NEW YEAR, NEW JOB

Well hi there, and a happy new year to you, my lovely readers!

I've been a bit AWOL the last few weeks, haven't I? While other (more ORGANISED) bloggers were furiously bashing out glossy gift guides and seasonal party-wear posts in their thousands, I was buried deep, DEEP in a festive food-and-booze-induced coma that I'm only NOW dragging myself out of like a grumpy muthabear after hibernation. YAWWWWWWN!

In case anyone is interested, my Christmas was simultaneously both quiet AND boozy, spent at my aunts pulling crackers, eating FAR too many pigs-in-blankets and quaffing copious amounts of expensive gin. HICCUP. New Year was much less quiet and MUCH more boozy, spent at a house party in Clydebank playing drinking games till I eventually passed out. Thumbs up all round really!

HOWEVER, as you may have guessed from this title, I am starting 2013 with a NEW JOB. As a Communications Executive for big fat company no less! Cue lots of excitement and more than a BIT of trepidation as it slowly dawns on me that not only will I have to act the part on a daily basis, I'll have to LOOK IT as well...

Where I work just now the dress code is super casual, meaning that virtually anything goes. Naturally I opt for comfort and practicality on a daily basis which doesn't tend to differ vastly from my out-of-hours style, except I maybe tone down my inner goff slightly (but I'm definitely becoming a lazy dresser in my old age). At this new place though, as far as I could tell from my interviews anyway, the dress code is SMART. Which is fine, and is probably the NORM, except I've never had to dress like a grown up smart before, and to be perfectly honest it's WAY outside my comfort zone.

But I'm nothing if not up for a challenge so today I had a wee browse round some online shops in preparation for a day of SMART CLAITHES SHOPPING on Saturday. Here's what I liked...

COS

Cos turned out to be my favourite stop for minimal dresses. These are just a selection but to be honest I'd happily wear any of the ones featured on the website. That top left velvet number might be a bit much for work but I LOVE it, and same with the mustardy marl-knit jumper dress... Honestly, it's so difficult to find a quality jumper dress that has a waistband! As bottom-heavy gal (REPPIN THE PEARS) it's a VITAL component as anything without one looks sack-like and shapeless, gaping unattractively at my middle and clinging to my bum. Which doesn't exactly scream PROFESHUNAL, does it?

HOBBS

I was also pleasantly surprised by the NW3 range at Hobbs, especially for prints. Click to enlarge, but yeah, those ARE ducks on that red dress, AND WHAT?! I'm a fan of a ZANEY print at the best of times and nothing says, "hey, I'm a fun-loving, wacky communications exec" like a crazy-but-classy duck print, right? RIGHT?!

TED BAKER

Ted Baker also surprised me in all-round goodness, especially that velvet blazer and 60s black and white dress, and my mind's definitely been changed about the brand after that quick swatch online. I'm not sure what I expected if I'm honest, maybe something a little bit naff? I've been in to the Ted Baker store in Prince's Square twice in my puff, (once to hurry through to the mall out of the rain and once to help shop for a friends boyfriend) so I am about as unfamiliar with their style as it's possible to be, but I'll be sure not to overlook them again.

WHISTLES

Probably not a huge shock for most, but I found Whistles best for the slightly more casual end of the work-wear spectrum. I have a couple of silk t-shirts and tunics from Zara which remind me of the type of thing on offer at Whistles and it's a classic look that can't help but be smart and chic without really trying. And let's face it, anything that requires minimal effort is a winner with me!

I've not included places like Zara or Next or wherever else because I'm just ASSUMING (rightly or wrongly?) that they'll be obvious places to hit for smart staples, plus I wanted to push myself to have a look at shops I wouldn't normally. But yeah, can you tell I'm massively out of my element here? I'm sure once I start trying things on I'll get the hang of things I like and don't like, and it is a WEE bit exciting, contemplating a whole new weekday wardrobe - sort of like playing dress up. I just hope I manage to strike the balance between matronly and tacky... It's an issue.

Finally, in the spirit of getting ones SHIZ together, I have to add a picture of  this wee GEM I've just placed an order for...

