Cherry

Loving this rain mac from the new Topshop collection. Very Don't Look Now. I'd like to dash through the streets of Venice in it (without the troll part...)

I've started a (what is still a pretty small) record collection over the last couple of years since my mum gave me some old Black Sabbath, Hawkwind and Lynyrd Skynyrd records. I've added to them from this an awesome shop in Reading called The Sound Machine that has stacks of old records. My boyfriend and I had the most fun routing around in there. I got the Saxon Denim and Leather vinyl, Freebird Lynyrd Skynyrd and Deep Purple In Rock. And for my last birthday the boyfriend got me a Bat out of Hell Meatloaf record and the Jimi Hendrix Concerts. I'm now looking to add some Led Zeppelin and, of course, some Stones. 

But my real hunt is now for a bloody record player. We used to have one that mum played all of hers on, but unfortunately it died a sad death years ago, so now I'm really keen to get a new one so I can actually play them rather than have them sitting here tempting me. Old music sounds so much better when it sounds old!

right across the board...

I need to return an unwanted Christmas gift from Tatty Devine (not one of my own, one I gave to someone else!) and thought I may as well treat myself and make it an exchange. For those of you who haven't heard of Tatty Devine, they make really awesome lazer cut jewellery. I did work experience there a few years back and they were also a lovely bunch of people.

Anyway, I had a browse of the site and came across a new edition of their volume button brooch.....

.... that goes up to eleven!

Now as an uber Spinal Tap fan this is obviously the one for me, so an exchange it is. It will go straight on the lapel of my pleather jacket and stay there. How fun!

They have a great sale on at the moment,  check it out here. Some of the stuff I bought for presents is now on half price sale, damn!

If my check-shirt-loving boyfriend wore brooches I would buy him this -

when it's raining, it's pouring...

... ohh what to wearrr! I am in the New Year what to wear rut. I wake up so early that I can barely function in the morning, let alone think about what to wear and when it's cold and rainy all I can bear to do snuggle up in a jumper, jeans and blazer as standard. Works - but gets a bit boring. And when you have a wardrobe that looks like this it can be quite hard to rifle through and find anything (unless I decided to wear flowers and feathers to work...)

Even my shoes are falling through the slats... I think I need to do some diy soon..

Anyway, as part of my new years resolution I'm planning lots of fun times where I can bust all of my fun stuff out. The rest is on hold until the glorious summer :).

I bought the heart print dress from my Chelsea Girl post, it looks so nice with my overworn navy jacket and blue velvet platforms I got a couple of months back (two sizes too small but I loved them so much I made them fit).

Excuse my manky bobbly tights (and poor indoor photography).

Wild thing, you make my heart sing

And another awesome collection from Wildfox and they always have the coolest images to go with. The SS11 collection is a winner (I love it even more than the shoot they did with that Allie chick from The Hills that I loved so). I just want to buy it all. That cream dress, the daisy motif, the lightning t shirt - ohhhh!

My favourite looks: -

Images from http://adirtyblonde.blogspot.com / Wildfox

Ladies of the Canyon

I have seen this literally everywhere on the internet but I'm going to chime in too. Ohhhh my goodness the latest Topshop Snake Valley is a dream, it makes me think of Joni and Stevie and Stillwater (Lucy - if you read this, I still can't say that without thinking of the the bottle at Download), I fucking love it. And the imagery is great. Although it does mean that half of the female population will be channeling Penny Lane this summer. I'm looking forward to stocking up on some gems to last me years, rather than a season.

Below are some of my favourite bits from the collection so far - but they haven't even brought out the big guns yet, I have to have those blue kick flares and oversized Lennon specs...

[Topshop and carolinesmode.com]

On another note, I spotted these beauties in the sale at Irregular Choice on a Christmas Eve trip to Carnaby Street. Now, I don't have a spare £70 to spend on summer shoes but my summer won't be complete without them, that's my excuse anyway. The orange velvet lining is the cherry on the cake for me, reminds me of a guitar case. Saving starts now.

Back to the grind

I have that 'back to school' feeling today. This Christmas break has felt so long, a lot longer than just ten days and I'm dreading going back to work tomorrow. I have hardly any free time in the week because I have a really long commute to and from work and when I get home I usually just feel tired and stressed anyway. Really not for me! I am already counting down the months until the summer when I'll hopefully be as happy as this again..

Anyway, feeling down doesn't suit the good mood i've been over Christmas so here's a bit of motivation for everyone - this song always makes me feel better when I feel shit!