Sunday Best: The Mournful Lament of a Foolhardy Girl

If you follow me on twitter you'll have read that in a moment of madness... well, actually it was more annoyance at my hair constantly hanging in my eyes. I took a blunt pair of kitchen shears to my own hair. I've done it before and doubtless I will do it again but I instantly regretted my actions and I've been mournfully lamenting the loss of my long sweeping fringe ever since. Thankfully hair grows and in the past week or so it has grown at least half a centimeter, not much but just enough to cover my eyebrows and even though I don't like it, I can live with for the meantime.



Felt Boater - Topshop, Bag - Vintage, Heeled Desert Boots - New Look, Dress - Alexa Chung for Madewell, Coat - Topshop, Teacup Necklace and Bow Brooch - Vintage.
The only plus side as far as I can am concerned is that I can unearth all the hats that I bought when I sported this fringe last time but didn't suit my dearly departed haircut. I love this felt boater because it has a subtle air of school uniform without being conspicuous. I suppose this is echoed in my dress, I know its quite hard to see under there but its black velvet with a silk peter pan collar.




Even though Spring has finally arrived in Edinburgh, the sun is shining, crocuses are in full bloom and laundry flapping in the breeze, its still quite chilly. I'm still not willing to give up my winter clothes just yet. I need to slowly ease myself into paler hues. I have my work cut out if this outfit is anything to go by...

Are you ready for Spring?

Love at First Sight: Bow Loafers

Bow Loafers - Miss Selfridge


It has been a very long time since I did a Love at First Sight post but the moment that I saw these shoes I it was time for a revival.

Once again my heart rate quicken, I lost all sense of reason and I instantly purchased these pretty darlings.
I admit that I haven't been impressed with Miss Selfridge of late but their shoes have always been a favourite of mine. These patent dance partners are part of a Limited Edition collection of ten styles. They come in black and camel alongside brogues, chunky sandals and creepers, not all to my taste but definitely worth a look.

All I need now is a dress befitting of such beauties... And maybe a coat and matching hat... And the perfect coloured tights... And...

Sunday Best: Edinburgh

After receiving a snide comment regarding my lineage, it made me think about how I portray myself through this blog. Something that, to be honest, I've never given any thought before and it made me realise that I rarely post pictures taken in Edinburgh as it is typically portrayed. Like most Scots I'm fiercely patriotic, I love my bonny homeland and I love Edinburgh.

I wanted to show you how beautiful and unlike any other city Edinburgh is. With stunning architecture, green open spaces and all my favourite places. Only luck was not on our side, everywhere I wanted to take pictures was far too busy, too cramped to move little own take pictures. We tried to take pictures outside the castle and along the Royal Mile but in typical Scottish temperament it drizzled all afternoon In all the shots I was surrounded by grumpy tourists wearing fluorescent cagoules. And I promise you, there will never be a fluorescent cagoule on this blog.




Coat - TBA, Bag - Vintage, Heeled Loafers - Topshop, Skirt - Handmade, Polo neck Sweater - Topshop, Hat - Urban outfitters.
In order to escape the nasty cagoules, we snuck off into a close (that's an alleyway to those outside of Scotland) and finally got some good shots. My outfit isn't especially Scottish but my skirt is made from plaid (its not affiliated with a clan, so I wouldn't refer to it as tartan) woven right here and my hat isn't so far removed from a Tam O' Shanter cap. I do enjoy a cliche!


Finally when we were too cold to feel our fingers and toes, we hurried off to The Elephant House, where J.K Rowling once spent her afternoons scribbling stories about a boy named Harry with a scar in the shape of a lightening bolt. We drank Earl Grey and ate the worlds best shortbread (in my opinion), which is in the shape of a portly elephant.

It's not quite the Edinburgh that I wanted to show you but it is still the Edinburgh that I love.
Haste ye back x

P.S. Are there anymore Edinburgh based bloggers out there?

Rachel Antonoff Fall '11

Surprisingly this is my first ever fashion week post, in the past I have been too busy with school but that isn't really the reason I haven't posted about it. Mostly I prefer to wait until all the hype has died down, then if the few designers that I follow haven't been splashed over every blog I flick through their collection on Style.com
However, when I saw on twitter that The Like were playing Rachel Antonoff's show I had to have a peek and instantly my heart rate sped up! It is as if she crept into my heart and designed dresses to fit my deepest desires.



First of all the show was actually a cheesy high school disco with The Like playing, cute girls dancing with hot boys and a wayward girl spiking the punch. I didn't think there could be a better concept than her last show - A sleep over complete with bubble bath, ouija board and s'mores, but she thought of one.

I won't go go on and on about how darling the collection is because you can see for yourself. There are peter pan collars, plaid, cat ears, bows, loafers and my favourite part, Bass saddle shoes (from her collaborative collection) that actually match the dress!!!
Forget waiting for autumn, I absolutely need ornate spectacles, tights with hearts on the knee and  a red, blue and white plaid jumper right now.

It you can't wait until the summer has wasted in order to wear hearts on your kneed, check out this sweet tutorial Modcloth.

The original photographs, aswell as a few more shots can be found here.

Sunday Best: The Royal Botanic Gardens

I'm more than a little ashamed to admit that it has been 10 days since I updated last. However, I have valid excuses. My birthday was on Monday so naturally that meant celebrating it over a four day weekend, which resulted in a nasty hangover and subsequent head cold. I then spend the rest of the week hauled up in bed reading and drinking tea, which was nice for a while but I'm happy to be back!

