MerrieGirl

And it's a howdy from me

2011-08-16T01:09:00.000-07:00

Like, long time no blog right?

So yeah, I've been busy, really busy. Finishing uni, moving house (again), starting my new job, partying, sleeping, eating great food (and some not so good stuff - prawns, sweet chilli and cream cheese = EWW!)...

All that stuff seems to have monopolised my time. Combined with the fashion fatigue I was suffering from as an effect of the over exposure at uni and general stress and feeling apathetic about EVERYTHING, I've been a bad bad girl and not blogged for simply ages!

But I feel renewed after a few months of settling into a new routine. I'm loving my job at swatch, and I shall be blogging about the new Kid Robot and Jeremy Scott ranges soon, because they are just too awesome.

However today I've woken up, excited about the prospect of going for sushi with some of my girl friends. I've flicked through the new editions of Glamour and Company, I've had a nose around style.com and I can tell you now, I am so freaking ENERGISED by the new season trends!

I'm a winter girl; give me a big sweater, long scarves wrapped around your face, hot cocoa with gingerbread and thick tights, fingerless gloves, velvet, cashmere and suede, reds and purples and inky blacks, snow and fairy lights and piles of fallen leaves, the smell of frost...

It's all such a relief after the casual, floaty, heat of summer. I live up to my floral name and wilt in the heat after all.

So it follows that I prefer A/W, it makes me more inspired. Plus I get to wear layers, which I love :)

This A/W there are some bloody fantastic trends. The whole retro vibe; seventies swagger, forties elegance, sixties chic... It's all good babydolls.

In particular I'm loving the seventies/granny/folky feel of House of Holland, yes i even like the granny blanket scarf...

(Images from style.com) HOH A/W 2011

That light blue tweed is gorgeous, such a play on the traditional winter fabrics, and as much as I normally hate orange, the jack-o-lantern shade in the first image is such a great colour pop against the leather jacket and the technicolour scarf.

Another collection that I really loved was Dolce and Gabanna A/W 2011.

A contrasting collection of yuppy style power suiting and androgyny played against the stunning star prints and hits of coloured sequins.

The masculine tailoring of the more androgynous garments looks fresh even if the idea isn't new in itself. There are the teddy boy-esque drape coats and tidy shirts. And the nod to The Night Porter with the exposed braces across the shirt breast. The peg leg trouser endures sadly, but I never think I have to like the whole outfit anyway.

(Images from Style.com, D&G R-T-W A/W 2011)

And against this manly, monochrome theme, come the girls. They glitter and glide, floating along in interglactic star prints and sequins and acres of silk chiffon, like human nebulai.

This stuff appeals to my inner magpie, feminine and whimsical with great big hits of SPARKLE!

(images from style.com, D&G R-T-W A/W 2011)

I especially love that petrol blue sequinned dress, it's just so jewel like and rich. Just gorgeous.

And on that note, I will end this post. It's becoming ridiculously long after all.

A nice launch back into the fashion-sphere. Hope you liked. I think I shall try and keep this up, there's plenty to report back about from the A/W shows and the new season stuff from the high street after all. Jeez I love the change from of the seasons!

Much love babydolls,

MerrieGirl xxx

Wow man, it's been like a year

2011-05-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

MerrieGirl apologises PROFUSELY for the absence of posts, stuff has just been.... crazy the past year. Working, to-ing and fro-ing between Birmingham and Norfolk, finishing uni, getting my heart broken a few times and generally being ill/exhausted most of the time.

I've been mostly hiding out on tumblr, posting pictures of Matt Smith and glitter a lot. Taking time out from fashion. It all got a bit intense for a while but now things seem... brighter? Finishing uni work has freed up some head space for blogging again I think. I'm wanting to draw for fun for the first time in ages, and to think about fashion... in part because I've read a lot of crap about fashion, pretentious or dumbed down. So I feel like writing my own opinions again.

Right now I'm suffering from tonsillitis, again, so I shall not be posting right now. I'm too caught up in feeling sick :(

But soon, there will be posts on a whole load of stuff... fingers crossed eh?

Much love,

MerrieGirl

What Up?

2010-06-24T02:26:00.000-07:00

So I know I know, there's been a serious lack of MerrieGirl action recently. Life has been manic, moving house, finding a job, blah blah blah blah blah... You get the picture.

HOWEVER,

I have been updating my autre blog: http://rosemerrie.tumblr.com/

It's not the long, interesting posts that you'd find here, more my inspiration, my work, thing's I'm doing in the day-to-day... That kinda thing.

So if you're wanting your MerrieGirl fix then head over there for the time being.

And enjoy the sunshine!

Love and peace,

MerrieGirl

xxx

You Can Tell a Lot About a Man From His T-Shirt

2010-06-09T02:27:00.000-07:00

I had a bit of spare time on Monday, so I decided to have a bit of a mooch through Selfridges, check out the new stock, people watch etc etc when I came across these beauties. Passarella Death Squad T-Shirts. I'm a big fan of the T-Shirt, it's a total style staple and everyone should own one unbelievably cool T-Shirt. These would certainly be a good start. I love the union flag one, and in these 'Come On England', World Cup times, it's the most stylish way to be patriotic!

Here's a selection of my personal faves from the website, www.passarella.co.uk which I think somebody should go to and buy me a selection from right now (I'm utterly skint so until I win the lottery it's the old faithful band T's clothing my fashionable back)

Love and Hugs,

MerrieGirl

Douglas Booth is Beautiful

2010-06-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

Anyone who's been paying attention will know that there was a truly unmissable show on the BBC recently - Worried About The Boy.

It starred the fabulous Douglas Booth, see the recent Burberry campaigns to see what I mean. He's the one with the perfect jaw-line.

