Vintage Frilly Things

OK - I am still on a retro lingerie thing. I have been trawling teh interwebs for exciting lingerie and - OMG - look no further!!

I have found (and fell in love with) the FairyGothMother. Don't be fooled by the name. She's not going to show up and pop Cinderella into a black gown with lots of heavy eye-liner*. Oh no. She's gonna show up and make Cinders look like this:

I think Prince Charming would approve!!

*Although, let's be clear. She could do that too. But with STYLE:

FABULOUS!!!

I would also heartily recommend the following sites if this tickles your fancy:

Miss Katie - for her fabulous corsetry

Pleasure State - for some elegant and sensual creations

Ayton Gasson - for some delicate lace dreams

Pandora's Choice - for a great range

Kiss Me Deadly - the name says it all

Burlesque Costumes - for fringed numbers (as shown here by Bettie Page)

**Sigh** I curse my money troubles!!

Mid-week Wonders

Decided to stay in and so Bean and I had a yummy curry (ummmm, side dishes) and watched Sex and the City. I can't believe it took me so long to watch it! I guess the hype was too much for me. However, I actually really enjoyed it (especially the fashion!). Not a fan of Samantha's character at all though - what a selfish b*tch!!!

Not sure I want to star watching the series though - I've not really ever seen any of them and would prefer not to start from the beginning! I also am not sure that they will be the same quality as the film - Bean says she'll road test them for me though - so that's OK! ;-)

Corsets and bullet bras galore!

So, seeing how I'm on a bit of a retro trip at the moment, I decided to see how far you could take it. In doing so, I have come across the most fantastic lingerie collection.

Check this out! They are called What Katie Did (not to be confused with the book by the same name!), and these are some of my highlights:

Just stunning!!!!

A week??

No way.

It cannot have been a week ago that I last posted on this blog? Well. I need to deal with it - because it was. I am shocked. So many things have happened over the last week - where do I begin??

Last weekend was a bank holiday weekend here in the UK. That meant that it was supposed to be a long weekend of doing nothing: chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool etc. Not necessarily how it turned out, I'm afraid.

Still, without giving too much away, here is a synopsis of my bank holiday:

(1) FRIDAY

Friday night was a right off for me, as I sat for 3.5hrs in a traffic jam. 18 miles of tailbacks on the M4 due to a car and a caravan going down an embankment. Brilliant. Needless to say, that didn't put me in the best of moods!

I must admit to not being quite this bad, but I do HATE traffic jams. I would prefer to gouge out my eyeballs with spoons (way to make a Robin Hood Prince of Thieves reference! Woo!).

(2) SATURDAY

On Saturday, D and I went into Cabot Circus (a new shopping development in Bristol). I think we simply wanted to have a bit of a stroll, I certainly didn't purchase anything (which was a good idea, given the debt levels!).

We stopped off in M&S and got some yummy food in. So we decided that we'd cook and just stayed in watching films. It was nice just to be doing nothing. In fact, I don't even remember what film we watched!! It didn't have zombies in though. Which was good.

(3) SUNDAY

Sunday involved a visit to the beautiful Tyntesfield House, which is on the outskirts of Bristol. It is a National Trust property (makes me SOOOO glad for the membership - I know, I know) which is currently being renovated. I was, admittedly, a little gutted that the place was covered in scaffolding and that there are parts you cannot visit - but the place is so pretty and charming that I soon forgave the interruption. It was actually rather nice to see the place so run down - it will certainly be worth another look once the renovations are complete.

D and I had a lovely picnic on the rather fine lawn, which was lovely. We are becoming picnicking fans - which I guess is a little sad. Still, as someone who will hit the ripe old age of 30 next year, I suppose it's time to start acting my age.

(4) MONDAY

The Apprentice!!!!

So, Bean and I got to the studios only to be told that we were in the reserve list, as the audience was already full. However, there were some guest list seats which could be freed up. So, we waited about 30 minutes - nervously counting all the people that went in before us and hoping that we would be allowed in.

