DAZED AND CONFUSED

Movies inspire my style more than anything, and since I often sit with a favourite film playing while I work or browse the internet they influence me subliminally. This is definitely the case with Clueless, Mean Girls, ad Heathers, one of which is constantly playing when I'm in the house on my own, and I do believe this shows in my style!

Last Saturday I watched Dazed & Confused and since then I've had the 70s on my brain. Filmed in 1993, it's set in 1976 and features slogan tees with pastel denim, cute hairstyles, distressed dungarees, a faded, sun-drenched quality about everything, Parker Posey being a complete bitch.. and it all came to a head in this outfit which incorporated the flares and the high-school pride, plus the totally retro zig-zag blouse, as seen on Posey in her final drunken scene. This is a charity shop special lacking any form of store label but it is exactly the same as something I would've worn circa 1997: the Seventies was my era even then and I loved the white flares and burnout zigzag tops my mum got me from random cheap shops in town. Maybe even the market. But I wouldn't have told my friends that.

I can't believe I don't currently own a pair of pale denim flares but it's not through lack of trying; I picked these MiH jeans up for mega cheap intending to bleach them to acid wash. I've bleached them three times now and they seem to be almost resistant to it! Really happy with this faded lilac now though.. I'll just be on the lookout for some 70s-style high waist flares in vintage stores.

And the film.. well, if you haven't seen it already then I'm sure you can pick it up for cheap from pretty much anywhere. If, like me, you're into American high school films where nothing really happens apart from beer bongs, bong bongs and teenage romances then it's a classic.

I'm wearing:

Wildfox jumper c/o Zalando

Charity shop blouse

MiH Marrakesh jeans

Jeffrey Campbell x Wildfox Lonestar shoes

Vintage bag

LIFE IS NEVER FAIR

... And perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.

Alright, whose bright idea was it to have a fairground in Manchester city centre?! Because - despite the thumping, loud dance music, influx of teenagers (argh, teenagers!) and fatty smells of mini doughnuts being deep fried - it was actually a pretty good one. There's few man-made things as visually stimulating as a fun fair, with its neon signs, clashing pastels, and oversize stuffed toys, strung up like prize cuts of meat.

Walking around the fair this evening brought back memories of high school: when you simply had to make the annual pilgrimage to Knutsford fair else you may as well be dead you were that uncool; when Northwich fair came to town and you went on the Hearts & Diamonds ride even though you were terrified, just to try impress the boys; and when you went to Winsford fair with your mate Kerry and she was sick all over the Waltzers seat, the liquid slowly inching itself towards you as the ride span.

I'm sure these experiences aren't unique, neither are the tender feelings that go along with the memories. But I am now more than happy to be a casual observer of those teens on the rides, because I never really liked the nervous stomach churning before the ride, the dizzy headache after, nor the feeling that I was doing this for the wrong reasons.. for the other kids in school, and to try and fit in. I'm glad I just do things for me now, whether I fit in or not.

I'm wearing:

Wildfox knit

MiH Marrakesh jeans

Miista May boots

H&M coat

Topshop necklace

KEEPING WARM

Whilst most were busy searching for the shiniest, sexiest, most sequinned dress to wear to their work's Christmas party, I was more concerned about piling on the layers and keeping warm. We don't like to do things the normal way at my place of employment so our Christmas do was spent hanging out, drinking mulled wine and eating Nutella crepes at the Manchester Christmas markets. Far better for conversational purposes anyway; we laid down our plans for the next year, which involved everything from going to the zoo and travelling around Thailand, to making babies. Go figure which plan was mine.

This outfit is faintly ridiculous, but it did keep me warm. Too warm in fact: believe it or not after my second mulled wine I was considering taking my coat off. Just considering, mind you. It was also my first opportunity to wear this Jay Kay-esque hat I've had hanging round for a while. I can't even remember where it came from - an elder family member, or charity shop? - but my Blossom moment certainly was pivotal in maintaining my snug temperature.

The heart bag adds a well needed pop of colour to this outfit - I first saw it on Sara but became obsessed with the idea of a heart clutch after seeing the How Two Live sisters rocking one. This finally came up on eBay last week so I snapped it up.. for a mere £2.10. Gotta love that website.

I'm wearing: 

Vintage hat 

Charity shop shirt

H&M jumper 

Evil Twin kimono (just seen.. it's the fringing) 

H&M coat

MiH Marrakesh jeans

Topshop clogs

Topshop heart bag
Hippy shop necklace