Dork DISASTER Clothes and Shoes!

Some clothes look bad on some people, don't they. That's why fashion (or rather, the generally more small minded category of women's lifestyle magazines) has developed a list of rules which you may feel inclined to follow. The whole thing about curvy girls needing to avoid horizontal stripes is one example of a rule turned holy grail which isn't really true, but many people follow religiously. Another old chestnut is 'never wear brown and black together', oh how deadfully passe! In Februray 2014 Michael Kors dressed his models in brown, black, and grey. No one died, no realities collapsed. So hey ho, rules are there to be broken right?

Michael Kors, NYC Fashion Week 2014 www.irelandseyeonline.com

But whilst I'm a firm believer that anyone should be able to wear anything they want to, I do think knowing what suits you is a powerful skill to posses. I've been dressing myself for about 16 years now (if 5 yrs old is when you start putting your own clothes on?), and so I've had plenty of time to perfect my wardrobe. During those 16 years I've journeyed through many sartorial phases, ofcourse not all great, noteably the Courtney Love phase and the nu-rave phase. The nu-punk-rocker phase had to be the worst of the bunch, but that happened when I was only 13, so ok. As I always say, experimentation is king - it allows you to establish what you like and don't like.

Here's some stuff I now KNOW doesn't suit me, and I must be reminded of this frequently as I sometimes forget and try to buy some of the below items because I think they're cool. They always look shit on me because I always feel like a dork in them, so I should never buy them. Let's begin.

1) Flatforms

 

Asos Hangtime Flatform Sandals, www.asos.com

Because of my abnormally knobbly knees and general kid's physique, these guys make me look so ridiculous. They elongate my feet, emphasising the funny knees. They shorten my legs and make me walk like a fool. I've tripped up in these loads too, from the front - so imagine scuffing the fronts of the shoes on the pavement and then doing a sort of forward trip.

2) Skater Dresses
 

Topshop Textured Box Pleat Dress, www.topshop.com

A cinched in high waist, great - I love a high waist. The problem with this shape on my kid like body lies in the puffed out skirt, the length of the skirt, the whole upper, the fact that it looks like a kid's dress. It's just really bad on me. I've owned a few of these in the past, beautiful crushed velvet, ladylike grey, casual cotton, all were wrong. You have to feel nice in the clothes you wear, they are transformative. Skater dresses make me feel like an awkward teen.

3) Midi Skirts with Long Boots

www.thisnext.com

This can probably look great on some people. But I tried the combo of a midi skirt i.e. falling below the knee, with a knee high boot once, and boy did I feel like a middle aged mum. 


4) Skull/Beanie Hats

www.glamcheck.com

The super tight kind that outlines the shape of your skull. Yep, those. I'm weird about the shape of my skull in that I think I have quite a flat head from the side (!), so as far as I'm concerned these just accentuate that. They also look like an idiot condom and make my forehead itch. I go for a nice slouchy hat knitted by a gran, a polite beret or a hood instead.

 5) Brogues

Clarkes Hamble Oak Brogue, www.clarkes.co.uk

I hate the word 'brogue' for starters. 

I bought some black patent brogues from Topshop a month ago. I've now sold them on Ebay - an example of me forgetting something looks dorkey on me and only remembering after it's too late. What's my problem with this 'classic' shoe? Well, I feel overdressed in them, I don't feel cool in them, I don't feel laid back in them, I feel like a pristine loser going on a countryside walk, in a city, and also like a twee Cath Kidston man boy. These are things I don't want to feel like. I love feeling like a boy. I have a pair of vans that I live in, and when I wear them I sure don't feel like a girly girl, it's just that the brogue, also being a manly shoe, suggests another world entirely, and it's a world I don't like.

Some other sartorial stuff that gives me the creeps, to be expanded on in the near future:

-When shoes I'm wearing click on the floor

-Waterfall skirts

-New Converse

-Bowler hats

Below please tell me two things you think look dorkey on you, and why, so I can see if I can also add them to my list

x

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BE FRIENDS WITH EX LOVERS

You've broken up with the person who has seen you cry/pee/spew/drunk poo/do it etc etc. They've seen you in your worst moods, the moods you would never dream of revealing to friends, but somehow it was ok for your partner to take regular peeps at your monster within. Now you're no longer lovers. Technically you're nothing much. But the memories of all that stuff you've done, seen and shared together remain and you've really seen the most fucked up sides of each other's personalities. 

