What I'm Reading #1

As this blog is meant to be about culture such as music, books and events and exhibitions as well as fashion I thought I would try and start a 'What I'm Reading' where I will review and recommend books that I am currently reading as I am well aware that so far this blog has just been largely fashion based.

So, the book in this post is 33 Revolutions per Minute: A History of Protest Songs by Dorian Lynskey (I actually love the pun in the title so much).

The book is split into 33 chapters, with each chapter focusing on one protest song, starting with Billie Holidays eerie 'Strange Fruit' so covering songs from 1939 to the present day. Lynskey delves into the historical context and background to the song and why it held and still holds its profound effect. The book does not only cover Western artists but also songs from artists in South America to the Caribbean giving a much more global perspective. I found Lynskey's writing easy to read and informative without becoming boring or too factual. Of course there were some songs or artists that I felt were left out but Lynskey does give a brief section of the book to songs that he left out. Overall it was a good and interesting read that provided a strong overview but also still insightful look into protest songs and the artist and motivations behind them and I thoroughly recommend it.

Ballgowns:British Glamour since 1950

Today I went to the British ballgown exhibition at the V & A on it's opening day and I thoroughly enjoyed.

Unfortunately photography was not allowed so I was unable to take my own photographs for you. But I can tell you that the exhibtion featured around 50 dresses and was spread over two rooms.

 The first room focused on ballgowns from 1950 to the 1990's and featured dresses by designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Zandra Rhodes and Bellville Sasson and dresses created for debutante's and society ladies and for celebrities such as Bianca Jagger and Lady Diana. 

The second room focused on more contemporary ballgowns and had desgins by Alexander McQueen, Erdem, Marchesa, Christoper Kane and John Galliano.

 I thoroughly recommend this exhibition for anyone even slightly interested in fashion or the history of fashion; or even just looking at pretty things!

Link for the exhibition on the Victoria and Albert Museum website

Jeffrey Campbell Lita...Finally!

So yay! My long expected Jeffrey Campbell Lita Spike arrived earlier today - and they are just awesome! Not only do they look absolutely amazing but they are so comfortable and easy to walk in - and coming from me, someone who can barely walk in heels more than 2 inches that is definitley saying something!

 This photo is meant to be this blurry... honestly....

 Even the packaging is gorgeous

Yes indeed, watch it, lady. No one will want to mess with you in these heels...

Brand New Cadillac

After spending my Friday revising the plague and prostitutes in early modern Europe I was in much need of a night out.
This is the outfit I wore tonight on a night out in Windsor. I decided to wear my denim car print dress; echoing the catwalks of Prada's S/S 12 collection which was absolutley drowning in car prints. This dress, however, is much less Prada and much more Primark. Yes, you heard right Primark! Finally I teamed these with my silver shoes which I adore from Zara. Dressed like this I feel like I belong in an American 1950s diner rather than a nightclub in Windsor but hey ho!

Keep checking back in the next week or two as I plan on going to the Damien Hirst retrospective at the Tate Modern and the Ballgown exhibiton at the V and A and hope to report back!

Headline grabbing nails

Upon seeing this headline (which is of course unfortunate and heartbreaking) I have had a new found love for headlines, newspapers and newsprint. Therefore I decided to show you how to make newspaper print nails.

1. You firstly need to paint your nails, the paler the better, white would of course be the best and most dramatic.

 

2. You will then need rubbing alcohol/vodka

3. You will then need to cut some pages from a newspaper into rectangles or strips big enough to cover your finger. This is the fun bit picking words or sentences that you like or even pictures (such as the newspapers insignia) or even things like bits of the cross word!

4. Then you need to dip your finger into the vodka ensuring it covers the whole nail, then place the stip of newspaper ontop and press down hard and hold for about 30 seconds, (you can rub a bit more vodka ontop of the paper too once its on your nails if you wish)

5. Peel off and then hopefully voila! Then to finish add a topcoat of clear nail polish

These ones turned out a bit paler than usual - must use a lighter nail polish next time!

My vintage newspaper print dress - if only they had graphics like these in newspapers!

The Olympus Trip

 

My Olympus Trip 35mm camera recently arrived and I love it!

Although I am yet to take it on a run (I still need to buy the 35mm film) I cannot wait and I'm certain it will provide me with some great quality snaps. It's one of the best looking camera's I've seen and looks deliciously retroesque - which it is, this model is from the late 60s and early 70s and was famously advertised tongue in cheek by none other than David Bailey. It was in production for about 20 years and remained unchanged - demonstrating what a great camera it was and is and I cannot wait to use it!

Best of all it only cost me £15 to get it on ebay (excl P & P)

Lipstick on your collar

I thought I might give quick and short introduction to my small but substantial make up collection and show you and recommend some of my favourite lipsticks.

L -R: Rimmel 'Sugar Plum', Rimmel, 'Firecracker', Christian Dior 'Tres Tres Dior', 17 'Pink Power', Revlon 'Baby Pink'

Sugar Plum is a nice, not too drastic or vampish purple colour (though if you do want to go a bit more vampy I recommend number 4 from the Kate Collection by Rimmel and Kate Moss)

Firecracker is bright vibrant coral colour that I love wearing just during the day.

Tres Tres Dior is my go to lipstick for the night and is a beautiful, classic pillarbox red colour and will suit anyone (but I don't know if they still sell it as I nicked this from my mum!)

Power Pink is a stand out colour pop pink which again will suit most skin colours (mine is slightly tanned/olive)

Baby Pink is a nice subtle nearly nude pink colour that is barely noticeable and great for a more natural look.

My Top Ten Summer Songs

I know its not summer yet and here in the UK the weather has been nothing but miserable lately which has just left me yearning for summer even more! So as a distraction from revision I thought I'd compile a quick list of songs which always make me feel like I'm lying on a beach in the Bahamas with a Pina Colada in hand...and hopefully they might do the same for you!!

 View from our flat...

1. Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
2.  10cc - Dreadlock Holiday 
3. Santana - Smooth
4. Arrow - Tiny Winy
5. The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar
6. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Lively Up Yourself
7. The Stranglers - Peaches
8. The Specials - Pressure Drop
9. Rachid Taha - Rock El Casbah
10. Arrow - Hot Hot Hot

Strawberry Fields

Currently the weather is miserable and I should be revising... instead I went shopping and am now uploading this. I went to H and M to try and get more pieces for my summer wardrobe (not that it appears that  there will ever be a summer at this rate..)

Tell me about it..Stud

I recently ordered some studs from ebay - and now that they have arrived I'm going stud crazy!

So far I've studded my converse and a cheap flower headband that I brought in Primark (and which I now intend to wear all summer...)
Studding is so easy and well worth it because it will work out cheaper, rather than going out and buying something new just because it's studded, use something old and stud it yourself. Studs are cheap and you can use them on many things.
Additionally you can use any type of stud that you want, any colour/size/shape (I even found some skull shaped studs! I might just have to get them!)

 The tools of the trade...... (well my version)

Beleated beginnings..

So, my somewhat beleated entry into the blogging world.

This blog is mainly going to be about what interests and influences me, largely clothes, books and music. Hopefully these should interest some of you too. I can't promise to be a fashionista or a culture vulture but maybe you might find something interesting.

Now, lets see how this goes.....

Me in a nutshell?