Boys Are Stupid

(...continuing from previous post)

So I had a stupid argument with the Boyfriend and did exactly what was expected of me: went out and bought shoes. Such a girl.

It was not intentional. I just stormed off to Oxford Circus to see if I could fix my old Powerbook at the Apple store, and it just happens that TopShop is two blocks away. I said to myself : let's just have a look and see what they're up to (I was fuming by then when the Genius Bar people told me to come back when I have an appointment). Thing is, I always forget that when it comes to high-street, I can resist almost anything - but Topshop is my Achilles heel.

So I spotted these:

I don't like my feet and not being able to have a proper pedicure on a regular basis, I always feel self-conscious when I have to expose them. So for the summer, these boots are very much a welcome solution: heavy with a chilled-out feel, with cut-out details that cover pretty much everything apart from said Achilles heel. Let me add that they are the comfiest wedges I've worn since EVER, and they give this midget a few extra inches for added happiness.

And you know what made me want them more? The fact that they are quite plain in way, a sort of blank canvas for future customisation - that is, until I get tired of them, which will take a few seasons.

The same night, I made with my other half. But I think he should buy me shoes for making me spend. :)

The perfect t-shirt , the coolest shop

I don't do much shopping these days. First because I don't actually have too much money to spare, and second, I confess, I feel guilty for having already too much stuff at home - and I know that with a bit of patience, creativity and minor skills with the sewing machine, I could give all that stuff a new lease of life. So for me these days, consumer satisfaction is a trip to the habberdashery and an afternoon putting my fabric scissors to work (which doesn't necessarily work every time).

However, I broke my shopping strike this week. For two (sort of)good reasons.

Last weekend I was supposed to meet a new friend, and she told me to meet her at a place called Bacon Street Project, just off Brick Lane. For whatever wrong circunstances, I had never heard of the place, and when I checked their website, it looked like the coolest shop in the whole of Brick Lane (and Brick Lane becoming such a hard-core shopping district, it's tough competition).

Run by two effortlessly beautiful girls, Elise and Livia, this place is like a French flea market meets hip Hoxton boutique meets Art College affair. Hell, it IS all of those things: on top of collecting and selling props, vintage furniture and other interesting bric-a-bracs they find (where else) in France, they also champion young, undiscovered fashion designers, and throw once-a-month themed parties in their basement gallery, where they also have exhibitions. Oh, and they have a café (next to the till).

All of that is enough to make an alternative fashionista's heart stop, but there's more: it's called Komana, their in-house ethical fashion brand. I didn't get a chance to explore all the collection, but I DID find the PERFECT t-shirt. Made of Bamboo and organic cotton, is ridiculously soft, cut in a way that fits deliciously well, and the prints are no-chalantly cool.

I went back the next day to buy one, and I haven't taken it off since. I didn't realise it until recently, but t-shirts are my work and play uniform - but it's so difficult to find ones that look and feel great, that when I do find one, I just have to have it.

Then, two days later I had an argument with the boyfriend and went shopping again. (continues on the next post).

*all images from Bacon Street project website.

Fashion dilemma: ONE great birthday present

Yesterday was my birthday, and since I'm still very much banned from shopping, the Boyfriend said he would allow me to choose one nice fashion present. Oh god, ONE !? Damn, being in London it's like throwing a child in the best toy store in the world, and telling her to choose the most special doll. I panicked a little, but I kind of like thinking that my next purchases are going to be really special and cherished - if reckless shopping never had the best of reputations, doing such thing these days is at best silly, at worst plain stupid.

So I decided to give the high street a miss and have a look at some of my favourite local boutiques.

One was STRUT, in Stoke Newington, which I've said before it's bloody awesome for second-hand designer and vintage - and which sadly, didn't have anything I liked in my size - and then it was off to No-One in Shoreditch.

I didn't know they had a store online, but it was a good thing I went there, because some of the labels available are not online yet. Like London - based KapowWow, a label that uses recycled textiles to make the coolest neckpieces. I very much wanted the grey one worn by the brunette model with the fringe, but maybe in a bright colour like red or electric pink. They also didn't have that specific piece in the shop but apparently you can email them and order one that suits your style.














And being a sucker for bright printed leggings (am I ever getting tired of it?), I was drooling over London-based designer David David version, which I couldn't find a picture online to post it, but were in the same bright, geometric print as worn by Ms Dellal here.



Then, looking over his AW 9/10 afterwards, I saw the birthday present with the biggest potential: a very Vivenne Westwood-esque circa Pirates printed spandex jumpsuit.


I know, I know. I asked myself the same question: can I pull off a SKIN-TIGHT bright jumpsuit now I became part of that age-box called *late-twenties*? Oh, what the heck. I won't know till I try it right?

After No-one, we headed to Brick Lane to try the markets, but it was far too nice and sunny - and crowded! - to actually bother about scouring the shops, so I gave in and thought I might as well wait for a rainy day and shop online. After all, a thoughtful shopper is a slow shopper.

Major Tom Auctions are back!

