My Life, My Love, My Dream

Otherwise known as Miss K to the P.E.R.R.Y.

If you have half an hour to kill, you could do worse than to watch this interview with my favourite pop goddess.

Warning: May induce a serious case of hair envy.

Her dress is pretty awesome too :-)

Personal Schmersonal

Me and the homies, at possibly the coldest barbeque ever!

Just for some light relief, however, the lovely Eleanor at Pretty Much Penniless passed the 'blogging baton' my way in a form of a questionnaire. (This works kind of like those old emails we used to send round to avoid GCSE coursework. Ah, nostalgia!)

1. What never fails to cheer you up?
Going to the movies. I'm old fashioned like that - even if it's at my local grotty multiplex, I can pretend that I am in the 1950's and have a dashing young man on my arm (even if, in fact, it is just me with a bag of sweets for company). Sweets also play a large part in my happiness, I am the pic n'mix queen. But seriously, aside from things like new notebooks, my favourite albums, beautiful vintage dresses, fairylights and dancing, my fail safe pick me up has to be my best friends. There are three girls on this planet who I couldn't live without and they make my life a million times better (and funnier)

2. If you could live one day of your life over again what would it be?
A day that I would like to improve on would be my graduation last summer - I spent most of in in a strop because it was the hottest day of the summer and we were prancing around in 'bat robes', which I objected to on the basis that we were a fashion course. It was hard to enjoy the day when at least one member of the class passed out with heatstroke! A good day to relive, however, would be the ones spent at reading festival in 2007. I have never laughed as much or seen as many amazing bands - watching Kings of Leon as the sun set behind the main stage is one of my happiest memories ever.

3. What do you like best about yourself?
The trait that I like most is also my biggest hindrance: I am never content with my life. This means that I am often very frustrated, but I hope my permanent quest for 'something more' will mean I actually do something worthwhile with my time on this planet.

4. What would you change about yourself?
My bra size. No doubts about that.

5. What have you enjoyed most about blogging?
The selfish pleasure of being able to write about whatever the heck I like, and to write my true opinions. Truth is everything. Also the consequence of meeting my Editor via blogland, who is now the most experienced and amazing mentor I could have hoped for!

6. Who or what is your ultimate source of inspiration?
Love is the most important thing in the world to me; whether it be love of a person, a passion for your chosen career, or inspiration as a result of someone elses devotion to art, fashion or literature.

7. If you could be anywhere in the world where would you be?
Living the American dream with my best girl friends, in a baby blue Cadillac, driving our way across America, drinking, dancing and experiencing everything that amazing country has to offer. A boy with lots of tattoos would also probably be involved.

8. Who would you invite to your ideal dinner party? Florence Welch, Noel Fielding, Katy Perry, Russel Brand, Barack Obama, Marilyn Monroe, Anna Wintour, Coco Chanel, Debbie Harry, Caleb Followill, Hayley Williams and all my best friends. It would have to be a very big table. I now pass the baton to RedheadFashionista, That's Not My Age, Riding on Buses With Bags, Gem Fatale and Her Secret Words

GL

Leopard Overload (Autumn Trend Spot)

The leopard Queen herself, my idol Bettie Page.

Sorrrrrrry. In the words of PerezHilton, there have been all sorts of 'dramz' going down, which has interfered with my blogging schedule. But I'm back!

Picking up where I left off on Saturday, my recent wardrobe overhaul has led to a moment of embarrassing self realisation. I'm a leopard print addict. There is a magnetic pull between myself and anything of the animal fabric variety - and it's getting out of hand. This is just a selection of the leopard in my wardrobe:


Time spent working at a rockabilly company didn't help, because there was leopard printed EVERYTHING. I adore its' retro connotations, but also the way that worn differently it can express all number of styles: punk, emo, rockabilly, 80s glam metal, 60s sex kitten.

The 60's look is going to be huge for AW10, something I am very happy about indeed. It's all about one or two statement pieces, like this perfect jacket from the gods at Miu Miu:

(If I had the monies, I think I would wear solely Miu Miu and vintage. One day...)

Back in my full on emo girl days, I was never without one of my Collectif cardigans (I have one in every colour!Accessories are a good way to dip your toe in to the leopard print look. I am a big fan of the retro headscarf, as modelled by my beautiful friend Jena Birch!


If you are going to do full on retro leopard, you might as well do it properly with a lovely frock from Vivien of Holloway. Look at the waist on that!


