Essay Procrastination - Stylish Kids in the Riot

Hello! As I hope you've heard, UCL students are currently occupying the Jeremy Bentham room in the main building of the campus.

We have been here since Wednesday and are planning to stay indefinitely, or until the senior management agree to our demands. More information can be seen at ucloccupation.wordpress.com

I can tell you that there are a surprising number of beautiful and well-dressed people occupying this room, but unfortunately we are more occupied with other things.

Feel free to read our sparse updates on twitter as we remain in occupation. I'm also running www.twitter.com/ucloccupation

Please show your solidarity and normal service will resume soon.

Jessica Wilde

Essay Procrastination - The Celebrity Takeover

Everyone these days seem to be pairing up with high-street big-wigs in order to pass on a bit of their designer excellence to us mere mortals. Whilst those with design credentials have every right to present us with affordable high end copies, it always comes as a great surprise when the next Z-list designer wannabe attempts to tread on the toes of the Greats. Already celebrities are starting to take over our high street; but here are a few collaboraions that will keep us on the designer straight and narrow...

Henry Holland and ROXY

Whilst I first had doubts as to the practicality of Henry’s collection of Ski wear for Roxy (which comprises of a leather mini skirt and mid-length jersey dress to name but a few), I was dually told by a regular to the slopes that this was an ‘après ski’ collection (what you wear for the enjoyable, social part after skiing all day and accumulating numerous bruises). Well that said, if ever I took to the slopes I would be the first one to get my hands on Henry’s leather quilted bomber jacket and heart print cardi available now from the pop-up Roxy Ski Chalet at Beyond the Valley, Newburgh Street, London.

Lanvin and H&M

Staying true to his trademark bold designs, embellished necklines and statement colours, Alber Elbaz has created a capsule collection for H&M that’s brimming with colourful Christmas gems. Entering stores on the 23rd of November, the Lanvin collection is set to be as successful as Stella McCartney and Matthew Williamson’s collaboration with the high-street super power, especially as the Parisian creative director Alber Elbaz wanted ‘H&M to go luxury, rather than Lanvin to go public’. Although the sugar plum, flouncy dresses are a bit too Cheryl Cole for my liking, I’d happily try and get my hands on the black blazer, puffy prom dress and rather lovely fur-coat-come-military-trench combo.

Amy Winehouse and Fred Perry

And now I come to the owner of that well known beehive and her attempt at a designer collaboration; who would have thought it, Winehouse...a designer? Whilst Amy obviously idolises the brand, she's possibly the last person I would have thought of to become the high-street's resident 'designer'. Kate Moss managed to produce a pretty coherent collection time after time for Topshop but Amy Winehouse, really?? Even Emma Watson’s been at it for People Tree as well as Pixie Lott for Lipsy. Soon the celebs will be controlling half our high-street; if they haven’t done so already. I say leave it to the professionals, you know, the ones that do this day in day out. I mean I’d rather say I’ve got a bit of Lanvin in my wardrobe that Amy Winehouse, wouldn’t you?

Miss Bentley

Wishlist - Burberry Boots

I know that you'r expecting me to be talking about the hiking boots, but I'm actually referring to something a little more classic. Sort of.

Meet the thigh-high, the basis of every shoe-induced fantasy and late-night sweat of recent weeks. So luxuriously crafted - a fact echoed in the £900 price tag - and a welcome break from the sea of shearling we've found ourselves adrift in this winter.

If, like me, you've run out of leather options to satisfy the seemingly unquenchable need (trousers, slightly looser trousers, short shorts, slightly shorter short shorts, pencil skirt, skater skirt, in-between-pencil-and-skater skirt etc etc) then these boots are a logical progression.

Yes, I'm fully aware that the high-street is currently offering a few desirable pairs, and that Topshop alone has enough styles to cater for any thigh-high need, but Burberry has done such a deliciously, unmatchably good job with this pair (also available in python-print leather which is almost too orgasmic) that anything else, direct copycat (read: rip-off) or not, would feel like blasphemy.

I did consider setting my sights slightly lower (pardon the several puns), aiming at this over-the-knee pair for a measly (pah!) £700. I'd be able to pay that debt off far quicker and would probably manage to walk in these platformed beauties marginally better, although any damage caused by the thigh-highs would naturally be attributed to London's pesky pavements.

