I am the Resurrection

They say if you’ve lived in a city for 8 years then you can class yourself as a local. So if this is the case, then I guess I would be called a scouser? However, style wise, do I want to be?

In the sixties Liverpool was known as a city at the heart of trend setting and style. Yet these days, from an outsider’s point of view, Liverpool style is viewed as over done, orange, shell suits and fake. Now, I don’t have fake hair, my eyelashes are my own and I would class myself as pale if not pasty and pretty much everyone I know, that lives here, is the same as myself. And yes, from time to time the odd orange person does pass me in the street but don’t they inhabit every town centre? So why is there such a stigma in Liverpool? I cannot answer the question, I can only raise the debate, and give you my own personal spin on why I feel it’s time the myth about Liverpool’s shops and style is broken.

Since moving to Liverpool I have never been so inspired by style. My personal style has evolved and grown over the years, thanks to the many cultures that inhabit the city, there is a vibrant individuality amongst its people. There is so much music and art and music breeds fashion. Steeped in history the shops are also thrilling and interesting places to be, with a bustling vintage demand running throughout the city.

Out of the many fantastic places to shop in Liverpool, Resurrection is the stand out store. Resurrection began life as a little vintage shop in Quiggins, Liverpool, and has now over a few years developed into a 3-floor mega store. Still based in Liverpool, Resurrection has now relocated to the very trendy Bold Street. The store has a strong identity selling both to men and women, shoes, bags and accessories.

Resurrection stocks an array of garments, ranging from one of a kind vintage dresses to independent labels, and even clothes altered by the staff themselves. The basement and ground levels of the store are dedicated to men’s clothing selling brands like - Converse, Ringspun, and Ben Sherman. The ladies clothes are on the top level and apart from the fantastic section dedicated completely to vintage shoes, clothes, bags and coats they also sell Lipsy, Peoples Market, Sugarhill, and Religion to name but a few.

Myself I have been a customer for many years and with the electric vibe and friendly staff it’s a place that makes you want to continuously return to for that once of a kind piece. So if you ever visit the city be sure to stop by Resurrection to get a piece of Liverpool style and I guarantee not a shell suit in sight!

Chck out there website or follow them on Facebook

It's all in your Head.

Normally I don't seem to get any post, it all arrives for my very important boyfriend who has a proper job and therefore real mail, as appose to me who only seems to receive PCR (actors magazine) Grazia subscription and my pay checks, which really aren't all that interesting!! So you can imagine my pure delight when a big parcel arrived for me all the way from the states!! It was my delivery from Whichgoose. I first discovered her blog - in which she discusses her general happenings like moving house, how she's decorated it, what inspires her and such.

Whilst perusing the blog I discovered her ESTY shop, and I am so glad I did! She makes the most stunning nature inspired crowns, hair combs and fascinators, all hand crafted by the lady herself.

Her pieces are truly beautiful, very sturdy and all so individual. I am attending a wedding this sunday so I ordered from her the stunning Twig Wire Vine Crown and also the Ophelia Wire Hair Band. I am not sure which one I will be wearing this Sunday, but I know for sure I will be buying from Whichgoose again, I have my eye on several other pieces!

Check out her fantastic store on ESTY.

Ps - I am soon to be heading off to Edinburgh for a month as I am performing in a few shows up there for the fringe, it's all very exciting as it is truly the most vibrant place to be for the month of August. However I have decided to maybe post a picture each day, for the entire month, of what I wear whilst I am there? Let me know what you guys think? something you'd like to see?

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Opera

My wonderful mother turns 61 this thursday, so instead of the usual BBQ at our house, I decided to take her somewhere really special, I took her to see Rufus Wainwrights debut Opera 'Prima Donna'. I guess you could say it was a selfish good deed... in the sense that my mum absolutely loved it, however it is me that is the massive Rufus Wainwright fan to the point that I named our family dog after him... a compliment, as we really do love the big, clumsy, mutt that is Rufus (the dog, not the man!)

I wore a vintage 40's salmon pink button over dress. I was in a show in my first year of drama school and that dress was my costume... I guess I must have liked it, as it now resides in my wardrobe and they sure as hell didn't give to me as a parting gift once the show was over!! I teamed it with my baby blue with pink heart, Vivienne Westward jelly shoes and a lovely vintage brown holding satchel that my friend got me for my 19th birthday.

Looking the part my mother and I took our seats and as usual the talk turned to what people were wearing and how it is a shame that people no longer dress up for the Opera, like they used to... just as I was saying this, a man walked in to the theatre wearing a top hat, complete with septa, and the most beautiful pink floral patterned jacket decorated with broaches. He proceeded to walk right over to us and after spending a few moments looking for his seat he sat directly in front of us just two rows down...I turned to my mum and said ' look now see, he looks the part... oh my god... it's him... it's Rufus Wainwright!!' I couldn't believe it, I am not one to be star struck but for me this was quite a sighting, this man is not just a musician, he's an artist, he talks to you through song, he's a creative force and a contributer... and he was sitting in the audience at his own Opera just two rows down?!

My god he looked delicious, utterly eccentric, yet kitsch and classic all at the same time. As I sat gazing at the back of his head I was almost horrified when my mothers head came into my eye line. She was stood talking to bloody Wainwright! 'Sorry to interrupt Rufus, but I bet you've

never had this said to you before... we named our dog after you!! (Thank god she didn't show him a picture of the big bumbling mutt!) 'Oh my God' shrieked Rufus, 'Thats fabulous'...

Bless him for being so kind I am sure deep down he was as horrified and scarred as me!

His Opera was as wonderful as he, and as the lead diva sang the line 'I give you my autograph, my last act as an artist', I felt glad we never asked him to sign a crummy piece of paper or the lid to the box of our minstrels... him sitting in the audience showed he's just a normal man trying to live his life... as I dropped my mum home, I saw an excited tale wagging through the reflection of the door, we have Rufus the dog but at least I can say I met Rufus the man!

Occasion Dressing.

I remember when I was about 17 years old and I was going through my ‘be different’ phase, which involved me being ever so slightly non conformist when it came to an ‘occasion’. I chose to wear ball gowns in the day and jeans and scruffy tops of an evening. Round about this time we had a family christening, and I arrived to the merriments in jeans and a hole ridden t-shirt, much to my mother’s dismay, and she still talks about it today, how ‘occasion dressing is the key to style, and me turning up in jeans and a worn out t-shirt just showed how little idea I in fact had’. At the time I thought I looked effortlessly cool, but looking back…my mum had a slight point. I was dressed completely wrong for that particular occasion due to who was there and the venue we were in.

My style has evolved over the years for the better, hopefully. I still have the non conformist within, however I do tame the beast when attending someone's wedding or a celebration of the birth of their first child! I now wear lots of vintage, I dress up lots, very feminine and even though I don’t dress like this at the moment, I admire the way Alexander Wang creates that effortlessly cool effect in which his models look incredibly casual even when wearing a evening gown.

Summer is all about occasion dressing, or dressing right for each event you are attending, and if like me, you don’t like to wear the same thing twice then you really need to have a gander at Moonspark.

Moonspark stocks an array of dresses suitable for all summer happenings BBQ’s, walks in the park, festivals, picnics & party’s.

A personal favorite of mine from the website is this stunning Mina Lace Babydoll dress -£79.99. The lace, leaf detailing is utterly stunning and the embroidered trim and baby-doll style gives this dress and incredibly feminine finish. I am attending a casual garden party in a few weeks, and thinking this dress may just be perfect for that. I would team this with a bright block colour shoe, maybe hot pink, turquoise or bright red? The same with the handbag, however I would clash the colour of the bag to the shoes. I would then add a head piece to this look and finish with a vintage cape. Alternatively you just just put some gladiator sandals to this look and it would become an utterly charming day dress.

I remember when I first met my boyfriend, I went to a warehouse party - which much to my dismay turned out to be more like a rave, and I remember looking completely out of place in my vintage ball gown! However now, I would wear this off the shoulder Lipsy Zebra Print dress, £64.99. This electric multi couloured zebra print dress, is ideal for a summer evening out, weather attending a 'rave' or simply heading out to a bar, I would team this with a high thick gladiator shoe and simple accessories.

