NO MORE KEEPING MY FEET ON THE GROUND

These are my babies; bought for me in NY over summer by my mom. Thanks, mom. But I think it needs a buddy. As a grown-up who looks to Vogue for fashion guidance and hopes to work for fashion magazines very soon, I think having an extra pair of decent heels (hopefully with better walking qualities) is a good idea.

These three (taken from Jak and Jil) are a kind of heaven I don't understand. It doesn't reign above our heads but rather beneath us, on our feet. I wonder if my writing career will ever lead me in this financial direction.

Or in this one. [Office, from L to R: on sale at £50 (I might just starve myself for two days and check out these), £85, £90, £80]. I've bought things here before, but nothing that was as lasting and as timeless as I know a pair of beautiful black heels would be.

But let's take it a little loooowwweeerrrr, shall we? To where I'm at:
Matalan at £14. I know, it's teetering on trashy ground. Be honest, is it that bad? Do you think this can be pulled off? I want new shoes! But then again, I ALWAYS want new shoes...

ANYWAYS...
OF COURSE I just missed my food cut-off (I gained a little weight and started this lame eating habit involving no fizzy drinks, 10 times less alcohol than I drank before, 10 times more veg, organics and water, the gym and no eating after 9pm). yuck. I think I'll just make it worse if I follow the rules today and starve myself for the evening because all I've had was water, cinnamon tea and McVities, so I'm off to make a stir-fry.

BLAME IT ON A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD

These are some of my favourite scans from this book I'm reviewing for the Skin Two website called L.A. Bondage by Dave Naz. I get to choose which books/DVD's/merch I'm interested in writing about, hence this pick-up. I knew I wanted to review this book not only because it's bondage, but also because it would help in my research for my novel for which we have to hand in a research portfolio by the end of the summer. There are a lot more scans where that came from but the pink rope is a winner. I HAVE to have some. I love how in the introduction (which you can read above hopefully) they mention how Dave Naz is a pervert, like Bukowski was a pervert, like we all are perverts. Yeah, I don't mind that.

All of my favourite riggings in the book (including these) are from this obviously genius guy called Damon Pierce. Hopefully it isn't too hard to seek him out/stalk him and get some much-needed lessons. Moving to L.A. just keeps getting better and better. I also see a couture trend in the making...but maybe I should be quiet and do it myself.

SO EASY TO PLEASE

Got a Dan Hillier (my new favourite artist) Newsletter the other day, and am so excited about the contents. Here's one of his new prints, others of which MUST be checked out on his website. I'm still determined to get him to shower me in his work for free just for being such a faithful, blogging fan; but I'm sure he has them just lined up down his street. If that fails, there's no way I am leaving the UK without one of his prints, or at least that skull canvas bag I posted last time...

DAN SAYS:

My images, some old, some new, will be theming one of London Fashion Week's main events, 'OnOff', in February. They say this: "OnOff puts London Fashion Week back on the map for international press and buyers by uniquely bridging the gap between on and off schedule designers. Established in 2003 OnOff is now considered the life blood of British fashion." Look out for me leering like a drunken peasant out of the background in the fashion periodicals in your local newsagents. (I SAY 'OMG!')

I'm also very pleased to find myself soon to be working with Mr Lee Paton, formerly design assistant to Alexander McQueen and currently a rising star in the world of fashion. Lee will be launching his Victorianesque couture marvels in March in an old-time music hall in the East End of London, and has asked me to put together a coat of arms which will adorn his fine designs. They say: "The fashion industry has signalled a new star... Lee Paton is the one to watch." I say: "Tidy." (I REPEAT 'OMG!')

Should you feel the urge to swing by the Sunday Upmarket and make yourself handsome by purchasing from our economic hotspots it will be a pleasure to hold you close and softly sing to you.

All the best,

Dan

Other shit I'm excited about but have yet to organize:

London Fashion Weekend - I think getting a gold pass for one of the days at a little under £35 is worth it. I can't leave London in a few months and have not taken part in any of its iconic fashion events. That £35 also gets you a show bag, access to one of the shows and the April issue of Vogue for £1, and it includes delivery charges. Well worth it for a person like me. Plus I'm sure there's at least ONE complimentary glass of champagne involved somewhere in there. I ogled an image as such on the website.

Lamb of God and Dimmu Borgir show on Valentine's Day!!!! There's no better way to rip your heart out. The only problem is I am battling this show in my head with the Children of Bodom show on the 19th. There can only be one due to wallet abuse. Which would you choose? And like...fast because this shit sells out. COB are also doing a free signing at Zavvi in London on March 8th for their new albummmmmerrrr....mymoneyisdisappearing.

