Living Is Easy With Nice Clothes

Fashion Art - Westwood Rubens and Giles Delaroche

2011-09-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

To me, fashion is an art form but I especially love it when a work of art is used to create something wearable and beautiful. There are two that have particularly caught my eye lately because they're my kind of clothes featuring my kind of art.

As expected, one is by Vivienne Westwood who has a habit of using beautiful art from the past in her designs.

Friday Rubens Print Dress
£508 at my-wardrobe.com

Twister Elephant Rubens Print Dress
£316 at my-wardrobe.com

Castor and Pollux Abduct the Daughters of Leukyppos - Peter Paul Rubens

The other is by Giles Deacon who wins bonus points for using a portrayal of my favourite historical period - Tudor England.

Giles printed T-shirt of Lady Jane Grey
£359 at farfetch.com

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey - Paul Delaroche

Almodovar - The Return!

2011-03-15T12:32:00.001-07:00

If you've read my blog for a while you'll already have read Seeking Pleasure Purely For Thrill in which I thoroughly worship the wonder and genius of creativity that is Rachel Fuller.

Blissfully she has released to the world a new project! I'm already delighting in the dark intricate lyrics and spanish guitar.

Structured very much like her Kew project she's given herself the task of 6 days, 6 films, 6 songs to set Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's films to music.

So stop reading my words and peruse the Almodovar project.

Discover thrill and enjoy:

Music:http://www.myspace.com/rachelintheattic/music
Blog:http://rachelfuller.blogspot.com/
Twitter:http://twitter.com/AlmodovarLove
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/
Tumblr:http://almodovarlove.tumblr.com/

Avarice In Westwoodland

2011-02-21T17:00:00.000-08:00

Dame Vivienne has graced London Fashion Week with another catwalk full of new creations for her Red Label collection, and therefore I must make my new list of items to covet.

In the past I've been so breathtaken by a suit on display in Westwood that my friends had to take me outside for air before I passed out. Seriously. The mixture of art, fashion, decadence, craftsmanship and beauty overwhelmed me. ...they took me into Harvey Nics to laugh at the Juicy Couture section which quickly brought me back down to earth with a bump. Despite my love of pink, sparkly things and embelishments, JC's pepto bismol velour tracksuits embelished to high heaven make me nauseous. Or overcome with laughter. Luckily the staff in Harvey Nics found our about-turn disgust at one item on display hilarious too.

Anyway, back to Vivienne. If there is one outfit designed to cause similar knee weakening, breath stealing effects it's this black velvet suit:

At the sight of it among the catwalk pictures I felt a brief stab of pain combined with deep earth shattering adoration. Such a similar feeling to that of unrequited love that I'm now seriously wondering if I'm designed more for fashion than relationships. Anyway, I want it. I would wear it until large patches of velvet had worn away on it. And then I'd wear it some more. Vivienne would be cool with that, she's always going on about clothes being better when they're truly worn in and worn out. I love the thick lushness of the velvet, the way it flicks out where the side vent meets the cuff, and the perfection of the ankles. I want it badly. I would read poetry in it whilst lent against trees.

Next on the lust list is a frendsy of excitement over several details. First being the fabulousness of the fabric in this skirt. Then the quirkiness of the double buckle belt which is then connected to braces which fasten top and bottom at the back so that they grace merely your shoulders at the front. And the placing of the ruffle on that blouse is utter perfection. But mainly I crave one of those belts. I pray that the goddess Vivienne will supply them in a vegetarian friendly substance.

Now one of the many "that woman is a genius!" moments. I love pendants, I love charm bracelets. I tend to wear too many pendants on a necklace so that they all cluster together and keep toying with ideas to convert them into some kind of neck version of a charm bracelet. Well, she's done it. Hurrah! I've been admiring a few of these stamp pendants in her shops for a while now and find this way of displaying them perfect. I don't know if this comes as a whole piece or not, but I love the idea of constructing my own. Bravo Vivienne!

More little details. I have found the unusual construction on these trousers deeply wonderful and am hoping they will work with my body shape. Detailing around this area doesn't usually work due to the difference between my wide hips and much smaller waistline, but Dame Viv hasn't let me down yet so we shall see. Also loving the frayed style edging on these belts.Cinched in high wasited trousers are deffinately something my figure was created for. Therefore I love these gorgeous pin striped trousers. And what is there not to desire about the blouse fabric?! More high waist cinching with the first skirt on this list. No-one could realise just how much I longed to wear pencil skirts before I discovered the wonder of Vivienne's cut. I now have a few of them which make me feel elegant and curvy all at the same time. Wide hips and a bottom that resembles a bustle made everything pre-Westwood turn me into the animated character Jessica Rabbit. Which may seem wonderful, but it made me overly self conscious and had me living permanently in a-line skirts and mini kilts for years. ...which means that not only do I crave the perfection of the first skirt, but I also want the a-line velvet and giant ribbon confection. And it's about time I had a proper flirty Westwood kilt seeing as I've been wearing inferior versions since my early teens. Unfortunately I always end up spending my money on something else when I venture into her shops.

I'm also fasninated by the open fastening detail of the skirt in the bottom corner, and utterly delighted by the bold stripes and fancy back of the second skirt. But if I could only have one out of all of them, it'd still be that first high waisted pencil skirt.

The next three are very easy to explain. I love pink and black as a combination and I spent my 1980s childhood in an array of trouser suits imagining being the next female prime minister or some other such power dressing female... but obviously one who's a bit mental and flamboyant. ;) I love the shape of the gold dress but know the colour would do me few favours and I'm not sure what the cut would do either. But it's lovely to look at. The third one seems to be an all in one cross between a catsuit and a beautiful pin stiped mens suit. It's fabulous, it's beautifully made, it's entirely crazy while not overly eye catching to walk past on the street - I want it!

More little details before I finish. I don't usually crave Vivienne's adventures in socks. They're a little too crazy even for me. But these are too much like historical ladies stockings for me not to be fascinated. Goodness knows what you could wear them with that didn't make you look like a frump or a lunatic though. Maybe I'll work it out while I'm still vaguely yung enough to wear them.

The fabric in the centre of the picture is wonderful, the way it combines an old style fabric print with maunscript style wording through the background. Can't wait to see what items it appears on. Thirdly, the coat. I think it's a coat, or maybe a long jacket. I can't see it very well, but the fabric and the cut already look marvelous as it flows behind the model. It's going to be so cravable and the sort of thing that you wear to death, I just know it.

And finally, I noticed some Westwood style customisation of the Red Nose Day t-shirts under one suit on the catwalk. I've ordered mine and am therefore awaiting the arrival of a naughty Marie Antoinette styled lady, an Elizabethan Queenie and Edmund Blackadder in a ruff. As soon as I saw the shirts they cried out for customisation. I think she's designed them like that on purpose. Or am I just too addicted to attacking t-shirts with a pair of scissors? Can't decide what exactly I'll do to them until they arrive, but maybe I'll post the results on here.

I recommend grabbing one of your own and finding ways to make it more decadent and self expressive. Something like this perhaps:

http://www.tkmaxx.com/red-nose-day-t-shirts-designed-to-do-good/page/rednoseday/

The Foale & Tuffin Exhibition Launch

2011-02-10T07:16:00.000-08:00

Anyone wanting a quick and informative review, head over to Liz's blog entry at vintage-a-peel because I'm going to ramble and muse a lot here.

I promised to post properly about this forever ago and am only getting around to it now because of the lovely new Youthquake tour pictures Lynn has posted over at Pattie Boyd's Sixties Style.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the much anticipated launch for both the book and exhibition because the lovely M had put me on the guest list after I'd almost jumped up and down at the mention of a Foale and Tuffin book (embarrassingly during the launch party for the John Bates book and therefore in the presance of John Bates when I'd previously been doing very well at appearing half normal... well, apart from my bright pink Westwood cardigan and my hair-do which encouraged someone to take pictures of it from all angles) and then supplied an excited ramble about them being the Peter Blake of the fashion world when asked what questions I'd like to see answered in the book.

Anyway, off I went in the company of M and the elegant vintage goddess that is Liz. I tried to behave myself appropriately, but within minutes of the exhibition being officially opened I was discussing make-up with a nice lad who knew Sally Tuffin and had the most amazing pair of false eyelashes on. You'd think with the amount of art exhibition launches I've hosted that I'd be able to deport myself with more style and calm, but seeing as I only ever attend things I'm enthused about this never happens. Incidentally, the lad with the phenomenal professionally applied make-up spoke to me first. Possibly because I'd gone to the party made up like some junior version of the Fashion And Textile Museum's founder Zandra Rhodes, half due to the fact that that's where the exhibition was staged and half because I'd got some new cobalt blue make-up in Harrods the day before and couldn't stp myself from throwing several tonnes of it all over myself. Oh, and also because Liz's mirrors all have gorgeous images of fashionable ladies painted all over them so I can't actually see when to *stop*. That's always my excuse when I stay at Liz's anyway. ;) ;)

The downstairs area of the exhibition was mainly arranged to emulate the original F&T shop with items not only on mannequins but also hung in enticing rows near a faux changing room and surrounded by the accessories sold alongside them at the time. So many items of clothing I'd only seen in books before.

Marion Foale (left) and Sally Tuffin (right) outside their original shop

When you're someone who wears vintage fashion and collects vintage magazines, one of the most frustrating things (yet not as frustrating as the existance of Kate Moss) is sighing over pictures of outfits that you may never see in person, let alone own or find in your size. In my early twenties when I lived in Liverpool and immerced myself entirely in 60s culture (a home full of 60s furniture, listening to vinyl, wearing 60s clothes every day and reading only magazines from that period because I found the modern clothes and modern discussions in up to date magazines somewhat distasteful) stepping out of my front door into the modern world was always a culture shock. I'd often be reading through new magazine finds, spot a fabulous outfit, read it's price and who it was by and think "ooh, that's not too expensive and there's one of those shops down the road" and then reality would hit and I'd realise the shop would have been out of stock of this item over thirty years ago. At the F&T exhibition two such dresses that I'd had this experiance with were within excruciating touching distance and yet I couldn't go and try them on.

It was truly fabulous to see them in real life though. Actually, there were three such outfits, but the pain was lessened with the third due to it having been leant to the exhibition by one of my closest friends, Liz. I remember the strange but wonderful moment when we realised that she owned the dress and I owned a period image of it. ...if you're a vintage fashion junkie having the piece and the period image is an exciting moment. Trust me. You either get it or you don't. ;)

I didn't dare wear either of my F&T pieces because Liz had previously terrified me over the lovely designers reactions to the condition of some of their old pieces and one was a little worse for wear while the other was too casual for a party. I instead opted for something that could never be considered too casual for a party. One of the most fun to wear things in my wardrobe which is saying something when over half of my wardrobe is basically fantasy flamboyant fashion.
Despite my tastes in fashion, make-up and hairstyling I'm not a very outgoing person. Unless you put me in the right outfit around the right crowd. The crowd at the launch all seemed to be wonderful, free minded, creative types wearing fabulous clothes and make-up so I ended up doing what you just have to do in this outfit and flounced about like a dancing butterfly talking to loads of people who just walked up to me to admire my rainbow sequin ensemble and take pictures of it. I wished I'd had a stack of Liz's business cards to hand out, but instead explained where I'd got my sequin trouser suit and pointed Liz out in the crowd.

Then I was taken again by the sight of more fabulous F&T pieces or magazine pictures of the clothes from the period and flounced off again. You can't walk around normally in this kind of outfit. You have to dance around in it. I excuse this behaviour with the fact that it had the same effect on Twiggy when she wore the dress:

On the way around the exhibition you could help but be in awe of the video installations playing. I spent a lot of time watching them, loving the 60s footage set in among the footage of the pieces being modelled in the modern day. I especially loved the way that the new model they'd chosen was being instructed in sixties modelling poses by the original F&T model Jenny Boyd. Other people around me kept asking each other "is that Marianne Faithfull" and I corrected them all that it was in fact Jenny.

To my great excitement Jenny herself was present, and after I'd gone to get my book signed by the lovely Marion and Sally I plucked up the courage to pounce demurely upon Jenny. She seemed a little surprised to be asked for her autograph but was absoloutely lovely about it and I came away finding her easier to chat to than her sister Pattie who had - if I'm honest - terrfied me when I met her. I don't think it really helped back then that I'd long admired her modelling career and was therefore a tad nervous to be in her presance, or that I'd arrived almost like a mini not-as-cute 60s version of her with my long blonde hair sixtied to the max and resplendant in a Dollyrockers mini dress and Biba velvet jacket.

Anyway, back to Jenny who was a pleasure to meet. I remembered to say how much I loved her book Musicians In Tune for being fascinating, enjoyable to read and absoloutely spot on as a psychological study if the mind of the musician. I think I rather shocked her by knowing about her book, but she was gracious and seemed pleased to hear my thoughts on it.

The original Foale&Tuffin crowd with Jenny fourth from left.

Sally Tuffin (left) and Marion Foale (right) either
side of the trouser suit Jenny wore for the event.

