I'm not dead

Contrary to what you may believe from my lack of posts on here, I can confirm that I'm not dead - I just kind of fancied a break from blogging. Okay, more than a break - a sabbatical if you will. Until my break, I'd been blogging continuously for almost a decade in various different forms and I kind of just felt it was time to back away from the computer for a while.

Anyway, there's good news for all of you die hard enthusiasts. While I may not be posting on here very often any more, for the next month I'm doing a little fashion challenge over on tumblr. For thirty days, I will be attempting to wear a different pair of shoes from my collection rather than the same four pairs that I seem to wear over and over. Some of you might remember The Great Shoe Cull of 2009, which will go some way to showcasing my rapid shoe buying habit.

So for the next month, please redirect yourselves over to:




http://30daysofflats.tumblr.com

...and I promise that I'll try to come back here soon.

LFW AW09: Sunday part deux

It's been over twelve hours since today's adventure began and I've just arrived home at close to 10 o'clock. To say I'm tired is an understatement. All of my friends think it's terribly glam and yes, sometimes it is but there is also a lot of standing around in the cold, waiting for the clipboard bitches to declare you worthy of entering the venue.

Anyhoo, now that I've aired most of my bitterness, let's get to the shows, shall we? I promised you photos earlier from Betty Jackson this morning, I believe. First up, the front row:




And now, some clothes:







My personal favourite item was the handbag-backpack bag, which was a fun piece but I'm not sure how it would translate to every day life. Either you'd get pickpocketed constantly or end up tripping over on the backpack straps. But fun nonetheless.

After Betty Jackson, I had a little break and whizzed over to High Road House in Chiswick for brunch with my previously mentioned and much neglected friends before heading back for a blowdry at Toni & Guy's onsite press salon. It's a little oasis of calm where you can lie back and enjoy a little bit of follicle pampering. I also love it as it means that I don't have to wash my hair tonight and because I'm slightly unhealthily addicted to their Resurrection Style Dust. Seriously, I'm not being paid to say this, ever since I discovered it a few weeks ago, I love it.

From the salon, I had to run to Eley Kishimoto. From the second I saw the invite for this, I was curious. Styled like a retro boarding pass with an indian print pattern, it was very true to the show which featured lots of 1960s style air stewardess references from the cute skirt suits to the felt hats worn with lots of different outfits, as well as their signature graphic prints. Pre-show, they also had sound effects featuring tannoy calls and other airport related noises which were fun but made it difficult to make the usual fill-in calls as I waited. Anyway, enough gabbling, let's have some photos:







After the show, I made a mad dash to the press lounge to check my emails for all of thirty seconds and literally barely made one of the last buses heading to Aquascutum, where a guard of dishy men in suits and black overcoats lined the way. The wait was pretty long and the cold was starting to creep in, which made people slightly irritable but all was forgiven once we got inside and the show started. While I was waiting outside, I spotted Alexa Chung and Anna Piaggi heading in and must say that Alexa has the skinniest colt-like legs I've ever seen.







On our way out of the show, I couldn't help but be tempted by a photo of the dishy men and after very little cajoling, my colleagues leapt between them for a photo op:



We had a little time before Jaeger so went to grab some dinner at the cheap chinese round by South Ken station and then headed back to the BFC tent once more for our final show of the day. We got there in the nick of time and grabbed our seats. Front row for the show featured Alexa Chung (again), Erin O'Connor and Tamsin Egerton, I couldn't see any more as we arrived so late. At least this year we weren't as late as last seasn, they slammed the door in my face.







After Jaeger, owing to the fact that we only had tickets for PPQ's party and not the show, we hopped in my car and headed off to the Met Bar's pink drinks party for a quick mingle. It was a truly awesome affair with mini chorizo hot dogs, mini chips and tempura veg in cones, candy floss and lots of other tasty treats. However, the cold, tiredness and the fact that I was driving (and a little bitter from lack of tickets) meant I headed home rather than continue the night at PPQ's pose fest.

And now it's almost midnight and let me tell you how glad I am to be lying down right now, before it starts all over again at Ossie Clark at 9am tomorrow. Before I finish, here's what I wore today: Blazer - River Island, sequin tee - Kate Moss for Topshop, Jeans - Topshop, shoes (replacing leopard print Office ones which ripped open my feet) - Topshop, clutch bag - Bodhi, skull ring - Butler & Wilson.



At last, to bed. Hurrah!

LFW AW09: Saturday

It's been another busy day in the land of LFW and now as it's ten to one in the morning and I have to be up at eight, I hope you'll forgive me for what I hope will be a short post. Let's work our way through chronologically, shall we?

I started a little late this morning owing to my exhaustion from yesterday so I didn't get to the tents until John Rocha. By way of happy accident, I ended up front row for this show. By way of another happy accident, I ended up sitting next to Jessica Brinton from Style magazine, who is quite possibly one of my favourite fashion journos. She ended up grilling me about twitter after she saw me tapping away at my phone while I waited for the show to begin. I explained that I twitter from everything from the shower breaking to who I see at shows, which I think she found quite bizarre but hey. I always gabble when I'm put on the spot like that.

