Anglomania

Continuing with the theme of 'Internet Shopping', my most recent conquest is my best online buy in a long time, and also my favourite.

Two weeks ago i was trawling the depths of the internet, searching for christmas present ideas, when suddenly i stumbled upon a website which had 500+ designer names and brands, but the best thing was that all of last seasons stock was on sale for 40% off or more.
Me being the opportunist that i am, ran downstairs, grabbed my card and began some festive foraging.
My patience paid off, i found a pair of Anglomania Yellow Tartan 3/4 Shorts in my size.

They arrived a week later (Pretty good on DHL France's behalf) and they were even better in real life.

Top: All Saints

Trousers: Anglomania Ochre Yellow, VW

Boots: Seditionary, VW







I'm planning on buying a plain black shirt when i get back to the UK.
A plain top with these pants is definitely enough. If trousers have a busy print, it's best to balance it out with a neutral top, otherwise you can run the risk of looking like a patchwork quilt.

However i have just ordered a matching bow tie, as i feel it will give the outfit a finishing touch.
I managed to find a fantastic scottish website which has databased every tartan by name and number. A few dedicated minutes later i had managed to find a pretty good match to this Ochre material.

http://www.house-of-tartan.scotland.net/



Once i have the shirt and tie, this look will be a very smart/tidy outfit, something i'm not normally used to wearing (especially shirts) but i'm wanting to branch out more with the clothes that i wear. Broadening my horizons and all that.

Accessories:
So not only did i take a picture of this outfit, but i had the idea whilst putting it all together that i could add a few badges into the mix, just to show that they can be used in many different places on clothes to give different looks.
The only ones i have with me here in France are my 'Prince Charming' set of 6, so i picked the two i felt worked best with the look and went from there.


The thing i love about badges and brooches is the fact that you can put them anywhere. They can be used as a main focal point (Like a belt buckle, or the centre of the chest, like a pendant) or you can simply use them to spread a bit of colour around your look. For instance, i used the yellow crown and the orb because the colours tied in with the tartan. If you're wearing a shirt, you can even put them in the centre of your collar, usually where a tie would go. This is a great alternative to a tie or bow tie.

Squiggle me timbers!

Any fan of Vivienne Westwood can tell you that when you hear the word 'squiggle' you know you're in for some serious Viv-ness.

The print is available in a variety of colours, on different things such as boots, socks, notebooks, tops, dresses, bags and even wallpaper, yes, wallpaper.

It's a print which has been around since The Pirate Collection (1981) and continues to be as successful today as it was back then.
What I like about the pattern is that it is eye catching, unique, instantly recognisable and always gives an outfit an extra 'oomph.'

I recently bought Ben the Red and White Squiggle Pirate Shirt for his Birthday. The shirts are so well made. One size fits all, as you can tuck, pin and fold it to your liking.

Shirt: Red & White Squiggle, VW

Belt: Black and Gold print, VW

Trousers: Anglomania + Lee, VW

Boots: Seditionary Boots, VW






















I tied my belt a little higher than normal, not through the loops of my jeans, but around the top itself. This enabled me to tuck and tie the shirt where i wanted, so i could achieve my desired look.
I wore skinny jeans as i knew the shirt would balance the outfit out, with it being over sized and baggy.
The chunky boots contrast with the skinny jeans to make more of a statement. Plus, in my opinion, the straps and squiggles go together really well and give a very 'Westwood look'.


The 'Skull Keyring' was attached to my skinny jeans when i bought them. I added this to my belt to add more texture and depth to the outfit. The gold and black tie together well with the belt, jeans and shoes.
I love how this outfit has lots of different textures, prints and things going on.

'Organized Chaos'

Winter Warmers

Winter is once again upon us and I for one never normally dress for the cold.
Maybe it's because i'm a Northener, but i've never been a huge fan of gloves and scarves. That was until i got an idea in my head . . .

I don't have a clue where it came from, but a few months ago i woke up one day and said to myself: 'I NEED a mega thick scarf for winter.' And since then, it's all i've been able to think about.

Now you may laugh, but this is actually a good idea; I found a wool throw in a homeware store here in France, it was pretty big, but it was exactly what i had in my mind. So i tried it on and wrapped it around me, it actually looked pretty good. However, that was where my good fortune took a nosedive.
Once i'd found out the price (€50) I decided i'd 'go away and think about it', because i figured if i waited i'd find exactly what i was looking for, plus i'm pretty big on impulse buying. After almost an hour of humming and harring i decided to go back and buy it. In the hour i had been away, someone had purchased my 'soon-to-be scarf' Not a good afternoon was had by neither myself or Ben (On my moody behalf)

So i gave up and started knitting. Yes, knitting.
I taught myself from video tutorials on Youtube, however realised how long it was actually going to take when six hours in i had knitted about 3 inches. I still enjoy doing it when i have spare time, but i don't think i'm quite ready to be knitting sweaters yet :/

FINALLY, after giving up all hope, by total fluke, i found this:

Pretty much exactly what i had in mind, except it is a snood.
€15, H&M.
Job's a good'un, bish-bash-bosh, Bob's your uncle.



Earring: Heart Orb, Vivienne Westwood

Watch: Market Stall, Leeds





This look is perfect for indoors or out, the chunky scarf gives such a warm look and feel to the outfit, it changes the shape of my silhouette pretty radically. It was the perfect statement piece i was looking for.


Coat: Witches Hoodie, Anglomania
Vest: Topman
Snood: H&M
Trousers: Topman
Shoes: Converse

The Cream Team

Beige, Creams, Pastels and Pale Browns are colours i really like to wear, for two reasons:

1. They make my eyes look brighter blue (Bit of a gay reason, i know, but you've got to make the most of what you've got, ha!)
2. They make me look waayyy browner than i actually am.
   I especially love this now that it's winter, because the only sun my skin is going to see over the next few months is a healthy dose of St Tropez's bottled finest.
   
   
   So, for this look i wanted to show a more toned down style. This is an outfit i'd probably wear for the High School. It's not as 'eccentric' or 'unusual' as some of my other looks, however i still feel it has a personal touch to it.

T-Shirt: Climate Change, Vivienne Westwood

Trousers: H&M

Belt: Skull, River Island

Watch: Random bargain I managed to pick up from Leeds Market for £3

Boots: Unbranded






















This entire outfit apart from the watch and belt was bought by Ben, however we share and share alike in the clothing department :D
Plus i've mentioned before about my 22kg luggage allowance, so a lot of my clothes will be making a cheeky reappearance for the next few weeks, until i get the chance to change them when i go home for Christmas.

Outfit 2
Again with the cream!
This outfit i actually bought whilst out here in France.
Now believe it or not, it's not true what people say about the French. They're not that stylish when it comes to designer brands, especially in the south.
However, i've managed to find the odd little 'diamond in the rough', or just bought it online . . .

I found a great website a few weeks ago: http://www.thenewyooxer.yoox.com/eng/index.php/post/9952/vivienne-westwood-for-greenup/
Basically, good old Viv in her quest to slow Climate Change has created the original ‘Tree-Shirt’ for yoox.com, supporting GreenUp’s European reforestation program.
Their motto is:  “buy a Tree-shirt, plant a tree!”
So that's exactly what i did.


T-shirt: Tree shirt, Green-Up
Jeans: Anglomania+Lee, Vivienne Westwood
Boots: Seditionary Boots, Vivienne Westwood

Skinny jeans normally aren't something i'd go for. They can be very 'hit and miss', it totally depends what you wear them with. Luckily for me i don't have 'sparrow legs', so when i saw them in a random boutique in Aix-en-Provence, i took it as a sign. (That, plus the fact that they were on sale)
So i tried them on, much to the disapproval of the sales assistant, who tried to usher me back into the men's section a number of times (you've got to root around if you want to find the good stuff)

 Surprise surprise, they fit! So that was me in a great mood for the rest of the day, plus i got a free 'key ring, bag charm, whatever-the-hell-I-want-to-use-it-for' skull thing, which i've already used for many a different thing.
I wear a baggier/larger top with skinny jeans to balance out my silhouette, so i don't look like a bean pole. Skinnier on bottom should be balanced with bigger on top and vice versa.

