the Long and Short of it.

Until quite recently shorts were the preserve of the boy scouts and American tourists with bum bags (or fanny packs). But one day, they're suddenly sexy again! Open your eyes and look across the dancefloor, I'll wager that there are at least three girls wearing some kind of short... "Shorts! Sexier than skirts!" the world seems to be screaming.

Of course, I blame Kate Moss. But let's back up a little bit. Maybe I'm just biased because I have terrible legs, but I can't be the only one...

Anyway, my point here is to raise a very serious question, which is "What is the acceptable length for a trouser leg?" This of course depends on the type of trouser, and I'm feeling lazy so I'll just go right ahead and say that you should ALL be turning up your jeans. Yes, even you. You have to wear nice socks though. Or, no socks as is the current trend (don't forget your moccasins).

In the coming summer months I predict that rolling ones jeans up to the knee will become the height of fashion, inspired by those lovely boys over at camp Sea Power. Yes, do it, do it now!

There we have it, another lazy (and late) post telling you all to dress like British Sea Power. They've just been announced for Leeds and Reading, so next week maybe, an early guide to festival fashion.

Shirt the bed!

T-shirts. Are they the greatest thing ever? Yes, I belive they are.

Since we've already discussed at length my love of the animal t-shirt, I think we should this week discuss the "Do's" and "Don'ts" of t-shirt wear.

First and foremost, the biggest don't is SLOGAN T-SHIRTS. You know the ones that say something really "funny", or a line from a song etc etc. Yeah, the ones that everyone was wearing a year ago. Don't, please don't, they were cool for about five minutes, last year, I am offended by anyone who still wears one. (Although I do still love "GET YER FREAK ON GILES DEACON")

Another don't, although there's a do in here somewhere... Band t-shirts. "Woah", I hear you cry, "Woah there Lois, I've seen you around, sporting a British Sea Power tour t-shirt!". Yeah, let me finish. You know that band t-shirt you bought from H&M? Yeah that Ramones/Stones one? DON'T. A lot of people I've seen wearing these high-street band shirts don't even like, or KNOW of the bands. By all means wear t-shirts of bands you adore (props for wearing ones with fuck-awesome designs too- band logos are a bit passée)

This don't brings me onto another don't, which is pre-faded patterns. This is my biggest don't, just no. Please, no no no no no. Silly faded logos and (my particular hate) "retro" cartoon characters are all over the shops and they make me weep. For everyone's sake, I am saying, right here, boycott them, for the good of my eyes. I mean for the good of mankind.

Ok, we've had enough negatives for one week, let me tell you some massive DO's, in the form of words and phrases followed by an excited exclamation mark...
Baggy t-shirts on girls! YES, WEAR THEM LIKE A DRESS PLEASE! Obscure bands! Animals! Ironic hair metal bands! (I could go on all night, but I think you are getting the picture, I am the Nathan Barley of t-shirts)


For reference, pretty much anything on here is cool www.threadless.com
If in doubt, ask Lois. Belive.

Next week, turn ups. I hope

An Apology

I feel I have let you all down. I've been really busy, okay, I haven't, there is no excuse, but I seem to have been out of inspiration lately, but fear not for I am back!

The topic of today's excitement is that of the formal dress. Yes, that one. For a very important purpose I needed a formal dress. Lets just say it's not "prom-posh" but not "smart-caz". This seemed like a simple enough task until I thought about it rationally- What do I actually want? I had no idea what "look" I was going for.

Believe me, searching for a dress that's somewhere in between a character from Grease and an extra from the "Blitz Club" scene in Ashes to Ashes (check me out), yet still formal enough for the event in question.

In the end I went for a nice floral number from Warehouse. It hits both the "50s" and the "Twee Indie" boxes as well as the "Current trend for floral" box. So, I win.


Next week: Something Interesting

Animal Crackers part two.

I was right, animal shirts are on their way in. Thank me later for bringing it to the world of fashion's attention. These are exciting times, the nest thing for you to do would be to get your ass down to pop boutique (Manchester, London, Liverpool) and grab one.
I just need to figure out how to wear mine without looking like a real geek (yes you could argue that I already am)

Back to the Future

Here is a fashion fact for you- the 1950's NEVER go out of fashion. The 60's, 70's and 80's come and go, the 90's were shit, but my gosh the 50's!

Yes. I'm this sad. I watch Grease with the sound down for fashion tips. Even after the fashion disaster that was my prom dress my heart still goes all a-flutter when I see a rockabilly skirt. Right now I suggest you get on down to Primark and get the awesome 50's style blue and white stripy sun dress. Just don't wear it anywhere near me so we don't look like tools. I don't usually condone Primark, but this dress makes a lass feel like Patricia Franchini in A Bout De Souffle.

Also, and this is the most important thing I will ever tell you- Keep your eyes open for old-skool Letterman Cardigans. I've been looking at eBay, but the shipping costs to little old Manchester are astronomical.

Next week: Something good, possibly name dropping another of my A2 Film Studies focus films. Who knows.

Don't be mocking my moccasins!

That's right boys and girls, the latest word from the sartorial world is that moccasins are hotter than Fielder-Civil's crackpipe (That's my way of linking this week and last week, more on that later).

I know it's hard to believe, but I bet by festival season (Leeds tickets out soon, omg)you'll all be wearing a lovely pair. Personally, I would go old school and wear a Native American style pair like these:


(Its a terrible picture I know, but my google skills are limited at this time of the day)

Maybe we won't go that far, but I know the brown ones are in. Why else would Yan wear them?

This picture shows exactly how they should be worn. Ribbed socks are in. He's even wearing chinos. I'm not sure about the orange t-shirt though. We'll re-think that one. But girls, I really want to see you in moccasins soon. I've taken to wearing them around the house (okay, they are technically slippers, but I'm still cool).

In other shoes news, brightly coloured shoes (for men- see photo in previous post) and old fashioned loafers (for women) are in. Apparently. Fashion, eh?


PS- Another week, another guide to fashion via British Sea Power. Have you heard the acoustic version of Open the Door? It is truly excellent. Word.

the NME is my Enemy

I could spend this week's (rather belated, I admit) post quoting Anti-NME Art Brut/Goblins lyrics all over your eyes, but I thought, hey, no, I'll write a blog about Amy Winehouse instead- yawn.

Yesterday morning I was cheerily informed by Metro that Ms Winehouse had been given the WORST DRESSED award from the NME, cue a few thousand terrible puns about her plans to launch her own fashion line (in actual fact a cosmetics range). Well done popular press, well done.

I'll admit that I hated her the first time round. I probably didn't even know who she was, but I probably hated her even so. But that comeback! Middle of the road radio two-ish soul singer comes back with a song about rehab and a million tabloid stories about drug addiction, collabs with Mark Ronson and we have a megastar on our hands.

But this is all about style, right? And there's no denying that Wino's been setting a fair few trends since she said "no no no" to rehab in late 06. Big Hair, heavy eyeliner, nautical chic, high waisted pencil skirts are all de rigeur at the moment. Coincidence? Largerfeld doesn't think so. I don't think so. All this press speculation simply ups her cool, especially when you're an impressionble 18 year old. Indie kids across the land need to forget Kate 'n' Pete and instead rock the Amy 'n' Blake look down club NME (As if they're not already)

I know I will be, just as soon as I hit Primark for my new "spring" wardrobe. Holla!




PS- In case you were wondering, the NME awards is a bag of shite- Nicky Wire can suck my fucking cock. And that's a Brut/Goblins quote.