WETLANDS

As you probably didn't notice, my 'Currently Reading' book changed. I just got this one yesterday, secondhand off of Amazon. Amazon is more than on top of things, seeing as this novel, a first by Charlotte Roche, came out last month.

Ok, so the gist. It's about an 18 year old girl and all her memories and reflections on her vagina, her anus and bodily fluids. Sometimes she talks about her passion for avocado raring. C'est tout!

I'm tired as fuck and just plain irked and fed up today so, not only is that ALL this book is about, but that's all you'll be getting out of me today.

Have a better weekend than me. x

NEVER LET ME GO

Call me a complete nutter, but there's something about those intricate ties and knots that make bondage so exciting and beautiful to me. Yeah, I've said this about half a dozen times already since first starting off at Skin Two. But I think it's here to stay. Here are some pretty images I found through browsing Google images. It started off as stuff for my research portfolio (my novel has some aspects of bondage in it- I couldn't resist!), but now it's a blog post.

I don't think this beats the Self Service editorial Ji Kim posted though (which I also have posted about before - can't get enough!). All the riggings there are worth mastering before I die.; which ultimately means I can't die anytime soon.

These will all have to do til I get my own copy of The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage.

I'M HIGH ENOUGH FROM ALL THE WAITING

I have a love/hate relationship with mail/post. Everytime I am anxiously waiting for something, I get the complete opposite, like spam, or, I don't know, forwards or bank statements. I ordered a lot of books recently via Amazon and have been waiting FOREVER for them to come. All I've had in my mail slot over the past week are TV License stuff or piles from HSBC telling me they're taking my money. So it was quite a great surprise, after a long day, to come home to this:

Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Oslen (two of my very many fashion influences) is ram-packed with exciting inteviews from great names in fashion, from Robert Lee Morris to Terry Richardson to Christian Louboutin. I spent the evening browsing them. It isn't a book with an epiphany attached to it, and I honestly expected more stunning fashion images than I found (I mean, it's MKA!), but I enjoyed sitting up in bed this evening going through it. I love that in the interviews we see the girls as fans rather than demi-gods, and that they've underlined some very uplifting and inspiring quotes, very useful for people like me who aren't willing to follow the 9-5 trend and have taken the creative route. This book is officially my first coffee table book.

The second one I am probably going to get would be Midori's The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage (below), which has been sitting on Tim's shelf in front of me at the office for days. It' so beautiful. If I had time, I was going to head over to the Coco de Mer branch on Draycott Avenue today, just to browse through it, and possibly buy some rope. But my wallet pleaded no. She knew I was going to give in and buy the book as well. Panda offered to buy it for me. I swear, he's either a horn dog or the sweeetest boyfriend ever. Or both. I love him for it.

I also did large amounts of pestering magazines for work experience over the past two weeks and not much has come of it. Well, when I say not much, I mean, to match my impatience and great expectations. As expected, TimeOut and Sugar have no time. And Vogue and their cohorts are probably laughing at my application up above ("you REALLY think we have something for you within the next two years?") since I've gotten no word from the Conde Nast variety. Today I had an interview with Luxure Magazine, and it went well, so we'll see what becomes of that. Otherwise, if you want to hire me to write something, please do! I'd prefer money for my writing anyday.

Also because I am getting frustrated. I applied for this small job as a fashion blogger for a February project, and the guy who replied just started talking to me about his own blog (which is almost bare and...interesting..to say the least). I had to remind him that I applied for a job, and he just prattled off some random fashion thoughts he had, and asked me what I thought of it, without ever really getting down to the specifics i.e. project, hours, payment. After a bit of back and forths, I stated it plain and simple, 'WHERE'S MY JOB?' (but professionally). Still nothing. If people out there find it amusing to make up jobs just to have hard-working, hard-searching people like me amuse them for an evening with their future dreams and aspirations (and CV), then I don't know what to expect next. Honestly. WHAT A DOUCHE BAG JUNKIE!

I thought I might need a brownie to cheer me up today. Got my brownie. Two, in fact. And I don't even really eat sweet things anymore with the exception of desert after a meal when out with friends. But after getting my book in the mail, it's like I was suddenly back in business. UPS came and delivered a pair of Kill City skinny jeans for me and the Skin Two editor wants to discuss me writing more content for their website on Friday coming. Another amazing inbox chat followed. I sheepishly asked Andrew Crofts (amazing guy who wrote my new writer's bible below) to interview him for a class project about Non-Fiction careers and all that come with it. And he's agreed to meet me face-to-face on Saturday for a chat. He's super nice and I'm super excited. Also stoked to use my new Olympus digital voice recorder, which is soo amazing and handy.