So then, to be expected to make nice with that person after a break up and go on like it's all cool is a joke. I talk from personal experience(s). Ofcourse, if you're lucky enough to want to be friends with an ex, I guess that means it didn't end so horribley that you just want to die. But maybe you're thinking you should be friends, because you've met a few cute people who talk about how they're currently great friends with all their exes (''I don't know how you couldn't be!'') and it would make you a better person to try and be friends. Maybe on a practical level you're thinking it would make bumping in to them less awkward if that's likely to happy, and maybe you just think it's the 'right' thing to do, you know, being an adult and all.

Well, forget all that. I'm here to tell you it's completely fine not to want to be friends with any of your exes, I would actually encourage you not to. For the serious bit...I know everyone is different and some people just do manage to be friends after they've split up. If this is you, reader, do tell me how. 

But for the sake of my point, I'd like to tell you about a couple of attempts I've made at staying friends with exes. I've done this twice in the past when I used to be a positive, naive kid. I'm now older and wiser and cynical. I'm a realist, man.

Attempt 1:

My first long term boyfriend. I was too young to be in a relationship of this nature, which started when I was only 14. Three years in and I'd cheated on him numerous times, too young to take on the responsibility of a serious relationship, I just wanted fun. So, when things finally ended we both had a clean break and didn't see each other for a year or more. Great. 

But then I must have thought it would be good idea to contact him and see how he was getting on. Bearing in mind I'd never broken up with anyone before, so it was like a sick experiment. We ended up meeting in a kitsch, 1970's themed cafe and afterwards going on to a pub (WHY!!) I remember I was really nervous and the whole thing was unpleasent and awkward. Yet we continued to meet up over the next few months all in the name of friendship. Eventually, and I think completely inevitabley he tried to sleep with me when we ended up sleeping in the same bed after a drunken night out. I've no idea why I let it go so far and allowed myself to get in to such a stupid predicament - let's call it youthful naivety. Needless to say I never saw him again. To this day it still makes me feel sick thinking about the prospect that I nearly 'went there' again when it was so clear that the break up was right, just because I was seeking a friendship that could never have been

Attempt 2:

The next serious relationship I had only lasted a year, but boy did I fall for this one. If the last relationship had been a testing ground, this was the one where I fell in love. It was a bad break up (see previous post, my top five break up songs). He cheated on me, he accused me of cheating on him, no one knew what was going on. But ultimately I maintain the feeling that I loved him and he broke my heart. He treated me badly at the end. He was neglectful, untrustworthy, and unreliable. However this didn't stop me! Low and behold a few months after our unsavioury break up one of us got back in touch and we decided to meet. We chose a pub (I learnt nothing from last time), and proceeded to get drunk and then fight about our now long ago finished relationship, which resulted in me telling him 'I'll never see you again, I hope you miss me!'' So sassy! Despite this we stayed in touch as 'friends' and continued to see each other and sleep with each other. Now I know what you're thinking...we weren't friends, we were still lovers and so this doesn't count. But believe me, I had every intention of just being friends. It was all too safe, easy and familiar to let it lie

Moral of the story - If there's even the tiniest bit of lust left there, you can't be friends. If you're kind of repulsed by your ex, you can't be friends. Even if you're kind of ok with them, you have other friends who haven't witnessed the things your ex has, so why not just hang out with them instead? Put this friends with your ex fantasy to bed. I think there will always be a competitive nature to your 'friendship' with an ex, i.e. who gets a new partner first, who seems happier, who is over the other one first. This will NOT bring happiness. Your friends are meant to love you whole heartedly, want the best for you and always be there for you, within reason, no matter what. Could an ex lover really be that person for you? I truly don't believe so.

What do you think?

MY EVERYDAY MAKEUP KIT inc Lush, Topshop, Sleek & The Body Shop

I have a fair amount of makeup but I don't A) store it nicely or B) look after it correctly. I'm not proud of this - it's just, I think, that makeup is by nature messy. Coloured liquids, glosses, powders all spilling out and getting trashed. I wish I had a beautifully arranged area for makeup with draws and units or sections, just like Zoella the YouTube star. But I keep my makeup like I keep art equipment, all crammed in to one box with no order, just waiting for the happy day when I decide to try a different shade of eyeshadow (I get stuck on one product which I keep in my everyday beauty bag, and call me lazy, but it takes me months to change the contents, despite a multitude of choices only feet away in a draw).

