"It's my Buddy Holly look." "...good."

I kind of have this habit of getting to movies ages after they come out (for instance, I only just watched and loved An Education...behind much?). This is partly because I don't manage to get to the cinema much when they come out, and partly a deliberate choice in case all the hype raises my expectations too high. But mainly, I think its just luck.

Well then, this time I lucked out. This evening I watched Nowhere Boy, directed, of course, by Sam Taylor-Wood and starring Aaron Johnson. For anyone who has missed its meteoric presence, Nowhere Boy is the story of John Lennons early life - mainly when he's around 15/16.

Now I'm not really a fan of the Beatles - cue shocked gasps - I like their music and totally accept their importance, but generally I just don't have a feeling one way or another. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I didn't come to this film as a superfan, but to my delight found that that is perfect, because this film isn't about the Beatles at all. It's about the formation of John Lennons first band The Yardmen, his relationship with his Aunt and Mother, and how he arrived at music in the first place.

So as a result it's a bit soppy in places, perhaps a little drawn out, but these moments are fleeting because I found myself being absolutely blown away by the visual of the whole film. Its SO 1950s Britain that its almost painful - it is beautiful. Every scene has been thought about, every shot framed with the care of a work of art. I love anything deliberately stylized, and this was clearly filmed with the overall in mind.

And if I may, on a shallow note, the clothes? Incredible. If only there were more guys around who committed to that look, gosh.
This is one film that totally lives up to its hype.
x

Oh, and by the way, Thomas Sangster (yeh, the cute kid from Love Actually and that episode of Dr Who) is all grown up, and PHENOMINAL. What a talent. I know he's a teenager now, and I swear when he's an adult he's going to have massive success.

the new romantic

Somebody want to buy me a frilly blouse? Pretty please?
I will flutter my eyelashes no end.

They're just soo pretty, oversized and sheer with skinny jeans, cute and plain tucked into high-waisted chinos, or sleeveless with a little skirt for idyllic summer sweet. Ruffles are just so romantic, unashamedly girly, but in a sophisticated way. I think.

Whether it be sleeveless cotton a la Emma at Glastonbury yesterday...


...daringly sheer bibbed glamour from Florence Welch...



...or my personal favorite, this Topshop concoction, which I am coveting so badly right now...

I know I don't normally do fashion item-specific I WANT THIS blogs, because theyre unhelpful and shallow, but I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF.
Was that too much?
Okay.


xx

She says she doesn't have a problem, and that's true. She doesn't have a problem; she has a thousand of them. Each one more exquisite and more destructive than the last. Each night they all drift away, and each morning they return, one by one, just like she slides each pretty ring onto each spidery finger.





I want to turn this into...a short story maybe? A piece of creative writing, anyway. Hmm. Maybe this summer I can do some more writing.

Yasmine is all grown up!

Today, I went to the circus.

I know what you're thinking - no scary clowns, no cheesy music... this is Giffords, the kind of magical place that makes you feel like you're watching a travelling show from 100 years ago - well essentially, thats what it is.

I've been a few times before, since I was a young kid, but this show was the best its ever been. This year, the theme is 'Yasmine'; the story of a young girl who grows up a star in a circus. I know, right?If you've never heard of Giffords, its a family-run show which travels round the countryside, in beautiful old wooden caravans, and I was lucky enough to see it in the beautiful village of Broadway, in the Cotswolds.


Nestled in a field was the small white tent, filled with sawdust and a 12-peice band playing 40s jazz scat in french. Barely a word was said the entire show, but the performers still made the audience roar with laughter and gasp in awe - showgirls in exquisite costumes, gymnastic acrobats on tight wires and horses with their wranglers - I can't even begin to describe how fantastic it was. It makes you wish all of life were this exciting. And the star of the show, pour moi, was musical mime Gabor Vosteen (who it turns out is big on German vaudeville; hello Berlin, I think your cabaret clubs are now on my list of places-to-go-before-I-die).

I didn't take any photos inside the show, I fully intended to but frankly I was so enveloped in the whole atmosphere of the thing that I didn't even think to. So if, like me, you're the sort of person who kills for a taste of the face paints, top hats and fishnet stockings of a time before life was so complicated, I can't stress enough how much you HAVE to catch Giffords circus - this tour, another year, just go.

So, to sum up, beautiful sunny day + breathtaking experience.
Don't be too surprised if I run away with the circus.

Hope you had a good weekend!
x

ps. this has nothing to do with anything, but I took this photo just because I thought it was nice and summery. Ahh sunshine.

i'm going to the circus today,
i couldn't decide what to wear, so i decided to pretend its the 1960s.

he's a top score and you're a zero, you're out of your league.

the obligatory style icons post

Every girl has style icons, fact. And most girls also know that people on the street are usually the best way to find on-the-fly inspiration - street style blogs are big news right now, oh hello Lookbook.nu. Gorgeous as a single piece may be, its the creative way they are thrown together that really makes an outfit.