It was a documentation of the rise to fame of Boy George. It was probably one of the best things I've seen in AAAAGES.

Here are a few stills from the show, note the Cramps T-shirt George/Douglas wears - I have the same shirt! Quite the 'squee' moment I can tell you!

Enjoy :)

George's 'straight' love interest, Kirk and his roackabilly girlfriend.

George, Marilyn and some of the other inhabbitants of the squat/Blitz crowd.

George finds Marilyn about to leave with a lover (note the shirt!)

George talks to Malcom McClaren about breaking into the music biz.

Looking sultry as the cloakroom attendant at Steve Strange's Blitz club.

George wearing the coolest T-Shirt ever, I own this T-shirt! :D

"What are you good at?" "Make up."

George and Kirk discuss song-writing.

"You look like a girl, tell me you're a girl." "I'm your girl."

Love and hugs,

MerrieGirl

2010-05-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Just my friend Jim, photo taken by yours truely :)

SKATE PROOOOOOOOOO

2010-05-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.viceland.com/skateramsgate/index.php

To celebrate the arrival of Skate 3 VICE UK sent photographer, and avid skater, Jonnie Craig off on a road trip to Ramsgate with a group of friends.

While they were there, they made the most of the best thing about skating, the hanging about with mates bit - an aspect which Skate 3’s revolutionary multiplayer features make use of for the first time. Skate 3 allows you to play with friends online and work as a team. No more sitting in your room in the dark racking up points alone, you can build the ultimate team and compete with others online, design your own parks and logos. In short – you can do a lot more than you can do in Ramsgate, and you can still do it with your mates.

MerrieGirl goes PRO

2010-05-13T03:43:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to say that MerrieGirl has an official website!

www.merriegirl.com

It shows all my styling work, along with some illustration work. Check it out everybody!

MerrieGirl

xxx

Ben Sherman MADNESS!!!!

2010-05-12T03:01:00.000-07:00

Ben Sherman is one of those CLASSIC brands that should be a staple in people's wardrobes, especially guys. I mean you can't really fail with a simple Ben Sherman shirt, jeans and good shoes.

My favourite cult moment featuring Ben Sherman is in the film 'This Is England'.

The characters actually name drop the brand when Shawn is getting his head shaved, "Have you got your Ben Sherman?"

And the styling for the film is just stunning. It makes you want to buy a pair of red braces and shave your head.

But ANYWAY, we're here to talk Ben Sherman and Madness.

Madness are the most awesome band behind many a floor-filling party song. Baggy Trousers makes people dance on the furniture apparently, hehe.

The two have collaborated to produce a skinhead's dream collection, based on the 2-tone record company and the associated relationship between black and white people (I mean the very essence of Ska comes from it's black origins.) The collection attempts to sum up the idea of 'I'm not going to be a racist knobhead' that echoed through much of the scene at the time. This was pretty revolutionary for a society that was still having race riots up and down the country and had the right wing, facist national front (think the BNP in wife beaters and stompy boots) gaining popularity in a dissatisfied Britain.

This new collection, whether or not it solves racism or anything like that, is pretty damn cool. I especially love the Madness Tshirt with the hat - though I am a sucker for a band or slogan T shirt.

Enjoy the pictures, pinched off Vice Uk's fashion website:

http://vicestyle.com/en/news/today/post/ben-sherman-x-madness-2-tone

Have a nice day :)

MerrieGirl

xxx

Prada is the word...

2010-05-11T01:11:00.000-07:00

Prada isn't usually my favourite brand, I mean I loved their fairy collection from a couple of seasons ago but nothing usually catches my eye. However, they know how to produce a stand out piece or two - remember their handmade lace collection from 2007/2008?

So for their new stuff, they've gone back to the 50's, using archive Prada prints in a variety of context to create the perfect, matchy-matchy, 'good Sandy' outfit.

The collection is essentially made up of three key pieces (all done in the range of prints): The circle-skirted summer dress, the chain-handled bag and the ballet pump. Perfect debutante style, in a beautiful print that gives it the modern edge.

The dress: I want one in every colour! This dress is a super flattering shape, wearable yet oh so chic, a difficult combination to find in high end fashion. The scoop neck and full skirt conjure up images of sitting in the passenger seat of some vintage cadillac, the perfect blow dry and a boy in a leather jacket. Gotta love that!

The bag: The trend for a chain handled bag rambles on, and Prada shows you why. The print looks so cute on such a little bag, especially with the quilted detail and cloth woven into the chain. But the vibrancy of the print stops it being too twee, making the bag a bit more versatile - you could wear it with a gorgeous, formal cocktail dress or it would look equally good with grey jeans and a band t-shirt.

The shoe: A ballet pump is pretty hard to beat in terms of cuteness, but once again the print gives it a bit of an edge. Though it will be perpetually girly thanks to the black bow detail. Wear with skinny jeans and a blazer to lighten a masculine look or with a plain summer dress to give it a fashion edge.

So I think you should definitely check this collection out.

ALSO, I blogged about the Grace Kelly exhibition at the V&A a while ago. It is now running and will be open until 26th of september so make it a summer mission to go see it! I am hoping to get down to London and see it in the next few weeks

I'm also hoping to get to RD Franks off Oxford Street, to get my fashion magazine hit! It's the best, most comprehensive fashion book & magazine store in London, you can find pretty much any international fashion magazine at this fabulous shop. I spent far too much money there last time I was in London.