This, folks, is Moleskine's limited edition Le Petit Prince 2013 daily diary and it's a BEAUT! The eagle-eyed among you may notice the significance given the name of this here blog... Swoon!

Yeah, so that's that.

I'm not sure what this change will mean for Forty Four Sunsets. *sadface*  I tend to do a lot of blogging on my lunch breaks here, but I've a feeling that kind of thing won't be possible at the new place and I've already got list upon list of things to do with my new-found EVENINGS and WEEKENDS (no more mental shifts for me - hurrah!) including joining a gym - DO NOT LAUGH - and possibly doing a part-time night course at college or something, maybe in creative writing? Or maybe something bonkers like basket weaving - just because I can! Plus, yi know, generally having a life again. So it could be difficult to fit in posts for a while, at least until I find my feet. 

But stick with me, I promise I won't abandon FFS! I mean, where else will I get to indulge in my love for CAPS LOCK AND RAMBLING AND RANTING ON FOR FAR TOO BLOODY LONG FOR NO REASON TO VIRTUALLY NO ONE AT ALL and linking obscure YouTube clips and weird Google images furtively into text that may or may not have anything to do with the point I'm making etc...?

I've been at this too long, can you tell? Time to wrap it up. Hope you all had a BONZER festive season and let's all make 2013 OUR YEAR, yeah? Yeah. Cool.

WHISTLES SUMMER 12 LOOKBOOK

Totally classy, totally gorgeous.

I think there's still a High Summer campaign to come out, but for the time being this SS12 lookbook from Whistles is ticking all the right boxes for me. Whaddya reckon?

Serious brow/red lip envy going on in that last shot. Swoon!

WHISTLES AW11

So, if I could have this jumper from Whistles I'm pretty sure it would make me happier than just about anything else right now...

AND if I woke up looking exactly like this smokin' model, that wouldn't be the worst thing to happen either. Sort it out, Karma.

PEE ESS...

Nipped into Silverburn on my lunch and made off with these badboys...

Topshop Vectra studded slippers. Love em, love em, love everything about em!

If I were so inclined, and had a never-ending bank balance, I'd pair them with some more of Topshop's summery offerings. Namely, these bright lovelies:

Orrrr with Whistles' covetted and much-hyped red Carrie midi skirt and some leopard print. I die!

Right. ENOUGH. I'm away home to scoff some scran and get my SWAG OAN - Saturday night stylee!

x

THE ONE WHERE I TURN 24 AND DONT GET TO SEE BEYONCE

Hey y'all!

Today is my 24th birthday, would you believe! Mental.

It's been some year bloggies. I broke up with my boyfriend, started this blog, decided to go back to uni, made a heap of new friends, spent quite a bit of time through in Edinburgh, cried a little, laughed a lot, had hunners of deep chats and lots of ridiculous times with my core four besties, made and met some lovely blogging pals, and generally had a gay old time.

That said, I am currently in work approaching hour 9 of a mammoth 10-hour shift and have hee haw planned for tonight except a season 2 True Blood marathon and the T in the Park highlights of Beyonce's set. WILD NIGHT OR WHIT?! 

Can't believe I won't get to see big Bouncy do her thing, while she is a) in Scotland and b) in Scotland, performing, on my birthday! Gutted. Still... Bill, Eric and Jason will do-doubt take the edge off.

Aaaanyway, here's a few snaps from my birthday night out on Thursday:

Photogenic as ever, Kirsty.

'Deathly chic.'

Enjoying some taxi banter.

My Friends, ladies and gentlemen. Professional people. Classy ladies if you will...

Pissed as absolute farts. LOL!

I actually spent ages doing my hair that night but it just would NOT play ball so it had to go up. It's at a particularly annoying stage at the moment where it just never sits right. I'm going to have to persevere though cos getting it cut short again is not an option. I've had it with looking like a teenage boy with over-grown curtains, even if that look weirdly suits me. I miss slamming my long locks in the door of my car, or waking up thinking it's strangling me to death. I'm afraid to say these are just FACTS, people, so I'm officially growing my hair, again. At 24 I must have spent a good two thirds of my life either actively growing out a fringe or growing all of my hair in general. Sigh.

