If it ain't broke...

For a couple of years now I've fallen head over heels for Vintage clothes and Im pretty sure it's going to be a life-long love affair. The thing that puts alot of people off, the idea of someone else wearing it first, is one of the main attractions for me. I like to think that each garment or piece of jewellery has a story behind it and I'm wearing a tiny little bit of history. I'm also a bit of a believer that they just don't make 'em like they used to! Vintage clothes have a quality about them that modern clothes don't, and at the end of the day you're not going to look like just another Topshop clone if you're wearing something from 30 years ago.

Vintage can be expensive but it can also be a cheaper alternative to the highstreet if you know where to look. My favourite places to shop Vintage tend to be down Brick Lane and Portobello areas. Brick Lane has a couple of Rokit stores, which sell pretty cheap vintage, and also have a website, www.rokit.co.uk which is a good option if you don't like trawling round the shops all day. I'm also pretty sure they have a returns policy on the website which is obviously essential with vintage, as you have no idea what the size is going to be like.
An even cheaper way of wearing vintage (and by that i mean free!)is to root through all your parents old stuff. I've found some great dresses, jumpers and skirts that my mum used to wear back in the day and it cost me absolutely nothing. Perfect!

When wearing vintage you want to mix it up with some old and new stuff so you don't overdo it and just look like you've stepped out of the 1970's or some "Back To The Future" esque storyline. I love that movie :)

The pictures above is what I wore the other day when I met a friend, and fellow blogger, for lunch, http://toparistonight.blogspot.com/. My mum's drop waist dress, Alan the adorable Dachshund bag, beret from Primark and shoes from Topshop. Let me know what you think :)

R xoxoxoxoxox

Malene Birger Au/Wi

A couple of weeks ago I did a week of work experience with a local magazine that's part of the newspaper my Dad works for. It wasn't exactly Vogue but I had a really good week and was given the opportunity to write and layout my own article to go in the magazine, about Au/Wi trends. I interviewed local boutiques, got press passes for photos and enjoyed working a couple of desks down from my Dad who is my one and only favourite.

Whilst writing the article I came across a designer Malene Birger who was stocked by one of the local boutiques and fell in love with the clothes instantly. Simple but very stunning. Unfortunately I don't have much idea of prices as the look book for press doesn't specify. Very annoying, but some of the SS Collection is available on Net-a-porter so it gives you a rough idea. Thought I'd post a few pictures for you all to drool over, because if you're anything like me you'll love it all.

My favourites are definitely going to have to be the leather trews and square shouldered silk dresses. I'm also a bit of a sucker for the grey joggers but heels are going to be essential when wearing those, to avoid just looking like your out on a run or being mistaken for a chav (god-forbid!)

Lots of love,

R xoxoxoxox

Barry M, Mint Green.

A delicious summer colour, I'm in love with this nail polish.

Fringe Benefits

I've spent the last 4 months trying to grow my fringe out and I've now reached a semi-acceptable beyond nose level- but as irony would have it I now want to cut it back in. I love the effortless cool of fringes and if you've got the right face for them, they can look amazing. If you're gonna do fringes there's only really two ways:
Thick, heavy, over the eyebrows, especially good if you've got thick hair like me. A modern version of beautiful Jean Shrimpton's late 60's haircut.
Or short, hot rolled and noticeably above the eyebrows. Think Dita Von Teese meets the retro "Page Boy" haircut. For the more eccentric.
When you're growing them out you can also opt for the centre parting, "curtains" which look alot cooler than they sound. Alexa Chung, Jameela Jamil, they're all doing it.
Fringes have been around for a while now, but I think it's more about having the right face than being in fashion. And if Marc Jacobs doing fringes on his AW10 catwalks, it's good enough for me!
As my hair is naturally curly and out of control when in contact with water I'm going to leave the fringe for after the Summer Hols and see if I still fancy it in September, when my hairs a bit longer and can keep my forehead warm in the colder months!

R xoxoxox