SHOPPING WITH THE BOYFRIEND

Now, this isn't a brag post. I'm not going to list the 'delights' of being one half of a twosome, with the cherry on the top being that 'gee we just love doing eeeverryythingg together.' No. On the contrary. Maybe I should have called this 'Survival' or a 'Step-by-step guide to the interiors of every fitting room in South Wales' (FYI River Island has 560 ceiling tiles and Urban Outfitters has the best array of bits to distract a bored mind - or throw at him to encourage speed.) 

(Taking clothes-sharing to a whole other level. Image from LeLove)

I'm a big fan of shopping solo. I'm also a big fan of shopping with a partner. I mean, hey, I'm just generally a huge fan of shopping. But shopping with someone else can be tricky. You have to take into account their agenda, where do they want to shop, what do they need to buy. Your shopping trip is no longer all about you, nope, today is all about we. Let the chaos begin. 

Anytime you put two people into an unstable situation, a reaction is inevitable. This is the same with the average shopping trip. It might be busy, it might be quiet, traffic might be heavy, the weather could be bad, the list goes on. Add this to the inherent minefield that shopping with your beloved is and you could find yourself secluded and saddled down alone with all of your shopping bags. To help prevent or at least prepare you for this, here's my 'Top 10 List' for shopping with the boyfriend.

1) Have you thought this through? 

Like really? 

If you answered 'yes' to both of these then proceed on your date. Surviving your first shopping trip with no major issues/injuries is the sign of a match made fo' life. 

2) Be realistic 

It's probably not the best idea to drag your bloke around when you have a very specific yet undiscovered look in mind. Going from shop to shop in search of the elusive polka dot/reversible/convertible dress to pant-suit with added heat technology, is likely to result in heavy sighing, feet dragging and a running commentary on the new and undiscovered levels of boredom the human mind can be driven to. So maybe leave the 'must have' item, that you dreamt up last night, for a day of trawling on your own. Trust me; you, him and probably your feet, will thank me for it.

3)Get an early start on the day.

There are two reasons for this. 

1- An early start means a longer shopping day. Duh!
2- Leaving early means that you have more time to get organised, avoid the mad scrabble out of the house, bypass any traffic and decrease your risk of getting vertigo from having to travel to the top floor of those annoying spiral carparks. Sounds like a win win to me. 

(Save the snoozing for the return journey. Image via LeLove)

4) Food!

This point needs to be in bold and underlined. Sometimes we forget to eat. It happens to us all. But don't make this one of those days. You need food to give you energy so that you're able to think straight. Believe me I've got a drawer full of questionable clothing bought when I've been under the influence of hunger induced delusion. But this isn't the only reason. As this post would suggest, I have a boyfriend, and this boyfriend of mine likes to eat. A LOT. There has been more near-miss tantrums caused by hunger than I think he'd care I admit. It's a misconceived idea that women carry huge handbags around purely for fashion credentials. Oh no. It's so that we can lug around all the food necessary to keep our guys quiet. My bag is like a double agent, fashion on the outside, pantry on the inside. 

5) Patience

I feel like a phoney giving advice about this one because this in particular is the one I struggle with the most. You see I take shopping very seriously. I enter a shop. I assess the layout. I proceed to plan the most efficient route around -usually in an anti-clockwise direction. I buy/don't buy something and then I leave. Trying on anything is left strictly to the confines of my home, thank you very much. 

However, for my boyfriend, he loves nothing better than to get his kit off in as many different venues as possible, trying on everything that catches his eye. He'd even try socks on if he could. I think this comes down to the inherent and inexplicable difference between men and women. For a guy: you walk in, pick something up, try it on, if it fits you buy it, if it doesn't you don't buy it. The End. And on you plod with your day. For a girl on the other hand it's a whole different story. Firstly there's the major issue of actually finding something or some things, which then leads to the fitting room (AKA the hate chamber) where you curtain yourself off into a little box of scrutiny. Usually the item looks shit and I walk away feeling bad about myself. Day ruined. 

Two things to take away from this:
1) I need chill out with my fitting room fear.
2) Maybe I could stop the foot tapping and look on the positive side: the more he tries on, the more choosey he'll be about what he buys, thus meaning that he'll be available to carry my bags. Perfect.

In all seriousness, waiting may be annoying but think of it as a small respite on an otherwise non-stop day. Maybe make a rule, anything over ten minutes and he has to buy coffee; or get a slap in the face. I'll leave it up to your discretion as to which one will be more effective. Each to their own and all that.