As well as the fabulous clothes, the walls of the exhibiton were filled with well placed images from fashion magazines of the era featuring their clothes. Having spent a lot of my free time in the Liverpool days sat in the Picton Library looking through the bound 1960s volumes of Vogue, Tatler and Queen there wasn't anything to surprise me in the images, but it was fabulous to see them in this context.

The main section upstairs was styled to represent the work room and was scattered with unused buttons, labels and buckles and piled high with the original patterns for their work which in all honesty made me feel honoured to be there. People didn't even get to see that in the 60s.

Another fabulous part of the upstairs display was the section dedicated to the two designers' modern day work. Marion Foale moved into knitwear while Sally Tuffin went on to become one of the UK's leading pottery designers.

Later we moved on to the after party where I quickly found us a booth to sit down in and we spent the rest of the evening there eating cake and I tried to walk as nonchalantly about as you can in a full length rainbow sequin ensemble when Jenny Boyd is sat at the next table to you.

Circumstances resulted in neither Liz nor myself being able to photograph or film any of the event, but luckily someone who attended the exhibition when it was open to the public filmed some of the downstairs display:

The "decadence" that makes my skin crawl

2011-02-05T19:21:00.000-08:00

This is mainly a picture post for Lynn and Liz collating images of the Avengers Collection fur coats as worn by Pattie Boyd and Cynthia Lennon. Also included are a couple of pictures of Pattie in a wedding outfit by the same designer, John Bates.
This is one of the few times you'll have me posting on fur or feathers as I abhor the wearing of animal skins and am a card carrying vegetarian. Fur and feathers in fashion break my heart. I love decadence but the sight of those two remind me of when my cat died and dead birds that my cats bring in. Needless to say, they do little for me but churn my stomach and are as far from indulgent decadence as I can get.

But it's fabulous to share the work of John Bates, a little mentioned fashion genius. And besides, what is there not to love about my fave rave girl from The Avengers and the Beatle girls?

Pattie Boyd photographed for Vanity Fair in 1965 wearing a black and white rabbit fur coat. Shown with the original sketch for the coat by designer John Bates.

Avengers star Diana Rigg modelling the same coat worn by Pattie. The outfits were originally designed for Diana, as can be seen noted in the design sketches. Also pictured is the cover for the Avengers Collection brochure which features another image of Diana wearing the coat in the centre.

Cynthia Lennon photographed at the theatre in early 1966. Shown with the original sketch for the coat by designer John Bates.

Diana Rigg modelling the same coat as worn by Cynthia Lennon.

Back to the animal related fashion question. I have to admit to loving silk, but I have issues about the fact that getting silk kills the silk worms... so I make sure not to fund the practice and indulge my silk love via vintage and second hand pieces. I found the launch of the Yasmin Le Bon fashion range excruciating. Such beautifully made, gorgeous flattering items, and the majority in silk. Basically I stocked up on the non-silk pieces and have been grabbing what I can of the rest via the wonder of ebay. ...I still have mild guilt about the silk issue but it doesn't nauseate me like leather, feathers or fur.

There's quite a few more images of Pattie in Varon knocking about Liz, so if you remind me I might get round to digging the others out.

And to finish, one final Beatlegirl fashion comparison for Lynn. I'm certain that the dresses pictured below must be from the same collection. Both in the exact same lace and both with embroidered flowers in a contrasting shade:

For the rest of the readers, if you want to indulge in further images from Pattie Boyd's modelling career, step across to Lynn's group at Yahoo http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pattieboydssixtiesstyle for the untimate collection because my website on Pattie's modelling career needs a major overhaul and I daren't even link to it at this stage.

For more vintage fashion by someone who deeply loves the work of John Bates head over to Liz's blog http://emmapeelpants.blogspot.com/ or even stock up on some fashion history of your own at her online boutique http://www.vintage-a-peel.co.uk/ which comes highly recommended. I buy a lot of pieces there and have done for years. Every piece is sourced, researched, cleaned, repaired and then presented beautifully by Liz herself. And her prices are as gorgeous as the fashions she presents. She also does international postage so no-one is safe from her wonderful pieces. You have been warned.

Finally, I'd like to recommend drooling over the images in the John Bates Fashion Designer Book http://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Bates-Designer-Richard-Lester/dp/1851495703

An open letter to Jarvis

2010-11-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

Dear Jarvis,

I have done my time in fields for you and your band. We are now older, wiser and in posession of a much more expensive wardrobe of fanciful fashions having long ago exhausted charity shop retro chic in our youth.

My jeans are now by Biba and Westwood and I have no wish to sit on my bottom in a field somewhere, somewhere in a field in London. And if someone stands on my Westwood squiggle print wellies I may loose my cool and have to kick them.

On the subject of London. We are all Yorkshire born and bred are we not? Proud of our heritage and yet still bizarrely taking part in the outdated practice of fleeing south for our culture. Let me introduce you to the art in Tate Liverpool sometime, and then perhaps you can toy with fanciful ideas of playing at home rather than away.

So, now, in the revisiting of times from the 1990s I think the time has come to explore the idea of indoor productions within the glorious scene of Yorkshire in which I can re-aquaint myself with your music.

How about it? Ditch the Hyde Park re-union gig and come home. In nice clothes. Without worrying they will get wet and muddy. I promise to be there as long as I have no prior gig clashes.

We can even re-write the lyrics to part of one of your songs. I can hear it now, floating on the winds of change...
Mother, I can never come home again
'Cause I seem to have left an
important part of my brain somewhere,
Somewhere in a hall in Sheffield.

I await your answer in the gig announcements.

Sincerely,

yours.

(and Cast's... and Space's... and also belonging to the Lightning Seeds. Well, let's just say I get around a bit, just as I always did. But there's love and a Yorkshire Pudding awaiting you when you return)

In my McQueen dream...

2010-11-10T19:08:00.000-08:00

...I stalk the narrow streets of Venice in decadent Renaissance styling...

...concealing an exquisitely embelished dress of opulent red cascades which elevates my very soul... ....from the cool breeze that rises from the soft lit waters.

As the Grand Canal smoothes it's own path higher through the darkened corners and caresses the soon flooded streets I step through the advancing waters with ne'er a drop upon my ankle...

...but when I dance through the night it is these ethereal crystal embroidered angel boots in which I flamboyantly yet gracefully turn.

Join me in my dream and worship each exquisite step of the perfect heel in this video made by Show Studio before I fall back into my present existance:

The McQueen angel heel object fetish

Resting back now against the chair in effortlessly smart black McQ trousers and red Westwood elevated heels I attempt to defend my precious clothes from the purring cat whose claws seek access to my waiting knee.

Be@One with the good side of Heather

2010-07-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of my free time pouring over images of past collections by the likes of Roberto Cavalli, Chanel and Christopher Kane. In occasional breaks from this I check out stylishly quirky Charlotte Olympia shoes and covet items from Westwood and McQueen. A total overload of beautiful fashion that I would love to fill my wardrobe with. Bizarrely, in the midst of all this I discovered a few items I'd love in my wardrobe among an upcycled (yeah, just like other vintage lovers, those words usually chill my heart) fashion range called Be@One by none other than Heather Mills.
Despite the McCartney divorce debacle, and the press trying very hard to make matters worse, my feelings on the ex-Beatlegirl are very positive. I know she grates on people's nerves and makes people cringe a bit when she gets fired up about something (like press harassment, the slaughtering of innocent animals and other such things that other people think are perfectly reasonable... note my heavy sarcasm) but for goodness sakes, she's hardly the devil incarnate.

I remember when she first appeared as Paul's new girl in the papers. I worked at The Beatles Shop in Liverpool back then and my circle of friends, colleagues and aquiantances was heavily populated by hundreds of Beatlemanaics. Despite this huge number of McCartney admirers that I came into contact with, only myself and my friend Eleanor were happy that Paul had found a companion to somehow lessen the huge gap that Linda had left. Admittedly I'm a major Beatlegirl supporter, but Linda was my vegetarian heroine so standing by her husband's side was still a difficult place to step into. It had taken me years to accept the lovely Nancy Andrews for replacing Maureen Starkey in Ringo's life and I still haven't really forgiven the Beatle himself for divorcing her. So new women in the life of a Beatle is actually a big deal on planet me.

Paul had been looking decidedly lost and empty for a long while after Linda died, and then I noticed during the launch party for his new album Run Devil Run that the missing sparkle had finally returned to his eyes. I decided that Heather was the reason. He'd found a feisty vegetarian woman to bring back the fire in his life. I always have that to appreciate her for if nothing else. I also feel that she and Paul were well matched in that they were like a mirror reflecting each other's good and bad points in equal measure. She came out of that looking bad while he emerged much the wiser and much more media savvy. She's also a remarkable woman for battling through her disability and always working hard for others with her work for fellow amputees and her fight for animal welfare.
She's also the mother of Paul's youngest child so whenever any of my fellow Beatlemaniacs say anything petty about her (and I mean when this happened even before the divorce started) I have the overwhelming urge to scream at them til they get the message. I don't of course, but I often feel like it. I did once wonder how the volume of nasty divorce articles weighed up against the catty remarks from female journalists old enough to know better when the marriage had been announced in the first place... but I have a life to be getting on with and it'd take me about thirty years to count them all.

Some of the things she does can be a little misguided and the press jump upon them instantly. I've noticed that they don't give page space to the good things she does, but then that would ruin the public's negative opinion of her and that would never do. Bizarrely the very mention of her good work tends to drive people mad as though she spends all this time and money on good causes just to wind them up.

The press are so successful in their hatred of her that they've even clouded my mother's vision. My mother knows well my adoration of Beatlegirls, to the extent where she bought me a letter written by Maureen Starkey in the 1960s as a birthday present. Always taking an interest in my interests and enjoying being the first to hear about something Beatle related before I do, you'd think she was clued up. But like I said, the press have got to her. When it was announced that Heather would be appearing in Dancing On Ice my mother declared her stupid for even thinking she could do such a thing. I reminded her that Heather had managed fine on Dancing With The Stars, and that long before meeting Paul she'd been in the running to represent our country skiing in the Paralympics. Thankfully she managed to change quite a few people's minds on that show, and - more importantly if you're Heather Mills - she got people to think about the abilities of amputees rather than the disabilities.

Anyway, you all get it now. I like the woman. Deal with it. ...and if anyone wants to treat me to a visit to her much praised vegan restaurant VBites/ for Italian vegan ice "cream" and give me the dress below from her upcycled collection I'd be very pleased. ;)

McQueen is dead, Long live McQueen

2010-02-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

Today I learnt of the passing of such a great artist that his work makes my heart and soul ache with desire for it. And not only that, his art is fashion and anyone reading this knows my love of fashion.

I've posted pictures of pieces by Alexander McQueen on here before so it's already known how much I admire his work. But that wasn't all, I also admired his breathtakingly spectacular catwalk shows and am envious of anyone who had the chance to attend them. Many talk of the wonder of the Chanel shows with designers such as Lagerfeld who prowl on stage at the end like the reigning monarch of cool.

These were nothing compared to McQueen. His shows were true, exquisite performance art and can stand alone as an art piece without even considering the clothes themselves. But do consider the clothes. McQueen was said by the press to design unwearble fashion, but I can't see anyone being unable to find at least one piece among his work that they wouldn't glady add to their wardrobe. The key is not to walk out in them like you would in a McQueen catwalk show, but to take one item and see how spectacularly it enhances the rest of your look.

I can see this and I have yet to afford one of his pieces. I just gaze at them with longing and want to cheer those who wear them with such style and brevity. Pure decadence, pure beauty and the inspiration behind them never seemed to come from anyone else in fashion.

For example one of his most recent creations, the reptile print dress.
Prints are back in, everyone is wandering the fashion capitals covered in chintz and geometric finery. Graffiti style is wondrously creeping back into the mainstream... and McQueen gives us a reptile print arranged so beautifully that it is like an abundance of the most exotic flowers. But miles better.

It's made me appreciate reptiles all the more, and I'm already madly in love with the fabulous colouring of my friend Charley's bright orange and utterly adorable domestic snake "Penny". I'm the sort of person who prefers animal skin and animal print on the animal. Only rarely does someone design something wondrous enough to change my mind on this.

Everyone's still making things out of alligators, snakes etc but not in the same way as McQueen. He's taken the beauty of them without having to cover things in their own skin. I even know someone who's bought an exensive handbag recently which comes with a letter stating that the snake died of natural causes. I think it a hideous thing and don't believe the document in the slightest. I'd rather have the McQueen dress any day of the week.

But now back to his catwalk shows. Some of you may have missed them and there's so much footage out there to see. Here's a little blast through some of the finer moments to whet your appetite, inform, inspire and delight.

My own favourite catwalk show was when he placed the models inside a mirrored box so that they couldn't see the audience. Instead they danced and played up infront of their own image in the mirrors. All the while the audience sat around the box being able to see through the mirrors to view the whole bizarre scene. If I'd had a ticket to sit on the front row for that - with my nose to the glass - I'd have passed out halfway through with utter overload.

