Diary of a Fashion Fanatic: March 2012

Lusting after Leather

14:40

While we were in Paris, we spent a healthy chunk of our day exploring the Champs-Elysees in all it's glory. Trust me, you could be there for days.

For some time now, I have been lusting after a pair of high waisted leather look shorts, to add to my extensive collection of black clothes. There is always something that puts me off pairs though, whether it's dodgy stud detailing, the wrong length or a hefty price tag - there is always something wrong with them. So I was more surprised than anyone when I found my perfect pair of black high waisted leather look shorts in, wait for it... H&M. And they're gorgeous.

Now, I know leather look clothes can be horrendous. Far too shiny, making all sorts of dodgy creaky noises when you walk and giving the overall appearance of someone with a less than moral profession. You know what I mean.

Thankfully, that is not the case with my shorts. Perfect rain or shine, I have already worn them far too many times - from nights out with opaque tights, a mesh top body, blazer and suede wedges to a casual lecture, pairing them with vans and a boy london baggy vest top.

I can already see these being my staple piece for the coming months, and for 19euros how can you not fall in love with them?

Festival Fever

13:24

I LOVE festivals. If someone had told me 3 years ago that I would be writing about how the most fun you'll have all year involves a tent, in a field, on a (usually cold) august bank holiday weekend - well, you can imagine my reaction. Alas, lovely readers, it is the truth.

Festivals are an amazing creation, where normally accepted rules of society simply don't apply. Everyone talks to everyone, it is entirely acceptable to have alcohol for breakfast, you don't wash for 4 days, the toilets are...risky, and you spend your days and nights listening to bands, going to the funfair or having the best time with your mates.

There is absolutely nothing anyone can say that puts me off festivals. Overpriced? Get a grip. Dirty? Man up! You can't sleep? Do that on the other 361 days of the year. Festivals are what you make them, and I am lucky enough to have been with some of the funniest, most amazing people ever - all to be repeated this summer. My festival of choice so far would have to be Reading, although I would love to explore loads of new ones over the next few years.

Here are a few pictures from some of the times I've been to Reading Festival, I hope they make you want to reach for your wellies!

You should've seen the mohawk!

Kings of Leon

Amazing people!

Love ending up with a hat that's not mine!

Do any of you have any particular festivals you love?

Supernatural Chic

11:58

As much as I love make up and, like most girls, wear it pretty much everyday, make up trends and changes are not something I follow religiously - as I do fashion. However, after being asked to write for an online magazine for another solent student I have started to immerse myself into this exciting aesthetic area.

Writing about the influx of high shine, ethereal make up that is going to take over our lives has opened my eyes to the influential nature of the make up industry - including the impact it has on the fashion world and trends. Chanel's jewel encrusted eyebrows were the talk of fashion week, perfectly personifying Lagerfelds collection and making us unable to imagine it having the same impact without the gorgeous angular brows. Peter Philips achieved the incredible feat of making make up the leading lady at fashion week, something that deserves a great deal of respect.

From the deepest and most delicious of scarlet lips, heavy eyeliner flicks and geisha style monochrome eyes to pale flushed cheeks and accents of white - there is a make up trend for all of us to embrace in the coming seasons.

So next time you're putting your face on, remember it can make just as much of a fashion statement as your wardrobe.

Forever Friends

14:39

I am LOVING the fact that friendship bracelets are coming back in a big way, from woven plaited styles to stretchy seedbead creations in a range of geometric patterns and vibrant colours. Nothing evokes nostalgia more than memories of creating your own friendships bracelets for your little group of friends, so the idea that this is now fast becoming a stylish fashion accessory is awesome.

Anyone that knows me will already be aware of the fact that I have what verges on an obsession with wristbands/bracelets. I currently have 3 Reading Festival wristbands, a Bangface festival wristband, the wristband from my freshers week, a black leather wrap around pandora bracelet and a beaded bracelet my little cousin made me all taking prime position on my right wrist, yet there is still plenty of room for some new additions.

