biatchy post

I hate Avril Lavigne. There are few people that I genuinely cannot stand, but she is one. It's her general "like me, because I'm Canadian", to her "don't like me, I'm a teenager", and "I'm just real, sweet, me" fakeness. And she's dull!! She was on the wonderful Charlotte Church Show, which everyone goes on to swear and be funny, and all she did was hug her knee, look vulnerable, and giggle. Please!!! Show some personality. And now Go Fug Yourself: The Best Damn Fug highlights just how awful and stuck in a time warp that Avril is. And it made me feel good.

The Measure catches up

I am an avid reader of The Guardian, and I'm not sure I'd be able to make it through a Saturday without reading The Measure, the fashion team's round-up on what's hot and what's not. Of course, it's hilariously contradictory, slating celeb fashion ranges whilst featuring Kate Moss's collection on a previous page, and things that were hot last week are frequently not this week. Anyway, I was both delighted and disappointed to see that they had noticed Kirsten Dunst's horrendous mustard tights, only about three weeks after I wrote about it via Go Fug Yourself. Keep up people!

gorgeous bicycle print

I've been in my flat for 9 months now, and still have nothing on the walls, which might actually be a crime. However, I absolutely adore this bicycle print from nydampress at Etsy. Etsy for me is a total addiction, but I've not yet bought anything. I'd love to start making cards and selling them there. The only thing is, I do wonder about the sales potential - I sometimes think that it is a site for crafters, by crafters, and if I can craft, why would I buy it? But people do.

spring cleanin

I'm feeling a bit hungover today, which is not helping my productivity. On top of that, I'm cleaning out my wardrobe and putting stuff on ebay for the first time ever. I'm not that hopeful of making a heap of cash, but you never know. Clearing out my wardrobe is really hard for me, because (a) I find lots of stuff I love, and I want to wear everything again, and (b) I can instantly imagine lots of reasons why I should keep something, even if I haven't worn it for 4 years. I'm trying to be strong this time around. I think that if I had one of those fabulous walk in wardrobes (a purchase for my lottery millions), I wouldn't have these problems. But no such luck as yet. So I know have a huge bag to try and list on ebay. And sure, if I lose interest, I can always just take it to the charity shop.

work distractions

Oooops. Sometimes work gets a little dull. And when that happens, I might wander along to somewhere to flex my credit. This dress is the key piece of the warehouse campaign this season, and the lovely Mischa Barton has also been spotted in it. I also saw it on a girl in town on Saturday, but it didn't look so hot on her, possibly because she wasn't the tallest of girls. Most clothes loook absolutely fabulous on petite chicas, but this dress relies on being long of limb, so hopefully my 5'8" of legs will work with this dress. And if not, it's selling well on ebay, since its sold out of shops.

burned by forever 21

I finally decided to abuse my transatlantic friends and send some forever 21 purchases to them. Alas! Too late. The dress I was raving about is no longer on sale, either because it was far too like the designer it was ripped off from, or because, with Fashionista's tip off, everyone wanted a swishing maxi dress.

spend to save

The world that is. Howies is one of my absolutely favourite sites for browsing. Cool t-shirts, nice shapes, funky stuff, and ethically sound. What's stopping you?

this is not a plastic bag

Everyone in Britain went crazy for Anya Hindmarch's £5 "I'm Not a Plastic Bag, which the last 20,000 will be in Sainsburys stores next week. Queue elbows being wielded across Britain, but it does mean they are less likely to reach the heady heights of £400 on ebay. "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" comes from the team behindWe Are What We Do, and their fabulous site makes other great suggestions for saving the world, including using a biro from start to finish, sharing your lunch, and shutting down your computer properly. Check out the site, and track your own do-gooding actions. It's the little things that add up, people!

nothing creates a diet more than ...

