NEW YORKERS IN LOVE

Whilst perusing the New Yorker site (which I do aw the time cos I'm so cultured and that) I noticed the cute cover illustration - New Yorkers in Love - by Luci Gutiérrez.

I don't know why but there's something very Love Story about these two, no? I can't recall if Ali MacGraw actually wears a beret in Love Story (my heart and fuzzy memory says she does) but still, it's a sweet image.

The New Yorker ran a wee feature on it, including a few pictures of similar cover illustrations from the 1920s which were so cool I had to share em...

My favourite is the sailor and floozy - ooft!

Not convinced about this last one but I guess you could argue the couple in love here are the two in the foreground having A TOTAL LOL.

Anyways, d'awwwww! 20s New York, I'd like to be in you.

LOST INTERVIEW

So... Long time no speak.

Blah blah, I've been busy, blah blah... Aren't you sick of me starting every post like that? I know I AM! Seriously though, real life and all it's insane ups and downs (more ups than downs recently - yay!) has managed to get in the way of blogging yet again.

This job is going really well and I'm totally loving it, especially the fact that I have evenings and weekends to do what I like! Because of this though, sadly blogging often slips to the bottom of my priority heap, but I've got to start getting my SHIZ back on track lest I forget all about it!

I was recently contacted by a student at GCU (whose name I have now totally forgotten and I can't get onto my hotmail at the moment to check... Cringe. And also, I say recently but actually it was around a month ago. WOOPS!) asking some bloggers a few questions for her course so I agreed to answer them but then got totally caught up in other stuff and forgot to send them back, like a pure CHOOB.

Rather than just have wasted my time (since I assume it's totes too late to send her back this stuff - sorry!) I figured I'd post it here in case anyone is remotely interested. And as a sort of mental SLAP ON THE WRIST for being so lax.. Sadface.

Awesome treat for getting to the end, btw.


TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHY YOU STARTED BLOGGING

I’m 25 and I work as a Communications Executive in Glasgow. I like tea, cats and sunsets but I hate raisins, birds and having to answer questions like “tell me about yourself”...

I sort of accidently started blogging. I had read loads of blogs for a few years but gradually I began to feel like a lot of them were becoming very samey. I disliked the lack of personality and voice in many blogs which all began to feel like carbon copies of each other. In truth, it got really boring. I’d written a Livejournal (remember them?!) right from when I was really young but had let it slip. I wanted to get back into writing online and considered starting a blog for a while but I was nervous and self-conscious about my style or tone not fitting in with what was considered the blogging norm. The thought of posing for hundreds of outfit of the day photos caused me major panic! But in the end I decided to bite the bullet 2 years ago and now I’ve had over a quarter of a million hits – small fry to most I’m sure, but it makes me happy that there’s a place in the blogosphere for something other than identical tedious outfit posts.


HOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN FASHION AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU?

 I’ve been interested in fashion my whole life. I used to watch old films at my Gran’s when I was wee and draw pictures of Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Judy Garland, Deborah Kerr and Ingrid Bergman in all their fancy costumes. It was fascinating to me. I knew as I grew up I didn’t have the passion or talent to design but I kept my interest in fashion and, as every teenage girl in the universe does, experimented with my personal style... Sometimes to unfortunate/hilarious ends. Don't believe me...?

..Yeah. This actually happened.

CRINGE. But yeah, it’s important to me because it’s an expression of self in the same way music, art and literature are, and aren’t we all just trying to find the best ways to express ourselves? I also think it’s important as a type of escapism. I still love to watch old movies and swoon at the costumes…it’s about the element of fantasy. And again, for me anyway, catwalk fashion reflects a kind of heightened reality, which I love.


HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME OF YOUR BLOG?

It’s from a line in one of my favourite books, Le Petit Prince:

“If you could fly to France in one minute, you could go straight into the sunset, right from noon. Unfortunately, France is too far away for that. But on your tiny planet, my little prince, all you need do is move your chair a few steps. You can see the day end and the twilight falling whenever you like... "One day," you said to me, "I saw the sunset forty-four times!" And a little later you added: "You know -- one loves the sunset, when one is so sad..." "Were you so sad, then?" I asked, "on the day of the forty-four sunsets?" But the little prince made no reply.”


CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BLOG INCLUDING HOW IT DIFFERS FROM OTHER FASHION BLOGS?

I’m asked this fairly often and I never know what to say. I think there’s a mix of fashion stuff that interests me, collection reviews, beauty bits here and there, some shopping hauls... A bit of a mix. I try hard to write in a natural way as though I was talking to a friend, which is something lots of the bigger blogs lack, I think. I’m sure it puts as many people off as it does interests them, but I don’t care! I also don’t take it particularly seriously – I blog for my own enjoyment and not for any other ulterior motive, which is an increasingly rare thing these days, in my opinion.


HOW OFTEN DO YOU POST?

It varies. Less now that I have a proper job and find that I’m just busier generally, but normally around once a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. Again, I’m aware this is a total BLOG NO NO but I’d rather only post now and again about things I actually like than all the time about any old rubbish.


DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY IN YOUR LIFE AS A BLOGGER

Ha! I’m not a blogger full time. Blogging is most definitely a secondary consideration, but when I get the chance it’s one of the first things I like to take time to do.


WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST AND WORST ASPECTS OF RUNNING YOUR OWN BLOG?

The best is that I really enjoy it and have met lots of lovely people through it. The worst is the guilt I feel if I haven’t posted in ages, or juggling it with my actual life. A lot of the time I can’t go to events or get involved in product reviews etc. because I don’t live in London and have a 8-5 job. I’d love to devote more time to it but I just can’t, which is frustrating.


WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU NEED TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL BLOGGER?

I have no idea! I don’t consider myself successful in that regard, but it does make me feel good when people comment on posts or when I see the views ticking up. To get people interested, you yourself have to be interested in what you’re saying, be humble and friendly in tone and do it because you enjoy it. It’s a personal preference but I hate those SUPER SHORT boring outfit posts that are really generic and have nothing interesting to say. Half of them are so lazily styled and lots don’t have any commentary at all. I avoid them at all cost.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ASPIRING BLOGGERS?

If there’s a blog out there you love, think about why you like it and take inspiration from it. I’d never say COPY a blog directly, but it’s important to know what kinds of things you want to talk about and how you want to present it, and a good way of getting that clear is to make notes about the things you enjoy in other blogs. Also, don’t expect it to take off. It may well do, but never go into it for that reason because people can tell straight away. And try, if you can, to read and comment on other blogs. Something I’m regrettably terrible at!


HOW DO YOU THINK BLOGGING INFLUENCES THE FASHION INDUSTRY?

I think we’re only really beginning to see this happening with the likes of retailers holding blogger events and magazines including blogger features etc. It seems to me that many bloggers like to THINK that blogging is this noble cause that deserves to influence the fashion industry, but in reality I think it influences high-street sales rather than high fashion.


WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE YO SEE YOUR BLOG GO IN THE FUTURE AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE WITH IT?

I’m happy with maintaining the blog as it is. If I wanted to spend more time and effort on it to grow my followers and hits, then I'm sure there are things I could do but honestly I’m happy with it the way it is. I just want to continue with it. I’ve come this far and genuinely do enjoy it so I won’t let it slide. I’ve been toying with doing some more personal posts but I’m really nervous about putting too much of my life on the internet. It’s a very fine line that’s easy to cross. We’ll see.



...Phew. Like you EVEN cared! Again though, sorry to the nameless girl for not getting this back to you in time. I'm suitably ashamed.

As promised, here's your present. Don't you just hate it when you get mutliated by your boss' drug-addict chimp? I KNOW I DO!

RECENT PURCHASES: MARCH

It's been AGES since I've done a recent purchases post. Like I mean months and months. Don't be fooled, it's not been because I've not been BUYING stuff... AS IF! I guess I've just been lazy about keeping track of it all. But over the past few weeks I've made a consented effort to keep a note of where all my money's been going... To GUILT myself into a spending ban, if nothing else because SERIOUSLY, it really is out of control.

Anyway, yeah, here we go.