Now, some photos:






From John Rocha, we pottered over to Topshop's Unique show which is held in a disused underground warehouse behind the University of Westminster. This is always one of my favourite shows and this year, I was fortunate to have my own ticket rather than a cast off. The invite itself was pretty cool - I'll scan and post at a later date. Less gabbing, more photos, right?







Sadly, I had to miss Nathan Jenden but it worked out pretty well as standing around outside trying to figure out what to do and where the hell my lighter was in my bottomless pit of a bag, I happened to come across Pixie Geldof, Daisy Lowe and Susie from Style Bubble (one of my favourite fashion blogs). Unable to find my lighter, I chanced my arm with Pixie and her giant cooker-lighter, who was more than happy to trade a flame for one of my fags:



Susie from Style Bubble


Everyone leaving Unique's venue:


Then, it was a little break and catch up with a friend before we all trekked to Holborn for the Basso & Brooke show at Bloomsbury Ballroom. I got there in the nick of time but not quick enough for a seat so I plopped down on the floor by the photographer's pit. We all couldn't help but notice that it was a particularly spring-like collection for Autumn-Winter. Judge for yourselves:







Then it was another quick break before the biggie, oh yes. VIVIENNE WESTWOOD RED LABEL! Spotted in the audience: David Walliams with Erin O'Connor, Nicola Roberts from Girls Aloud, Alfie Allen with Jaime Winstone and Lily Cole. And those were just the ones we could see although the catwalk was equally as glam - Jo Wood, Alice Dellal, Jourdan Dunn and Daisy Lowe. Unfortunately, it was at this point that my camera decided to go a little mental and refuse to focus properly so these are a little bit of a mixed bag:







I have lots of video from today but I plan on doing one giant post with all of the footage at the end of the week. Well, I've got to keep you hooked somehow, don't I?

And finally, what I wore today. I look like a bizarre midget in the photo but please try to look past this. It's late and I'm tired so this will have to do. Anyway... Shrunken leather jacket - New Look, white and grey striped oversized shirt - River Island, black zipper edge top/dress - Topshop, grey tank dress (underneath) - Topshop, grey butterfly and skull scarf - Alexander McQueen, Safety pin clutch - Bodhi, black quilted pumps - Office.



And now, it's almost half past one and I have to be back up and out in less than eight hours. I swear, I don't know what I'm running on these days beside Vitamin Water and cigarettes.

LFW AW09: Friday

After one day, I'm already exhausted and possibly drunk. I hit up 3 shows and an exhibition in the grand scheme of things and already the day is taking it's toll but I think I'm getting over the flu despite it all. Today, I went to Paul Costelloe, Caroline Charles and Ashish, followed by the London College of Fashion curation course exhibition. So, allow me to talk you through.

Paul Costelloe opened LFW, in grand tradition. This year, the two tents have been merged into one giant space which is a tad bizarre and will take serious getting used to. Before the show, Harold Tillman (head of the British Fashion Council) announced the new venue for LFW as of next season would be Somerset House. Hurrah, only 4 stops from my office, as opposed to double digits. Spotted in the front row: Jennifer Saunders, Erin O'Connor, Nicky Hambleton-Jones and crazy hat lady, back again. Hurrah!

Notes on Paul Costelloe, as written in my notebook: 60s silhoutees, trapeze hemlines, jacquard - gold, bronze, silver, red. Exaggerated shoulders with leather patches, oversized collars and neon pink wide leg trousers, awesome cutaway jumpsuit. Hair big, curled, piled on top and disshevelled with hangover sunnies. Photos to follow:






Where to follow on with Caroline Charles? The only positive thing was Amber Le Bon opening the show and the devil's wife-to-be dress at the end that made the whole audience go "what. the hell?!". I will post video footage at a later date.

The third and final of the day (thanks to the never-ending chasing of PRs for tickets) was Ashish, which wins hands down over everything. Sequins, sparkles and giant pom poms rules the collection, aided along wih music from VV Brown. Simply awesome, I took as many photos as I could, including of the pre-show entertainment featuring a trapeze:










At the Exhibition, Swarovski Headed man suddenly appeared and after the numerous drinks I'd consumed, I felt confident enough to go over, chat and take a photo:



And who knew, he has an actual name and indeed, blog. Click here to check it out. Now, I am far too tired to deal with youtube, videos and the such so I figure I will dedicated a post fashion week blog to pure video footage. Goodnight all, I have an early (and busy) start to tomorrow. Sleep well and dream of handbags.



Fashion footnote What I and others wore today: (L-R) Me - River Island blazer, Illustrated people tank, Topshop Jeans, Topshop ('00) boots, Vintage silk scarf, Chanel handbag. Tory - Luella blazer, American Apparel Dress, Ri2K handbag. Toby - Paul Smith blazer, American Apparel dress, Chanel handbag.