... wearing a huge belt around your waist all day. I got this fabulous belt a few weeks ago from topshop to wear with a fabulous cream wool minidress. I've since teamed it with my playsuit (hello 50s pin up!), and today, a very old turquoise shirt dress to wear to work. Grown up, but cheeky. And definitely put me off eating anything all day, since (a) it digs into my stomach and (b) my little pot belly pokes out underneath, reminding me that I shouldn't have that second chocolate bar!

fab random fashion find

Despite my lamenting the fact that I don't live in the US and therefore can't order Forever 21, really it's probably a good thing. Because if I did I would also be able to spend lots atThe Fusion Boutique. Don't you love the random fashion finds that turn up on the web. Fashion Boutique is thanks to Amber at Painfully Hip, and she's managed to arrange for her readers to get a 10% discount. If I was able to take part in this, I'd get this lovely creamy top, team it with some denim hotpants and brown gladiator sandals. Love it.

update on those fab shirts

After blogging about those fab Gap shirts yesterday, they've gone and shown up on the May cover of US Vogue, looking absolutely fabulous. Thanks to Fashionista and Confessions of a Casting Director.

crisp clean white shirts

The Gap, that long-purveyer of the classic white shirt, has teamed up with Vogue favourites Thakoon, Doo-Ri, and Rodarte, to create these shirts. Although the last Gap collaboration with Roland Mouret was not that hot in my opinion, (though I saw one girl really rocking her red shirt dress), this collaboration looks really cool. I am loving the shirt on the right. Can't wait for them to hit the UK.

forever 21 envy

Recently I have had such strong Forever 21 envy that I even considered setting up a US mailing address, but then I did some research, and it looks like it will be pretty costly (though I could get super cheap US magazine subscriptions as well, which is tempting). I thought I had gotten over it, but now Coquette has gone and posted a whole load of cute flowery stuff they have, all for less than $20. No fair!!

my current dream shoes

I've been looking for the dream nude pumps for a while. I think it was coquette who blogged about them first, but I remember writing about them eve a couple of months ago, when that chick who's dating Mick Jagger (LeWren something or other) who swears by them for making your legs look longer. Whilst I was in New York, I did get into Nine West shoes, since they are so cheap there compared to here (think same number, different currency), and these are just perfect. I saw them the other day, but Jennine at THE COVETED spotted them firs. Great shape, great colour, great heel. They also come in black. Me want them both.

kate moss blue jeans!!

Dump the overdyed denim. Bring out the kiddies blues! Kate Moss is on the cover of Dazed and Confused this month in a pair of Topshop blue denims (they look like straight legs from the angle). Ditch the black, the grey, the overdyed - its back to blue baby.

fashion I'm most definitely not excited about

Fashionista.com has picked up on the fact that Daisy Lowe is creating a fashion capsule collection. Thankfully, this isn't coming to a Topshop/New Look/Gap near us; it is instead through her mother's line. This is a girl who is really known for having vaguely famous parents, and going to a lot of parties. I don't deny she doesn't look absolutely gorgeous (eyes, skin, mouth, hair - all luscious), but at 18, what on earth can she bring to a clothing collection? And besides, all she does is dress cute goth. Puhlease.

Scarlett has sexiest body

After yesterday's "Scarlett" moment following Lost in Translation, I remember that the gorgeous Ms Johansson was recently voted "sexiest body" by Glamour magazine. The pictures of her were gorgeous - curvy, voluptuous, challenging, and beautiful. But so different from the delicate, winsomeness that made her so effective in Lost in Translation. I am not saying that people shouldn't change, and don't for one second dream that I am knocking Scarlett. Please, I'd chew my own leg off to look even a bit like her, if you were drunk, and only looking through one eye. She's just moved on so much from that vulnerability that was on display in Lost in Translation. I'm not sure we would believe her today if she were to play the same role. Maybe because she seems so sure of herself in her own skin. Which is sexy as hell, I'm sure we can all agree.

to be an ingenue...