So whether you're new to the world of McQueen or you love him as much as - or more so than - I do, glory now in his work, his mind, his creativiy. They say the way to ease a soul after it's passing is to think good thoughts of them rather than to weigh the soul down to earth with tears, inviting the soul to comfort those left behind. His soul is with his mother now, the woman who obviously nurtured him and his talent and who passed away but days before him. Let them be together and at peace.

The wisdom of Roberto Cavalli

2010-01-23T07:03:00.000-08:00

"Anyone is capable of doing minimalism. I won't, because it's horrible."

Shopping With Staff

2010-01-15T18:14:00.001-08:00

I hate shopping. Anyone who knows my love of clothes, has seen the amount of "junk" (clothes, books, music, pictures) in my house or the amount of bags I return from a shopping trip with will be astonished by this. But I really do truly hate the experiance.

Fighting through crowds of other girls on the high street looking for an item of clothing is my idea of hell. Hate it. I either know there's something there I want (spying it in the window on the way past or knowing about it from a magazine or friend) and can dash in at great speed and grab one in my size or it's not going to happen. It inspires a stress headache within minutes and you only have to mention the word "Primark" to me and I get an overwhelming feeling of nausea at the idea of the chaos in that kind of a building.

This is why I tend to return from a shopping trip with zillions of bags. I have spent weeks building up plans of what I need and where they are and can cover all of the high street shops in Leeds in about an hour to grab my entire wish list.

Now to supermarkets. I have an actual phobia of them. Apparently this is very common and was the original meaning of agoraphobia (Greek for "fear of the market place"). I have lately been learning to tackle this and can now browse occasionally when the place is quiet. I now emerge the majority of the time without running at a breakneck speed out of the doors with tears stinging my eyes and my heart pounding at ninety miles an hour. If you take me there when it's busy and I actually get through the doors it's likely I'll abandon the trolly and run for the exit part way through. Most days I nauseously build myself up towards the idea of going, put on a brave face, and hope to emerge with ingredients that can actually be constructed into a meal or two. Tesco Online is a total Godsend for actually stocking my cupboards with sensible items once in a while.

A member of staff bothering me in a shop will be greeted with a look of panic. Someone at the checkout suggesting I go back to the kitkats and buy two smaller packs because it's cheaper that way is enough to cause me to feel faint. It's lovely that they're trying to help but my aim is to get out of the building as quickly as possible. Just what I don't need is someone demanding I walk past the queue of people waiting behind me to swap things round and then looking at me crazy and getting cross when I say I'm fine with my more expensive larger packet.

"Shopping with staff" is however a whole different board game.

What I like is going to a nice quiet boutique with enough space around me that I can breathe, and staff on hand to assist me in finding what I desire. That I love. I could sit in Vivienne Westwood for hours on the comfortable furniture while staff run around finding me shoes in an array of colours. I sigh with pleasure as they suggest alternative items and teach me how to fasten a belt in a way that means I will forever discard the normal way of fastening a belt because it's not as beautiful as the way that "Vivienne likes it".

Liverpool's Hervia Westwood Store

This is a pleasure that my father taught me on rare trips to city department stores in the search for a new party dress. It could be his fault why I have wardrobes full of evening wear but lack any knowledge of how to do "casual". I was about seven before I even tried on a pair of jeans and I remember learning to climb walls in a white smocked dress and black patent shoes.

This "shopping with staff" pleasure is one that must be enjoyed with a friend otherwise it looses the full joy. Having dragged dearest Charley off on a few of these trips, I fear that we are now fully fledged addicts. Our last trip to Leeds involved us being accosted in Lush by envious staff wanting to know what we had in our multiple giant pink Westwood bags, then having trouble fitting everything into the boot of my teeny tiny little Ford Fiesta.

Goodies found in Leeds by Charley and myself

Talking of Lush, this is another shopping pleasure. Again as much because of the products as the staff. Yes I love cosmetics, yes I trained as a beautician and hairdresser so I understand them, and yes I do find Lush products to be one of my great indulgences. But the experiance of going into somewhere with such happy, enthusiastic, quirky and knowledgable staff is an absoloute pleasure. If I want a specific type of product but don't know what to get I just ask their advice and they always come up with the perfect item. If I'm in a rush I can tell them what I need and they'll help me grab everything. If I'm not in a rush I tend to ask if there's anything new in stock and they'll do more than just tell me, they'll try the products out in front of me as they explain about them. Thus I emerge excitedly with new Lush goodies to use, cradled in hands that have just been pampered using half the products now stored in my goodie bag. I've also never had a moment in any Lush shop where the member of staff couldn't answer my questions about the products. Right down to where the ingredients are sourced and why they are in the product in the first place.

Another place I love for it's exquisitely fabulous staff is Harrods Urban retreat. I was lucky enough to win a day of pampering there and I emerged well and truly pampered. I would recommend to anyone the utter bliss of a visit to the Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie there for a fragrance consultaion. It was one of the most decadent, sense inspiring experiances of my life, and I'm a the kind of person who hunts down decadence and sensual pleasures with an unending passion for more.

Roja Dove

Just imagine lounging against embroidered silk and velvet pillows, surrounded by exotic perfumes incased in exquisite cut glass and gold bottles, being lulled by gentle music and having your mind and senses led poetically through a beautiful path of perfumes until you reach your own perfect scent.

How I ever emerged from there alive and didn't just die of absoloute bliss I have no idea. Anyway, I was originally a devoted Jicky by Guerlain girl and have now realised that my soul should be bathed in Amazone by Hermes.

*sigh*

If all shopping were like that, I'd truly be it's biggest fan.

All PVC and no Bacofoil

2010-01-13T19:17:00.000-08:00

Following the previous post, I now have a quest to source a vintage "bacofoil" style outfit. I am hoping that the lovely Miss peelpants will find me one, or that we can somehow get the incredible Vivienne Westwood to create me something.

I seem to be all PVC and no Bacofoil. I love my vintage and 60s styled PVC coats. The purely black super shiny one I always used to wear down the Cavern Club that Gill borrowed in the picture below:

The matt black one I wore until it disintegrated:

The super fab black and white one with the see-through coloured polka dots (it's a bad picture but it just about shows how cool my aubergine and silver Barbara Hulanicki wallpaper is in the background):

And my much worn long red PVC coat that you can just about see in this picture of me in the presance of the wondrous and sparkly Groupie Queen Miss Pamela:

I did have a short red vintage PVC coat just like the one Maureen Starkey had (she lent it to her first husband Ringo Starr to wear during the famed Beatles roof top gig) but I left it on a bus in London. :( It had taken me years to find one, and then I stupidly lost it on the way back from seeing Ringo perform a song at Wood Lane for the National Lottery. I blame Beatlemania for my stupidity. It's all Ringo's fault. Bad Beatle! :(

I also managed to rip a pair of red PVC trousers somewhere on a tour with some band on an evening so hazy I can't even remember it straight. ...but thankfully replaced them with a new pair in Chicago when taken to the quirkier shops by one of my best friends there whom I miss very much. The only pic I have of them is me with my lovely BBA soul sister Penny in my crazy 60s lounge:

The long purple velvet coat I wore in that picture is also long since dead from being worn to death. Thankfully the cute Dollyrockers coat Penny borrowed in that photo is still going strong.

So, lots of PVC, but no bacofoil. Just a pair of silver covered 60s "space age" sandals that I no longer dare wear in case the silver covering comes off. :(

PVC and Bacofoil

2010-01-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

This is a response to a recent entry in the fabulous blog written by the divine Miss Peelpants. Anyone into fashion needs to check out her blog - Get some Vintage-a-Peel - and anyone into vintage fashion will become addicted.

I am lucky enough to have her as a friend and occasional fashion stylist on our trips out together (my extremely bizarre hair and make-up is entirely my own OTT work, but I have allowed her to put rollers in my hair and paint on my face with eyeliner before because I trust her completely). She also supplies my vintage fashion addiction as she runs the most amazing vintage business which overflows with exquisite pieces at such great value that you can fast turn into a vintage junkie in her capable hands.

sitting on art in Cardiff with the divine Miss Peelpants at a New Rom club (she's wearing her divine purple Sarah Whitworth)

Now to the subject of her post and the mention of everyone running around everywhere in PVC mini dresses with bacofoil trimmings. She is against the idea of it. Unusually I'm opposing in opinion to her and am totally for it.

I want everyone to really try hard at expressing themselves with their appearance and having fun with fashion. Mainly so that I can get away with wearing the clothes I love and not stand out so much, but also because it would make life more interesting and exciting with so much wonderful fashion expression at every turn. In Yorkshire I'm starved of it as everyone has a copycat, drab, blend in mentality. They're afraid to step out of line and draw attention to themselves. If it weren't for the quirky yet stylish fashion haven of Leeds and the hippie mentality of Hebden Bridge I'd go crazy in this wonderfully beautiful and kind hearted county. Without those two places I am made uncomfortable to exist in my own clothes and starved of both colour and inspiration.

I am the sort of person who will stop someone on the street (okay, so I pause in wonderment and then end up chasing after them most of the time) to ask what make their outfit/bag/etc is. But there are so few opportunities to discover fashion in this way for me. I think that's why I crave another style of life even though I know the glamourous parties would bore me rigid. The outfits around me would delight me and I'd have an excuse for all the outrageous clothes I want to wear.

I won't fight to become a part of it though. I spent my childhood being treated to trips to beautiful places by my father who wanted to teach me the nicer things in life. He was encouraged by my mother who had lived the high life as a child and saw in me the appreciation of beautiful things and graceful company. Despite my love of decadence and need to be around people who are cultured and well brought up I then spent my teens trying to claw my way out of boarding school. It was infested by people whose only love was money and who delighted in trampling upon anyone who didn't reach their expectations or wear what Vogue told them was the thing to have. I'm softed hearted so I fought for everyone they trampled upon and insisted on doing my own thing despite the trouble it caused for me. My mother insisted that I try to fit in and bought me the clothes I needed for that but I felt alien and just couldn't do it. So I quickly aquired an attitude of "this is me, deal with it!"

I finally settled in my late teens and early twenties into the music world. I'm not a musician but I love and breathe music and seem to be good company for those who create it. The backstage doors opened up for me easily and I was finally in an environment where I gained respect for being myself and respected the musicians right back for being such amazingly creative beings and treating me well. I was adored for my quirky appearance and extensive knowledge, encouraged to push my style further and was finally completely at ease.

People think that the backstage, touring lifestyle is glamorous. It's not. There's a lot of travel but you don't get to seeing anything. The grotty backstage areas of venues are rarely as plush as the public areas. Hotels are for crash landing in and the only time you get to explore somewhere is in the early hours of the morning in an impossible quest for post-gig food. The music makes it worth it though.

Now I've done all that to excess. I still love it, but I'm craving for the nicer life. I want comfy sofas, beautiful art and staff who speak to you in a nice manner. I don't want to spend my entire life squashed in a crowd one minute and sat for hours waiting on the band to pack up, do their press interviews and sign autographs the next. I'd tired of only seeing backstage venues and cities that are asleep and dark in the night time. When I'm not at work, I want to spend my time with people who aren't working either and spend it in nice places.

I'm not giving up the groupie lifestyle entirely because I love music too much and am too drawn to the men that make it. ...but I want the nice life my parents taught me. Like I said though, I'm not fighting to jon the fashion and art scene. If I had it full time I'd only crave a bit of room trashing, some racous rock'n'roll and a bag of chips. And I'm not leaving my lovely home in Yorkshire for tha chaos of London. I just want to be able to dip into it now and then, graced with the company of people who love art, fashion and music as much as I do.

So, it's either that or everyone starts wearing PVC and bacofoil. ;)

There is no bread

2010-01-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

News reached my little home that the main road nearby was clear so I decided to make an epic treck out into the frozen north to see how far I could get.

Defrosting the vehicle is epic enough when covered in six inches of snow (yeah, snow that even my high heels can't lift me out of) but due to utter boredom from being stuck in the house I attacked it with enthusiasm and even gave a Westwood scarf it's first outing. I knew I was too enthused when I found myself sculpting the snow on the roof of the car into "a cute white hairstyle". Then I started to get a bit cold.

The snow was so thick on the sides of the car that when it came to doing the side nearest the fence I had to clear the snow in front of me in order to get to the rest of the car. During defrosting of wing mirrors my brave and worthy efforts were briefly interrupted by a typical blonde moment. I sprayed the de-icer in the wrong direction, and the shock of having my face de-iced caused me to fall backwards into the snow screaming, and consequently loose both the de-icer spray and the de-icing scraper thingumy object into the snow. ...I didn't discover that I'd lost them until I'd returned from de-de-icing myself inside the house. And getting into the house was difficult, covered in snow, freaking out, one eye shut against de-icer and charging at the door full force until to go splat against the window in discovery that I'd locked the door.

*sigh* Anyway, the car was de-iced and I set out enjoying the weird way my dear little ford fiesta moved trying to fight it's way through the thick snow. We found our way to a "clean" road with cheers and wonderment and set off at a dangerous 25mph in over excited enthusiasm. The ice at the first crossing slowed us down considerably. Reached the supermarket fine and parked wrecklessly in what I assumed was the disabled area (though I couldn't see through the snow, and that was my excuse for finally rebelling against half the car park being taken up with spaces that no-one uses). There were two other cars in the car park, thoroughly frozen and obviously belonging to staff.