But I don't want to be in the upper-knee territory; I want to be thigh-high, the thigh's the limit, to thigh-finity and beyond. Okay, I'm delirious and will stop now. But I'm sure I can make one leg longer than the other so if anyone working on Burberry's production line sees a pair differing in length not fit for sale (preferably in a size 8 but I'll settle for anything in a size 4 upwards) then please send them this way.

NB - when writing this I came up with what is probably not a genius idea but I'm running with it - leather thigh/knee-high socks. Comments/therapy etc welcome.

Jessica Wilde

Essay Procrastination - Right Shoes, Wrong City

As students in London, the city's attitude is our status quo. But when Luke first came across the pond from the University of Kentucky, “horribly located” in the town of Lexington, London gave him a new awareness and his first opportunity for sartorial self-expression. A year on, Luke is counting down the days until he arrives for a semester of study here in London, and he talks us through the reasons he feels more at home in this different continent than at college in his home state.

Whilst some parts of the city are more conservative than others, and the average Londoner’s attitude is by no means representative of the country as a whole, should you frequent Shoreditch by day or Soho by night it’s unlikely that an aesthetic not in keeping with that of the general population would earn you a second look, let alone a shriek of abuse. Of course, not every student on University of London grounds adheres to the strict code of fashion, and why should they? But is an undeniable fact that the people walking around our campus use what they wear, even on days crippled by hangovers and essay deadlines, to display their personality.

This is an entitlement that, according to Luke, we perhaps take for granted. “If I attempt to dress well, I am definitely looked on differently, usually negatively. What I wear has to be slightly conservative in my current social climate. If I do dress how I want people typically don’t verbally respond, but they definitely stare for a while. I really don’t, and can’t, dress very avant-garde, but my mere acknowledgement of the fashion world – exclusive of their daily choice of offensively bright blue athletic get-up or pajamas - seems to catch people off-guard. Recently I even overheard my roommates talking negatively about my clothes and I just don’t feel like that’s okay. Most days I just wear a pair of utility boots, and in spite of the fact that they are in every magazine published, they are not seen on a single soul here! I don’t understand how people without fashion authority can comment on someone who at least has awareness. But then I am happy that they are at least exposed to someone like me, whether they like it or not.”

Despite being generally considered a fairly conservative southern state, with icons like Lady Gaga and countless fashion bibles at their disposal, it’s still shocking to think that our college-student counterparts over the Atlantic are yet to master basic levels of acceptance and, understandably, it’s hard on those in the minority. “There are definitely days when I am insecure; I might appear to be angry or upset. I can become very antisocial at times. I love days where I can just drink and read and be alone.” This alienation isn’t purely emotional; whilst Luke’s peers strive for muscle and live for sports he embraces the unspoken thinspiration that seems de rigeur in fashion’s many circles, seen in tweets that state “Sometimes I just open up Photo Booth and watch myself eating cookies” and “All of this heavy lifting is making me so scared I might actually get an arm muscle.”

Luke’s attitude regarding his situation – aphoristic in his desire to be set apart in Lexington but well-placed in London - is refreshing despite the moments of depression, and the combination has given him a new level of melodramatic, comedic cliché that further distances his mentality from his classmates’, and will make him even more at home in our very own fashion capital. “Fashion is said to be an extension of who you are. This phrase is tired but it holds truth; if everyone at my university is content is wearing the same thing then they must be content with all having the same life. Luckily that’s not who I am. I am happy to be different from everyone else. My fortune cookie yesterday said, ‘The kite rises against the wind,’ and I smiled as I knew this was true.” He ends with a dry laugh in a cynical drawl, more London than Southern: “I had also had a bit to drink so my smile was amplified.”

Follow @lukeaporco on Twitter for more cultural insights:

“An 80 year old man wearing purple leggings. The boundary has officially been pushed in Kentucky.”

“Since when was it acceptable for such a significant amount of the US population to leave the house in pajamas?”

“C’est Vendredi! Best day of the week. Make a fucking friend.”

Jessica Wilde

Essay Procrastination - Solemates

I have recently become obsessed with Fashion Fiction. This is my attempt at it but it's probably still a tad journalistic. Oh well.