The trick I have discovered over the years of my leopard fetish is to avoid anything overtly tacky looking i.e. no satins, no patent, and NO GLITZ. If I see a piece of diamante next to some leopard print I firstly think of Kat Slater and secondly feel positively nauseous about this crime against style. Yuk!

I am now counting the days until the weather cools down, so that I can wrap myself up in gorgeous leopard items, pile on the eyeliner and make like my modern and classic pin-up icons.

The delectable Daisy, who is stunning in real life as she is in photos. Damn her!

Finally Bardot, proving that nobody does it better.

GL

www.collectif.co.uk
www.vivienofholloway.co.uk
www.net-a-porter.com

"Because Topshop Makes Everything Better"

(I stole that quote from my friend Sophie. Thanks, Soph.)

It sounds like a really daft thing to say, but in fact, we both laughed at just how true that statement is! I was having a rubbish day, surrounded by mess and packing boxes in my flat, so went into my local town to meet her. Our town, Chichester in deepest West Sussex, is technically classed as a city because it has a cathedral, but it doesn't exactly offer the 24/7 lifestyle of 'actual' cities. (In fact it's main selling points are the pretty cobbled streets and some nice art galleries - lovely, but not exactly non-stop fun).

(Tomato red = fun times)

While I am counting the days until my London move, it is easy to feel depressingly cut off and isolated, both from friends and from everything exciting that is happening in my beloved capital. The fact that I now work in London makes that feel even more acute; the culture shock between work and home is unbelievable, it's like I live two completely separate lives. Obviously I have always felt this disparity, having been a Sussex gal for the last nine years, but I realised the honest truth is this:

Topshop helps us to feel connected to the real world! As sad as it sounds, if I go into my local Topshop I can see and feel a little glimpse of London life, a direct feed into everything that is fresh and new and fashionable. As much as I get sick of seeing local girls all wearing the same dress/skirt/shoes, at least Topshop has given me access to something remotely cool when I don't have the time or money to go to Brighton or London. This is proof of the wonders of miracle branding, who have created a Topshop 'experience' that can be recreated across the world (the visual merchandising, the music, the staff - you go into a Toppers, you know what you're gonna get).

(Yeah, you're gonna get stunning wedges, like these little beauties)

I wish I didn't get suckered in by it, but sometimes a girl can't help it. Thank goodness for my new flat. In two weeks I will have a wealth of vintage shops, galleries, clubs and events on my doorstep so I will no longer have to rely on Topshop as my sole fashion fix. After my rent I won't have any money to go shopping anyway, so that solves that problem!

(Note to self: cut up Arcadia store card IMMEDIATELY.)

GL

PS. How much is this leopard addict loving the influx of animal print for A/W 10? Which leads me to my next post...

(All images/product available from Topshop.com)

Guest Post Alert!

Regular readers will already know about my tattoo obsession - however my most recent guest post on Fashion Editor at Large explains more...

http://fashioneditoratlarge.blogspot.com/2010/07/soldiers-sailorsfashion-juniors.html

GL

OMG I CAN'T HOLD IT IN ANY LONGER

Sorry people, it's been about two weeks since I allowed myself to comment on my favourite pop starlet, but this is just too good to miss out on.

Miss Katy Perry has unveiled what her new record will look like.

Now this is what I call an album cover...

...and what's more, it's candyfloss scented!

I am currently stalking the artist to try and get an interview - so watch this space.

GL

The Coolest Men in Music

Never fear, a fashion post is en route, but meanwhile, lonely nights spent in Sussex surrounded by packing boxes has provided me with some quality iTunes time.

A few weeks ago I posted about my female musical idols, so in the name of equality I think it only fair to allow blogspace for my male heroes too. These characters are not a comprehensive list of my ultimate rock n'roll icons but instead focuses on those informing, influencing and inspiring the world of music, fashion and style right now.

Mark Ronson


The man, the suit, the legend. I swear this boy has cool dripping off him, from the tips of his perfectly quiffed hair. Possibly the best dressed man on the planet, and one of the most talented too. The majority of my respect for the Ronson stems from his ability to make Amy Winehouse the best she can possibly be and for working his magic on one of the greatest albums of all time, Back to Black.

He also seems to be a genuinely hardworking fellow who adores his craft, and can turn his hand to any musical genre. There is an authenticity to everything he does, and latest offering 'Bang Bang Bang' is no exception. It is a slice of pure 80s perfection, down to the minutest detail - even the colouring of the accompanying video. Warning: this song will stick in your head for days.



