New Year, New Resolutions

A lot of people don't believe in making New Year's Resolutions and asking around the table on Christmas Day didn't prove otherwise. However, I need to get my ass into gear with this blog and I am hoping to be able to keep to my resolution of posting more regularly! Addditonally I have another little resolution and that is to start dancing again - that's the most fun way I can find which say 'Get into shape!'

-R-

The Look Shoe

It's always nice to have a momento which holds some special memories and I honestly can't think of anything more perfect than a pair of shoes! I'm always associating particular outfits with good nights out or special times and I may have found the perfect excuse for buying a new pair of shoes to do exactly that! Having had an amazing month at the Look magazine offices and working their fashion show in September, I'm contemplating buying the 'Look Shoe' as a reminder of all the fun I had. I'm talking myself into it, aren't I?

Diana Vickers' Photoshoot for Look!

During my placement with the fashion team at Look Magazine, I was invited onto the photo shoot with Diana Vickers. The shoot was inspired by icons through the past century, visualising the key hair, make-up and outfit from the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. The effort which went into transforming Diana's look was huge and the hair and make-up artists were under huge time constraints to ensure all six executions were completed before Diana had to leave at 6pm!

It was so exciting to be a part of the shoot and the final photographs sat alongside an article with Diana and a video campaign to support her front and performing at the Look Fashion Show.




My favourite photograph of the whole collection is the one below. Having journeyed to Borough Market on the day of the shoot to purchase the red roses I am somewhat attached!!

Published in the Independent on Sunday

I can't tell you how excited I am to share the following two links with you. They came from two weeks work experience at the Independent on Sunday and I got myself two bylines!! Chuffed doesn't even cover it!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/eamonn-and-sherlock-were-the-holmes-boys-separated-at-birth-2034895.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/real-ale-shakes-off-its-beardy-image-2040609.html

Return of the Tanned Tights

Fake tan may be moving slowly out of fashion and David Walliam’s new wife Lara Stone is working the “pale and proud” look, but no one in the fashion world had anticipated this recent nylon bombshell. The Daily Mail has publicly criticised top style-influencers Sarah Jessica-Parker, Beyonce, Claudia Schiffer and Carla Bruni for stepping out in nude-coloured tights.

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At the age of ten I remember discovering what I thought was the Holy Grail, a saviour to my biggest pre-pubescent problem of fuzzy legs. Nude tights were, after all, the ultimate symbol of being grown up and would most surely project me from child to teenager. Even with my young eyes I could see the way tights made your legs look airbrushed, disguising their paleness and the odd bruise from a playground knock-around! Especially as my mother denied me the right to shave my legs until I was in Year Nine (a really unfair rule, I thought!), skin-coloured tights answered my prayers.

It was alarming to learn that this garment had actually been subject to much ridiculing and hatred from fashion superiors, the voices I would soon become to count upon in work, study and play…

As my 21-year old self, I have come to learn to live by a few essential fashion rules. Beware of the VPL is one. And never show too much cleavage or leg is another. But a rule against wearing skin-coloured tights? Now that’s a new one…or have I just been living under a nylon-covered rock?

I still can’t quite get my head around the reason for a war on tights. We live in a climate which is punishing to our skin forcing it to come out in blotches, goose-bumps and clearly showing the lack of rays we get here in the UK. Therefore, tights are a fundamental safe-guard, right? If we could all have legs like Jennifer Aniston we would jump at the chance but as us mere mortals can't afford £££s on treatment and sunbathing on our Malibu beach home we have to simply make-do. Granted, the gathering around the ankles look is one usually associated with ‘old dears’ but worn correctly, surely they should get the green light?

Never say romance is dead, it's back and it's dark...

Glossy magazines this week are making a huge hoopla of the new trend to hit the fashion scene: Dark Romance, a twist on the boho vibe from a few summers ago. Whilst I'm personally terrified of thinking about A/W 2010 trends this is simply down to a personal financial crisis seeing as I have to wait another two months until the Student Loan is in. That means a further eight weeks of longing and loving from afar.



The muted tones and real autumnal colours (greens, auburns and browns) will look great on anyone; blond or brunette, tanned or pale. With my monetary dilemma upon me, the best solution I can come up with is looking through my wardrobe and pulling out all the garments I think work under this trend. I'm already thinking I have a khaki green loose fitting pullover and a brown checked waisted skirt. I had been holding onto the latter and saving it from the boot-sale pile where I had discovered it for quite a while, maintaining that one day I would have the time to hem it. But, heck, now I hear that midi-length skirts are back...will I be brave enough to try this? At a mere 5ft 3in, it could be really risky!


Check out Look! magazine's selection of garments for working this new Dark Romance trend: http://www.look.co.uk/pictures/shop-the-trend-dark-romance/topshop-dark-techno-maxi-dress-%C2%A360

Staycation

It may not be as adventurous as back-packing around the States as two of my friends have done this year, or jetting off to the family villa in South France like another, but a stay-cation is arguably just as relaxing and enjoyable as a va-cation!

First things first you don't have to face the dreaded flight which is bound to include at least one of the following: irritable passengers, an array of football chants from the stag group off to Estonia, super-smiley but unhelpful air attendants, cramped airplane seats and a screaming baby for in-flight entertainment! There's also the inevitable cold you catch from the return journey to Blightey faced with a torrent of rain to bring you back down to earth.

One thing I'm looking forward to is finally shutting up moaning about English weather and actually starting to enjoy it. I don't think any of us anticipated such an amazing spell of sunshine and warmth. Whilst it makes commuting in London that bit more unbearable, everyones mood is certainly elevated.

Fashion-wise our magazines are covered page-to-page with 'Best Summer Buys' and 'Holiday Items You Can't Live Without' and luckily even guidance on how to fit it all into your 20kg weight allowance. Despite not holidaying in the exceptionally popular Ibiza, Cyprus or Egypt, I have definitely been making the most of this press. I have finally succumbed to the trend for a maxi-dress so I will look the part along with my straw trilby.

Having been looking forward to two-weeks off from my work-experience-packed schedule this summer, calling it a stay-cation is making it feel far more special.