In The Unlikeliest of Places...

Matalan is a place I love to hate, for reasons which I think are obvious to anyone who's been in one. For me, it's almost (but not quite) up there with TK Maxx as my ultimate in retail hell. Last night, however, after making an appointment for my cat's annual check-up and booster shots, the mothership suckered me into going in there - it's annoyingly situated right next door to the vet.

On previous reluctant trips into Matalan, the one area I do tend to check out is their shoe section, seeing as they usually have something semi-fierce going on in the way of heels. On this occassion I - shock horror! - actually bought a pair. Due to their being composed of cheapo plastic-y stuff, they are currently doing an alarming amount of squeaking, but they look pretty good. I am the only one in my household who doesn't think they're horrid, but that's okay. Not very good for my buy-less-cheap-crap, save-up-for-the-quality-stuff resolution, though, I do admit.

A Sweet Treat

Cafe Coco and Sugar Lounge aka my kinda place...

Cafe Coco and Sugar Lounge, Petworth, West Sussex

Nailin' It

On the hunt online for a matt grey nail polish, I instead came across Estee Lauder's White Beige, a deliciously creamy cafe au lait-type colour. Now, I'm pretty slow, so while teaming coral nail colour with taupe clothing was something I'd long been a fan of, it had never occured to me to team a taupe-ish nail with coral clothes! Well, it seems blindingly obvious now, yes... Anyway, I promptly placed an order, and I am muchos liking how it looks with my coral Topshop bandage mini. This photo doesn't show it at its best - and, man, my fingers look really pudgy!

And you've gotta love those Estee Lauder freebies, eh?

Happily, while in Boots yesterday, I found the grey I was desiring as well, courtesy of my favourite make-up brand, Barry M. Their colour selection is fantastic, it's sooo cheap and the quality is really good. Yay for Mr M!

Lalallaliyah: I know, looking at stuff on a screen can't compare to holding a big fat glossy mag in your hands - and you can't cut stuff out either... I think in Amelia's case it was a financial issue as well; such a shame as it was sooo pretty.

Mag Hag

I love magazines. I am probably semi-addicted. Scratch that, I’m full-on addicted. When I was a teenager, I would go into the newsagents on my way to school almost every day to buy a magazine. In those days it was Smash Hits (RIP), Big (ditto) and J(ust) 17 (now, once again, defunct) that I loved the most. Nowadays, my appetite for a glossy read is just as veracious. Not just for fash mags – I love film and music ones, too. But it’s the days of the month when Vogue and Elle hit my doormat that I get most excited about.
And that brings me to the point of my post, really. It’s only recently that I’ve discovered the true wealth of fashion mags out there. For a fashion/mag-obsessive like myself, it’s a sad state of affairs that my consumption has mostly been limited to the aforementioned big guns.
I blame this entirely on my surroundings. The mainstream magazines are really all I have access to in my locality. The one singular place that holds otherwise-hard to find titles in my town is the local branch of Waterstones, which stocks Dazed & Confused, i-D and occasionally Nylon. These might be easily accessible to some folks, but not poor little me. (Actually, maybe I’m somewhat lucky as all other Waterstones I’ve been in recently don’t seem to stock any mags at all.) Anyway, this almost complete lack of physical access (yay for the internet, of course) was rubbed in my face recently by a visit last week to the Brighton branch of Borders. Once again, this might be nothing to those that live in such places (ie civilisation), but for me it was like mag nirvana. A complete and veritable plethora of international Vogues was just for starters; my head spun at the selection of fash and art mags that previously I’d just read about on blogs. Here they were in front of me, and for someone who normally gets to choose from Elle, UK Vogue, Marie Claire et al, and thinks she’s spoilt if the local WH Smith gets US Elle (which I don’t even really like) in… well, it was truly overwhelming. I stood in the middle of Borders literally clutching my head, like the complete lame-o that I am.
In the end, I left with just one magazine. I could have come away with a dozen very easily, but I had to exercise some control. Especially seeing as I’d just enjoyed a mini AA spree. I opted for the last issue of Amelia’s Magazine (as in both the current one and the final – boo). It’s a real treat of a publication, which continues in online form here, if you’re interested in checking it out. You can also order a small selection of back issues there.
Thus, I was sceptical as to whether I would be able to find the inaugural issue of Katie Grand’s new magazine, Love, in town (though the fact that it’s Conde Nast gave me some hope), but I have just returned and can happily report that it was to be found alongside the Cosmos, Marie Claires and Elles on the shelves of my local WH Smiths. I shall report back with some thoughts once I’ve had a chance to look through it properly.

