Elvis isn't dead...

Hello Strangers,

It is crazy to think that this time last year I was enduring the long bus journey from Oxford to London and then an hour long underground trek - enjoying an internship at French Connection!It was an interesting experience but it already feels like it was a million years ago. What I really enjoyed was being able to help out with print a bead work. It is very strange to see some of the pieces I helped with sitting in the shops waiting to be bought. Gives me a little skip in my step when I see an advert for a garment I saw at it's beginnings. It was a fantastic experience and I really enjoyed it! Thank you to the people who helped me get it and who taught me a great deal about what the industry is like.

Anyway the reason I rave about some of the garments is because I have recently purchased one. It was in the sale but £325 reduced to £150 I think is still fair :). It is the Broiderie Brogue dress in cream leather with a laser cut pattern. I can tell you the silly thing I get excited about is I remember photocopying the pattern and trying to make it match at the seams and also drawing the pattern on to a working drawing. Silly but it gives me a little thrill.I did have an occasion to splash the cash and get such a statement piece - it wasn't just for wearing round the house! It was Mr FF's Grandparent's 50th Wedding Anniversary at the end of September = A big deal! A lot of his relatives were there, some travelled from Italy and America to come and celebrate. It was lots of fun with a five course lunch and a Dean Martin impersonator serenading us all and in the evening there was a hog roast and an Elvis impersonator. It was so much fun!! I have added some pictures in this post so you can see mine and Mr FF's outfits and some of the crazy shenanigans!

Mr FF and I
Mr FF and I with Mr FF's Bro and GirlfriendThe Grandparents = awwwAnd a rather close call with Elvis!

Anyway speak soon!!
Fashion Fantasist xx

(Thank you David D'Elia for the event photographs)

Behind The Sun

The drizzly, darkness of winter seems to have appeared. I have that horrible numb feeling in my brain from a rather horrible cold. So this blog post may not make muuuuuch sense. Hehe! We did have one last lovely weekend of beautiful weather however and the papers went mad calling it our Indian Summer. So in natural Brit fashion we took to the park with picnic in hand and disposable bbq in the other.

Now this is my first outfit post so please be kind... I have managed to find myself a lovely pair of wine coloured skinny jeans for the winter months. Coloured trousers - jeans and chinos are becoming a big winter trend for women and men. Imagine my joy when instead of teaming these jeans with chunky jumpers I was able to wear a strappy top - in SEPTEMBER! :)

Head scarf: Charlotte Taylor
Top: Topshop
Jeans: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Miss Selfridge
Bag: Primark

More posts soon - the fashion weeks have not gone unnoticed!! I am now going back to my hot chocolate, blanket and Red Hot Chili Peppers 'What Hits' and the talking dolphin.

Speak soon lovelies!
Fashion Fantasist xx

Gok-Tastic!

Last Wednesday I was completely star struck on the front row of the Gok Wan's fashion roadshow in the centre of Cabot Circus. Thank you to the lovely ladies who PR for Cabot Circus I was able to sit on one of the pink seats and use the voting paddles.

The first season of Gok's fashion roadshow Gok was up against Brix Smith Start with a designer versus highstreet face off. This season Gok is up against.... well... Gok!! He has turned his hand at creating an affordable collection, where each outfit cost up to £50 and a more expensive, where each outfit cost up to £250. I wont reveal too much about them as the programme will be airing later this month but I am looking forward to finding out where everything came from.

There were also three lucky ladies who had a Gok style make over and looked like they really enjoyed the experience. It was nice to sit where I did as I got to see the family's reactions, since they knew what they had looked like before. At the end I was grabbed for an interview.... Which I really hope isn't aired.... "I voted for the pink one... because of such and such a reason..." All very embarrassing - but I was pleased with my outfit and actually have a snap here with some of the other guests (Picture source mystreetchic.com). Skinny Jeans, over sized cream shirt and clogs. Managed to successfully wear those and not fall over much... hehe!All in all I had a lovely time. It was nice to also meet the girls behind mystreetchic.com who I sat with.

Enjoy and hope you manage to catch the show!
Fashion Fantasist xx

It's oh so quiet.... shhhhh shhhhh

Right it is time to blow the dust off this blog and banish the tumbleweeds and get with the programme! I have no good excuse for my lack of activity and can only apologise for being dull and say thank you to those followers who have not left out of sheer boredom!!!

I have a few dozen posts lined up but I should probably fill you in with what I have been up to...

As you know I finally managed to get a paid office job at the end of February. I shall not divulge the company name but I was there with an agency on a temporary bases. On 1st June I was offered a role within the company to work permanently and I started on 1st July! I am currently 2 months in to my 3 month probation period and I feel it is going well. I enjoy working with the people I work with and I think that is what counts... My hours are also pretty cool 9am - 4pm, which means I have actually had some time to draw :) I also am really enjoying office wear = smart/casual can be lots of fun and I am also becoming more experimental with my weekend style. I hope to incorporate some style snaps for you on this blog going forward.

(Yes this is a work shirt... Tucked in to a black pencil skirt it looks pretty cool!)

