#15

Hello again, remember me? I'm ashamed to say I've been a rather bad blogger this week. I didn't even manage to do a quick 'funny Friday' post! I'm afraid that due to exam season being in full swing, at any opportunity at which I've been on the computer, I have been revising (sad but necessary). Last week I downloaded the blogger app onto my iPod in the hope I'd be able to blog from there, but me being me, I haven't quite got to grips with it yet and the small screen just doesn't do it for me when I'm writing!

Anyway there are a few posts and topics I've been itching to write recently. I would have liked to have done another outfit/hair/make up post yesterday as I was out all day with family from all over the country celebrating my granddad's 80th birthday! It was a great day and it was lovely to have everyone from the age of 1-80 there! Unfortunately the long day left no time for photographing/hair-styling/writing so that sort of post wasn't possible. Although, in this rather dashing picture of me attempting to be 7 again (what happens when you're around children!) you can see the casual got-this-from-my-floordrobe type outfit I went for. It had to be grandma friendly too of course! I also attempted the colour pop socks and shoes look which I actually quite like on occasion, it certainly fits with the childish photo!

This cardigan also made an appearance earlier in the week at my brothers 18th birthday (yay!).

yum...

Floral mohair cardigan over denim shirt with long key chain, rolled up cuffs and leather panel leggings...

 I eagerly stole my brothers new Shakespeare's book of sonnets...

We ate out at aqua on Walcott street (I think!) which I definitely recommend as it was really lovely.

Due to this busy schedule recently I've been using Instagram to share my week in pictures as best I can from my little iPod so there are also a few snaps on there.

So now that you are all aware of what I've been up to over the past week I can move on to the better stuff! Two main topics are sort of floating around aimlessly in my head which I've been planning to write about on here recently. First, is dieting. I've noticed that A LOT of girls about and around my age are beginning to diet. This is understandable as it's coming up to summer (the weather would suggest otherwise) and as girls it's in our DNA to go into bikini-body-mode in the months leading up to our holidays. But, there was an interesting article about food and diet in VOGUE's latest issue which got me thinking, how many girls are dieting safely and correctly and how many are just doing whatever they can to get that flat tummy?

As I think this a really important topic for a lot of people, I'm going to do a totally separate post on the matter very shortly (hopefully today!).

Secondly, summer dresses! The weather will never stop our brains telling us we need a whole wardrobe revamp once the winter months are out the way. But with so many trends out there, what do you go for? I also plan to cover this life or death matter in a post soon, so keep your eyes pealed!

x

#14

Today I Am Wearing

Why is it that every time I make an effort with my outfit I get 'oh where are you going?' by every member of my household present at the time? Is it so wrong to 'over dress' for life itself? I think not. Saturday and Sunday are the only days each week I get to put thought, time and effort into what I wear and being the fashion addict I am, I enjoy the process hugely! Anyway, today I did go for a rather new/brave choice but I'm hoping it's a good sort of brave! With lots of different detail, layering, and pastels, I thought this smart/casual look was a pretty nice ensemble for a brisk, sunny day in May. 

I Also put a little effort into my hair style this morning too, which is sort of a big deal for me since if I ever do decide to style it, I usually get bored and give up after a few minutes! My hair has always had a mind of it's own and the only people who have ever managed to fully 'curl' it are my hairdressers! So I went for something simple yet cute.

In a total of about 20 minutes I got this summer like wave to my hair just by taking sections of my hair, putting it through my straighteners and adding kinks and curves as I pleased. This was easier than usual as my hair was less unruly than most days and was fairly tamed! I took two small sections from either side of my face and pulled them back into a basic plait, wrapping them around my head and fastening them with about 4 brown hair grips, which I'm pleased to say aren't too obvious!

To match the look make-up wise I went for a base layer of pore refining primer, one layer of foundation, about 3 strokes of mascara and a sweep of orange blush. For my lips I combined a red (ish) lipstick with a light pink balm to get a shade that matched the look of the outfit, but wasn't overly 'pretty pink'.

p.s. My instagram is now in full swing, and amongst silly and boring pictures it's likely I'll upload wardrobe choices plus looks/outfits/pieces I love onto there. If you want to follow me on the site, search 'elisemckeever'.

 x

#13

Thank God It's Funny Friday!

Despite the bank holiday, this week has felt just as long as any other week, for me at least. About a week ago now, I was introduced to the Loiter Squad's YouTube account and since discovering them, have never been short of smiles and laughs. So, I'm going to start a special Friday blog post 'Funny Friday' (imaginative I know!) featuring something different every week that has made me smile and/or laugh. I apologise in advance if you do not share my sense of humour because it is likely that this blog will put you in a worse mood rather than a better one (which is the intention)!

Without further ado here is Tyler The Creator ft. Nathaniel the seagull, dressed rather strangely singing a seriously deep song. I really connected with the lyrics, as will you...

