Emotional Baggage

Excuse the lack of posting over the weekend, but I have been busy wrestling with black tights (imagine Anaconda in an east London bedroom) and a library of Vogue Paris back issues as i prepare to move home, gasp, back to the north. I will miss London, but will be back in no time I'm sure, and it's for the best, as my fragile credit history is beginning to suffer.

This is what packing looked like when I spent the same amount of time in New York two summers ago, when the dollar was high as a kite and us Brits thought the sales at Forever 21 would never end. I can assure you, somehow, impossibly, that yesterday, the suitcase situation was much grimmer than this. In two hours time I will emerge in Edinburgh wearing all the items I didn’t have space to pack, including a leopard coat and men’s riding boots. Luckily, I’ll coincide with the last dregs of the festival, so most of the soggy tourists won’t blink an eye.

And here are some more pictures from my 2007 NYC trip that I never had a chance to share before.

...including some rather dodgy Edie-inspired photobooth action aged 16;

back in the day when I had a mouth full of metal, my pout was well-practiced!

I know, It's Only Rock von Roll, but I Like It

Clearly, all that Brit Pop is getting to my head. Where oh where can I get myself a mossy jack jumper? Paul Smith, are you listening? In the meantime, I have the Stones on repeat and thoughts of the union jack crop top I found today in the deepest, darkest depths of Topshop.

For more patriotic Brit fixes go to Keep Calm and Carry On

Nineties Revival

My boyfriend is constantly teasing me for having been 'born in the 90s.' But recently I've found myself having bit of a revival; not only have Oasis, Suede and Blur invaded my playlists (sadly, I don't think any of us will ever go back to walkmans), but I've found myself lusting after acid-wash denim cut-offs. And it seems I'm not the only one. However, this side of the millenium, the de rigour way to wear is high-waisted with black nylons, a chunky studded belt and statement jacket, and not hi-tops, but biker boots. If I wasn't so overdrawn from the notorious Topshop leotard spending spree, I'd be heading straight back to Rokit right now to stock up on vintage Levi's pre-worn, pre-cut numbers (lazy I know, but some of us were too young to wear them the first time round -there goes my boyfriend again!)

Stylesightings

Je Suis Michelle

TheFashionSpot

4th & Bleeker

This girl is uberfantastisch with a capital U

Pamela Love Jewellry

What's something every woman needs?

"A signature necklace, whatever necklace that you love, love, love or whatever ring that you never take off. A really amazing and wearable pair of heels, wedges, or pumps. And a really good pair of boots."-Pamela Love

"I really wanted to make a bird skull for a friend of mine who I thought really needed a skull around his neck. But I didn’t want to do just a skull because I think they’re kind of cheesy. So I was like, "He needs a bird’s skull, like a raven or a crow." And I cast a few of them in metal and they were huge. And the smaller ones didn’t have the look I wanted. So I just decided to get a big skull and carve a smaller version of it from wax."

Original Interview: NY mag's The Cut

Superhuman Svelte Swedes

Caroline Blomst of modefeber.se, and one half of StockholmStreetStyle, just hanging around in her usual casual get-up. Pure Swedish genius.

www.caroline.feber.se

"You could buy a lipstick?"

Anna Wintour on the Late Show with David Letterman last night in New York.

I think she's truly something, I can't even put a word to it.

The Impossible Project

We thought the days of Polaroid prints were over. But, thanks to a group of dedicated individuals, we may be seeing mini-artworks such as these, with their iconic square white borders, again.

In Enschede, Holland, a group of former Polaroid factory workers have teamed together to form The Impossible Project; an attempt to revive instant analog film for use in vintage polaroid cameras. The doors to the Dutch factory closed in 2008, when, after a steady 10-year decline, Polaroid’s “instant integral” film, once considered one of photographic history’s most brilliant innovations, was held to be out of date in the digital age.

Some of the workers had been at the factory their entire working lives, and are passionate about seeing the machines up and running again before the year is out. As the Impossible Project's website explains here, the aim is not to convince Polaroid to go back into production, but instead to develop their own brand of film which works in the same way.

Enthusiastically supporting the project is Urban Outfitters, who recently staged an exclusive sale evening with an accompanying exhibition about the project at their Oxford Circus store (It could still be there, I'll check it out).

Tim Bradshaw of the FT visited the factory workers in Enschede to discuss the project, accompanying his article with some haunting photographs of the desolate factory. Read it here.

