The Cavalry Are Coming…

So I am a very bad blogger at the moment, and finally help is on the way. No, I still have to do dreaded finals, but I am getting a few beautiful fellow bloggers to do a couple of guest posts for me! Woop. I am happy. Now I’m going to stop saying words, and show you what I wore on Easter Sunday.

xxxx

j

The reason it’s like this is because I posted it to Lookbook (lame I know, but hey, let he without tumblr cast the first stone), and I am too lazy (ahem, I mean I am far too busy) to go back and change the pics again…..

Speaking of cavalry, what did we think of the royal wedding? Didn’t Kate look great? I also love the significance of choosing McQueen/Sarah Burton over a nicer, softer label. But these are thoughts that I will think about another day. xx

Sunday Funday #5

Can’t actually believe it’s Sunday again. This week has FLOWN. Eek.  Sunshine has made me a marginally nicer person tho, which is good. Here’s what got me through the last 7 days.

1) Marley Park

After threatening to go for a walk for the past age with Jules, yesterday we finally made it to Marley Park. And it was sunny. And we got icecreams. And a coffee. All of these things made me very happy. The shaky bridge is gone though, which made me really sad. And then angry, when I found out it was for “health and safety” reasons? What the actual fuck like? Just how stupid have people gotten. Also, they moved a perfectly good playground to where the BMX track used to be, so now there is no BMX track, and a crappy, closed off corner where the old playground was. Great planning there. Was thinking they should put a skate park or something instead of the bunch of rubble. If I was a better person, I would write a strongly worded letter to someone, on behalf of the yoof.

Here is what I wore. Oh yea, we climbed on stuff loads. It was fun.

2) Easter Eggs

Need I say any more? My thighs aren’t so happy about it, but I’m in charge, so chocolate it is

3) Sunshine

So much sunshine. I even got a lil burned the other day. I was a lil lobster. A lil lobster you say? Well, ok then.

Happy (Easter) Sunday, eat chocolate til you vom. Not in an eating disorder way tho.

xxx

Boo!!

I recently mentioned to keep your eyes peeled for another Rummage Sale, and so here it is…..

Next Thursday (28th April), there will be a Noisy Shoes Rummage Sale as part of the Not Saying Boo Presents The Beatyard Launch. Phew, that’s lots of brands in one sentence! Shall we break that down to bitesized pieces? Lets.

1. Not Saying Boo (n.)

Club night extrodinaire, known for hosting great parties in various venues on a sort-of monthly basis. Check them here.

Image via Not Saying Boo!

2. Beatyard Weekender

A truly fresh approach to entertainment in Dublin, run by the wunderkids at Bodytonic. Here’s how they describe Beatyard on their website:

“The aim of The Beatyard Weekender is to bring together enthusiasts of music, media & culture where they can meet like minded people and (we hope) discover something new. Furthermore our goal is to mesh, into the one weekend, almost everything about which we’re passionate, and have been hosting at both the Bernard Shaw and the Twisted Pepper over the last two & a half years”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. This year’s line up includes Beardyman, Modeselektor, and shitloads of Dublin’s finest talents taking to the decks. On Thursday in the Shaw, along with the Mini Mall, there will be film screenings and live visuals to compliment the aural delights and deadly drink promos!

3. Noisy Shoes Rummage Sale

I am delighted to be taking part in the Beatyard Mini Mall in the Shaw, along with the amazing 9 Crow Street, Fanci Schmancy Vintage, Golly Gosh and uberbloggers Glamrocks Luna. Talk about feeling like a total minnow!!! Ha! Expect my rails to be filled with fun, new-to-you, well cared for bargains (I give you nice price!). I’ll post some pics next week of stuff to expect. If any of the other Rummage sales I have done are anything to go by, it will be a lot of fun, and you’ll find something you like!