That's not to say I don't have some great makeup which I could be using in some kind of display in my bedroom (?) or featuring in countless 'favourite' YouTube videos. It's the kind of makeup that I love and have a lot to say about, it's makeup that's so pretty it deserves some attention. But, no, it is destined to remain in the dark top draw.

However, since I came back from travelling just over a month ago, I quickly began experimenting with makeup again. This may have been down to my makeup collection  being absent from my life for months, and therefore it was a novelty having all this 'new' makeup to try when I returned. It could also be down to the fact I've come back with a bit of a tan and so different products/colours suit me now. A few days in to coming back, I'd found a range of products which I was very happy with - a quick, easy and effective morning makeup routine using a miminal amount of products, but good quality ones that I love. Here it is...

My daily face, laid out on a dirty rug...

1) The Body Shop Brow Definer in 03 Dark Brown: I like this guy. It's a soft kohl pencil so it goes on nicely and the shade doesn't contain any red tones so it's a more natural colour. Nowadays I get my brows tinted at a salon otherwise they'd be two barely there lines, but this pencil is great when I want extra definition, or the brows are due a tint

2) Topshop Kohl Pencil in Black: What do you think about Topshop makeup? I like it, a lot. This one is a great eyeliner pencil with a lovely soft formula that goes on easily, great for creating a flick, which then stays put

3) MAC Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner in Black Swan: I found this in my makeup box after I came back from travelling. Thanks Becky, I think? I use this alongside the Topshop pencil on goth days, it works like a thick smudgey colour, perfect for filling in the outer corner of the eye. I then use the Topshop pencil to create a small flick. I love this eyeliner

4) CARGO OneBase Concealer and Foundation in 02: A makeup artist friend gave me this, it gives great coverage, suiting my more tanned complexion to a T right now. I use another coverage product alongside this so I wouldn't say it's an all in one product, but it's great under the eyes and on blemishes as a light but effective liquid concealer

5) L'OREAL The Minerals True Match Mineral Powder Foundation: I'm crazy about this! I took one travelling and used it for the duration (it contains SPF too don't you know). The powder offers a light foundation like coverage which really does disguise flaws. I used this on its own whilst away, but now I sweep a tiny bit over the Cargo concealer and that's my base (almost) done. The one criticism is, if you have oily skin like I do, it doesn't mattify the skin, so I now sweep a tiny bit of translucent powder over the top to finish

6) N07 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Starry Lights: A great cheap (ish) eyeshadow that has just the right amount of shimmer, opens up your eyes and makes a fantastic base for other shadows or eyeliner, my go to for a basic fuss free day face

7) Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Blackest Black: A good standard. It's reasonably cheap, doesn't gloop and kinda just does the job. Excuse my lack of enthusiasm - I'll come clean. Since taking this photo of my makeup bag, I've started using Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara - a free sample I got from a magazine, and it's INCREDIBLE. I'm not normally one to be bothered about mascaras as I could never notice a significant difference between one and another, but the Benefit one is totally different and amazing, I will blog about it soon

8) CARGO Cheek Activator: A subtle shimmery liquid blush/highlighter, again given to me by my makeup artist friend. I dab a little along my cheek bone after applying foundation and powder, and it gives a slight glow, not overally noticeable, but nice if you just want a little glimmer or if used as a highlighter alongside a blusher or bronzer

9) Lush Eyeliner in Control: I'm a BIG fan of Lush's makeup range. I love the concept of colours to suit moods, and colour therapy applied to makeup. Makeup is transformative after all, therefore the psychology of colour fits nicely with it. This liquid eyeliner is a beautiful mermaid sea blue, and swept over your eyelid it looks fantastic. I particularly love this colour right now because my hair is a peachy pink, and the two colours just work together. Also, the name, 'Control' appeals too. Yep, I think I'd like some more control in my life at the mo

