Thursday 22 December 2011

Another year almost over, Another year older!

Yes it's that time of year, we're saying goodbye to 2011 and that means I've become a year older. That's right I've come to the ripe old age of 22, positively ancient some might say, it is quite scary that I'm eight years away from 30 already, I know I will get moaned at for saying that but I'm scared a little at how close it'll soon be here if this year has already been and gone. I'll soon have to be figuring out where I want to go in life (only a few more months to decide on that one!) Hopefully I'll end up with a fantastic top end job by the time I'm 23 (only 364 days to find it!) and will live happily ever after...ahem.

So it was my birthday yesterday and it was a very quiet  one for a change, but this year I quite liked it. I got up at what seemed like the crack of dawn and trundled on down to the hairdressers to get my hair all snipped off, now I know this is a bit trampy for a lady such as  myself but I hadn't had my hair cut in a good six months and frankly it had gone a bit like rat's tails so it all had to come off and I decided a little change was in order. I originally wanted to dye my hair but after so long of not dying it, I was a little too scared so I gave up on that idea and decided to bring the Bettie Page bangs back!

A bad quality shot taken on my phone, as you can tell I'm still not convinced by the bangs but I'm going to try it out for a little while and try to handle the high maintenance of doing it all again... I give it until new years!  It was a bit strange having my hair straightened too as I don't tend to do that with my hair anymore, but I thought I'd have a change! 

When I got home I found that my lovely mum had bought me my birthday cake, yes at the age of 22 I still insist on having a birthday cake, I have the sweetest tooth known to mankind so any chance to have some cake I will! And here in all its glory it is...




I'm a big kid at heart, I adore beauty and the beast, it's my all time favourite Disney film and I had seen this cake before so when I saw it waiting for me, I was so happy! It tastes delicious too!
 
I got some lovely presents, I'd already had most of my birthday present from my parents at the clothes show  a couple of weeks back but I did get the inbetweeners DVD and some lovely Pj's!  If you remember, I wrote a post a few months back bags discussing my Enid Collins bags that I had started to collect, I only had 3 at the time, it's grown since then to a whole seven! With my lovely lady Laura buying me a truly stunning one for my birthday! 



I apologise for the bad quality image, once again off my phone, but how beautiful is this bag?! I came so close to buying it recently, I adore it so much and cannot wait to take it out with me at Christmas.
Another lovely present was from my brother and sister-in law, a poster of one of my all time favourite musicals, Gentlemen prefer Blonde's.




How wonderful is this?? I just need to find somewhere to put it now, it will surely go up on the wall when I have my retro inspired house!

During my day I went to lunch with some friends and then to the Marina theatre in Lowestoft with my mumma to see Jack and the Beanstalk, the local pantomime, I hadn't been to the panto in so long and I have to say I enjoyed it, and felt like a child again! It was fun and laughter and I'd love to go again next year! 
Overall I had a lovely birthday, makes a change for a boozed up one that I usually spend in my local pub, I'm saving that for Christmas eve!  I hope you all have a super Christmas whatever and get everything you ask for!
Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx



Sunday 18 December 2011

A-Z of me!

I saw this on Straight Talkin Mama's blog and I thought it was such a great idea I decided to do one also!! Hope you don't mind my love!


A-Age: 21 3 days away from being 22, arghh eight years away from 30!



B-Bed size:

Currently at university only a three quarter bed, I cannot wait to have my double back in my life!!



C-Chore that you hate:

Washing up and ironing, I hate many chores and would definitely make a rubbish housewife!


D-Dogs:
I pretty much like any dogs, their sooo cute




E-Essential start to your day:

Shower!! Helps me get motivated for the day...It tends to go downhill after that!


F-Favourite Colour:

Ask any of my ladies and they'll tell you it's yellow but I noticed when sorting through my wardrobe I own a lot of aqua and blue so maybe this is a secret fave that I never knew about!




G-Gold or silver:
White gold or silver, I think normal gold comes across to brash and tacky!



H-Height:

5ft 7 ish!! I was once the tallest in my class now I think I'm shrinking!



I-Instruments you play:

I used to play the keyboard for many years and also the bass guitar during my goth/emo stage but I've given up on both over the years!



J-Job title:

Full time bum .. I mean student!



K-Kids:
I'm coming round to the idea now, I used to hate the thought of it but now I'm excited!



L-Live:

Chatham in Kent for uni and Lowestoft in East Anglia when I'm home for holidays!



M-Mothers name:

Johanna!



N-Nicknames:

Obviously a lot of people call me Bettina as that's my modelling name, however it's either just Beth or some of my girls call me Boo!


O-Overnight hospital stays:

Nope,never (touch wood!) I've always been pretty good when it comes to doctors and hospitals luckily as it doesnt run in the family!



P-Pet peeves:

People not cleaning up after themselves!! People listening to music from their phone without headphones, how rude!? Bad manners in general, please and thank you goes a long way you know!


Q-Quote from a movie:

'I want you, I need you, oh baby oh baby' - 10 things I hate about you, still one of my most favourite films ever!!



R-Right or left handed:

I'm left handed but I do most things with my right! other than write, weird huh? Most people used to call me weird for being a lefty



S-Siblings:
An older brother, Kai who's nearly 27!


T-Time you wake up:

It depends on the day,  I try to stay in bed as long as possible if I can, I loveee my bed



U-Underwear:

I buy tooooooo much of it, I bloody love the stuff! I actually don't have any room to put in it anyway so  I need to stop buying it, hmm never! 
I adore What Katie Did and La Senza



V-Vegetable you hate:

Most to be honest! I'm soooo unhealthy its unreal



W-What makes you run late:

one of my pet peeves should have been I hate people running late but then I run late because I like to faff around doing nothing!


X-X rays you've had:
Only one for my ankle when I was younger



Y-Yummy food that you make:

I can't make food at all, I can't wait to learn to cook when I finish uni!!


Z-Zoo animal:
I don't like zoo's I think they're mean!

Saturday 17 December 2011

So I like to show off

Yes I do, I love to show off, so I thought I would show you lovely lot my work I've been doing at uni, as final year has taken over and I have lost the will to live but I like to think the work I've done makes up for it. I've decided that for my final year I'm going to play to my strengths and create work that suits my style and my interests because even though I love love LOVEEEE mainstream fashion, it just isn't me, as some of you would probably be able to tell!
So for my first project of final year I had to choose a brand to create an accessories range for, I chose the burlesque and cabaret club, Madame Jojo's, I worked together with my lovely friend Sarah and together we came up with a burlesque inspired bra range!

I  thought by using a club it was something a bit different to the normal handbag accessory range and it gave me something a bit more exciting to explore and I could use the excuse of 'research' to go out and have some fun!

Here are some of the images that I styled for it, I did a still life and model shoot, hope you like them!



My two favourite shots and what  a fantastic model, Shell Diablo, photography by 
Eddy Shaw and hair by Verity of the Vanity Box, amazing!



 We were lucky enough to shoot at the Dollhouse in Bishop gate, London, such 
a fabulous little club hidden away in the city, I must go there on a night out because
it's such an intimate venue with some great original features such as Victorian tiling, wowee!

Here are some of my still life shots that was shot at uni:











So these are some of my faves, I could have put loads up but I thought I'd choose my best because you don't want to see it all either,
I think I'm starting to like styling again so I'm not sure if this is the career path I want to go down but I think I'd like to do it on the side because I think I'm better at the more retro, styling than mainstream
I would love to hear any comments and opinions you've got!
I do apologise  for the naffness of this post, I've not got much writing inspiration but don't worry it'll come to me!
Until Next Time 
Toodle Pip
xxx

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Bettina presents to you : Stop Traffic Clothing

Ladies! are you after a new dress for the up and coming Christmas parties? I came across a fab company that stocks American clothing brands such as Bettie Page Clothing, Stop Staring as well as many British companies such as Miss Fortune. They are none other than Stop Traffic clothing, they stock 1950s reproduction clothing for all you aspiring pin up girls out there.
Inspired by women of the golden age of Glamour such as Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe, Stop Traffic clothing has a dress for every lady, I was just looking on their site and have already made a mental list of what to buy, bad huh?!

If you want to go all out for an event you may have coming up soon, go have a browse at some of the delights they have in stock.
Now how glamorous is this? Hell for saving this for the staff party,
 I'd wear it to uni!

Owner and all round vintage lover Rebecca McWattie hunts high and low for these beauts, from all over Britain to the other side of the pond in America, now if that isn't personal service, I don't know what is!
Rebecca says:'For some women they want a special occasion dress, others want to incorporate Retro into their lives. Lots of our customers love to wear the 50s dresses dancing, especially the 50s style petticoats. Since the hit TV series 'Mad Men' there has definitely been a huge interest.'

The fact that Rebecca knows what her customer is looking for makes this site extra special and shows that she isn't just another company jumping on the 'vintage bandwagon'.
glamorous Rebecca has an interest in everything retro since she was a teenager
after watching the timeless MGM films

Some of the latest designs instore by Stop Staring
As well as seeing glamour gals wearing these dresses
celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Nicole Kidman have been seen spotted
wearing their designs so you know you're getting high quality glad rags.

Stop Traffic clothing are currently running a competition for all their customers in collaboration with
The Powder Room

The prize is you get £150 to spend online at Stop Traffic Clothing, a vintage make-over at The Powder Room and a signed copy of Style Me Vintage: Make-up by Katie Reynolds.
To enter just email your full name and telephone number to sales@stoptrafficclothing.com
Competition closes December 31st 2011 and winner will be drawn at random on 2nd January 2012
 
You know I think I might have to enter this one, sounds a bit too good to be true! So ladies go for it, you never know you might be able to get your self kitted out for the up and coming seasons, Gents why don't you send your ladies name in, she'll never stop thanking you if she wins!

Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx

Summer styling~

Oh blog, How I've missed you! Third  year is well and truly underway and once again you've gone to the back of the line whilst I attempt (important word there!)
But I've come back and and thought I'd show off some of my new styling work that I did at the  beginning of term back in September, gosh doesn't that seem ages ago already, it is quite scary that I'm going to be twenty two soon!
Anyway back to the topic at hand! I got an email months ago from a photographer I had modelled for last year asking if I wanted to style a shoot for her and a jewellery designer, of course I said yes!
I didn't know what we were doing, what the style was or anything, I just got asked to bring dresses. So I raided my wardrobe and just took pot luck hoping they'd work!

Katie (of Katie Blench photography) picked me up at Chatham train station along with the beautiful model Alice and Sian of Sian Bostwick Jewellery  and away we went. We only went to the outskirts of Chatham but it seemed like we were a million miles away from the darn place, in a gorgeous park in the middle of nowhere! Here are some behind the scenes snaps I took on my phone!
This image and Chatham doesn't connect right?
our gear for the day! I love shoots and how much stuff you always have to take!

The girls left all of the set design and styling in my fair hands... whether this was a good thing or not I don't know! I think they were going for some kind of Alice in Wonderland, fairy tale style to a degree
so this is what I came up with!
Using all the bits and bobs Katie brought in her car, how it all fitted I will never know!
But I quite liked this, its quite Quaint English countryside!

As well as having all this Katie even managed to have some cupcakes designed by a local company
HoneyBunz and lordy lord they were beautiful, how anyone could put that much attention to something so tiny gets a round of applause from me!
How adorable are these? They also tasted AMAZING,
 shame to eat them really but someone had to!

I was also hair stylist for the day too and gave Alice a 1940s ish inspired hairstyle, hairstyling isn't my forte but I tried my best and I was pleased with the result
And the shoot begins!
Alice wearing a vintage dress Sian brought along
Some of Sians jewellery she makes by hand, I want some!

And now for the actual shots from the day...

I adore all of these shots, I think their so natural and effortless, I hope to work with these lovely ladies again on a shoot sometime as we were a damn good team!

Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx


Monday 17 October 2011

London calling at Anita's Vintage Fashion Fair


Wow, I cannot believe how behind I have got on my blog, slap on the wrist for me! University has now completely took over my life and it will for the next six months... sad times ahead!

On a more positive note, last month I went to Anita's Vintage Fashion Fair where I got invited to blog about the event(I failed at that clearly ha!) because they were celebrating the four capitals of style with the fact that the fashion weeks were going on at the time, as part of my blogging I had to pick a city of my choice, and being patriotic I chose good ole London town.

Here are a few of the things I found which I thought were suited to London :
Farmer tweed caps, lovely stuff
I adore old suitcases, imagine some of the stories they could tell...

 Handbags like this are my favourite, so pretty and you can fit EVERYTHING in them, what's not to like?
I loved the way the store holders put so much detail into their displays, this reminded me of Miss Marple with the fox fur and the hat!
Winters coming! I did consider buying it but my eyes wandered elsewhere... It reminded  me of the 1940s land girls and is also so on trend with some of the printed jumpers on the high street currently.

This was from an alteration stall that was just outside the fair, make do and mend is as strong as ever!

Anita picked this out for me, 1930's nightwear and also very Alexa Chung, don't you think?
I saw these illustrations and fell in love, their from the late 19th century/ early 20th century
and I thought they were so quaint! I do love a good illustration.

Rule Britannia!!  I Wish British companies would make tins for their products like this today,
their so sweet and really collectibles!


Fellow blogger Jen of JJ noir, also a UCA student, great to meet her and we loved sourcing goodies!
These are some flyer's of one of the stalls, Rhapsody Rags, I had to snap them because of the London Mod imagery they had on their cards!

I made a friend don't you know! I wanted this mannequin so much with old newspaper cuttings plastered all over it, and the 90s Moschino jeans!

The fair itself, lots of busy shoppers having a rummage!
I shouldn't have tried this dress on because I fell in love, a reproduction 50s dress.
It fitted like a dream but was a little out of my price league, maybe next time!
The royal jewels, you've got to love a bit of bling.

The lovely DJ spinning the wax with music from the fifties and sixties, I was in my element!
Women even got to have their hair styled, I got asked if I'd had my hair done by them, I wish!!

London Style

These are just a few shoppers I snapped because I loved their style, what London is known for!


Loved this ladies outfit and the mismatch of prints, it worked so well!

This lady was trying this original Victorian dress on, you have to have a lot of confidence
to wear something like this, and she looked great!


anddddd finally these are my two little goodies that I picked up, I apologise for the rubbish quality image  but I purchased a vintage 50s beaded sweater and repro cats eye glasses, both for just over £30! Can't complain with that one even if I do say so!


I adored working at the vintage fair and would love to have the chance to do it again, all being well I'd be a bit more on time with everything by then! If you love a good bargain check Anita's fairs out, you never know what you might find, the garments, jewellery and handbags range from over 80 years, you can't get more vintage than that can you?!
Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx