So I'm a graduate...where do I go from here?

After three long years of university, I finally graduated on the 10th July with a 2nd class upper divison in Fashion Promotion. I had been looking forward to that day since first year and I can't believe it went in the blink of an eye.

I trundled along to Chatham for what I hoped would be the last time and met up with my parents. I found it so strange being back there after just a month of being in London, what had been my home for three years just seemed like an unfamiliar town.

Many people I know had trouble deciding what to wear for graduation itself whereas I had decided months ago,  a vintage 50s yellow lace pencil dress I've had in my wardrobe for I can't remember how long, I've always longed to wear it but after trying my luck at jiving in it several years ago and ripping it I decided to keep it hidden away until I was able to wear it at a 'sensible' event.

I styled my hair all nice for it to get messed up wearing my mortar board but I didn't mind too much  because I was quite proud that I got to wear a mortar board and gown.
When I got there everything seemed to go so quickly, after waiting for what seemed like hours for the ceremony to start it was over and done with before I knew it and there I was with a degree, three years for an hour ceremony, what a waste some people might think, but not for me, it was the first time I'd ever felt truly proud of myself and I don't think it's something I'll forget.

My folks and me

My girl Vanessa looking rather ravishing in her little polka dot number

My girls!

And me after the ceremony looking a bit windswept.

But what now?? I'm currently living in London working part time in a pub trying to figure out what to do with my life. At the moment I feel I've completely let go of everything I was passionate about, including my blog. I'm not really sure why this has happened because I have plenty of opportunity to be doing what I love at the moment but everything seems to have slipped on by. I've had some good news, the New Vintage Look fashion show I co-organised in April with my friend Sarah, looks to be repeated next year at a great rockabilly weekend I shall keep nameless for now, but it's something to look forward to never the less.

 I feel as though I've got two pathways I could go down and it's frustrating to not have an idea of where I want to end up. My first pathway is to try more events managing, I figured that if I got asked to organise another show then surely I must be doing something right, so why not give that a go?
But then there's my second pathway, to go into wardrobe styling for teleivison dramas and movies, when I left my internship at Surgery PR, I had my heart set on this, but over the past few months I've found it is literally impossible to get into unless I have some kind of costume background, which for me is disheartening because I don't want to design, I want to source, dig out and put together outfits for television characters, because someone has to do it right? 

So for me this is confusing to say the least, but I've come to a conclusion that it's not going to happen over night, I'm going to keep pushing and see how far I get, or if I have any brainwaves and eventually I'll get to where I'm meant to be, where ever that is. Whenever I think about it like that, it makes me excited and not so scared about whats next in line for me.

I know one thing though
I love having purple hair! 

Until Next Time

Toodle Pip

xxx

Dreamboats and Lindyhop

So there I was, single and valentines day was approaching, how would I ever get through I thought, well if I'm entirely honest I thought where can I go get intoxicated with friends and have a good night!?  I had been pondering about going out for sometime as I was completely skint at the time, so there I was thinking I was going to have to have a quiet night in all on my lonesome, until my friends Shona of Adventures in Vintage and Kessie of Lady K loves managed to twist my arm into going to It's a wonderful Vintage Love boat ball, to be honest it didn't take a lot of convincing as I was already contemplating going as you probably saw a couple of posts back.
The second of 'It's a wonderful' events and a second sell out, Olivia of Moon on a stick PR definitely done herself proud again with a fantastic night of live music and dancing.
After much hunting high and low for the Battersea barge (which seemed like a never ending maze) I arrived at the venue early to help set up with Verity of the Vanity Box and Kessie, my gosh I have never seen so many balloons!
I've got to be honest I wasn't convinced with the venue when I first arrived but once the decorations were up and the sun had gone down, there was definitely a romantic vibe to the boat and I was without a doubt feeling more chirpy then I was after my massive trek to find the place.

I put my glad rags on and brushed my curls out and I was ready to party,  I decided to wear my Bernie Dexter, 'Bettina' dress as it was red and hourglass galore! I'm certainly glad I did because I don't think I've ever had so many compliments in one night! Lets just say I know to wear that dress out again.

Caught getting ready before people arrived, phone in hand? Nothing changes!