6) Comfort

Shopping is a test of endurance, a sport almost. I'm not suggesting it feature in the next Olympics (if it does one day feature, remember you heard it here first) but you'd be surprised how much ground you actually cover when you're on a mission, so comfortable shoes are vital. That goes for boys too. My boyfriend was once saved by my stash of blister plasters. Be warned, trainers and sock-less feet are not a good combo. If you want to wear heels to go out shopping then stomp away, you could wear dolly shoes and they'd be the most painful thing you've ever put your feet into. It's not the heel height, its the comfort level. As much as your partner loves you, I doubt they'd be willing to piggy back you around for the whole day, but by all means test it out. 

(That's one way to keep your feet from hurting. Photo by Alice Point via Cocorosa)

7) Think carefully

Are you sure you want to ask that question? Really sure?

There's the obviously dangerous questions like: "do I look fat in this?" (Definitely proceed with care for this one!) But there's also the more subtle questions that on the surface seem harmless, however, underlies a world of trouble. Here's the scenario: boyfriend picks up top and turns to you and says, "what do you think of this?" Pause. Think carefully. He might actually want your opinion and value what you have to say. On the other hand he might completely ignore your opinion, buy the top and forever after he'll know that you hate it, this is something that will haunt you every time he wears it. My advice for both these scenarios is this: You might not like the item, but they do, so keep that to yourself. What you should focus on is whether the item looks good on them. Does it suit them? Is it flattering? Everybody's different, what you like, someone else might not and vice versa. Make your points constructive. No one wants to be offended. 

8) Pay attention

Shopping trips give you a close up insight into a person's likes and dislikes. So pay attention and you'll never be stuck for a gift idea again!

9) Don't over dress

This is kind of a follow up to point number 6. It's easy to look out of the window and dress accordingly. However, retail land has its own climate completely. Wear thin layers that can easily be stripped on and off and keep bulky items to a minimum. No one wants to get a sweat on mid shopping haul. Plus if you find it a little nippy just buy yourself a cover up. Getting yourself all hot and bothered is something guys will have no sympathy for - I mean how many guys do you see braving the arctic conditions in just a vest. However when it comes to shopping I'd say to take a leaf out of their book. Just this once though. 

10) Lastly, ENJOY!! 


Clothes are great, but what's even greater is having someone who's willing to traipse around store to store with you, when really they'd rather be watching the rugby, or paint dry.

(Smiling together, heels still on feet and I'm gonna assume they're both well-fed. All things that amount to a successful shopping trip. Photo via Karla's Closet)

Now go off into that shopping emporium and live out my wise words of advice (*said in the voice of The Genie from Aladdin*) 

PART DEUX

So here's the next part to my Rodarte ramblings...

After the less than stellar (in my opinion) last few collections, Rodarte was due a come back and boy did they do just that. S/S 10 featured amazonian like women, powerful, strong and utterly mesmerising. The layers, the panelling, the cross-hatching, asymmetrical, slashed at the body, the incongruous variety of fabrics, tattoos and tie dye!! 

(Who knew Death Valley and this slasher style could look so chic?)

And the good times just keep on rolling, right into A/W 10-11 it would seem. A collection of perfect haphazardness. The contrast of the delicate florals against the thick knits that snaked around models' bodies made it all the more wearable. Wrap skirts, plaid, structured shoulders, fringing, feathers, layered socks, and a skirt/trouser combo. 

(Masterclass in layering)

The usual multi-hyphenated list of references was replaced with the idea of the 'ancient coast' in S/S 11, streamlining the collection with a new found sophistication. The clothing presented was practical and creative, allowing it to be worn not just admired. 

  (Striking patterns plus modern shapes equal a beautifully subtle, futuristic collection) 

My faith started to waver after the A/W 12 (it was such a snore I thought I'd bypass it), that is until I saw S/S 12. Oh boy did the girls deliver! There was somewhat of a 1950s silhouette complete with nipped in waist and fluted skirt, structured dresses with peplum detail and manipulated layers of intersected fabrics. The colour palette erred on the Aladdin, with strong echoes of Egyptian costume, but I'm okay with that. Accompanying this rich collection was the playful use of Vincent Van Gogh's infamous sunflower paintings, printed atop tiers of floating silk and chiffon, with the shows final pieces featuring his work 'Starry Night'. The sisters made the well-known and recognisable seem completely new and intriguingly rare.