So, next Thursday. In the Shaw. From 6. Did I mention there’s an after party? See you there! xx

Sunday Funday #4

It has been a fairly CRAPPY week, but there are only like 5 more and I am FINISHED college. Can’t wait at this stage. So, bear with me while I get through this and I promise I will be a better blogger soon!!!

Here’s what kept me sane this week:

1) Lykke Li

I only realised I liked her yesterday. The reason I figured this out was because I was djing after her gig in Tripod last night, so I went along to see it. She’s a little rocket of deadly. What.a.voice. Really good gig. So, that was nice. Turns out I know loads of her music too, just from listening to the radio in a really passive way. I’d love to know how many bands I know without knowing their names. Hmmmmm, I smell a summer challenge in there somewhere…….

Bob’s Burgers

Check it out on 4od. it’s wonderfully weird.

Bob's Burgers

3) Comfortable Clothes

Looking nice has pretty much gone out of the window, and I have adopted a uniform of shirts and whatever skirt/shorts/jeans are clean/least covered in paint & dye.

Cynthia Rowley Resort 11

Rag & Bone Resort 11

Thakoon Resort 11

Preen Resort 11

Obvs, I look nothing like any of the above, who are infinity more composed/better looking than I. But you get where I’m coming from. Easy, slouch pieces to do deadly work in…..well, that’s the plan, anyway.

4) Coffee, cigarettes, friends.

That is all.

xx

Forever 21? In my dreams….

For the uninitiated, Forever 21 used to be a secret, transatlantic high street store that noone else shopped in. Before the GIANT Jervis street flagship, having an F21 dress meant that you had been to the States. And so, despite the fact that the stuff is practically Penneys prices, there was a certain exclusivity that elevated it over and above your run of the mill H&M’s and Topshops. You were almost guaranteed noone would have the same dress, which is the ultimate win (imagine having a high street dress you know noone else will have!). So, when it opened here, that exclusivity was gone and part of the appeal went with it.

*Not really related point*

Also, and I don’t know how many people will relate to this, but I have a tendency to “stock up” on clothes when I’m away, as I generally have saved money to spend, whereas in real life I am always skint and tend to shop on a very infrequent, ad hoc basis. It’s much, much harder to justify a shopping spree in real life compared to when you are on holiday, when there is foreign value and exchange rates to be taken advantage of….RIGHT?!

*end of unrelated point*

Anyway, the reason I am telling you all this is because I went to the Forever 21 press day on Wednesday, curious to see what they had on offer for the summer. I don’t know why, but before Wednesday, I had been looking at F21 as a separate entity, refusing to marry it into my vernacular of high street stores. It was this other, different thing, the holy grail of cheap dresses that had been denigrated by setting up on Henry Street. Turns out, I was being a sap.

Their offering was considered, they seem to have their trend directions bang on, with some really strong pieces, some really great detailing & fabrics, all with liiiitllle mini prices. I am a demon nazi when it comes to natural fabrics, and they had some great silks, cottons and linens, and even their synthetics and polycottons (half & halfs) were a really good quality.

Highlights?

The Jil Sander inspired colour blocking story, replete with acid brights and sportswear inspired cuts. (fave piece = navy silk parachute pants)

Their utility chic story -more menswear inspired than androgenous- brimming with denim and khaki to be mixed with black or navy at your own discretion. (fave piece = slightly oversize denim shirt cut juuuust right)

The ’70′s tribal hippy collection had some fun prints and paperfine knit tops to see you through the summer (fave piece = super loose tye dye tshirt)

So what have we learned this week?

1. Forever 21 is just another high street store, in a good way.  As in, it’s a great place to add to your repetoire of stores to pick up affordable pieces.

