Thursday 17 March 2011

The Stampede of Sparking Stilettos on the Horizon

How on earth have I never heard of London Burlesque week? I honestly believe myself when I tell others that I'm a hermit and never venture outside the four walls of my bombsite of which I call my bedroom, its either this or I have  been walking around in a complete daze for the past few years, to be honest both of these sound true and those who know me, I'm sure you'll all agree!
To the matter at hand, London has a burlesque week???? This is purely amazing like I said I had never heard of it until last night when I typed in Burlesque into google because I was researching for my Dissertation (yes the dreaded essay has begun!) and I imagine it to be somewhat similar to London Fashion Week? Surely women aren't shaking their thangg down a catwalk to some bump and grind are they? 

 When I checked out the website it all seemed very exciting and, there was glitz, there was sparkle, the was the shades of romanticised red what more could draw me in!?
London Burlesque week is run by a gent named Chaz Royal who uses the yearly event to raise the profile of Burlesque in the mainstream which to be honest if you don't know about burlesque in today's day and age then you really have been sleeping in a cave somewhere. It was previously ran as London Burlesque festival and it shows bombshell beauties from around the globe strutting their stuff and titillating their tassels, it seems there really is something for everyone with newcomers of Burlesque getting to try out the waters and even "Boylesk" yes men's interpretation at suave clubs such as Madame Jojo's.


It does make me wonder whether the change of name reflects on London Fashion Week and another way of showing it in the mainstream fashion industry,this is only my thoughts though, it could be a load of old rubbish for all I know. But London Burlesque Week is something I want to be a part of, so I've dropped an email to Chaz Royal himself to see if I can get my hands dirty there (not literally I imagine to be get my hands glittered!) if not I'm planning on buying a ticket for one of the events to get an idea of what it's really all like at London Burlesque Week, it'd be great if I could go because I could do a bit of self advertising there myself  and you never know where it might lead. So if I do expect a review of somekind in the future months.
Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx

Thursday 10 March 2011

Pick of the Pops take two!

So I've done this before with songs that I'm obsessed with at the time so I thought while I'm in the blog writing mode I'd write my pick of the pops until the next time, I've noticed that my taste in music is always chnaging, my dad gave me a few cds recently and a lot of them were "atlantic jivers" which I assumed to be a cd based on the Record label Atlantic records, nope just a title it seems but it's got some great songs on it including these ones I am currently playing to death :
Big Maybelle: Pretty Good Love
This track I've always known of but never listened to properly until I was playing one of these cd's and god the voice on this woman, you can see why she was called Big Maybelle with some of the notes she hits. Such a great R&B track, not enough modern women cover this track but then you've got to have a set of lungs to carry this song.
Next Track is Jimmie Jones and the Savoys: Please say you're mine

This one I cannot  stop listening to, I remember my fella playing it ages ago and I didn't really pay attention then and then when I was listening to this CD and I suddenly thought "I remember this!!" and then realised how much I actually love this song, it's a classic jiver but I've still yet to hear it played at a record hop, this will soon change believe me!
This one is another personal favourite
Little Willie John: Lets Rock while the Rockins good
I remember hearing this on my mums phone and I didn't realise it was Little Willie John, the guy who sung Shakin, the stroller everyone went mad over a year back, this song is more sixties to me (I'm not sure when it was recorded so I can't say whether I am right or not!) but Little Willie John was a very big R&B star (not literally as he was only 5ft!) with such a strong voice.

One to finish on is a modern one but almost in a similar style
Cee Lo Green: Forget you
This is actually amazing, I have loved this since it's come out and I love that it has got such a retro feel to it, especially when I saw Paloma Faith sing with him, I fell in love with Paloma that little bit more.
Well Hope you like some of these, they might not be to your taste but they certainly are to mine!
Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx

Sweet tooth?? Fat Chance!!

It's that time of year again ladies and gents, yes the dreaded time of which is Lent ( I apologise to anyone who may get offended by this but it's dreaded to me!) . Shrove Tuesday was fast approaching and I started thinking what would I give up? Now I'm not religious but I find Lent a good way to help cut down on certain demons that I may like to indulge in a bit too often. I've decided to give up sweet stuff again because as everyone knows my sweet tooth is more like a set of sweet false teeth so I would bite the bullet and give up chocolate, I did this last year and just managed by the skin of my teeth, I decided to keep with this and step it up a notch, I've given up sweets too ( no I'm not five years old!) good god how will I manage, it's only the second day and I'm craving already.
Before I used to scoff on this

and now I'm resorted to finding my fix in other forms
such as reduced Hot cross buns, doughnuts and yogurt
I live the high life
mmmmm now doesn't that  wet your appetite?! No? me neither!
But for 40 days I will be putting myself through it just to make me feel
a little about myself
But when those 40 days are up I will be doing this

And I'm counting down the days already!
people I'm putting my Easter egg shopping list in and hinting at the right people so fingers crossed!
Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Introducing ... The Vanity Box



We all know us girls love a bit of pampering, whether it be make up or hair and here's a company that certainly gives you that pamering we all need once in a while. Yes you've got it, I'm doing a bit of advertisement on my blog, it's got to be done every now and again you know.
Ladies I present to you the Vanity Box, a company that specialises in a love for the glitzy and glamorous hair and make up of days gone by.

