I recently have been going to a tiny independent cinema in Nottingham just a few minutes from town. Its like something out of a film, its slightly creepy however its only £2 for a student on a Wednesday. I looked on their website and saw a charity event which is £4 tonight where they are screening Pulp Fiction, as my flat mate is somewhat of a Quentin Tarantino fan we've decided to go. Everyone keeps telling me that I will find inspiration in unlikely places such as film and music compared to looking through fashion magazines, so tonight hopefully that will be the case.
I've recently seen a section in Look Magazine about Shoe Clips, these pretty little accessories clip onto the front of your pumps or the side of your books to jazz them up. I saw a lady during the week with some, I tried to slyly take a picture of them which proved difficult as she was walking. Not one of my smartest ideas but the point is I'd really like a pair myself.
I have to say at the start of the year I was finding living on a student budget quite a challenge as before my pay checks would be used for clothes and shoes etc. Where as now it has to go on boring things like washing up liquid and cereal.
However I am trying to adapt to the ways of student living by finding myself little treats here and there (which is basically something cheap that I can justify spending some money on) So far I have found these beauties...
I had been practically drooling at the window of Accessorise and Monsoon looking at these beautiful beaded bags until I took a little trip to Primark and found this cheap alternative for Christmas time for just £10.
I'm also a bit of a fiend for velvet so it was like all my Christmases coming together when I found the following...
These emerald green patterned leggings are perfect for the cold and are really eye catching, I'm hoping in a good way. The best things about these however is that they cost me a mere £3 Yes, three squids, which is hardly a dent in the bank account. I saw them in a market in The Victoria Centre in Nottingham and I've been wearing them at every chance I have to get in the festive spirit.
I also found this when I went to the Urban Outfitters shop opening in Nottingham. It was a pack of two for £6, so £3 each, which I decided to split with my flat mate. More Velvet!
In the same market shop that I found the pretty leggings I also found this faux leather gold embroidered skater skirt. I wasn't sure if I could pull of the leather skirt look however I feel the embroidery gives it a feminine edge and more my style. Again I'm really pleased with this as its perfect for with a pair of tights and a jumper now its getting colder. Again the icing on the cake was that it was only £7. Happy Nicole.
Its needless to say that studs are the bee's knees and that really sold these wedges to me. I found them in the New Look sale for just £15, they are so easy to walk in and really jazz up a plain outfit.
I've just seen Alexa Chung's book 'IT' advertised in Look magazine. I've researched her previously and she really is an inspiration. This ones definitely been added to the Christmas list! I'm sure I'll post up my thoughts once I've had a read.
Its going to look very pretty indeed on my bookshelf.
That reminds me, I'd also like a pair of these please as the bookshelf grows in size...
I'm loving the 10 Denier tights trend at the moment. There dark enough to make your legs look all smooth but light enough that you don't look like your about to go to the office.
However my issue is with the timing of this trend. Whose idea was it to make the thinnest tights fashionable when its absolutely freezing outside!
I know what they say though, Pain is beauty and these below are beauties. I'm a bit of a yanker with tights and they rarely last beyond one wear when there so thin however these have lasted well over 3 weeks! That's a new record for me.
Greg Stogdon is the Vice President, Creative Media at Burberry; Director of Creative Services at Burberry. We were Lucky enough to have Si Beales organise a Q & A with the man himself to give us students of Fashion Communication and Promotion an insight to the company's workings and how he managed to reach where he is today in his career being a former Fashion Communication and Promotion student himself at St. Martins.
Firstly I wasn't expecting his temperament to be as it was, I was expecting a more formal, even intimidating character due his position being so high in such a prestigious designer brand, however I found him to be humorous, down to earth and insightful.
Burberry was founded in 1856 and is very much so a heritage brand who centre their ethos around how the company started - designing and manufacturing trench coats. Greg explained that Burberry own the process right from the cotton seed to the making of the Trench in Yorkshire. He also expressed how the company is very organic with their approach and promotion strategy's, they rarely look at what other company's are doing but instead gather inspiration from the past and other walks of life.
Greg explained that he was always very art orientated and had never really considered fashion as a route for him until he attended a talk by Paul Smith where he realised that he had a passion for it. A little further down his career Greg actually approached Paul Smith for funding for his first independent magazine 'Put' a magazine centred around golf which was a huge hit amongst the public.
Greg then went on to writing to Burberry and sending his portfolio to inquire about working with them. I realise that this takes perseverance and determination which I admire. He explained that he is proud to work in the company as the company is about protecting people, he said that there are no big egos and that everyone is free to speak about their ideas. I found this surprising for such a large designer brand that has had so much success.
The highlight for me was watching the Video of Burberrys Catwalk Show in Beijing. Holographic technology was used throughout to give the show a magical angle. You are un able to tell which are the real models walking the catwalk and which are holograms. I think the whole lecture theatre took a gasp of air when he said that there was no rehearsal but instead they just went for it.
'The best fashion show is definitely on the street. Always has been, and always will be'
Bill Cunningham is definitely an inspiration after watching his film. He wasn't sacred of rejection when photographing street style and his dedication was obvious throughout. I was shocked to see that such a successful photographer was so regular and normal, he seemed uninterested about being in the lime light or accumulating vast amounts of money for his work which I think adds to his appeal as a figure for inspiration as he is so different from other photographers in the same industry.
I liked that the film had a personal edge to it and that we were able to gain insight about his friends and family however it also made the film very emotional.
