Make Do Style

Project resourcefulness

2009-12-17T05:09:00.000Z

I haven't read this one yet but I have Nina's other style books - this one might be a good Chrimbo gift for yourself to curl up with for an hour or two. It is meant to help you eliminate any unnecessary spending on clothes.

Dress a blogger for Hanukkah, Christmas, Happy Holiday

2009-12-15T07:14:00.003Z

After completing the Masters degree, having given over 18 months of my life to it, my brain has suddenly turned to mush. I'm slowly getting back to some semblance of order but not as organised as usual...so there is a delay in linking the Small Fabric of my Life and the fact she actually got the dress and shoes and compiled a real life version of my suggestion! How fab!

Today's victim is across the ocean and some.... Enc of Observationmode This is a look for the toned and honed! Which means keeping it simple....

Warehouse One shouldered dress reduced to £35 in dark teal

Oasis Bright green round facet stone necklace £18

French Connection Jess shoe reduced to £96 in red

total budget is £149

Dress a blogger for Hanukkah, Christmas, Happy Holiday

2009-12-14T06:10:00.001Z

A reader request who is also a dear friend from the Wild West of Wales with a plea to dress her for Chrimbo. Two factors - one the reader has a pair of sequin leggings so I'm going to exploit this fact and use this to build up an outfit. Secondly, high street stores are limited so I'm sticking to the two I know are there! As usual the £150 budget applies

Dress to wear over sequin leggings New Look Tier ed Chiffon Dress £25.00

Dorothy Perkins Pink gladiator sandals £30.00

Dorothy Perkins Cobalt leopard print cardigan £32

DP's Facet stone collar £12

2 x New Look gold Chain stretch bracelet £6 (one for each wrist)

total cost is £111

Rachel -wear cardi undone and just add black nail varnish to fingers and toes, apply smoky eyes! and some pink lippy!
PS the necklace might not work but just try and see...if not substitute earrings.

High Street Pick of the Week - Christmas gift ideas

2009-12-12T07:23:00.000Z

As John Lewis announced record sales in the run up to Christmas, it is definitely worth a peek inside or on line for some proper Christmas presents.

Aroma Home Cable Knit Hottie now £10

No excuses...

2009-12-11T10:55:00.004Z

Ow my head hurts. It is my own fault I rather overdid the champagne last night and somehow sampled some sloe gin in the process. I was celebrating a planning objection victory plus the birthday of petit garcon.

He got his bike on Sunday and he is as pleased as punch with this first bike - what a great feeling. I'm off to nurse my frightful hangover and I think I've been put off drinking for a very very long time....

Ebay special

2009-12-09T08:49:00.000Z

I'm selling an under used Mulberry bag - a black nylon number. I haven't ebayed for ages and it has changed so I've been rubbish at listing it and so I'm promoting here!!

Mulberry Black Nylon carry bag

Get ready for Spring

2009-12-08T07:59:00.005Z

Yes I know Christmas hasn't even happened but in fashion terms you should be planning your spring wardrobe ready for March. After all January and February are dud months - post Christmas fatigue, detox specials and poor bank balances all makes for cosy nights in and making do.

You'll be needing to hit the gym or making with the aloe vera as spring fashion is mainly of the body conscious kind. Once again the cut of the cloth veers towards the 80s but reigns itself back from being the brash flash persona of late. Really the garments although opting for 80s lengths owe more to the 30s.

For Spring/Summer 10 (we are in to double figures) think pale pink, lilac, navy and taupe for block colours, with lace and satin , prints and embellishment. The Miu Miu collection encapsulated this perfectly although this is not the only collection to do so, I'm just not in the mood for listing designers!
So my forward planning tips are to pack up your brights and keep your black lace and sequin items to wear with summer dresses and skirts. Think pink but rose, blush and nude.

Thought for the week - quality v quantity part 3

2009-12-07T14:14:00.004Z

The main concern I have with fashion editors and magazines et al bestowing great virtue on quality style purchases, is this is determined by your available income.

I've read up and digest all the differing views on this matter and it basically distills down to one fundamental point - your disposable income. The problem is you have to choose what you buy very carefully if you have very little or no disposable income.

Think about planning your wardrobe as a map - a map of activities. If you are a stay at home mum for example then you need more casual clothes than going out items. I would recommend you buy more items but at lower prices for things around the home, a couple of easy but fashiony school run items and save up to buy a gorgeous dress and bag for going out. Make the dress a stylish designer number and the same with the bag. You have a special item to pull on for dinner dates, drinks with girl friends and an item you can keep. The idea is whether you are working, young carefree or burdened down by responsibility or mortgages, then plan your basics and build the fabulous stuff in year by year.