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD3hTWMx9jU

#12

The Met Ball 2012; what they wore

I have to say, this is a very spontaneous post only inspired by my routine browse of magazine websites 5 minutes ago! However, I was stunned when I stumbled across the pictures from this years Met Ball hosted by VOGUE. I appreciate that the event is somewhat an art exhibit (as in the aim of the event is to 'dress to impress') but I had a little trouble understanding the wardrobe choices of a few certain female celebrities. 

I'm all for brave choices of wardrobe, but there is an almost invisible line when it comes to the 'do's' and 'oh dear god please do nots' of wearing something 'different'. No matter which way I tilt my head, how hard squint or how long I spend staring at the following image, I cannot see how this Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière dress came to be Kristen Stewart's choice for the biggest fashion event in NY.

The reason I've made this image so big is so you can see the detail of the top half of the dress because personally, I think it's beautiful. The cut gives her more of a feminine look to her boyish figure and the pattern and materials used are stunning. If at Kristens waist however, the dress hadn't turned into a block combination of gym mats and fancy dress costumes, I may actually love this dress. In fact even if the whole dress was leather and block, it could possibly be made to work. But, if this dress were a meal, it would be chocolate and tomato soup. Two very enjoyable items of food that should under no circumstances ever be consumed at the same time.

Another look I was intrigued by shall we say, is that of Mary-Kate Olsen. I could not help but let my mind run to thoughts of Edward scissor hands and Michael Jackson when I saw this picture of her from the event. I think it's mainly the hair-do and 'I'm drowning in my dress' look that turned this from a yes to a no for me.

Last but not least, actually...yes least, is Florence Welch. I love the lady don't get me wrong, and honestly if anyone was going to wear this dress it would be her but it was just too much! Put the dress on a mannequin and I'll swoon and stare along with everyone, even comment on the beauty of the design and detail. But on a person? I cannot appreciate it. Florence looks like a walking wedding cake.

From an art perspective, I can see how these choices are a yes. They make you think, they require imagination and are undoubtedly, impressive. But despite the event being a celebration of top end design/fashion, they just don't do it for me. On a more positive note, here are some that do...

Gwyneth Paltrow in a Prada ice blue satin gown worn with Prada heels and Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie earrings. 

Scarlett Johansson in a Dolce & Gabbana gown with full tulle skirt with Fred Leighton jewels. 

Solange Knowles wearing a marigold yellow Rachel Roy gown. 

Emma Stone wore a red dress custom-designed by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin. 

Beyonce wearing a Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci embellished gown with feather train. 

Cameron Diaz in a Stella McCartney custom-made gown, made from organic, certified silk. 

These are just a very few of the wonderful dresses on show at the Met Ball 2012 and I strongly encourage you to visit one of the magazine websites covering the event to check out the rest. They get better and better I promise!

#11

I've been thinking about doing a music post for a while now and this is me finally attempting one! My older brother, Jack, most definitely holds the title of music journalist in our household and I couldn't take that away from him even if I tried. He is after all heading off to uni in a couple of months to study Journalism/English and writes with a much more professional and sophisticated tone on his music blog than I do on here. 

However, while music reviews are not my favourite of all writing tasks and my knowledge is fairly limited, like a lot of people I do love music. I've had a love for singing for as long as I can remember (definitely inherited that one from my mum!) and at one very dedicated point, reached grade 5 in classical training. Sadly, as I've got a bit older (boo!) my priorities have changed and singing lessons/exams have taken a back seat for a while. You'll be pleased to know however that when it comes to singing I am as critical as ever of everyone, especially myself! My brother seems to focus mostly on the actual music when he writes, whereas I'm much more interested in the singers vocal talents/abilities.

Jack and I

 (Is it just me who thinks his hair gives away his love for bands?)

Female artists are having a ball at the moment in the world of music, and the market is filling fast. Of course you've got your ever lasting pop stars such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady GaGa, Demi Lovato etc. But in the past  year or so we've been introduced to new and quite different female artists. For example, it's been hard to escape the haunting voice and striking face of Lana Del Rey recently. Rita Ora, despite blending effortlessly into the chart music scene also has a striking voice that can only truly be appreciated while watching her acoustic numbers on-line and Adele, well you don't need me to tell you about that woman, who has quite rightly peaked over 2011/2012. And then of course there's the lime-light-avoiding songstresses with voices I would describe as nothing less than beautiful such as Laura Marling, Birdy, Christina Perri and Charlene Soraia.

Lana Del Rey

 Birdy

Rita Ora

There is though, one woman, who has stolen my heart completely with her music (if you follow me on twitter you might be able to have a guess!) and that is Scottish singer/songwriter Emeli Sandé. 