The place soon filled up and everyone was soon on the floor (or should it be deck?) dancing the night away, a few people even got me on the floor, I kept insisting that I was a jive only girl but after several asked me to dance I found myself picking up some Lindy Hop moves so now I will feel less silly if anyone else ever asks me! 

There was a fabulous new burlesque act which broke up the music of the evening, miss Folly Gosh and her seaside striptease, definitely something quirky to add to the evenings events.

Some of us from the night, all immacutaly dressed if I do say so, me and Shona both wearing Bernie Dexter designs!

Up on the outside deck a few of us had to recreate the famous 'I'm flying Jack!' pose from titanic, and when you're a little  bit intoxicated it isn't always the safest idea to lean off the front of a boat that's half in the Thames, which leads me on to my other point, dancing on a half moving boat after a few vodkas does tend to make  you feel a bit seasick, lesson truly learnt! 

But an interesting fun night out overall catching up with some of my lovely ladies, also met a few new people which is always nice! And as for the men dressing in their sailor attire, well what can I say I would let them save me if I fell overboard any day!

Can't you tell I was merry?!

Verity of the Vanity Box and Shona of Adventures in vintage

Of what I could see everyone who went had a fantastic time, there wasn't a moment when the dance floor wasn't full, I'm not a converted 40s enthusiast yet but I am starting to enjoy it all a whole lot more, maybe I'm becoming more open minded in my old age!

Don't forget to buy your tickets for It's a wonderful Vintage Jubilee Jamboree which is happening in May, I've been asked to model so I suppose I'll just have to go! Oh what a hard life one leads! 
For more info check out the It's a wonderful vintage special events page: www.facebook.com/ItsaWonderfulVintageSpecailEvents
Until Next Time

Toodle Pip

                                                                               xxx

A quick snippet of Spring/Summer 2012 Couture

As a fashion promotion student, I am meant to know what's going on where and when and who's going to it... or so they say! Part of this includes looking at all the catwalks of every fashion week from every country going... BORING! Obviously I'm a great lover of fashion, I wouldn't have spent the last five years studying it if that wasn't the case, but I like to check out what’s happening, who's doing what, in my own time.

Like last week, I decided to have a look on style.com as I hadn't in so long and realised it was Couture week in Paris, woops, totally forgot about that one (bad fashion student!) I love couture collections because I find it's a way for the designers to go all out in individual pieces. So I started looking through and noticed a lot of the collections had a definite vintage feel to them... I always like looking at collections like this because it makes me feel nostalgic and all warm and fuzzy because they're creating pieces that look like they've stepped out of my favourite eras, if a designer can do that than they've got my vote!

I know I tend to write more about vintage and pin up stuff but I see if contemporary designers are creating retro inspired bits then it needs to be celebrated, so here are a few of my favourite outfits from the Spring/summer couture shows.

First we have my favourite designer of all time, Christian Dior, after all the controversy that happened with John Galliano at Dior, Bill Gaytten has currently took the reins for his second couture show at Dior, and this one showed the New Look from a different angle, using extravagant sheer fabrics and heavily constructed garments that gave it a retro, lady like feel but still made it look very edgy.

I love this outfit, it is something that could easily be worn out for dinner, the red and white dog tooth gives it that vintage feel; however the sheer cross over jacket with the bow on the side makes it look distinctive yet chic.

This dress just reminded me of Betty Draper from Mad Men, such a simple pencil dress but the detailing in the fabric is phenomenal, I love the gradient from black to white, so classic, I love that it is kept simple with just a necklace for accessories.

The finale pieces are always amazing, I must admit I did think at first these girls looked a bit like toilet roll holders but I still adore the detailing of the skirts. Bill Gaytten has dramatised the new look and made the focus of the hourglass very powerful but yet it is still elegant.

It makes me wonder how much fabric goes into pieces such as this one because look at all that net!! This piece is kept retro with the polka dot print on the bodice of the dress and the giant bow on the models waist, how cute! Once again I love the different shades in the skirt; it brings the garment to life!

Next designer is Alexis Mabille, now I'm going to be honest I hadn't really heard of this designer before but their collection really stood out to me, I think it was more from a styling point of view rather than the designs themselves. Here's a few that caught my eye.

 The style of this dress was so eye catching to me, I wouldn't completely say it's got that vintage style to it but it's a great pencil dress and they look good on anyone! I love the lace detailing on the sides so it creates an hourglass shape which every lady wants of course!