The Vanity Box can do hair and make up styling for your special event

Of course you may have heard of other companies that focus on vintage hair styling (naming no names) but what makes the Vanity Box different is their own personal love for times that once were, with living and breathing the vintage life on a daily basis, so with this you know that you will be getting something that truly is something that is a true tribute to the glamour age.

As well as having a love for vintage they also have the experience to back it up so you know you can put your hair in their hands and not come away with something that looks like a poodle on your head (not unless that is the look you're going for, then if it is you're on your own my friend) with over 12 years experience between the lady hereself, the fabulous Verity Waite and her team have worked with Dianne Von Furstenburg for Claridges, Saint Hill Couture catwalk shows and none other than Hairspray the musical  as well as offering private appointments for clients at rock n roll & rockabilly weekends such as the Rockabilly Rave and the Rhythm Riot to name but a few which couldn't be better because what's more important for a woman at a weekender than looking her very best on the dance floor?

Whether you are looking for a fantastic forties up do or a set of fifties pin curls you name it, Verity and her girls can create it and make it specific to your needs with a range of hair eras from the 1920s flowing through to the 1970s (don't worry you won't come away with a seventies afro unless you really really want one)
 The company are constantly growing and I can see big things for the girls because being honest, who wouldn't want to look as glamorous as they do? I've still yet to have my hair done by them but I'm definately planning on grabbing one of them when I have a hair crisis at the Rockabilly Rave! 
With their first weekend booking at Ruby Slippers Retro Romp these girls will soon be taking over England at vintage fairs and gatherings so make sure  you snap up an appointment quick because it looks to me their going to be taking the vintage scene by storm!
Check out their website http://www.thevanitybox.co.uk/
 to find out if they're coming to an event near you, I know I'm going to!
Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx

Sunday 6 March 2011

What to do what to do

At the moment I feel so lost with who I am as a person because of uni commitments, this really gets to me because unfortunately due to be a second year student my work load has become somewhat unreal and having a life beyond this for me is not quite happening, I've just handed in my project and have gone crash bang wallop into my last one of the year which is involving film so I'm slightly terrified! As well as having dissertations and essays coming out of my ears I don't really know how to handle it all!
What really worries me is that I seem to have let go of my blog and my modelling and the whole vintage aspect on life.Whatever am I to do?!
I'm hoping I can organise my life somehow in a way I don't quite know but as this project is a 10 week one I'm going to attempt to keep up with this blog and try and do more vintage articles instead of fashion as this is somehow taking over my life at the moment, not that it's a bad thing but I miss writing about things that are close to my heart, so there is nothing holding me back now so I've got to get my backside in gear and sort my life out right?!
In the next month or so I've got a few shoots coming up, well I hope, I had to cancel some last month and I was really annoyed at myself that I did but work comes first! Also I've got lots of exciting rockabilly gigs that I'm going to so I might even do a couple of reviews on here for you! So to be honest there's nothing else for it than to get on with it really is there?!
A bit of exciting news, I was featured on Adorn London's website (www.adorn-london.com) from London Fashion week for their street style
there I am! looking rather startled I must say!

and also the fabulous Bernie Dexter has designed a dress for me and named it after me (yes another one!!)
so first we have the Bettina


(this has to be one of the most comfortable dresses I own!)

And now we have the Scarlett! how amazingly beautiful is this!!
I can't wait to get my hands on this stunner (oh and the dress!)
Check these gorgeous dresses on Bernie's website
www.berniedexter.com

So more positive thinking for me and I've just got to learn to handle my busy life!
Oh what a chore!
Until Next Time
Toodle Pip

xxx

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Who said make up had to be pretty?

For my past project at Uni, I had to create a magazine and  boy have I had trouble with it, everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong thanks to malfunctioning usb sticks,CS5 insdesign, and stupid ink companies sending me the wrong ink, I cannot wait until I have a Sailor Jerry's & Coke on deadline day!
Here are some of the images from a make up photo shoot I did at the begin the project based on Spring/Summer trends for 2011. I wanted this to be completely different from other make up images, I didn't want it to be "pretty" because my publication is quite unique and alternative I thought I needed someone with this look. Luckily I found Charmaine in the library at Uni, I think she was quite terrified when I asked her to model for me but she had the look I wanted for my magazine.Once again I had my lovely friend Eddy taking the photos and Rhiannon Morgan doing the make up who I found through model mayhem!
Here are some of the images, I am pretty happy with them and cannot thank the people enough who helped put the shoot together!
Charmaine wearing a Vivien of Holloway dress (good choice!)
this look was based on Meadham Kirchhoff's catwalk make up, it looks quite scary but I love it
 
Charmaine had the perfect "evil" look for this style!
Rhiannon created this by just using fake eyelashes


This look was based on the Dior catwalk




I love this look so much! We couldn't get the same shade yellow but
I think it works just as successful! I think we should of used more of a
pink lipstick then red but it still looks 50s


This look was based on the Chanel catwalk, we added purple to the eyes to
make it look more interesting, I like the fact that the focus is completely on the eyes
We had the eyebrows more defined than the catwalk look which is what I prefer

The last look was quite simple and natural and I suppose quite plain for Charmaine but I think
it rounds the looks off nicely
it was based on the Caroline Herrera catwalk for what I called the "skaghead look"
I think some of these shots are really successful and I enjoyed doing a make up shoot however
I didn't realise how long they are because of doing different make up looks
Until Next Time
Toodle Pip
xxx