The Fish Tank

Review: Britney Spears Circus Fantasy Perfume

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:22:00 +0000

The lovely people at Superdrug were kind enough to send me the new britney fragrance to review, so, here are my thoughts!

I actually really like the packaging for this perfume. It may be bright and in-your-face, but I think the blue and red colour scheme looks good, and I like the fonts used. Inside the box lid is a picture of Britney in one of her Circus costumes.
The bottle is a nice blue colour, but the stuck on red crystals are a little bit tacky looking. But then you don't expect award-winning design for an inexpensive perfume (this retails at £24.99)
As for the important bit, how it smells. It's certainly very sweet, but still pleasant, not sickly. It's definitely not a perfume you'd describe as sophisticated, but then again, sometimes it's nice to be fun, rather than sophisticated. The scent lasted from morning to about midday, but the bottle isn't so fragile that you couldn't carry it in your bag and re-apply during the day.
Due to it's sweet, fruity scent, I'd say this would be a good perfume for a younger teen, perhaps as a first perfume after using body sprays. It'd be an ideal Christmas present for a younger sister or other relative.
Overall rating: 3.5/5

You can buy Circus Fantasy here from Superdrug.

1001 ways to tie a headscarf*

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:28:00 +0000

*actually only six ways. It took me long enough to figure half of these out, even though they're all ridiculously simple...

Crazy headpieces were all over the catwalks and collections for this Autumn/Winter season, from bunny ears to studs to gloves. Fun as these are, they don't translate very well into everyday wear, unless you're quite fearless with the way you dress.

A far easier, and less mental way to channel the shit-on-your-head trend is to use silk scarves. They're super quick and easy to put on and look really good at the same time.

(Another reason I've taken to wearing scarves on my head - and as a consequence am writing this post - is the new hair. I love how super blonde it is now, but as a result of the bleach it's a lot drier, so I'm trying not to mess with it or heat style it too often. The scarves make boring ponytails/buns look a lot better.)

I've used three different scarves, the smallest is the purple one, then the blue and green is the next biggest and the blue the largest.

They all cost between 99p-£2, so there's no need to go spending loads on a Hermes one. There are always tons of these "old lady" scarves hanging about in charity shops.

For all of these, I simply folded the scarves in half corner to corner to make a triangle, then rolled the triangle to create a long thin tube. Erm, it's not easy to explain but I'm sure you all understand.

Sorry I look so rough/crazy in these pictures. I'm not really too into headshots..

The simple wraparound

The middle of the folded scarf goes onto the base of the back of your head. Cross the two ends over the top of your head and tie the ends together at the back again and tuck/pin under to hide them if you want.
Barely needs explaining.

The pirate

As above, just over the top of "down" hair. You can position this further back, so it looks kind of gossip-girl hairband-y, or pull it forward more over your fringe, which I always think makes me look a bit like a pirate.

The washer woman

The middle of the scarf goes on top of your head, behing your fringe (if you have one). The two ends cross under at the back, then tie them at a slightly jaunty angle back on top of your head, with short end bits poking out. I think this is my favourite one.

The big bow

A bit like the washer woman, only you start with the middle of the scarf at the back of your head, then tie the ends into a bow on the top of your head and pull the loops until they're huge and floppy. Note: if your scarf is too big the bow will be too large you'll just look like you have floppy spaniel ears or something. Not such a good look.

The twist

Start with the middle of the scarf at the back of your head, twist the ends around each other on top, so each end comes back down the same side it went up on (I am so not making this clear) and tie at the back, tucking end under. Chic, non?

The bun bow

Start with a high messy top-knot. Tie a big bow around it facing the front or the back, whichever takes your fancy. This is a bit more in your face than the others but I really like it. It's a bit of a take on the top-knot and bunny ears seen at Louis Vuitton Fall 09, or at least I think it is.

So there we go, by no means an exhaustive list of ways to tie scarves around your head, but some ideas none the less. Oh, and don't worry if your find that they slip off easily, in most of the pictures above I've got kirby grips helping to keep the scarves on. You could use prettier, visible clips too I guess.

If anyone has a go, or comes up with any more ways to tie scarves do let me know in the comments!

Review: Littlewoods Love Label Military Knit Cardigan

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

A little while ago I was contacted to see if I'd like to choose a product from Littlewoods to review for The Fish Tank.
I was a little surprised at first, as Littlewoods is a brand I've always associated with grannies and twinsets, so I was unsure that they'd have anything particularly "fashion forward" to offer me. I was totally wrong however, as their new Love Label line is full of catwalk-inspired, brilliantly designed pieces.

I chose this military knit cardigan because I really liked the look of the detailing, and thought it would fit in well with both my existing wardrobe, and my plans for the new season.

Image from Littlewoods.com

In real life it's actually a darker, more marled grey than it looks on the website, but I like that better as I feel darker greys are more versatile.
To show you how it looks on a normal, non-model type (i.e. me), I thought I'd take a few pictures and bung on a military hat I drunkenly bought for about £3 at Reading Festival this summer.

It fits true to size. Not too baggy and not too tight, and it looks good buttoned up or left undone. I would prefer it to be a bit longer, but that's just a personal preference, and a longer cut may make it lose its boxy military look, and it is quite thin, so it's definitely more of a layering piece than keep-you-warm winter outerwear.

I'm really impressed with the detailing on this cardigan. As you might be able to see from the pictures, the knit is textured in a houndstooth pattern, which I've never seen before. The black faux-frogging detail is a sort of knitted piping, and is in relief, not knitted into the rest of the cardigan, which gives even more lovely texture (which is what it's all about this winter people.) The buttons are really detailed for a high-street priced item, with a coat of arms and anchor design on them, which unfortunately I couldn't get a clear picture of. And top marks to Littlewoods for including a spare button too.

I'd definitely recommend this cardigan, as it seems to be made to a high quality for a reasonably priced item (it retails at £39). I know it's a little bit more than you might pay at some high street shops, but the details on this item are definitely what makes it stand out and worth the money. Why spend £35 on a Topshop cardigan that everyone else has too, when you could get this hidden gem and look just as, if not better?

Thank you so much Littlewoods, and to Jon, for setting up this review for me. The cardigan will definitely be getting a lot of wear this winter. Keep an eye out for it in upcoming outfit posts too!

Sunday Inspitation: Fur

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Faux or vintage only please!

Glamcanyon, Face Hunter, Hel Looks and probably some other places that i can't remember now.

Sunday Inspiration: Black

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Images from Style Bubble, The Cobra Snake, The Face Hunter, Glam Canyon.

Sunday Inspiration: Tartan

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:34:00 +0000

Images from Face Hunter, Lookbook, Nice and Shiny, Sea of Shoes, Hel Looks.

Outfits and shit

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:09:00 +0000

According to an email I received from Photobucket, my bandwidth should have reset by now and my pictures should be visible. This hasn't happened however so the archives are still out of action, which is pissing me off. So I've sent them an annoyed email, and as of now I'm switching to TinyPic.

Anyway, it really is a bitch not having constant internet access. I'm in the uni library at the moment, but the wifi in here can be dodgy, and I really need to be using this time to do degree-related work. I've really fallen behind in the blogging world, have no idea what's going on fashion week-wise and I'm generally feeling uninspired. And it looks like I'm not going to have internet in the house for about another three or four weeks. Damn you Virgin Media!

Anyhow, enough of my bitching, here are some outfits...

New Look denim jacket - Lives Not Knives charity tee - Primark shorts - Doc Martens

New Look jacket - Dorothy Perkins t-shirt - vintage belt - H&M skirt - Asos shoes - Topshop ring

H&M cardigan - Chateau Roux top - Secondhand/DIY skirt - George shoes - DIY hairbow

I love that Chateau Roux Hate Hate Knuckles top that I got as part of my Chateau Roux haul. It's very "me" according to my friends.

Finally, how the fuck is it October already?
Not impressed.

New Digs

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:24:00 +0000

Firstly, thank you all for all your lovely comments on my last post. And also, thanks for sticking with me in this time of slow posting!

I know this isn't fashion-y at all, but I wanted to post pictures of my new room in my new house. It's a lot nicer than last year's student accomodation, although admittedly a little further out and a little bit more expensive.

My room used to be the lounge, so it's huge, and has two balconies(!). And we still have a nother lounge downstairs..

And the view from my back balcony at night..

Canary Wharf, yay. I loved London at night.

It needs more wall decoration, so I'll possibly post more pictures some other time if I make a big difference to it.

Lectures have started again now (and I only have one 9am a week, yay! Although it is French political history, for two hours, with the lecture given in French. Boo.) so I'll be able to get on the internet more often, so hopefully that will mean more posting. Hopefully.

Public Service Announcement

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:54:00 +0000

Two things really.

1) I've apparently exceeded my photobucket bandwidth and so none of my pictures will work until it gets reset on the 28th September. Bummer. I've fixed the last few posts with the help of tinypic, but I'm afraid the archives ar eout of action until then :(

2) I'm moving into my new house in London tonight, and we don't have internet access set up as yet, and it may apparently take up to 3 weeks!! I may be able to get on to post something at the library, but chances are I won't be able to update much. Please don't get annoyed or offended if I don't comment or reply as quickly as usual over the next couple of weeks.

Thank you all for reading!
xxxxx

Girl Crush - Florence Welch

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:57:00 +0000

I'm guessing most of my UK-based readers will know who Florench Welch is, but for those of you from overseas who might not, she's a singer from Florence and the Machine.

Not only is she an incredible musician, she's got great personal style, both on stage and off. A lot of her performance outfits are along the Lady Gaga-esque tiny hotpants and leotards line, but on Florence they seem a lot less contrived. Her outfits don't give off the "I'm batshit crazy" vibe that Lady G's do.

And I just love her hair. She's the sole reason for my ridiculously strong desire to dye my hair a really bright red right now.

All via Google Images

Florence and the Machine recently missed out of the Mercury Music Prize for best album of the year, despite being the critic's favourite to win. Her debut album, Lungs, is one of the best records I've heard in ages, and is constantly on my ipod. If you haven't got it yet, go and buy/download it now. You won't regret it!

Here's the video for her new single, Drumming Song. Both the song and the video are fantastic. Take five minutes away from whatever you're doing right now and watch it.

More planning for Autumn

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:35:00 +0000

Following on from my first Autumn planning post, here's part 2, containing the second general trend direction-y idea I want to try out this season.

The Notion: Sexy young Parisian who's into all things luxe and is just a little bit naughty...

The inspirations:

Louis Vuitton
Of course.
LV this season is quintessential French sexiness, simple as. Sheer lace, silk, ruffles.. Pink in every shade will be making its way into my wardrobe. And then there's the bunny ears adding a playful twist. Quirky headwear it is then!

Richard Nichol
Don't the models just look like sexy robots from the future? Like if Arnie shopped at Agent Provocateur. Or on second thoughts not... :S
Loving the muted colour palette, beige never looked so appealing! This is inspiring an underwear-as-outerwear feeling for me.

D&G
This is just the epitome of sumptuous fashion isn't it. So many pictures as I just couldn't cut it down. Possibly my favourite collection from this season.
There's so much you can take away from this collection - lace, brocade, quilting, leopard print, velvet.. In trying to emulate these looks it'll be important to exercise some restraint and stay on the right side of OTT. The finish of fabrics is the key thing here, so velvet is definitely going to be something I'll be looking for, and I really want a quilted dress now. Asos has a lovely one here which comes in black and royal purple, but unfortunately I know it wouldn't fit (as I'm different sizes on the top and bottom.) Possibly a DIY if I'm feeling brave!

The easiest and cheapest way to get this overall look is with hosiery. Lace or sheer black tights will be a wardrobe staple, and maybe even hold-ups and a suspender belt.

Items from Asos, Topshop and Black Milk

It's important to keep the rest of your outfit casual and modest to avoid looking trashy with this type of hosiery though! If I get a suspender belt I'll be pairing it with thick over-the-knee socks rather than actual stockings to tone down the "sex" factor.
I love these pieces by designer Natalie Encarnita (who you can find stocked on Asos and Pixie Market.) Her clothes are a twist on "sexy" by using lingerie sihouettes and elements as patterns and embellishment on the outside, rather than underneith, so they're more casual and quirky.