There was no bread, (woohoo! justification of the bread maker I bought before xmas just in order to make the cinnamon roll recipe from Julie Anne's blog ), no fruit except for a teeny bunch of child size bananas, and no frozen chips that weren't in "microwavable boxes". In fact there was little or none of all the sensible items. Therefore I was totally excused for stocking up on double chocolate cheesecake, potato wedges, walkers crisps, Fry's Turkish Delight and the "expensive" italian food in the fridge department.

Tried to commiserate with a bloke in the bread department who was having a rather audible nervous breakdown because there was no bread to make his kids' breakfast with... wasn't successful. I had cleverly substituted bakewell tarts for breakfast food and was feeling smug about it.

Mother was stuck at her house with cupboards and freezers fit to bursting with food (she's a supermarket addict instead of a supermarket phobic like her daughter) but terribly distressed that her cats couldn't have wafer thin ham... so I was brave and bought a packet of dead animal for her cats.

The road wasn't clear to hers in any way. Abandonned the car before it got stuck and trekked up the hill past teenagers who were still enjoying knocking each other over into the snow, a man trying to clear his driveway with the aid of a shovel and a wheelbarrow, and various women opening the door just to take a picture of the frozen wasteland so that they could prove it had happened.

The flash bulbs were a bit of a shock in the snowy, lamplit darkness. You really don't expect paparazzi in Elland of an evening when everyone's snowed in. But I was prepared anyway in my Westwood "frozen weather ensemble" teamed with a coat which probably came from Matalan. ...if this weather continues, I shall consider investing in Pucci snowboots.

...and one of those Anglomania coats that looks like a douvet and will match the pattern on "The Precious" (see earlier post). If you're going to fall flat on your face in the snow, at least look cute while doing it and then any boys nearby will come to pick you up and dust you off. If you're lucky they'll help you carry your shopping home too. I learnt this while living in Liverpool where there was an excess of helpful young gentlemen tripping over themselves to aid a damsel in any form of distress so long as she looked stylish or was wearing a short skirt.

Anyway, got to mums with the provisions (handing over the last bunch of bananas in Elland cos she's addicted to the things) and managed to get my car going on a road where only wreckless fools would be stupid enough to change up into second gear. After a lot of revving and skating about I even got my car back up the drive withut bashing into either the fence, the house or the dustbin. Hurrah!

Now I must be going as I have double chocolate cheesecake and micro chips to eat.

Beatles

2010-01-05T08:37:00.001-08:00

...as a side note, how adorable was Ringo in the 60s before his head became the size of the Goodyear Blimp?!

Here's another Beatle gem. 1966 Munich show. In colour! With sound synched in really rather well.

For the uninitiated into Beatle geekdom, it's usually in black and white and from a different angle:

Lush, coloured in, 1966 Beatles. Mmmmmmm.

The weather outside is frightful

2010-01-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

I've been snowed in now since before Christmas. The only thing stopping me from going completely insane is that I can just about trek to my mother's once in a while with the aid of my snazzy new Viv Westwood wellies, a faux fur coat and the beautiful scarf, hat and gloves set I was given as a leaving present from a previous job.

I'm fed up of only being able to eat food I can grab at the near by "corner shop", my freezer will soon only yield ice lollies (I'm strangely off them at the moment) and I'm going stir crazy!!!!

The joy of wrapping up in a fluffy blanket, snuggled in front of the fire with the kitty cats and gazing out at the beautiful snow covered garden is long since gone. I can't bear to read another book as all the interesting ones are depressing as hell thanks to my belief that only angst makes a decent book truly worth reading. All the fun has gone out of my DVD collection now that I've watched the entire Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, both Bridget Jones films and laughed through Elf several times.

I can't even be bothered to do fabulous things with hair and make-up or play dress-up as the cats just don't appreciate how fabulous I look.

My collection of VHS and DVD is usually inexhaustable, but then I usually get to break it up with a bit of TV and some trips out of the house. Trips out of the house are pointless cos I can't really get anywhere, and the Christmas TV has been *abysmal*. The smattering of decent things they've shown have been repeated daily ad nauseum. But now that some of us are thoroughly stuck in the house I think a state of national emergency should be declared and daytime telly should be thrown aside for some nice decadent cheer-up telly.

I'd like some of those warm, beautiful, light-hearted comedies that only Italy of the 50s and 60s could yield. I think I would start with either Buona Sera Mrs.Campbell or Come September (which you can watch in it's entirity on youtube if you get there quick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb_xsOGMtiE )

Then something informative. I think some of David Starkey's programmes on the Tudors. During which, as per ritual, I will turn over briefly while Anne Boleyn is being murdered, sob audibly when Elizabeth looses Robert Dudley and yell excessively whenever anyone defies Elizabeth. Especially if they're Philip of Spain or Mary Queen of Scots. For Royalists like me, that channel will also show the film Mary Queen of Scots and Young Bess over the next days. Mary Queen of Scots only being shown because I thorougly enjoy every time Elizabeth outwits her and delight in Robert Dudley being injured by Elizabeth for daring to fancy her cousin.

From that very film, simpering childish ornament Mary compared with fiery ruler Elizabeth... where Mary's story is a tragedy of overpowering men and Elizabeth's story is a voctory of feminism. Hurrah! ...sorry, I get over enthused about Elizabeth. Never watch this film with me. I yell, jibe and cheer all the way through it.

Now a bit of comedy. Something a bit quirky I think. Eddie Izzard or Bill Bailey. We've been lacking in music thus far so let's go with Bill Bailey and his love song which is fabulous even though it mentions snow flakes and frozen ponds:

Or we could have his informative guide to the orchestra.. which includes this gem for Doctor Who fans:

And finally, some music. I think I'd go with The Beatles on Blackpool Night Out in 1965, starring John's fringe. It really is the highlight of this footage. Best Beatle of any Beatles footage I've ever seen. And I've seen a *lot* of Beatles films.

...I wonder what the chances are of getting the local olde worlde cinema down the road to show vintage movies? I could walk there. ...Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Help!, La Dolce Vita?

Expensive Fashion Pangs

2009-12-28T08:44:00.000-08:00

Though there have been times when money has been so tight that we've had to share heinz tomato soup for one between two of us, my mother has brought me up with a love of quality in clothing. From the cabin trunk's worth of Nana's divine evening gowns in the loft, through mum's to-die-for shoe collection and the special childhood trips to a department store for a party dress when daddy was feeling a bit flush. I've worn beautiful childhood clothes until they really positively do not fit me anymore, taken them in to have them alterred into another outfit that will fit me, or worn a destroyed party dress as extravagant playing out clothes because I just refuse to part with it.

When I hit my decade long obsession with wearing nothing that wasn't from the 1960s I looked down upon offerings from Mary Quant for being badly made because I'd already been given a few season's collections of much better clothing that once belonged to my mother and Grandmother in the 60s.

I have a wardrobe full of evening gowns and go very over dressed to parties just to actually have the chance to wear some of them, and yet I am always seeing new things that I crave to own but will rarely get the chance to wear. ...these items are usually outrageously expensive too which plays dreadfully upon my knowledge that such sums of money are better spent on good causes.

I've been craving a Herve Leger bandage dress ever since I realised that they look better on women with curves than stick insect models, and that they do much better colour combinations than Victoria Beckham wears. The sight of them makes me sigh with desire and have to run off and eat quite a quantity of chocolate before the pain that I can't afford one becomes lessened.

The sight of this one will require more than a box of ferrero rochers to get over. It costs a mere $1050. Just think how many tins of cat food for abandonned kitty cats that would buy. I shall have to drop some more boxes of cat food into the animal rescue donation bin next to I go food shopping. That'll make me feel a bit better.

*insert wistfull sigh here, followed by the sound of gold foil being unwrapped*

These ones I can't sigh over too much, because they're made out of dead cows and that means they can never have wardrobe space in my home. But they *look* divine. And would be divine if they were vegan. As if the pain that Manolos and Louboutins only come in leather isn't enough, Alexander McQueen has to give me shoe pangs too. £525 worth of exquisitely crafted dead animal skin: Thankfully Madame Westwood now collaborates with the vegan planet saving shoe makers at Melissa on some of her footwear. Therefore the sight of the the dead cow booties can be lessened by putting on my candy scented elevated three strap Westwood heels which are all the more wondrous for being made in rubber as the style of them suggests the sort of mistress who will require wipe down fashion.

While I'm whining about McQueen that I can't afford and can't give wardrobe space to due to silkworm guilt, cow guilt and assorted cute fluffy animal guilt, here are sme other delectable items that I've been admiring for so long that I've forgotten which season they're from:

£3876 of goddess worthy embroidered silk:

£484 of screamingly neon pink leather:£1885 of silver screen starlet style woolen warmth:

£2892 of silk formed into the ultimate "you couldn't afford me" kaftan:

£1732 of draped silk chiffon that you can't possibly walk in:

£944 of silk that deserves to be in an episode of Poirot:

And the most cravable £1972 of silk formed into McQueen's Kimono dégradé mini dress:Finally Mr McQueen made something that doesn't involve the death of an animal, so I have no way of not desiring it. It is bizarrely a pleated skirt that's so perfect that it refuses to ever go out of fashion. Thankfully all £494 worth of it is now out of stock everywhere so I'm safe. *sigh*

Now I need to go sit for a while eating chocolate while wearing my Westwood heels and hugging "The Precious". The Precious is my newest Westwood aquisition.

I'm not usually into these bulky bags, being more of a 50s/60s box bag kind of a girl. And I have more Marilyn Monroe handbags than is at all sensible. ...but when I saw the huuuuge red tartan quilted Anglomania handbag with squiggle print stitching in the Westwood store in Leeds, dear Charley nearly had to carry me out on a stretcher. I was convinced it would be trimmed with leather but still looked it up on the internet so that I could drool at the image of it. Wondrously, it was trimmed in gloriously Westwood styled PVC and I wanted it. On return to the store with Charley (to buy Pirate boots) the huuuge bag I had seen was now sold out but there was a much more usable miniature version complete with quirky little rosette and orb engraved gold fittings left alone on the shelf. The shop assistants had to coax me gently in order to prise it from my fingers so that we could go try on boots downstairs.

Thus far it has only had a couple of outings, during which I clung to it in fear it would get hurt in some way. It now usually resides in it's own super soft Westwood dust bag awaiting another outing... but I fetch it out to hug it and examine it and generalyl love it lots. It's my new teddy bear really. "The Precious".

The Edge of Reason

2009-12-23T14:39:00.001-08:00

Few things in life are as blissful as being curled up in front of the fire with the kitty cats, eating an assortment of Ferrero Rochers and watching Colin Firth trying to drown Hugh Grant in a fountain while The Darkness rock out 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love'.

...yes, I'm watching the second Bridget Jones film on the telly. I love this one the best. Even though the first one has the best line:

"I will not be defeated by a bad man and an American stick insect. Instead, I choose vodka."

Vogue

2009-12-17T06:04:00.000-08:00

Is it any wonder that a part of ten-year-old me wanted to be Madonna?

Elf Yourself...

2009-12-15T21:23:00.000-08:00

...or "How To Make Yourself Love Christmas Again"

Christmas always manages to put me in a really grumpy mood, but I've been slowly working on a way to ease the pain and think I may have hit upon the way to de-scrooge myself for the jolly season.

Part One - Gifts

In November buy as many gifts as possible online. Preferably from places that'll gift wrap them, add a message and post them direct to the recipient. Doing this in November gives your mind the chance to actually consider properly what people will want, and you can even ask them what sort of thing they'll like without being so close to Christmas they'll expect it.

Part Two - Cards

Subscribe to a lovely online card service and do as many of your cards that way as possible. It saves trees too so you can feel cosy in the knowledge that you're saving the planet. There's a lovely animated cards one where you can subscribe to it for a year and send as many greetings as you like: http://www.jacquielawson.com/ That particular one is very reasonable so you can donate some of the rest of the cost you'd have spent on cards and postage to a favourite charity. Orphanages and animal shelters will particularly appreciate gifts at Christmas. If you have a local animal shelter, I'd also suggest taking some pet food down to them before Christmas.

Part Three - Parties

If Christmas mingling isn't your thing but you can't get out of all of them, treat yourself to a lovely outfit for the event(s), something that you'll be so elated to wear that you won't actually care where you are. If you're invited to lots of things, only accept invites from the ones in the first week of December. If you know the host of the party, try and volunteer to help with something. It'll give you a purpose, make you feel good, and totally distract you from the whole party thing. It also means that you can speak to people without the difficult mingling thing and you get to run off before the conversation gets boring because you're "busy".

Part Four - Your Celebration

Have a special small gathering of your own, just you and a friend or two, somewhere nice well before Christmas. Even if you just go out for lunch together it means you'll be enjoying the company of people you care about and that's what the Christmas spirit is often about. It's nothing like the torture of a day long grumpy family Christmas where everyone is tired, drunk and overfed.