Traipsing through Soho on a bright morning, surprisingly sans hangover and thus in good spirits, I realise that today is the Boxing Day to my maintenance loan’s clearance. Rather than continuing to subconsciously avoid the side streets that I know may spring a honey trap of clothes-lust on me I decide that I could perhaps meander towards The Shops.

I am soon greeted by dangerously, unignorably alluring (read: skilfully visually merchandised) shop windows. Before long – it could have been minutes, maybe only even seconds; I was so caught in the generic rom-com moment I’m not entirely sure – I see Them. The perfect pair of shoes (“I mean it this time, I don’t know how but they’re different; they’re special”), resplendent in the UV light behind the slightly smeared glass in front of me. I rush in, maybe even pushing a precocious ten year old out of the way, and hurriedly grab the shop assistant, pointing and yelping “those - in a size eight please - quick!”

Before long my feet have glided willingly into their new homes and I totter towards the mirror, leaving my tattered brogues to mope by the ‘reduced’ section, to revel in my own glory. Who knew that a black suede court could look so effortlessly elegant? The effect just isn’t as breathtaking with the other six pairs in my wardrobe back home. I allow my foot to pop, reminiscent of the moment following a suffocatingly romantic first kiss, to check the price. I breathlessly squeal at the newly-formed rip in my heart as I calculate the percentage of my still-warm loan I’m considering doing away with in one swift transaction. But before my heart can sink much further my emotional accountant tosses it up into my mouth with a simple flick of the wrist. What was I thinking, denying myself this purchase? Why, this is love!

I see the sides blur and mentally transport myself forward into the world where I have bought the shoes and they have been lovingly integrated into the family within my wardrobe, accepted unbegrudgingly by my exes. I wear them each day and they alone give me the determination to attend every seminar and lecture, and in them I am miraculously on time. As thanks, they escort me to my graduation where I receive the highest First the university has ever seen, then right out into the real world and my dream job, complete with dream salary.

Then my mind lurches again, this time into the world where I left the shoes in the shop and managed to somehow make it home without jumping into the Thames. My feet can’t bring themselves to walk to campus without their solemates, and I stumble down the stairs barefoot a few weeks later to open the letter that tells me that I am no longer enrolled at UCL at all.

My mind’s wanderings have overwhelmed me to the extent that I’ve become light-headed and fear that I may faint. I hurtle back to reality and open my eyes, gasping with relief as I see the shoes that can and will change my life still luxuriously enveloping my feet. Any hesitation now seems absurdly laughable, even illogical; we have a real future together. In a moment of honeymoon bliss I throw my superfluous brogues into the box and glide over to the till to pay. I leave the shop walking on clouds made of pure joy, completely ignoring the dull ache already creeping into my little toe.

Jessica Wilde

Spotted outside The Bloomsbury

Lettie - 2nd year - Classics

We love this because - leopard print leggings and plimsolls suddenly seem more than just thrown on when combined with a nod to the cape trend in the slouchy coat, all polished off with a patent, quilted laptop bag. It all looks almost too cool for effortless cool.

SPOTTED ON CAMPUS SUMMER UPDATE

We hope that you are all enjoying your time off campus and in the sun, and that you're making the most of the myriad fashion opportunities afforded by the oh-so-pleasant "do I even need a cardigan?" temperatures.

Campus is a little lonely at the moment, what with summer and all, so there has been very little to spot. With this and the fact that we are renting our fashion minds out for free over the summer (you know how it is) this blog may appear a little lonely, too. But don't be too disheartened and make sure you keep checking back for our typically English irregular rays of sartorial sunlight.

Spotted on Campus will be back in full swing in the new semester/season, starting off with a student-friendly guide to the SS11 catwalks.

In the meantime, check out some of the other fashion bodies that have taken up all of our time and attention whilst we've been off campus.

Arthur and Albert Magazine
Find My Style
Brighton Fashion Week
Kerry Knowles
Pi Media Fashion

You can also follow @littlemisswilde on twitter for (almost too) regular fashion, style and random updates.