Emeli holding her well deserved Brit 'critics choice' award which she won before her debut album had even hit the shelves

When her debut single 'heaven' broke sleekly into the charts, I heard something in her voice and music that made her stand out from the rest of the everyday chart/pop music. She was impossible to ignore and as I searched youtube for any and all of her unreleased material, I slowly began to fall in love! Emeli's voice is unmistakable and so easy to listen to, yet at the same time she incorporates tricks and flicks into her work to keep it unique. While her haircut and nose ring may cause you to first judge her as a typical urban artist and young rebel, her voice is somewhat angel like. Then again, you could see her style as a representation of her uniqueness in music too. I have an absolute admiration for women like that. The ones who cannot be defined or stereotyped, they simply are themselves, they're most definitely a pleasant surprise in today's society. Furthering that, she does not do the typical pop artist thing of singing about sex, parties and romantic love. Her music is much deeper than that. Every time I listen to her album (never having to skip a single song I might add) I learn something new about her. Her music simply makes you think about life, human relationships (not just romance!) and our emotional struggles. Her songs 'My Kind Of Love' and 'Breaking The Law' go as far as being tear-jerkers, especially if you can find it in you to relate to her words. It's refreshing to find someone commercially viable who can sing about family relationships and issues people face such as illness, depression and the emotional effects of love rather than just how they want you to 'party all night' and 'put your hands up'. While that may make the album sound slightly depressing I can assure you it is not, and features plenty of upbeat sing-a-long type tunes.

OUR VERSION OF EVENTS-EMELI SANDÉ IS OUT NOW

#10

This months wishlist (I can dream)...

red herring at Debenhams 

red herring at Debenhams

Topshop

Topshop 

Mango

Zara

Newlook

Whistles

What are you all after this month?

p.s. I'm after some nail varnish along the lines of this stuff:  However, I can't seem to find it any shops, which is a bit odd. But anyway, if anyone knows where I can get some I would be very very grateful.

Hope everyone's enjoying the rather storm-like drought and double dip recession we are now in! Yay. If only I could have all these clothes...

#9

Hello! Welcome to post number 9, which I feel inclined to tell you is pretty much just me rambling on about the past week, some purchases I made and a couple of new experiences I've had! 

Last weekend, my lovely mother dragged me out of my painfully comfortable bed and treated me to a day out in Bath, resulting in two new pairs of jeans and an unexpected lunch at 'The Pump Rooms'. I'd never been to The Pump Rooms before and didn't really know what to expect so was in shock when I realised it was one of the most elegant places I'd ever seen and had been on my doorstep for 16 years without me ever visiting! It's surrounded by the Roman Baths, and seemed to be bustling with tourists walking through admiring the historic portraits on the high walls and grand piano(with live musician in black-tie!) at the front of the open plan space, not to mention the giggling ladies enjoying what the menu describes as a 'champagne afternoon tea'. It's easy to see the attraction, it is after all known to have been popular with the likes of Jane Austen (who apparently enjoyed a wild night out at a ball or two). Surprisingly, most dishes on the lunch menu were reasonably priced, I enjoyed a cream of carrot and tomato something-or-other soup with baked bread and a cranberry and elderflower spritz totally guilt free! Oh, and I also thoroughly enjoyed counting the number of Barbour jackets present on the backs of chairs while I sat there in my baggy top and battered skinnies. (There were a lot!)

 As much as I love my 'battered skinnies' mentioned above, they haven't been fitting as well recently and have developed a (luckily not too obvious) hole in one of the belt loops. Therefore I was in need of another pair and didn't feel too bad about making mum fork out for one, and it was her who suggested it in the first place! However, getting two pairs felt greedy yet wonderful and I have fallen back in love with jeans, realising they don't have to just be a staple piece and that they can even be the statement piece of an outfit. Here are the two pairs I picked up from Topshop which I really really really adore:

As I came out of Topshop after buying these beauties, I was approached by two people from Hollister who asked if I was interested in going in for an interview with them! This was a very strange experience for me and was surprisingly awkward considering I had not even thought about getting a job at this point! Furthering that, I'd never been a fan of the brand, I always thought they seemed rather shallow and overpriced for what they offered. I decided not to take up the offer after serious consideration for a few reasons, however the store manager really sold the idea of working there and my opinion of the shop has definitely changed. So, if you're looking for a job maybe go in and ask if they have any vacancies because it sounded like a lot of fun!

Sadly, my lucky week took a not-so-lucky turn when my dad informed me that my uncle, who had been severely ill for a long time in hospital, would pass away within the next 72 hours. This horrible event means that on Monday I'll be attending my first funeral (so nervous!). The dress code for the day is simply 'no black' so my new yellow jeans seem absolutely perfect for it as it will be a celebration of my uncle's life, and there is no colour that radiates happiness quite like yellow! It's a true representation of how what people wear expresses a lot more than their fashion sense. It's really difficult to know how to express all the thoughts and feelings you have when someone passes away, but after a few days of getting used to the idea, writing this little paragraph seemed like a nice thing to do, simply to pay my respects and remember the guy. Rest in peace uncle Bill, you are missed.

x

Sorry to make things a little less up beat than usual on here! I will be returning shortly to share my current wish-list with you (it is ever-growing!) and share a little bit more of my life with you if anything interesting happens to pop up. And if my personal ramblings are far too annoying to deal with, please feel free to make suggestions on what you would like to see on this blog, they will be greatly appreciated!