








It’s really comforting to know that while the other side of the world is raising the roof with fabtastic (ick word) glam (ICK) parties and exclusive fashion affairs, I can pull out my favourite granny sweater and some gold pumps and head out for church and tea with friends.
At this pace once the offsprings start popping out this place will quickly mellow into a mommy blog and you’ll start hearing about how I discipline my children with a newspaper roll and that February is the month for vaccines. Hopefully by then the era of affluent, celebrity bloggers will have been a chapter long chewed off by my teething kiddies! Ah just wishful thinking – it’s just so comforting not to want to live in someone else’s shoes, or stilettos what have you. Actually I was listening to ‘Part of Your World‘ from Little Mermaid the other day (routine Disney fix) and that bit where Ariel goes I have this this and that… but I want more reminded me of this whole blogger popularity issue – you just can never have enough even if you’re blessed with so much. Maybe I need to start devising an exit plan – but not one that looks like an infant, not yet at least. Unless it’s a dolphin infant…
I know I’m probably shaking up the blog’s niche bottle blog by posting about random fine art – if I start writing about gas exhaust pipe models then you’ll know when to pull that Niche Alarm. No, not Nietzsche – Niche, ‘fish’ with an Italian accent, and swap the f with an n. Some bloggers can learn a thing or two googling that word, not that I’m being a good example right now.
Anyway, enough with the snark. To borrow the common-used phrase from the web: You’ll poop bricks when you see it. I had the opportunity to pop by HyeMin’s exhibition the other day and really did go in my pants when I understood the illustrations. She’d pen-drawn IKEA products straight out of the catalogue along with their prices, and was then selling the artworks for that retail price. So if the price of the kitchen-set was £820 after the January Sale, then the illustration cost £820. The idea was to explore the relationship between original work vs. mass production, both in price and concept. Throughout the hour circling the basement of the James Freeman gallery, guests were picking up affordable items, (i.e. Lampstand for £12.99) and purchasing them straight off the artist. The amazing thing about this, other than the fact that she was making a lot of easy dough, was that this was essentially performance art – with her acting both as creator and salesperson.
Fun! Me not smart enough to explain how that has any relevance to fashion but I’m sure those smarter than me figured that one out already.
I love Next. I mean, aren’t they geniuses? One first class carriage full of fashion bloggers, one innocent explosion and poof goes a sizeable chunk of the UK fashion blogging community. GENIUS! Imagine the article on that. Fess up Next, how much did you get paid by the journalists & editors (those robbed of Danish pastries by bloggers at the last fashion week)? Conspiracy aside, I do think I’m starting to fall for Next, their nod towards the bloggers is proving to be very friendly, and they’ve really played up their game with the trend interpretation. (Although, call me tasteless, but the 70’s trend really doesn’t appeal to me at all. )
The trainride was to Next’s headquarters in Leicester where we were fed and watered, then set loose in the mock-shop in a competition to style an item assigned to each of us. It was like a 9 year old’s birthday party at McDonalds really, in the best sense possible, I love birthday parties. And 9 year olds. As you can see my item was a pair of flare jeans, and instead of trying to smuggle and trade between the contestants with better items I decided, heck, let’s just go with it. On hindsight, I should’ve wrestled Frances to the ground for the white blazer. You should watch the video – I say I wanted to style it ‘boho’ and the only thing boho about the outfit is the misfitting jeans and my speech on peace love and understanding. My, I had such a blast this day.
Thank you Next and Jenny from Spreading Jam for organizing an amazing day, and Kit & Jill for snaps!