Tweet Tweet

I received this Buddug Wyn Humphreys hairband in the post a few days ago, but I’ve only just got around to photographing it. I bought it mainly to wear to my cousin’s wedding in May – they’re lovebirds, geddit? Aw.

Happily, there’s an online e-shop, as well a list of stockists on her website. The lovebirds weren’t listed on the e-shop, but I sent her an email asking to order one and she obliged, so that’s what I’d recommend if you see something you like that isn’t up for sale on the site.

The Fundamentals

I'll fess up. I wear about 10% of wardrobe 90% of the time. There are certain things that I just can't imagine how I'd get by without and that I return to day after day. It's good to have a solid set of basics, but as other bloggers have pointed out, there's no such thing as a definitive list of "essentials". I mean, the lists of what every woman should supposedly have that appear in magazines bear no resemblance to what I personally feel I need to have in my wardrobe. I don't have the lifestyle or the desire for a tailored white shirt or a trench coat.

For me, the most "fundamental" components of my wardrobe can also be thrown together to form my most oft worn outfit. If I had a daily "uniform" this would be it.

American Apparel Grey Tri-Blend T-Shirt

Love the colour, love the feel, love the cut and the fit. I can layer this under anything, pretty much.

Long/Oversized Plaid Shirt

The one pictured here is by Silence + Noise from Urban Outfitters. Plaid shirts are probably my personal definitive can't-live-without item. I like them to be soft and roomy, and this one is one of my faves.

Grey Sweatshirt

This is another AA piece; very soft, very cosy, with sleeves that cover my hands (I like an overlong sleeve), this is an ultimate basic. Goes with anything, I like to wear it over leggings or a brightly-coloured mini.

Black Leggings

These can be plain cotton from Topshop, or my current faves pictured here, the AA spandex leggings. I have it bad for leggings in any colour or pattern (and am tempted by a wealth of cool printed ones out there) but black, whether plain or shiny, is a staple of my wardrobe.

Flat lace-up pumps (I posted about these Topshop flats when I bought them, and as predicted, have indeed worn them out in the damp and the mud. They're holding up okay, but I'm still very tempted to grab another pair before they disappear off the site. I couldn't live without them now, nooooo!) And a roomy, casual bag to throw my junk in (This Topshop one fits the bill nicely.)

Not the most exciting collection of clothes in the world, no, but that's not the point. These are the items that I couldn't do without on a daily basis; they can be layered and mixed and matched up with different things. Or, when it's grey outside and what I want from my clothes is to be wrapped up in the equivalent of a comfort blanket, this is what I'll put on all together; not to wow but to feel comfortable, confident and very much like myself. Which is, um, a scruffy tomboy.

Other personal essentials not listed above but not to be excluded: Tabio 110 denier tights; Topshop "Pippa" jeans; Penny hearts Kenny white jazz shoes; a black 'go with anything' coat; a long line cardie in various colours; big chunky knitted cardies; a grey hoodie; mini skirts in brightly coloured hues; rock tees.

An Arrival from Australia

After seeing Susie Bubble in her All of the Above grey jersey draped jacket a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist ordering one for myself. Normally, I avoid buying things from international e-shops because I'm wary of getting lumped with customs charges, but I took the plunge on this occasion. The conversion from Australian dollars to British pounds is just too tempting - I don't know whether the rate is particularly good or not right now, but the shrinkage in amount when I stuck the numbers into Google was vast enough to make the price seem positively bargainious. It wasn't really very cheap at all, but when the price drops by more than half, the mind can be tricked. Or mine can, at least, but then it's very willing to be.
Unfortunately, however, a card plopped onto my doormat today informing me that I had indeed been hit by a customs charge (more like walloped, smashed and bashed by one). Bums! So, I toodled up the road to the collection office and it's fortunate indeed that I like this draped piece of grey jersey very much. It would have worked out a pretty expensive mistake if I didn't.
Of course I don't look as lovely in it as Miss Bubble, but I'm still too reeling from the shock of the in-excess-of-20-quid customs charge to care much...

//Worn over: Urban Outfitters Renewal blue plaid shirt (yes, I do wear this shirt almost all the time)/ Lux black mini skirt/ Tabio charcoal grey tights/ Topshop turquoise flats/ Urban Outfitters hot pink chain necklace//

As an aside, the light isn't great inside the house, so I'll be taking any opportunity to get outside to take pictures. I don't want to turn this blog into some kind of meteorological log (fun!) but it is quite pleasingly sunny today. Comparatively speaking, anyway...