The minutes passed, we patiently waited (in the rain) and sure enough - we were in!! What an experience! For those of you who have never been in a studio audience, I would urge you to try. Everything looks bigger on television - and everything seems quite far away. There are huge cameras (obviously) and microphones everywhere. A boom camera occasionally sweeps in front of you. The recording is stopped every so often, maybe because a lapel mike has moved or a light is blinking. It is all very surreal.

Anyway, the format of the experience was this. Firstly, they played the programme which would go out later that week. In this instance, it was the TV Shopping Episode. Candidates had to appear on a shopping channel, at prime-time, and sell goods picked for them by another member of their team. they also had to try their hands at production. Whichever team sold the most, won.

To cut a long story short - the team of Howard, Kate and Lorraine lost. Having watched the episode, we were all sure that Lorraine would go. In fact, when Sir Alan made his decision - there was an actual pantomime **GASP** from the audience. No-one there had predicted that Howard would be fired!

So, after the episode was shown, Adrian Chiles came onto the set (to a lot of applause). He was joined by a lady who owned a shopping channel, Rufus something or other (Bean likes him) and, wait for it... MARGARET MOUNTFORD. None other!!!!!! THE ACTUAL MARGARET. Needless to say, I was quite excited as I think she's fantastic!!

Watching the live recording was a lot of fun - the panel were hilarious and Howard was just lovely. He's a great guy, but far too nice to have won the Apprentice. There has to be a bit of bad behaviour and ego - and he just didn't come across like that. Bye Howard!!

I would just love to be on the Apprentice next season - but I think that D would lose all respect for me and also that I would easily be voted off on week one (the lawyers always are). However, I just would love the experience and the tasks are great. But I think I'll do everyone a favour and stick to the day job.

OMG

So - it turns out that this lady seriously can do nothing wrong - this Jean Paul Gaultier Calligraphy dress was just made for her. STUNNING.

She is *such* a style icon of mine - I think she's fabulous. *Sigh* if only my equally as white skin could look even slightly that alabaster - instead of like corned beef. :-(

I have nelwy found Twitter - and I think I would only rate it at about a 3 out of 10 had I not found Dita online. Now I can actually STALK her as well as love her. FABULOUS.

Kate

I fell in love for the 1,000,000th time today. Look:
OMG - it's just too lovely. This is from Kate Moss's high summer collection for Topshop. Bliss.

You're fired..?

Cool things happened to me today which I just have to share with you!!

(1) I have an interview tomorrow with none other than Coca-Cola! I think that is a pretty impressive name to want to interview little old me. I am quite excited about it, but haven't got time to do much prep for the interview itself (especially as I am currently updating this blog). However - I am quite excited about it (although I am not entirely convinced I want to be in private practice any longer).

I'll report back on progress...

...on the subject of interviews (see what I did there!?)...

(2) I have tickets to see the Apprentice: You're Fired! being filmed on Monday! Woooooooo! I love the Apprentice - it's the best thing on TV.

I am hoping that evil Debra is fired so that I can watch her being dissected - but I would be equally happy to see Ben, Kate, Lorraine, Howard or Yasmina pulled apart! (Can you tell I am voting for James??!!)

Oh - I just can't wait!!!!!!! Eeeeeeeek!!

YOU'RE FIRED!!!

Oz Obsessive

As the title of this post may suggest - on Tuesday Bean (my housemate - Robina for long) and I went to see 'Wicked' - again.

I say 'again' because it is Bean's ninth (or so) time and my fifth. We are HUGE HUGE HUGE Wicked fans, and totally hooked.

It was *great* - as it always is - but we have amazing seats this time, which couldn't have been much better (save for the PERFECT seats D got for us the first time I ever went - on our very first date). The sings make me cry and I just love Glinda. I am aware how sad this makes me, by the way.

I have bit of an obsession with Glinda - which you may have noticed. I think she's fabulous. This all started with Glinda the Good Witch of the North's dress in the original...

Glinda is played in the London production by Diane Pilkington, and I think she's just charming! I just love her in 'Popular', 'Loathing', 'Dancing through Life', 'Thank Goodness' and 'For Good'. As you may guess - I have the soundtrack and it gets constant plays... I just love musicals and the combination of this being about Oz as well... FABULOUS!!

