ÖÖ: Was it a Dream? 94 Berwick Street; 14-24 September

I may have butchered the Estonian language with that title, ‘ÖÖ‘ actually translates to night. Isn’t it funny, to me it looks like two wide-open eyes with eyelashes . Then again I accept that Korean might look like wheels and boxes to others: 완전미안… I disgress. Ellen and I were fabric shopping on Berwick street and happened to come across this exhibition – a pop-up concept store named ‘ÖÖ: Was it a Dream?‘, exhibiting work from six nordic countries as part of the Icon Design Trail. I was lured in by that characteristic Nordic ambience – that particular mood which an image of steaming blood on fresh-fallen snow might induce, this unsettling vision amidst a static-calm… kind of like a dream. Each piece had that ever-so-slight tilt in the balance of simple vs. minimal that made me feel slightly uneasy, but eventually I had to give in to its charismatic way of expressing so much with so little.

Lee Klabin Showroom in Shoreditch

Why did we ever ditch corsets? Oh right, because women started falling off high walls and into seas because corsets were too tight and then they ended up marrying pirates. Well I’m glad Lee Klabin is all about corsets and accentuating lady-lumps, because frankly I’ve had enough of designers designing for, basically, women with boy figures. (How many of them are there anyway?) I understand women started dressing like men to display a sense of equality and power, but if you really want power, you don’t join the team, you beat it. With ladylumps. OK that was graphic, sorry. I was awed by how Lee Klabin seemed to dominate the board, with corset designs ranging from light angelic pieces to dark warrioresque. My personal favourites though, were the ones jersey – the one fabric you don’t expect structure from.

Thank you Desiree for inviting me down & showing me around!

Leather Top – Vintage Topshop, Garter – Sonia Rykiel for H&M, Dress – Pearl Lowe for Peacocks (Take 10 Challenge Item), Black Vest – Gmarket, Shoes – Topshop thru ebay, Leather pants – ASOS, Watch – Casio via ASOS.

Moi, Adele (Molto Curiosa), Saskia (Not Just Medical), Sarah (We Shop Therefore We Are), Sherin (Hi Fashion), Sabine (Psynopsis), Vicki (Magpie Girl), Jen (A Little Bird Told Me), MJ (Dreaming Spires & Old Car Tyres), Nic (Vint Junky)

Our third instalment of the Take10 challenge, a 70’s purple dress from Peacocks… it just keeps getting better, doesn’t it. You can read that last bit normally or with sarcasm glasses on, I mean it in both ways. It’s a pretty thing, sheer and all, and it’s about 60% less raised-eyebrow than the black lace vest so it is indeed much better; but it’s just.so.purple.and.frilly.and.girly. I categorize purple with clowns and period pains – always there, smirking at your life. At least you get to beat a clown with a bat at your 12th birthday party and they forgive you because they’re paid by our mothers. You also get to beat your period pain with a bat, THE MIGHTY IBUPROFEN BAT. So give me a weapon to beat this dress up with. Sorry Peacocks, this is not personal –  just being a neurotic blogger with one too many ?? before getting dressed.

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Thank you piggy Ellen for the photos!

Sweater & Geometric Print top – Courtesy of Urban Outfitters, Dress – Primark, Khaki top – Uniqlo, Bag – Vintage DIYed, Socks – Tabio, Shoes – Anarchy Street

Thank you Jill for helping with the photos!

Here’s a peculiar situation – this blog was about DIY and cutting back on spend-spend-spending yet you’re seeing new items on me in every outfit post. Oh hypocrite me. There, I wrote my own mean comment – beat you to it, HAH. I’m finding myself not knowing what to do with little or no time to finish personal/DIY projects, while free clothes arrive at my doorstep every day. I’m absolutely thankful for the gifts, and I don’t mean to brag – I just wanted to acknowledge that the blog has indeed changed a lot, and so I’m installing a leash. It’s like a horse gone rogue after having one too many free carrots from the stable kids from the farm next door. Pull some potato cart, why don’t ya.

Please feel free to leave constructive criticism about the blog at any point in time, the comments are always open, I always read them. I’m somehow blessed with a civilised and engaged readership, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Clothes from ASOS Black collection for Christmas; Last photo: Holding Paul & Joe Nail Polish (001) & Gold nail wrap by Nail Rock

I was so smitten with my gold nails by Nail Rock that the manicurist (Mike!) applied for me at the ASOS Christmas Bar the other day, I was doing spirit fingers on the bus all the way coming home. If only I’d known I’d have to peel them off one by one like fresh bandaids after the mistake of displaying fingers to le boyfriend. He whined ‘They remind me of Russian grannies gold teeth, take them ooooooooff’ so I stuck all ten of the pieces on the refridgerator. GRANNY GOLD TEETH GRANTS NO ENTRY TO FRIDGE.

Thank you Jen for inviting me down, brilliant idea with the pick & mix for beauty samples!

Edit: Animal magnets arranged by le boyfriend, sadly he has all power over fridge…