decorum Est

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of disappointed shells that dropped behind.


GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!- An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And floundering like a man in fire or lime.
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.


In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.


If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, -
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Wilfred Owen

It's all Peachy

So in between drug overdoses, writing abuse provoking articles for Nylon, and marrying that long haired chap, London Paper favourite Peaches Geldolf has designed a range for PPQ.

Co-founder of PPQ Amy Molyneaux said, "It's a natural progression that Peaches is designing with us; she has always been one of our most confident customers. We have endeavored to provide her with everything a girl needs to party in and now we have put our heads together to take things to the next level."

Confident indeed, Peaches is hardly a shrinking violet, but I must admit, my personal lack of interest in her and cynicism about celebrity fashion lines means I'm not clamouring at the doors of Selfridges for a piece of peach.

However, going by these two pictures (the only two I have seen) the collection is seemingly cute and very wearable. I am certainly a sucker for a little lace number, and the sheer overlay of the skirt is a nice touch. Is this really anything new though? The high street is awash with dresses like these at the moment, what Peaches labels 'her own personal style' is little more than high street filtered Autumn/winter 08.

Whilst I don't hate the line, I will not be paying £95 to £195 for something that I could find in Topshop for half the price. I understand that the PPQ craftsmanship and cut will be far more luxurious than the high street counterparts, but when (or rather if) I buy designer, I would rather something a little more special.

Mmm M.A.C!

Wow, I am super excited because MAC has just got new Mineralise make-up in stock! I'm not sure of the exact formula, I will leave this to the scientists, but all I know is that these 'mineral' products make your skin look amazing.

My favourite from the range is this highlighter below. My friend B had one and we used it for many many nights out. It gives a high shine metallic sheen, but with no glitter. The result? Airbrushed look skin. We used to pile it on our cheekbones and dust a light layer over the whole face.

I have been lusting after this product for so long but its limited edition so I had to stick with matt skin. I do love to be matt, but now that these are available again I will hot foot it down Covent Garden to get my fix. Entering a MAC shop is always so dangerous, but I shall perhaps deal in cash to avoid credit card temptations.

Me and B in mineralise: