Style schizophrenia.

Seriously I have fashion schizophrenia! I've really been enjoying jeans! Got a new pair of high waisted eighties Marks and Sparks classics. Fab for when feeling boyish. But look at the last couple of days we have gone from me as a child in the 90's, a modern Jimi Hendrix vibe, followed by a crazy eighties does twenties look. Honestly my fashion compass is broken. But hey who cares?! 

The boredom of the new season.

I'm afraid I have rather been whimping out of posting the last few days. Some times you just loose confidence in your choices. Anyway I decided to show you and buck up my ideas!  Today's assult consists of a nightie, with reproduction military jacket, scarf tied into a turban and black topshop platform boots. I keep getting that feeling of loving a look as I leave the house and by the time I've been wearing it an hour I want to hide away in shame!  I had only just got use to dressing for the heat and now it's chilled right down I'm totally lost again! 

Talking of the seasonal change I'm finding the aw13 trends about as exciting as a sack of potatoes. That's not even the worst of it, fashion magazines just succeed in angering me at the moment. They just seem to be producing features that are watered down, overdone ideas, I could weep with boredom. Saying that they are only showcasing the top designers work so in fact I will redirect my disgust at them. I'm going to go on the look out for a new season collection I actually like, I'll let you know when I do. So lets pave the way of individualism NOT force fed mass produced rubbish! 

I love it when I look comes together!

I bloody love it when a look comes together (Forgive me for using this word) organically! And that's what happened today I knew that I wanted to wear this dress, it was raining so I put my latest favourite hat on and this kimono goes with everything! And so this seventies does thirties oriental magic happened! So exciting when it develops like that!!! This outfit makes me so happy, in fact just prints I love and colours I adore make my day that little bit more bearable and if anything will get me through the hideousness of today's working day it will be nice clothes! 

New ideas for aw13!

Ok things have got a little dull, with the aw13 trends upon us of course there are some of the boring, crack out every year trends. So lets shake thing up a little and look for inspiration in other places. Here are some ideas and tips to get you started! 

Expect the unexpected! 

We are so spoon fed that we buy clothes from certain places as this is deemed appropriate! Dam that rule, there are cool pieces to be Be Found everywhere, you just have to open your eyes! Like cute schoolgirl socks in the pound shop, the menswear section in charity shops are fab for oversized shirts that you can wear as a dress belted or open as an alternative jacket, or make it Girly and tie and ribbon around the collar into a bow, circa Chanel! Army shops and men's work wear are cool for picking up bits too. Just open your eyes, it does not matter where it's from or what it's meant for its how you can rock it that counts!

Forget sizing! 

When I go into a shop I completely ignore sizing, it so opens your mind to alternative shapes and ways of wearing things. Oversized is always über cool but also shrunken can be mega cute too. Kids clothes can be approached as well as dresses or coats that are far too big. Even if you don't have the sewing skills a great belt can do wonders for Making a baggy top into a dress, and a dressing gown into a coat. So chuck size out of the window and focus on colour, pattern and good design! 

Explore randomly! 

Fashion magazines are not the only places to gain fashspiration apart from the high street, I adore looking at old knitting patterns cos the colours and combo's are mega cringe but so cute. Look at old books in charity shops, I recently got a book on twenties fashion illustration for 1.49! Family photo albums can be great for vintage inspiration, as well as a laugh. But seriously there are stylistic ideas to be drawn from most things. Whether its the colours in your salad or the hat of an old lady in Midsummer Murders, embrace these random bouts of inspiration! 

Scissors! 

People are always scared to attempt any sort of customising if they are not a skilled sewer but you don't need skills, just vision! It seriously does not matter if there are raw edges or fastening pinned with a brooch or a button sewn on with the wrong coloured thread. Those rules are for the boring ! Sure some clothes need to be be smart. But sometimes a change is needed and it's needed quickly, so crack out those scissors and get creating! 

Borrow, swap, find! 

Ok now don't judge me but I'm going to say something a little weird now. My favourite black felt hat I found next to a bin. Yep I know your thinking WTF? Are you a weird bag lady? The thing is people dump furniture or clothes next to bins all the time and as long as you know it's meant for the bin and you can take it home and wash it then everyone is winning! You got something for free, you have saved another item from going to landfill so recycling, as well as reviving an unwanted item. It's not gross it's Eco friendly. So open your stylistic senses up to your mums or grannies wardrobe too as well as your dads. Me and my sister share a lot of clothes, so she will borrow it for a few months and then bring it back. We know that's our agreement so that's cool! If you gain people's trust then it's a fab way to experience different pieces without having to buy them! 

So the morale of the story is open your eyes and trust your own taste! Even I every fashion mag says its wrong it probs won't be in a years time anyway. And ignore sensible friends opinions they will come round. So you keep going with your stylistic adventure and let me know how you get on! 

 

Angry and cute x

We are so far experiencing a gorgeous September right? But that begs the question what does a girl wear in this heat when she's all ready to crack on with some autumn trends and wear the cheap winter items she bought in the summer? I'm keeping hooked on my late 60's vibe although I'm gagging to have a change! Think I'm going to dye my hair natural blond and wear a lot more oversized collars and floppy hats.  Mixed in with a quant vibe. I better get sewing right? On the upside I do have these amazing sunglasses I bought of eBay a few weeks ago that only came lately. Perfect mixture of angry and cute. Pretty much sums me up! 

I'm back with GLITTER!