I especially love the bra back dress and bustier applique top. The "suspender leggings" remind me of the new House of Holland tights, don't you think?

What do you think of the "sexy Parisian" look? Id it something you'd be tempted to try this season?

The best Accessories Online

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:47:00 +0000

Twitter seems to be the place to go at the moment for discovering great new brands. First Chateau Roux, now Accessories Online, an online jewellery store which sells some of the cutest trinkets and baubles I have ever seen.

The first time I visited I was shocked. It was as if the shop had been created just for me - I love and would wear almost every single piece on the website. Consequently it's been quite difficult for me to pick just a few favourite pieces to show you - as you can see I couldn't get the number down that small! :p

Images via Accessories Online
Featuring: Alex Monroe 22kt Gold Plated Lucky Clover Necklace £109.95 - Angie Gooderham Geometric Nugget Ring in Antique Silver £ 31.95 - Anna Lou of London Crown Earrings £ 19.95 - Butler and Wilson Three Wise Owls Brooch £ 38.00 - Butler and Wilson Black Crystal Skull Ring £ 18.00 - Cath Kidston London Charm Bracelet £ 35.00 - Dogeared Make a Wish Bracelet with Tiny Silver Wishbone £ 19.95 - Fiona Paxton Sylvie Long Hand Beaded Necklace in Silver £ 140.00 - Karen Millen Triangle Stone Ring £ 50.00 - Kenneth Jay Lane Crystal Octopus Ring £ 65.21 - Les Nereides 18 Allee du Bonheur Stork Necklace £ 98.95 - Leandra Holder Luxe Rock Chick Memories Bracelet £ 116.00 - Alex Monroe Fat Mushroom Earrings in Silver and 22kt Gold £ 67.87 - N2 Fais un Voeu Mystical Palace Necklace £ 34.95 - N2 Fais un Voeu Arabian Charm Bracelet £ 49.95

Accessories Online stocks more than twenty different designers, some I'd never heard of before and some better known names like Cath Kidston and Karen Millen. The range of jewellery is really well edited, (and also really affordable!) and I suspect that there'd be very few people who wouldn't find something they love on there - especially if, like me, you like jewellery with a slightly quirky edge to it.

I know this sounds like paid advertising :P but I honestly just love the site and wanted to let my readers know about it. I'm planning on placing an order soon so I'll let you know as soon as I get my own jewellery to show you!

In the mean time, make sure you have a browse around the site, there's so many more treasures on there than I can show off here, read the blog and follow Accessories_Uk on Twitter for genuinely entertaining tweeting as well as website updates!

Planning for Autumn

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Like most fashion bloggers/readers, I love shopping. A lot. Unfortunately this can lead to a lot of impulse buys which sit in my wardrobe not getting worn. As I'm living on a student budget, I can't really afford to waste money, so I like to try and get my thoughts together every time a new season comes around, and semi-plan what sartorial direction I'm going to be taken. Once I've got that clear, it's easier for me to "buy within the lines" so to speak, and not spend my money on clothes which aren't going to fit in with the rest of my wardrobe.
My plan for Spring/Summer worked reasonably well, and I've been able to get lots of wear out of my SS buys this year, so hopefully I'll be able to stick to the plan for AW.
I know it seems a bit regimented but of course if I see something I absolutely fall in love with and haven't planned for I'll still get it. And it's mainly an excuse to look over lots of style.com pictures and daydream about clothes. Yes I'm tragic. No, I don't care :p

This isn't a very straightforward and coherent direction by the way, just to warn you. This post is, as you can probably guess, more for myself than anything else, so um, bear with me if you can and I'll get back to some more interesting, less nonsensical posting soon!

The notion: Military general come Scottish country gentleman.

The inspirations:

Luella
Luella Bartley's collections are consistently up in my favourites season after season. I think it's something to do with the inherent British quirkiness present in all of her designs. This season is no exception. I love the dolled-up military vibe, which I will try and emulate with army-surplus jumpers and a statement coat.