Just finished watching the wonderful "Lost in Translation", and feel all dreamy and inspired to be more, well, quiet and unsaid.

tunes to make you run

Strictly speaking, this isn't a fashion post, but let's face it, working up a sweat every so often is an unfortunate necessity in order to pour ourselves into some unforgiving jeans without creating a muffin top. Sometimes, I do actually enjoy exercise, but that's usually when the sun is shining and I'm wandering along a mountain ridge enjoying some fabulous views. Less so when I'm pounding the treadmill wishing that I wasn't beetroot and having an asthma attack. That's when the joy of the iPod playlist kicks in, and Fit Sugar have a rather funky "playlist of the week" section to inpsire you when you get bored of hiting "My Top Rated". Sweet.

knocked down knock offs

I have set up Fashionista.com as one of my RSS feeds to my google reader so I can check it out at work. Amazingly, it even streams in the pictures (lots of my RSS feeds have their pics removed for fear of them being NSFW, but fashion seems to get around the financial IT wizards, thankfully). Anyways, Fashionista's been doing a great line in how Forever 21 are knocking off high class designer pieces. And this dress is pretty gorgeous. The one on the left is some fancy designer (can't remeber who, but strangely Paris Hilton wore it on tv and looked grown up), and the one of the right is Freover 21. Two problems ensue: (1) Forever 21 don't ship to the UK. (2) Even if they did, I have no idea what size I would be. Grr.

Gloss.com Bites the Dust

L.A Story has picked up on Gloss.com ceasing operations. A case of not making enough profit. Being UK based, I've never used Gloss.com, but I do remember it from the crazy high rolling days of the dotcom bubble. As for online beauty, I have to admit to never having bought any makeup etc online - so much is about texture and light, that I just can't bring myself to do it. Although, maybe if there were amazon-esque discounts on REN skincare, I might change my mind. For those who do want to get into the online beauty scene, the biggest by far in the uk is HQ Hair. I will so go there when I finally get around to buying me some GHDs. Yes, I must be the last woman in the UK not to have a set.

summer trends

Ah, its so great to finally feel the sun on my skin! Edinburgh had a mini-heatwave this weekend, and it was great to finally see some (very pale) flesh. Naturally, it made me think about what I'm dying to wear this summer. A list of some upcoming purchases (credihttp://www2.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gift card withstanding!) below:
waistcoat (vests for you Americans) - in a stoney/grey colour
white jeans? strangely tempting, but can do terrible things to your bum!
black jeans - okay, so I'm just plain late on this trend
loose silver/gold striped lurex vest (tank top) with a racerback
dresses!! just lots of dresses. I've seen some great silk ones from warehouse that even Mischa Barton has been spotted in. Dresses are going to be bright, short and flirty
denim hot pants - I've tried on so many pairs so far, and yet to find the perfect pair, but it will be done!
loose white vest to go with my waistcoat
brown gladiator sandals to go with my plethora of dresses
maxi dress if I don't end up looking shapeless and dumpy

And what I won't be buying
anything involving dungarees just not a good look in my eyes
wedges yes, I know, I'm wrong in this, but I just don't love the shape
anything plaid ew ew ew.
high waisted denim even with my long legs this looks too, well, fashion victimy.

Let's see how long my credit lasts before my bank manager forcibly removes my credit card from my sweaty palms.

ouch ouch ouch

I am currently nursing some stratospheric blisters on the soles of my feet. This is on account of two things - the fabulous summer weather that has finally hit Edinburgh (it is unlikely to last long) inspired me to take the playsuit public. Now, a playsuit, in my opinion (though Kate Moss's is likely to be different) only works with heels, otherwise it is far too lesbian with a wrench (nothing against lesbians with wrenches, but its not the 50s pin up look I'm going for). So, I took the playsuit out for its first outing yesterday, accompanied by a rather fine brown belt to give me a waist, and some fabulous brown chunky leather t-bar peep toe heels that I picked up last week from Topshop. Coupled with some fantastic men's sunglasses that I found, I was looking stylin, but after some quality time wandering round Edinburgh (and some great french toast thanks to Urban Angel, I also had some rather nasty blisters on the top of my feet where the t-bar was meeting the toe. Grr. Today was no better, since I tried to get into training for the Edinburgh Moonwalk, which is a walking marathon. Whilst I used to be quite fit, and able to walk forever, I'm not convinced I'm in shape, so I went for a wander along the canal. However, silver ballet flats and 9 miles of wandering don't make for happy feet, so as well as blisters on the top of my foot, I've also managed to get them on the bottom. Clever girl. So now I'm hopping around the flat like a loon.