Apologies, I know it's been a while, it's been a odd couple of weeks what with a trip to the countryside, a mad sewing spree of a new collection, finishing a little film as well as turning a year older! It's been odd! Anyway I'm back, older but not wiser in a 60's inspired Pastel delight. Look I had a clothing crisis ok?! It was a battle ground of homemade dresses that I've worn ten thousand times already this summer and undynamic mini skirt and blouse combinations! However there is one good thing to come of today's look. The silver GLITTER shoes! GLITTER SHOES! I'm not even that Girly but you can't not tell me that glitter is not the best thing ever. To top it off they were a pound from a car boot sale and they are actually meant for ballroom dancers. Now if these shoes are not an argument for opening your mind to alternative  places to shop as well as using items for a different use then I don't know what is.

How to walk down the street and feel proud of what you are wearing!

Just walked down London road which is a rougher street of Brighton to go food shopping with my granny trolley. A little like taking your life into your own hands when your wearing your latest creation made out of some seventies curtains! But here are some top tips for not giving a shit about what other people think of your clothes! 

If someone is staring, just assume they bloody love your attire and desperately wish the had chosen to wear something similar that day. If it really is a recognisable WTF look then they are probs wearing a track suit or just are to small minded to appreciate your amazing attire.

When someone shouts something they assume clever like "nice curtains" then they are a dick because some of the best fabrics have been furnishing fabrics from the last century and just because they have never been anywhere apart from their nans living room is not your fault. And if you happen to have a bit of flesh on show and some charming chap decides to shout nice legs or whatever then feel sorry for them. As they are either that sex starved to find that a turn on or just so unintelligent that they don't understand it's a actual LOOK.

For combatting everyday places like the corner shop or your walk to work it's best just to stick your headphones in and get on with it. Either that or call your mum and look that dam busy organising your incredibly busy trendy life that you must be mega important and influential to be dressed the way you are. And remember most people are too busy focusing on their little lives to notice. 

And always ALWAYS remember that if you love it then Fuck everyone else cos it must mean its the hottest thing if you have chosen to wear it that day. If you are making it a look then it's a look. Better than blending in with the rest of the humdrum public.

And if all else fails then lovely old ladies will either stare at you in shock! Bless them! Or smile at you and say they love your outfit as it reminds then of something they use to wear! 

Finally........ If you have evoked a reaction it means you have done something, created a wearable piece of art, or something new and exciting and I salute you! You visionary you! 

Creating art while stacking shelves.

You know what's annoying? Life!? Haha I'm not in a particularly bad mood. However having just spent the day working in my pay the rent job I realised how much crap we have inflicted on us every two seconds of our day. Like the lady who is on her lunch break who's pissed off because I don't know where she can find a brass turtle in the giant indoor market that I work in. Or the man who gives me a look that says I wish you had chucked yourself under a train last night, because you can't give me any more discount. Biggest hate to every condecending meanie who assumes that I work in a shop because I have no qualifications or ambition and clearly no drive to do anything in my life. How wrong could you all be. If only you knew?!

 Every time I buy a coffee I know your pain. You work here while you write you amazing new book. When I buy I pint  you can see the lyrics to the Barmans lastest track running in front of his eyes just gagging to get back to his guitar. 

Giving the current climate pretty much our entire generation are working In pay their rent and get by jobs while they follow their dream career. Hooray for us all, we are the next generation of incredible creatives. Future masterpieces, underground hits, the trend setters, brave journalists, visionary writers and awe inducing actors. We will provide the inspiration for the next load of angst ridden teenagers and the more mature generation alike. We are brave, so keep stacking those shelves and staying up all night to finish your latest project. I will be thinking of you while crying into my sandwich at lunch time. (Only joking I don't get lunch breaks, I'm too busy planning my next creative endeavour) x

Need some chilled inspiration? Check out this magazine online, Tavi Genison the curator of this started all this when she was thirteen! So no excuses for not doing what you want! X

Aw13......

Had a sewing spree last night, trying to define some new pieces for a autum winter mini collection, so here is one of my prototypes (dresses for myself made under the excuse that they are a prototype) rocking it with school socks, platforms and a gorgeous 60's leather jacket. How I adore these muted colours! What will be your autum look?! 

This movement starts NOW.

Where is our subculture? What culturally defines our generation? What sets us apart? We have horribly mass produced clothing led by massive fashion houses with no concept of what real people can afford or want to wear. Where is our music? Bland chart successes that overtly manufacture to reach their maximum audience. What about political decisions made on behalf of us by the rich few who have  had to live off such limited means. Are we going to sit down quietly and swallow this mundanity which is offered to us? What are we waiting for? You need permission? I'm giving you permission, what do you want to do? Make a film? Form a fashion label? Write a play? Start your own business? Band? Movement? What is it, what moves you? Yeah we all need to pay our rent and feed ourselves but bigger than that we need to satisfy ourselves by creating. Creating something for us, a sound, look, image, brand, whatever?! The time is now and we have the freedom. We have the power of the Internet and more knowledge available than ever before. You are not alone, the current economic climate is dissatisfying more and more of us. We are all the result of beatniks, hippies, punks and ravers. A hundred different subcultures have gone before us and we can encapulate and exploit every one of them for inspirational means. I want to hear from you, are you a musician, designer, photographer, writer, actor, choreographer, singer, artist, visionary? Let's join together and coin this movement, lets support, write about, be inspired by and collaborate. Together we have the means to do this. What's your latest idea? Need a creative forum? To meet more artists like yourself?

Email our company at gogokimono@gmail.com

We don't just want you to 'like' what we are doing on Facebook, we want to hear about you and your projects! Act and create NOW.