PARTY: HALLOWE'EN AT THE MACBETH & HOWLERS

PARTY: HOWLERS AT VOGUE FABRICS

I drunkenly accosted these two on a night out. I love people who take Hallowe'en seriously.

SHOPPING: IVORY JAR AT SPITALFIELDS MARKET

New necklace by IVORY JAR from the ever inspiring Thursday vintage and antique fair at Spitalfields Market. I was very proud of myself for not making ridiculous impulse purchases of taxidermy ducklings (only slightly regretting it now).  Love the chunkyness of the necklace with the added "well goff" features of the sparrow skull casts.

STREETSTYLE: AH - HA!

H A Y D E N

The only reason I included both pictures is so you can fully appreciate the fact that he is wearing a CAGOULE over a denim jacket. A look which has been likened to a Manchester drug dealer, Alan Partridge and someone's dad circa 1984.

OPINION: TWENTY-FUCKING-SIX

So ummm... I'm trying really, really hard to get to sleep. And I'm starting to drift off, if somewhat uneasily... when with a sickening lurch I'm pulled back to Wide-awake-land with a heart wrenching, pulse quickening, vomit inducing realisation... In forty seven sleeps I am going to be in my LATE twenties. Ergh. I will have to apply to the Over-25s category for my late in life X-factor pop career, I will be too old for a Young Person's Railcard, and, most devastatingly I will have to stop dressing like a 14 year old American high-school kid circa 1994. Ergh.

Oh! To be 21 and wild and reckless and have no responsibilities (well, none that I actually paid any attention too). Alas, those days are behind me... SIGH... If I could tell my younger self only a few things, this would be it...

1. HAVE MORE HANGOVERS
When you are old your hangovers get so awful that you will feel as if a whole army of rats are slowly gnawing away at your brain. You will be incapable of doing anything productive, and you will look like shit no matter how much Touche Eclat you put on. FACT. I remember when I used to down 3 shots in a row followed by a can of Red Bull, and repeat this action several times till I was unable to see. Somehow I would make my way safely to my bed; get up and go to work, have a Maccy Ds for lunch and miraculously feel right as rain and repeat the whole disgusting process the following night. I actually can't fathom how I ever used to have such amazing powers of bounce-back-ability as these days a couple of glasses of wine is enough to make me feel pretty feeble-minded the following morning. Your liver might cry out in dismay, but go out as much as possible.

2. FORGET BOYFRIENDS, THEY ARE A WASTE OF TIME
Boys are completely retarded till they reach their mid-20s, and even then it's debatable as to whether many of them are compos mentis. All that heartache, heartbreak, jealousy, guilt, pondering, pandering, pampering... ALL that energy could be used in a far more productive and useful way. For example... university work, reading, writing, hell knitting for all I care! Just forget boys. You'll meet the perfect one when you actually want to calm down anyway. Remember when you were watching that terrible film '300,' and about twenty minutes in you whisper filthily to your best friend, 'Now that's the sort of man I am going to marry!' well, it may just come true, and so all those other attempts at meaningful relationship are futile.

3. GIRLS ARE MENTAL
Now I'm not one for girl bashing, sisters in arms and all that, but the sooner you realise and accept that for every five amazing BFFs you have, one will turn out to be a complete mentalist. They will be a toxic friend who drags you down with her in whichever way possible, and the most intelligent thing to do is RUN AWAY. FAR, FAR AWAY.  At risk of sounding like an American talk show host, cut her off, and cut her out. At the time it will probably hurt more than any boy break-up you will ever have, but trust me, those crazy bitches are not worth your time.

And don't throw all night parties till silly o'clock the next morning when your good friends are trying to sleep downstairs. That's just lame. And they won't appreciate it.

4. SEX & THE CITY IS FUCKING RUBBISH
Don't waste your time trying to work out if you're a Carrie, or a Charlotte, or the slutty one, or the ginger one, because really Carrie was a selfish bitch and really, you wouldn't want to be any of them anyway.  If you had £400 quid to spend on shoes, it wouldn't be a pair of Manolos. And for those of you reading who think I'm committing the ultimate in girl-on-girl hate crime, I have seven words for you: SEX AND THE CITY THE MOVIE- TWO.