Finally, my boots:

I absolutely love these! Vivienne Westwood Seditionary Boots.
I bought them a while ago in Leeds and have definitely worn them in. The bottoms are made out of rubber, unlike the originals which are made from leather, but they're easily the comfiest shoes i own.

Fabric Paints

For this entry i have a lot of photos to upload. I'm going to talk about fabric painting:

Fabric painting is a fantastic way to spruce up your clothes. Whether they're new or old. Trousers you never wear anymore, a t-shirt you're bored of, or even an old pair of shoes.
You can give your clothes a total new lease of life with something as simple as a single pot of paint.
They come in a variety of colours and you can change their shade simply by adding water.

It's fair to say that maybe a bit of artistic skill needs to be involved, but there's nothing stopping the less confident from practicing on a sheet of paper first, or even just doing 'ink splatters' or writing. (I usually draw it all out in pencil first, then follow my lines with the paint.)

My boyfriend Ben is a fantastic artist. He came up with the idea of painting on fabrics while we're here in France. This has slowly progressed from t-shirt portraits to trousers, shoes and he now even takes orders for specific designs and portraits. (I'll post a link to his Facebook at the end of this blog, if you fancy checking out more of his work, or even placing an order.)
Here are some of his paintings:

The majority of his portraits are female celebrities, however he does do requests.

I absolutely love each of his paintings. The detail and artistic skill which goes into each project is always his all and i'm really proud of him.

Shoes:

Toile de jouy, winged pump.



The creation of Adam, old pumps

Ben Cooper:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/bbennjjii

All paintings are available in Colour, Black and White or Line Drawing.
If it's a flat surface, he can paint on it :)

Vive la France!

For this look i decided to layer and accessories just to give more of an interesting look.
A busy outfit is eye catching, memorable and sometimes can be inspiring.

Being in France, i am limited with what i can wear, this is because of two reasons.

1: I've left most of my 'out there' or different clothes back home in England. The 22kg allowance really wasn't helpful, especially when you need to pack for an entire year abroad. So this limits my blog and style a little bit until i can get home and do more outfits and looks.

2: The second reason is that the French don't really approve of my look. At all.
When people talk about France I think of chic business men off to work in a full matching suit and women walking their tiny dogs in Chanel coats with the latest designer craze handbag hanging off their arm.
It really isn't like this at all. Tracksuits and Sportswear seem to be the only thing people ever wear, men, women and children passing me in the street in their Adidas tracksuits and Nike trainers. Diesel is about as fashionable as these people get. I'm not wanting to tarnish everyone with the same brush, there are some people who dress very chic and 'french' but it's often the wife of a rich business man sat in a restaurant watching the world go by, or a tourist.

This hasn't stopped me being myself, but i have realised that i've 'watered down' my look a little bit. However, it'd take more than a year aborad to get me to conform to the unmatched sportswear.

So this outfit is a pretty good representation of my style.
I love a busy look and mixing textures and layers.

To break up the grey colours i added badges and pins, this adds more colour to an outfit, aswell as putting your own personal stamp on the look. Instead of placing my pins all in one place, i decided to spread them around my clothes, Vest, Headband and Shorts to tie the outfit together.

Headband: Grey Wool
T-shirt: You Think You Own The World, Vivienne Westwood
Denim Vest: Pale Denim, Topshop
Shorts: Customised
Belt: Black and Gold Print, Vivienne Westwood
Badges: Prince Charming Set, Vivienne Westwood
Pins: 'Let It Rock' Heart and Skull Orb, Vivienne Westwood

Street Style

Last December i was doing a bit of late night christmas shopping in Leeds when i was approached by a random girl, she had a camera and asked me if she was ok to take my picture because she 'loved how i was dressed.' She was doing an article on street style and said that my look was great for it. I reluctantly agreed as i had just thrown a load of clothes on and didn't really feel that i looked that nice. So i awkwardly stood there whilst she snapped a few pictures of me in the street. She asked a few questions, took my details, and that was that.
A month later i opened 'City Dweller' magazine, lo and behold, there i was in the fashion section. Fair enough the picture wasn't the nicest of me, but i was well chuffed that i'd actually been put in a magazine.