2. Wouldn’t it be great if I could get in holiday shopping mode, in Dublin.

3. I need to stop forgetting my decent camera when I go to press days. :/

Utility Chic at F21

70's tribal at F21

Image courtesy of Forever 21

Image courtesy of Forever 21

Two mighty big ladies. Aka Sunday Funday #3

I’ve been slowly losing my mind the past few weeks with college work. Yesterday I was faaaar too hungover to post, but today I have been listening to two amazing women that I really just want to share with you. So, Sunday Funday, a day late. Here goes

1) Big Mama Thornton

Ok. So you know Elvis, right? Yea, well basically he, ahem, covered, Big Mama’s lil track, you might have heard it…Hound Dog, it’s called. Without getting all politikal and shizzz, that shit happened LOADS at that time, where the original artist was black and often remained uncredited after a white, “cleaner” (in sound) musician tamed it down and sold it to the masses. Well, anyway, Big Mama has a VOICE. it’s IMMENSE. I really don’t know why she’s not as famous as Aretha, because her music has some serious soul. Perhaps it was just a tad too bluesy. But it just so happens that’s exactly how I like my soul……White girl got the blues…..what of it, right?

2) Big Maybelle.

Like I said, two big ladies. Big Mama, Big Maybelle. Anyhooo. I have already told you about Big Maybelle, as I love her loads. Her brand of soul is more jazzy than Big Mama’s, but her voice is equally epic. Again, I really don’t understand why this amazing woman isn’t more famous, because she undoubtedly deserves it. Although, maybe I am happy that she’s not as big, because so much amazing soul music has been rendered cheesy through overplay, and being used in STUPID FUCKING ADS, and films, and all sorts of wedding dj crap. So, actually, yea, I am really happy she’s still untarnished and pure soul music.

3) Requiem for a dream

I watched this hungover yesterday. BAD MOVE. Jared Leto. Yes. Everything else in the film. No. It is incredible, get under your skin give you horrible nightmares for weeks stuff. I don’t think I’ve been so rattled by a film since A Clockwork Orange. The way it just gets slightly worse and worse, so you are almost lulled into…..BAM!!! foooooooooooooook. It’s intense. Also, why does Jared Leto take roles where they mutilate him? Fight Club? This? And now he’s in a band. Well then.

4) Swapshop

It’s good to get out, even when you are organising the night. I’ve already blogged about the rummage sale, but this is what I bought on the night, an oversize stripey tee. I like it lots.

5) Mates

I would literally be batshit crazy by now if it weren’t for my unbelievable mates. This week got to talk to a few of them that I havn’t spoken to in a while, and that was lovely. So here’s to being finished this degree and hanging out with them again. SILLY PARTY all the way through the summer

 

Rummage

Yesterday evening, I organised a rummage sale in aid of my degree show catalogue, with lots of help from some of my amazing classmates. I have done a few sales in various venues in the last while, and the amount I enjoy them hints at a possible future career working on a stall, flogging shit…….. :/

Anyway, I do enjoy them, as I love to see things I am ready to let go of get a new lease of life. For example, an amaaaazing dress that I had worn to various 80′s themed nights, but I was never going to wear again. A lovely girl bought it for the Trinity Ball, and she was only delirah. At 15quid for a Trinity Ball dress, so would I….

I don’t want to get all deep and meaningful but I guess I have become really into doing things like this as a way of recycling fashion, and trying to do my bit to help create a more sustainable and ethical way of consuming fashion. Rummage sales & swap shops have a million reasons why they are ethical and environmental and all those words we shy away from, but they work, because ultimately we can buy great, well kept clothes that fit our aesthetic at cheap ass prices. I also find it interesting to see how people take styles up at different times (for example my AmAppy jersey mini skirts flew out, even though I havn’t worn one in over a year – am I missing something?!!!), and have different takes on how to wear the same piece.

So big thanks to everyone who came down and supported the cause, and bought cheapy cheap clothes. I personally got two lovely tops (and yes I paid for them ;P), that I can’t wait to style with things. Here are a few lil snaps I took of the evening. Speaking of snaps, I have been intermittently keeping my New Year’s Resolution of doing a visual diary, and you can find it on lovejaney.tumblr.com

xx

Oh, and stay tuned for further events like this. I have a few lil plans in the pipeline, which will be revealed in due course!