Kele Okereke

A poet for our generation, Kele's lyrics get me RIGHT THERE. Heart wrenching, painful, acutely apt, there is no-one who can tell tales of London life, loss and love like this guy. I was late to the Bloc Party, ahem, party, only discovering their wonderful talents back in 2007 when I bought Silent Alarm in Tesco, of all places. I think it was one of the last CDs I ever physically purchased, but I don't think there are many albums that now hold such a cherished place in my heart.

Breaking out on his own, it seems Kele has allowed himself to unleash his emotional experiences onto an unsuspecting listening audience. I was just innocently minding my own business when his latest solo video transformed me into a bawling wreck. Unfortunately those greedy Guardian people have exclusivity on it, so click this link to see what I'm talking about. I challenge you not to get choked up by the chorus.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2010/jul/21/kele-okereke-everything-wanted

Ian Watkins


There are a lot of 'haters' (that phrase makes me die inside) for Lostprophets but I don't give a damn. There aren't many frontmen who can rock a stage like Mr Watkins and seeing them from the front of the crowd at Reading 2007 was one of my all time favourite gigs. They have been performing and putting out albums for a long time now but will be forever cool.

Eminem


Hello, Marshall Mathers! Welcome back old friend. Talk about a comeback - from the ashes of what was the slightly embarrassing Relapse (his words, not mine), Eminem has returned to remind us of all that is good and great about rap. This man exposed me to a scary unknown world of self destruction, when my naive twelve year old self listened to his major label debut. Over a decade later, and my friends and I are singing our hearts out to his latest release. His eerie, abuse themed Rihanna duet has already knocked my beloved Katy P off the top of the charts and they haven't even filmed a video yet - Megan Fox is rumoured to be taking the starring role. Such is the power of a certain Slim Shady.

Kings of Leon


Yes, they are beautiful, and yes, their latest album was a lot more polished than the crazy raw quality of their debut, but Kings of Leon are pure rock n'roll. It defies the laws of probability that there could be so much talent shared between such close relatives, but I'm not complaining. Their music stirs my soul and listening to it makes me desperate to go to Tennessee. I went through a huge phase of dreaming of my very own Almost Famous scenario, and anytime I try to forget fantasies of one day being a Queen of Leon, this video sets me right back on track.


Jack White

Three cult bands. A prolific song writing career. The most skilled guitar playing fingers on the planet today. A stunning, creative wife. Jack White has it all, and I am grateful that my generation got to enjoy their very own guitar legend.

Gerard Way

Where are you My Chemical Romance? I know Gerard has been busy going off and marrying his rock chick wife (no bitterness here!) but can they get their act together and come back in time for the Breaking Dawn soundtrack please? The greatest emo band of all time...hands down.

So there you have it. If nothing else, this post can serve as a time capsule for Glitterbird's taste in music, circa 2010!

GL

(Images: Nylon, Getty)

Graduates, We Have A Problem

Graduation last year: Glitterbird and the folks, who were so proud - and relieved I'd finally made it.
Little did they know!

I am currently packing up my little house and contemplating the year it has taken for me finally to be able to move to London, and the financially uncertain future that lays ahead.

Dearly beloved blog readers, most of you will have been subjected to one of my Higher Education rants before, but recent political happenings have provided fresh fuel for my fire of fury.

Two years ago, some of my school friends graduated as the last generation of students to enjoy the £1000 per year fees cap. Most of them managed to find employment of some kind, with a lucky few beginning their careers almost immediately. There were rumbles in the jungle about something called a recession, but they were already earning money so that was all A.O.K. Those of us who hadn't yet graduated were far too busy working like maniacs on our final degree projects to take heed of the storm cloud brewing overhead.

(I did take some heed, and started applying for jobs in the January before I graduated thinking that would give me a head start. A nice idea, but I was being pretty naive)

So then I graduated this time last year with a debt so large I dare not now even think about it because it induces a chill of fear in my heart. Having been prepped and primed by our universities, we were launched into the real world of money, jobs and responsibilities, only to discover that there was NOTHING. A big fat hole where the career prospects we had been striving for should have been. Forget career prospects in fact: there was no paid employment, full stop.