Sorry for the grainy quality of the picture, it's just a crappy iPhone copy.


In other news (Don't worry, these 'talky' kind of posts aren't going to be a regular occurrence) i've signed up to Lookbook.nu

It's pretty much exactly what it sounds like, an online database to upload all of your looks and outfits on. People can rate your style and things like that. I figured it would be a good idea for me to have aswell as this blog. If you have a spare 5 minutes and would like to take a look, then you can check it out here: http://lookbook.nu/eccentricabundance


Here's my first upload:

Life's a Beach

So summer came and went pretty quickly this year, maybe it was because of all of the loose ends i had to tie up before moving to France, or maybe it was just the fact that British summer is a total of three days of sunshine. Regardless of how sunny it was, i still dressed like i was about to walk out into 30'C heat.
Summer is probably my favourite season, everybody is always so much happier and the colourful clothes come out of hibernation.

In this entry i decided to do a quirky 'beach look', as most of the time, if you go to a beach you're going to spend a little while walking around, even if it's popping to the nearest shop for a bottle of water. So why not dress it up a little?

My first outfit was just simply a t-shirt and shorts, i used the handkerchief as a bandanna to add more colour to the look and attached a brooch to add more texture & to make the look more interesting.
Tying the bandanna to one side of the head instead of behind gives the look a little extra tszuj and more of a summer feel. Tying the knot bigger would have made it look a lot more feminine, so i wouldn't really recommend it for guys.

T-shirt: I am not a Terrorist, Vivienne Westwood
Handkerchief: Prince Charming, Vivienne Westwood
Brooch: Diamante Orb, Vivienne Westwood
Shorts: Grey Cotton/Flannel, Gypsy
Sandals: €10, French Market

T-shirt: I Heart Crap, Vivienne Westwood
Handkerchief: Prince Charming, Vivienne Westwood

Braces: Dark Brown Leather, River Island

Shorts: Grey Cotton/Flannel, Gypsy

Sandals: €10, French Market

Look two was a similar outfit, except i tweaked it here and there to make it more distinct to my style.
For instance i removed the handkerchief as the bandanna and re-used it as a mini scarf, it's the perfect size not to overwhelm the outfit for a summer look. Aside from changing the t-shirt, i turned up the hems of my shorts and added leather braces. Usually a flanelled material like my shorts would have a different shade on the inside, if they're not lined. Turning up the hems can be a great way of adding more texture and shades to your outfit and creating a more interesting look. The braces are completely aesthetic, unless you would prefer to wear them up, which i will explain below.

By adding the braces to the outfit, you can create more depth and make it look more chaotic by adding badges, pins or even safety pins.
I love accessorising with badges as you can instantly add more colour and interest to your look.

Badge Set: Prince Charming, Vivienne Westwood

Dungarees

Contrary to stereotypical belief, you CAN wear dungarees and not look like Cotton eyed Joe.
To think that they've plummeted in popularity since the 80's is a bit of a shame, you see the odd pair here and there, like in Topman or River island, but i personally would like to see them return to trend with designers such as John Galliano and Yohji Yamamoto, creating unique overalls/dungarees in their own unusual prints and patterns. Maybe it's something to watch out for with 'A Child of the Jago' in the future?

So for this look i decided to avoid 'Different ways to wear dungarees' and to just simply focus on how they can add interest to an outfit by simply wearing them 'one strap up, one strap down.'

I just recently bought these trousers from a boutique here in France [There really aren't many good ones around here, so i was happy to at least find something other than jogging bottoms]
They are carrot cut and slightly drop crotch with 'tie up bottoms' to give a tighter fit around the calf of the leg. Not forgetting the 'dungaree' attachment to the top and braces.

Without the headband, this outfit would be a very 'toned down' look for me, simply jeans and a t-shirt, however i feel that by just adding that red band it coordinated well with the Active Resistance t-shirt and gave the outfit more of a unique twist.