I think the less is more approach allows you to have goals and these goals mean carefully selected items that you will keep. TK Maxx and thrifting at charity shops and car boot sales are a great way of getting individual well made items by great designers.

As a rule of thumb I always keep any designer item I've bought and I include certain high quality retailers like Joseph in this category. But I do not buy overtly high fashion items from designers otherwise their glitz fades. And this is always a hard one to qualify or agree on but sometimes certain garments are of a moment and unless you've got money to burn be careful.

I bought a silver maxi skirt from Kate Moss's first Topshop collection which I was always keep and I have a New Look leather jacket which is a winner as it is very 70s and always comes in handy - but these are exceptions. I tend to wear out and never keep most of my high st buys in the long run. Although I don't buy expensive white tee shirts and I've had a Gap one for years.

Choosing style and slow fashion over the immediacy of trends and a jam packed wardrobe is quite hard but with planning, wardrobe mapping and a bit of patience fabulous pieces that work year in year out can be yours.

Dress a blogger for Hanukkah, Christmas, Happy Holiday

2009-12-06T17:12:00.003Z

Continuing this popular series from last year my first proposed outfit for a fellow blooger is Jane from The Small Fabric of My Life
I take all the clues from the clothes the blogger tends to wear, the colours and then challenge their usual looks a little! Being Make Do Style the budget is set as it was last year at £150. The total for this outfit is £137.99

Dorothy Perkins Blue geo print shift dress £32

Monsoon Cotton Stretch Ivory Bolero £36

Clarks Daily Bread Smart Shoes in Red £59.99

Navy 80D opaque tights £5
(I'll leave you to imagine navy tights! This look could easily substitute red tights instead of navy)

New Look Heart Necklace £5

I laughed out loud

2009-12-06T15:24:00.002Z

It isn't often I cite the Sunday Times Style magazine after all they usually draw upon me, but I forgive them every time because they cheer my Sunday up in the same way The Guardian Weekend magazine fulfils the same role on a Saturday. However today for good measure in the Going Down section were Melissa Shoes and I quote "Crocs for the fashion pack. Stop this plastic madness!"

High Street Pick of the Week - Christmas gift ideas

2009-12-05T08:53:00.000Z

Again not exactly on your high street although I'm sure you can find a shop that sells hand held fans. After my brush with Turandot I thought a fan might make a cute stocking filler for Christmas cheer.

Hand Fan Phoenix and Camilla £1.75

Carrie does Covent Garden

2009-12-04T12:19:00.006Z

Mama and Papa MDS took moi and Mr MDS to the opera last night to see the English National Opera's performance of Turandot at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane. It was a delightful evening and I will post a review of the opera production on my Fashion and Film blog.

I will say that it was a long day and I wore my opera going togs from 9am in the morning as I had to get to Holloway at 10ish to pick up my dissertation from the book binders. There followed a morning of coffee on Upper St in Islington just down the road with a fellow MA student. We then hit Oxford St and college to bind our supplementary copy and had lunch in Pret! After our dissertation handing in (yes yes yes!) we did what any sensible gal would do hit the shops. Just for a browse.... Selfridges and H&M were enough for visual pleasure and I have to say H&M have some great things in. We also discovered a pile of rotting Jimmy Choo shoes downstairs in the H&M at Oxford Circus and some clutch bags, we understood why they didn't sell and spent a splendid time discussing collaborations.

A final stint in the LCF library (goodbye books) and I met Mr MDS outside work and we walked to Covent Garden where we enjoyed a hasty but satisfying supper at Carluccios. In fact me saying 'pasta con fungi' was the only Italian of the night as the ENO sing in English. I loved the music and singing but found the production 'interesting'. All I can say is I love it when I can make a bunch of old folks laugh in the aisles with a Gordon Ramsey take off, at the end of an evening.

Of course I'm to busy being a crowd pleaser to take photos of outfits so I hastily recreated it this morning.

Purple top Limited Collection - M&S
Glitter cardi - Zara
Patent navy blue belt - LK Bennett
Silver grey Skirt - Joseph

I call my skirt 'Carrie' it is a great skirt which stands out on it own and is such fun to wear.

I wore the outfit with purple tights and years old boots from Sacco Shoes in New York. They were probably my faux pas but I has a lot of walking to do yesterday and it was raining in the morning so I wanted dry feet.

Back to Work

2009-12-03T06:21:00.000Z

Now I've finished my dissertation and hence my Masters I need to go for glory on getting freelance fashion styling work. I'm lucky to have fairly regular contract work and I'm teaching on the next NHJ Style Academy in January...however I need to mention that I do undertake personal styling and direct you to my website, which is in need of an update as it's been a holding page for two years now! Contact me for commercial, editorial or personal styling.