The Return of the Shoe

I came home this afternoon (empty-handed, save for a bottle of Anbesol to numb my poor gum where an abscess has developed around my very slowly emerging wisdom tooth - ouch) to find the Topshop package containing the shoes waiting for me in my porch.

As expected, they were indeed too big; oh, the heartbreak! It also has to be said, they were bloody uncomfortable. So, they've been packed back up, ready to be returned...

Looking pretty in their box as I sadly prepare them for return...

The dustbag is placed on top of them. Bye bye, shoes...

Finally, the lid goes back on the box...

I'm aleady planning what to spend the money I've just 'made' on. A supply of American Apparel basics, I'm thinking. See, very sensible.

An Unprecedented Passion for Pastels

It's weird how lifelong fashion prejudices can change just like that. Trends don't dictate my wardrobe, though of course they seep into it, but it's odd how, when there's a proliferation of a certain thing that you've always been completely averse to, you can see it with brand new eyes, so to speak.

Case in point, pastels. I'm the least pastel-ly person ever; it's a whole colour palette that's always made me shudder and has never been spotted in my wardrobe. The pastels that are around for this season, though, I'm finding truly delectable. There's a freshness, a vibrancy and just a general ice creamy loveliness about them. The current issue of Fashion156 is dedicated to them, and it's a real treat for the eyes.

Pairing pastels with nude tones works for me, as does teaming them up with pure brights.

Any outfit featuring an ice cream works for me.

It's hard to believe I'm liking candy pink trousers, but I do...

All images taken from the current issue of Fashion156

The Shoe Shakes

Oh God, I literally feel as though I'm going to heave. I involuntarily (seriously!) clicked onto Topshop this morning (it's right there on the tool bar; my cursor just goes there all by itself every day) and they had the shoes. The shoes I've been dreaming of for weeks, since I first saw them posted on Style Bubble. There they were, available to buy. My brain disconnected from my hands and I found myself clicking Add To Bag, putting in my details and bam! I'd bought them. Yes, I'm not supposed to be buying anything right now (I've just bought a new computer; I'm going away for a few days soon; I have to pay for the cat's booster shots this month)... Yes, they're too expensive, really... YES, THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE MY SIZE!! But clickety-click, I bought them anyway, in one size too big (Goddamn you, Topshop, I'm a 38 everywhere else, why am I a 37 in your shoes?!)
Okay, so I'm rationalising this unplanned purchase thus: a) I can actually afford them. I don't like the dive the figures on my bank page have taken, but financially, it is okay; b) I have a wedding to attend in the spring for which they will be perfecto, and of course I would have had to have bought some shoes for the occasion at some point; c)I'm pretty sure the sizing won't be that out - I'll stuff cotton wool in the toes if I have to; and d) they're so pretty!
It has to be said, also, that they are not the only totally killer shoes they have right now - it's a dangerous place to browse onto today, that Topshop shoe section. (The Emma Cooks are amazing).
So, here they are. So beautiful. So giving me the shakes.

I'm so off to barf now.

EDIT: In an act of attempting to appease my concience, I've popped a few bits up for sale on Ebay. If you live in the UK (sorry, can't post abroard), please check them out. Only a couple of bits right now, but more things will appear in dribs and drabs over the next few days.

Oh, You Pretty Things

So, I'm imposing a little bit of shopping abstinance on myself for a while to compensate for the impact a couple of clickety-clicks on Amazon will have on the numbers on my bank statement after I buy my new netbook (and I'll be going on about said netbook for some time yet, I predict). But as clothes buying is not a priority right now (and I'm still waiting for purchases made in the last couple of weeks to arrive in the mail, anyway), my web-browsing became focussed on beautiful things that weren't clothes. These are all definitely things that would make Holly Pop World that much more of a pretty place to live in.

Tea. I cannot get enough of it. If I had a cup this beautiful to drink it out of, I don't think I'd ever be without my favourite beverage in hand. The cake plate and dessert stand are equally lovely.

Tina Tsang Blaue Blume Teacup, £32.25, from hiddenartshop.com

If there's a cooler way to carry around a laptop, I haven't seen it.

ab-irato Computer Bag, £78, from Beyond the Valley

If I have to wear glasses (and believe me, I do), getting to store them in this would make it way more fun to be a specs-wearer. I still say hooray for contacts, though.

