In to the wild

                                                     How wonderfully crazy is this?!

One day we're gonna live in Paris

Ahh Paris soon! This picture is beautiful and makes me dream of the wonderful things that await me there! I cannot wait to explore this city, I'm on a mission to find all the little secrets of Paris before my trip with Eddie there in feb. x

Flynn Tastic

So this must be about the 8th time I've seen Johnny Flynn perform, and not a bit of me is any less excited than the first time I saw him and his band The Sussex Wit in a tiny tent at Glastonbury about three years ago.

I arrive at Shepherd's Bush Empire late thanks to the gloriousness that is London Transport. I speedily run in to find the venue pretty empty in side. The first band Melody Melodica and Me rapidly arrive on stage to perform half an hour of dreary repetetive songs much to my disappointement as I had heard good things. Quick break, new drink, change of shoes...next band arrive. A blonde canadian going by the name of Basia Bulat, heads to the stage with a guitar and starts to play a Joni Mitchell inspired folk song which only left me and others around in fits of laughter as her voice became more and more shrill. Christ, I thought, half an hour of this is gonna leave me exhausted. But then her band come on and together they perform a set of classic girl with guitar folk songs before heading off. It was now half nine, and personally I couldn't wait for Johnny Flynn, the build up had been a slight let down to say the least.

Johnny, as reedily handsome as his voice and the scratch of his fiddle, heads on stage shortly after in to the mystical set of the stage which created a calm, intimate feeling with the purple lights, backdrop of brown autumn leaves and smoky haze around the band members. Perfect. They start the set with 'Lost and Found’, a slow picky guitar song from his new album; followed by 'Kentucky Pill'. Oh my, a wonderful start to the show. More well known songs (well to fans anyway) are played before Johnny introduces his sister Lilly Flynn to the audience who comes on apologising for being late. He then performs songs, old and new, now with the harmonising of Lilly accompanying his unfaultering echoey voice. Lilly then disappers and Johnny introduces none other than Laura Marling who comes on to perform 'The Water'.  The crowd was silent, intently watching in awe. The band then liven the audience up again with classics such as 'The Box' and 'Leftovers'. Throughout the performance, the band members are changing instruments, constantly swapping around. After an hours worth of this, they head off for the encore. The crowd cheers, and they’re back on. Johnny reapperas smiling; 'did we do that right?' he jokes. 'Eyeless in Holloway' is up next, one of my favourites. Each band member is introduced and Johnny thanks the audience gracefully. The last song. The familiar sound of the bass starts and 'Tickle Me Pink' is performed, the whole audienced joining in, in some sort of wild ho-down. Then its all over. The crowd make their way to the entrance excitedly chatting and discussing and singing. The look on everyone's faces tells all. What an amazing performance. Good old Johnny, he never lets us down.

urban delights

Desperately dearching for gift ideas as Christmas creeps up on me, I have stumbled upon some fabulous pieces in the gifts and home section of the Urban Outfitters website. From their stylish bedding sets, to contemporary wall art as well as their variety of books ranging from art and design to comics to music and filmm food and drink and a whole host of silly books that would sit perfectly in anyone's stocking, Urban Outfitters is definately sitting high in best place to buy gifts this year. My favourite are the tea sets. Delicate tea cups, plates and bowls featuring cute illustrations decorated with gold swirls and florals, that would complete any vintage tea party.

The factory presents...

There's a new kid on the scene, and at the ripe age of 20 his designs have already been featured in Style, Look and Company magazines as well as his Diffusion collection line being sold in River Island. Fifi Lafayette is a new French fashion designer who has exploded on to the scene from Paris, offering a collection of t-shirts and sweatshirts with expressions and prints conveying peace, love, freedom and fun. He was born in Orleans in 1990 where his parents withheld a strict upbringing. At the age of 14, tired of the restrictions French education brought upon him, Fifi ran away from home to Paris, where his elder brother lived and here he finished his education. His designs reflect this breakaway from restrictions and offer a sense of fun and freedom. These values are key to Fifi's collections. He defines coolness as having the courage to do what is right, and always have fun. With his diffusion line selling out in River island, just over a week after it hit the shops, he must be doing something right. Check out his website here..http://www.fifilafayette.com/#/welcome/4533936768

The Boy In The Bubble.

Tim Walker pictures' is my favourite thing to read.
Tim Walker is a photographer from London who creates fantastical scenes of epic drama and beauty. You may have seen his stuff in Vogue or Vanity Fair.
His attention to detail is mad and his photos are probably some of the most innovative and imaginative around at the moment.
This book is a collection of his pictures as well as snap shots of his travels, influences and inspirations.
Looking through the pictures makes me dream of travel through the magic that it portrays.
Take a look at the book, its a beaut.