(Capturing the sunshine and the moonlight in this collection of dramatic contrasts)

A/W 12-13 saw something incredible: orange and black shirked their halloweeny connotations in favour of a chic yet playful take on femininity. But this was nothing compared to what was to come. S/S 13 was a show of contrasts, a sequinned mini with a boxy sweater, laced leather pants with a geometric tee, dramatic floor length skirts with a heavily patterned top. And a review would not be complete without a mention of the leather jacket, a piece that screamed 'bad ass' with its occultish print and dramatic fringing. 

(A/W 12-13 Making orange cool)

(S/S 13 my little leather jacket looks rather sorry for itself in comparison to these)

A/W 13-14 was a pile up of references, ranging from, as Vogue's Jessica Bumpus lists: "it was grunge and it was gothic, Nineties and theatrical, skate culture, LA surfers, fairy princesses and Eighties street kids". I couldn't have summed it up better myself and with no surprise I bloody loved it all. So inventive, so creative, so fucking insane!! 

(So much tie-dye so little time to save up for said tie-dye. Sigh…)

That is until S/S 14 which just confused me. A little bit Versace, if Donatella woke up one morning and decided to 'get down with the kids'. I never thought I'd write hot pants in the same sentence as Rodarte but alas we'll call this their experimental phase.

(Definite elements that I like but on the whole it's a jumble of 80s Kylie Minogue, 'Pretty Woman' street walker garb and what I imagine Vegas sportswear would be)

And that brings us bang up-to-date with their A/W 14 collection. I'll start with the beret - in my opinion, the epitome of chic, coupled with the kooky wide frame glasses, created a real vision of bookish cool. The wider legged trousers offered a real casual sophistication to the ensembles which was only enhanced by the long length vests, and read this, SHOULDER-LESS coats. The idea of a coat without shoulders may baffle some but I find the new shape utterly enthralling. And this is only made more so by the quality street colour palette of these creations. I don't want to ignore the Star Wars prints but like I said before I have no knowledge/interest of the films whatsoever, however after seeing the Mulleavy's dresses I might have to change this! 

   

And that ends my recap of Rodarte delights. I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I have writing. I can't wait to see what the duo produce next. Adieu!

All photos from Vogue.com

RODARTE: PART 1

My first encounter with Rodarte (and by encounter I mean through the pages of a magazine) was way back in 2005 when the Mulleavy sisters first concocted a gothic mix of cobweb spun knit dresses, creating a collection that merged Japanese horror movies with an ethereal tenderness; a creative contradiction that has been carried on throughout their design career. 

(SS 08 my favourite looks in my favourite colour)

The initial aesthetic of the Mulleavy sisters both enthralled and just plain confused me. On first sight my inner monologue went a little like this: 'It's so pretty and weirdly practical in a, 'it's already full of holes so lets wear it everywhere' kinda way. But then again it'll probably catch on EVERYTHING. OOO but so pretty…' As you can see not once in my tooing and froing did the question of expense pop into my head. What did occur to me was how I could explain this whole new fashion favourite to my father. Knitted separates full of holes? I can see his brain exploding at the nonsensical and feeble explanation I'd offer up to him. 

Part ballerina, part warrior princess, with a pinch of the otherworldly, and a futuristic twist, all with its roots firmly set in the folkloric. The Mulleavy sisters magically encompass all of this without ever seeming superfluous. (It was difficult enough writing up that list, let alone channelling it in new and exciting collections every season!) 

Check out Vogue's timeline of the sister's collections right from the beginning. Seriously it's worth a look, but seen as you're already here, you might as well peruse my little recap of Rodarte throughout the years.

(AW 06/07)

From the strikingly sexy AW 06/07 collection, focusing on a very feminine silhouette in a seductively rich palette of deep crimson, blackest black and plush cream, to the voluminous ensembles of their SS 07 show, that encompassed both a simplicity and a decadence emphatic of their unique vision. The focus centred on the overcoat in their AW 07 collection, sending statement dress coats in opulent metallics down the runway, only to take a sexier turn in their SS 08 show. 

(SS 08)

The Mulleavy's description of the SS08 collection as being "about anime and the story of the tourist child/ vampire hunter" is enough in itself to make this my favourite Rodarte collection EVER. And the clothes are pretty great too. Despite Lauren David Peten's rather biting review, likening the sheer torso-ed cocktail dresses to a mishmash of Tonya Harding and Bjork, and ending with the advice: "they might want to keep the cartoonish, faerie princess trimmings to a minimum when designing for grown-up women who reside in the real world", I fully applaud the frothy dresses, pastel hues, shiny trousers and the romantic swathes of fabric that seductively  drape around the body. Plus the last three dresses remind me of clouds and candy floss. I love candy floss.