I was laughing hysterically/on the point of a nervous with one of my best friends the other day, as we reminisced about our struggle to get any kind of job. Even with a wealth of lingerie knowledge, I was point blank refused an interview for a La Senza Saturday job. Having said all the right things in an interview for a part time job at H&M, I heard nothing back from the manager for over a week. Eventually I followed him round the shop before cornering him by the hairslides (I was a desperate woman, okay?) He shook his head at me and smiled. "I would love to employ you," he said, "but you are too good for us. Some fashion company in London is going to snap you up and I will have wasted time training you. If you decide to get pregnant, get married, stay in your hometown, then give me a call."

Seriously? What did he expect me to do in the meantime? Even qualified graduates need a little thing called money, y'know! Going back to my conversation with my good friend, she was telling me how she has to dumb down her CV to get retail jobs and erase all the amazing work placements she has done at law firms, for fear that they will think she is 'too good' for retail.

What is wrong with the world? Something is very topsy turvy here - the subliminal message we are being sent is don't finish school, don't get a good education and you'll be guaranteed a job in a shop. Graduates Need Not Apply.

I think one of the key problems is the massive over subscription to university courses, which was heavily encouraged by the previous government and has ended up devaluing degrees. A large percentage of the girls on my course didn't give a flying flip about getting an education or doing pursuing our subject as a career, they were just doing it because that is what you do when you leave school. That percentage is probably even higher on 'general' courses such as English Literature and History. People have been clamouring for a place on a degree course simply for the sake of getting a degree, because we were force fed the notion that this was the only way to get ahead. Now that has caused the reverse to happen! Analysts predict this will be the last year that universities will be able to offer Clearing places because demand has now outstripped supply.

A few days ago I was greeted by the news that the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, has proposed a Graduate Tax. His idea ('to save struggling universities' - forget the students) is for the Government to pay student fees outright, rather than lending them, and then for the amount students pay back be tiered according to the pay bracket they graduate into (surgeons would pay more than librarians, for their degrees, once they start earning over £15k)

It's a fairly logical idea, aside from the fact that I thought that was the point of income tax. My major worry, however, is that Cable is somewhat missing the point. Unless employers somewhere, anywhere, begin to take on graduates even in menial roles, we won't be able to pay back our debt at all! Forget graduate jobs - there aren't ANY jobs to be had!

Graduates of Summer '10 - good luck.

GL

The London Diaries: Acne Studios - Super Cool Clothes and Many, Many Celebs.

Sorry for the delay in reportage, however this is the earliest my hangover has permitted me to even look at a computer screen, let alone type words that actually make sense.

Very, very exciting things to report from the Glitterbird camp, primarily concerning a certain Acne Studios launch party last night.

Before that, however, Wednesday saw me having the brainy idea of taking a bus from Fulham to Shoreditch, which although saving me an amazing £1.20 on a tube fare, also took FOREVER. Honestly, I thought I was in a different time zone by the time we arrived at Liverpool Street. The journey did allow me to take in some of the London sights, both traditional...

...and contemporary.

After braving the East End rain to do some secondary job hunting (we don't work in fashion for the money, darling) I missioned it back to Mayfair for some press days and a sneaky snoop around the very exciting new Acne studio.


Acne, for those not in the know, is an uber cool Swedish brand founded by a man with one of the best names in fashion, Jonny Johansson. It is elegant, edgy and extremely wearable, making it one of the hottest brands in the world right now. It has been available in the UK for a while now, but this was to be their first dedicated London studio (sounds so much better than 'shop', doesn't it?!)

I was privileged to enjoy a tour around the beautiful building: formerly an art gallery, it is still full of light and space. The decor is very modern and pretty darn classy, as you would expect. I particularly enjoyed personal touches such as Jonny's own yellow piano and specially comissioned artworks.

There are actually three of these Helmut Lang sculptures, but while I was there they were still in the process of manoeuvring it into the building. Words like 'crane' and 'third storey window' were banded about, I didn't envy the person in charge of making that call!


In all honesty it was more like walking round a gallery than a shop, and it has the same cool tranquility of the Tate Modern to boot. It is the perfect setting for such an amazing brand.

While I was browsing the rails, I happened to spot the unmistakable haircuts of a certain band, also having a snoop around. It was only the flipping xx! After seeing their show on Monday, I could not restrain myself from being a fangirl (again, I know this is becoming a habit) and rushed up to Remy to congratulate them on their performance. She even posed for a photo for her new stalker too, which was very sweet of her.


The studio itself did not open to the public until today, so the excitement surrounding the launch was palpable in London yesterday. I was very excited myself, and had no idea what the night had in store!
People were all a-flutter as to who was going to attend, and all credit to the lovely people at Yellowdoor PR - the celeb count went stratospheric!