Spotted watching basketball in Nashville

We love this because ~ In a manner perhaps only fully achieved by American beauties, with blonde hair resting on her shoulders, minimal make-up and flat glads Sophie makes a silk playsuit look appropriate for just chilling out and watching the game.

Spotted at The Infidel premiere

We love this because ~ A nod to this summer's 'indie' trend of boating shoes yet made somewhat more acceptable with the hint of disco and a shockingly non-exposed skinny ankle bone.

Essay Procrastination ~ Sleeveless Wonders

With the revival of the gilet it is excusable to whip out your scissors and slice your sleeves off for summer. While the days are getting warmer the gilet offers the perfect in-between cover-up before we can scrap the jacket for good.

All I could think of when I first saw this waistcoat-come-jacket adorning every mannequin on the high street, were those horrific black padded puffa jackets (minus the sleeves) that my mum used to put me in; yes I looked like the Michelin man. So I let out a great sigh of relief when I discovered that the new-age gilets are merely sleeveless versions of the most coveted spring jacket styles. So here’s the dilemma; do I get scissor-happy and start chopping my way to gilet-heaven , or have another excuse to hit the high street to get the sleeveless counterpart to each of my spring staples? I think I’ll choose the latter...

On the top of my list has to be the denim/biker combo which is not only perfect for layering on cooler days, but will happily squeeze into your bag when the temperatures surprise us. This Topshop gem will toughen up the floatiest summer dress with it’s gorgeously textured acidic dye.

Cheryl sold the leather gilet to me instantly. Keeping it simple with jeans and a skinny belt, this rock chick staple speaks for itself. And surely having no sleeves makes having a bit of leather in your wardrobe a tad easier on the purse strings? Try this simply sumptious version from ASOS.

Release your inner wild child with these Topshop gilets in neutral safari hues. Whilst it seems a tad unpractical to brave our typical English weather in a sleeveless mac, you’ll be the one laughing when the sun makes an (albeit rare) appearance. The gilet just seems to answer all our in-between season dilemmas. Layer up when its cooler, layer down when it’s warmer; simple as. It may take a little while to adjust (I can’t help but feel like I’ve forgotten something with I don a sleeveless blazer) so for the moment I’ll let my arms adjust to their new found freedom in a little denim waistcoat and a long sleeved tee...until it gets warmer that is.

Miss Bentley

Essay Procrastination - Colour B4 Review

I have naturally dark hair, probably one shade off black. I've dyed it every colour under the yellow sun. Apart from blonde. I would never do blonde. However much Agyness Deyn/ Taylor Momsen make me think it might be a good idea.

Around six months ago, despite my mother's warnings, I dyed my hair jet black without realising that you can't simply dye over it, but you have to wait for it to grow out. This was a problem as my hair is no longer the short pixie cut it was when I dyed it on a weekly basis.

The black hair suited me fine with my stupidly pale complexion and permanently red lips, but after a while I got very bored with the sleek and harsh styling that matches the colour and craved some natural brown curls. After one awful mistake where I managed to dye only my roots red and leave the rest of it as dark as ever I consulted various salons, only to find out that the colour stripping process was not recommended because of the damage to the hair, and the very student unfriendly price.

So imagine my surprise when my sister strolled along and told me that for only £12.99 I could literally go back to my roots. She showed me the Colour B4 product and I was, like many people I have spoken to about this, very skeptical. But I really had no other choice. The first obstacle was actually finding it. I went to some of the smallest and largest branches of Boots in central London but couldn't find it anywhere. So I went online and ordered it there, and Boots' courier delivery meant that it arrived the next day.

So, straight away, when I really should have been revising I wrapped myself up in a binbag and headed to the bathroom to undye my hair, with the help of my oh-so-heterosexual boyfriend. The first thing that struck me was the smell. The worst smell you can possibly imagine to come out of a bottle, and not something you would ever smother your scalp in unless you were truly desperate. Which I was. The worst thing was that the instructions specifically state that there should be no breeze, so we couldn't even open the window to stop the awful suffocation.