(AW 09 A gothic mix of blood stained layers)

AW 09 riffed on the same shredded crochet/knit thing emblematic of the sister's aesthetic, this time updated with a Japanese horror twist. The red streaked (or blood stained) gossamer dresses were a little too literal looking for me but damn the pairing of those cobwebby tights and killer Louboutin fetish spikes were insane - in a good way. 

(THOSE shoes)

SS 09 was a concoction of references: skeletons, X-rays, star wars and the colours of the cosmos culminating in a surprisingly boring collection. Only on closer inspection could the true detail be appreciated. We'll ignore this one. NEXT!   
   

(SS 09 Not my fav!)

One word; Frankenstein. I'll leave that sink in. AW 09/10 saw a kinda makeshift approach to designing, including hand-marbled leather, silver lame, metallic linen, loopy knits and glittery bits and bobs. (I'm going to ignore the murky coloured boots in favour of its black counter part.)  

(AW 09/10 Killer boots)

And here I take a pause. Oogle over these pictures for a bit and check back for Part 2 soon. 

(All of the above pictures are taken from Vogue and I claim no rights over them.)

TIE THE KNOT

So as you can probably tell from what you've read so far of my blog, I am definitely in favour of an accessory or two, heck even four or five if I'm in the mood to dazzle. I love the idea of being draped in anything from chains, to gems, to rings on every finger, bracelets from my wrist to my elbow, various belts cinching in my waist and hanging from my hips, dangling charms tinkling on my ankles, shoes in every colour, shape, heel size (apart from the dreaded kitten - read previous post), armfuls of handbags, clutch bags, slouchy bags, structured bags, bucket bags, scarves in clashing prints wrapped decoratively around my body. 

And it's the last item on my very long list that I'd like to centre this post on: The Scarf. 

(Still from 'Cup of Jo' step-by-step guide)

The weather at the moment is erratic to say the least and without belittling the very real chaos that has ensued, I would like to focus on something that, though is a little more trivial, is nonetheless essential to staving off those winter blues. As everyone knows, coughs, runny noses, fevers, colds and flu are never deemed fashionable.

After browsing through my usual '.com' haunts I fell upon an article by 'Cup of Jo' aptly titled 'Three ways to tie a scarf'. Now if you're anything like me your day goes a little like this: Miss alarm, jump/fall out of bed, haphazardly apply makeup, try to remember to brush teeth, maybe pick up an apple, sling coat over shoulders, grab scarf as I fly out the door, encircle it around my neck as many times as possible without strangling myself and hope not to lose it during my day. Despite how my tirade might make it sound, wearing a scarf is a hassle that I am more than prepared to put up with.

A scarf for me is like walking around with a socially acceptable blanket around my shoulders, I wouldn't be without it. Even in the warmer months, you'll often find me with a silk scarf loosely slung around my neck - sometimes jewellery just seems too much effort in the warmer months ya' know. 

(Mixing denim and plaid prints, all whilst staying fashionably warm. Yup, I didn't know it could be done either. Caroline De Maigret defies all yet again)

I'd definitely recommend checking out the aforementioned post, it's complete with handy pictorial instructions and just for added gumption here are a few pictures of other scarf wearers. 

I'd tell you guys to stay cool but it's probably more apt to say stay warm instead!

(Daria contradicts the advice of wrapping up in favour of exposed shoulders but at least her neck will be warm… 

Ashley on the other hand uses a chic silk scarf to keep her hair at bay - handy against the turbulent winds - all the while looking fashionably lady-like, a difficult thing whilst battling the elements.)

 (The scarf needn't be merely for practical use, it can also make a fantastic statement as the above left photo shows. 

And who says scarves need to be made out of the usual fabrics? Leather might not be the warmest but you'll definitely look like a bad ass.) 

 (I love this outfit! Flares and a technicolour coat! The icing on the cake is the larger than life scarf that completes the look by picking up the accent colour of the coats edging. 

Now I realise there is no scarf in this photograph but I couldn't resist including this. After all I imagine it to be very warm in there.) 

 (I'm carrying on the Olsen love from my previous post, but how could I leave the masters of layering out of this list? I swear discovering the blog Olsens Anonymous was definitely one of the highlights of this year so far! Mixing textures and prints, all the while looking the epitome of coziness.)

 (And lastly, I love this photo by Lust For Life's Olivia Lopez, using a blanket sized scarf to add an ease and sense of comfort to her outfit that is only amped up by her killer metal tipped boots.)

Ciao!

(Unless stated none of the above photos are my own, but I have tried to credit all those photos that I know the origin of.)