 This, I thought was just beautiful, the embroidery and the detailing, not forgetting the gorgeous aqua shade of the dress itself, if it was just a tad longer it would be the perfect evening dress to a vintage ball!

Ahh I love this one, so elegant and I love the layering of the skirt, it looks like a lace petticoat, so pretty and the colour is so calm and classic. What I love about this whole collection is the giant flowers on the models head and the matching coloured faces, it made quite a simple and classic collection have that wow factor, and this is why I love styling! 

Finally we have Elie Saab, I just wanted to try on every single dress in this collection, oh it was so glamorous, the colour palette was truly beautiful and every dress looked like it could have been something Grace Kelly would have worn! 

Pastel greens and pinks were the colour palette for this collection, you can see how much thought went into each dress because of all the detailing in the print and the embellishment, The bottom left picture reminds me of something Grace Kelly wore once I think to an award ceremony, the high neckline is so flattering and feminine, it just oozes forties glamour. The one on the right I love it has such a strong hour glass shape to it and I love the round neckline, this style was quite popular in the fifties and sixties and it just suits the style of this dress so much, I want it in my life!! I think I am partial to a bit of pastel colouring at the moment, which is never a bad thing!!

So there we have a snippet of the spring/ summer couture collections I love

Until Next Time

Toodle Pip

Xxx

A step into my past

Being a lover of vintage bits and bobs, I love anything old, when I say old I mean from the 1960s backwards, whatever people say I still cannot class 80s and 90s bits as vintage, even though it is, I just see it as mass produced tat I'm afraid. So as a lover of old things, I was rather excited to hear that my uncle had found some antique suitcases in our old family home oop in Coventry. As the house had to be sold, he had a lot of clearing out to do and he has come across so much family history. That house holds a lot of memories for many members and generations of my family so we were all sad  to see it go but also very excited to see what it unleashed!

Here are the suitcases my uncle gave my mum and I (he knew we liked pointless old rubbish and knew no one else would want them)

 This one is apparently from around the 50s or 60s, I should know this really but if I'm honest, I don't tend to look at luggage from those eras, more like what goes in the luggage! I really liked the unusual way of how it zipped up, I'm so used to seeing the zips going all the way round the case, not on the top! I loved the pastel blue colour of it too, I think this was probably used by my gran and her sisters. I got to keep this one and I'm a bit upset I can't use it! Apparently it's not sturdy enough for all my belongings... well whatever do they mean?!

 This one as you can see dated back a bit further than the 50s, apparently we weren't allowed to lock it because otherwise we couldn't get it back open again, there were some faint markings of a name but we couldn't make it out, I would have loved to know who it belonged to! I love the colouring of the inside, it looks like it was built to last, more than you can say for some of the cases I cart around today!

 

We think this little beauty might have been my great grandads, I think this was probably from around the 1930s maybe? It's more modern than the previous and in a lot better condition, I would quite happily take this on little trips away with me! Don't think mumma would let me though!

 Last but not least the oldest of the bunch, now I'm not sure if it was this one or one of the ones above but apparently one was taken by my Great, great grandmother to Australia which took six weeks to get there! You cannot imagine such a journey! I love this one because it looks like it could tell a few stories, it looks as though it should be a doctors case to carry the medicines around in! Once again in great condition for how old it is, I'm guessing 19th to early 20th century?!

Ohh the stories they could tell, if only they could talk! I am looking forward to seeing what else my uncle finds! He's already found us patterns from the 40s, jewellery, a dressing table set and my favourite, family photographs! Here is some of my family history...

 These are photographs of my grans side of the family, they have been gone over in pencil and paints which was all the rage at the time!

 My great uncle Chris on the left and my great grandmother on the right, apparently I have a strong resemblance of her but I can't see it myself!

These photographs are one we have had in our hallway for as long as I can remember, look it's me again!

There is still a lot I have to learn about my family, mumma's currently trying to piece our family tree together, it's going to be a biggun, considering we had family in Wales, Denmark, Australia, you name it my family has probably been there! I can't wait to hear some of the stories she unfolds so I can carry them on to my child in the future. 

This post is probably a bit more personal than my normal ones but I thought I would share a piece of my history with you all!
Until Next Time

Toodle Pip

xxx

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

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!

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