Prada
Sexed-up country at its best. The thigh high waders aren't exactly practical for uni (not that I could afford anything like them anyway!), but the tweed shorts,jacket and even dress could be easily replicated, along with the chunky cardigans. There's even a bit of military thrown in there too (even if it is of the Roman soldier kind!) Corpse make-up optional of course.

Erin Fetherston and Ann Demeulemeester
Erin Fetherston's collections, despite being criticised often for being gratuitously frivolous, always appeal to the girly girl in me. This season however, she's thrown in some new elements in the form of more structured jackets and coats (even if they are still made in silk/satin). I especially love the look in the dead centre, with the matching jacket and waistcoat. It looks very English country gentleman on-the-hunt (which I totally disapprove of just to make it clear!)
Ann D's clothes seem to me to be a mix between military and 18th/19th century romanticism, with a kind of Jane Austen-y thing going on, but without looking costume-y, something I'm very keen to avoid. And then there are those killer strapped leather corset thingymabobs. I may have a go at DIY-ing one. Not that I'd ever wear it out I doubt, but it would be amazing to look at.

You may (if you've been paying attention, which I doubt, in fact if you've got this far through the post then wow) be wondering where the Scottish bit I mentioned came from. Well, I think it's important to not blindly follow trends, and instead to kind of squoosh new elements in with your existing style. This is where the Scottish comes in, or, more accurately, tartan. (Yes I know I'm being wonderfully stereotypical here and there is much more to Scotland than tartan and vice-versa cause you can get Cornish tartan etcetc, but it helps to streamline the whole Autumn vision into the whole "military general come Scottish country gentleman" character.)

I love tartan (or plaid, whatever) and other such check-y patterns, and I'm planning on introducing a lot more into my wardrobe this autumn. Mainly via the medium of Uniqlo shirts. I love Uniqlo flannel shirts. There will also be argyle. I already have a psuedo-argyle top from H&M, which has hearts instead of diamonds, but I want more. Again from Uniqlo I think. Oh, and possible fairisle. Is that how you spell it?

L-R: Jack Wills, ASOS, Uniqlo, Uniqlo, Topshop.

A statement military/countrified jacket will be the main component of this whole look I think. A sweeping military/tweed coat would probably be better fitting, but I'm more a jacket than a coat fan. Jackets are easier to shove on, take up less room and can be stuffed in a bag. Also my legs don't really feel the cold so much, so a long coat is kind of unnecessary. Here are some nice possibilities:

Clockwise from top left: New Look, Topshop, Next, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins.

Other key elements will be:
Chunky knits, long woollen socks, knee-length or OTK boots, some kind of canvas knapsack/backpack and possibly some kind of old-man tweed cap.

Right, I have rambled on quite a bit more than I imagined writing this post, so I shall stop now. I'll probably do at least one other post like this though, probably next week? I'm not sure.

What will you be wearing this autumn anyhow*? Tell me, I'm nosy and I want to know.

*or spring, if you're one of them southern-hemisphere types.

Fringe Benefits

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:30:00 +0000

This is such a self-indulgent post. But I got bored and cut in a fringe and wanted to show you/see what you all think. Do you like it?

Images taken via La Photo Cabine found via Mademoiselle Robot

Chateau Roux Shopping Spree!

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I won a competition on Twitter run by Chateau Roux. I finally got down to their Newburgh Street shop (just off Carnaby Street for those who don't know London) for my prize - a £150 shopping spree!

The shop itself looks amazing. You really can't miss it from the outside...

Above images from the Chateau Roux Flickr and Twitter

...and inside the walls are covered in artwork. Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the artist who painted the shop, but they also team up with Chateau Roux to design limited edition t-shirt graphics too.

For a relatively small shop there's tons of stuff in there, but it doesn't feel cramped or cluttered at all.

Above image via the Chateau Roux Twitter

As you can see, I picked up armfuls of t-shirts to try on, and eventually came out with this haul:

I especially love the grey t-shirt, it has poppers on the sleeves and on the back so you can change the shape of it. Really versatile.