Part Five - Treat Yourself

In mid-December when the Christmas Shopping chaos is beginning in earnest, go out shopping with a friend on a late Sunday afternoon (when everyone is starting to tire of the whole weekend shopping but it isn't so near christmas that they're sticking there til the bitter end), visit your favourite shops and treat yourselves to a few things. This way you feel liek you've been involved in the "Christmas Shopping Experiance" but seeing as you've already done all yours online and the only person to buy for is yourself it takes all the stress out. A perfectly lovely experiance and highly recommended... especially if it involves a trip into Vivienne Westwood or Lush.

London Gets Gift Wrapped By Viv

Part Six - Decorating

If you can bear the idea, put the Christmas tree up. If not, at least put your Christmas cards up. Bluetac them around the window frames or onto doors so that they're about and making you feel loved without cluttering the place up. If your Christmas card collection depresses you too and you have a small online group that your a part of why not suggest a Christmas card list on there. That way you can put effort into sending cards related to your own special interest and recieve cards back in the same way that'll be very you and really make you smile. (mine all arrive covered with Nick Rhodes and Duran Duran pictures). If you have a shrubbery outside your house, buy one of those christmas light nets that can go out doors, plug it in and chuck it over the shrubbery. Instant pretty decorations that will make your house look cosy and twinkly when you get home of an evening yet without turning your home into a cheap immitation of Vegas.

Part Seven - Reclaiming the Christmas Spirit

My Christmassy music is Dean Martin. Choose your own beloved Christmas music that'll make you feel all traditional and cosy in the same way, but I'd recommend this:

Stick the music on, run yourself a bath and crumble in half an "Elf Yourself" bubble bar from Lush. If you're particularly grumpy, crumble the whole bar in. If you've put your Christmas tree up, light the lights. If you have an open fire, light the fire and dim the lights. Prepare yourself some mulled wine and light tea light in red tea light holders in the bathroom. Climb into the bath which will now be full of Christmas scented, christmas coloured red warm water and fluffly white bubbles. Soaking in the luxurious Christmassy bath, siupping your mulled wine and listening to Dino should start to ease Christmas in gently. When it's time to leave the bath, wrap up in a newly tumble dried fluffy towel, dry yourself infront of the fire and treat tourself with Pied De Pepper foot cream by Lush. Finally, settle down to watch a Christmas comedy DVD. I;d recommend "Elf" as it's hilarious and cosy without being nauseatingly soppy.

Part Eight - The Spiritual Bit

If you're Christian or just mildly accepting of the Christian Christmas vibe, take yourself off to church before midnight on Christmas Eve. Its not like a normal full on church service, there's just a small gatherong of people in a church decorated for Christmas. You'll sing some Chrstmas carols and come out feeling all spiritual and joyous.

Part Nine - Opening your presents

Open one of your gifts when you get home from midnight mass at the church. Open the rest when you get up sometime around lunchtime.

Part Ten - Christmas Lunch

Don't do the family Christmas if it freaks you out. Find one of your friends who also doesn't like Christmas and spend the day together. You're each others' excuse for not attending other people's homes for Christmas Lunch. Have something simple that you can cook in few minutes or zap in a microwave that's the size of a *normal* meal, then settle down in front of the telly with alcohol and an assortment of cake, chocolates and savory nibbles.

Part Eleven - The Family

Seeing as you've avoided everyone on Christmas day, do the rounds on boxing day. Always choose a few people to visit so that you can use the others as an excuse for departing when you get bored. Visit those with children either first (to get the hanging around noisy Christmas gifts over with early on and then make a quick exit as you've so many other people to go and see) or late at night when they've gone to bed. You waon't need to make yourself a meal all day as you'll have Christmas left overs forced upon you at every stop. This is when you get to eat the normal Christmassy food, but without the stress and hassle of cooking it, the washing up, or the endless left overs.

Part Twelve - The Aftermath

Arrange something nice to do with the friends in New Year so that you have something to look forward to in the new year, and use the above techniques to survive New Years events. ;)

The joy of music

2009-11-24T18:57:00.001-08:00

Y'know when you hear a song performed so amazingly that it's like discovering music all over again? I love that feeling.

My latest moment like that was in the car the other night listening to Radio 2. They played a live version of Stop by Joe Bonamassa and I sat in the dark in the driveway until the whole song had finished.

I've had the pleasure of seeing Joe and his band perform live. Bizarrely it was on a night in Morecambe when the whole sky seemed to empty itself upon our heads as we walked from the hotel to the gig venue. We arrived like wet rats, dropped as much dripping wet clothing to the floor as was considered appropriate and gloried at the beautiful music gliding through the darkened venue. ...and at the end Heather and I scrambled towards the front to get a view of the incredibly talented and yummy drummer cos we're like that.

Highly recommended.

Richard Becknsale

2009-11-18T16:03:00.001-08:00

Richard understandably being pounced upon in The Lovers film.

Thanks to the demise of geocities I have lost many of my ancient websites. Seeing as so many people were using the Richard Beckinsale one for reference I've re-launched it here. No fancy bits, just lots of the info I've collected together on his career in film, television and the theatre, a bit of his poetry... and some lovely photos.

So the question now is... are these photos a way to entice you into the website or is the website just an excuse for me to post some gratuitous Beckinsale pics?

Richard on the stage in Funny Peculiar. Yes, some lucky so and sos got to seem him live on stage draped precariously in a dressing gown.

A still from the film Rentadick. No, it's not like that despite the name and the image. Nor is the TV series or film of The Lovers. Richard's a very serious actor I'll have you know.

...well, okay, maybe not that serious.

Anyway, for those of you who've managed to miss Richard all together (this being all the non-Brits I imagine. In the UK we're all raised on Richard's comedy TV shows), he's the late great father of kate Beckinsale who sadly died very young in the midst of a most promising career.

For more info... check out the website. It's very basic as it was one of my first creations, but it's informative.

Rock Couture vs Juicy Couture

2009-11-18T04:03:00.000-08:00

This review of the newest Juicy perfume is just too funny, words and video:
Juicy Couture Couture Couture

I have realised that maybe I have to cut JC a teensy bit of slack in that it's not designed for me, it's designed for spoilt squealing American teenage girls. Smashing Grandpa is for me. It's designed for for spoilt shrieking rock'n'roll women of decadent tendancies. Juicy is for the teens who don't have an edge yet and I pray that they will grow up and discover true rock'n'roll and also learn that drawing graffiti on portraits of Queen Elizabeth I is just plain WRONG!

Alas Smashing Grandpa is worn by "Posh Spice" who I have always been growly about for not actually being the slightest bit posh. And I'm still mourning their loss of Leslie Gardner and searching in vain for an alternative "slogan tee" outlet.

Gardner's new stuff for One World still has the beautiful shapes but the edge and wit has gone to be replaced by mumsy floweriness. Nauseated. :( I suppose she's just grown up. I refuse to grow up and still want clothes designed by the Westwood adoring designer for New York's glam rock scene who read Miss Pamela's groupie memoir and moved to California "to meet bands" and started the Smashing Grandpa line while she was there. Alas One World Apparel just pales into insignificance.

And yes, I've already tried the JCDC tees with the cute drumkit logo on the back... and I'm bored already. Smashing Granpa did wit, beauty, decadent elegance and rock'n'roll ege all in one. And the shirts often had puffed sleeves, and subtle naughtiness that I could wear in front of my dad without him noticing. I mourn them heavily.

The stupid fur wearing Olsen Twins have moved seamlessly from Smashing Grandpa to Juicy Couture, growing out of edge and into fluff. Surely that's backwards. Are they getting younger as they get older?

I wonder if I'm one of Smashing Grandpa's most devoted followers? Anyone who's seen into my vast t-shirt drawer would certainly testify that I'm a contender. For those who haven't, here's a bit of an idea.

Here I am with the lovely Chloe (lead singer of The Handcuffs, check them out, they ROCK) in one of my many Smashing Grandpa jackets. They're uber comfy, have puffed sleeves, are flatteringly corset shaped for girlies like myself who have curves (how difficult is it to design clothing for women with a waistline vastly smaller than their hips, bum and chest, I mean really?! Come on fashion designers, get with it!) and they have fab things on the back of them. My two pink ones (yes, two) have butterflies on the back. They're not the same. One butterfly is blue, the other is black. Trust me, I needed both. I wear them a lot. One day I will have worn them all out and I shall cry. I also have them in black, olive, green, purple and possibly some other colours that I've forgotten about. The others have art nouveau godesses or rock'n'roll crests on the back. They're lovely. I even used to wear the appropriately coloured ones when working for the National Trust so that I could look lovely in the middle of the woods. Everyone else looked appropriate for being in the middle of the woods. I had pink walking boots, skinny fit jeans and a corset shaped jacket with a goddess on the back of it... and crazy pink eye-make-up. Who says the National Trust is old fashioned?! Ha!

My fellow groupie soul sisters in The BBAs all wear Smashing Grandpa, and Penny raided my stuff when she came to visit so here she is in a few more of mine:

As a side note she also looked totally gorgeous in some of my Dollyrockers collection:
The lace dress looked so stunning on her that I sent her home with it.

BBAs obviously favour the line Leslie Gardner launched inspired by Miss Pamela, so here's just a teeny tiny few of those from my collection:

Admittedly, it looks sooo much better on John Taylor, but then it would. ;) He's also cheating by accessorising with a Miss Pamela. And fnally a rare one.. of me and my daddy. I'm wearing the fab "Dancing with tears in my eyes" shirt which is probably my most worn Smashing Grandpa shirt.

Mother took the picture. She went to sit comfortably in one of the carriages while we jumped in the front to got over excited about all the controls and the fire and everything, breathing in vast lungfulls of joyous sooty, oily smoke. Dad and I like steam trains. Deal with it.

Daddy has also built himself a miniature steam engine. It works and everything, I'm so proud. I did paint a picture of him with his steam engine but he took it home before I could take a photo of it. At least he likes it I guess. Anyway, he's almost finished with his scary miniature steam lorry and the matching trailer, so I live in anticipation of more pics of his finished work.

What a doll!

2009-10-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Hearing of the new Barbie "Ladies Of the 80s" range I couldn't help but go and investigate. The Blondie doll really doesn't hit the spot, but the Cyndi Lauper one is verrrry cool:

While checking it out I saw what has become of poor Ken these days. He's now a Donald Trump bewigged sugar daddy with a poodle and outfits made out of furniture:

I blame the fact that he's now started hanging out with Gela and Pamela from the evil velour tracksuit manufacturers Juicy Couture. Their dolls come complete with defaced portrait of my idol, my Queen, Elizabeth Tudor. As if velour tracksuit selling dolls complete with dead-animal accessories couldn't incite my displeasure enough.

Also fell across a super scary non-Barbie issue doll of Luscious Lucius Malfoy from Harry Potter. As it's based on the incredibly dishy Jason Isaacs it should look like this:

But for some unknown reason it looks like this:

*shivers* So, as far as celebrity dolls go I say go for the utterly beautiful Franklin Mint Marilyn Monroe (which is the only doll I have but sadly only with the red sparkle and pink dresses from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) or for this ultra sweet rock'n'roll pairing:

Or the ultra fab Roman Holiday doll from the Pullip range:

If I were a little girl now I'd be going crazy for the Korean Pullip dolls. They totally rock. I would have chosen this one as little girl me:

And I'd have then bought it a boy toy. Being unconventional as I am (I was utterly disgusted with the one male doll given to me for my many Sindys and Barbies - overly tanned, overly normal-formal Pilot Ken. Yuck.) I'd no doubt choose this one. Yes it's a boy doll, and ohmygod if it isn't the doll form of Nick Rhodes:

I'd buy it the Westwood-esque bondage trousers from the girl doll range as well as these outfits for gigging in:

OMG, doll with a ruff! :D I could then buy it a proper girlfriend in the form of Barbie-Meredith, both modern and 1950s versions:

Barbie Meredith would then have to wear the outfit my own childhood Perfume Pretty Barbie had because it somewhat resembles Mr Rhodes' lovely ex-wife's wedding dress:

(poor Barbie had been kidnapped by the doll form of Warren Cuccurullo in that picture so that he could take her home and have his wicked... um, tea party with her)
...meanwhile, seeing as the Durans are getting all the girls, Ken dresses up for an audition with Spandau Ballet:

I'll stop messing about now. The dolls I kept falling across while looking for the 80s Barbies were just too hilariously Duranned not to share. ...and for those who will mourn the loss of the Juicy dolls when I am Queen of the universe and ban them, fear not for Pullip have made a sort of Gela doll too which kind of rocks:

seeking pleasure, purely for the thrill

2009-10-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

Why phenomenal musicians ever date trash that are unworthy of them and who don't appreciate them properly is beyond me. When you're that divinely artistic a soul and so many women swoon at the source of musical creativity, why settle for anything less than the perfect muse, the inspiration, the goddess?!

All this trashiness in rock'n'roll girlfriends is relatively new to me. First I discovered the Beatle girls and those Beatles had amazing taste in women. All hail the Liverpool boys for their wondrous taste and pulling power. Then I crossed to the likes of The Who where I re-discovered the likes of Groupie Queen Miss Pamela. Alas some of the choices of Duran girlfriend have left me utterly baffled in many ways but I can't put it down to there being a lack of brilliant muses in the modern age because my darling Who are still getting it right.

