And so this is Christmas

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy Christmas and thank you for reading this blog, if anyone does indeed read this anymore! I've come back to the parents for a little bit over the holiday. It is the first time I've been back for any length of time since Easter so I'm finding it all a bit odd. I definately don't see this place as home anymore. Though its odd because uni is a sort of temporary home. I'm in my final year at uni and beginning to think about where I'm going to be after it ends. There is so much uncertainty as to what I'm going to be doing and where I'll be doing it. The past few days I've been applying for graduate schemes so hopefully I'll have some success with one of those. But its odd to be at a point where literally anything could happen. I guess it is exciting but incredibly scary at the same time. So much is hanging in the balance. There has been so much change the past few years, that I just need something to stay the same, some security if you like. Instead there is so much I could lose because of how so much is changing so quickly. I guess we'll have to see...


Anyway, like a lot of places we were hit by snow this week. Hopefully you weren't too badly affected travelwise and have made it to wherever you planned to be over the holiday. Anyway I'll leave you with this winter wonderland. Happy Christmas! 

Fear of the Unknown

Well it has been a long time since I posted on here. Life has just some how vanished the past few months thanks to a summer job and the craziness that is third year. I'd like to say that I've lost my life to the library but that isn't really true. I'm not a great student. Compared to first year when it was all fresh and new, third year motivation is pretty much non-existent. In all honesty I'm quite bored. 

I've also been taken over by the fear that is life after uni. For most its fairly simple- go to uni, graduate, return home and find a job near there whilst withdrawing money from the bank of mum and dad. However for me it isn't quite so simple. For home is a rural place with not many jobs. So right now I'm figuring out my options which basically come to staying where I am now somehow. All this fear is incredibly exhausting and the temptation to stay in bed, pull the duvet over my head and leave the world to it is pretty tempting. Especially now that sub zero temperatures are predicted towards the end of this week. 

Since when did we turn into the arctic anyway?! Anyone who follows me on twitter (@glitteringheels if you don't know!) may have seen my tweets about shopping for warm jumpers and such like. As a student ebay became my best friend and I found a lovely Oasis jumper dress and topshop wrap cardigan to add to my winter collection. Both have so far proved successful in my staying warm mission :) Then again so have mulled wine and baileys hot chocolate! A must for a cold winters night I think. 


Hope you are all managing to keep warm and safe as the nights draw in and bear with me while I tackle this third year. Hoping to get one of my assignments- a photoshoot- out the way shortly so watch this space! Bought a camera about a month ago and this will be the first proper fashion shoot I've done with it so I'm fairly nervous. Any advice/support much appreciated ;-)

Home?

I've been thinking about what I'm going to do for my photojournalism project and I think I've decided....basically its about the idea of home and what that means to people. What makes a place "home"? What do you think of the project idea and what makes a place home to you? Any comments- good or bad would be great. Thanks!

Abismal Blogger

Yeah, I really am not the most reliable blogger. Blame it on a holiday and just total disinterest in writing I guess.

So the holiday was just lovely, it was nice to get away and get a change of scenery. The weather was a mix of some very hot sunny days and some very very wet days. There was a storm out in the Atlantic while we were away and I think we got a bit of it. Still came back with a bit of a tan though :) No doubt that will soon fade thanks to working full time and possible lack of good weather. That said it has been sunny and warm since we got back so fingers crossed.

I guess you'd like to see some pictures but unfortunately my camera never made it off the flight back. We had a red eye flight and got to see a spectacular sunset so I took a few pictures. Somewhere between putting the camera back in my bag and getting off the plane, it got lost. So bit of a request, if anyone has found a black samsung camera on a Thomas Cook flight (A330 plane) that came into Manchester from Punta Cana on the 25th June 2010 please hand it in cos I'd really love to get the pictures (and the camera) back.