That's actually not all for the moment. I am back working on my novel with renewed vigour after a dry spell, and as much as I am afraid to say it, because you might never see it hit a shelf, it's really turning into something. I like it. Finally. And maybe I'll share some of it with you at a later less-busy date.

THE ARC OF A LOVE AFFAIR

Since I HAD to use my camera to take pictures of the massive amount of incessant snow, then I HAD to take a picture of a couple more things. These are three things that I almost NEVER leave the house without:

1. That be the forever aforementioned black Mohair Zara coat that my mom got me for my birthday

2. Two rings; plain silver from the Silk Market in China (had two but one fell in a very large disgusting bin in a Latino 18 and Over Nightclub in L.A.- don't ask me what I was doing there), and the other was on sale at Topshop, Abu Dhabi (which mostly sucks balls!)

3. My skull and brain necklace from %$##@--! (Not telling you where I got it til I have their fang necklace in my possession- sorry). The tag, which I couldn't snap for the life of me says "MAFIA: you hit me we hit you".

Well, technically, this is 4 things I can't live without as my journal is in there. That thing has mad content that is WAY past the point of explanation.

Because no post will be coming today, I can't receive my copy of Influence and Wetlands, so I'm going to be a pop-culture hound and read the latest Grazia and Bushnell's novel 'Sex and the City' (which has surprisingly started off utterly dull...and badly! This is the first book I have ever read that has a better movie/TV Show than itself).

WON'T YOU STOP AND REMEMBER ME

Have been meaning to post this for centuries. Now that I'm snowed in, it's possible. I haven't visited this website in centuries either! It's a welcome treat to scroll through the vast amount of photos I missed. Here are three...

There's always some aspect of an outfit that I have to take my bowler hat off to on The Cobrasnake. These shirts are a MUST; with a retarded amount of extra special emphasis on homegirl's 'Stay Sick' shirt (where did she get this??! Anyone care to send me one? I will advertise that brand to death on this thing!).

P.S. I think the snow can more than stop now...

OH THIS IS SO REAL

So it's that kind of day today; and might be for the whole week. Great. Instead of doing my shopping yesterday like I should've, I went running off to Haagen Dazs for tiramisu ice cream and watching Chinese New Year fireworks in Central with friends. Now, I am without, save for half a bag of bowtie pasta, some onions and half a jar of veggie tomato pasta sauce. Even the sugar for my tea just wiped out. Anyone care to send me a care package?

MOM: Look how snowy! Don't worry, I'm not a block of ice, thanks to the trusty black Zara fur jacket you gave me for my birthday last month. I'm keeping warm, eating well (until today due to dwindled food supplies) and doing my homework.

PANDA: Wish you were here

Pardon the heavy documentation but this is my first proper snow day, and London's first in something like 18 years. I'm 20. Ha. Half calf-deep, pure-white, University-closing, student-saving snow. It's lovely, but I think I'll keep my snow angels to the bed. Hope you lot are having as good a start to February!

THE SOFT DISTORTION FILLS YOU UP

My Wednesday afternoon:



I'm not sure that I'm a fan of the guy, but the Hussein Chalayan exhibition at the Design Museum was something short of enchanting. Personally, Dystopian garb, and mini films where women in pure white suits with pure white faces are curled up in balls in womb-shaped carriages and are zooming off into the horizon, don't do it for me. But suffice it to say, I was very impressed with his creative range. Hoodies with compartments for your drumsticks, gowns with flashy bits and lasers, films featuring Tilda Swinton explaining some sort of clothes-washing process, dresses with arm chair collars. WHAT REALLY DOES GO ON IN THAT HEAD OF HIS? I'd like a slice of it, to be honest; to be so misunderstood, or difficult, as the Times says...

Technically, I should be a fan, as I get a sense of Bjork and Michel Gondry in his pieces, and they are absolute personal favourites (who work together!). Surely, they meet Chalayan for tea and chats occasionally. All in all, it was 4 pounds well spent (student price); otherwise, it probably would've gone to a pint of something. And that's as close to the catwalks and Fashion Week as I feel I can afford this time around. Have a look at my top three Chalayan moments that afternoon:

1. I call it the shaved tulle fairy dress. With a few personal adjustments regarding the length, this might very well be in the running for my wedding dress.


2. Certain cultural and festive aspects of the Fall 2002 collection, which really reminded me of some accents in Etro Spring 2008 RTW , but on steroids. I love dangly, jingly, cultural pieces like these, from Morocco, India, South America and thereabouts. It's very hippie-ish and when I'm not feeling edgy and dark, this earthy exotic look is what I tend to go for next.

3. And S/S 2007. Transformers, the Catwalk rendition? My boyfriend (a die-hard Transformers fan), and myself, bowed down to this that very evening when I watched it again at home and shared it with him (Skip to the 2 minute mark for the action).