Making A Spectacle Of Myself

First off I would like to wish all my lovely readers a very Happy New Year! I hope you had a lovely festive season and a good new year! I've decided not to do a Christmas post or a 2012 recap because, well, my Christmas was pretty much ruined by some f*ck wit Grinch who broke into our house on Christmas Day, and I think I kept you quite up to date in 2012 to not do a recap.

Anyway, moving onto the purpose of this post...I got new glasses! Specsavers, you were marvellous! They had an amazing range of frames - Gok Wan, I might not like your style advice, but your glasses are lovely! - and because I am an existing customer with my contact lenses and the lark I got my £99 for £35! The lenses were included but you'd have to pay for some extras - I didn't get any, don't see the point.

Apologies for the photo quality but my laptop is currently in hospital so I don't have access to a decent camera :(

(As you can also see, the blue hair is still going strong after one month!)

Rockabilly Essentials: Accessories

With my upcoming rockabilly tea party (The Mad Hepcat's Tea Party) I'm putting together a mini series of entries of everything rockabilly: Clothes, Accessories, Hair & Make Up, and Music.

So we got the clothes sorted in the last instalment, and now it's time for the accessories. Personally, I wear very few accessories, but I do always wear one. I'm a little bit famous for my bandannas, always in either red or blue - but mainly blue - as I frequently have one tied around my head. At work, I wear a few bangles, as I feel they add a little vintage tiki to any outfit, and sometimes a necklace, usually in a tattoo design. Although having my ears pierced I very rarely wear earrings; I'm not entirely sure why I don't decorate my aural lobes, but they're just something I never really think about. I make my own hair flowers (it's really very simple!) but there are numerous shops online to cater for these. There aren't really any restrictions for handbags, from wicker, to lucite, to leather satchels to vintage clutches.

Me vainly posing my bandanna wearing

Most online shops sell a mixture of the above so here is my selection of the very best:

Dolly Cool:

I own this! It's awesome! Swallows are a big theme in rockabilly jewellary

This comes ready folded so just tie and go! Like clothing, leopard print is popular with accessories

Bows & Crossbones

I group various colours and shapes altogether for variety

It's wicker, it's cherry-fied, it's tiki, it's everything in one bag.

Razorblade Mermaid:

Great little set (I own the earrings!)

Mexicana style skulls are also popular

Etsy is also great for finding little producers who make their own accessories for you to buy. Just searching 'hair flowers', or prefixing any accessory type with 'rockabilly' with through up numerous results to browse through.

Black anchor hair flower

Hawaiian flowers are a my favourites

What have we learned from this accessory lesson? Well, wear as much or as little as you like, and you can stick to one theme or mix and match!

Stay tuned for my next instalment: Hair & Make Up

Tag You're It!

I got 'tagged' by the lovely LisaFreemontStreet on Youtube to do this vintage tag. Now, before you get your hopes up that I've been fraternising with people who have such high-standing in the community...she tagged everyone on youtube, not just little old me individually. So, here is my tuppence worth of opinions and factoids on what I think of the vintage style and how I blend it into my everyday life.

And now I tag you! If you're interested here are the questions for you to answer in a video, or if you're camera shy just in good old fashioned writing.

1) Who's your style icon?
2) Whats your favorite way to get inspired?
3) What's your most used hair tool(s)?
4) Whats your favorite hair tool/ gadget?
5) Up-do, down, or half and half?
6) Is vintage styling something you do daily?
7) Whats your favorite blush/ lipstick?
8) Dress, skirt or trousers? Heels or flats?
9) Homemade or off the rack?
10) Do you swing dance?
11) Small subtle touches incorporated into everyday wear ( flavor of vintage, if you will) or all out extreme? 
12) Favorite perfume/ skincare?)
13) What does the rest of the family think of your "style"?
14) Favorite accessory?
15) Do you find the vintage community warm and inviting, or cliquish and snooty?
16) What drew you to this style? 
17) Your favorite place(s) to shop vintage?

What were they thinking?

Topshop, Topshop, Topshop what were you thinking? Most the time I don't mind your fashion infecting the individuality of the highstreet, but this time I am thinking your creations won't really catch on.

First of all we have the 'fruit bowl' look; I appreciate Carmen Miranda as much as the next person, but, outside of a fancy dress party, I wouldn't want to walk down the street looking like her.

And why not finish the look with a cherry headband? Which, apart from playing the part of a Faerie in 'Midsummer Nights Dream', I really don't see a purpose for.

If the Carmen look isn't for you, why not try an artdeco 'inspired' tea pot necklace at just £50.00? Equally as strange! I mean, what outfit would that seriously go with?

Perhaps these still aren't your cup of tea, and you'd rather have hairy lipsticks dangling from your earlobes? Well, luckily for you Topshop has answered your request! These beauties can be your's for just £20.00!

They've even designed a necklace to accompany these delights - sadly, fake barbie hair not included.

In conclusion, there is only one question remaining: who in their right mind would spend their hard earned money on this tripe?