Owl Design Glasses Case, £6, from Paperchase

Kris Chau's illustrations and paintings are all so wonderful but it's this one, entitled Sweet Anatomy, that I'm particularly drawn to. I've never seen such beautiful insides before.

Sweet Anatomy by Kris Chau, $55, from krischau.com

As a self-confessed mad cat lady, I would be very happy to have this cushion residing on my daybed, I think.

Milk Thief Cushion by Ashley Thomas, £54.76, from hiddenartshop.com

Neon pink hands on a cream base. Need I say more?

Rose Clock by Mr Kaliski, £73.36, from hiddenartshop.com

A complete waste of time to buy pretty toys for my own beloved cat because the amount of money I've wasted on 'fun' toys for him already is enough. His disinterest in any (non-living) thing except cheap ping-pong balls, food and feet is palpable. But this mouse... so pretty!

Pink Felt Mouse Cat Toy, £6, from Mungo and Maud

Exploring ASOS

I may be about to make my first purchase from ASOS (well, aside from some polka dot flip flops and a cliched skull-print scarf circa 2005). It's rather annoying that the spotting of this blouse took place approximately 0.35 seconds after deciding that I was going to halt all fashion-related purchases for the time being to aid the procurement of a Samsung netbook. I thought to myself, should I really even be here, when I am emphatically NOT buying any new clothes for at least a few weeks? But I reasoned that I've never been taken with anything on ASOS enough to buy it (though the odd thing does take my fancy now and again), so I was safe. I didn't bargain on this pretty peach double-breasted blouse.

It's in my colour of the season and ripe for pairing with a nude palette a la Christopher Kane S/S09, or maybe sleek and shiny black.

I browsed on a bit further to see if I could find anything else covetable; predictably, most of these came from the accessories departments or the designer collections (which I tried to exclude for the most part, because that seemed like cheating).

(L-R, Top - Bottom: Woven Track Pant/ Neon Trim Across the Body Bag/ Body Con Mini Pencil/ Markus Lupfer Corset Shadow Applique T-Shirt/ Bow Front Sandal) - You can click on the image for a bigger version.

Hmm, slightly regretting my further foraging, because as well as the blouse I want the shoes and bag now, too. Oops.

All pics from asos.com

EDIT: Can't decide now whether I like this blouse, or actually think it's gross. Either way, I'm really holding up on the not buying any new clothes - it's been a couple of days now! I'm much more excited about making a visit to Comet this afternoon to futher investigate the purchasing of the netbook! (I'm a computer geek, and I just don't care.)

A Grey Day

Despite the craze for colour (well, it's a craze by my standards) I've been exhibiting here lately, today it's all about the grey (to match the day outside, rather than try to inject some colour in to it).

The view from my back door at lunchtime today.

Okay, well, a lil flash of colour, then, in the form of my favourite colour to combine with grey (and taupe and cafe au lait and cream...). It's coral, of course!

Some DIY Shoulder Action

The detachable shoulder pads in Michelle Lowe-Holder's Spring/Summer 08 collection are a great way of adding interest to a plain vest or tee. So, I've been inspired to at least attempt a DIY version.

To say I don't exactly live in fashion central would be a gross understatement, but my town does have a good haberdashery. I visited today and picked up a pair of shoulder pads and some milky-coffee-coloured fabric. My skills in this department are sorely lacking, but I shall have a go at attempting something to attach to plain grey, cream or maybe coral jersey t-shirts and cardigans. Once I can figure out a way of attaching them, that is.

While I was there, I picked up some coral buttons to sew on to a cream slubby top I haven't worn in a while. I instantly zoomed in on the duck, strawberry, heart, starfish and smiley face-shaped buttons, such is my innate love of The Kitsch, but I opted for regular round buttons, which I'm planning to decorate around the top of the sleeves or neckline with.

The results will be posted in due course, the results of a DIY experiment that I will make look painfully difficult, no doubt.

Colour Lovin'

As previously touched upon, I currently have a raging appetite for all things ice cream-coloured. This Vivienne Westwood purse is, to continue the theme, making my mouth water. I especially love the way it teams brights with neutrals, which is one of my major fashion loves. The bag version is a little too much for me (or is it? I'm having second thoughts on that), but the wallet I could happily imagine residing within my own, more neutrally-toned, bag.

Vivienne Westwood Harlequin Wallet

The Vanessa Bruno Blazer Makes Its Debut...

