When I was a child running in the night I was afraid of what might be

1. Hungry for the Breakfast Club

2. Patisserie Valerie

3. Reflections upon Liverpool

4. Me, Claire, Sian, and Bel in Birmingham

5. Bukowski

6. Bracing ourselves for Sabby's birthday

7. Brownstock 2011

It certainly has been a while since I've posted any of my film "photography" on my blog. In fact, I still have a set to scan, and a few rolls of film waiting impatiently to be developed, but I like to think this'll only heighten the surprise/shame when I do finally see what delights are trapped inside the feared negatives. I don't see myself as a photographer, and leave the technical stuff to Jazzy, Lily, Laura and Sophie, but I still like to have a camera (or two, or three...) in my bag to capture moments in time. I know that a lot of people think bloggers ought to have a pricey DSLR to be worth taking up precious pixels, but my little point and shoot and I are plodding along just fine. The above photos were taken with a job lot of expired disposable cameras purchased from ebay, working out as well under one British pound each. They may not grace the pages of a glossy magazine, but I'd rather have a stack of these than a floor to ceiling pile of Vogues any day.

Today marks the end of a summer of interning. Three months of commuting past the Olympics - done! I'm being a little cheeky and leaving early today, in order to get to Brownstock festival before the ticket office closes. It's becoming tradition to end my summer sitting on a ground sheet surrounded by a buzzing bassline from afar, friends cross-legged playing guitar as the sun sets, and dancing to unknown (and familiar!) bands. I may have dreams of Coachella, but I really don't think anyone can do a music festival like the brits!

Enough romanticising, and a quick mention of romance - I'd just quickly like to say congratulations to the newly wedded Mr & Mrs Wren. I wouldn't put it past Eloise to make her first dance a Pitbull tune...

xxx

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oh! darling, please believe me

Black Pippa dress: c/o Darling. Grey oversized jacket: £31.50, Topshop. Watch: gift, Rotary. Cameo necklace: £1.50, charity shop. Brown frame bag: £3, vintage. Black two-tone flats: 50p, Russell and Bromley via ebay.

Happy August Bank Holiday!

I hope you've all had a relaxing day off? Today, my mum, brother and I headed off to Maldon to sample scones (big surprise), avoid the Essex Lion, and prove the theory that it will always rain on this day of the year. I picked up a couple of charity shop bargains, before battling through the elements towards Promenade Park for afternoon tea. It wasn't a high-adrenaline, activity-filled day, but it was exactly what I needed on my day off. With only one more week of my PR internship left, I'm looking forward to a little slice of summer fun, in the guise of Brownstock Festival and London Fashion Week. Daily life in East Anglia has been most welcome, but the allure of the North West is tangible, and I can't wait to move into a new flat with one of my closest friends. However much I love being home for the holidays, you just can't beat a little bit of change!

xxx

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Went for a walk down the old King's Road to see if anybody was there.

Floral top: £2.75, Topshop, via charity shop. Denim circle skirt: £28.50, American Apparel, via ASOS. Polka dot pop socks: £1, Primark. Two-tone ballet flats: 50p, Russell and Bromley, via ebay. Bag: gift, Marks and Spencer. Polka dot sunglasses: £1, Primark. Skull bracelet: £11, Made, via ebay.

Yesterday was, in short, hot. Walking westwards along the King's Road (in an outfit that probably cost less than the average person's left shoe), Danielle and I were rather grateful for our sunglasses and the occasional breeze. Neither of us had ever visited the Royal Borough before, despite obsessively watching Made In Chelsea, so it was about time we braved the Circle line and saw what all the fuss was about.

In all honesty, the King's Road itself is just a high street. Admittedly, it is a very nice high street, as the average shop is Jigsaw or Comptoir des Cotonniers, but if you wander off the tourist-infused street, you'll have the opportunity to gaze wistfully at wonderful architecture, and maybe even doff your cap to A. A. Milne at his former place of residence (yep, I'm a blue plaque geek). On a more palatable level, there's plenty of scope for rumbling stomaches. We were hoping to try out The Bluebird Restaurant until the sight of our already rather empty purses decided that it wouldn't be the most sensible option. Instead, we tried out The Chelsea Teapot. If you like a good scone - who doesn't? - then this is the place for you! For just over a fiver each, we managed to indulge in some sweet homemade treats; Danielle tried her first ever (!) red velvet and it got a very enthusiastic thumbs up.

Apart from the World's End Vivienne Westwood shop and the Saatchi Gallery, are there any other places you'd recommend in SW3? I'm such a Sloane Square Stranger!

xxx

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I know we're all in this business kind of thing

Beige blouse: £2.95, vintage, via charity shop. Navy wrap-over pencil skirt: £1.50, vintage Next, via charity shop. Navy cross-over shoes: £3.95, vintage. Belt: Fat Face. Bag: mum's. Lipstick: Chanel Gabrielle.