A couple of the t-shirts are from the "Shotguns in Soho" range, where they shoot the t-shirts with a shotgun to create patterns of holes individual to each t-shirt, so you'll never be wearing the exact same thing as anyone else. I love how the SinS shirts come with an empty shotgun cartridge attached to them. I've kept the ones off my t-shirts and I'm considering a DIY with them.

Chateau Roux also have a "Self Harm" range which come with a swatch of sandpaper so you can distress your shirt as you want.
And they also have a range of dead chunky, graphic jewellery.

The Chateau Roux website has just re-launched after a re-design and you should definitely go and check it out.

I'd like to say a massive thank you to the Chateau Roux team for such a great prize, especially Faye who was so sweet and friendly and made me feel right at home straight away. It was such an enjoyable experience and I'll definitely be popping back in soon!

Fancy Dress Party - Lady Gaga

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Lady Gaga costume for my birthday party last Friday.

Topshop a-symmetric peaked shoulder body, New Look shoes, fancy-dress shop wig (did the hair-bow thing myself) and eyelashes, Barry M lipstick in no.146

Gaga is so fun to dress up as. But the wig was quite itchy so I'm not sure I'll be doing it again in a hurry!

Oh, and the best birthday cake ever..

My mum and dad made and decorated the whole thing themselves :)

Going Gaga

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:27:00 +0000

I really want to blog at the moment, I have tons of stuff to talk about, but I'm really busy at the moment so you'll have to bear with me if you don't mind!

I was in London for a day yesterday for some uni-related stuff, and other than that I'm working full time this summer. I'm throwing a fancy-dress birthday party in my garden tomorrow, so I have to put the marquee up, sort out the food, and make room for the 6 uni-friends coming to stay from all over the country!

And trying to get my costume sorted. I'm going as Lady Gaga but it currently looks more drag queen!?

I know I'm majorly behind on returning comments and linking up people who've asked for link-swaps.
If you want to trade links let me know and I'll get you hooked up ASAP!

I'll have time for an update on Sunday *fingers crossed* but check back next week and I should be back in the swing of it by then.

Have a great weekend everyone!

And thankyou for reading! I love you all so much for sticking with The Fish Tank!

Fritha Louise
xxxxxx

One To Watch - Clare Venema

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:55:00 +0000

ANTM has just become a complete joke, and don't even get me started on the rubbish that is the British version. Australia's Next Top Model however does not disappoint, with contestants who actually look like models, and better production values than the other series. Infact, one of the biggest NTM success stories, Alice Burdeu, who has walked for a lot of the biggest designers, including Marc Jacobs, won the third series of AusNTM.

This year's winner wasn't anything too special in my opinion, but the girl who came third, Clare Venema, is definitely a face to watch. As well as looking amazing in pictures, she also has a killer signature walk. She's now been signed by Australian agency Chic Management, (who also have Abby Lee on their books) and looks set to make a name for herself.

Stats

Height - 5'11"/180cm

Bust - 31"

Waist - 24.5"

Hips - 34.5"

Eyes - Blue

Hair - Blonde

Images and stats via Chic Management

Sunday Inspiration: Super Sweet

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:20:00 +0000

Images from Live Glam or Die, Elinkan, Hel Looks, Face Hunter.

Magic Mascara

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Super quick post before I go out, but I just had to share this with you.

Even though I have naturally long eyelashes, I'm still super-obsessive over mascara. I like having ridiculously long, voluminous lashes all the time. I usually use DiorShow, which most people say is too OTT for daytime but I wear it all the same.

I'm trying to save money at the moment though, and at around £20 a pop, and with the fact that it doesn't last me too long due to the amount I wear it, DiorShow just isn't an option.

I picked up this Collection 2000 Volume Sensation mascara from Superdrug the other day. I didn't really pay much attention to picking what I was getting because I was in a rush, and I was attracted by the packaging on this and by the fact that it was on offer for £2.88!

Image from the Collection 2000 website
I wasn't expecting much when I tried it, but oh my god, it's amazing! Especially when you consider the price (even at full price it's under a fiver!).