With one glance on www.asos.com, I was blown away by the amount of influence this new trend has had on their jewellery section. Here are just a few examples I found -

£12

£22

£10

Although, as you have probably gathered by now, I love making my own things wherever possible. Plus part of me does tend to begrudge paying up to £25 for a friendship bracelet on asos, when you can buy the threads for next to nothing and make loads of your own! The DIY ethos is also much better on my student budget. Local haberdashery/fabric shops will have a huge collection of embroidery threads for a couple of pounds a go, or try buying from ebay sellers for great deals. Why not try experimenting with adding beads, charms, buttons or ribbons to your creations too?
There are also loads of friendship bracelets patterns online if you need some inspiration or instructions, on sites like www.how-to-make-jewelry.com/friendship-bracelet-patterns. Best of all, you get totally unique handmade jewellery to add to your collection, as well as being bang on trend. What's not to love!

Get Baked!

15:18

Just to add to my persona of an 87 year old woman, another one of my loves is baking. When I saw this amazing cake online tonight it totally sparked my baking streak, which has been declining for the last couple of weeks (after a particularly amazing batch of brownies!). As much as this decline in baked goods has been increasingly helpful on my quest for a bikini body, the urge to whip out the mixing bowl is coming back with a vengence. I will definitely be creating one of these rainbow beauties soon, aswell as something of a chocolate fudge cake nature - when is it ever not time for a chocolate fudge cake?

Although in my attempts to eat (slightly) less junk food in preparation for the summer, especially for our trip to Tenerife, I am also looking into some slightly less fattening, low calorie alternatives that still have the yum factor - they must exist somewhere!

Now I just need it to be someones birthday so I have a slightly more legitimate excuse to make copious amounts of cake.

Do any of you have luscious recipes you want to share? Leave me comments full of your yummy ideas :)

Keep Calm and Get Knitting

10:27

There is nothing more satisfying than completing a project and being able to wear the finished item. That glorious moment when you stand infront of the mirror wearing your new dress/scarf/jumper and suddenly every pin prick, dropped stitch and suicidal moment is utterly worthwhile. Well,I am currently having one of those joyous moments.

I love knitting. It is complex enough to hold your attention whilst being both relaxing and somewhat nostalgic all at once, reminiscent of a simpler time where people used their own two hands for more than just updating their facebook status. I have however been having a somewhat love/hate relationship with this particular wool. After a few unravelling sessions, I finally decided on yet another scarf, this one with colour blocks in beige, white and black. As it's quite a light yarn it is a perfect spring scarf, which will go well with my denim jacket or throw over simple vest tops.

A last minute decision when casting off resulted in me wanting to turn my humble scarf into a snood, and after watching a quick youtube tutorial on how to do a mattress stitch my masterpiece is complete! So here are a few pictures to share my little creation :)

I apologise for the bad lighting!

Get stuck in to a spring project now, and you'll be reaping the rewards in no time.

Midnight Crawl

10:32

Midnight crawl by Sephora is a gorgeous shimmery irridescent nail polish I picked up in Paris recently, at the irresistible Sephora store on the Champs-Elysees. Unable to resist it's hypnotic charm, I found myself scurrying to the checkout and purchasing this beauty - a steal at just under 5euros.

The colour's are gorgeous, changing effortlessly from subtle greens and silvers to luxe lilacs and golds, all with the flick of your hand. I know some of you may be dubious about the quality of the colour out of the bottle, as there is nothing worse than buying the perfect nail polish only to find out it applies in a wishy washy translucent shade. This one however is pretty impressive. Although the first coat is quite translucent, it layers up seamlessly and with two or three coats coverage is almost flawless. Another way of maintaining a stronger colour would be to layer it over a white base coat, or even a candy pastel shade for added impact.

Something else I love about this nail polish is the little bottle. At only 5ml with a neat applicator brush, it is a perfect little taster size. I hate that whenever I buy nail varnish the bottle always goes gloopy and thick before I have had the chance to finish using it, something I hope to avoid with this Sephora stunner.

I would definitely recommend this nail varnish to all of you, so hunt down a Sephora online stockist and get buying. I definitely plan on investing in lots of their gorgeous colours.