Was that...?

So today I was stood on the train waiting to get off at platform 4 when I noticed a very nice pair of dark brown suede boots. After admiring them for a while my eyes slowly made their way up a beautifully trimmed suit, dark navy in colour with a cheeky little scarf to finish off at the top. I was impressed. This guy clearly has a bob or two in his pocket.

Then I noticed the lugagge which I swear was Tom Ford and I looked at this guy's face; it was Jimmy bloody Carr!

Surely not though I thought, not on a scabby Nottingham train? And on his own? Nah, it couldn't have been him. I had to keep a sneaky peek to double check until he copped me looking and he gave me that look... that 'yes it's me but please don't bother me' kind of look.

I never said a word.

Apparently Jimmy has a gig in Nottingham tonight so it was more than likely him who I saw on the train today. I kinda admire his 'no frills' means of travel. And what I admire even more so is that just last month I bumped into 'fashion guru' Gok Wan in Manchester, protected by security guards. Carr defo sported the better attire!

HELP!

I am an amateur at this blogging malarky when it comes to the technical shtuffs. HTML and I were once close acquaintances but it's been a while since I've messed around with it so we are now strangers.

If anyone would like to help that would be greatly appreciated!
xo

Hats off to you sir! I mean on...

A recent hat exhibition at the York Art Gallery and my 2 month long desire for a bowler hat has brought me to the keyboard front line to fire bullets of hat ideas in your direction.

In my opinion, we simply don't wear hats enough. I mean, we might dare to pop on the odd bobble hat when the days turn frosty but a part from that, there aren't many who would think of a hat as a vital part of their day to day look. Back in the day an outfit wouldn't have been complete without one. Take a look at some of the greats - My Fair Lady casted an abundance of hats, Coco Chanel's career in fashion began with making hats. Jamiroquai made a statement with always wearing a hat... Matt Cardle from X Factor seems to be following his lead...! And it's not as if the high street retailers are depriving us of them, there are so many out there right now to choose from.

To get your thinking caps on, up and running let's have a gander at a few familiar faces styling the head pieces:

Mary-Kate Olsen

Sienna Miller

Pete Doherty

Alexa Chung

Coco Sumner

You must also feast your eyes upon this AMAZING photo shoot taken for Vogue back in 2007 -'Paris Je t'aime'... a collaboration of the culture of Paris and hats... parfait!

So whether you're a floppy, trilby, bowler, boater, beanie, bell, trapper, hunter, cossack, beret, stalker or a bonnet (phew), don't be shy to get the hats out this season, they could be the key to those final finishing touches.


"Without my hat, I'm just your garden variety six-foot tall talking cat" - Cat in a Hat (my favourite hat quote!)

Untitled.

I must remember, remember to get a scribble on this November... and to kick it off I've decided to share a poem or two (yes yes my very own hand did write them so!) in attempt to set the mind-a-boggling. It's hard to get inspiration through these long ass winter nights, but I bet a flick through Vogue and Acne will certainly help!!

Have a read, have a discussion, have a Kit Kat.

***

A period of uncertainty,

ambiguity;

not clear.

Choked words and nerves

when that telephone rings.

Desperate attempts

to feel connected,

not rejected.

Subliminal messages sent in the post.

Acts of rebellion

against... something...

But what?

A shot

of Absinthe

and bruised knees follow

a thousand messages,

read but not answered.

Sickness.

Sadness.

Erratic and paranoid;

something to avoid

expressing.

Tormented sleep

and dragging days.

These are the ways

of an unknowing fool.

The brain is an enemy,

it'll turn you against me.

Ironic really.

I just want you

to want me.

It certainly looks as though

you're slowly letting go

and

as true or false as that may be,

it's still out there

and in my head to get me.

***

I'm sorry little seed,

For what I've done to you.

To let you think it would be OK

To break through that rubber force field

And cause a race riot.

It's my fault little seed,

I should have put you straight.

But you see I didn't know

How strong and able you were

To stick around and grow.

It's not fair little seed,

Not for you, him or I.

Maybe in another lifetime

When you don't scare the shit out of me

Will I accept that you are mine.

I'm sorry little seed,

For what I've done to you.

To let them take you away from me,

Always wondering but never knowing

What you might have become.

