Ain't no sunshine

Hat - Army Surplus, Coat - Gap, Jeans - Gap, Riding Boots - Old old old!

Sometimes, when it is cold, you just need to wear a hat the size of a small bear.

Also...

Read my review of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' new album, Push the Sky Away on Never Enough Notes



Watch the new David Bowie video; a  Lynch-y, horror show with a great soundtrack.

Rejoice in the news that David Byrne and St Vincent have announced a London date at Roundhouse!

Sherwood Forest

  Top - Cos, Hat - AA, Skirt - AA, Boots - Jones

Sub-Optimal

Dress - Charity Shop, Brooch - Charity Shop, Shoes - M&S

Yeee-ow. This dress used to be a cute, 60s sack dress.  I may need to reassess my diet and exercise regime.

Close-up of the brooch

This weekend I was in sunny Southend. It was nice and bright and it really felt like spring had sprung. And then a load of sea mist rolled off the estuary and the whole place was like a scene from Hound of the Baskervilles.

We also watched Once Upon A Time in Anatolia, as film is the latest manifestation of my obsession with Turkey. The cinematography was amazing, a lot of the film involves driving around the Turkish 'prairie' at night and illuminating bits of this massive landscape with military searchlights.  It was really long though and sort of felt like two films.  One of the stories really stayed with me, I've been thinking about it all day. It reminded me a lot of the story behind these Lebanese photographs I posted last year.

We also bought lots of flowers and ate massive steaks on Valentine's Day. Yeah!

Flowers from Igloo on Bermondsey Street.

Clubmaster

Ray-Ban Clubmasters

Gosh, I love Ray-Ban. I wear Wayfarers as my specs each day and have had Clubmaster sunglasses for a couple of years. Here are a couple of inspiring pictures I've come across recently. From Karla's Closet and Advanced Style. 

....ssssaid the snake

Dress - Topshop, Mary-Janes - M&S, Necklace - Handmade

Ni hao!  This is what I wore to see in the year of the snake at an insanely well catered and well decorated Chinese New Year dinner. Wondering why I look so rough and the photo is so bad?  Well, dear reader, it is because we took it back at home in the early hours of the morning after battling home on the last train and walking in the snow.

Here is what we ate:

  

P.S. I can confirm Chinese deserts are as terrible as people say, having tried to force down bean curd in almond milk AKA tofu floating in liquid marzipan.  Bleh.

Sequins

 Coat - H&M, Bag - Marc by Marc Jacobs, Skirt - Topshop, Hat - M&S, Shoes - M&S

I must have about ten short skater skirts now.  Which is a bit excessive, especially as I can't wear them for work. Still another is always good, especially if it's purple and sparkly.

What else have I been doing?

• Reading about what Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, thinks the future is going to be like (clothes chosen by algorithm and machines cutting hair, apparently).
• Catching up with Copenhagen Fashion Week  and planning my trip there at Easter.
• Practicing my Spanish ready to start my new class tomorrow!

Have a great Saturday night!

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (AKA 60s schoolgirls with lots of style)

It is such a grim, rainy afternoon that the only option is to stay home, drink mint tea and watch old movies.  

Pamela Franklin as Sandy.  How come I didn't look like this at school?

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) is an interesting film which offers:

• a young, awesome Maggie Smith;
• great shots of Edinburgh that make it look sunny; and
• food for thought about what outlets people can find if they don't let themselves experience what they want to. 

It is based on a novel by Muriel Spark that is apparently worth a go too.  A friend described it as a smart, Scottish, 60s Cruel Intentions. Which I don't quite agree with, but it alliterates.

This film also has great 'late 60s does 1930s' style and lots of cute school uniforms, berets and trench coats. It also has Pamela Franklin as Sandy, making Harry Potter glasses look hot and doing life studies sittings for her art teacher. Where do I get some glasses like that?

Some key shots of the best outfits and scenes in the film below - enjoy!

RACCOONS

Top - Vera Moda, Skirt - F21, Necklace - homemade, Boots - Jones

This top is entirely covered in sketches of raccoons taken from behind.  It gave one of my directors a bit of a shock when I wore it into a meeting the other day.  I have a stinking cold and therefore am moody, passive aggressive and cancelling all social events.  I am a bad patient!  

LEATHERETTE

Sweater - H&M, Skirt - F21, Boots - Jones

This weekend, I went exploring a new (to me) part of town up in the East around London Fields. I don't know why I've never been here before apart from that you have to take a bus and I hate that, but as one of my best friends is now living in that part of the world, I decided I had to pay a visit. I got there too late to see Broadway Market in all its glory, so I'll have to brave the 149 bus again for another visit.

   

Instead, we paid a very congenial visit to Market Cafe in Dalston to talk "beers and careers".

Market Cafe, Dalston

Tonight, I am going to watch Lincoln, plan some reviews for NEN and practice for the start of Spanish class in Whitechapel next week. Adios!

I LIEBE YER, BABY

Huge excitement here at here at getting tagged by the charming Sally for a Liebster award. As she explains, this is really nice way of new bloggers supporting each other and getting the word out by helping each other. So without further ado...

NEW BLOGGERS I NOMINATE
Damn Fine Coffee
Wanderlust
Take Only Memories
A Little Golden Age
Heart with Companion
World Wide Valery
Dilara
Garderobe

DIM SUM KARAOKE

Shirt - Banana Republic, Skirt - American Apparel, Boots - Jones, Earrings - Custom made by Tribal Impressions @ Etsy

These HUGE beaded earrings were made for me by Tribal Impressions last year. I have also have some smaller ones in white, black and neon yellow. They are very different to anything I've seen in the shops even during the height of the 'Navajo' trend. Always fun to 'commission' something yourself. I wore this to eat dim sum and sing karaoke at China City. There is nothing like singing Rock Lobster by the B52s while eating a roast pork bun...