Headband: Red & White, Vivienne Westwood
T-shirt: Active Resistance Rembrandt, Vivienne Westwood
Jeans: Salopette Drop Crotch, Diesel
Belt: Snake Skull, Jeffrey West
Shoes: Limited Edition Spikes, Converse












By simply wearing one shoulder of the dungarees it gives more of an individual look. Layering can always create interesting and eye catching looks, especially if it's something that isn't normally 'in fashion' or is retro, like Dungarees. But does it really matter if your current style is in agreement with what a glossy magazine deems as 'fashionable?' My view is that if it makes you feel good and you like wearing it, then who are you harming by doing so?

Chaos and The Rolling Stones

I'd been searching for this 'Chaos' headband for years. Imagine my excitement when i actually stumbled across it on Worlds End? My fingers couldn't type fast enough to order it!
This look i put together is one i would wear either through the day or on a night out, maybe with a few tweaks here and there if it was for the latter.
I'm a big fan of customising and cutting things up. It gives a unique and personal touch to your outfit, but also gives an old item of clothing a new look, saving you money!
It's the same as making your own clothes, you can have your say with exactly how you want it to look and make it to suit you, as opposed to buying a generic t-shirt and wearing it straight off the hanger (not that there's anything wrong with that)
The best thing is, anybody can do it.

My Rolling Stones vest used to be a 'medium' T-shirt, it was way too big for me to begin with, and everytime i washed it, it grew! One day i decided to take a pair of scissors to it, much to the disapproval of my mum: 'You're cutting up a perfectly good t-shirt. You looked lovely in that. Eeee!'
So i cut the sleeves off and quite liked the way the vest fit me, it was baggy, but because it no longer had the sleeves it looked way better (The sides didn't get cut out till i got my tattoo and wanted to show it off)
I have done this to many other vests, which i'll upload at a later date.
I either wear this vest layered over another vest or t-shirt, or in the summer/ on a night out i'd just wear it on its own. It's starting to deconstruct a little now, with a few holes here and there, but i like that about it.

The leather gloves are falling apart, they have no palms anymore, but it gives a good aesthetic to the look combined with the vest, plus i still manage to slip them over my fingers.
Fingerless and Palmless gloves, it could catch on!

Headband: 'Chaos' Worlds End, Vivienne Westwood

Necklace: Skeleton, Vivienne Westwood
Vest 1: Rolling Stones, Customised
Vest 2: Too fast to live, Too young to die. Climate Change, Vivienne Westwood
Trousers: Customised
Gloves: Customised
Socks: American Apparel
Shoes: Limited Edition Spikes, Converse


























The socks work well with the jogging bottoms as they have a slight 'sporty' look. Matched with my converse they blend the outfit together in a slightly grungy rock look. I'd only ever wear my knee high socks with either a pair of Converse or High Tops. With pumps they would just look wrong and with trainers it would look like i was coming home from Football practice. It's a fine line, but sometimes i don't get it right either. If in doubt, leave them out.

Beige isn't boring

Beige and pastel browns are colours i love to wear. They complement my skin tone and are really easy to put an outfit together with.
I'm colour blind, and sometimes it gets a bit difficult to tell certain colours from others. However, beige is one of those colours that i never have a problem with.
Creams, pale browns, golds and caramels are really fun to mix around with and layer over eachother.
The handkerchief at my waist adds a little more colour to the outfit, breaking up the pale browns.

I like the shabby-chic look of this outfit, i think if i used darker colours it wouldn't all pull together as well as it does here due to the holes in the cardigan and dark brown smudge prints on my jeans. I matched my bronze necklaces and two belts into the outfit to layer and add more textures to the look. Using a thin piece of brown cord for a head band.
[I LOVE Headbands and Bandannas, they totally work for me and liven up any outfit]

Headband: Brown cord, no-retailer
Cardigan: All Saints
Necklace 1: Teeth, Sakdidet Road
Necklace 2: Skull, Alexander McQueen
Handkerchief: Vivienne Westwood
Jeans: Anglomania + Lee, Vivienne Westwood
Belt 1: Skull, River Island
Belt 2: Black and Gold, Vivienne Westwood
Boots: 3/4 Pirate Boots, Vivienne Westwood

I slightly changed this look by adding a vest, making it more acceptable for everyday wear. I tied the brown handkerchief around my wrist instead of over my belt. The open cardigan looks more casual and both of the belts become more visible.