The store: 5 Winsley St. London, W1W 8HG
Website: www.rdfranks.co.uk
Examples of publications they stock:

- Lula
- V
- Vogue (every country)
- the/End.
- Fantastic Man
- Material Girl
- Purple
- Ponytail
- Traffic
- Wound
- Anglomania
- Avenue Illustrated
- Wonderland

and much much more! Go visit them NOW! (and if you can't find the title you're looking for there, if it's a less obscure publication and Franks has just sold out, try the stationary department of Selfridges)

Have a nice day :)

MerrieGirl

- Prada images taken from instyle.com

She's a passionate woman

2010-04-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, BBC1 (thats sacred insitution) screened a version of 'A Passionate Woman' starring Billie Piper and Sue Johnston. It's a great story, really well produced by the beeb, and very heartwarming to say the least. I loves the setting and thought the characters were very well portrayed by all the actors. It's not longer onBBC iplayer, but hopefully it'll be brought out on DVD and I may have to buy it - if nothing else for the main character, Betty, and her fabulous buttercup yellow dress.

Here are a few stills from the programme, see for yourself.

Beautiful, yes?

On an unrelated note, TKMaxx in Birmingham has Luella Bags in atm but they're just out of my price range, so if anyone's feeling rather generous and feels like rewarding me for all my hard blogging work....?
Hehe, I can always ask.

Have a lovely day,
MerrieGirl
xx

Rufus Wainwright - Dinner At Eight (Live in Birmingham)

2010-04-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

I was there, watching him sing.
It was so beautiful it made me cry a little. I recommend that EVERYONE try and see Rufus at some point, and buy his new album too!!!

MerrieGirl
xx

Pants are the window to the soul

2010-04-23T02:35:00.000-07:00

Apologies for a brief quiet period from MerrieGirl, work got on top of me and I've been working my butt off (sadly not literally) for the last few weeks and just haven't had the chance to sit down adn write anything!

So, while perusing the fabulous new ViceStyle website (google it, it is WELL worth a look) I happened across this:

http://vicestyle.com/en/features/articles/item/mens-underwear-by-a-girl-

And while reading the article, I figured, she is so right. You CAN tell a lot about a person form their underwear. I have a friend who wears expensive lacy knickers, brazilian style, in reds and black. The sexyness of these sort of pants really sums her up.
I know another girl who lives in primark cutsie pants with cartoons, bows and hearts on them (lots of pink) and she's a very girly girl - possibly a little bit immature too - but you can really get that from her pants.

I'm not about to go into detail about my own underwear, but I definitely think it describes me, if describes is the right word.

So yeah, read the article and see what i mean, though beware, most of the people interviewed in it don't change their pants every day which is unforgivably gross so maybe save it until after you've eaten.

Pants on guys I feel cotton boxers or jersey boxer briefs are a good way to go, it stops you looking like your mum still buys your underpants. Though I'm less of a fan of really obvious logos, Calvin Kleins are always a win. And man thongs should be avoided unless your manly arse is perfectly hair free and fabulously sculpted.

Have a nice day,
MerrieGirl

I LOVE tights :D

2010-04-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Firstly,

http://www.viceland.com/wp/2010/04/win-tickets-to-a-fun-time/

you should enter this, cos it's awesome (and who doesn't want the chance to win fun times?)

Secondly, the fabulous new Vice Style website has done it again, go check it out at http://vicestyle.com/en/home
with this extraordinary article about Noël, just Noël - it's waayyyyy cooler as the singular name don't you think?

Well anyway Noël loves tights.

And as you surely know, I love tights. They are amazing, as a fashion statement and the mark of a real lady (or man) I mean with a skirt tights are an absolute NECESSITY! Especially if the skirt in question is above the knee. That's just a rule right there.

For the full article ---- > http://vicestyle.com/en/news/today/post/Hes-No-Tranny-He-Just-Loves-Tights
go read, enrich yourselves, learn something, be inspired.

Happy readings,
MerrieGirl

SAVE LUELLA

2010-04-07T03:38:00.000-07:00

Luella is one of those rare brands that combines wearability with a completely 'of the moment' style, fresh yet realistic. I always loved the wholesome British, girly twist Ms Bartley put on everything. As you know, Luella ceased trading in the later part of 2009 and are seeking backers to try and keep the brand alive.

A facebook support group was set up:

http://www.facebook.com/saveluella

and people are pledging their love of the brand through comments, pictures etc etc. There's a lot of love for Luella.

My favourite contribution was definitely this:

I just think it's so reflective of the brand (cute, homespun, VERY British) and wanted to share it with all my dear readers. The image was uploaded by Heleen De Boever according to FB, so I hope she'll forgive me for reposting her work, but I thought it was just so lovely I couldn't resist.

Have a nice day :)

MerrieGirl
xxx

I want a necklace made of crab legs and tripe...

2010-04-04T02:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter/chocolate day there my lovely readers, hope everybody's enjoyed their breakfast of sweeties and chocolate (Kinder eggs here, fabulous things) and is looking forward to a relaxing day of roast dinners with the family or a walk in the fresh air or watching whatever film is on telly (I will be watching/recording 13 Going On 30 at 5.10pm on channel 5) or possibly even church for some of you.

Today the topic on my mind is Dominic Jones, eccentric jeweller extraordinaire. Thanks to my status as a Vice urchin I have the magazine delivered to my door once a month and this month was the annual 'Fashion Issue'. It did not disappoint, me and my flatmates poured over the shoots, checked out the feature on embellished leather jackets (Punk ones, not Christopher Kane ones) and spotted the Blane/Rayner shoot for Addidas. But it was the accessories shoot featuring the work of Dominic Jones that REALLY caught our eye.

Firstly it was the squid that did it, my flatmate Fran is essentially a mermaid as far as her obsession with all things sea-dwelling goes. But upon closer inspection of the photos, and many debates of 'is it real? It can't be real, but it looks so real,' the skill involved in the production of such extravagant pieces became apparent. This is not the work of any old craft jeweller, it's beautiful and focused - looking good at any expense.

And the model, a miss Suki at Union models, well we have to give credit to the girl. I certainly wouldn't have been able to look as comfortable and effortless in front of the camera with bits of fish guts or stomach lining next to my face, let alone snails! What a professional

The effect is really beautiful, the photography makes it all look so delicate and elegant - kudos Mr Ellis Scott - and the styling (e.g. - a Cacherel dress with the bones) is perfectly complimentary, bringing what could be describes as bits of entrails and general 'grossness' onto a new level, where they become exquisite couture jewellery.

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Photos: Ellis Scott
Jewellery: Dominic Jones
Styled: Aldene Johnson
Stylist's Assistant: Holly Barnes
Make-Up: Kate Lindsey using MAC Pro
Hair: Klare Wilkinson
Photo Assistant: Niall Kennedy
Model: Suki at Union Models

To see the shoot on the ViceStyle website and read the interview with Dominic Jones himself, follow the links bellow:

shoot -------> http://vicestyle.com/en/features/shoot/gallery/Death-Becomes-Her

interview ---->http://vicestyle.com/en/news/today/post/Dominic-Jones

Have a nice day,
MerrieGirl
xxx

Rufus, dear Rufus

2010-03-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

I dont want to hold you and feel so helpless
I dont want to smell you and lose my senses
And smile in slow motion with eyes in love

I twist like a corkscrew, the sweetness rising
I drink from the bottle weeping
Why won't you last?
Why can't you last?
So I will walk without care
Beat my snare
Look like a man who means business
Go to all the poshest places
With their familiar faces
Terminate all signs of weakness

Oh, all for the sake
All for the sake
Of a foolish love

I will take my coffee black, never snack
Hang with the wolves who are sheepish
Flow through the veins of town, always frown
Me and my mistress the princess

Oh, all for the sake
All for the sake
Of a foolish love

So the day Noah's Ark floats down park
My eyes will be simply glazed over
Or better yet
I'll wear shades on sunless days
And when the sun's out I'll stay and slumber

Oh, all for the sake
All for the sake
Of a foolish love

Jack White, most beautiful man ever...

2010-03-25T01:58:00.000-07:00

So, since the demise of Borders, I've been seeking out places I can buy my favourite fashion rags in Birmingham. This I can tell you, is no mean feat! WHSmiths is, limited to say the least (though do offer an ordering service that you pay for (only helpful if you can afford to pay it regularly, which sadly I can't)
They stock the standard Vogue/ID/Dazed and Confused with Pop, Love and Wonderland around the time they are released (but it's a limited supply so you have to get in there quick!) But, this week I had a bit of a peruse in both WHSmiths in Brum city centre, and found 10, 10 Man, Another Magazine, Another Man and Arena Homme +!
So I spent money I can't really afford and got myself a copy of the new Another Man. The reason? It has the DIVINE Jackie WHite on the cover, mmmmmmm

Sample photos from the Another website....

My obsession with Jack White began in about 2003, watching the video for Seven Nation Army... that porcelain face, the piercing eyes, the frantic guitar-playing fingers, I mean! WOW!

So yeah, bit of a love affair ever since. And he's not just a pretty face... A super talented guitar player, he makes many of the 'Best Guitarist Ever' lists (including a few for Rolling Stone magazine), he plays in three headlining bands - The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather - and is one of the most in demand producers in the world with his production company Third Man Records.

So I'm just basking in his wonderous-ness. Go buy the magazine and soak him up...

Love and Kissed, MerrieGirl
xxx

You NEED to watch this

2010-03-24T02:27:00.000-07:00

Total, like, cult viewing.

A friend of mine is a pretty damn excellent MUA, and he's doing some fabulously amusing make up videos on youtube. So here's a bit of shameless Pickle promo....

http://www.youtube.com/user/IrregularAttraction

Watch it, giggle, maybe learn a few new things.

Peace and Love,

MerrieGirl
xxx

Be Stupid.... or not

2010-03-22T02:08:00.000-07:00

As promised a few posts ago, here is the recent Diesel campaign, running the tagline 'Be Stupid'

I know this campaign has been replaced by the ever classy 'Sex Sells' motif, featuring pairs of jeans in sexual positions in the window displays (I guess they can call it sex education, not everybody is enlightened in the merits of 'reverse cowgirl' apparently) so I'm running a little late on the uptake (bad Merrie!)

Though, here I am at long last, delivering on a promise to my dear readers.
So, the first I heard about this campaign really was when Dazed and Confused gave away T-shirts with their January issue featuring the 'Be Stupid' slogan. I'm unashamedly a clever person and don't think there's anything wrong with being clever or wanting to be seen as clever (and yes there is a difference between being clever and being academic, you don't need to have a clutch of A grades to be a clever person, some of the cleverest people I know and admire aren't book learners, I'm not that great on paper myself, but they're still smart people) so the T-shirts didn't impress for a start. In my humble opinion, wearing a shirt that says 'I'm stupid' is akin to wearing a shirt that says 'I'm a massive slag'. Either way, not cool.

So when I started seeing the full campaign around town (my bus stop is opposite the Diesel store I frequently see their window displays) I originally thought, hey it's just a bit of a joke right? But then, seeing posters everywhere that pretty much glorify acting stupid, even if you're not, and trash being smart, well... it started to become a bugbear.

Why does 'Stupid (have) the stories'? You can be so smart and be outrageous and do mad things and have the best anecdotes... it's not a monopoly for stupid.

All this, 'it's cool to be stupid' stuff reeks of the modern attitude that being clever doesn't count or indeed makes you a boring person, though in my experience, the cleverest people are definitely the ones that party hardest...

Until next time dear reader,
MerrieGirl
xxx

Dear you....

2010-03-22T01:54:00.000-07:00

“Dear whoever is reading this. Guess what?
You are loved. Don’t nod your head and say you’re not.
You are. You are lovely and you are loved.
End of story.”

Cute quote right?

Just a quickie update really, with some illustration work I'm doing for my current uni project. It's called 'menagerie' based on a poem. I've decided to avoid the obvious animal route and look at the idea of a collection (menagerie meaning a collection of caged animals). We collect lovers, secrets, heartbreaks in our lives, and we bury them and keep them to ourselves, so my idea is about the loneliness and pain or great happiness we experience within these emotions.

here are the pics!

Have a great day dear reader, enjoy the lovely WARM weather at the moment, right now I've got sunshine pouring through my window and warming my toes as I sit and type. Lovely stuff! :)

Peace and love,
MerrieGirl
xxx

New drawing!

2010-03-06T05:56:00.000-08:00

I know, i know, i've been a terrible blogstress. No posts for like 3 months! What is THAT all about, well never fear Merrie fans, I'm going to make an effort to blog more and more, and to start, here's the latest of my sexy girl drawings.

I calls her Jenny, after all teh sexy Jennys I know :)

Keep following for a blog on the new Diesel ad campaign about being stupid!

Love and Peace,

Merrie Girl
xxx

EDIT: By the way, if you like any of the drawings, I can sell you an A4 print of them with a mount for a very reasonable price! Just contact me on rose.jewson@live.co.uk with 'Girly Drawing' as the subject title and we'll take it from there :)

Vice does cool stuff with Henry Holland... YAY!

2009-12-03T00:04:00.000-08:00

Vice teamed up with Vodafone and spent the last few months working on a series of projects with some of their most talented friends, making short films, flying planes, building high-fashion wendy houses - that sort of thing.

Obviously they brought cameras along to film everything, and you can watch it all here - http://bit.ly/69amgQ

It's truely awesome, and since i'm a big BIG fan of Henry Holland and his House of Holland brand (see previous posts about his tights collaboration with Pretty Polly!) I reckon you should all check it out... NOW!

Love to you my dear readers,

MerrieGirl
xxx

Albums Of My Decade

2009-11-30T08:36:00.000-08:00

It's one month until the start of a whole new decade. 1O years ago I was 11, it's crazy stuff to think about really.

When I was 11, things were different, as facebook will tell you;

- Freddos were 10p and Space Invader Crisps were 15p.

- Kids played outside instead on on games consoles all the time.

- Nobody knew how Harry Potter ended.

- There was no such thing as an ipod or an iphone, you had a cassette Walkman and cassettes to play on it,

- Your mobile phone was as big as a house brick with a great big arial sticking out, if you had one at all

- Everything was sequinned and sparkly because the millennium meant everybody loved futuristic styles.

- S club 7 were the hottest thing in pop and everybody did dance routines to their songs at the disco.

All that stuff seems like such a long time ago. But It really wasn't. I guess I'd have to say I grew up in the noughties. I started a child and finished an adult. I discovered a lot of things; money, shoes, mulberry, beer, sex, fashion, filth, drugs, love, Brian De Palma, heartbreak, travelling... But the most important, the most influential, the most life changing thing I discovered was music.

I come form a music loving family, my parents raised me on Brit pop and post punk, Primal Scream , Joy Division and Blur were some of my childhood memories. The radio was on permanently, Dad was a John Peel devotee and mum went to more gigs and festivals and concerts than I can remember. But it wasn't until the noughties that I really began to care about the music.

I let it rule my thoughts, my style, my habits, everything. I devoured copies of Smash Hits at 11, Kerrang at 12, Q at 14 and NME at 16. I listened to every free CD, spent my pocket money on singles and made endless compilation tapes that I listened to at every opportunity. I was, and still am a bit like a female version of John Cusack in High Fidelity.

Music made me who I am, to quote a terrible cliché there. It made me artistic, passionate, creative, expressive and idealistic. Music made me feel more powerful than any drink, drug, achievement, fuck or love ever has.

So, to jump on the 'best of the decade' bandwagon, I give you the songs, the artists and the moments that shaped my wonder years. In no particular order, here are my top 10 albums of the noughties:

- The Libertines, The Libertines
This album came out towards the end of the band's success, when Peter was off being a twat with Babyshambles. It basically describes the implosion of the libertines is heart wrenching honesty. What Became of the Likely Lads always sends chills down my spine. Purist fans will argue Up the Bracket was better, but I definitely felt more of an affinity with this record.

- Jet - Get Born
This album was successful off the back of one song, Are You Gonna Be my Girl. That song just reminds me of being in my friend's front room, with a bass guitar and a battered drum kit yelling along to the words. As an album, it made me want to dye my hair black and dress like Johnny Ramone circa 1978. So stylish, so attitude-y, so very cool.

- Amy Winehouse - Frank
Everybody raves about Back To Black, which undoubtedly a great album, but Frank was more subdued, more considered and full of beautiful, elegant love songs and songs about how guys need to shape up and how real love never works out the way it does in films.

- Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
This came out as I finished secondary school. It's all about being too cool to be a jock and how it's more interesting to be the kids in band Tshirts that carry collage-covered briefcases and have a rubbish band that practices in the music rooms after school and studies physics or history or art, which is what we were. Best song is Michael, Alex Kapranos has never been sexier.