BESTIVAL

Having been lucky enough to go to Glastonbury three times now, and it being my first festival ever, I have been known to turn my nose up at anything in comparaison. Earlier this year I attended the Isle of Wight festival with Laura and Amy. Although the line up was truely amazing (seeing Sir Paul McCartney was probably a high light of my summer) and the work behind the bar was extremely fun, I just didn't think the rest of the festival matched up to the hype of Glastonbury. So as the time approached for Bestival, I was excited, however I must admit, I was slightly sceptical that it wouldn't match up. (oh god, I'm a Glasto snob). But if ever there was a time to eat my hat, I believe it would be right now. Bestival was nothing other than Magical. Yes, that's right, with a capital M.
Everything about the festival was amazing. The different fields and areas, each had their own distinctions and features, from the Wishing tree to Bollywood to the Fantasy field to the Magical meadow to name but a few. There was such a fantastical feeling running throughout, which was only intesified on the Saturday when almost every single person was transformed into a magical fantasy character.
The thursday was pretty chilled out, with no bands on we knew we were free to explore and roam the fields as we wished. I was pleasantly surprised to find The Bimble Inn (a quaint little pub in a tent decorated with fabric and tea lights) situated right in the same field we had pitched our tents. We also found little pods to sit in with your own little speakers and music to listen to, a giant tree stump known as the Wishing Tree, the Chai Wallahs tent, the Cabaret tent (which later turned into a silent disco), a fair ground, Club Dada (an actual club built out of wood), beds scattered all over the fields, giant deck chairs, a giant spider stage and the Sailor Jerrys tent where actual tattoos were being done. Then there were the stages and various tents where artists and bands played throughout the night, every night. From country dances to house to techno to dubstep, drum and bass.The list is pretty much endless.
Throughout the weekend I managed to see Eliza Doolittle (who we also spotted later that evening in the crowds of festival goers), Ellie Goulding, Rolf Harris (Genius), Dizzee Rascal, Four Tet, The King Blues, The Prodigy, The Flaming Lips, Mumford and Sons.
Highlights? Joker on the Arcadia stage was pretty amazing and The Prodigy on the Sunday night. I wasn't even excited about this band, I'd never been a fan, but I will never forget how much fun and laughter I had with Laura that night.
I would definately go again next year, it was like Glastonbury in a smaller version. Venues were easier to get to and the amount of costumes made the festival truely enchanted. All in all, Bestival well and truely lived up to it's name.

River Island make fab parkers.

Size Ten. Yes Please.

Sunshine Superman

Oh my. What a fantastic summer I've had. Probably one of the best yet. I picked up my photos yesterday from Boots, not hoping for anything special, (I had taken them on a crappy disposible afterall) only to be over taken with warm happy memories of the summer months. Having got caught up in looking for jobs and the realisation of not returning to uni over the last few weeks, I'd forgotton how much fun I have had! From Glastonbury, to Spain, to France with Eddie, to camp, to uni reunions in Southampton, and finally Notting Hill Carnival last weekend, it's all been fantastic! Bring on Bestival next weekend is what I say! I'd better get cracking with my costume....

1.

Anyone who has heard me talk about Radio 4 will know that Desert Island Discs is my favourite program. Now, over the years I wonder each time I listen to the numerous amounts of people interviewed by Kirsty Young, which 8 tracks I would choose to take to a desert island. I think I have found number one however. The Mingulay Boat song is an old shanty song sang by fishermen when they came home from the Atlantic to Mingulay. It's a beautiful song which I have always associated with camp, as I first heard it on FSC. Port Isaac's Fishermen's Friends sing a fantastic version which warms the cockles of my heart. I will therefore allow this version as number one on my Desert Island Disc list. Now for the other seven...well, I'll keep you posted.

Vanya.

Yessssss. Look what I found!! A lovely little website of vintage-type jewellery by Vanya. I'm very much into jewellery at the moment, especially rings and necklaces so to come across this lovely collection of them excites me greatly. Have a look at the beauts for yourselves on their website http://www.jewellerybyvanya.bigcartel.com/

I'll have this one first please..

wagon wheel

No, not the round marshmallow-y, chocolate snack. The song. I can't get enough of it. Now, just when I thought I was settled with the Huckleberry Flint version, Mumford and Sons decide to do a cover which I have recently stumbled upon whilst on youTube. And what a delight it is...check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXJO7FZegeI

pac-a-parka

Topshop were spot on for the festival season this year, stocking their shelves with these fabulous shower-proof macs, coming in all different colours and patterns. Not only are they practical, they are actually also incredibly cool! I orginally bought this polka dot one for Glastonbury this year. However with the weather being so fabulous, meaning I didn't manage to wear it once, I couldn't quite help but feel slightly like I'd wasted my money. But with the last few months being typically British, I'm starting to believe this little gem is by far my best buy of the summer. Maybe even of my life. I've never used anything as often, and never felt so happy in the rain!

flower power

 This Summer was all about the playsuit. All over the catwalks and in every high street shop, the all-in-one outfits flourished in a plethora of patterns and cuts. Amongst many other patterns, florals were blooming from every shop window, fitting right in with that fresh feeling of Summer. So when we were given our styling project at uni last term, I jumped at the chance to shoot a whole wardrobe of summer fun. This was by far my favourite module of my course and I had a lot of fun planning, choosing a model, styling then shooting my photoshoot. Here are some of the pictures..