New Skirt and a hip update

2009-12-02T06:26:00.000Z

On my charity shop browse last Saturday I spied a cute orange skirt for a fiver and thought I'd pop back on Monday to get it. It is a woollen M&S number of quite a few years ago and it is a UK size 10. I also found a £199 Dolce & Gabbana gold dress in TK Maxx for which I couldn't return to buy!
Back to the skirt - well I just about squeezed into it! It was a shocker as I realised my fat hip issue was really a fact that was here to stay unless I tackled it pronto. I engaged in public ritual humiliation by using a weighing machine that prints out your height, weight and body mass index. The one I choose actually said it out aloud. At 169 cms, 5 foot 6.5inches I'm officially 64kilos, 10 stone or 140lbs. According to my BMI I'm in the healthy range but nearer the borderline than I'd like to be. If I go by Edith Head's 1967 assessment of healthy weight ranges I should be 13lbs lighter at least!

Basically I've eaten and drunk like a good 'un during my MA and done little in terms of exercise. My hips are a frightening 38 inches where once they were 33 inches - opps. In fairness I will have a Master's degree and I have managed to work when I can, look after petit garcon and run a home. But it is time to stop the rot. I'm going to have to exercise a lot to get rid of the deposited fat and seriously pull a healthy balanced diet together that stops me from adding any more pounds.

Any top tips other than zipping my mouth!

New Book

2009-12-01T06:12:00.000Z

I really want to read fiction again after nearly 18 months of academic reading only. The transition is proving harder than expected. I've managed to devour my Christian Dior's The Little Dictionary of Fashion. It is a great read and the perfect Christmas present for any fashionista. I got mine at the wonderful V&A shop. I'm also reading Edith Head's How to Dress for Success which is an invaluable and instructive book regardless of the fact it was written in another time, it was first published in 1967.

I had toyed with a Jilly Cooper or a chick lit special but I haven't the heart for it. I went for a browse in a few charity shops on Saturday whilst the petit garcon was at a birthday party. I had £2 on me for a coffee but I spent my pocket money on this book instead.
It is a bit heavier going than I intended to choose but I fancy being transported to Paris and that of the 30s and 40s.

Thought for the week - quality v quantity part 2

2009-11-30T06:11:00.000Z

Thank you for your contributions to this debate - which as ever are inconclusive! I mean this in a positive way because in one sense the phrase 'what is one man's pleasure is another man's poison' is as applicable for fashion as anything. The good thing is we do as we please to a certain extent. We take what we believe to fit into out lives and apply accordingly or even just do as we please.

So, this week I'm going to ask you for your top five items that you would spend serious money on - the things of quality you would buy to keep forever.

High Street Pick of the Week - Christmas gift ideas

2009-11-28T07:25:00.001Z

I don't mean to encourage anyone to drink but I can't recommend the wonderful writing on wines and other drink by Victoria Moore,enough. After many years of reading and trying her recommendations - she has a column every Saturday in the Guardian Weekend, I can vouch and attest for her wonderful palette. Her £8.99 book available from Toast is a worthy contender for a Christmas gift. Not fashion but hey what's fashion without the occasional tipple.

Just as I finish my dissertation...

2009-11-27T16:21:00.003Z

...yes, yes, bar the final few bits of proofing and the typesetting offer from the marvellous Delicious Industries, I done it!! 'That Red Dress Moment - Hollywood’s continuing love affair with the red dress, the ultimate motif for narrative change and character revelation' is complete.

Having 'nailed it' I decided to indulge in browsing and imagine my surprise when The Times current fashion slide show happens to be the red dress.
This Vionnet number is my favourite. I saw the model in a red dress on another blog (don't remember which one as my mind is on halt mode) and didn't even register the fact as the discussion was how lovely the female model is ... and she is.

30% off everything at my-wardrobe

2009-11-27T14:26:00.004Z

Hot off the press and in to my inbox is the news that my-wardrobe are having a...

SPECIAL WEEKEND OFFER: 30% OFF, INCLUDING ALL BRANDS

We are doing a special weekend treat and offering a 30% discount on all our brands only excluding sales items.

So now is the time to get shopping Partydresses and Christmas Presents, spread the love!

The code is MWFF, just enter it in at checkout for a 30% off, Enjoy!

And this is in lieu of any bloggy thoughts I might have although I've nearly finished the dissertation, only abstract and acknowledgements to go!!

Ugly Betty's Claire Meade

2009-11-26T09:31:00.005Z

Whatever Ugly Betty season we are watching on Channel 4, we will be behind the States.

