And it's a howdy from me

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

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

xx

What Up?

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

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

xx

Douglas Booth is Beautiful

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

xx

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

SKATE PROOOOOOOOOO

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

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!!!!

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...

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

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)

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

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

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

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...

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.














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