Another look i wanted to show is a less 'everyday look' and more of an idea for the beach or during summer. I like using everyday objects for different uses, such as safety pins as bracelets and shoelaces as headbands. This idea came to me as i was putting this outfit together. It's not particularly a conventional look for guys, but if you have the confidence to pull it off it can look pretty good.
I used a pale brown scarf as a head band and loosely tied it at the back, letting the tails fall over my shoulder. I then accessorised it with two badges, to give a bit of colour and again to break up the monotony of beige

Head scarf: Cotton, Non-branded
Badges: Prince Charming Collection, Vivienne Westwood

First Official Post

Okay, so here we go. . .

This is my first outfit i'm going to upload.
I've had this top for about 6 months, i loved it ever since i first saw it in Vivienne Westwood Leeds. When i finally went to buy it, to my luck, it was the final one on the mannequin. I shouldn't have really bought it, but everything was telling me to, even my debit card.
It's a size L/XL and with it being 100% cotton it stretches way down to my knees. But this is why i like it, the oversized/comfy look is something i love to wear, the neck can be pulled over into a hood.

Top: London Orange, Vivienne Westwood
Necklace: Teeth, Sakdidet Road
Belt: Vivienne Westwood
Shorts: Customised
Trainers: Limited Edition Spikes, Converse

I wore this outfit today. I'm currently living in Provence, in the south of France with Ben for my third year at university.
Out of the three options: Teaching Assistant, Study at University or Work Placement, i chose Teaching Assistant.
The locals don't really see many foreigners or 'outsiders', as our town is quite far away from any main cities, so needless to say this outfit drew a few funny looks.

Old outfits

This outfit was a really big favourite of mine, i didn't buy it all at the same time, i had the trousers about a month before i bought the matching shirt.

Headband: Red & White, Vivienne Westwood
Shirt: Anglomania + Lee Wetlook Black Shirt, Vivienne Westwood

Trousers: Anglomania + Lee Wetlook Black and Yellow Squiggle Trousers, Vivienne Westwood

Boots: 3/4 Pirate Boots, Vivienne Westwood

Myself and Ben are constantly playing around with dyes and changing our hair colours, Sometimes it's hit and miss, but other times it works in our favour. This turquoise was thanks to 'Grin' closing down in Leeds, the manager gave us 11 pots of random dyes and free contact lenses.

Headband: Red and White, Vivienne Westwood
Scarf: Prince Charming, Vivienne Westwood
Earring: Red Heart, Vivienne Westwood

2010 continued . .

Another 'elevator' photo, this is purely because it was the biggest mirror in our building and i could almost get a full length shot.

 

Vest: Rolling Stones, Customised
Trousers: Grey Joggers, Customised
Socks: Blue Sport Stripe, American Apparel
Shoes: High Tops, Firetrap
Watch: Bargain, Leeds

Coat: Palm Print, Vivienne Westwood
Shirt: N/A
Bow Tie: H&M
Trousers: Yellow Squiggle, Anglomania + Lee
Belt: Vivienne Westwood

Styles from 2010

Here are some photos from a random photoshoot my boyfriend and I took part in. We were asked to do it because of our style and look. We began individually, but took photos together as the photoshoot progressed.







T-Shirt: Marilyn, Blue Rinse
Coat: Anglomania Bomber Jacket, Vivienne Westwood
Trousers: Hareem, Non-branded
Belt: Skull, River Island
Gloves: Fingerless Leather, All Saints
Shoes: Nike
















This outfit was more Pirate inspired, mixing styles from both high street and designer labels.

Vest: H&M

Arm Band: Vivienne Westwood
Trousers: Suede, Zara
Belt: Skull, River Island
Boots: Pirate Boots, Vivienne Westwood