However for those of us who live in the middle of nowhere, miles from a soho bar full of trendies, we shouldn't be ashamed to say we take fashion inspiration from cute celebs. Celebrities are the perfect pioneers of new trends; and wear the designer clothes that we mere mortals covet but cannot afford. We precariously live our style-lives through them.

So with that in mind, here are some of the famous faces who I just cannot get enough of.

Fearne Cotton
Oh did someone say indie? The Peter-Pan collar dress, the knee high socks, the lace up boots and the parker. It shouldn't work, but somehow it does.
Fearne was wearing cute little socks with high heels WAY before everyone else picked up on it, and she currently posts poloroid-style shots of her daily outfits on her radio 1 page, displaying an awful lot of vintage, with way more daring than I'd imagained. She designs her own range for very.co.uk with bestie Holly Willhouby (she didn't make my list, but you can't deny she has class..plus, can I get an 'awhh' for celeb best friends? so cute.) and did I mention the enviable lifestyle of hanging backstage at festivals and having a hit radio show? This summer I'll be getting out the eyeliner flicks and sheer blouses in support of the lovely lady herself.

Edie Sedgwick

Think that Gaga was the first to parade around in just a leotard and patterned tights? Then you'd be wrong. Way back in the swinging sixties, socialite Edie Sedgwick shunned her upper-class family to start a new life in New York city, eventually becoming the muse of the Andy Warhol. I mean, hello? Surely that's more like a storyline from a movie than a persons actual life!
Edie was the first 'it' girl; her style was all about the mod silhouette; pixie cropped hair, massive earrings, crochet tops and miles of leg. Swirling through life trying to see the beauty in everything - now that is a style icon.

Florence Welch

Seriously? Need I explain further?
Show me any other human being with the grace and elegance of the mighty Flo, I dare you. Despite the obvious kookiness (wonder-woman red tresses, amazonian legs and whiter than porcelain skin), Florence manages to mix fabulous pieces, coming out with a soft/wearable look, rather than harsh-catwalk. The lines between stagewear and daywear are blurred here, I wouldn't rule out her wearing that leather hotpants/cape ensemble to Tescos, but I know both involve a lot of tea-dresses and a good helping of glitter.
She has been known to saunter about in her grandmothers silk wedding dress, & stage dive in a vintage kaftan, plus in Vogue a while ago she admitted to owning 2 feather capes. Respect.

Emma Watson














Whenever I mention the Harry Potter actress in conversations about style icons, she always seems to divide opinions. I've had people tell me she comes across as 'thick', 'spoiled', or they just plain don't get what all the fuss is about. So I've been thinking hard to write this, why do I admire her so much? And the only conclusion I can come to, apart from the personal opinion that I think she's pretty, is that I see her as quintessentially British.
I have a bit of a weakness for Burberry's short macs and sweet dresses, so what with her recent stint as a model in their print campaigns I was sold. She's a part of a fashion world I so admire, cocktail dresses at Cartier polo and oversized shirts on the street, plus she gets to run around on a movie set for a living. I think maybe the fact that she has grown up in front of our eyes, instead of making me think 'why is she so special' makes me think 'that could be anyone'...see the distinction? Either way, its my list. So she's on it. ;)

Marina Diamandis



Marina (of Marina and the Diamonds fame...obviously) seems to be singlehandedly reinventing the old fashioned movie star look, but best of all she has a sense of humour with it. Born with a heady mix of Welsh and Greek heritage she was never going to be plain, but I find with her it seems to be the subtle details that make her looks memorable. As well as being incredibly talented, she is bringing back the Bambi-lashed, doe-eyed pin up look, making it okay for you to want to look like a popstar again. Plus, she's a brunette with no pretence of being otherwise.


I also think its fair to say that I am majorly inspired by Paloma Faith, Alexa Chung, Blake Lively, Eva Green, Clemence Poesy, the rolled up jeans up Jack Steadman and Jonny Peirce...the list could go on. But this would take up the whole page if I got carried away... =/

Reading back all these posts, it seems that I haven't picked all of these women just because I like their clothes...they wear them well, they say intelligent things and they live interesting lives. Guess its true what they say. You can buy fashion, but you can't buy style.

I want to know, who are your style icons?

x

i'll never be captain, but i will be king

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funny shit edgar wright says;

some of them drink heinekin, some of them drink bacardi

some would say that this has not been a productive saturday.
au contraires; this is what i achieved.

-finally got round to watching series 2 of Queer As Folk (russell t davies is a genius, yes even pre-DrWho, and one day i hope to be as good/moving/clever a writer as he is)
-wrote out some birthday cards-listened to vampire weekend on repeat (yes, again, but this time with M.I.A thrown in)
-subsequently, sorted out my summer playlists.
-fell in love with edgar wright, via twitter-stalking
-waited in for a package
-sent an email i have been avoiding for a while
-drank quite a few cups of tea
aaand
-avoided tackling King Lear revision at all costs.
YEHH BOIIIIIIIx