Mr Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (hey, when middle names are that fabulous, why not flash them around a bit?!) has in fact upgraded.

His current long term girlfriend is so phenomenal that she is not only a goddess of fashion, but she's also ousted the man himself as my preferred lyrical genius. A short while after discovering her I began to wonder if he was in fact worthy of her, not the other way around. I realise they're utterly perfect for each other.

So let me introduce you to the wonder that is Rachel Fuller. Talented pianist, voice of an angel, wit of a devil, dress sense that almost puts to shame that of her friend Jerry Hall.

...and ohmygoodness the lyrics.

Pleasure Seeker
...I am falling slowly into something safe. You are trying to hold me but I won't stay in place. And I want to be a little unkind, don't want to call you ever on time. I want to feel slightly unreal, don't want to be safe. I am seeking pleasure purely for the thrill. And I want to walk into the dark with no hand to hold, the adrenalin starts, the deeper I go the faster it flows...

Twelve Lies
...I wear this dress to impress, so keep your eyes upon me. And if you want to see what lies beneath you'll have to gaze beyond me. ...the only time you want me, the only time you hold me is when I lie. 'cause the only time you need me, the only time you love me is when I'm high.
Then we have the divinely dark lyrics of 'Into My Heart' and 'Ghost In Your Room' from her album 'Cigarettes and Housework'. Not to mention the most beautiful protrayal of love in lyrics I've ever heard:

Imperfection
...you sigh when your perfect world is less than that. Only smile when it all comes together. You cry and you try and you strive for perfection. And I think you should have another drink and let yourself go. Light a cigarette and follow the smoke. 'cause it's your imperfection that turns me on and makes me long for you. So don't hide your imperfection, it draws me in and makes me head spin...

For some insane reason she isn't world famous for being utterly phenomenal in every way, so I realise lots of people out there need to catch up on her a bit. Dive straight into the music and then check out something called In The Attic.

In The Attic was an online "TV show". Kind of like the cool evening musos version of daytime magazine shows. Hosted by Rachel and her friend Mikey in an environment reminiscent of their old attic room from times past. They showcased their own music, their humour, discussions on everything you could think of and had the most phenomenal guests who were all completely at ease.

For those of us lucky to hang around with musicians on a regular basis it was like those magical moments late at night on tour, jamming in the hotel bar and chatting about all the wonders the world holds and all the curious happenings it throws at us. It was my weekly drug out of touring season to remind me who I truly am when at my best (and worst!).

Understandably Pete quickly grew discontented with the idea of leaving this wonderful being behind when he went on tour, so In The Attic eventually went on the road with The Who doing the festival circuit and allowing more phenomenal musicians to grace Rachel and Mikey's space.

I'm sharing with you a little of the Liverpool episode of In The Attic because my beloved Charley and I were both buzzing around with the band at this gig, but hadn't met each other yet because the boys were too stupid to introduce us to each other. It features the super Shack and has a performance of Rachel's 'Imperfection' at the end of it. I defy anyone to watch her singing that and not utterly fall in love with her.

(no apologies for the little bonus footage at the end there of the lush Mr Starkey in white trousers. LOL!)

Since then Rachel has completed her amazing art installation type music project "Kew" where she lived entirely in Kew for a week, writing a song a day upon the walls of her flat, each based on a shop in Kew Village. To experiance the full wonder of the project and download the end product for free visit Week In Kew

If nothing else, go there to check out the song "Starbucks" and the photo of Rachel going for early morning coffee in her dressing gown. How cool could she possibly be?!

Work continues on the musical she is writing called Ash. The snippets I've heard so far are enchanting, beautiful and humerous. All the things I've come to expect from her. I seriously cannot wait for the chance to see the finished production.

...now that everyone's thoroughly addicted to the wonder of Miss Fuller, I suggest you go buy her album "Cigarettes and Housework" and the EP "Shine", check out the In The Attic CD/DVD set and wait with baited breath for Ash to grace the West End.

Missing A Maureen

2009-10-25T14:52:00.001-07:00

I've just realised I've now met everyone in the wondrous Apple Boutique modelling photo apart from the most admired and beloved Maureen. *sniffles*

Joyously at ease around Cynthia, intimidated in the presance of Pattie and rather overly giddy to meet Jenny. Had I ever met Maureen I'd prolly have just cried buckets like a demented little fangirl. Then again, Mo is the one I'm most like so maybe she'd have been even easier to be around than Cynthia. I shall never know.

so easy to disturb with a thought, with a whisper

2009-10-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

I have to share this as even my dear Charley has missed it.

The YLB range from Wallis (which I desperately need to go immerse myself in when I can get out of the north and actually try things on rather than just admiring in pictures) features one outfit in which it's creator has immitated her darling husband's early days in a most elegant fashion.

Image courtesy of the phenomenal Unofficial Yasmin site YasminLeBon.net which is well worth a lengthy visit to trawl all the fabulous images and articles.

Duran video most certainly not courtesy of Mr Rhodes who hates the picture on the wall in the video so violentely that he tries to keep the video off as many official releases as is humanly possible. I think the only time it "escaped" was on their first VHS compilation where he didn't have enough other videos to use to oust it entirely.

Phenomenal fashion courtesy of YLB for Wallis but hands off the red velvet suit in my size cos I neeeeeeeed it!

Original early 1980s Duran outfits by Kahn & Bell... hands off those in my size too, LOL!

"Is she pretty? Yes ever so."

2009-10-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a fabulous time at the launch of the new Foale & Tuffin exhibition and book (if you're a 1960s fiend you really must see both ASAP) where I saw lots of ultra fabulous people and briefly met the lovely Jenny Boyd. More on all of that tomorrow when I've had some rest.

Til then, here's a splurge of Jenny modelling for the lovely and super talented Foale and Tuffin, the "Peter Blakes of Fashion". ;)

F&T's Y-front Dress

F&Ts's Double D Dress
yes that's in the exhibition)

F&T's Crossword Puzzle Dress
(also in the exhibition thanks to the phenomenal collection of the lovely Liz of Vintage A Peel)

Youthquake Tour

Jenny in F&T Funburst
Pattie in F&T Double D variation.

Super cool pic of Jenny in an ultra bright Funburst dress. There was some footage showing at the exhibition of lots of running round this phone box in fab outfits, but I don't recall seeing Jenny wearing this one.

the sisters in the window of the F&T shop.

...I'll have to do a quick raid and dig out loads more pics of F&T outfits. I know there's tonnes more starring Jenny, Pattie, Jane Asher and Marianne Faithfull.

The Shoes

2009-10-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

My holy grail of shoes is not by Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik or Christian Louboutin... but there's a chance they may be Salvatore Ferragamos.

They're a pair of plexiglass elevated heels worn over and over again by Marilyn Monroe and she customised them each time with ribbons to match the colour of her outfit.

She wore them for so many photo shoots as well as in the films "We're Not Married"...

...and "How To Marry A Millionaire":

Worn with Black ribbons:

White:

Yellow:

Orange:

If I had the shoes I think I'd also need this lovely little matching handbag to go with them:

Marilyn certainly liked to accesorise with plexiglass. She also had a pair of white fluffy mules with plexiglass soles.

Litle Girl Lost

2009-10-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes moments happen where you feel more like a little girl lost than you ever did as a child, and no matter how much you play with hair and make-up and put on the pretty clothes you just feel tearful. I think of those as Marilyn moods. She was so lovely, so strong, so able, so beautiful... and always the little girl lost.

I think that's one of the reasons so many women adore her. Yes she's the world's sexiest woman and would steal away all of the men... but we just want to be her friend and look after her all the same.

So here and some pictures of the little girl lost... and when I feel brighter I'll post some lovely pictures of her all bright and sparkly. Here's Marilyn at her most beautifully vulnerable best.

and the back of the hairdo because it's beautiful

I need your blind full secrets, hunting fast and loose

2009-10-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

I have become addicted to the gorgeous handmade creations on Etsy. Such an array of "artyfacts" to suit my fancy. I can see my house filling even more with tonnes of them. Before I bankrupt myself buying from them and make it impossible for anyone else to get their hands on the lovely stuff , I thought it best to share a few of my favourites.

It's a corset, it's rococo, it's got black and white stripes... and ohhh my, it's got Marie Antoinette on it. I have died of corset envy! The few at the store are just too fabulous to choose between so I shall drool enviously until I can decide upon one. ...there's even one with a skeleton panel in it. It's so fabulous that if darling John Entwistle weren't already dead the sight of a girl wandering around in it would kill him all over again.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5191694

I love the concept behind this particular shop - "dress in art" which is generally what try to do a lot of the time, right down to my Botticelli print umbrella and Marilyn Monroe shoes. Above is the gorgeous Klimt handbag but I'm also rather taken with their Kandinsky skirt and the Mondrian bag... and, well, I'm deffinately keeping my eye on this store until one item screams "BUY ME!"
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7391891

The real gems here are the gorgeous lockets covered with fabulous art on the outside before you even start to think what to put on the inside. They're on sale at the moment so get over there!!! ...there's quite an array of fabulous bangles too and I've already treated myself to *one* of the Marilyn ones.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=11219

Isn't this one of the most divine things ever?! I have enough Marilyn Monroe handbags to use a different one each month of the year... and yet I am now craving a Marie Antoinette handbag too. They have more utterly delish historically inspired frilly bags and cushions in their shop. Yummy!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6718452

You can't have this broach as it's already mine, but isn't it just beautiful?! It's based on the artist's painting 'The Queen and the Explorer' Featuring Queen Elizabeth poised in symbolic blessing of her explorer sir Francis Drake's ship. They've also done Wuthering Heights, Dorian Gray and ther most hilarious Madame Pompadour art.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5619058&page=1

I've gone rather mad buying from this store, and this is the latest one taking my fancy. "FROU FROU Burlesque in Red" by Funky Love Designs. Their aray of hairclips goes right through fashion, glamour, art, history and fairytales. I've already bought hair clips featuring Anne Boleyn, Lord Byron ...and one of Robyn Dudley which I may have to be surgically removed from. *sigh*
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7540195

She keeps Moet et Chandon in a pretty cabinet

2009-10-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

(essential soundtrack for his post. Turn up the volume and set the video to play)

For someone who is easily seduced by decadence, loves fashion, devours art and admires historical female rulers "The Regal Twelve" series by Alexia Sinclair reduces me to purring ecstacy. Inspired equally by Botticelli and Alexander McQueen the digital fantasy montages pay tribute to twelve beautiful and impressive women.

My beloved and most idolised Elizabeth I

The Queen of decadence Marie Antoniette

The deeply Catholic yet effortlessly regal Isabella of Spain

The wicked yet irresistable Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory

For more of Alexia's spectacular work, visit http://alexiasinclair.com/

...and for those who find these royal ladies as enchanting and fascinating as I do, it's time you joined the regal court of twitter where three of these ladies hold court among the other undead royals:

Marie Antoinette - http://twitter.com/Chop_Chop_Cake

Elizabeth Bathory - http://twitter.com/BathoryErzsebet

Elizabeth Tudor - http://twitter.com/Always_The_Same (played by myself)

For anyone utterly addicted there's a whole role playing forum where you can exist as long in the royal heart as your decadent little heart desires: http://undead-royals.heavenforum.com/

She dwelt among the untrodden ways

2009-10-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

For those afraid of delving deep into poetry, here a few few snippets from an array favourite verse to whet your appetite:

She dwelt among the untrodden ways
Beside the springs of Dove,
A Maid whom there were none to praise
And very few to love:
"She Dwelt" by William Wordsworth

Heard a carol, mournful, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darkened wholly,
Turn'd to tower'd Camelot.
"The Lady of Shallot" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you...
"This Be The Verse" by Philip Larkin

Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherised upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot

So sweet, so louely, and so mild as she,
Adornd with beautyes grace and vertues store
Her goodly eyes lyke Saphyres shining bright,
Her forehead Yuory white,
Her cheekes lyke apples which the sun hath rudded,
Her lips lyke cherryes charming men to byte,
"Epithalamion" by Edmund Spenser

When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
"When You Are Old" by William Butler Yeats

He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.
"The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes

I fear thy kisses, gentle maiden;
Thou needest not fear mine;
My spirit is too deeply laden
Ever to burthen thine.
"To ___" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

fragrance in your sighs and sunlight in your glances

2009-10-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

Today has been National Poetry Day and TS Eliot has been declared the nation's favourite poet. ...alas for me his name always recalls a quote from Eric Idle:

"In a perfect universe 'T. S. Eliot' would be spelt 'toilets' backwards" - Eric Idle

I have a great love of poetry, for the perfect crafting of evocative words. As a small child I studied poetry recital where most children would be out learning how to play football. So I thought for today I would pull out a lesser known piece from the book in which I transcribe my most favourite poems. From an era of true gentlemen who would gift admired ladies beautiful things that they could treasure all their lives.

lines written for a blank page of The Keepsake

by W. M. Praed

Lady, there's fragrance in your sighs,
And sunlight in your glances;
I never saw such lips and eyes
In pictures or romances;
And Love will readily suppose,
To make you quite enslaving,
That you have taste for verse and prose.
Hot pressed, and line engraving.