Since returning I've started my summer job. Its just basic admin but I'm so grateful to be able to earn some money. Downside of that is that I'm still living at uni whilst most people have gone back home for the summer. It's pretty quiet here which is kinda rubbish and very lonely so I've bought some box sets to keep me entertained. I finished season one of Dollhouse today and have got the entire series boxset of Jonathan Creek now too. Hooray for box sets! Any other recommendations?

Lissie - When I'm Alone (Official video)

Nothing scarier than the unknown...

I'm fast heading towards having to move out of my uni halls accommodation so I've been slowly sorting out my stuff. Today I threw out about 3, maybe 4 months worth of magazines (Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Glamour...eeeep!) so my parents don't have a fit when they come and get my stuff. Magazines give an amazing work out for your arm muscles but I don't think they want that. Anyway, I wasn't as bothered about throwing them away as I thought I would be. More the amount of money I have been frittering away on magazines that I barely read. I have a few on subscription, they arrive and then sit there mostly unread or just flicked through for a little while. Those magazines just don't really interest me that much anymore.

As I'm heading into my final year at university my thoughts are going to what I want to do when I leave and I have a feeling that writing for a fashion magazine may not be exactly it. I'm a story teller, I like finding out about people and yeah fashion is interesting, sometimes. But mostly it doesn't ignite any kind of excitement at all. I'm all about the creativity, the crazy ideas, fashion as art more than just another LBD or Nautical/Riviera etc. I like new shoes or a pretty dress but could I write about that kind of thing? I don't know if I could.

One of my assignments this year was an investigative journalism piece, and that was far, far more interesting that some of the other fashion related assignments I've done. I hate when people ask what kind of job I want to do once I've finished, because honestly I don't really know. Plus I have this thing where if you really want something it doesn't happen, so it’s better to keep an open mind and just see what happens. It’s not that I don't have ambition just that I don't want to hope too much. All I can do is try and get as much experience as I can and with a bit of persistence hopefully it'll pay off. You can't predict the future. You can just about plan for it, some of it anyway. But really, it’s an unknown quantity. Anything can happen, and the past few weeks have shown me that.

Photojournalism

Just wanted to post this...I'm coming up to my 3rd year at uni and for my final project (the big important one!!) I'm doing photojournalism. Just been doing some research and looking for inspiration and came across this, a photo blog post on the BBC website on the theme of fashion. Its interesting how different people define fashion differently...what does fashion mean to you?

Why, hello again!

I have been well and truly lost in the wonderful world of uni for a few weeks and now I am finally out through the other side. So I guess I better get back on it with the blogging eh?

Firstly I want to direct you to the lovely Amy and Rachel of British Style Bloggers who I am currently interning for. The site is basically a catalog of British fashion blogs and I know there are plenty of you about so head over and take a look. Also they are running a fantastic campaign called 'Nature Made Us Beautiful' which is all about increasing the number of unaltered image, un-airbrushed, unrealistic images of women (and men too I guess) out there in the media. Its something I've written about in the past and feel pretty strongly about so please help support the campaign by joining the facebook group. Make it your good deed of the day :)

Umm, what else? Well I don't know about you but its May and I was kind of counting on the weather to be a bit nicer by now. We were teased with a few nice days and now its back to lovely, freezing UK. I was hoping to be whipping out the summer dresses and flip flops but looks like we'll have to wait on that one. I just can't wait until I am here:

I think I may have mentioned this before but now that its just over a month away, I'm getting pretty excited.  Possibly slightly more excited than the thought of shopping for my holiday. They have some gorgeous summery things in Accessorize right now that just scream of tropical holidays with their bright colours...I could actually buy so much in that shop but student debt says otherwise...anyway, how amazingly lovely is this..

If you've not been in Accessorize lately, seriously you need to get yourself over there because your missing out! Now all we need is some actual sunshine and all will be lovely.