After arriving in the post and having a trip to the dry cleaners, my Vanessa Bruno blazer got its first outing today to, um, Tesco. It's a great jacket, not showcased to its best advantage by this photo. Today was about dressing for warmth and comfort, and I cropped my face out, because it wasn't really up to being photographed today (is it ever?). So, excuse the crap photo; it was hurriedly taken during the Neighbours advert break (love Neighbours - it's so good lately!)

//Vanessa Bruno blazer/Urban Outfitters Renewal plaid shirt/Topshop beige cardie/old Topshop denim mini/ Tabio charcol grey 120 denier tights/ Penny hearts Kenny white jazz shoes//

Introducing...Mishka!

Browsing in a cool little art gallery yesterday, I came across a selection of Andrea Willamson's work. Williamson makes knitted accessories and interiors pieces at her studio in the Shetland Islands, including scarves, cushions and a very cool knitted clock which she doesn't seem to have on her website but which they had on the wall at the gallery (which I unfortunately don't know the name of, otherwise I would put a link to their website - if they have one - as they had some great stuff). I was quite smitten with a scarf (and also adore the gingerbread men on her website) but it was a small lambswool Russian doll cushion that I had to have as soon as I saw it. There's a bit of a fashion for Russian dolls at the moment, but I've always been keen on them, and I love the colours on this cushion. I have named her Mishka, after the Russian air hostess who dated Lou in Neighbours a while back. Here she is out to lunch yesterday:

She didn't get to share any of the scrumptious desserts, though.

It was a delicious lunch all round. Thanks, Baileys!

Pretty Holly

When you fall in love with a beautiful shoe, and then find out that it is not just fabulous but your namesake, well, it's a sign, isn't it, surely, that they're meant for you. Now, if only I was meant to have a £380 shoe budget.

Georgina Goodman Holly Shoes - £380

Actually, it would have to be more like a £1140 shoe budget, because I couldn't possibly decide between the three colours. My love for brighty coloured accessories has extended, though, into a current passion for all things in ice cream colours, of which I'm sure they'll be plenty around for Spring/Summer. So, while, if pushed, I would probably plump for the green Hollys, a wealth of other beautifully-hued shoes will be around for the picking. And a more affordable pair of shoes that I'm also admiring can be found at ASOS. The awful styling of their clothes normally puts me off even looking at ASOS, but they do their accessories a favour by just picturing them solo, so I don't get distracted from a cool pair of shoes by the cheap-looking styling. I'm actually quite impressed with their shoe collection, and in particular these platforms:

Asos Premium Leather Sporty Platform Sandals - £64

Grey and yellow has always evoked the 80s for me (not particularly sure why), but on these shoes the colour combo seems really fresh, and I am quite besotted with them. The shoe fest is still continuing...

Paraphernalia

Like Ebay, Etsy is a place I can happily lose track of time randomly searching. This Paraphernalia necklace was something I came across after admiring Kirsty Lee's camera necklace on That's Just My Vibe (see Reading List on the right). I'm looking forward to experimenting with it a little bit with different looks.

The Emotional Highs and Lows of Ebay

Along with cups of tea, crumpets and listening to old Roxette hits (crashing on from there), I am currently addicted to Ebay. I love scrolling through the pages of tat and ludicrously high Buy It Now prices, to come across a true bargain or that perfect something something. Today, however, has not been all good on the Ebay front. Two items that I've been watching all week both ended today, and as the days have gone past, with me compulsively checking the state of bidding on My Ebay page, I had come to think of them as mine, you know?

Unfortunately, I fell prey to the Last Second Bidder on the perfect faux fur coat I was the highest bidder on all week. Quite often, I'll envision a piece of clothing in my head and be constantly keeping half an eye out for this imaginary item whilst shopping. It resulted in big success with a pair of flat black studded boots I found in Peacocks (a shop I never go in, but popped into on this one occasion on the off chance I'd find an approximation of the mythical boots - and I did... for £9). And when I came across this faux fur coat on Ebay, it was exactly what I wanted, from the picture at least. With less than a minute to go on bidding, it was so close to being mine... But it wasn't to be, and I have moved on swiftly and brutally to another, very similar, coat. And so the anxious waiting begins again.

But, happily ending on a bright note, I did win a Vanessa Bruno off-white blazer, for the wonderfully bargainious price of £10.

There has been a shift in my thinking when it comes to shopping, with less interest in the high street and more interest in thrifty Ebay buys, and saving up for that something special which I have yet to settle on right now.

Anyways, I'll be modelling the Vanessa Bruno jacket for the blog when it arrives, but for now here's the Ebay snap. Of MY jacket!