And then, you waltz so like a Fay,
That round you envy rankles;
Your partner's head is turned, they say,
As surely as his ankles;
And I was taught, in days far gone.
By a most prudent mother,
That in this world of sorrow, one
Good turn deserves another.

I may not win you! — that's a bore!
But yet 'tis sweet to woo you;
And for this cause, — and twenty more,
I send this gay book to you.
If its songs please you, — by this light!
I will not hold it treason
To bid you dream of me to-night,
And dance with me next season.

It had to be mine

2009-10-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

I shall soon be re-launching my Little Willow website... thanks to geocities for closing down (that's a great help, thanks!)

...but before then a special gem from my collection. Bought in auction a few years ago, this is a Starkey family photograph taken during a party at Ringo's mum Elsie's house by the man himself. I fought over it tooth and nail with a dealer because it was a picture of my idol Maureen taken by her husband. And for that reason, it had to be mine.

D is for Dandy

2009-10-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

(originally written as a segment for the Vintage Fashion Guild's label resource)

SHOP - Apple Tailoring / Dandy Fashions
DESIGNER - John Crittle

At the end of May 1968 John Lennon made his first public appearance with his new girlfriend Yoko Ono at the opening of a second Apple fashion outlet at 161 King's Road. It was originally a shop called Dandy Fashions and run by Australian designer John Crittle who designed clothes for The Rolling Stones, The Who, Procul Harum, Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix. Dandy Fashions had been a joint venture with Tara Browne, a friend of The Beatles and heir to the Guinness brewery fortune. Tara died in a car crash in December 1966, prompting a verse in the Beatles song A Day In The Life.

John Crittle went into business with The Beatles in February of 1968, George Harrison remembering that "we bought a few things from [John Crittle] and the next thing we knew, we owned the place!" John was a highly respected designer and retained the position of Director of the enterprise working alongside Apple manager Neil Aspinall and Apple accountant Stephen Maltz. This store was re-named Apple Tailoring and specialised in civil and theatrical wear.

When the Apple Boutique closed, the Beatles ended their connection with Apple Tailoring and gave the premises back to the manager. Paul McCartney issued a press statement declaring that "The Kings Road shop, which is known as Apple Tailoring, isn't going to be part of Apple anymore. But it isn't closing down and we are leaving our investment there because we have a moral and personal obligation to our partner John Crittle, who is now in sole control."

In 1975, John Crittle split up with his wife Andrew, leaving her and their six-year-old daughter behind and moving back to Australia. Their daughter Darcey Bussell (who took on the surname of her stepfather) was estranged from her father but made him very proud when she became the Royal Ballet's youngest principal ballerina at 20 years old. He returned to London two years before his death to watch his daughter dance but she refused contact with him. He died aged 56, suffering from emphysema.

where the Beautiful People can buy Beautiful Things

2009-10-05T18:10:00.000-07:00

A fab 40th anniversary piece about the Apple Boutique including interviews with Pattie Boyd and Simon Posthuma from now and then:

A is for Apple...

2009-10-05T17:23:00.000-07:00

(originally written as a segment for the Vintage Fashion Guild's label resource)

SHOP - Apple Boutique
DESIGNERS - The Fool

In September 1967 while filming Magical Mystery Tour, The Beatles decided to open a fashion boutique as the first venture in their newly founded Apple Corps empire. Their accountants had already acquired a piece of real estate at 94 Baker Street in London's W1 as a long-term investment and so they decided to give the "Fool" £100,000 to design and stock the new Apple Boutique in the premises.

The Fool began by engaging a group of art students to help them paint a huge psychedelic mural that they had designed across the while exterior of the store, and were instantly met with complaints from other merchants in the area. The interior of the store itself was being organised by The Beatles so every morning Paul McCartney would turn up to ask the workmen to literally move the walls around, and John Lennon would turn up every afternoon and demand they be put back.

John Lennon's childhood friend Pete Shotton had been managing a supermarket that John had purchased and was brought in to manage the store, helped by George Harrison's sister-in-law and sometime model Jennie Boyd whose presence seemed to attract more stares than purchases. When additional staff were aquired they fitted the shop's strange atmosphere perfectly. One was a self-styled mystic named Caleb who slept underneath a showcase during his breaks, and the other was a larger than life lady who floated around the store in authentic gypsy costume.

Jenny Boyd working inside the boutique

The first business problem Pete Shotton came across occured before the stock had even been created. Cutting rooms had been established above the shop where tailors could begin turning thousands of pounds worth of fabric into Fool creations. Amongst the orders for vast bolts of raw silk and lush velvets The Fool had ordered multi coloured silk labels for all their designs which resulted in the label often costing more to produce than the clothes could eventually be sold for. Pete tried to bring this problem to his friend Lennon's attention and was told "Oh, let them do what they want. We're not business freaks, we're artists... if we don't make and money, what does it matter?"

clothing label

The opening night party was held in the first week of December 1967, attended by John Lennon and George Harrison. Celebrity friends such as Cilla Black were handed apple juice as they walked in and entertained with a fashion show and a variety of circus acts.

launch party invitation

Beatles and wives attending the launch party

The Apple Boutique like many other Apple ventures that followed was a financial disaster and closed after eight months. The trinkets stocked in the shop were of the sort people could already buy in various shops throughout London, much of the fashion seemed to be in the style that everyone had worn last Summer and the huge changing rooms were perfect for shoplifters. The shop hadn't even been open two months before it's manager Pete Shotton quit.

"It was total madness! I had four bosses for a start, all giving different orders. Paul would come in and tell me where he wanted a partition. Almost as soon as we had done it, John would arrive and say, 'what the ****'s going on here?' He'd then want the partition taken down. There was so much back-stabbing and status seeking as Apple took on more and more people, often just because they'd met in a club or a gallery. Then there were the suits, pushing around their bits of paper, sending memos. Most of them didn't have a clue. I'd come from running a little supermarket to find I was supposed to organise something which was taking on the size and complexity of ICI. The Beatles wanted the shop to be a beautiful place where beautiful could buy beautiful things. They also wanted everything to be for sale. So if a customer fancied a light fitting or a display case, that was for sale as well. Imagine trying to stock for that! The boutique originally gave every indication of being a success, but the trouble was that so much of the stock seemed to disappear from the premises without the benefit of a cash transaction. Our turned-on, tuned-in staff were not only loathed to apprehend shoplifters, for fear of appearing un-hip, they also felt no scruples about helping themselves to goods which happened to take their fancy."

Pattie Boyd and two other models displaying fashions on sale at the Apple Boutique

The boutique had managed to loose The Beatles nearly £200,000 in only seven months, and was still loosing money after the new manager John Lyndon took over and threatened to ban The Fool from the premises if they removed any more stock or charged any more debts to Apple. The bold psychedelic mural proclaiming the Beatles' presence on the street had disappeared in May after the Civic Association had begun proceedings to have it removed. The shop was now a stark white with tiny writing above the windows nonchalantly declaring you were at Apple, and the flat atmosphere inside the shop seemed to match it perfectly.

On the morning of 30th July 1968 the staff were told to open the doors the following day and give the stock and fabrics away, prompting John and Yoko to turn up that night and be the first to raid the place. Staff stood by and watched in amazement as Yoko marched into the cutting rooms to collect large swatches of fabric which she laid on the floor, piled high with merchandise and then dragged into the back of John's Rolls Royce. Paul arrived later and found a jacket that he liked but Ringo went away decalring that he couldn't find anything that fitted him.

The giveaway had been publicised via the newspapers and the television and when the doors opened there was a queue of scavengers three blocks long. It was decided to open the basement doors to allow the crowds to walk through the store and right out the other side. The Beatles had ordered that no limit be put on the amount of stock people could take, and after armfulls of clothing and uncut fabrics disappeared out of the doors, coat hangers and shop fittings began to disappear. No-one was stopped until the moment when one woman began trying to prise the carpet up off the floor.

Paul declared in an interview that "We decided to close down our Baker Street shop yesterday and instead of putting up a sign saying, 'Business will be resumed as soon as possible', and then auction off the goods, we decided to give them away. The shops were doing fine and making a nice profit on turnover. So far, the biggest loss is in giving the things away, but we did that deliberately. We're giving them away - rather than selling them to barrow boys - because we wanted to give rather than sell. Originally, the shops were intended to be something else, but they just became like all the boutiques in London. They just weren't our thingy. The staff will get three weeks' pay but if they wish they'll be absorbed into the rest of Apple. Everyone will be cared for."

The final disaster that the boutique was involved in took place a week after the shop had closed down. Paul McCartney and his live-in girlfriend Francie Schwartz decided to publicise the new Beatles single by writing it's name on the whitewashed shopfront. The single was a double A-side, prompting they to scrawl "Hey Jude" and "Revolution" in huge letters across the store, and resulting in a backlash from the local Jewish community who felt threatened by the words. Paul's dream of "a beautiful place where you could buy beautiful things." was well and truly over.

Beatlegirls advertising Apple Boutique designs. Top left: George's wife Pattie in blue satin shirt and red satin pantaloons. Back centre: John's wife Cynthia in pink-purple chiffon dress with a lurex tunic and mauve stockings. Back right: Ringo's wife Maureen in apple green jacket embroidered in gold, over night blue baggy pants appliqué with yellow stars. Front: George's sister-in-law Jenny in print trimmed jacket, gathered skirt and chiffon trousers.

model for a revolution

2009-10-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

When done in the right way fashion, photography and make-up can become art.

When it's all happening at the same time with modelling that borders on performance art you're probably looking at Peggy Moffitt.

...if you love the song as much as I do, head over and buy the track at CD Baby and visit the band's website

New Year

2005-12-31T12:48:00.000-08:00

I WISH!!!!

Beam me up

2005-12-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

This new mobile phone is all very nice and everything... but I can't delete my text messages, and for some reason the "email photo" function isn't working either so I can't delete or send the photos I've taken to my computer. :-p!!!!!

The manual is useless. Makes no sense. Damn.

Still looks pretty though, and it works in every other way (so far). Am also starting to feel a bit Star-Trekkish everytime I flip it open to answer a call or something. Instead of saying hello, I keep wanting to answer calls with "beam me up scotty" ...or whatever they used to say. They haven't shown 60s episodes of Star Trek on TV for about a decade, and I only like the 60s episodes cos the aliens always have super fab 60s hairstyles and clothing.. who'd have known aliens were so groovy?!

Malibu Beach Lennon

2005-12-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

The wonder that is John Lennon's estate has come up with a new collectable toy that many Beatle fans will no doubt give to their kids in the hope they'll grow up into a Beatlenut rather than a goth or a rap artist or something...

The John Lennon Talking Doll... yes, a doll. And before anyone gets KinKy, it's an action figure doll... like a decent version of Barbie's Ken... or Sindy's Paul who was incidentally named after Mr McCartney. Sindy's dog got named Ringo, and they didn't name anything after George thank goodness! I have to say that a friend and I did get very hysterical one night after a few glasses of scotch reading a 1960s Sindy Annual which had Ringo doing some rather suspicious sounding things... anyway, I digress. [giggles]

...it doesn't actually look too bad... if you like grumpy looking dolls that look like they should be grimacing their way through the next edition of Die Hard. But I reckon if you stood the doll next to Ken and asked Barbie to choose, she'd flatten the Lennon talking Doll within seconds and forget who Ken was. LOL!

Worried what this doll is going to *sound* like too... will it use actual recordings of John (which will freak me out completely), will they have it saying John phrases in an unconvincing American accent and totally the wrong voice, or is it going to sound Taiwanese and say something along the lines of "Hi, I'm John, let's go visit Barbie"?! YIKES!

...and more importantly, is it going to have a change of clothes such as a collarless suit and a set of teeny tiny miniature cuban heels?

Thoroughly freaked out. But if I was about 7 years old I reckon I'd want one.

...for those into 60s objects who are also finding the whole thing fascinatingly hilarious, you should go check out this site we've been discussing at the Vintage Fashion Guild that chronicles the life and times of Barbie's Ken.

The Herman Munster lookalike "mod hair Ken" with stick on beard and sidebuns (we've gone back into tribute Beatle land again... if they bring out a Ringo action figure with an array of noses, someone high up in the toy factory will wish they'd never been born once I track them down!) that comes with a ruffled shirt and flowery jacket is particularly hilarious.

"New Good Looking Ken" would baffle everyone, "Great Shape Ken" is not something you'd want to bump into on a dark night... and the "Hot Rockin' Fun Rockstars Ken" is just a New-Romantic nightmare!

...and while you're there, check out the Legolas (LOTR) and Shaggy (Scooby Doo) versions. Really freaked out.

The man behind the doll

The brick phone has died

2005-12-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

Well, seeing as my beloved brick phone that I've had since I was a trainee hairdresser (yes, I *have* had it that long) has died, I've had to buy a new one. The brick phone still switches on... but switches itself off if you press the call or send message buttons.. and also the minute you answer a call. Not terribly helpful behaviour in a mobile phone. It's so old though, and it's been dropped and thrown around, got all sorts of hairspray and things all over it in its first few months of life, and it's finally just had enough.