5. YOU WILL ALWAYS LOVE DESTINY'S CHILD
You will play 'The Writings on the Wall' at least once a week, and when you are in your, mid twenties you will still listen to it, you will still have bedroom discos to it and you will play it in the shop you run much to the delight of every woman and girl in there. Don't be embarassed of your terrible music taste. Embrace it. It will one day be cool again, well... sort of. You were always right about Beyonce being like, totally amazing, you were also always right about Michelle being weird, but you were wrong about Kelly. K-Row will surprise you, and delight you, and you will love it.

STREETSTYLE: PEACH OMBRE HAIR

J E S S I E

DOGS: LOLA #2

STREETSTYLE: SPARKLY SOCKS

I've gone a bit crazy over socks recently... a kooky print, or bright block colour, I love them peeping out from short trousers and brogues, or slouchy ones with some awe-inspiring heels. I recently bought 3 pairs of the same pair with (personal idol of mine) Frida Kahlo's face on them. These are currently sat at the post office waiting for me to pick them.  I also bought some fringed beauties which really do look  rather mental, but what I N E E D in my life are some sparkly, silver lurex ankle socks. The sort I wore when I was 5.

I met 2 girls at the weekend who both had killer androg inspired outfits. Loving the use of colour,  metallics, and the disparity of their playful print shirts against the modern crisp cut of their jackets. I am totally digging the current reworking of the rockerbilly teddy boy which I'm seeing on lots of girls everywhere, but I feel these two have cracked it in terms of making it look fun and slightly garish. Two massive wins in my book.

STREETSTYLE: WHAT'S YOUR SIGNATURE POSE?

N A T A S H A

One of my favourite things about taking people's photos is seeing everyone's various 'signature poses.' Ya know, that pose you pull because you know it works and makes you look slightly less cringey (in your opinion) than when you risk it and try doing that 'modelly' pose of looking slightly vacant, which usually just makes you look as though you've taken a whole bucketful of valium. 

ANYWAY... I have one friend who insists on doing 'fashion leg' in every photo which is standing to one side with one leg neatly infront of the other. Another does an insanly intense stare right down the very center of the camera lens like that hideously scary painting in Ghostbusters 2, and I myself pull the whole head-slightly-tilted-with-slightly-smug-semi-smile pose. I blame Tyra. Clearly my friends and I have paid far too much attention to America's Next Top Model. 

I digress... When I asked Natasha for her photo for a series of 'good hair day' shots, she seemed very timid and a little reluctant. Then as soon as she was infront of the camera, it was like BAM and she pulled this little modelly stance and looked amazing.  I especially like the close up where she is most definately 'smiling with her eyes.'

STREETSTYLE: CHIC COUPLE

C I R O & S A R A

SHOPPING: HEIMSTONE

One of the many benefits of working on Brick Lane is getting to meet lots of incredibly well dressed people. I have absolutely no shame and am constantly pestering customers asking them where they bought their boots/ bag/ whole entire outfit from. Usually I get the frustraaaaating reply 'it's vintage' or 'it's Acne,' to which I sigh 'oh yeah, like obviously,' and scurry off and wish I had a better wardrobe/bigger wallet.

Sometimes however, I get an answer which opens my eyes to yet another label to pour and lust over,  aw was the case when I spotted this awesome purse, and badgered the owner for a label ... HEIMSTONE.

I'm getting a little tired of studs, but loved the strange turquoise knots incorporated into the studding work, and you could just tell that the leather was super soft and supple. So did a little research (hallo google) and found this little article on their current season. Not sure all the clothing is to my taste-  not enough black, probably a bit too tasteful - but I am officially in lust with their Peter backpack. If only they did it in black...

STREETSTYLE: PORTRAIT OF A METAL BABE

C H A R L O T T E

MENSWEAR STREETSTYLE: MAN OF THE MOMENT

S E V E R I N  B L A C K

(Yes, that really is his name. Rad huh?)

DOGS: LOLA

L O L A

"She walked up to me and she asked me to dance,

I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she said Lola.

L - O - L - A  Lola,  Lo-lo-lo Lola"

STREETSTYLE: OMBRE LILAC TIPS

J O D I E

See her photography here.

STREETSTYLE: EMILY

Tribal maxi dress // Triple creepers // Peach & lilac hair // Leopard print scrunchie // Hasma hand necklace // Faux fur backpack

D R E A M Y

See Emily's awesome lo-fi photography here