Mary Katrantzou, I love you

Simply, this post is a pictorial ode to that which I lust after but cannot afford. I've been a fan of Mary Katrantzou's work for ages: I love that, when it would be so easy to rest on the stunning print work, her designs are breath-catchingly beautiful but also structurally really interesting. Her new collection is no exception. With a muted palette of monochromes with hints of aquas and metallics, it feel really cohesive. And I'm unendingly impressed by her ability to make each new collection, though all centred around print, feel fresh and new. Her AW13 presentation feels almost haunting. So, let this just be a feast for your eyes, rather than an incessant ramble from me. You can make up your own minds...

Pics from ElleUK.com.

Jumping on the pan-wagon

Yup, like most of Christendom, I had pancakes yesterday. I toss like a bad-ass. My skillz are second to none. Well, second to very few. Even with a pan with a shoogly handle, my pancakes flipped easily, soggy sides landing with a pleasing sizzle, revealing the golden speckled side that was already done. Now, because it's, like, totally important to the pancake making, here's what I wore...(I like my links as tenuous as possible. The flimsier the better. Like my pancake pans)

Dress and Necklace: Primark, Jumper: ASOS, Shoes: Office

Yay! It's the epic £5 silver holographic stilettos! I've worn them twice already: that's £2.50 a wear fash maths fans (and thickos. Cause, frankly, if you can't divide £5 in two, you best send yourself back to study)

The necklace was a bargainous £2 in the Primark sale. I do love me a statement necklace and couldn't resist the jewels on this chunky mama!

And so back to the pancakes. The recipe I use is from my faithful Be-Ro recipe book. I go half water, half milk: 

Whack it all in a bowl and blitz.

Add a nearly a ladle of mix to a frying pan - you choose the size. My shoogly handled wee egg poaching pan is my fave. Don't question my skillz though - I can toss big ones too.

For the first time ever this year, I had peanut butter on some of my pancakes. I am obsessed with peanut butter just now. I love it on anything - pancakes, corn cakes (way better than rice cakes!) and on apples. Oh, it's a tasty dream! Anyway, I peanut buttered some and good ol' fashioned lemon and sugared others.

Nothing left to do but munch them! Yum!

Now I'm kidding on that I'll give up stuff for Lent. We'll see...

On procuring holographic shoes and cartoon LOLs

Happy Sunday everyone. I had one of those nice Sundays where you have no real plans but, on account of being shattered, have decided you're going to let yourself sleep in until you wake (woken at 8 by Mr Llara's alarm - grr - but nodded back off and snoozed til 9.30ish, since you ask) and that you're not going to the gym. So I had a nice leisurely bowl of porridge and caught up with last night's Take Me Out (did anyone see the girl fall down the stairs!? I can't believe she wasn't damaged!) this morning, did some tidying up and decided to take a walk up town. In trainers, obvs, since I'm a sneaker freak now...

Leopard print, of course.

I don't know why my stance suggests I've pissed myself. I hadn't. I went for shopping appropriate attire - layers for going from cold outside to warm shops, and clothes and shoes that are easy to take off for trying stuff on. The lipstick, I tried on at MAC on the way home. On account of the fact that the service is so poor, I make a point of never actually buying anything from Edinburgh MAC and, now I see the picture, I'm glad I didn't get this lippie cause I don't really like it on me!

Jumper: vintage sale, Skirt: Primark, Trainers: present, Necklace: Asda!

I love this necklace, but haven't worn it in aaaaaaages! Look: so colourful!

I'd gone to town looking for a comic book printed Topshop dress. I found it. It has "POW"s and "BOOM"s etc on it, in a comic book style. However, Toppers ill-advisedly added "LOL" to it. Since when did punching one's nemesis illicit a LOL? Somewhat amusingly, one of said "LOL"s appeared right across my arse. LOL.