In total the process took about 45 minutes, with several repetitions of the covering, waiting, washing, and by the end of it I felt like an asphyxiated prune. But the relief when I looked in the mirror and saw that my hair was still on my head, and the joy when I plucked out a hair and held it to the light to see the unfamiliar brown shining back at me made the entire experience worthwhile. Before and after pictures as promised:

BEFORE

ATFER

I dried my hair and left it tousled and hanging casually around my shoulders, happy to finally look relaxed, and hugely shocked at how well the product had worked! The final result is a bit patchy due to my period of gingerness before I went to the dark side. I think I'll leave it like this for now, but the instructions state that it can be dyed immediately.

So for those of you stuck in an unhappy and dark h-area (couldn't resist, sorry), finally there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Jessica Wilde

Essay Procrastination- Grace Kelly Style Revival

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time. The world of Grace Kelly just seems so elegant, so effortlessly stylish and so gorgeously feminine, that I have been hankering after a Doctor Who-esque time machine to transport me to the 1950s and preferably straight to Kelly’s wardrobe. With just over a week until the V&A unveils its collection of the style icon’s most memorable outfits, it is only right to devote a little space to the most stylish woman to grace our screens.

Looking back at Kelly’s most celebrated films, such as High Society and To Catch a Thief, it is undeniable that her outfits have experienced a renaissance on this season’s catwalks. Sporting a super stylish safari look, complete with sandy Capri pants and elegantly tailored shirt, cinched in with a rustic leather belt, Kelly embraces the casual femininity that is central to today’s trends.

Undoubtedly Grace Kelly has set the tone for today’s feminine Americano look, whether it’s classic tailoring or casually belted shirt dresses, all impeccably accessorised with head scarves and up-to-the-minute over-sized handbags.

With the enviable ability to jump from utility chick to Grecian goddess, Kelly brings sexy Hollywood glamour to our screens in a matter of minutes. Even after her acting days were over at the tender age of 26, Grace continued to set a precedent in the style stakes, making appearances in Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent haute couture gowns, to name but a few.

At least we’ll get the chance to relive Kelly’s remarkable on-screen career, not to mention her inspirational on-screen attire at the V&A from the 17th April. I’ll be donning my leather gloves and oh-so-Grace Kelly sunnies to go and drool over one of the world’s most wanted wardrobes. You never know, it could well inspire your summer season style...

Miss Bentley

Spotted outside Koko

Olivia Basic ~ 1st Year ~ History and Russian

We love this because ~ The retro print coat stands out against pretty much anything, and it compliments the colour of the dress perfectly. Coat removed and the sparkle from the sequinned jacket makes the dress party-appropriate, whilst the classic hairstyle and deep red lips maintain the ladylike vintage essence at the heart of the outfit.

Student Budget - Million Dollar Face

So the title of this post may perhaps appear slightly oxymoronic to you. How can I be advising you on ways to spend your student loan wisely and be telling you to go for a Million Dollar Face?

Allow me to explain. We all want to look good pretty much all of the time. But with a student loan to live off of and no time (desire) to get a job, constantly updating the wardrobe from shops other than Primark is only a distant fantasy. So how am I suggesting that one look consistently stylish and well-put-together without the luxury of never repeating an outfit? Simply keep your make-up fashionable. And that doesn't mean following the latest trend of that lipstick or this eye liner, instead it means the trend that is always in: being beautiful.

I don't mean to sound cheesy/clichéd/patronising here. I am simply pleading with the girls who will happily spend £50 a pop on a high-street item they will end up hating after three wears but won't part with more than a miserly fiver on the cosmetics they will cover their face in every day for several months, believing that clothes are less transient than a flawless face. Girls in question, please rethink! Do you choose your facebook profile picture because your outfit looks best in it, or because your face looks pretty? Obviously the former is a consideration, but I'm not sure you'd select a photo where your new jacket looks glorious but your face looks like a Victor Frankenstein creation.

Good quality make up is a worthy investment. On the whole, buying premium or even high end brands over the cheapest option means that the make up will be more luxurious for your skin, easier to put on and last much longer (which, if I was pushing it, I would say makes it more cost effective). There are always professionals on hand to ensure the right colours for your complexion and the right products for the skin type; a personalised service to help create your very own flawless face.