This weekend I visited another antique fair, the same one that I mentioned in my previous post. I bought a few small things, a perfect 1960's blouse pattern with the most gigantic collar... not so dissimilar from the one I am wearing here. Aswell as a couple of shabby tins, I'm actually addicted to buying tins and usually Adam forbids me to buy any more save they take over the whole house but I slipped these past him alongside a few other pretty little things. If anyone is interested in my tatty findings then I'll happily show you but don't want to bore you unnecessarily.



Coat - Topshop, Bag - Vintage, Heeled Loafers - Topshop,
Pinafore Dress - Primark, Blouse - Topshop, Umbrella - Orla Kiely.



We stopped in off in the Botanic Gardens near our flat, en route to the fair. I can't believe that we haven't taken picture there before because its so beautiful, even at this bleak time on year. I was quite impressed with my rock clambering skills given my 5" heels (yes, I actually wore them), the wet steps and temperamental drizzle.

The reason we clambered up there was to get to a mossy waterfall but once we got there everyone in the gardens, or so it seemed, flocked around us to stare while we took pictures. It happens all the time when we're shooting but it always really annoys me... its only a few pictures, people are always taking them so I don't see why they feel the need to stop what they are doing and stare at us. Unsurprisingly I looked disgruntled in all of the waterfall shots so I don't even have anything to show for our trouble.



Then it started to rain again which meant my lovely new umbrella, a birthday gift from my Orla Kiely loving Mum, was put to good use. I actually didn't mean to style my outfit around my umbrella but doesn't it match nicely? Nor did I mean to wear Topshop head to toe but I did. Orange or we can call it 'Blush' if you would like, isn't exactly a colour that I would normally conceive of wearing and truth be told I bought the blouse because I loved the huge crazy collar. Only once I had taken it home I was pleasantly surprised by how many items in my wardrobe that it matches with. However I don't think that I will be purchasing any more orange pieces... sorry, sorry Blush pieces.

In other news, I recently answered a few questions for Cellardoor's blog including a funny little truth about myself but you can go and read that for yourself.

Wishing and Hoping

February is cold, bleak and grey. Technically it is my least favourite month of the year but it also the month of my birth so I try to make the best of it. This morning I woke up to a flurry of snow and a literal gale has been raging all day so in order to combat the winter blues I compiled a list of lovely things that I would like to receive on my birthday. Admittedly this was an self indulgent past time but I'm sure that you will like them as much as I do and it brightened up my day.


1. TBA Urban Outfitters (coming soon)
TBA's SS11 collection has been all over the Internet and it is perfect as always. I think my greatest wish in life is to wear TBA everyday.

2. Union Jack Umbrella from London Undercover
My heart skipped a beat when I first saw this umbrella from London Undercover, it's it the cutest? It also comes in a lovely dusky shade with plaid instead of gingham. It rains alot in Scotland, I think I need them both...

3. Liberty Tana Lawn in Tom's Jet, Floribunda & Nina
All seamstresses love Liberty fabric, it's the thimble law! I would love like to make pretty dresses in all these fabrics but at £20 a meter I don't know if I would be able to pluck up the courage to even cut it.

4. Lula Petal Blouse from Nadinoo
Let us not speak, instead we shall marvel at it's perfection.

5. Books - Style Me Vintage by Belinda Hay and British Baking by Peyton & Byrne
The first book is an absolute necessity, my birthday party is going to be 60's themed and I will be attempting to style my hair like Joan Holloway. This book is full of vintage hair tutorials using modern techniques so hopefully it will teach me how . As for the second, I'd better keep on wishing and hoping because it isn't actually published until March (I didn't actually realise that when I made the montage). Move over cupcakes, its all about British teatime treats.

6. Cookie Cutters
These are also a wish that is unlikely to come true since they are made by an American company that don't ship to the UK but aren't they lovely. You can see them on Ellie's blog, it's all her fault that I love them.

What is on your wish list?

The Best of British

My favourite part of writing a blog is virtually 'meeting' people with the same tastes and interest from all over the world. However, I realised that in my previous post I only included one blog written by a fellow Brit. I read blogs from Helsinki to Melbourne but it is always nice to read posts from closer to home. Here are my favourites - The Best of British, if you will.

I would love nothing more than to spend a day thrifting and drinking tea with all of these darlings but in the meantime I will settle for livingvicariously through their posts.



Hello Mr Fox, written by Hannah, a fellow Edinburgh blogger. We seem to be few and far between so it is nice to know that someone else is battling with the wind and rain. Everything about Hannah's blog is simply perfect. Her photography never fails to inspire, her thifting skills are exquisite as is her eye for detail.



Sadie's Wardrobe is a treasure trove of vintage finds and hand sewn delights written by lovely Sadie... believe it or not. I love reading about her latest sewing projects and thrfting bargains but most of all I love her cute 60's inspired style and patent loafers.



Louder than Silence, written by Sally and Ross, a darling and rather stylish couple living in London. Sally is a girl after my own heart, rocking pretty collars, bows and big hair. Perfectly accented by Ross, a typography loving dapper chap with amazing shoes, just look at them! Together the take us with them as they explore London's pubs, markets and vintage haunts. They remind me of my myself and my boyfriend which makes me love their blog even more.