10) Sleek Lipstick in Mystic: I LOVE LOVE LOVE this lipstick. It's one of my favourites of all time! It's a beatiful purpley pink - not my normal lip colour palette of choice,  but it also has quite a dark, deep rich plum tone to it which makes it a goth 90s dream. The formula is matte and it stays on for ages. People got really obsessed with it for a while. There was a time not so long ago when this lipstick had sold out in all Boots and Superdrugs. I tried to buy it online and the only one I could find was selling for £65 on Amazon! This baby normally only retails for £5

11) The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter: Nice, standard lip balm which does the job. Try their Shea lip butter instead, it smells like toffee popcorn. I kind of like the mango one but it's a but sickly sweet

12) The Body Shop Eyeliner Pencil in White: I worked at The Body Shop for a while. My old boss who is a makeup extraordinaire taught me how to make my eyes look bigger by lining the lower water line with white. It really does work

There you have it. I love writing about makeup, I should do it more

GOOGLEidiot+?

Am I the only who doesn't understand Google+ and has no desire to learn to understand it?

I can't recall the first time it appeared in my life, all I know is I was perfectly happy with this blog, my other blog, and YouTube, when all of a sudden out of nowhere stupid Google+ appeared and made everything go weird. 

Maybe I'm a techno-phob. I just can't be arsed to get my head around new technology, IT programmes and Google's strange social media ephiany when I'm fine with the way things are. Whoa, I'm starting to sound 88 years old. I have an i-pod, but I only bought it when I literally couldn't bear the thought of lugging round a CD walkman and a case full of CD's on another trip. I had an old Nokia phone that cost me a tenner in Tesco. It was fine for what I needed. But then I was given an old smartphone and that opened up a whole new world (don't you dare close your eyes). My friend had to slowly and patiently talk me through Instagram, the concept of apps, how to just even use the thing etc. She was like my grandaughter that day, bless her, she did a good job. I now enjoy Instagram very much, and the smartphone, though not used to its full potential, has become a thing I rely on.

These examples illustrate how I will not accept new tech stuff in to my life, unless it's forced on me, or I have to. So when Google+ appeared I tried not to pay any attention to it. What's this 'sharing cloud'? What so you follow people on it, and your blog is on it and then all the comments you've made on YouTube appear on it like a horrible reminder of all the naff shit you've said on other people's videos (don't worry, I'm not a troll, it's more like gushy comments on vlogger's videos who I love. Helen Melon, Keira Rose, JingleHeartArt, I'm talking about you). 

It looks clumsy too, there's boxes everywhere. I have no clue what is what and where I'm meant to do anything. So, I decided a couple of days ago to get rid of the bugger. I found out how to completely delete it and the feeling of satisfaction and smugness I felt clicking through to the final confirmation screen ''do you REALLY want to delete your account?' was almost as good as when I recently deleted my Facebook (I'm embarking on a bit of social media cull right now).

But that smugness only lasted a little while after I realised that oh, now no one looks at my blog. Rather then feel sad, I laughed when I saw the numbers of views on my recent posts. Good quality stuff (ah hem) that would have attracted at least 10 views by now, with one view? This isn't right! I'm used to not having a large following, and I'm ok with that because I know that if I worked really really hard at it, like some people do, I probably could get more followers. I've also accepted that I do this for myself, because I love writing and taking photos, I love looking back at the blog and I hope to one day write a column for a magazine, like ELLE. So I see all writing as practice. But one view! It's comically bad.

I've decided therefore to go back on Google+ and try to work out WTF is going on with it so I don't hate it as much. Actually I probably will still hate it,  judging by the popular opinions of my friends and family. But you know, you've got to get those views.

So here I go, back in to the world of Googleidiot+. Now how do I re-join?

DYEING MY HAIR using Bleach London Awkard Peach - In Pictures

~ ~ ~

Siamese Dream, by Me

GLASSES OF NOTE

1) Cobain
2) Lolita
3) Reading glasses (I've meant to get the lenses of these replaced with prescription ones for about 5 years)
4) My Reality Bites phase
5) Glam rock from Amsterdam

MY FIVE BEST BREAK UP SONGS

Breakups really suck bad. I've been through a few.