D doesn't understand - but then he doesn't understand how much I love the 'Wizard of Oz' in general. There is just something about it - it's touchingly simple but complicated. I'm not just a fan of the 'traditional' Judy Garland version, either, but also 'Return to Oz' which is much darker.
*Sigh* - it is a shame that the real world doesn't have quite as much magic about it...

Manic Mondays

Monday was spent at work - as per. Being stressed out - again as per usual. One of those days when in the morning it all seems fairly clear and smooth sailing; but by 1pm you are madly rushing from one meeting to another.

I have decided that I need a personal desk masseuse. This type of stress makes me need a back rub - if I get tense the muscles in my back and neck go CRAZY. This only serves to make me grumpy as anything, so wat I decided to do on Monday was head to the gym after work to burn off some aggression. Well, this only served to make me feel tired and therefore MORE grumpy.

Needless to say - Monday was a BAD DAY.

It also involved discovering that my MOT was due (eeeek), that my car needs a service as well AND that its brake fluid needs changing. Add to this the fact that the blooming thing needed taxing at the beginning of the month and you have a VERY expensive month for car ownership. Anyway - at least its a pretty little thing and so can be easily forgiven.

Sunday

So - Tasha and I spent Sunday in Westfield - the recently opened Mall in Shepherd's Bush.

Again, we had a great time. It's been so long since I've been shopping with a mate! Wooooooo!!! We ate GBK (oh, how I love those burgers) and did TopShop (an essential for any shopping trip). I bought these AMAZING leggings:

I am such a sucker for anything with monochrome stripes. I don't know why this is! I just fall apart when I see them and *need* to get my hands on whatever item I am looking at.

My favourite striped item of all time?

Simply to die for! Excuse the pun.

Rubbish

So - I suck. I haven't updated the blog in two days!! That means I have a bit of catching up to do!! It's about time for an update on what has been happening over the course of the last few days then.

Actually - quite a lot has happened, which accounts for the lack of updating. I had a great time Friday evening (out with D and his barrister friends in Bristol - having delivered a filing cabinet) and on Saturday (spent out on the tiles with Tasha) / Sunday (spent in Westfield - shopping).

Friday night was great (if tiring) as it was good to see D and his mates. It's always nice to see him with people he gets on with - he is a different person - life and soul of the party!

Anyway, he was on top form this Friday - and amusingly glad to see me! It is always nice when your boyfriend is actually genuinely glad to see you, and this was one of those times. We spent the evening drinking *fairly* heavily and then eating Japanese food. The sake was flowing!!




So - Saturday morning was spent rather lazily - which was fabulous! I love a lazy morning - it's one of my favourite things in the whole wide world. However, the afternoon was then spent dashing to London in order to meet Tasha. This perhaps could have been managed slightly differntly, as it turns out that poor Tash had to sit on a train to London for some 4 hours!!!

Anyway - we still had a great night - it was sooooo good to see Tasha!! We decided to simply hit Soho and see what the Greek Street area had to offer. We eneded up in a fairly dodgy bar called THIRST - and then on to a club called PUNK.

Silly dancing and girly giggling ensued... However, I ask you - can £9 for a spirit + mixer be legal??

Get your glad rags on!

Ah - really looking forward to Darren's birthday now! I think I have my outfit sorted!! Wooo!!

Hoping to get this dress:

And my hair done at Nina's Hair Parlour in Marylebone to look like this:

I reckon I'll go for getting my make up done too - fifties stylee!!

Woooooooooo!!! How exciting!!!!!!!!!

I'll be sure to post pics of the finished product... :-)

SHOES!!!

As a large Vivienne Westwood fan and a large shoe fan - I would like to take a moment to stand back and acknowledge the greatness of these shoes.

Fab-tastic.

I think these shoes gain more points from being made of plastic - like those jelly shoes you had when you were a kid.

I want.

A little late...

So, I meant to post this yesterday but I had the most horrific day. It was all go, with lots of the usual.