I like to buy a new dress for my birthday if I can, so I had a look online at some of the sales and spotted this Topshop Unique silk playsuit, down to £75 from £150. Bargain.

I also helped myself to these badboys with some of my birthday money:

Ladies, if you like a mid-heeled leather boot, and what kind of crazy fool doesn't, get down to Topshop cos they have a whole new range in two or three cute wee styles. It was hard to stop at just one pair, let me tell you.

SO. Apart from turning another year older, what else have I been up to? Well, last week I CASUALLY, NONCHALANTLY interviewed a freaking hero of mine, Caryn Franklin.

As a renowned fashion critic, Caryn is probably best known for presenting the BBC's flagship and much-missed Clothes Show, but she was also the co-editor of i-D magazine in the 1980s and as a journalist and broadcaster she herself  has interviewed the likes of John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld and Vivienne Westwood. Her expert and insider opinion is still as highly-valued and sought-after as it ever was and she continues to be a champion of breakthrough British Fashion at all the main Fashion Weeks every year.

So, like, NO FREAKING PRESSURE THEN!

It was a phone interview in a sardine-tin of a recording studio on one of the hottest days of the year, so to say I was sweating was putting it very mildly. Eventually though, once I figured out what the hell I was doing/going to say, it turned out to be one of the most interesting interviews I've ever done. And, OK, I'm no Michael Parkinson (shocking, but true) but seriously, she was a DELIGHT! We spoke for almost an hour about her early career, about interviewing Lee McQueen in the dark, about how to get ahead in fashion and in business, about juggling family and career and finally about the All Walks Beyond the Catwalk project which she co-founded along with Erin O'Connor and Debra Bourne.

Ladies, can I be your new best friend?

It was honest-to-goodness such an interesting and enjoyable chat I didn't want it to end! GUSH GUSH!

I don't want to say too much as I'll probably reveal all in due course, but I interviewed her as part of my Masters project which I'll let you all know about once it's come more together. I obviously recorded (most of) the interview and am looking to get it onto a podcast for y'all to wrap yer lugs round soon... if you guys want?

Oh aye, and you might have seen from my Twatter that I MET THE QUEEN LAST WEEK TOO!

OK, not actually, but almost! My dad, his girlfriend and I were invited to the Royal Garden party at Holyrood last Tuesday and apart from all the standing about in very painful Kurt Geigers (Thanks Mhairi Spoon for letting me borrow!) and lack of any alcohol, the best bit was when the actual real life QUEEN came and stood an arm's length away from me, chatting to the couple stood directly to my left, for like at least 5 full minutes.

It was pure surreal.

Oh, and I wore my most favourite dress in the universe:

I would OBVIOUSLY have been getting my pap on right in Lizzies face if I could but phones and cameras were heavy banned, so just believe me when I say she was looking very regal and Queen-like in a long cream coat and black hat. Yah.

Jings, this was a bit of a ramble, eh? Much more concise next time, I promise.

So yeah, that's what I've been doing, innit. Just a final word - I'm STILL having problems commenting back on Blogger. Unless you have the comment function that pops up in a separate window, Blogger keeps asking me to sign in on a constant loop whenever I go to enter a comment in the box. It happens on my own laptop and on my work PC so I have no idea what the issue is? Does anyone know how to get round it - I'm para it looks really rude and ignorant of me to never comment folk back!

Cheers!

RECENT PURCHASES AND WHISTLES WISHLIST

So, I've been at it again - spending money like there's no tomorrow y'all!

I don't feel too bad though, as most of the clothes currently residing in the worlds largest ironing pile in my front room, or bursting out my drawers (always enjoy writing 'bursting out ma drawers!') are totally autumnal yo, and really unsuitable for the season ahead.

 - I say AHEAD because regardless of the fact it's allegedly almost June, summer has yet to arrive here in sodden, windy and decidedly chilly Glesga.