Whilst the effect of new make up may not be as immediately noticeable as a new outfit, you'll receive almost confused subtle compliments: "you look healthy", "did you do something to your hair?", "did you get a facelift?" etc. And imagine the joy when someone states "I love your new lipstick", and you can reply with a flick of the hair, a cheeky grin and a simple "Thanks Darling, it's Chanel".



Yes, not only is designer make up a good quality investment for your face, but it's also a great way to release some of the tense desires for more expensive high end items. So I'll probably never have a 2.55, but my entire make up bag is filled with Chanel. Coco practically designed my face.



Don't forget that clothing trends aren't the only ones in the designer world that we long for. Remember Chanel's Jade nail polish that sent the world on a wild beauty chase? And then next season it was their Particulaire shade? If we'd only known how 'in' they'd be, those designer trends could have been on our fingers at the same time as our icons for a fraction of the price of the new must-have bag. If you want to get ahead, Chanel's most recent shows used the pastel pink limited edition sister shade of last year's Jade, called Jade Rose. Get polishing.

When the next installment of the loan comes through, rather than rush straight to Topshop, why not hop on a bus to Oxford Street and wander into any department store that takes your fancy. On the ground floor you will be greeted by lavish scent of beauty and plenty of trained lovelies to help you find the look that suits you. So your outfit might only have cost £20 from a tiny little charity shop, but luckily your face is worth millions.


Jessica Wilde ~ @littlemisswilde

Essay Procrastination - Fashionable TV

Fashion TV, especially reality TV, is the number one essay procrastination technique. As a result of extreme overdoses of Project Runway and America's Next Top Model I feel (and act) like Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks - or TyTy as I like to call her - are my best friends.



Thanks to certain illegal online TV channels I have watched all of the past seasons of said programs, and have persuaded many friends (and perhaps even my boyfriend) to indulge in my favourite in-lieu of essay activity. One even called me almost hyperventilating when Tim Gunn appeared on How I Met Your Mother. This distraction/ addiction is the most catching I have devised.



But this activity does have a down side. Namely, one's self esteem. Stuffing your face with copious amounts of cheese and crackers and swiss chocolates throughout a marathon ANTM session watching the size zeros strutting around really has guilt-filled repercussions. And the creations devised on Project Runway make me overcome with self-doubt and pointlessness as I consider that I will never be able to work a sewing machine, let alone have Heidi Klum wear my design on the front of Marie Claire (I LOVE YOU ANTHONY).

Less pressingly, such fashionable television also presents me with the overwhelming problem of clothes-envy. There are many examples I could use but I feel that one perfectly demonstrates this feeling so strongly that it must be a universal emotion. Gossip Girl. At the fore of this green-eyed viewing pleasure is Little Jenny Humphrey aka Taylor Momsen. At only 16 she's the only member of the GG cast to style herself. Shocking, as she always looks by far the best, yet not surprising as there is little distinction between her on-screen and off screen looks. Both of which I desire to the extent of tears. She could almost make me go blonde!



But the best thing about Gossip Girl fashion is not simply the prodigal princess bitch but the diversity within the characters. I don't always want Upper East schoolgirl Grunge, sometimes I feel like a strangely Brooklyn based LA take on noughties Boho (cue Vanessa), or some strangely classy sex appeal (hello Serena). But more often than this, if I don't want to obsess over the teen rock star look then what I probably want to do is stare at Blair Waldorf the modern New York definition of a Lady. I'm drawn magnetically to her headbands and not a hair out of place, her perfectly fitted dresses and most of all her beautiful, dapper gentleman of a lover.



Yes, Gossip Girl is the perfect procrastination for us to want the girls' clothes and their men. And even if you are happily settled and can't bear the thought of perving on innocent actors then we are offered a hearty dose of men's fashion to focus on. Chuck Bass works the suit like no other, and Dan Humphrey is the new Seth Cohen (thanks Josh Schwartz for your fine-tuned imagination) and the definition of what all socially sidelined indie males should aspire to be. But Rufus, the aged rockstar and Lily's trophy hubs, catches my eye in the fashion stakes. The sexy older man with a cheeky extra button left temptingly open and that leather choker. It's so fashionably awful yet so so so aesthetically pleasing.