And this week, my little ebay shop Major Tom Vintage comes back to life with 25 new auctions - there are 10 items online already (the other 15 will be from Sunday), all finishing the following Sunday, 3rd of May.

Here are my favourite picks (links for all the pieces coming soon):

YSL Blazer and Metallic Leggings

Valentino Blazer

Leopard Print Cropped Trousers

Batwing Dress

Sequined Jumper

Word Print Blazer

Lumberjack Shirt

Glitter Top and Dr Martens creepers

OhMyF****ngGod

jesus. Found these Chloe Sevigny for AW09 Open Ceremony shoes while browsing randomly. There's like, NINE BUCKLES in it! The woman is a genius. Must get my hands on them.

Shopping Heaven: STRUT, Stoke Newington

When it comes to shopping for vintage/2nd hand in London, I bet most fashionistas know that Brick Lane is the destination in the East. But not many people can claim to have found proper designer stuff amongst the heaps of shops and markets and charities shop on a regular basis, let alone for an okay price (around the £100-less price mark). Well, I think I just found it. A knew boutique called Strut in Church Street, Stoke Newington. They're a mix of vintage shop + second-hand concession store + designer dress agency with middle-class prices on the lower end of the scale. It may as well be called Shopping Heaven.

On my last visit (I need to pass by them on my way to the gym... god, give me strenght), I spotted a Fendi bondage cut-out dress for £80, an Alaïa jacket for £150, Thierry Mugler, Vivienne Westwood, Dior Cahsmere, Hermés... Some amazing fringed coats from the 60s, and a Prada sneakskin platform that sadly didn't fit me. I haven't bought anything yet (the guilt is playing hard here), but the Boyfriend found some Yohji Yamamoto black plimsolls for £40 ... and then, on seeing a little damage on the sole, shamelessly haggled the price down and paid £25. That's my boy.

*images: www.yelp.co.uk

Sculptural addiction

You see, blogging about fashion is all about immediacy - you either post on a daily basis, or you have the connections to be way ahead of the game, ahead even of the supreme fashion journalists (such as the unnervingly prolific Susie Bubble). Such is the beauty of blogs: not dependent on advertisers, they don't need to wait for seasons to turn, bosses to approve, time-frames to be respected.

Talking about Susie, baaaack in September and November (anos-luz behind in fashion time), she had already seen up-close-and-personal the coveted Emma Cook's ruffled-zippers SS09 shoes, which, being an insignificantly mortal newbie in style-blogland, I only spotted in Grazia yesterday (and was immediately pierced by a fulminating love) - and WHICH are will be sold at, of course, Topshop.


You see, shoes are becoming more and more fantastic these days, but fantasy comes hand-in-hand with high-price tags - remember the now detestable 'It Bags'? Yeah, they've been replaced by 'It Shoes', and I'm not complaining. I'll carry my stuff in a Tesco bag if it means I can get lifted to new heights by sculptural footwear.

So back to prices: how does one feed one's addiction to art for the feet in these harsh times?

One believes in the catching-up power of the high(height?)-street. Cook's wonder is relatively affordable at £95. And flicking briefly through this month's Elle's accessories supplement, two wedges caught my eye: a faded mustard number from Aldo and a black ankle-cuffed one, which, although quite lacking in the sculpture department, would work wonders during daytime run-to-catch-the-bus-in-London's-wet-cobbled-sidewalks routines.

Glory for the Legs

Only recently I realized that many style bloggers out there share my enthusiasm(I was gonna say obsession, but then I don't actually DREAM about it - only THINK a couple of hours a day about it) for legwear, specifically leggings. In my teens I was absolutely fond of gym gear and would gladly ditch my uncomfy jeans (stretchy denim was not very popular at the time in Brazil) for leggings and ballet catsuits - even though my schoolmates would sniff at me for daring not to clad myself in low-cut bootcut like 99.9% of them.

I wouldn't dare to sport anything other than black leggings, though, until, of course, I moved to London and found Topshop (that was 6 years ago) - and OH, the glory! They made printed ones, which no one bought and were always relegated to 75% off sales rack. I fell in love.

Then I started doing the vintage thing - at this point, my leggings passion had found American Apparel, and all the other high-street chains which were churning them out to death - and found a supplier who had stacks of 80s leggings. The Original Printed ones. High-Waisted ones. Madly-Coloured ones.

I looked around Ebay and it seemed I was the only one who thought they were like gold. No, diamonds.

I sold most of that first batch, saving a couple for myself, and for little more than peanuts, including the now celebrated floral ones - which topshop made sure to make the WORLD go crazy over it. I'm trying not hit my head on the wall since I saw the lookbook a few weeks ago.

But of course, I couldn't contain myself today when I saw they turned up at the online shop, and decided to put my paypal account to work. I had to make-up for the lost ones. I feel guilty though, with all the other vintage leggings in the studio waiting to be fixed, DIY-ed, adjusted. I'll make for it, promise. Meanwhile, those babes are gonna look grrrrrreat on my midget legs.