The waiters themselves were fairly A-List with their ridiculous floral head pieces and short shorts. I caught one having a little itch under his flower hat and he grimaced, saying it was setting off his hayfever!

I grabbed a cocktail and started celeb spotting: first up was Daphne Guiness, in an extremely spikey Gareth Pugh suit (I should know, she brushed past me on her way out - yeouch!)

Good old Henry 'London It Boy' Holland rocked up, posed for the paps and stayed to catch up with Nick Grimshaw, Jaime Winstone, George Lamb, Ben Grimes, Jade Parfitt...the list goes on.

I nearly choked on my Cosmo when Julia Restoin Roitfeld popped in, but my fave celeb of the night has to be the bea-u-tif-ul Daisy Lowe, who breezed in looking like she had just come from milking the cows on her farm. In a good way.

After that, I began to lose track of who was famous and who wasn't, and set about making a nuisance of myself with random strangers. After x-amount of vodka cocktails, I ended up giggling in a corner with a group of boys who promptly whisked me off to Soho for some late night dancing. What happened after that is anyone's guess!

GL

The London Diaries: Hollywood Stars and Really Big Boats?!

Days in this town just get weirder and weirder. Now that the Fashion Editor at Large is on her summer holiday, I am just filling my days with random fashion 'happenings' in order to keep up to speed in her absence.

When I am not in London I miss its vibrancy and power; the feeling that anything could happen at any moment. These last few days have been no exception!In my impoverished state I have made it my mission to walk everywhere, so I planned out a schedule of press days to visit yesterday and started with Karen Millen, which was all pleasantly pretty and very grown up. A lot of vintage styling and intricate detailing; I particularly enjoyed the shredded silk cupcake dress (it reminds me of messing about with fabrics and glue guns for A level Textiles - don't ask!) and the delicate beading. The kind of lovely dresses proper girls wear to proper cocktail parties!

Karen Millen Website

I then strolled into Soho for my friend Hannah's press day with Push PR, and had a ganders at all their Christmas goodies (I know, Christmas in July, a concept this fashion newbie is still yet to get her head around). How delicious are these Gaga-worthy shoes from Kandee Shoes, designed by Josh Wayman and sent over specially for this event? (hot off the shoe press, so to speak) I flipping LOVE them. The combination of sugary sweet pastels and scary studs just say 'Psycho Barbie' to me!

Kandee Shoes Website

So I was minding my own beeswax, admiring some lovely frillies by Gilda and Pearl and nuts party dresses from Gigi Vintage...

Gilda and Pearl website, Gigi Vintage website

...when the craziest thing happened. Jeff Goldblum, Hollywood movie star a.k.a. the professor off of Jurassic Park and sci-fi legend The Fly, pops his head round the door to see what is going on. This was of course nothing to do with the fact that the room was filled with pretty fashion girls 40 years his junior, but hey, the man is a cult icon, we were hardly going to turn him away! He was loving the attention as we all scrambled for our cameras/iPhones/Blackberries/anything to capture the moment.

I have to say Mr Goldblum was more than happy to pose with each and every one of us, even grabbing my pal Hannah and waltzing her around the room. What a charmer.

Glitterbird, Goldblum and Hannah Dick (rising star of the fashion PR world)

I have it on good authority that he came back after his gym session to ask out one of the interns for lunch, who promptly accepted - who wouldn't in that situation?!

Nuts. You wouldn't get that happening in sleepy ol' Sussex, and that is why I am counting the days until the big London move. 3 weeks to go!

In the evening, my friend and I decided to go and see some A-listers in action on the big screen, namely Vanessa Paradis in Heartbreakers. Unfortunately said friend had mis-calculated the walk to the cinema, so arrived wayyyy after the start of the movie (we had walked into a whole different borough by that point. I was threatening blue murder by then.) We attempted to make the most of a nice evening by wandering the mean streets of Chelsea, having a giggle at the 'Gap Yah'ettes who were spilling out of every pub in their uniform of pale blue shirts, chinos and bouffant bonces.

I found the most incredible video store, which aside from the fact that it still rented VHS tapes, also looked like it was straight-outta 1986, which you can't help but love.


Lastly we wandered through Chelsea Harbour and picked out our future yachts, you know, for when we have a few million spare.


Just another day in this crazy town.

GL

http://www.pushpr.co.uk/

(All images copyright George Langford)