Jessica Wilde - @littlemisswilde

Wishlist - Anne Hathaway's Eyebrows

Okay, so this is a particularly random addition to the wishlist. But for almost two months now I have been drawing my eyebrows in daily and it has moved into the realms of total obsession. They grow every day to such an extent that drawing them in has become rather time consuming and my mum (certain this is my lazy way to avoid plucking) doesn't understand why I put so much effort into simple avoidance when I have a fringe that pretty much covers them.

But it's more than that. I need huge dark eyebrows to survive. When I look at people all I see is eyebrows, even more than I see clothes. I'd rather leave the house naked than without a brow that would make Keira Knightley swoon with jealousy. My eyebrow addiction was containable until I saw Alice in Wonderland earlier this month, and then it boiled over. Study the specimen in question

Eyebrow implants are actually available now. That is a massively tempting prospect. Big eyebrows were all over the catwalks and they are the easiest way to make your face seem sculpted and angular whilst looking natural without piled on blusher. Until Anne Hathaway's eyebrows come up for auction on the transplant black market I will have to survive with my pitiful painted on substitutes.


Jessica Wilde ~ @littlemisswilde

Spotted at Sports Night

Maria ~ 1st Year ~ ESPS

We love this because ~ the colour/material/fit of the playsuit suit her perfectly (and clearly we're a bit obsessed with them at the moment) and this is just the right amount of simple glamour for Sports Night. Obviously we would have preferred something a little sexier on the feet, maybe some chunky wedges, but we forgive her because it was raining and one must always remain practical.

Spotted off Campus in Cambridge

Sarah Battista ~ Anglia Ruskin

We love this because ~ it might just have been because this was the week that Lady Gaga blessed us with the amazing new Telephone video, but these larger-than-life shoulders and the really-not-there-at-all sequinned hotpants (all courtesy of topshop) seemed like the best idea anyone could possibly have.

Essay Procrastination- To Jump or Play?

Hot on the heels of spring, I’ve started to become uncontrollably excited about what the new season has to offer. Having stepped out the other day, perhaps all too eagerly in a little summer frock and jacket, a freak snow storm followed by monsoon showers firmly reminded me that winter was NOT over. If you’re like me and suffering from those relentless winter blues, it’s time to jump on the summer band wagon and embrace this seasons essential; the all-in-one.

Being only 5’3 and in every danger of getting it very, very wrong, I am still yet to take that leap into the world of the jumpsuit. I love the idea of throwing on a playful romper and feeling gorgeously feminine and sophisticated, but the fear of looking half my age has managed to put me off every time. After spying these little beauties I’ve decided it’s time to give the all-in-one a second chance...

Derek Lam has tempted me back to the laid-back playsuit with oh so cute floral prints teamed with devilishly alluring, ultra-feminine shapes. Whilst fit for a night on the town, these all-in-ones are guaranteed to bring out the mischievous child in you. This season the romper-suit is certainly not to be taken seriously. Bright aztec prints, ditsy florals and bold colours make this seasons staple as frivolous as its name implies. Even I might embrace the frivolity that Lam’s creations have thrown our way. Shame the student loan won’t stretch to one...

The high street has given us just enough to satisfy our stingy student cravings. Let yourself go with this sweet offering from Urban Outfitters. Sumptuous spring flowers adorn this ultra-feminine onesy for a flirty take on the traditional play-suit. Or get your tribal paints and tassles at the ready for this vivacious romper from ASOS. A steal at £35 you can’t go wrong with its dynamite Aztec print to breathe new life into your wardrobe this season.

For evening, take the tone down with elegant yet understated jumpsuits. Gorgeous sultry satins in subdued, neutral hues are this seasons answer to the traditional LBD. Strewn across the spring summer catwalks, all-in-ones oozed sophistication. Lanvin draped Grecian goddesses in luxurious silks with harem style bottoms. Admittedly not the easiest style to pull off, I know I might just be staring longingly at these........

Zara has stepped up to the mark with this demure evening ensemble; effortlessly chic shape- check, natural earthy tones- check, impulse to grab your bag and head to Oxford street NOW- check. This one certainly ticks all the boxes. For a sexier take on Zara’s picture of perfection, try this bombshell from ASOS to release the glamourpuss within you.