Anyway, hopefully the weather will gie itsel' a shake sometime soon, so with that in mind here's a wee peek at a couple of new summery purchases:

 Urban Outfitters t-shirt

Just cos I DO enjoy a slouchy t-shirt with a random word in French emblazoned on the front - and who doesn't! Seriously though -  a recent reccy of my tops situation showed I have vastly more shirts and blouses than I do casual t-shirts and the like so REALLY, if you think about it, I kind of HAD to get it didn't I...? 

Urban Outfitters striped maxi skirt

Still loving and living in stripes at the moment. I've been looking for a stripey maxi skirt for ages but can never seem to find one that fits just right. I bought this and the top online so haven't tried them on but fingers crossed this one does the job - really hoping the waistband is tight enough to sit right on my waist as I'm such a short arse it'll no-doubt drown me otherwise.

I'm imagining wearing both this and the t-shirt together, with some oversized black sunglasses, the Alexander Wang Rocco bag and some chunky black sandals like those in the pic. Summer perfection, no?

Zara floral kimono

OK, OK, last thing I really need is yet another blouse, but this is such a vibrant shade of yellow in real life I couldn't really resist. I wore it to the GCU fashion show which I was filming on Thursday night and it was so comfy and pretty, and went perfectly with my coral Rimmel lippy. I'm going to Venice for a holiday in September and can't wait to wear this wafting around on a gondola sipping prosecco and stuff, pure classy like...

Whistles Wishlist

I was Tweeting recently about how I never usually tend to shop in Whistles or Cos or Reiss, but actually the calibre of clothing - both in terms of quality and fashion-forwardness -  going on is super high, perhaps expectedly so considering these stores fall under the higher end of the highstreet. In other words they are EXPENSIVE!

I was doing some more assisting for the Sunday Herald fashion department last week, and we went to pick up a few items from Whistles in Princes Square - which is where I fell in love with the following:

Turquoise lace dress

Rather hilariously I have been invited to attend the Royal Garden Party at Holyrood Palace in July, as my Dad is a Justice of the Peace and was selected to bring an unmarried daughter aged 17-25, and BINGO that's me! An absolute lolocaust, right? I mean, I can only presume it's so as to try and match me up with some kind of Duke or Lord or summat! SCORE! Anyhoo, obviously this means SWANKY NEW DRESS, and this would be perfection!

Nowhere else have I seen Christopher Kane's fluorescent lace of SS11 translated so well. I love the length, colour, belt and panelling neck detail in particular, and yet again keep imagining it with that coral lipstick. Sigh. Shame it's £275 odd quid.

Coral knitted cropped sweater

I'm really in need of some summer knitwear, as ridiculous as that sounds! Like I mentioned, it's still cold enough to feel a chill without a jacket, but I don't always want to wear a jacket if the sun's shining so this would be perfect. AND it's cropped so would work with my high-waisted leather shorts or even the stripey UO maxi skirt. Plus it's coral and I'm definitely more than a little obsessed with coral at the moment, in case you haven't noticed!

Striped jersey maxi dress

Another one for Venice I reckon. Very Jill Sander esq, it's voluminous without being overwhelming and all I'd need with this would be some big sunnies, a wide-brimmed hat and sandals. Chic to the max.

Orange loveheart bikini

Love this orange heart print to death - Whistles do it in a more traditional bikini and swimsuit, but I'd definitely opt for this high-waisted retro version. I much prefer a bikini with an underwired cup as I just don't trust those stringy buggers not to ping off at any moment...

So there you have it, whaddya reckon bloggies? Seen any must-have summer buys in the shops recently?

Let me know!

BE STILL, MY BEATING HEART

Currently lusting after...




Wildfox princess bride unisex T. Sugary-sweet perfection.





Make Love not Horcruxes glass pendant from Trophies on Etsy. Harry Potter-themed jewellery = winner!

Angel Jackson fringed tote at Urban Outfitters. FRINGE! Still as obsessed as ever...

ACNE Truth Rib ankle-length dress and leather hat. Weird to be thinking about SS11 already, but this doesn't really feel summery. Love.

Whistles Rosalie dress. This has been everywhere recently, with good reason. J'adore.

Topshop ATTITUDE Block Wood Heel Boots. Just... OH EM GEE.