Antipodes Apostle skin brightening and tone correcting serum

Sigh. Yes, another brightening serum - they are my own personal brand of heroin and I am DEEP into my addiction. I'd run out of my REN Radiance Perfecting serum (did I even mention that in a blog somewhere?) and to be honest I wasn't wowed at all. I never DON'T use a radiance/skin tone correcting/brightening serum though, so I guess it's hard to gauge results. But retailing at over £30, I had expected to see SOMETHING happen and, honestly, I didn't. Thankfully the same can't be said for this! It's dispensed via pipette (like ANR) and the weird red fluid and smells like crushed up fruit, because basically that's what it is. It smells GENUINELY like you could eat it.

After patting in twice daily for about four/five days now I can say that some annoying scarring from a few recent breakouts has definitely reduced. Also, a few minutes after putting this on, any residual redness on my skin has completely vanished. It can leave your face feeling a bit tight so a moisturiser on top is a must, but overall I'm really loving it so far - feels and looks like it's actually doing something. Yay!

Caudalie Eau De Beaute Beauty Elixir

This is a firm favourite I've gone without for ages and I don't really know why. Well, I do really - the price. It's basically some lovely oils dissolved in water that smells heavenly and can be spritzed under or over makeup, but it's not cheap.

I caved though, because I love it so much. I use this in place of a toner, which I always felt was a bit of an unnecessary step, but this definitely wakes my face up a bit (wow, clarity), closes pores and makes whatever you put on next (the serum usually) sink in much quicker. I don't know exactly how it works but it does and I love it.

Caudalie Divine Oil

I blame Estee from Essie Button on this ENTIRELY. I have no idea what video it was but I was watching one of hers on YouTube (actually I think it was a winter favourites or something) and she mentioned this multi-purpose body oil and how it smelled AMAZING and that was it. Hooked.

I've been using a Soap and Glory body moisturiser for a while - God knows what one, there's hunners! One that comes in a squeezy tube not a tub - and it's been working OK but nothing to write home about. The sweet scent is nice but after weeks it can start to grate a bit and I've been after something a little more sophisticated smelling for a while. This is DEFINITELY it. I used the NUXE multi-purpose oil a while back and loved it, but this is even better since it comes with a spray pump and smells ACTUALLY heavenly. Sweet, woody, rosey, mmmm just actually SO GOOD! For best moisturising results I spray it all over when I'm still a bit damp after a shower and it sinks right in.

[Every time I write the word "multi-purpose" I have to fight my fingers not to type multi-porpoise. FACT.]

Joico K-Pak Reconstructor

This was a totally random, last minute basket-addition on Feel Unique. I had in the back of my mind that I was MAYBE looking for a nourishing hair mask of some kind, but I'd done no research and I'm pretty sure I just bought this cos there was some money off. Like £5 or something, but still....

My hair has been kind of dry and damaged recently. I had some highlights (how 90s) put in a few months ago and then decided to lighten the ends myself a bit for a sort of UBER soft ombre effect. I used the L'Oreal Wild Ombre kit in number 2 by the way, and I was really pleased with it. It didn't make a massive difference but I wasn't looking for one so it suited me fine, but if you were looking for a dramatic ombre effect you might be disappointed. AAAAAAAAANYWAY, as a result my hair hasn't been in the best condition. Some days are better than others but it's generally a bit dry, tuggy and breaks easily.

I've only used this once and I liked the results. It made my hair feel smooth and nourished without weighing it down, but it smells REALLY weird, like over-ripe bananas and oats or something. Kind of like it was once a "fresh" product that went off. Not sure if I can really stomach it to use it often... Every time the wind blows and you get a waft - BOKE. We'll see.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24 hour eyeshadow

Jumped on the bandwagon and bought On and On Bronze. Can you believe this is my first foray into cream eye shadows? I like it I guess, but I never normally have a problem with eye shadows creasing anyway so I wasn't looking for it to solve any particular problem really. It's very creamy, blends nicely and lasts all day. Am I BLOWN AWAY? Nah, but it's decent enough. Although it's a bronze, it's quite cool-toned which doesn't work brilliantly with my colouring so bear that in mind, and it's SUPER shimmery.