Music is the perfect medicine, maybe taking a little bit of the pain away, just for a moment. Many 'Best Break Up Song' lists have been compiled over time just as many hearts have been broken. Jeez sometimes you even find whole break up song double albums (don't buy these). I find the notion of a good break up song strangely intriguing, what is it about certain songs that make you feel things you need to feel during a break up? What is the artist saying that makes you relate or allows you some peace?

Following a nasty break up I went through six years ago, which took me a long time to get over, one of my BFs Steven made a mix cd for me with some excellent tracks on it, to sooth the blues. He also came round to my house every night for a month (or so?) and simply kept me company whilst I drank a bottle of wine and just cried and stuff. I will never forget that, thanks.

In the spirit of trying to help and also simply looking at which songs score highly on my emo register, I've compiled my top five break up songs to match the five phases psychologists say we all go through during a break up. I hope that if you have a broken heart, even just one of these guys might be a friend whilst you're in a dark place. And just remeber... a) you WILL be ok, I promise and b) as it was before it will be again - there was a time before you met your ex partner, when you were fine without them.

Phase 1: Denial

Elliot Smith - Somebody That I Used To Know

This should gently ease you in to the realisation that it's over, perfect for the denial phase. ''Now that you're big enough to run your own show, you're just somebody that I used to know''

Phase 2: Confusion/Mania

My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow

A beautiful song packed with distortion which will match feelings of confusion and mania. Bitter sweet, melancholy, dark and amazing

Phase 3: Anger

Peaches - I Don't Give A Damn

''I don't give a fuuuuuuuucccckk''. You do give a fuck, otherwise you wouldn't be heartbroken, but it's nice to feel like maybe you don't for a minute, and just FUCK. THEM

Phase 4: Extreme Sadness 

Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Hate it or love it, this song IS the extreme sadness phase.The title says it all. You know, you have to listen to it. Go on a cry marathon alongside Sinead and watch the video for extra cry cues

Phase 5: Moving On

The Dresden Dolls - Truce

You would never want to choose The M People - ''Movin On Up'' for this phase. No way. Instead listen to eight minutes of beautifully crafted lyrics alongside some delicate vs. angry piano. For me this is the ultimate break up song. In the first part Amanda talks about dividing countries up between her and her ex, so they never have to bump in to each other. A novel idea and something you wish you could really do...''you can have Washington, I'll take New Jersey, you can have London but I want New York City''. But, screw the niceties. Shit gets real at 5:07 so be sure to keep listening, because it's a long one but worth it...''my place may be taken, but make no mistake, from a little black box you can say without shame, that you've lost, do you know what you've lost?'' This song perfectly expresses all emotions surrounding a break up, thankyou Dresden Dolls

MERMAID HAIR! How I dyed my hair, using BLEACH LONDON: WASHED UP MERMAID

What I used:
Directions Silver Toner
x2 bottles of Bleach Washed Up Mermaid Hair Dye
Bleach Silver Shampoo
Aussie Three Minute Miracle Conditioner

To Maintain:
Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo - Mega Instant
John Frieda Intensive Hair Mask Satchet
Pro:voke Touch of Silver Shampoo
Organix Coconut Milk Hair Serum

I will just mention now that I'm not a professional hairdreser (disclaimer time), so I'm not telling you how you should dye your hair, I'm only explaining how I did mine. Ok...here goes!

1) This is how my hair started. On the morning of dying it, I washed it with Bleach Silver Shampoo to help tone out any yellow but I put no conditioner or other products on it. Ideally you shouldn't wash your hair on the same day because dye doesn't take as well to super clean hair, but my hair was disgustingly greasy so I just had to wash it. I then waited until later to dye it

2) Skip to the evening...I brushed it through thoroughly. Make sure you don't skip this step otherwise the colour will not be applied evenly. I also took note of the most brassy coloured areas of hair - which were the roots and some of the strands at the back, these would need the most toner

3) I applied Directions Silver Toner (this cost £3.99 from a local store and is the cheapest and best toner I've found). The instructions suggest to put it on wet hair, but I applied it to dry hair because it's more effective. My hair is naturally dark blonde but having already treated it with bleach, it was only the darker areas I needed to focus on. I rubbed the product through the roots thoroughly, waited for an hour and then rinsed it out. To get the best, most vivid result you need to start with the lightest hair colour that you can achieve. I would ALWAYS advise getting the lightening process done at a hairdressers, following an incident a few years ago where I tried to lighten my own hair from black back to blonde at home and it started to break and fall out