Urban Outfitters are supporting with the sale of exclusive 'saved' polaroid cameras and film, available to buy soon (possibly to coincide with your generous relative's christmas shopping)

This is the number of films that were produced in the Enschede factory under Polaroid ownership. The photos are of the employees who worked there. Now a dozen of them are trying to revive it. Photo by Tim Bradshaw

The Fifth Floor

I finished my internship at the one and only home of the fabulous on Friday. It was an amazing experience and I miss it already!

Topshop + Kane 4eva

You can now preview Christopher Kane's collection for Topshop here, courtesy of NY magazine's The Cut. Excuse me, but why do New Yorkers get a sneak peak at our BRITISH designer's collection for our BRITISH national treasure that is Topshop? Beyond me.

In a recent interview with Grazia's Melanie Rickey, Kane revealed he is almost as excited as is fans about his second venture for Topshop (his first capsule collection for the store was after the success of his S/S 07 catwalk collection):

"It's proper: with bags, shoes, knitwear and dresses. It's nothing like any other work I've done in the past. Everything is a bit "wow". There might be some colour, some embellishment. It's full of surprises. Put it this way we did the designs, sent away our drawings and when the samples came back last week they looked brilliant. Girls are gonna go crazy for it!'

And he's right, it is very 'wow', with lots of studs, rivets and even mirrorwork on his signature bodycon dresses, and a palette of the richest black with some gorgeous bright pastel yellows and pinks. Dedicated fans will notice the 'roaring' crocodile print dress and t-shirt echoes the much-exposed gorilla print tee of his S/S collection this year, as well as the mesh studded knickers which no doubt will be snapped up by more than one Lady Gaga wannabe this September.

Sheer Brilliance.

I have discovered a little slice of fashion heaven from across the pond. Whilst doing a bit of weekend spot-trawling (which I should clearly do more of if there are more finds like these to be had) I stumbled upon Nasty Gal, an online store (ASOS style if you will) based in LA stocking the most fantastic pieces. ShopNastyGal.com is run, styled and founded by Sophie Amuruso,clearly a genius. And they ship internationally. What more can i say?

(prices are in dollars, i've left it to you to do the maths)

Poet blouse $72

Studded Ring $16

Tweed blazer $105

Zipper Bangle

Peplum studded top $98

Pink Floyd tee $38

Jeffrey Campbell platforms $178

Floral romper $44

And...they are now stocking the knock-off Balenciaga boots by Sam Edelman for $345 (you do the maths)

NastyGal

View from My Bubble

I was invited to an impromptu 27-minute 'pod party' on the London Eye last night; champagne, suits and all. Brilliance. Here's a picture I snapped from the top.

Joseph's Girl

I have to confess, I had always ignored Joseph and written it off as a yummy mummy or 30s office girl's brand. But then a bag of soft leather zipper leggings and black, skintight leather vests arrived on my desk, along with the most gorgeous faux-leopard coat I have seen on the high street in along time. I changed my tune for sure! Here are my favourite shots from the A/W lookbook. Looking at the model, you wonder what or who the inspiration behind this collection was...doesn't she look like Carine Roitfeld?

The Devil Really Does Wear Prada

Anna Wintour and Sienna Miller at the US premier of The September Issue last night at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Anna wore a dress from the Prada cruise collection; a witty dig at herself perhaps? Well, she is British after all.
They may be buddying up for the cameras, but Anna had a different opinion of her cover star in the film, describing Sienna as 'lacklustre.' I think Sienna looks fab here, all leggy and blonde, but what is going on with those Almost Famous glasses?

Photo: JustJared

Wonder Woman

How would you describe Frida Giannini's collections for Gucci? Bohemian-rock 'n' roll-deluxe perhaps? The quintessential formula for Gucci-ness is sexy but show-off, and bang! she hits the nail on the head every time, but while Tom Ford was all about satin trousers and nipples, our girl in Florence manages to put a gorgeous, travelled, hippie-with-a-gold-card twist on it all.

My favourite Gucci colections of all time were A/W 08 (year of the cossack and those boots) and A/W 06 (When Ziggy Stardust met Rachel Zoe). God save the fabulous.

Woodstock '08: Fall campaign starring blonde beauties Lily donalson, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Eniko Mihalik.

Fall 2006 campaign starring Iselin Steiro

Photos HauteFashion