MAC's Satin Taupe

I've wanted this FOREVER but the stupid MAC concession in Silverburn has been out of it for weeks and I've given up trying to get anyone to serve me in Frasers - actually a shower of rude, ignorant eejits working in there and I don't care who knows it. SO many times I've had a bomb burning a hole in my pocket ready to drop on loads of stuff, but no one has approached me even though I'm OBVIOUSLY mooching about totally clueless, or sales assistants have blatantly ignored me and carried on their own conversations behind the till. I've walked out loads of times absolutely fuming and spent the money elsewhere.

Rant asise, I finally manged to get my hands on this and I'm completely underwhelmed. The formula is lovely, typically of MAC shadows it's high quality, soft, blends like a dream and lasts all day, but the colour is totally wrong. I should have known it wouldn't suit me - GAHD! When will I learn, I only suit warm-toned bronzes and browns on my eyes and this is very grey and ashy, it almost leans a little purple in some lights. Basically it makes me look like I haven't slept in a week/have the beginnings of a shiner forming. Not good. If you have brown eyes go get it though, bet it would lovely.

MAC 217 brush

I've been using a cheap No7 version of this for donkeys but finally got the real deal and it's as good as the hype - blends amazing, feels sturdy and solid but can be really gentle and subtle. Never picks up too much product and reduces fallout. It's pure good.

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse 301 Dating Coral

This looks super pink in the picture but in reality it's a lovely soft peachy coral colour. Still obsessed with coral lipsticks and this is just the latest edition to an ever-expanding collection. I'm really loving creamy lipsticks at the moment, as opposed to matt, drying ones, and I prefer the formula of these to the Revlon Lip Butters as I find them a bit sticky whereas the Rouge Caresses are much more moisturising. I do find that this acts as a slight stain on my lips as after the glossy/creamy finish has worn off the colour hangs about for another couple of hours. It's a subtle shade but warms up the skin and looks amaze with a tan. Love it.

black Topshop playsuit £40

Another whim, but you can never have enough LBPs for going out, right? Topshop is the only place I can buy playsuits that actually fit me thanks to their petite line - everywhere else, and even the regular line in Toppers, playsuits are cut for GIANTS. Saggy-crotch is not a cool look guys! Anyway, this fits nicely - the sleeves are quite tight and the shorts are VERY short but with tights it's all good. It's tight enough to fit me properly at the waist as well and not BAG out which is always nice. Bit fancy, bit goff, bit bangin. Done.

Stripe Topshop dress £38

I bought this without trying it on as I was pushed for time and figured it might be nice for work but I REALLY should have bothered because it's a very weird fit. I got a 10 but it's cut really big so the shoulders and waist are stupidly baggy. Obviously, because it's me, the ass bit fits fine but it's everywhere else that it's too big. Comically so. An 8 will be out of the question due to my BOOTAY so I think it's going to need to go back. It's such a frustration when dresses that look like they're cinched in at the waist aren't quite cinched enough. Proper grinds my gears. If you are boyish I'd say this would probably work much better but go a size down to be safe.

Kurt Geiger leather Winchester Chelsea Boots - £50 in the sale

Such a bargain, these were originally £130! Spotted them in T5 when I was down in London but they had sold out in 5s and ordered me one of the last two pairs left to be delivered to the Silverburn store. They're really comfy and shiny and (though you can't tell from the pic) VERY pointy which makes me think/act like I'm one of the Horrors circa 2007. Mind them? Anyway, yeah, love. I'm not convinced they suit me massively cos they come up quite high and cut my wee legs off right at the bit when my calves start to get a bit fat but C'EST LA VIE.

Volkswagen Polo S white - PURE HUNNERS

Yassssss! Actually so excited for this! I've had a lovely wee yellow VW Fox for about 4 years now but it's getting a bit past it and I'm doing more driving with my job so I wanted something a bit more sturdy. The Polo is inbetween the Fox and the Golf and my new wee one is white and has amazing, mind-blowing things like CENTRAL LOCKING and a bit for your IPOD and AUTOMATIC WINDOWS and lots of fun things like that which the Fox, bless it, never had. I pick it up on Friday and I'm so so so so pumped I can't even wait. Jesus, I am so sad.