So, I think thats about all for now. Hopefully I shall be posting a lot more regularly than of late so keep coming back! And leave comments etc :) I know a lot of you are in exam/coursework/revision central right now so good luck! Hope it all goes ok for you x

I Need Your Help

I've been a very bad blogger lately...I apologise for the complete lack of posting. And now I come back all apologetic and needing a favour. I'm in the middle of uni assignment hell at the moment and one of the assignments is to plan a PR campaign. I've chosen to introduce the Australian clothing label SHEIKE into the UK amd I would be ever so grateful if anyone who has heard of SHEIKE would complete a survey for me. Survey can be found here. It won't take long but will be a huge help to me. This assignment is worth 50% of the module so a huuge part of my final mark, eeek! And if you could spread the word, especially to those who are likely to have heard of SHEIKE. Thankyou :)

And normal posting will resume shortly x

Ellie Goulding- Roscoe

Just so beautiful and chilled...

A Picture Post

I'm going to be here in June...

This is the beach at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Looks beautiful, doesn't it? And after the cold winter we've had, I cannot wait!

I gave these to my step mum for Mother's Day. As I'm away at uni, I wanted to surprise her and I thought these were especially gorgeous. Those of you in the UK don't forget- its tomorrow!

I watched Alice in Wonderland for the second time yesterday. I really like the film...I don't think its amazing but it is very good. The Mad Hatter played by Johnny Depp is probably my favourite- an interesting and complex character. I really like some of the dresses worn by Alice, particularly the ones she wears whilst with the Red Queen. I couldn't find an image of it, so this is just the film poster.

I've been trying to go and see A Single Man, the film by Tom Ford but its limited release is making it very difficult. I've tracked down the film but its showing in a town about 45 minutes from me so may go and watch it there. I think this could well be another film to watch not just for the storyline but for the clothes...

I've been listening to the new album Lights by Ellie Goulding which I love- there is an exclusive download via the CD on her website of an acoustic version of Roscoe which is just utterly gorgeous. I'm also really excited about the forthcoming album, 'Head First' from Goldfrapp- I listened to an album sampler and it sounds slightly 80's with its electro synth sound. Every album they've released has sounded very different.

I managed to sell some of my bags on ebay, hoooray! But I still have a black vintage bag that went unsold. If anyone is interested then drop me an email or tweet me @glitteringheels. Best/first offer gets it!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend x

Iamsarahyoung.com

If you are looking for new websites to visit check out the blog by the outspoken Sarah Young who is not afraid to tell it how it is.  Regular posts feature a mish mash of the best in new music, fashion and art. Check it out and let me know what you think. You can also follow her on twitter @sarah_young

Bags, Bags, Bags!

Yesterday I mentioned that I was selling a few bags on ebay but couldn't get 2 of the bag's pictures up. Well now they are there and listed so please, if you are interested go forth and bid your heart out! They are a vintage handbag:

And also a radley hidesign bag which is quite good as a laptop bag, much better than those horrible cases I think.

I'm really keen to sell these two bags if possible, plus the Longchamps bag I mentioned before, so spread the word and let people know even if your not interested. Thankyoooou :)

On another note, what have they done to blogger? It seems really pared down and basic compared to how it used to be. I'm not sure I like it but like other changes I'm sure I'll get used to it. What do you think of it?

London Fashion Weekend 2010

Just thought I'd say a quick thankyou as I'm now at 40 followers, woooop! I have to say I'm pretty pleased with that. I wonder how long it will take for me to get to 50, may even do a giveaway...

Anyway, yesterday I went to London Fashion Weekend, which is basically a shopping event for the general public after London Fashion Week. I had a great time and bought myself a large blue bag from the Rubber Cow Co. who specialise in leather free bags, which is great. I've been wanting a nice bag thats big enough and stylish enough for my laptop and this fits the bill beautifully. Talking of bags I'm currently selling a few bags on ebay. Its being a pain and not letting me upload photos for 2 of them but for now, check out the Longchamps bag I've listed and stay tuned for the other 2. One of which is a hidesign bag from Radley and the other is a black vintage handbag.

As I had a gold ticket for London Fashion Weekend I got a showbag full of goodies including a mini bottle of baileys, yumm! I enjoyed that last night in with my hot chocolate, tasted soo good. I also got to see the catwalk show which was a round up of some of the best trends for S/S10 and luckily was front row so got to take some great photos..