- Ash - Meltdown
This was all about the riff, the signature track - Clones - we ripped off in one of our band's songs cos it was so cool. The guy/girl vocal dynamic was exciting and so YOUNG sounding. Fave lyric - How's it feel to be a freak? Oh so pale and so unique. To walk lonely in the rain, unashamed that we are not the same

- Red Hot Chilli Peppers - By The Way
This was probably the first entire album that I got properly excited about. It's just 4 old ex-party boys with recovering heroin habits, but they sure make good summer songs. It probably didn't help that I had a massive crush on Anthony Keidis, haha.

- The White Stripes - Elephant
The start of a long and beautiful love affair with TWS. I saw the video for Seven Nation Army and was hooked. Cold Cold night is a stand out track, as is the concluding song - It's true that we love one another. I later bought this album on vinyl at their 2005 Alexandra Palace show, it's even better as a record.

- Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
This is the album I always turn to when I'm down, when I need to relax or even when I need sleep. It's perfectly melancholy and bittersweet. A truely great break up album, will have you howling the house down. Best song is Amsterdam, right at the end, my friend played this on the piano when we were dating, very sweet, reminds me of him always.

- Daft Punk - Discovery
I liked this album thanks to the incredibly cool anime-style videos for one More Time, Digital Love and Harder Better, Faster, Stronger. I was a big Sailor Moon fan in my youth (still am) and it just caught my eye. It wasn't long before the best dance music ever made got right under my skin and stayed there.

- My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for the Sweet Revenge
A bit of a guilty pleasure. Was a huge influence on me when it came out, me and all my little chums bought Helena on picture disk in HMV for £1 each. One friend dyed his hair black and wore eyeliner in tribute to Gerard Way, he looked a lot like him I must say. Best track - I'm Not Okay (I Promise). Perfect touch of mainstream-emo-pop fodder.

Luv and kisses,

Rosemerrie
xx

2009-11-27T05:14:00.001-08:00

"The spectacular wardrobe of Grace Kelly will be on display at the V&A. Tracing the evolution of her style from her days as one of Hollywoods most popular actresses in the 1950s and as Princess Grace of Monaco, the display will present over 50 of Grace Kelly's outfits together with hats, jewellery and the original Hermès Kelly bag. Dresses from her films, including High Society, will be shown as well as the gown she wore to accept her Oscar award in 1955. These will be accompanied by film clips and posters, photographs and her Oscar statuette. The display will also include the lace ensemble worn by Grace Kelly for her civil marriage ceremony to Prince Rainier in 1956 and 35 haute couture gowns from the 1960s and 70s by her favourite couturiers Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy, and Yves St Laurent."

Yup yup. Grace Kelly's wardrobe will be on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London from April 2010, just in time to be a major major influence on street style for summer.

The catwalk shows tell us that next S/S will be a fairly feminine affair, softer, ice cream colours as an antithesis to last year's acid brights and colour blocking. White will be a big player and the statement shoulder of the last 12 months will give way to a more waist-centric silhouette (we live in hope, waists are a great deal more wearable!)

Princess Grace knew a great deal about style; she was classy, she was classic, the epitome of ladylike chic. I mean, she was a hollywood leading lady who became an actual princess! You can't see the likes of Paris Hilton doing that, though she might argue she already lives a better life than a princess but who cares, Paris Hilton is incidental.

I just can't wait to see the beautiful clothes that sum up this amazing icon of class, elegance and femininity.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/6622755/Grace-Kellys-wardrobe-to-go-on-display-at-VandA-museum-in-London.html

2009-11-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

More drawings, enjoy my lovely readers.

Luv and kisses, MerrieGirl
xxx

A very beautiful poem

2009-11-22T12:04:00.000-08:00

Words, wide night -Carol Ann Duffy

Somewhere on the other side of this wide night
and the distance between us, I am thinking of you.
The room is turning slowly away from the moon.

This is pleasurable. Or shall I cross that out and say
it is sad? In one of the tenses I'm singing
an impossible song of desire that you cannot hear.

La lala la. See? I close my eyes and imagine the dark hills I would have to cross to reach you. For I am in love with you

and this is what it is like or what it is like in words.

I'm sick, so I spend my time drawing...

2009-11-20T07:41:00.001-08:00

Just a selection of drawings I've done over the past 2 days. A little bit risqué and there is some partial nudity, so view with that in mind please. Enjoy...

Hopefully will be more to come.

Luv and kisses,

MerrieGirl xxx

Super duper excellent SEX readings!

2009-11-10T13:48:00.000-08:00

http://www.viceland.com/wp/2009/11/the-a-to-z-of-sexual-history-a-avisodomy-the-act-of-a-human-engaging-in-sexual-activity-involving-a-bird/

Totally, like, read this. It'll make you pee your pants with laughter!

Also, Gallows exclusive at VICE,

http://www.viceland.com/music/2009/11/new-gallows-single-and-video-no-one-has-seen-yet
their new video, exclusive for you at VICELAND!

As promised - what to wear to a strip club...

2009-11-03T04:48:00.000-08:00

Gosh I am so behind in this blogging business, it has been about 3 weeks since I meant to post this blog. But unfortunately work has been intense and our internet and phoneline have been cut off (shock horror much!)

So I'm actually writing this from the uni library. Yes I am in on my day off and in the library like a GEEK. Well I am a geek, but that applies regardless. I am not terribly happy to have missed my Tuesday morning lie-in, but que cera cera. Life goes on.

So, strip clubs.

If you should ever visit a proper strip club (not one of those fabulously entertaining burlesque clubs or special event nights where the women are elegant, sexy and dressed in Agent Provocateur and custom made sequinned bikins with those amazing feather fans in jewel colours - think the film Gypsy) but a real old man in an overcoat, bouncers on the door, cliche type thing, the most important thing to remember is that the women will look good. I mean, it's their job, the better they look the more money they make. There will be naked bums, boobs and legs everywhere. It will all be smooth, hairless and toned from hours of pole-dancing training. It will be fairly intimidating (even if you are a guy).