So there you go, reasons why I've been skint recently. I also went on a mini break last weekend which was SUPPOSED to be a romantic getaway but because my life is ACTUALLY a farcical chick lit plot, THAT fell apart and I ended up going with my awesome pal Laura instead. We stayed at the Isles of Glencoe hotel in Ballachulish next to Glencoe and it was honestly so beautiful, I've never seen scenery like it. Hutch and I are not big OUTDOORSY types but we managed a walking trail thing up a big giant hill and did lots of boozing and sleeping and laughing and eating and it was generally brilliant. So yeah, I guess that counts too cos it wasn't cheap either.

And, not to be a pure cheeseball, but it just goes to show that even if things turn to utter shit it's nothing that good pals, good booze and good times can't fix. FOR. REAL.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE FOR MISS DIOR BAGS

I'd sort of fallen out of love with Jennifer Lawrence recently. I couldn't really put my finger on it, but her hilariousness in interviews began to grate on me a bit and she seemed to be coming across like more and more of a fud.

That was until I saw the images of her for the new Miss Dior bag line...

SCHWING. Back on the JLaw bandwagon in a hefty way.

LONDON FASHION WEEKEND

SO, last weekend I got to do something SUPER exciting... I got to go to London Fashion Weekend!

One of the brands I work for was sponsoring the GILES show and although I did try to wangle a pass for that, alas it wasn't to be, but I DID get to go along to scope out or presence at the consumer show part of LFW held the weekend after London Fashion Week proper. Exciting!

Although I was there TECHNICALLY for work purposes, still an excuse to buy a new outfit, obviously, and I settled on this brightly coloured patterned top and skirt from Toppers:

 I don't feel like it comes up all that well in this picture but I was really happy with it in real life. It was smart but still fun and COMFY, which, given that I was flying down and back in the same day, was a big consideration.

Coffee and stylist on the 8.30 flight from Glasgow. Sorted!

Blue skies all the way!

OH HEY, I'm in a lift in London. I'm wearing that suit thing from Topshop, my Topshop coat, Zara bag and Urban Outfitters shoes. I had wanted to wear my Burberry trench and Mulberry bag (dahhling) but I'm very protective of the trench and couldn't trust myself with it for a full day. SPILLAGES people. Also, that Zara bag fits EVERYTHING in it, Mary Poppins style.

British Museum from the back of a taxi.

I was meeting a client who was running late so NATURALLY I spent a fortune on these wee mini version of three of my favourite books from the Somerset House gift shop. Over £30. Worth it.

Front row for the Hilary Alexander-styled trend show!

Nice breeks

Nice tache

Nice, um, kaftan thing.

Pretty headdress

My favourite trend - Dolls House. Lots of pink and PVC and huge shoes.

Finale.

Very boozy "working" lunch at Tom's. Properly scooped by now...

So much so I spent 15 mins in the toilets taking moody black and white selfies and massively holding up the ginormous queue that had formed behind me. SORRYNOTSORRY!

Somerset House looking CHILLY.

So after the shows and schmoozing and eating I found myself in Rokit in Covent Garden stumbling between racks and racks of hugely-overpriced vintage stuff. Almost spent a fortune on a fleece-lined denim jacket... MISTAKE. I blame the champers.

Where the big bucks got spent... Terminal 5 duty free.

Cath Kidson stand awesomeness.

Plane boobage.

In terms of the trends on offer at the shows I was most impressed with Eastern Influence and Doll's House. The others were fairly predictable and didn't feel very current, but these two were right on the money coming out of what was shown at LFW in September and I think, if you stick to a pretty statement Kimono jacket or lots of edgy candy pinks and chunky sandals this summer you'll be BANG ON. Zara already have both trends fairly well covered in store at the moment... RANDOM ASIDE. Anyway, check me trying to talk about trends like an expert! WHIT.

If I'm honest I was just pumped to be in London for the day. Hopefully we'll have an even bigger presence in September and I MAY get to go to a show but who knows. It was a nice wee day out nonetheless, even if I did drop a small fortune at duty free.

Ended up getting talked into an Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation which I've not used in about ten years but I'm sort of loving it again. May well do a wee review on it and why it works for me when I would usually go for a satin or dewey finish foundation as a rule... OH GOD does anyone care? It's 16.59 on a Friday and I've lost it.