Long time no see! Life's been a little hectic due to travelling for far too many hours, and immersing myself into another internship. This whole 9.30-6.00 business can be rather tiring! I admire those full-time workers who still find time to blog in their spare time. Thankfully I still manage to see my friends, including bloggers who know me well - hello Jade! - and I serendipitously work in the same building as Charlie, which means trips to our ninth floor cafe! Yesterday I managed to get some rays on my lunch hour by sitting in Gordon Square Gardens with an icy drink and a copy of Wish Magazine - a pretty perfect break, if I do say so myself.

Outside of the office, I've been up to Liverpool for a quick weekend to find somewhere to live next year, which is a long, boring, and incredibly stressful affair, but I believe we've got a nice pad now. We even managed to get back in time to juuust catch the Closing Ceremony which was only rounded up by the amazing bloody Who! Admittedly it was rather lacking in David Bowie and the Rolling Stones, but, as the Kinks got a look in, I'm a happy girl. And for those who fancy something new, I'm leaving you with a girl we've been listening to non-stop in the office: D E N A




xxx

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with love, from southend-on-sea

Mint green blazer: c/o Glamorous. Black strappy top: tesco (I think...). Floral chiffon skirt: £15, American Apparel, via ebay. Black Chelsea boots: £60, Topshop. Belt: 20p, charity shop. Cloud bag charm: gift, Luella.

If you ask the average Essex resident for their opinion of Southend you're likely to get quite a varied response. The high street is rather generic, littered with chain stores and night clubs, while the seafront is home to (possibly!) more fish and chip shops than grains of sand. Yet it boasts the world's longest pier, and, most importantly, it is where Rossi ice cream was born - both black cherry and banana are my favourites, it's impossible to have just one. I don't visit very often, but when I do you can guarantee a trip to Oldham's will be on the cards, finished off with a meander down the promenade to the Peterboat in Old Leigh to watch the sun set over the docked sailing boats.

In typical British fashion, the weather was rather changeable, so I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to air my first ever non-uniform blazer. I have always associated this item of clothing with stuffy classrooms and the one time I didn't put the lid back on my fountain pen, and the entire right-hand side of my pale yellow blouse was dyed a rather lovely shade of blue... However, the mint green did take the scholarly edge off things slightly, and sitting by the shore, with the sea breeze blowing my hair whilst sipping on a fruit cider took me as far away from assemblies and Friday afternoon German grammar "treats" as I think it's possible to be!

xxx

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I could bore you with the truth about an uneventful youth

Paisley print dress: £5, H+M. Denim Jacket: £63, NW3 by Hobbs. Chelsea boots: £60, Topshop. Tote bag: free, Mary Katrantzou for Topshop. Necklaces (from top): Topshop, Vintage, Elsie Belle. Plus MYSTERY UMBRELLA.

These photos represent a series of cliché poses:

1. "I'm a fashion blogger, darling"

2. "Look at my expensive It Bag" (which I got for free)

3. Coy "oh, there's a camera? I didn't realise!"

4. TOURIST

The above may also be read as "reasons I should not be allowed a camera".

I wore this to walk to the next village to buy milk. I do love the countryside, but it's a drag if you want to actually do anything, as the last bus runs at 6pm. This normally results in nights out becoming very similar to escaping Azkaban in difficulty levels, ending either in getting the first bus home at 7am, or crashing on some poor, unsuspecting person's floor - London and Manchester's night buses are an extreme luxury to my country bumpkin self. The dress was bought as a result of this difficulty, as I decided the cider-covered, slept-in clothes post-spontaneous Friday night weren't entirely appropriate to wear to one of my closest friend's birthday meal. Cue a trip to H+M's heavily discounted sale rail, and grabbing this for a fiver. You're only young once...

xxx

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Cold as ice-cream, but still as sweet

Debbie Harry t-shirt: £7, H+M kids. Yellow midi-dress (worn as skirt): £13, Primark. Heeled chelsea boots: £60, Topshop. Bag: ma's. Belt: 20p, charity shop. Watch: gift, Rotary. Sunglasses: £1, Primark.

Ignoring my facial expression (which I coincidentally find hilarious), this outfit consists of jumping on a trend roughly a year later than everyone else. The morning's bleary eyes decided it was time to try out a midi, however, it being "too yellow" resulted in bringing out the classic cohen technique: add a band tee. My collection's not the biggest, but there are two Arctic Monkeys, two Smiths, one Black Lips, and this, which I purchased from the children's section of H+M a summer or two ago. For now there is just one midi-dress in my wardrobe, and I'm not wholly convinced that I'll add to it, as I'm pretty sure I look even shorter than I actually am (5'4", FYI). Although it does do a rather good job of covering my ice-cream baby, and that's all I really look for in a dress.


Today is the last day of my current internship, cue going to M&S before work for chocolate chip cookies and milk chocolate digestives to dunk in our tea. Although I'm sad to be leaving, I am not sorry to avoid commuting past the Olympic Park during the first week of the Games. I'm going to try and find a pub tonight that's showing the Opening Ceremony as I wasn't lucky enough to get tickets (or rich enough to be able to afford them). Did any of you manage to get tickets for events?


xxx

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How now, brown cow?

