A bit of a quandary.

I thought I should explain why my blogging has been fairly sporadic lately. Aside from my lack of time/energy, the main reason is my lack of photographer. While I was home for Christmas I made my mum take outfit photos for me but once I went back to uni, I didn't have anyone to do it.

I haven't really told any of my friends at uni about the blog, mostly because I only met them a few months ago and I don't know what they'll think. I often get comments about being 'stylish' or - more often - 'quirky' and that's nice and everything but I don't want them to think I'm some fashion obsessed egotist. I mean, from the outside, won't it just look like I'm saying: "Hey, can you take some photos of me so I can put them on the internet and show the world how unbelievably stylish I am?" Which, of course, is not what I'm trying to do at all. I started blogging because I was spending so much time following other people's blogs, I wanted to join in. To properly be part of the blogging community. But I'm pretty conscious of how it might look to anyone who isn't part of it. Add to that the fact that I actually kind of hate having my picture taken and get ridiculously awkward as soon as anyone takes a camera out.

Any advice? I should just ask someone, right? And care less about what people might think? And just generally get over myself?

Discuss.

Camel, burgundy and my new (old) hat

Flecked camel jumper: Next, Burgundy skirt: American Apparel, Felt boater hat: vintage, Black loafers: Topshop, Bag: Ollie & Nic, Jewellery: Topshop and vintage

I got a new hat! Well, not new, but new to me so it still counts. I think it's a boater, but I can't be entirely sure. I'll be honest, my knowledge of hat terminology isn't the best. I got it from an incredible vintage seller I found on eBay called smallbutdeadly. They have some really great vintage hats (something I always have trouble finding) and for really good prices. Oh, and can someone please buy this. Burgundy, velvet, 60s - perfect. Berets look awful on me but I thought I'd pass the link on because it's just too wonderful to be sitting there - someone give it a good home.

The hat had a black veil on originally and, after prancing around in it for a few hours pretending I was Joan Collins, I took it off. As fun as it was, it wasn't exactly wearable and made me feel a little bit like a 1980s divorcée going to a funeral. Now it's perfect. My photographer (otherwise known as my mum) couldn't get a good close up shot of the hat so here's a badly executed photo I took of the back of my head:



You get the idea. In other news, today I paid a visit to the charity shop near my house to kill some time before I came back to Manchester. As well as having a lovely chat about uni life with the guy behind the counter, I found a scarf and a vintage suitcase I plan to use for storage in my bedroom - all for under £5. I felt kind of bad because the suitcase was in really good condition and I'm sure it was worth more so I put an extra few pounds in the collection box. That's the thing about charity shops, I always feel a bit guilty about finding bargains in them. I just carried the case out of the shop with me, not really thinking of it but when I saw my reflection I felt so twee it was painful. Felt boater, loafers and a vintage suitcase. I'd been getting weird looks all day (wearing a hat is enough to elicit stares in my hometown) but then it was even worse - every person I passed did a double take. I must have looked like a WWII evacuee! When I got home, my mum said I looked like one of the Railway Children, which I think is probably a better comparison. But I didn't have any bloomers to wave on a stick, which was a shame.

Girls on film: Pretty in Pink

I'm going to warn you now, this is going to be a very image heavy post. Once you start capping, it's difficult to stop.... Anyway, I'm continuing my series on filmic style inspiration with another classic (in my book, anyway): Pretty in Pink. I really love John Hughes and I often refer to his Brat Pack films of the 80s as 'when teen films were good'. Don't get me wrong, there've been exceptions in recent years. Mean Girls is of course incredible, as is Clueless, Election, Easy A... but for every Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, there are ten John Tucker Must Die's - a film that still haunts me to this day.

Moving on. I'm not necessarily a big fan of 1980s fashion - shoulder pads, neon, obscene amounts of sequins - but the new romantics/new wave style is one thing about the era that does really appeal to me. And I always appreciate fearlessness when it comes to wearing what you want and not letting anyone tell you it looks stupid. And that ethos is perfectly embodied by Molly Ringwald's Andie.



I mean, just look at those glasses. If that's not fashion bravery, I don't know what is. Pretty in Pink is entirely based on the whole poor-girl-meets-rich-boy trope but Andie isn't the kind of girl to let lack of funds get in the way of looking good. She buys from thrift stores and makes her own clothes, mixing styles that really shouldn't work together and just makes it work. The film opens with a montage of her getting ready for school in the morning to 'Pretty in Pink' by The Psychedelic Furs (see what they did there?) and it's so incredible that I've capped every shot. It's just that good.

"Turn around, let me see this outfit. Is this your latest creation?"
"Uhuh."
"My God, what did that cost you?"
"Oh, about 15 dollars for the shoes - second hand - and I made the rest."
"Unbelievable!"

"Where'd you get your clothes? The five and dime store?"

But the cool dress sense doesn't stop with Andie; her best friend Duckie (played by man who isn't Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer) is also exceptionally good at the whole it-shouldn't-work-but-it-really-does style of dressing. This boy is basically a walking tutorial on how to mix prints and fabrics and look fierce whilst doing it. He also spends the entire film wearing that trilby (Trilby? Fedora? I'm not entirely sure) and the John Lennon-style round sunglasses. Amazing.

The prom is the cornerstone of most films set in American high schools and Pretty in Pink is no exception, featuring the greatest getting-over-your-man-whilst-making-your-own-prom-dress montage in film history (although, admittedly, that may be a rather small category):

And Duckie's prom outfit is incredible. Just look at the shoes!

If you haven't seen the film, I suppose you will have assumed from the way I'm writing that Duckie is Andie's only romantic interest. Unfortunately, he isn't. There's also this other guy. He's all rich and he has floppy hair and I hate him. This might be my long standing crush on Duckie talking, but I seriously don't understand why Andie would even consider this guy:

When she had this guy waiting for her all along:

COME ON!!

I also just wanted to add a few images of Andie's bedroom, which is pretty incredible. I noticed how cool it was much more on this viewing than I have before, probably because the stupid rules in my stupid uni halls means that I can't put things on the wall or change the curtains or do anything at all to make my room look less anonymous. It's all very depressing. So I'm living vicariously through the bedrooms of fictional characters in 80s teen movies.

Andie is also the kind of girl who lounges around in a silk kimono. I feel like there's nothing else I can do to convince you of her intense coolness - although I will leave you with a Polyvore set of Andie inspired items.

Brown, leather, lace

Lace t-shirt: Next, Brown leather shorts: River Island via ASOS, Cardigan: Miss Selfridge, Penny loafers: Topshop, Hat: H&M, Belt: vintage, Necklaces: Urban Outfitters and vintage.

This is from a couple of weeks ago. I made sure I photographed every outfit when I went home for the weekend, anticipating that I would be too busy/lazy when I got back to uni. So yes, it's the same shorts and shoes because they're all I took home with me. And those shorts look more and more crumpled in each outfit too. Sigh.

I need a nude coloured vest top to wear under this t shirt. I'm wearing a white one here but I think it looks a bit weird. Of course, it's not as bad as the first time I wore it and assumed that it was just a bit sheer, threw a nude bra on and strolled off to uni, only to get halfway down the road before I looked down and ran back to home to change. Not "sheer", just completely see through with massive holes in it. Nice one, Ellie.

I just realised, apart from a few of the accessories, I'm not wearing any vintage. Wow. It's pretty rare for me to be wearing clothes that have only ever been owned by me.