Ps. Ask me questions on formspring, its looking pretty empty at the moment! http://www.formspring.me/glitteringheels

Creative Genius: Alexander McQueen

A brief picture post celebrating the work of Alexander McQueen. I wrote an essay a few months ago for uni about fashion and frivolity with reference to McQueen's collections. What caught my eye was the creativity, the strong ideas and that streak of rebellion. He had something to say and wasn't afraid to say it. The result? Fantastic collections and some spectacular shows...


Pictures: Fashion at the Edge by Caroline Evans.

And his S/S10 show- Plato's Atlantis...those shoes!! Amazing. Gonna miss that kind of creativity in fashion a great deal. What is your favourite collection? x

Plastic Fantastic?

When I read the article in the March edition of UK Marie Claire on the perception of beauty in Argentina, my blood ran cold. It made me scared and sad for future generations, to be brought up in a society where bodily perfection doesn't seem to be a distant dream but near enough compulsory. Where writing a shopping list for plastic surgery is pretty much normal and 3 year olds are being treated for eating disorders. What kind of madness is that? When I was born plastic surgery was more or less unheard of on a purely cosmetic "just because I feel like it" basis, now it seems to be normality. We're pushing the boundaries of perfection, constructing robots and building the foundations for a society where looks really do mean everything.

Its funny, because magazines, television, all of that try to make out that "otherness" is acceptable. Shows are applauded for being all-embracing and pushing out representations of anything that is less than normal. What is normal anyway? Take 'How to look good naked with a difference' shown on channel 4 in the UK the past few weeks. In that they tried to encourage a high street store to feature an ad campaign with a girl in a wheelchair. Stuff like that shouldn't be groundbreaking, it should be everyday. It echoes that of a circus charade, a spectacle. Why is it taking shows like this to put it out there? This is the 21st century yet we don't seem to have moved on that much in some ways from the 19th century. The word otherness in a sense doesn't exist, because really there is no us and them.

We try to kid ourselves that we're non-judgemental but we're not really. Don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of it as much as anyone else. I read somewhere, that the only reason we worry what other people think of ourselves is because we know how critical we can be about other people. Maybe people seeking some form of perfection have got it right. We all want to feel good about ourselves and if that means changing every part in extreme ways, then so be it. It just seems a sad way for us all to go.

In a conversation with a friend the other day, she made a comment about not wanting to hear about somebody else's problems. And I guess that too is also true and goes hand in hand with maintaining a polished and perfected exterior. But what about whats going on inside? Its that no longer relevant? Glossy, gleaming, forever young appearances disguising chipped and destroyed interiors. A world full of perfectly messed up people. Currently we choose to escape to the glossy land of magazines where everything is wonderful and the flaws are removed, offering a world that is in reach if you have the wealth and even that is changing. Yet it seems a little too much like sticking our head in the sand.

Some of the comments in that Marie Claire article scared me. The amount of pressure to be perfect, or virtually outcast otherwise seems so wrong. Our present selves maybe in quest of perfection but where is that going to lead in the future?

Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows

Ok, finaaaaaally have got around to update.The recent snow fall and crazy icy conditions have meant that I've been cooped up a little too long and what with my lovely student loan sitting there I've been online window shopping. Maybe a little too much haha! Just came across the very very exciting Urban Decay's limited edition Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows palette and had to share it with you. The temptation is a little too much and come the 15th January I will do my best to get first in queue :) This edition takes all your favourite shades but gives them a little wonderland name twist and a walk through the field of mushrooms. The names are as yet unnannounced but if you want to be first to find out then sign up on the urban decay website and they will let you know and of course buy it. There is also that old favourite the eyeshadow primer potion and 2 eye pencils, puuuuuurfect! Here is a great video for more info :) Whats your favourite UD eyeshadow shade?

Oh and I also want to direct you to a great fashion, music and art site - Iamsarahyoung.com Go on, if you're gonna see something new, this is where you need to be!