 

Playsuit: £9, Beyond Retro. Blouse: £2, charity shop. Belt: 20p, charity shop. Bag: £8, vintage. Shoes: £27, Topshop. Sunglasses: £1, Primark. Bracelets: £1, Topshop. Necklace: Toujours Toi, via Dina.

Photos taken by Danielle.

Since my weekdays are currently consumed by the 9-5 (plus commute...), I'm determined to ensure my weekends are are strictly fun. No moping around the house listening to the Smiths, but catching up with friends that I don't get to see when I'm in Liverpool. It is steadily becoming tradition to attend Brownstock festival with my friends from sixth form, as its timing winds up the end of summer perfectly. Jess invited me along for lunch on Sunday afternoon, and, with festival virgin Danielle alongside, we only got a little bit lost.

 

Sitting on the back of a tractor being driven by a toddler was an interesting experience, but it just goes to show how much of a family affair the day was: from Jess tweeting away, to Adam cooking the roast and freezing smoothie lollies. I sat in the sunshine listening to Jakob Deist, Itchy Feet, and Stealing Signs, while Danielle played with Rags, who we've unofficially dubbed the Brownstock dog. I wasn't asked to blog about the day, but I had such a good time and took so many photos it would be a shame not to share them. And, a cheeky exclusive for you, here's the newest additions to the line-up... 

xxx

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Elder Street, E1.

Silky Collar Tee: £18, American Apparel. Chambray dress: £13, H+M.  Maroon cardigan: old school uniform, Ladybird, Woolworths! Belt: 20p, vintage. Leather bag: Marks and Spencer. Two-tone ballet flats: 50p, Russell and Bromley via ebay. Necklace: handmade.

I feel like I should've posted this on Friday 13th (look at the number on the door!), but I've never been one to stick to dates, so Thursday 19th will have to do.

 The further I explore the area I'm interning in, the more I realise just how close everything is. I had no idea that I could walk to the Geffrye Museum on my lunch break, a place where a large amount of my childhood was spent, as we always went in when visiting my uncle in Hoxton. I won tickets to the Aubin Cinema in Shoreditch last Saturday, so went with my mum and brother. It was an odd experience for her, seeing all the places her own mum and dad had lived nigh in poverty now saturated with hipsters and merchant bankers on their day off. The factory her father worked in is now home to open plan creative studios, an art gallery and Pizza East, very different to its original purpose. East London has changed so much since I was a child, so I can hardly imagine how the original tenants of St Leonard's, the first flats in London to have working electricity, would react to the skyscrapers and modernised Spitalfields Market. In a fortnight the Olympics will be in full swing, and  Stratford will be the focus of the world's attention, no doubt heralding another change in the progression of this district. I only hope that the legacy of this prestigious event will be longer-lasting and more beneficial than a glimmering ghost-town photo backdrop.

xxx

ps, I have a few items for sale on ebay, if you'd care to have a look!

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Cohen's Diary

It's always odd to receive an email with instructions not to tweet about its contents, but Barri-Jayne was quite strict about this. This was Jazmine's twentieth, and it was a surprise.

 Sitting in suspense in a Clapham bar with Olivia, Dina, Lucy, Kristabel, and Reena, we discussed various methods of greeting Ms. Rocks. A mexican wave was considered, but instead a chorus of "happy birthday!"s was sung, as a rather shocked Jazmine made her way to our table. The Little Black Dress dress code was perfect for someone who adores Audrey Hepburn as much as the birthday girl (although, who doesn't?), and the evening was spent in some of the best company I could ever have wished for.

To think, it was just over two years ago I first found out about Jazmine's blog through Jill's post on Street Style London (I haven't even told Jazz this!), and now I'm lucky enough to consider her a friend. Blogging may be a funny old world, but I sure am glad I'm part of it.

xxx

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"Just so long as you're happy love, you'll be alright"

Smiths t-shirt: £10, Brighton. Kimbolton Skirt: £39, Jack Wills. Black Chelsea Boots: £60, Topshop. Wells Denim Jacket: £63, NW3 by Hobbs. Brown frame bag: £3, vintage. Rabbit necklace: Topshop (years old). Watch: gift, Rotary. Lipstick: Shade 3, MUA at Superdrug.

Watching last night's "The Secret History of Our Streets" on the BBC was quite an odd moment. Serendipitously seeing black and white images of historical interest whilst you are editing photos of the very same place may definitely be placed in the surreal category. Although I guess back then they lacked the Mawi shop and the "humour" of whoever lives in these apartments now.

I'm currently feeling a little worse for wear, with an aching stomach and head, but a hot chocolate, massive "2 Broke Girls" session and getting a decent amount of sleep is the only prescription I'm interested in. I hope you've all got fab plans for the weekend, whether it's busy or chill. I'm just hoping these very persistant April showers (seriously, it's July) don't rain on my parade.

xxx

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