If you are attending a summer BBQ or casual house/garden party this summer, this lovely Full Circle 'Ginni' shift, dress £52.99 is perfect. I would add a thick rustic vintage brown leather belt with matching sandals.

All items can be found at Moonspark, plus by typing JLB20 into the discount tab at the checkout you get yourself 20% off. Also click on the highlighted links to taken to pages for the selected items.

Tea Party

I feel like for the last two months all I have done is work, work and more work! I have lived and died in my horrid work uniform, that consists of heavy black trousers, a red long sleeve top, a horrendous black gillet and finished with an embarrassing mexican hat! Not a good look, especially in the stunning weather we are currently having!

However, amidst all this work, there has been some play, I turned 26! Joy of joy! I figured instead of drowning my sorrows alone, I may as well make an evening of it and invite a few people around and get drunk with them instead. The day of my birthday was a pretty bleak day due mainly to the fact that not only did I discover 3 new wrinkles, but I also got ROBBED! Mugged whist at work! My brand new phone, along with a little dignity was stolen as I ran up the street, in flip flops, after the thieves shouting all sorts of profanities!

However I couldn’t dwell on my mugging for to long, I had to wipe my tears, fix my broken flip flops, pick myself up and host the English themed tea party I was planning to have that evening for my close friends & family to 'celebrate' me getting older. I had spent 3 days previous gutting my apartment, for quite a laid back person I turned ever so slightly physco trying to get it perfect for the tea party occasion. I had bought some beautiful hot pink tea roses for the dinner table; I also picked up some lilies for the window ledges of the apartment and my personal favorites Peonies. 
I was serving only light snacks for the guests nothing to heavy, as we were heading out on the town for lots of dancing so I didn't want to over-face people. I had bowls filled with jelly beans and gummy bares and lots of different shaped chocolates. I made cucumber sandwiches, and French Fancy’s which were scattered all over my apartment... no party is complete without French Fancy's.

Pimms with Champaign was the drink of the evening. I chopped up fruit and placed it into a vintage tea pot and then placed the pimms and some ice into that – I thought it was a nice addition to the table plus looked kind of kitsch when pouring it into peoples Champaign flutes! The piece de la resistance had to be my cupcakes! I bought some food dye and iced them all in different colours, placing little roses, decorations and cherries on top.

If you are thinking of doing an English themed tea party your self, may I suggest a few things you must include;

Firstly you must look the part Looking Glass is a website that stocks the most stunning handmade, vintage inspired clothing. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the cloths are often floral, kitsch and incredibly feminine. The two dresses from the site, that I would suggest as perfect outfits when hosting a tea party is the; The Rose dress, £45.00, a 1950's style pocketed dress with a full skirt and slashed neck. The Gloria dress, £46.00, a floral tea dress made from chiffon with a full skirt and frill sleeves.

Be sure to have pimms, cherries, cupcakes, and cucumber sandwiches and as many kitsch looking jelly sweets you can get your hands on. I also have Laura Ashley floral place mats and napkins, which can be a nice finishing touch. Tea roses and pastel colours also add to the theme!

We ended up having a fantastic evening however it didn't end looking as classy as what it did when it began.

A True Carrie Gal

Like every girl on the planet I love Carrie, the character famously created by Sarah Jessica Parker, for the cult TV programme that was Sex in the City!

When I first moved away from home to go to drama school, I lived next door to the most wonderful vintage store that weighed the clothes so there began my love of very light, very cheep, vintage clothes and also the start of my ever growing vintage collection!

Now, I also love shoes, bags and all the other stuff that goes a long with creating an outfit, however I must admit, unlike Carrie, I don’t spend thousands on shoes! I wish I could, but unfortunately I don’t earn the funds, I don’t have the overdraft extension and I don’t have an understanding bank manager. So I always spend on my dresses, however my shoes are often a second thought…. not anymore!!

I purchased a lovely pair of Vivienne Westwood shoes and in true Carrie Bradshaw style; they are to be worn with my £20.00 hot pink vintage dress!

Mama Was A Rolling Stone – wasn’t she just!