I've still ordered it from t'interwebs in the right size. Laugh at my butt if you dare! While I was out, I grabbed a cheeky leopard print dress and jewelled shoulder jumper in Primark. I haven't been in there for ages and could resist this pair.

Twinkly.

Wild

I have the dress in black and it's a winner. It only made sense to add some leopard print in there, what with it being my essential neutral!

Lastly, and perhaps most excitingly, I got some shoes. Well, it is me after all. And in true, Champagne Shoes, Lemonade Budget style, they were a total bargain! Let me tell you about it... I've been lusting (big time) after Stella McCartney's holographic pumps.

But, at £425, they're not exactly cheap. I'm also very concious of the fact that they could end up being a bit of a fashion purchase and that, in a year or so, I might still love them but I equally might have relegated them to the back of the shoe cupboard. And I have not the means to fling that much cash at a shoe I might not still be wearing in a year. BUT. I've been REALLY obsessed with them. Like, RILLY! So I decided to seek out a high street alternative. H&M had a pair (albeit with a not totally aesthetically pleasing platform) for £24.99 but NEVER had my size in. Cruel fate. Then, last week I found some online at Forever 21 for less than £20! I duly ordered them and promptly received an email to say they were out of stock. I felt as though I was being punished for some unknown fashion CRIME. But, fate and fashion karma clearly had plans in store for me. Look...

Airbhdsjfibsvedfvkj! Can you believe it!? I went into Office today and checked out the full price bit in the hope they'd have something. They didn't. I figured I may as well cheer myself up by eyeing sale bargains. And, lo, just as I was about to leave the store, they appeared! On the second bottom shelf. One single pair of SILVER HOLOGRAPHIC STILETTO PUMPS IN MY SIZE! Sweet fashion mother! And they were a TENNER! Or so I thought. Because, in an even sweeter twist, when I got to the till, they scanned at FIVE POUNDS. (I'm resorting to making the letters here bigger in an attempt to emphasise how great this is.) For totally current fashion GOLD. Or silver. Gah! That's £40 off their RRP. And £420 cheaper than the Stellas! It was a great day.

And, as a nice top off on the way home, I passed by this most excellent outdoor art exhibition. It's part of the science festival and is entitled "Patterns in Nature". Of course my beloved leopard was in there. Here are some highlights for you. Have a lovely next week!

Red boots and owl hoots

Howdy people! It's your favourite fair-weather blog slacker! And, in true slacker style, here are some boots I showed you earlier. My red Office Chloe-rip-off boots to be exact.

That's my 'sewing stuff' box in the background.

Last time I was just showing them off though. This time I'm wearing them. With gold socks...

Obvs. They're just so darn cheerful and so very fabulous. I love them. And being a sale purchase, they were a good bargain (£40 down from £85) but, even better, they're hundreds of pounds less than their Chloe Susanna inspiration. £810 less, to be precise. Of course, now I'm crushing on the blush version. Please rip them off soon Great British High Street! Or, if you've seen a rip off, do tell...

Chloe Susanna from Net-a-Porter.

And, so back to the red. I actually took these pics a week or two back. And so, now, I can't fully recollect what was going through my head at the time. I don't think I was trying to pose like a 1980's Tennent's beer can sexy lady, but who can honestly say. If you're unfamiliar with the Tennent's girls, I suggest you click the link (don't worry, it's not porny or owt). For years Tennent's had pretty girls and sexy ladies on the side of their beer cans. They were something of an institution back in their day and, I reckon they were probably the boy equivalent of your first cheeky flick through a Mills and Boon novel. Or a dead polite nipple-less version of page 3. Haha! Anyhoo, without further ado, here I am in all my peculiar posy, posy glory. Thanks fuck I have such an ace 80's jumper to distract you.

Jumper: vintage from Oxfam, Skirt: Primark, Boots: Office, Necklace: Lady Luck Rules OK

Let's round up on a nice, not naughty note and take a moment to admire my pretty, pretty Lady Luck Rules OK necklace. Twit Twoo!