***

You built me a platform
Bigger than I expected
For a girl you hardly knew.

I could wander across
To any side that I wished,
Do a hop, skip, jump if I fancied.

Sometimes I'd turn to find more;
New paths leading me
To unfamiliar rooms and floors.

An entire household,
Every brick laid by you.
I loved to explore every crevis.

But over just one night
You stripped the foundations;
Whipped away like a cloth from a table.

You left me uncertain,
Unbalanced on a wooden beam,
You left me for dead in the dark.

Now I'm terrified to move,
Stuck in this demolished wreck,
Scared of further damage.

Did I make a wrong turn?
What step too far did I take?
Had I discovered a forbidden wing?

I gave you the blueprints
Of my weird and wonderful world,
There were no boundaries restricting you.

Yet you will let me sit here
Dangling my trembling legs,
Not knowing what lies beneath.

FREJA FEVER

If you don't immediately recognise this face then then I only have one question for you: where on earth have you been for the past 6 months?! May I introduce Freja Beha Erichsen: this seasons new 'It' girl and boy is she hot right now. Young, sleek and super cool, this girl is literally on every magazine page I turn like a whirl wind of Freja frenzy.

Having strutted, snapped and posed for the likes of Balenciaga, Valentino, Armani and Calvin Klein, Freya already harbours a hefty amount of highly respectable campaigns under her belt and she's only 22 years old. It was almost fate for Freja, as she was spotted whilst walking down the street by a model scout who just so happened to be passing by in a taxi. After that, it wasn't long before Freja made her modelling debut, effortlessly strolling straight onto the catwalk for all the world to witness her beauty.

It now seems she is bigger than ever. The list of work she has done this year is endless. Even her boyish, playful hair cut has been officially named 'The Freja', becoming the most popular hair cut since 'The Rachel', according to last month's Grazia magazine. And that Danish charm has definitely rubbed off on me; I'm smitten. I think I may have even dribbled a little when I stumbled over her Vogue shoot last month. Mmm... Freja...

Anyway I've picked out a handful of her most recent works for you to feast your eyes upon. Prepare to awe and adore my fellow fashion fiends.

L'hiver avant l'hiver: Vogue Paris (editorial) August 2010

Balenciaga campaign, A/W 2010

Maxmara campaign, A/W 2010

Vogue Paris August 2010 cover

Colour Shock: British Vogue (editorial) August 2010

Modern Love: Interview August 2010

Vogue Paris (editorial) August 2010

Bad Bad Bird

No there isn't a naughty bird causing chaos in my back garden, but there is a new band on the scene who I believe are gonna go further than your local bar.

Bad Bad Bird are a fresh sound that you simply MUST plug your ears into. Quirky, psychedelic and full of soul, this massive group of musical eclectics (there are seven of them!) are sure to leave a lasting impression and I daresay they have potential to be the next big thing.

Check out this video of 'Wire Tongue' played live at Town Mill, Mansfield.



And there's plenny more where that came from!

Bad Bad Bird played their first ever gig in Nottingham earlier this month at the Creative Notts - Acoustic Sessions at The Bodega Social club. They went down a storm!

Next gig will be at The Maze on 22nd August - take this chance to experience them for yourself. And don't forget about The Hockley Hustle Festival which will be kicking off for the fifth year running this October where Bad Bad Bird will be playing a huge set along side many other talented bands.

Have a gander at their Myspace and Facebook pages to indulge more into the fabulous works of Bad Bad Bird and take a peek at where in the country they are playing next!

The good side of the bad side

I grew up in one of the worser areas of Nottingham. Reknowned for once being the biggest council estate in Europe and still inhabiting over 22,000 residents today, Clifton is a cacophony of endless houses that all look the same, teenaged mothers, benefit busters and ofcourse the occasional crack whore. Apart from a few old biddies who have lived here since day one and the younger families who are just starting out here because it's cheap... you could say Clifton is pretty awful.

But alas! All hope is not lost. If you take a stroll across to the other side of the A453 you will discover that actually, even in a place where Sun Valley Amusements is the hotspot of town, there is beauty to be found. My friend and I took some photos of it today whilst taking the dog for a walk. I will apologise for the quality of these snaps... Chester was a handful and the sunny sights were distracting! I guess the title of this blog works on many levels!