So, as you know, I am pretty new to blogging however, I am not new to fashion and all that comes with it! So when I began blogging I started scouring blogs, online magazines, and online fashion stores, just to see what it is all about and gain some inspiration and ideas. Whilst stumbling, I stumbled upon this little gem! 

Mamma Was A Rolling Stone is ran by the very talented Bryna, a lady from Australia who has migrated over to America this January, not only does she run her own blog Mama Was A Rollin Stone but she is also the owner and creator of  an online store that sells vintage and vintage inspired clothing and accessories, called Rolling Stone Vintage Clothing. I wont ramble but her stuff is simply stunning, accessible and completely varied. Look and read for yourself…. I interviewed her!!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

Okay, my name is Bryna. I'm 26. I'm actually Australian but I just moved to America in January. 

What led to you opening your online store?

For three years, I had been living overseas. When I returned to Australia and started to look for a job, I realized I wanted to do something different, something that I enjoyed. I have always loved vintage clothing and fashion and it just seemed like the natural next step.

Tell us about what your store in tales/ sells etc?

We sell vintage and vintage-inspired clothing, shoes and accessories.  We have an emphasis on vintage from the 60s-90s, especially 80s punk and 70s bohemian.  We literally sell everything from an 80s swimsuit to a 70s floral dress to a pair of 90s grunge boots.

Where do you think your love of vintage comes from?

I've always loved fashion. My earliest "vintage" memory is trawling Glebe Markets in Sydney, Australia and picking out these unique pieces to buy. I used to love taking something to school or out with my friends that no one else had.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by travelling, different cultures, fashion, style, good books, music, everything.  Travelling has probably been my biggest fashion inspiration – I have been lucky enough to spend a lot of the last few years travelling and I've never been so inspired.

Describe your personal style

I would like to think it is a kooky mix of vintage and modern, with a bohemian twist on some days and a more edgy, tough vibe on others. My closet is full of floral dresses, knee high boots and jeans.

Do you have a muse?

No one in particular – I am constantly inspired by different people. I love people who have many different things going on in their lives, like Lou Doillon, for example – she paints, photographs, designs clothes, acts. I would love to be able to do a whole lot of different things that I love.

What are your wardrobe staples?

Dark sunglasses, a great pair of jeans, a pair of leather boots, a little white summer dress and some ethnic jewelry.

Do you follow designers, if so which ones?

My long-time inspiration lies with Marni, Balenciaga, Anna Sui and Balmain.  I also love Luella, Etro and Isabel Marant.

Do you shop on the high street, if so what are your favorite stores?

The words "high street" instantly transport me back to when I lived in London!  Living in London, my favorite stores were Topshop (obviously) and Miss Selfridge.  Now I'm in America, I love Topshop NYC, H&M, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters. Plus a billion non-high street stores!

What does ‘style’ mean to you?

True style, to me, means not caring what other people think. I struggle with this myself, a lot, but over time, I build up the confidence to wear what I want.

What is the best vintage piece you have ever purchased?

One of my first ever was a suede bag with fringe – I loved it until it died.  Also, an ethnic tunic and a studded dress that looks like it is straight out of Balmain's latest collection. I've also been struggling with wanting to keep the things I get in for the store – there is a sequined bandage dress that I just LOVE and a red and black leather bandage dress too.

Do you spend at lot of money on clothes?

I definitely, definitely do when I have money – London was an absolute killer for me! At the moment, I'm pretty broke as it all goes back into the business, so I'm struggling on a day to day basis not to go on a shopping frenzy!

Do you collect anything other than vintage clothing?

No, I don't collect anything else. But I do have a rather large box of keepsakes.. I have every train/plane/bus/museum ticket from every place I've ever been.

Do you have any advice to offer anyone wanting to open an online store like yourself?

Sure. Be prepared for many months of doubting yourself, spending money and feeling like you want to throw it all in. And also be prepared to love that you are doing something for yourself, love that you have forged your own path and love that when you get a sale or a write up in the press, it's because of all your hard work.

So do have a look at her fantastic online store Rolling Stone Vintage Clothing and also her wonderful and very informative blog Mama Was A Rolling Stone.

Ps.... Bryna is the model in the pics!