I've gone from brick phone that you could knock potential attackers out with to a light weight, foldable, picture taking, voice recognition phone that you can play monopoly on.

So I've spent a rediculous amount of time today setting my new phone up, learning how to use it... and irritating the hell out of Enty my cat by taking pictures of him with it. Tried taking pictures of Dusty too, but seeing as she's one big mass of black fluff she doesn't come out very well. :-( ..Enty is fed up and is curled up in a little ball behind the sofa now. It's so tiring being hounded by the paparazzi, LOL! Mother is fed up of me calling her, just to check if yelling "Mum!" at my phone makes it ring her or not. And I think it's time I left the poor phone alone before I wear this one out too. Love having new toys to play with! :-D

...and I've already downloaded it a ring tone of Guns&Roses singing the chorus of Sweet Child Of Mine cos I love that song. The only love-song (ish) a rock musician has ever written about a girl that wouldn't make her want to cringe and run and hide under the nearest rock for the next ten years. LOL! ...then again, Poison would ba a cool song to have written about you wouldn't it... if you're the sort of person who likes being stalked by psychotic weirdos.. erm, yeah, okay, that ones not so good either. But at least it's not so soppy you want to throw up.

...very excited about tonight's Attic show. I really have missed that. I know, I know, I should get out more... just not when The Attic is on!!!

Ophelia

2005-11-17T16:41:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite paintings - Ophelia by John Everett Millais
Shakespeare's heroine Ophelia placed in the most amazingly painted setting (painted by the Hogsmill stream in Surrey). Elizabeth Siddal posed for this painting wearing an antique brocade gown and laid in a tin bath filled with water. The painting was created in winter with the bath water kept warm using small candles placed underneath the bath... on one ocassion Millais was so ingrosed in his work that all the candles gradually went out and by the time Lizzie was rescued from the water she was numb with cold and on the verge of pneumonia.

Like many pre-raphaelite paintings, it is full of imagery. Ophelia, rejected by Hamlet becomes quite insane and dies of a borken heart. She is shown here floating in flower strewn stream oblivious of the tragedy that awaits her and singing in her madness. Surrounded by forget-me-nots, poppies which signify death, pansies for vain love, and violets around her neck represent faithfulness, chastity and death in youth.

It's so decadently dark and decaying, yet full of light and serene beauty that it amazes me it wasn't created in Venice.

how irritating!

2005-11-10T05:34:00.000-08:00

in the "blogs of note" section when I logged into my blog today, they listed "boy who heard music" but not "rachelfuller".

Terribly unimpressed. It's put me right off.

Apparently one of Paul McCartney's gigs is going to be broadcast live to the international space station crew in order to wake them up... I think that's a little cruel, forcing them to listen to something. It's okay if they like hs music, but what if they don't? I imagine the horror I would face if I were several hundred miles in space and they broadcast something by T*m J***s (who I have a very rational phobia of), and I couldn't open the door and run to escape it! I'd break my way out of the space station with a tin opener if I had to. Dreadful idea. I don't see why they can't choose what they want to listen to.

stop the world I want to get off

2005-10-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

Had one of those really antisocial days today. Everytime I had a visitor I was repeatedly wondering when they were going to go home. "Would you like another cup of tea?" (please say you don't want one because you're planning on going home soon, if I have to make another pot of tea I shall drop dead). The brandy didn't even come out once, cos if they start getting brandy they'll deffinately stay.

The good thing is that I didn't get many phone calls... cos everyone was sodding well here! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

My new Morecambe and Wise videos arrived in the post this morning, but because of my visitors I've only had the chance to watch one of them... and now am too tired to appreciate watching another one.

And my new Moonie book has arrived. It doesn't seem to be written very well. And they called Annette Amanda in one of the pictures. Dimwit.

Grumble grumble.

I think I shall go to Leeds tomorrow... then no-one can visit me! LOL! In need of Hard Rock food. And can go buy vintage clothes and look at vintage drums. Yay!

into the unknown

2005-10-23T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today has been full of those "wow, I never knew that" moments.

"Mumsie" from channel 4's The Crystal Maze was played by Alma Cogan's sister... yes, the very same one that had a bit of a thing going on with Paul McCartney.

Phil Daniels has owned a scooter for two years, he bought it as a way of avoiding the London congestion charge (we better get him a job in the American embassy), and lives in constant fear of people recognising him and yelling "Oy! Quadrophenia!" at him.

Was meant to be going to the cinema tonight to watch the new Pride and prejudice. Checked the times and found out it had stopped playing. Damn. Didn't really fancy going to see Wallace and Gromit's "Curse of the Were Rabbit" (or whatever it's called) tonight when I've worked myself up into period drama mode, so called the trip off. Had been worrying how I would carry nachos, ice cream, chocolate and a coke one handed anyway. :-( And this new big scree version isn't exactly going to beat the BBC TV marathon is it? Best book adaptation *ever*. Am going to stay at home and prolly watch the DVD of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South instead.

Have finally got an appointment with the specialist for next Monday morning... mildly nervous. Especially as I have to go to the hospital for it.. they might do weird tests. Help! Oh well, I'm going so they can fix me (good luck to them! LOL). Hope I don't need operating on. Can't imagine they put you to sleep just to operate on your wrist... will need someone to hold me down. If I need someone to hold my hand at the dentists I am so going to need restrainign by a lot of people for that sort of thing.

*whimper*

...and how will this affect my future palmistry wise? Your four chinese fate lines are located on your right wrist... Health, wealth, happiness and long life. Health and wealth are good and strong. Haven't got a long life one, maybe they'll create one. My happiness one has been slowly fading away so maybe they can fix that ..."erm, can you make the incision there please, it'll mean I've got a chance of actually being happy"... oh god. incision. on my wrist. I'll bleed to death! not good with blood.

*passes out*

Hello, Maternity ward? My cat's having kittens can you send an ambulance

2005-10-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

ARGH! Found out today that Jane Asher has in the past has been a figurehead for the Coalition for Medical Progress (the main UK group that lobbies for the use of animals in medical testing) - ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!
I mean, when did you last see a rabbit with a cold sore, a guinea pig complaining of nausea, or a cat that's on the pill?!

I refuse to take my cat's medication when I need antibiotics, and there's no way my cats are getting my pain killers if they've got a headache. Animal medication works on animals and human medication works on humans.

If all the species were so damn similar the vet and the doctor would be the same person. And they have to test it on humans eventually anyway, so why not just do that to start with?

I've gone *right* off Jane now. Totally. Very pissed off! Am going to go sing along to Linda McCartney's album and consider how to expand the Heather section on my website.

The Magic Coffee Pixie

2005-10-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

Very muchly enjoying the weekly edition of The Attic on Who TV. Much better than Richard and Judy any day of the week! It's like the musician version of daytime TV. *Love* it!

Sat here thinking how truly fabulous Rachel's bassist is... even for a bassist... and then he says he used to play drums. My intuition is astounding. LOL!

And just how adorable is the magic-coffee-pixie?! Bless! Rachel's going to install a stanna stairlift in for him so the stairs don't do his back in. (Giggles). He even did his fabulous weekly tales of musicians from the "the good old days" which I *adore* seeing as that's my musical era in the first place... but I just love the way there's all these new musos sat around listening to him like he's the guru. LOL! This week it was Pentangle! And Jimmy Page got a mention, but only for inventing a bizarre mechanical guitar that changes it's own tuning as you play it. Sounds dreadful!

Mikey is playing more of the songs he wrote about Rene.. which are actually much better than the ones about the ex-girlfriend who shall not be named. Those songs were pretty, but not as fab as the new stuff.
They've played Winter again which is beautiful. And it's all getting very crowded in the attic. Rachel and Mikey of course... but there's also Pete and Simon and Rachel's bassist (need to know his name) and "the tampon dog" - bless!

the Carnabetian Army marches on

2005-10-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

Have had time to catch up with my research for the Vintage Fashion Guild and am now contributor for 17 of the listings on the Labels Resource (I *love* doing write-ups for that... and sneaking pictures of Keith Moon, Pattie Boyd and The Beatles into them) which is really quite exciting for me. When I first started hanging out with that crowd they all seemed so knowledgable and I never thought I'd be able to contribute properly.
"TO DO" notes

scan Peggy Moffitt label research background info on the label.
start compiling info on the Apple Boutique (gosh that's going to be a lot of work - information overload, too many sources!)
remember to send the Mr Freedom Label
look out for the I Was Lord Kitcheners Valet write-up appearing
scan the 1950s sambo fashions label
do the whole Peter Barron thing - 90s and 70s label scans, plus research and write-up
if I can bear it, organise my Biba collection. Yikes!
....and if I get a certain lovely jacket off ebay, I shall have to start doing more research into Take 6... I know it was on Carnaby and that the Troggs got their first trademark suits there... but rather stuck otherwise. Time to raid the 60s mags collection I think.

feeling smug

2005-10-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Ventured out into the big wide world as I *needed* pizza. Driving left handed isn't too hard seeing as I often put my make-up on when I'm on my way to work in the morning and am quite used to it... but I have today achieved the unthinkable. One handed speedy parallel parking into a tiny parking space. YAY me!

I've been severely dreadful at parallel parking since passing my driving test as all of a sudden I could avoid it and use car parks and walk (walking being prefereable to parallel parking). So the skill kind of died, and now when I have to parallel park I usually have a total freak out, take a long time over it and plan each move in great detail before going ahead... and then screw it up and get really mad with myself and drive off and park elsewhere.

But today I was in a hurry cos my pizza was getting cold and there was also a crowd of builders stood on the corner of the road watching in a very amused and patronising manner... so my "yeah so I'm a blonde female driver, but I can sodding well do this, you damnwell watch me!" attitude kicked in and I zoomed into the space perfectly at break neck speed. Bet Nigel Mansell couldn't have done better. HA!

I reserve the right to be smug about this all day long.

And then on the way home I took a short cut through a really silly little windy road where you have to creep out slowly at the junction cos you can't see a thing and it's likely someone will appear out of nowhere and smash into you... and some dimwit came round me in fourth gear and rushed straight out into the road... luckily (she says with great sarcasm) he didn't get smashed into. But I caught up with him at next junction a few yards down the road where he was having much more trouble getting into the traffic, revved at him and he promptly stalled the car. Haha! He got in a right mess then so I left him to it, drove round him and left him sat there.

Get off the damn road, there's a revengeful blonde in the area. LOL!

About Me

2005-09-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Beatle Girls: I have an endless fascination with the Beatles' wives and girlfriends. It seems silly how many girls hate them out of sheer rediculous jealousy. Those four lads had fantastic taste in women, so many of them were so deeply inspirational... in their careers, their passions, their talents and even just their day to day behaviour, how they got on in the world. Maureen is my favourite by far, I think she's absoloute perfection. Wish she were still around.

Vintage Fashion: I love that Coco Chanel quote "I'm against fashion that doesn't last. I cannot accept that you throw your clothes away just because it is Spring" I also can't understand why everyone insists that their clothes are a reflection of who they are... and then they go out and buy exactly what everyone else around them is wearing... what does that say about you? That you're a sheep with no mind of your own? That you're completley ruled by peer pressure?
I can't stand all that. I wear what I want... which is mainly slightly far out and often from the 1960s. I love all the brightly coloured geometric fashions and am most comfortable in a polo neck, mini skirt and kitten heels. The beautiful Dollyrockers range created by Samuel Sherman, the geometric clothing by Quant's Ginger Group. But I also like the 1970s and even 1990s clothes on Barbara Hulanicki's Biba label which make up a large part of my daytime wardrobe... Dollyrockers being the main label in me evening wardrobe. I like Pucci for nightwear cos it's far-out but pretty. One nightie looks like it's fallen out of the Yellow Submaine film, and the next is all soft chocolate and lace. And whoever invented fishnet stockings, knee high boots, velvet jackets and stiletto heels should all be given knighthoods because I couldn't be me without any of those.

Music and Musicians: My musician habit is probably my greatest vice, but how could you not love musicians when they create something as magical and earthshatteringly powerful as music. I don't even care what era or type of music it is, so long as it's created by real inspirational talented people I can usually appreciate it. Classic Rock by The Who and Led Zep is amazing, and Poison by Alice Cooper was disturbingly one of my favourite songs as a child. But then there's the soft warm comfort of a Dean Martin song, the thrill of Gene Krupa setting the room on fire with a drum beat, Billie Holiday making the cold world just that little bit more shivery yet bearable, the Beatles making everything nice and shiny and cuddly again, the Lightning Seeds making sunbeams and rainbows bounce around in your soul, and each and every fabulous amazing creative person out there that catches another little magic part of my soul and makes it sing. I'm particularly fascinated with drumming and think drummers are the best invention on the whole planet (so I'm totally into that Hindu idea that the universe was created with a drum beat rather than a big bang - yay Shiva!), but bassists are particularly dark and thrilling too, the guitarists putting all the magic stuff in there that you can't quite pin down... and lead singers are sometimes alright I guess when their egos don't get in the way of their existance and their body doesn't get imbetween me and a good view of the drummer!