I think you'll agree the results are bloody good for a cheapy mascara. It hasn't even come up that well in these pictures. My eyelashes are even longer and fuller in real life. And really dark black, just how I like them. It comes in normal black (this is "Ultrs Black"), and brown-black too though I think.
I realise the mascara-ed eye is photographed from a slightly different angle, which I'm annoyed at myself about. But trust me, I'm not trying to con you (why would I, I don't work for Collection 2000!), this marcara is really really good. Wish I hadn't put eyeliner on before taking these either so you could see better, but this was just a spur-of-the-moment thing..
The only downside is that it does run off easily if it gets wet, but a coat of clear mascara over the top helps with that.

I probably will go back to Dior eventually, as this isn't as thick as DiorShow, but for now it's definitely a make-up bag staple!

DIY Zac Posen Inspired Studded Hairband

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:55:00 +0000

I loved the hair on the models on the Zac Posen AW09 runway show, especially the spiked "real hair" hairbands.

Images from Style.com

Making my own was really cheap, I bought a "hair" plait hairband from the Asos sale (but they're dirt cheap and pretty much everywhere at the moment), which considering I got it off the internet without seeing it first, matches my hair colour surprisingly closely.

I used smaller round domed studs rather than the long spikes on the real Zac Posen version because I wanted them to be a little more subtle to make the hairband more wearable for daytime as well as going out, and I didn't want to impale my face getting it on and off, or poke anyone else by getting my head too close to them. Safety first and all.

It was super easy to do, and I think I only used 8 studs, which means I have another 17 to use left out of the bag of 25 I bought (the smallest number I could find on eBay.) I guess the studding obsession continues..

When I wore this out into town I got tons of comments and compliments for it. I tried out a messy up-do in reference to the ZP show (albeit a very lazy one, just shoving my hair up randomly with kirby grips) to go with it.
Robbed these pictures from a friend's facebook:

I kind of like the whole mis-matched hair colour thing that Karlie Kloss has got going on, so if I find a cheap dark brown or red fake hair braid I might do the same to one of those. We'll see.

What do you think?

My Name Necklace

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:24:00 +0000

If, like me, you've got an unusual name, you'll understand the mixed feelings you can have about it.

On one hand, I like having a name that's different from everyone else's. There has never been more than one Fritha in my class, and never any confusion about whether people are talking to me, or someone else. I also get a lot of people saying they think my name is really cool, or sounds nice.

On the other hand however, it gets tiresome having to repeat it several times over when meeting people, "No, FRi-THa, not THri-FFa", dreading having a supply teacher read out the register to see if they were going to call me "Flipper", and people can be mean, whether they intend to be or not "what? that's not a real name is it!?" One person (a teacher actually), asked me, in a nasty, non-joking way, if my parents were drunk or on drugs when they named me.

I also remember always being a little bit sad on school trips, or days out to the zoo, or museum etc, when all my friends would be able to buy souvenir pens, or keyrings, or hairclips with their names on them. I always used to look for my name, despite knowing that it wasn't going to be there alongside Fiona and Frances.

It's a combinaton of all of these things which made me so happy when the lovely people at My Name Necklace contacted me and asked if I'd like my very own Carrie-style nameplate necklace.

When it arrived it was so nicely packaged in a cute little giftbox that it made up for never having had those dolphin shaped clips with "Fritha" on that I so badly wanted when I was eight.

The necklace itself is beautiful and made out of sterling silver. I've been wearing it non-stop since I've got it. I think it definitely does my name proud!

I just wish my rubbish photography could do it justice!

Anyone who reads this blog regularly may know I already have my arabic name necklace, and my gold initial pendant and earrings, and this is a welcome addition to my collection of "personal" jewellery.

My Name Necklace also does a whole range of other necklace styles, which come in 14ct gold, acrylic and diamond-cut finish too.

They're really reasonably priced too, and a perfect, personal gift to give someone, whether they've got an unusual name or a more common one.

Thank you so much My Name Necklace!

We have a winner!

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:21:00 +0000

The winner of the chickdowntown.com competition to win a WildFox t-shirt is....