However I'm lovin' Claire Mead's outfits. I cannot find a photo of my favourite outfit but am sharing these. Patricia Field is doing a great job, far better than she did on the SATC movie.

images from ABC.com

Awards

2009-11-25T06:39:00.001Z

I was very lucky to receive three awards from Wife in the City the other day.
This is very nice and also it gets me out of the hole which is proper posting (only a week to go on the MA front, I've got no library fines so fingers crossed I'll get a Masters).
I will be fully focused again after 4th December.

The over the top award has a question list to answer

1. Your hair: wavy bed head (not by choice) shoulder length

2. Your favourite food: Spaghetti Bolognese

3. Your dream from last night: Rewording the conclusion to my dissertation.

4. Your favourite drink: Dirty Martini

5. What room are you in: kitchen

6. What is your hobby: forgotten due to dissertation

7. What is your fear: being bitten by a snake

8. Where do you want to be in 6 years: Surbiton - I'm deadly serious!

9. Where were you last night: At home typing amendments!

10. Muffins: Blueberry

11. Last thing you did: Revise dissertation

12. What are you wearing: probably dressing gown and pj's I've lost the will/ability to dress
13. Your TV: X Factor, Ugly Betty

14. Vehicle: My Pashley bicycle

15. Your favourite store: Selfridges & Oasis
16. Your favourite colour: Red

17. When's the last time you laughed: All the time all though currently this might be due to despair or my grammar

18. When's the last time you cried: Currently I'm bereft of tears just experiencing tension!
19. Your best friend: Mr MDS and Mrs Miggins (not her real name!)

20. Favourite place to eat: Balthazar, NYC

I'm sure I'm meant to pass this on but I'm befuddled with words like hegemony...so help yourself!

Roast update!

2009-11-24T18:04:00.001Z

Roast have apologised for our experience and offered a £50 voucher for lunch and dinner. I'm letting Mr MDS be the decision maker on this one so I expect he'll be booking a table faster than you can say roast!

Thought for the week - quality v quantity part 1

2009-11-23T08:52:00.004Z

Over the next few weeks I would like to debate this issue on the blog and today's post is just to kick the debate off.

There are two elements to the quality v quantity rationale. One is obviously it is deemed to be better to have a wardrobe of quality items that will last you years rather than lots and lots of cheaper disposable items. The quality angle is now perceived as more environmentally favourable adding weight to the debate of less is more.

However the other aspect of this debate is that of wealth and class - does the quality debate denote status/breeding(class)/intelligence versus the masses/lack of breeding/ignorance.

When you buy an item of quality do you feel superior style/fashion wise?

Market Trading

2009-11-22T09:25:00.005Z

Don't worry I'm not going to be spouting hedge funds and derivatives at you. In fact this is taster of an interview to come, I'll be tackling it after ...well you know!

I was forced on Saturday to nip to the bike shop after some idiot stole my back bike light which is worth all of £6 and managed to break the child seat for petit garcon which costs £71. The poor boy had to go on his scooter, whilst I pushed my bike and I promised him some new pyjamas - Ben 10 ones. He did try to negotiate Caffe Nero too but I told him to choose between pyjamas or Caffe Nero. He choose pyjamas but I still lost out as I also bought him some Scooby Doo slippers.

The bonus was as we walked to and fro from the bike stands, our thorough fare M&S was doling out free samples of champagne and biscuit tin selections. Two thimblefuls of champagne later for moi and biscuit each way for the boy made me stop and browse the market stalls outside M&S.

The stall I'm fascinated with is a mix of faux fur, second hand coats, denim and sheepskins. I asked the lady who runs the stall if I could do a proper interview with her as I realised designers, retailers, the internet, pop up shops and vintage/second hand shops all get a look in but not market trading. I'm curious to find out more....the stall is at Wimbledon every Sunday, Epsom every Saturday and Kempton Races and somewhere else in the week, which has escaped my memory as I quickly asked her (don't know the persons name yet) before the garcon scooted off.

High Street Pick of the Week - Christmas gift ideas

2009-11-21T09:09:00.003Z

In the run up to Christmas, I'll select potential gifts for friends and family from the high street or where necessary the internet too.

I'm starting with my favourite internet site for t-shirts for the man in your life, brother, dad etc.
The Shot Dead in the Head site possibly has some of the funniest t-shirts around but in good designs and very good quality cotton without costing a fortune. This is the key, t-shirts are rubbish unless well executed. Plus t-shirts are great for guys they need them for the weekend!
Whatever they are into then there is a tee for them. The football stand t- shirt collections are a subtle way of advertising your team without resorting to a replica top!

They've just introduce The Wire to the tv and film section.

One of the selection of music tees