BLOW-DIY

I'm so bad at styling my hair. Seriously, I've never blow-dried it properly, existing solely on putting it into a bun until dry for messy waves, or, when desperate in cold weather, using the hairdryer I got in year 10 to quickly dry my hair upside-down. So when I received an email asking whether I'd like to try out some GHD products for my blog, my gut reaction was no... I'm not up to the task! However I gave myself a bit of a pep talk, eventually manning up and accepting the challenge.

I did consult the GHD Hairstyles page, and whilst there are some lovely examples featured there I thought it best to walk before I could run, so started with your standard blow-dry. Now, I actually go to a barber for my haircuts nowadays (and a bloody good barber he is too) but I tried to emulate what I'd seen hairdressers do in times past - applying the GHD Straight & Smooth spray, sectioning off, using a big brush - and I feel I did an OK job. I even got a bit cocky towards the end and attempted to flick my front layers out, Farah Fawcett-style. It didn't work, but that is almost certainly because I am crap at styling my hair, and not the brush and spray's fault. I finished up with the Final Shine spray, which should be used sparingly... natch, I used it liberally.

My hair still looked about ten times better than it normally does (amazing how far a little effort goes) but I'm not sure I'll be trading in my Roitfeld-esque low-maintenance locks for a glossy blow-dry any time soon. I'm just far too lazy..!

PS. If you're wondering what I'm wearing, here's the deets... my Mina feather print tunic is about a zillion years old, and my necklace is part of a very generous parcel from Jon Richard Jewel. In love, and still full of the warm fuzzy feeling the receiving of a care package brings.

George at Asda gilet

Forever 21 jacket

Mina tunic

Oasis pleather trousers

Forever 21 bag

Love Label boots

NEXT SUMMER'S UNIFORM

The big guns of fashion (that's your Chanels, Diors, and the like) may show at Paris Fashion Week, but there is one trés Parisienne designer who has proved time and time again to exercise greater influence than those veritable fashion dinosaurs, on everyone's wardrobe, from the off-duty model to the on-duty mum. Isabel Marant - creator of the wedge sneaker, purveyor of the colourful loose knit, and catalyst for the explosion of the baseball jacket - showed today in Paris, and you better start studying this collection hard - fast - if you want to hit the ground running for spring/summer '13. The formula is the same - one part bohemian to two parts cowgirl, with a whole load of nonchalance - it's just the lustworthy pieces are new and fresh in a way that only Marant can manage.

On my list? It's got to be Aymeline's short sleeved embellished jacket and Kati's cut-out playsuit. Inevitable sell-outs, this will of course forever be only a wish-list..

  Images style.com and Into The Gloss

NAMASTE

Lovely followers - of which there has been a jump in numbers in the week since I last posted, maybe that's a hint not to blog quite so much - please accept these additional photos of my favourite Fashion Week outfit, plus a bit of Company lovin' for my vintage jumpsuit, as an apology for not being around as much recently. There's something going on in my personal, non-fashion life (I have one of those! Yes) which I will be focusing my energy on, and whilst I will still be posting here it won't be with the frequency and dedication to which you are accustomed. If you like we can keep in touch via Twitter and I will of course be keeping up with your blogs during downtime.

Thanks for reading, and I'd really appreciate you sending some positive energy my way... Namaste.

  H&M sample leather dungarees  Minkpink dress (underneath)  Office shoes  Louis Vuitton scarf Forever 21 jacket   Accessorize hat  Vintage jumpsuit  Acne shoes  Old faithful Zara bag Urban Outfitters sunglasses
(last image nicked from Pearl)

LFW SS13 DAY FIVE: ASHISH

Don't let my fantastic Ashish photos fool you. I wasn't in the photographer's pit, the front row, or even in the same room... I was simply in the Canon Cinema (or the Cinema of Rejects, coined by Gemma Satire) watching the show live, developing more of an urge to wear sequin socks with Reebok Classics as it went on. I'm not sure how I feel about remembering a retro trend the first time around, but it's probably not a good thing. Mr Gupta hit the mood just right with the sporty white, grey, and denim collection, with his signature sequins covering just one aspect of the garments - one leg, one arm, or one side.

I certainly am très fatigué, as evidenced by my terrible posture and spotty face in these photos, so this post will be kept relatively short and sweet. Check out the pictures of Tata Naka's pool party, Nova Chiu's silk prints, and the last of the week's street style in the fading sunshine.

London, it's been unreal. See you next season.

LFW SS13 DAY FOUR: PAM HOGG

Last season I queued up in the freezing cold to get into the Pam Hogg show, ultimately to be turned away due to a full-to-bust venue. The show that got away, if you like. This year I was determined to get in, despite knowing it would be even harder work considering Lady Mary Charteris's choice of Hogg wedding dress last month. My heart was in my mouth as I got closer to the entrance this evening but I was one of very few standing ticket holders to be allowed in. Hoorah!

The collection was entitled "Save Our Souls", so I can only assume the flimsily-clad nurses at the beginning of the show were fully qualified in soul first aid. Inventive spandex bodysuits are Pam Hogg's thing - and a thing she does very well indeed, though they're sadly not particularly wearable for us normos (Manchester may be an open-minded city but I would still get a few funny looks, and the rest, walking around Sainsbury's in one of the geometric suits. Might be alright for Canal Street mind) - but wedding attire was clearly at the forefront of her mind when creating this collection, with tulle confections smattering the runway, complete with Elizabeth I-esque headpieces. Granted they'd have to be tweaked before you ever went near a church in them - there's nipples and side-boobs galore - but at least you wouldn't look like a sickly meringue.

Check out Alice Dellal modelling for Pam, plus Jo Wood, Kate Nash, and Jaime Winstone (sat next to Charlotte Gush - that girl is smashing it) on the front row. Most shows at fashion week are full of wearable collections, of which you think "that was nice.. but where's the imagination?" The Pam Hogg show was a real show and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. To phrase it in a rather twattish Grazia way, this show was definitely my fashion moment of the season.

(Video will finish uploading presently)