Mr Fashion Fantasist and I also have two new little members of our family in the shape of two very mischievous kittens who , I'm not going to lie, keep us on our toes. They are Bea and Rosie. Bea is the runt of the litter and is a tiny, black short hair and Rosie, her sister, is a black long hair. At this very moment I have both of them sitting on my knee batting at my fingers on the keys and the screen. Most of the time they can be adorable but they can be little terrors as Mr FF found at his peril when they chewed through his skype head set whilst he was mid conversation.... ooops!! But look at their little faces - you can't be mad for long! They also seem to have some sort of death wish throwing themselves up and down the stairs...
Stairs? Yes you read correctly! Mr FF and I have moved out of our one bed ground floor flat in to a two bedroom house! Yay! To be honest I am just as excited about the stairs as the kittens!! Hehe! It is still rented but it is a lovely Victorian mid terrace house with features, a garden and I have converted the second bedroom in to a bit of a studio space, which I plan to shut myself away in whenever I come home from work. However coming from a one bed flat in to a house one notices a severe lack of furniture so I have become a tad obsessed with interiors at the moment and I think my Tumblr blog will start to reflect this... I need to buy a scanner, mine went to scanner heaven, as I have a big box of image clippings I plan to share with you on that blog!

Front room
Bed room
Second bedroom/Studio!

Anyway that's the life update over... I am very much looking forward to writing a few posts I have lined up and sharing with you my Autumn favourites that are now in the shops. But for now, how are you? and what have I missed?

Speak Soon!!
Best wishes,
Fashion Fantasist xx

Flutterby Butterfly

Hello Lovelies,

Sorry it has been so long!!!! As some of you may be aware I have managed to land myself an office job and am only just getting used to the Nine - Five (Thirty!) mentality. But I do have some blog posts planned to make up for my lack of posting (A whole two weeks!!!!)

I have realised that I haven't shared with you my latest wardrobe additions. They are from a few separate shopping trips but all the items slot quite nicely in to my new office work wear wardrobe.

Peach Slouchy Trouser from Miss SelfridgeButterfly Shirt from MangoJumper from Miss Selfridge SalePleat Trim Collar Top from Miss Selfridge - Love this detail!H by Henry Holland Zebra Top from DebenhamsLace Jumper - Topshop Sale

I hope you are all well and enjoying Spring. I promise to have some more blog posts soon!

Best Wishes,
Fashion Fantasist xx

Feeling Frilly

With all the rain I am already starting to think about Summer! Have found a couple of pieces that I can't wait to wear once the sun starts shining again.This dress is from Primark and I was immediately drawn to the print. It reminded me of vintage fabric and even though every other person will probably have this dress I still think something about it is unique and interesting.These sweet frilly shoes were found in the Topshop sale! I am very pleased I have finally bought these shoes as I have been lusting after them for quite some time!! They were perfect to go with a dress that I had for a wedding. Here is the dress, it is from Great Plains and I snapped it up at a French Connection Sample sale for £15!!!So as you can probably tell I will be wearing some frills this summer - and I can't wait!!

Hope you are all staying warm and dry!!

Fashion Fantasist xx

Spot Of Tea?

Well it was my Birthday yesterday (5/1/11) and thank you for my birthday wishes! Had a lovely day and got very spoilt - which is always a good thing on a birthday.

I visited Bristol Aquarium, I had never been. It was really great - lots of different types of exhibits from fresh water to the Amazon and the Coral Reef. Here are a few snaps I took.I also received a wonderful array of gifts and felt truly spoilt... I will share with you some of my favorites.

A lovely Tea Set from the Boyfriend - I do love Teapot Tea (say it as one word very satisfying!)
And the beautiful frame in the background.And two sweet dotty tops from my parents.

There is also a mysterious present that is yet to arrive due to delivery so I am interested to see what that will be. I also got given some fruity and floral bath stuff and yummy chocs!

Hope you are all well
Best Wishes
Fashion Fantasist xx

Christmas Wishes

Now that Christmas is just around the corner I thought I would share with you a few items from my Xmas Wish List...
Now this may be my last blog post until after Christmas as I am not taking my laptop to my parents... Buuuut you will get a full update before the new year on all Christmas merriment I am sure! I also need to share with you all my experience with French Connection, which will be a mammoth post since I enjoyed it so much and learnt loads!

I will also say now, if I don't get the chance, that my blog will be one on new years day!!! Crazy that I have been only blogging a year and lots of fantastic things have happened - but more on that on new years day (hopefully without too big a hangover!)

For now I wish you a Happy Christmas and hope that Father Christmas brings you everything you wished for!!!

Speak Soon!!
Fashion Fantasist xx

Feeling Festive

I absolutely adore this jumper I wore recently. It is my Mums that she knitted and doesn't wear anymore (my sister and I borrow it). It is perfectly christmassy and with all the snow around I am starting to feel rather festive.

Playing on Polyvore I have found some festive jumpers, some winter warmers and cocktail dresses.

Troja Deer Jumper
Dorothy Perkins Stag Jumper
Topshop Knitted Zigzag Sequin Jumper
Bobble Knit Jumper By Unique**
D&G Fair Isle Wool-Blend CardiganFur and Knitted Cape
Kain Oversized V-Neck Sweater
Jodhpurs
Chloe Strap Detailed Leather BootsWunderkind Fur Collar Coat
Chloe Pure Paddington Leather Duffle Bag
Christian Louboutin Margot Suede Lace Ankle Boots
J Brand Major Skinny JeanRosamosario Babydoll Silk Dress
Adam Metallic Jaquard Dress
French Connection Elizabeth Rose Dress
Herve Leger Sequin Embellished Bandage Dress
Adam Bead Embellished Silk Dress

Lots of love
Fashion Fantasist x