I recently went to club in Cardiff for a friend's 21st. We were a group of about 20, mostly guys but a few girls including myself. I later spoke to the girls there about the struggle I had deciding what to wear, I mean full on sexy isn't going to even compete with the girls there, and jeans would mean a shake of the head at the door most likely.

The consensus was that smart-sexy-chic was the way to go. Too much leg/bum/cleavage and you risk looking try hard, like you're trying to out-sex the girls. This would leave you looking like you were a strip club reject. Never a good look!

However, you did need to have a little bit of flesh on show; a cheeky hint of cleavage or a stocking clad leg poking out of a pencil skirt or little cocktail dress. This was, more than anything, to remind any male company that 'hey, I'm a seriously sexy woman too!'

Altogether, the look to go for is one that says 'I'm not trying to fit in with the stripper girls, I'm trying to look a little more sophisticated, a little more titilating - without wearing a sparkly, thong bikini and putting my nipple in your mouth.'

Personally, I wore a monochrome pencil skirt that sat high on the waist, belted, with a black low cut top with 3 quarter length sleeves (hey it was Cardiff, I was cold!) and a lacy camisole peeping out of the top to lessen the cleavage impact, you know common decency applies in ALL situations. And my ubiquitous black tights and black mary-janes. A slash of red lipstick and bed head hair gave it a kinda sexy twist, but in a low key way.

Did it work? Well i felt at ease, I felt sexy, I felt classy. So I guess it did. Probably an 8 out of 10 overall. Higher heels, such as these...

would have made more of an impact. Toe cleavage, after all, is ALWAYS acceptable. But never mind, something to remember for next time.

Much Love,

Merrie Girl

Celebrate HOH!

2009-10-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

Whilst perusing the lingerie Dept of Debenhams in Birmingham, I came across a stand full of these little beauties.

As a pretty big House of Holland fan I just HAD to get a pair. The had all sorts of different designs with the little house motif and loads of bright colours n stuff. But I just loved this Over The Knee style. The black was a bit classic and I fully intend to wear tehm with coloured or white opaques undernieth for that added edge.

How fabby do they look! Everyone go out and buy a pair! Right now goddamnit!

Luff and kisses,

MerrieGirl

coming soon, my adventures in Wales and what to wear to a strip club....

Wagamama is amazing! Agree?

2009-10-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

Wagamama are holding a t-shirt design competition where the winner will receive £1000 and also see their design turned into the new Wagamama uniform for all the restaurants across the UK.

Find out more here www.viceland.com/wagamama

I will totally be entering! I think you should to! And if you do win don't forget to bring me along to your celebratory meal at Wagamamas! Mine's a Chicken Katsu Curry with rice and a juice :)

I <3 Borders

2009-10-15T05:04:00.000-07:00

On a rainy day there's nothing I like better than going into the city and wandering around the bullring.

While I love a good mooch around Selfridges or Debenhams (I know it's a bit sad but I love department stores) today I thought I would go see

what the new magazine releases were. I was not disappointed. I picked up the new edition of French Vogue (about 1,000,000 times better than British one, even if I cant read it that well, hey i don't read the british one!)

This is the October issue that's causing a bit of controversy due to a photoshoot by Steven Klein and French Vogue editor herself Carine Roitfeld, featuring hot-as-you-like model Lara Stone. While this sort of thing is typical of Vogue, this particular shoot is more risqué than usual because Miss Stone has been painted. Her skin has been covered in make up to make her look black.

Yay or Nay? I personally find it a bit tasteless. Stone is stunning in her own right, for her own colouring and features. There are also so many beautiful dark skinned models out there - Naomi Campbell, Jordan Dunn, Alek Wek? If they wanted a black girl they could've used these women. It seems a bit strange to have done what they did. But you can't dispute the boldness of the shoot and the quality of the shoot. Kudos Steven Klein, as always.

I also picked up Lula, a fairly new magazine, with a really hyper feminine feel to it, it's all girly type-faces and soft colours and female icons (articles on Grace Coddington, Mercedes Helnwein and Emmylou Harris) it's a nice antidote to the increasingly androgynous focus in a lot of magazines. I like it anyway, definitely something to get again in the future.

I also looked at, but didn't buy, Notion magazine. Which is a very 'nu rave' style magazine. Very edgy, androgynous and just a bit fierce.

I just had a quick flick through while I was in Borders and found an advert for the fabulous Vivienne Of Holloway, a favourite of my flatmates. I'd never seen VoH ad so though i just had to stick it on the end here.

So that's my most recent overspend in Borders. I'm sure it shall happen again soon.

Love and kisses, MerrieGirl

xxx

Red Bull, bags, hair and SERIOUS boot envy

2009-10-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

It's a bit belated, but what with moving back to B'ham and getting back into the swing of uni I have neglected to report on the experience that was the Red Bull Fashion Factory for London Fashion Week. It was really lucky that I got to go. The illustrator Miss Led, whom I follow on facebook, posted as her status that she had 15 guest list places for the first people to email her. So I did and then me and my sister were on the guest list to a LFW party! So we got the train to good old London, got lost finding the venue but eventually ended up at the right place and has a really excellent day - even if I was the fattest person in the room.

It really was an OH MY GOD moment when I saw this particular lady. A great big, black, patent MULBERRY ROXANNE nonetheless!!! I am quite the devotee to Mulberry, their bags are the absolute sex. This madame rocked a VERY expensive and chic look, despite being in hareem pants, Topshop shirt and oversized cardie (on paper it's a dress down look, no?)

But, she brought it to a whole new level with such an amazing bag. I want to be her in the future. Totally.