4) After rinsing the toner out, I towl dried my hair gently, brushed it through and hair dryed it so it was completely dry. The toner didn't actually lighten the roots, it just removed some of the brassiness and gave my hair a slight lilac hue which was actually quite interesting as a colour. But, onwards and upwards. Also, I think I timed the whole dying process pretty badly. By the time it came to actually dying my hair, it was late at night, having started mid-evening, and I was tiiii-red

5) Next I poured a whole bottle of Bleach Washed Up Mermaid hair colour in to a bowl, and mixed with it a small-ish blob of Aussie Three Minute Miracle Conditioner, as a treat for my hair and to make the dye go further (tip: if you have medium length or thick hair buy two bottles of dye in case you run out, it's always better to have too much rather then too little). I applied this all over my hair, starting at the right front, taking a small section and working the product through and then clipping it up. I found that rubbing the product it in to the hair helped the dye penetrate better. I did this all the way around paying special attention to the roots and trying my best to reach those pesky areas at the back that usually always get missed out. I ended up using half the second bottle of dye to cover all of my hair, so I was happy I bought two.

I didn't wear gloves which was really really stupid, just wear gloves, or prepare to have dyed hands for the foreseeable future. Bleach dye isn't like Directions - it's stronger and definitely stains surfaces/skin more

6) I left the dye on for around an hour, against the advice on the bottle - which instructs to apply to wet hair and leave for 15 mins, but you know, go wild, and those in the know, know the longer the better with this dye. As I'd mixed conditioner in and the dye doesn't contain bleach I knew it would be ok to leave it for a longer amount of time. After the hour was up I rinsed it all out and applied the conditioning hair mask to make my hair extra shiny. I left this mask on for a further 45 minutes

7) After 45 minutes I rinsed my hair through, finishing with cold water because this makes your hair extra shiny. I towl dried it and rubbed a small amount of the Organix coconut serum through it, I then left it to dry naturally. Et voila! The colour was super super bright when it dried, which is kind of what I wanted. The Washed Up Mermaid colour is supposed to be a pastel turquoise, but knowing  this would fade quickly I wanted it to be darker and brighter at first. If you're going to use this method be prepared for it not to be pastel but then for it to fade out to a more muted tone after a few washes. It took me and my wardrobe some adjusting to get used to the radical new colour (I always need a few days to learn how to dress accordingly to any hair colour change)

Maintaining:

The upkeep has been a bit of work...I've been using Pro:voke Touch of Silver shampoo when I do wash my hair, but I've been trying not to wash it as much and using Aussie's dry shampoo (which I accidentally missed out of the photo with all the products!) instead to keep it looking fresh. Admittedly it feels a bit grose after a few days of not washing it and the dry shampoo builds up in your hair so it needs a good wash now and again. The Aussie dry shampoo is a new thing they've brought out which I tried because I love their shampoos and conditioners - but I wouldn't really rate this to be any better or worse then the Batiste ones, and it's more expensive.

I've also been using the Bleach Silver Shampoo for the occasional wash too. I find the Bleach  shampoo is a lot stronger then the Pro:voke one, it adds colour to your hair and is a thick consistency which is strong enough to stain the bath/shower if you don't rinse it off in time, where as the Pro:voke Touch Of Silver Shampoo is better for daily maintenance, it's lighter in colour and consistency and it's great for preventing colour fade rather then maintaining the colour

I hope this is helpful! If so let me know and I'll do a hair update  ;-)

Peace out

LITTLE FLUFFY CLOUDS

Something NEW

I like making lists and filing things away. It's really sad but it's just the way it is. Therefore, imagine my delight when one morning a couple of weeks ago I conceived the idea of starting a new blog, seperate to Idea, You Gave Me A Fright Dear, with an aim to record what outfit I wear every single day, for a year. 

Why a year you ask? Because it's hard. I've started jogging and going to yoga classes recently, the jogging partly inspired by an article I read in a magazine about a woman who ran a mile everyday for a year. This goal of doing something everyday for a set amount of time appeals to my somewhat obsessive nature. But I can't commit to running everyday. Mayyybe every other day. It's JUST. TOO. SPORTY and EFFICIENT.

What I do do every day is get dressed. And what I do love is the art of constructing outfits. The shapes, colours, patterns of an outfit and how this balances the look out, how it makes you feel, how it makes you act. How your outfit is read by society, how it fits in with current trends, or doesn't. I find it all fascinating. 

This paired with a desire to 'dress up' more (as Vivienne Westwood said ''when in doubt, overdress'') lead me to start 'On Getting Dressed'. My brand new blog detailing every outfit I wear, everyday. And you now know how I like to file stuff? Well that's not limited to physical paper files. No. 

I will continue to write in this blog, when I feel like it. It will be like my bit on the side. My yucky secret casual blog where I write about dumb stuff like the top five men I fancy who are aged over 60... (Robert Redford etc). And the posts won't come thick and fast. They will continue to saunter in as and when they feel like it. 

In this way I've got a blog for fashion/my career and a hobby blog; which feels a lot like filing, and suits me well.

To finish, I'd like to breifly explain why I called this blog 'Idea, You Gave Me A Fright Dear'. I started it whilst I was at university studying fine art. Me and my friends were, let's be honest, not the most prolific bunch. It was more common to spot us in the pub then in any kind of environment that would be deemed useful (gallery, studio, exhibition). We could have tried harder, but we were too busy having fun. Therefore, when I did get down to some work and managed to sprout an idea about some performance art piece, it was frankly a shock. A surprise you could say. Therefore this name was born, fitting for a blog which ambles along doing what it wants, when it wants. 

If you'd like to see me try harder, check out On Getting Dressed HERE

Subscribe, follow, comment, see what you think. Expect fashion faux pas all over your screen.

PACK//UNPACK

With a trip around Asia scheduled for the end of this year, I have already started to think about what I'll need to invest in for the trip; what I'll pack, and having already done some travelling, what I'll leave out this time. I love making lists and have decided to format this thought process in to a list and share it with you. I guess it's really for the first time traveller, and doesn't include basic stuff like your passport, because you're not stupid. So here we go...

1) Padded bra - Don't go bringing any padded stuff. How do you think your boobs are going to fair under a load of polyester padding in a 30+ degree climate? Not very well.

2) Socks - I brought three pairs of socks with me when I went to India! I don't know when I thought I'd need these socks. I think it was just panic packing. However, I did wear one pair of socks for ten minutes during the trip, but only because I forgot what it was like to wear socks and they had become a novelty by then. So, yeah, don't pack socks if you're going to a hot country. Unless they're flight socks.

3) Decent Bag - A good bag is a MUST. And it needs to be a rucksack, not a carry bag or 'roll' bag. In the below picture, there I am with my giant roll bag, looking a bit ill as I quickly realise I'll now have this bag to lug around with me for the duration of the trip - throughout all my struggling to find somewhere to stay, roaming endlessly through packed out scorching streets, on the trains, on the beach, every time I change places. I learnt the hard way...the only choice if you're doing the kind of travelling where you move around and don't really know where you're going (what other kind of travelling is there?!) is a rucksack, like the one from Blacks below, and I shall be investing in one for sure. NB: A swishy good quality rucksack can always be found in the various trekking shops (or whatever they are, walking shops?!), so you should only be paying around £45 for one, tops. 

Blacks Alpine Aqua 60+10L Rucksack - £75 www.blacks.co.uk

 4) Guide Book/Lonely Planet Guide - Your initial bout of homesickness and culture shock may well be helped significantly if you bring along a book about the specific place your going, as it did for me. On the first night of my travels, arriving in India shit scared and alone, the ONLY thing that helped was reading my Lonely Planet Guide. It sure felt like a lonely planet then, and that's when these books come most in handy. To read about someone who has been exactly where you are, also as a foreigner and written about the do's and dont's is invaluable when you first arrive in a new place and throughout. Make sure it's specific to the place you are, a huge guide book about the whole of India won't help if you're just based in the South, for example.