My morning was spent sitting for TWO HOURS in Barclays, Ealing, waiting to open a joint account. I can't believe that it took this long. There was no real reason for it, other than a half-hearted attempt to try and sell other Barclays products which we were not interested in. In the end, Bean (my housemate) had to put her foot down. I think it scared the guy into moving faster - but it was still a ridiculous wait.

I managed to get over to Bristol in the evening to see Darren - always worthwhile! Despite my best efforts to cook (meaning that I tried to get the ingredients), we ended up having a Chinese takeaway (curry curry curry!) and watching a Hitchcock - "Family Plot". We have a bit of a obssession with Hitchcocks and are slowly wokring our way through the filmography...

My favourite is "The Lady Vanishes" - fabulous film - but also a huge fan of "Strangers on a Train", "North by Northwest", "Rope" and "Marni"...

Tuesday

So - today I appear to have spent the majority of the day on a conference call. I have been shouted at twice (which was nice), but mainly these things consist of sitting around and waiting for a gap in which to give your tuppence worth. The only things I come away with are a feeling that the whole thing could be done more efficiently and a headache.

I have various errands to run this evening, but unfortunately I still have a to do list as long as my arm. *Sigh* I was hoping that I would be able to pop into the gym or pick up some shopping - but it appears that I have to assist the press office in writing an article. The trials and tribulations of holding office, I guess.

The highlight of my day today? Looking at dresses online to wear to Darren's birthday party! As it's in Volupte to start and then onto Ronnie Scott's - I want something that evokes both burlesque and the jazz era:

I feel like I might just have to buy them all!!! I have fiund a new love of Bettie Page Clothing and a new site - Pin-Up Parade. Now all I need to do is win the lottery...

In all seriousness, I think that the first dress (the Secretary Dress by Bettie Page) is the ONE. Just need to find a UK stockist and we're good to go!!!

Musings...

So - there is so much going on in my life right now that I thouht it only right and proper to start blogging.

This is intended as a way for me to order my thoughts, as well as chronicle events and chapters as they unfold.

I suppose, as with most things in my life, that this is rather self-serving. However, it seems only natural and I would like to share various bits of me with the world. This is especially the case as I feel removed from friends and family who (in the main) live some way away from me.

As this will be a rather public forum for my thoughts and diary, I guess I should begin properly by introducing myself.

My name is Katherine, but I am not keen on that. I don't think I have grown into my name as yet, and have come through various forms of it to arrive where I am today. Currently, then, I am Kat. I think it suits me.


So, a few potted facts about Kat:

I am a 20 something (but not for long) lawyer, living in London. Currently trying to be working somewhere else and living somewhere else - no challenge there then!

Although my name is Kat, I am very much a dog person. ;-)

I am very much in love with my long-suffering boyfriend, Darren, who has been through thick and thin with me. Whilst some would think that two fiery tempered lawyers would be utterly wrong for each other, I think that we have both found something very special in the other. We currently make the most of a 100 mile distance and I can often be located in Bristol (or somewhere along the M4).

I am a self-confessed shopaholic. I love fashion, but quite frankly cannot afford my obsession. I would kill (yes KILL) to own a vintage Chanel Couture ANYTHING. I'll settle for new, however, and a pair of killer Louboutins.

I love burlesque and naughtiness and having a giggle. I pole dance and will be taking lessons in shimmying asap! I love to dress up - can you guess?

I am attracted to shiny things. Also, if something's red I'll find it very hard to walk away...

History both fascinates and inspires me. I love reading about it and love reliving it. In fact, my most prized possession at the moment is my brand spanking new National Trust membership card.

Reading is a passion of mine, I don't have a favourite genre and will read anything. I don't have a favourite novel though, that would be too difficult.

Japanese culture intrigues me. I am drawn to all facets of it. An early influence on me was Unico (yes, an anime) which got me hooked. This has expanded to food, sake, costume, cinema, (yet more) anime and further...

I have a passion for travel - love it! I can only be in the UK for six months before I need to go again. I have been all over Europe and North America. I loved Thailand, and would love to go back. I am hoping to visit Japan soon, but next stop - Athens. I can't pick a favourite place, that would be wrong. They are all fabulous!!

What else can I say about me? I guess the rest will simply be disclosed organically as I update this blog...