Jamie Clare from The Alteration!!

Well done Jamie, I've emailed you about your prize, so if it hasn't come through then check your spam filter :p

Thanks for entering everyone, I'll have a new giveaway for you soon, and this time for all of my readers, not just those in the US!

Music Of The Month: August

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:48:00 +0000

Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity of Huge

Quite simply: Tune.

Festival Guide: Part 2

frithalouise@yahoo.co.uk (fritha louise) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:52:00 +0000

Hair and Beauty

Part two of my Festival Guide, read part one here.

Despite this being a fashion blog, I'm not going to tell you what to wear clothes-wise, because I think the great thing about festivals is that it's an excuse to go crazy and wear what you want for a weekend. I would suggest not going for rompers/playsuits though. The idea of having to remove all of your clothing to go to the loo in a skanky portaloo is not a nice one, and it would be almost impossible to wee in a bush whilst wearing a jumpsuit, if you really had to.. ahem..

So without further ado, The Fish Tank Guide to Festival-ing, hair and beauty edition.

Face

Make-up -
Firstly, you don't want to be taking any nice, expensive make-up to a festival, as it'll probably get lost or ruined. Also, I think it's best to keep your make-up simple, after all, the whole point of going to a festival is to see bands playing, not spending ages putting your face on. Concealer, face powder and (waterproof) mascara are all you really need. Collection 2000 and Boots' Natural Collection are both inexpensive brands, but still do good make-up for the throw-away prices. I got the Collection 2000 Aquamax waterproof mascara to go on holiday and it seriously doesn't budge. And cost about £2.50.

Face wipes -
Because you're going to get messy and you don't want to be sleeping in your make-up. Tea tree or Clearasil wipes that are a bit stronger than your average face wipes will help keep spots at bay whilst you're sleeping in a tent.

Oil-free moisturiser -
I know it's gross, but sleeping in a stuffy tent and being crushed in crowds with thousands of other people, you'll probably get quite sweaty and grubby, which will lead to oilier skin. Oil-free moisturiser is therefore a must. I use Clean and Clear Oil-free Moisturiser in summer and I love it. I have quite dry skin normally, and it's still really moisturising whilst keeping skin matt.

Facial sun-protection -
So so so important. Most people forget that their faces need sun cream too. You should wear AT LEAST factor 30 on your face, as the skin there is thinner and more sensitive than the rest of your body and burns more easily, especially at festivals when you're outside pretty much constantly! Also, UVA rays cause premature ageing, and who wants a really wrinkly face at a young age?

Body

Baby wipes-
The showers will have massive queues, and even if you do get up at 5am to have one, they'll probably be dead skanky anyway. Baby-wipe washes it is then. Get unscented ones so you've got less chance of attracting biting insects.

Bug spray -
You're sleeping outside, in summer. There will be bugs. Insect repellent is a no-brainer.

Long-lasting suncream -
Riemann P20 is great, you only need to apply it once and it lasts for hours. No re-application needed, which is good for when you get drunk and won't remember to put more on. Skin-care specialists advise that you don't go any lower than SPF 15, and you should ALWAYS wear suncream, even if you've got naturally dark skin or have tanned loads already. Skin cancer doesn't discriminate, anyone can get it.

Antibacterial hand-gel -
There won't be much running water, the toilets are gross, and nobody wants swine-flu* These kill 99% of bacteria, so you'll only have to worry about feeling ill from too much alcohol..

*calm down, you aren't really going to catch the swine at a festival.

Hair

All product images from Superdrug.com
Dry shampoo -
I don't know how I lived before this. Batiste is only about £2 a can and contains more than enough to last you through the average festival. The tropical one smells lovely.

Hair grips and bobbles -
Because your hair WILL go crazy and you WILL need these.

I decided to mess about a bit and come up with some (albeit simple) ideas for easy, low maintenance festival hairstyles. Some for when your hair is still fresh and clean, and some for when it starts getting a bit grungier and needs tying up, but you want something more interesting than a ponytail.

Beachy waves and cute clips

Hippy headbands and False plaits

Mini-plait and Messy topknot

Heidi-hair (my favourite)