5) Weird travel cosmetics (don't go to Boots travel section) - Never used a tinted moisturiser with SPF 30 when you were at home? Well then, you won't use one whilst your away. Travelling isn't the time to try out weird and wonderful new products from the 3 for 2 bit in Boots travel section. Promise. Chances are you'll want to use the same stuff as always, but less. So if you use tons of products, then single it down to the bare essentials... and make sure you have sun protection that you can use on your face, wala! You're done. NEVER go to the Boots travel section before travelling. You'll discover a thousand things you think you need, like a special hot country face mask treatment etc etc, and you'll think HELL YEAH! No. Those special moisturisers and face masks will just drip off your face within moments of you putting them on in a hot climate, and isn't one of the charms of travelling going without and seeing how little you can survive on?!

6) A Good Book (Swap) - I got obsessed with Haruki Murakami on my trip. I read Norweigen Wood and then when I arrived in a new place and found that there was a make shift book shop on a beach that sold some of more his books, I was so happy! So, bring a good book, read it, then swap it with your travel companions/someone you don't know, a book shop, or with the place your staying. If you're doing the hostel thing, some of them have a book swapping service too, therefore bringing one book is your ticket to a wholeeee library of books without taking up space.

7) Thermal Tops - Sounds a bit crazy, but If you're travelling around a continent, you may find yourself in a boiling country at one point, and then in a coldish country next. I'm planning to go from India/Thailand to Vietnam. It will be Vietnam's winter when I arrive so I'll need warmer clothes with me. A country itself can also differ majorly in climate, especially if the terrain is mountainous in parts (cold in the mountains, warmer on the ground). This point is not tried and tested, but having thought about it, I'm going to buy two or three thermal cotton tops that fold up tiny in my bag, and should I get cold, layer them up. Lugging a coat around India doesn't sound good. You can get these tops very cheap from budget stores like Primark.

Marks and Spencer'sThermal Fleece Long Sleeve Top in Grey Marl - £17.50  www.marksandspencer.com

8) A Tablet - Yeah, you're going travelling to escape all that shit, right? Well, chances are you're going to want to stay in touch with you family and/or friends whilst your away. Whether this means the odd message or long skype conversations, a device like a tablet would be ideal. I didn't have anything on my travels, but what I didn't anticipate was that I'd want regular contact with people from back home at least for the first few weeks, and I must have spent a fair amount in internet cafes.

9) Nothing Too Precious - Contrary to what I have just written above, don't bring any precious pieces of technology, jewellery, keepsakes etc with you. Certainly don't bring your BEST £1000 camera (unless you're a professional photographer/safety genuis). It will probably get damaged or stolen, then what? Tears. Bring a semi decent digital camera that takes good enough photos, but if anything happens to it, it will be a pain rather than the worst thing ever. I am very reckless with my possessions sometimes, and this means I got my cheap-ish camera stolen within the first two weeks of my trip to India. An annoyance, but no tears. Would I have looked after it better had it been an expensive one? Probably, but I didn't want the responsibility.

10) Soap - How are you going to wash your clothes? Soap! Pick up a few bars of decent soap, enough to last you your trip (rough guide - one bar soap = 3 to 4 weeks) when you have enough laundry for a wash, fill a sink, any sink, with your dirty bits, fill with water, scrub clothes with soap, then leave soap in the sink with the clothes and the water, go out for the day and when you return, your clothes will be much cleaner then they were! Give them another scrub with the soap, rinse, and leave to dry on a balcony/window ledge/washing line. If you're somewhere hot, they'll be dry in no time. I recommend Faith in Nature Organic Coconut Soap, £1.39 for 100 gram bar. 

www.ecogreenstore.co.uk

11) Shoes - It's getting spring like therefore the inevitable onslaught of ethnic inspired clothes/shoes/accesories will soon be arriving in shops everywhere. Don't be tempted to pick up a pair of woven sandals especially for your trip. They'll be uncomfy and you'll be a fashion victim fool! The only good that can come of packing such shoes is that you can give them to someone when you get there. I did exactly that and ended up giving a bag full of stuff to some Indian girls who wanted it. Bring decent shoes. My parents are obsessed with 'Ecco' shoes, and I think there's something in it, they're designed to be comfy, sturdy and last for ever. Might be worth investing. A few pairs sometimes crop up on Ebay too, as they're bloody expensive to buy new.

Ecco Offroad Walking Sandals Light in Black, £85  www.zalando.co.uk

And don't forget to have a good time, all the time. Even when you're sick.

Ok, that's all. If you have any of your own packing for travel tips, share them below!