I was seriously impressed with the print on this girls frock. Between tribal and floral - but with a surprisingly winter twist. It really doesn't look like a summer look somehow. The blunt fringe makes it bold though, and NOTE! NO BARE LEGS!!!!!

Another killer outfit with a HUUUUGE Vivienne Westwood bag. I actually love the check on this, and it was a nice nod to the fact VW had shown her red collection at the Fashion Factory venue on Old Oxford Street the previous night. I did actually have guestlist places to go to that night but, due to lack of transport and money, just couldn't make it. Apparently there were problems with the guest lists and I probably wouldn't have been able to get in anyway, as a mere student! Though I did blag my way into the Felder Felder show on the Monday night, lots of attitude-y studding, black and more than a touch of biker.

The girl with the pink hair, my pink hair twin for the evening. I dyed my hair pink in true fashion student style - statement hair, without the cost of a decent hair cut! It was crazy to have this girl rocking pretty much the same shade of magenta pink, we were both at the Old Sorting Office all day, guest list-ers of course. And she had great shoes!

And lastly, these boots.

Basically the sexiest little things I saw the whole time we were there, even beating the SUPER high wedges in the graduate shows. They summed up the kinda thing people were wearing - fierce, buckled, super high and BLACK. But basically they were amazing. Kudos to the wearer.

Vice-y Goodness

2009-10-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

The all new ViceUK student guide is now ONLINE folks!

So get viewing, get laughing, get LOVING IT, fo sho mo fos!

http://www.viceland.com/blogs/student/

I know it's a shortie and I haven't posted in a while but I will write a proper post soon. Cross my heat and what-not.

Much Luff,

xxx

Chocolate Biscuit Wonderland

2009-09-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

I met a guy today in town, a friend of a friend. He bounds over and proclaims 'I'm a chocolate biscuit!'

...

That's the title explanation half done so now onto the main feature. It's the advent of London Fashion Week (LFW). It starts tomorrow and it will be one hell of an event. As I mentioned before La Wintour is going to be there along with all the great editors - great snippet in the Observer food monthly about how Wintour and Carine Roitfeld of French Vogue would go to the great eateries of London and not eat and want to smoke there tres tongue in cheek of course. The Times is doing a massive style section this Saturday as a reflection on the events in London. I'm sure they won't be alone.

So while the international glossies will be doing the 'best of fashion week overview in their next issues, the weeklies will be doing the who-wore-what and so on and so forth...

The magazines who's comments I'd most like to read however, are unlikely to do anything remotely in depth regarding fashion week. Which is a shame. Wonderland is my personal bible. When the current issue was released, after a summer hiatus and re-style, I was so excited to see the white typeface glowing from the shelves in WHSmiths I actually squealed and RAN (yes RAN) across the store to go and grab a copy. Which I bought and read in Cafe Nero within half an hour of setting eyes on it.

So basically I'm a fangirl.

I've seen the last 2 rebrands, am familliar with the fashion team - Lauren Blane was my tutor for a module at uni and Way Perry follows me on facebook - and am constantly inspired by the shoots. It just rocks.

------Sorry for the delay on this, I never got around to publishing it so it's a bit old school but a bit abut the new issue of Wonderland was too good to skip over------

Luff and smoochies,

Did Anna say that?

2009-09-08T05:16:00.000-07:00

It's all about Anna right now.

Which Anna? Well should you even be asking this question. It's THE Anna, Anna Wintour, the devil (in Prada).

In last Sunday's Observer Magazine - truly crucial reading as ever - Anna Wintour was the topic of the regular 'Did I Say That?' feature.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/sep/06/anna-wintour-american-vogue

I like this:

"I read in the New York Times this week that I'm an ice queen, I'm the sun king, I'm an alien fleeing from District 9 and I'm a dominatrix. So I reckon that makes me a lukewarm royalty with a whip from outer space. Whattaya think?" (2009)

She's probably more than a bit right.

No fashion figure generates so much awe and animosity as La Wintour and it doesn't look like it will end any time soon. The highly anticipated 'September Issue' docu-film is due to be released in days and from the look of trailers and previews the public perception of Anna will remain unchanged.

In all the coverage of the film she comes across as a hard woman, business driven, bold and successful. She's scary, out of touch and cold. She's skinny, groomed to within an inch of her life and draped in the most successful and au fait of designers around. I mean, if La Wintour wears your designs then you're in, no questions asked it's pretty much the ultimate kudos to a collection if she even turns up to your show.

London fashion week starts on the 18th of September, it's the 25th anniversary of the shows, loads of brands that had moved their shows to Paris or NYC are returning (Christopher Bailey at Burberry, eeeee!) all in all it's setting out to be the highlight of the fashion weeks - upstaging Paris? Now I'm not sure about that but wouldn't it be something. Of course there is one extra thing that never usually happens - La Wintour will be in attendance. Yup, Anna Wintour is going to be sitting (her bum on a seat and all that) in the London shows.

Imagine what it would be like to be a CSM graduate right now. What if you were the hot young thing from the best fashion school in the world who had scored a place somewhere in LFW (with a designer or something) and you knew Anna Wintour was in town? This year will bring some very very memorable moments from LFW.

So despite her 'Nuclear Wintour' image and the near constant bad press that follows her name, but never seems to affect her success, Anna continues to be a force to be reckoned with, maybe even a force for good?

I wanted to end this post with a picture (google-stolen of course, it's not my picture sadly) of La Wintour in her full glory. I wanted the fur wearing, glossy, groomed lady with the serious face - the one that we all think we know. But then I found this image and maybe, just maybe this is Anna. She smiles, she looks comfortable, relaxed and just a little bit... normal? But of course, she's not normal she's Anna Wintour.

"Coffee, please."