While the ever-so-cute ditsy playsuits are the definition of summer fun, they just don’t seem to be satisfying my usually sweet tooth. I think the understated sophistication of the full-length, red-carpet worthy variety will be my first venture into the world of the jumpsuit. So excuse me but I’m off to shops to get in on some all-in-one action...

Miss Bentley

Wishlist - Lovely Chanel Gifts

I'm a student, I'm realistic and I know I can't just splash out on various lovely items of Chanel jewellery (however lovely it so is). Luckily, it's just over two months until my birthday, and my lovely boyfriend really needs to get me a lovely present because I got him a topman suit which is completely on the same level as Chanel bling. This post will serve as a guide to him.
I've made a lovely little guide of the items I most desire below in picture form.

I'm allergic to necklaces and my wrists are so ridiculously tiny that bracelets are probably a no too, but those lovely earrings would really tick every box I could ever possibly create. Luxuriously feminine ~ as is at the heart of everything lovely and Chanel ~ but with the lovely little twist of solid rock-stardom thrown into the mix. These earrings are, in jewellery form, my style icon.

If anyone else wants to send a little hint to a loved one they are on the lovely Chanel website in the Lovely CHANEL Gifts section and it's all just as lovely as this.

Thanks in advance, babe.

Jessica Wilde ~ @littlemisswilde

Spotted outside the Print Room

Becky Durbin ~ 1st year ~ English

We love this because ~ well what's not to love?! Casual nod to the nineties with a little peek of denim geeked up with the vintage leather satchel and tasseled shoes , topped off with a touch of glamour in the bright red continuity of the scarves and lips.

Essay Procrastination - Red Carpet Round-up

I love the Red Carpet. The Red Carpet is my favourite thing. When I was a girl I never drew my Wedding Dress, it was always my Red Carpet Dress, and when other girls just drew one, I got to draw hundreds. Here's one I drew in a Feminist lecture the other day. (Note my weird proportions, limited colours and creepy SJP meets Sandra Bullock with Carey Mulligan's shin obsession Oscar dress prediction).

Anyway, I love Red Carpets so much that when I leave university and get a house I will only have Red Carpets and I will hire people to take photos of me and make pretend magazines where they rate my outfits and tell me how marvellous I am, kind of like 1984 except less sinister.I could go on forever, but I will try to keep this round-up short and try to forget about it until next year when I will find that my invites have been lost in the awful postal system once more.

To any of you lucky enough to be attending a formal event (where you can persuade a parent/grandparent/stranger on the street to spend many a pound on you in the name of feeling like a princess) anytime soon, take note from these classic Red Carpet looks.

Apart from the usual ‘jewel colours’ (the umbrella term for anything vivid and less traditional), I noticed a lot less colour than normal this year. Ironically, bridal style gowns took my top spots this year. Kate Hudson was my favourite repeat offender in solid white gowns (Marchesa at the Golden Globes and Emilio Pucci at the SAGs) and I almost cried when I saw how unslutty and princessy Miley Cyrus looked in the underwear as outerwear trend, wearing Jenny Packham at the Oscars.

But I don't discriminate against other colours, although apparently they must be pale too. Luckily, there was a sea of beautiful incipidness in the dresses that gave the looks a more subtle and classic elegance. At the Oscars Sarah Jessica Parker (in yellow silk Chanel Couture), Cameron Diaz (looking preened in Oscar de la Renta) and Sandra Bullock (in sequinned Marchesa for her big moment) did an excellent job showing the world that you can stand out without hurting everybody's eyes, as long as you're comfortable and the dress is perfectly crafted.

I don’t hate colour, but if you can stand out in something with such a placid palette then you know how to wear clothes. Black doesn’t offend me either (even though Julia Roberts at the Golden Globes in Vintage YSL was the most boring thing to have been seen on any carpet in a long time), so I will say congratulations to Kristen Steward for becoming a lady at the Oscars and actually looking happy to be there in the Monique Lhuiller gown, and Glee’s Lea Michele standing out in black at both the Golden Globes and the Grammys.

Final point: I think Elie Saab used awards season as his own personal catwalk, and I loved it.

Jessica Wilde ~ @littlemisswilde

Spotted on the 253

We love this because ~ Trousers tucked into socks is a look usually reserved for cyclists, chavs or embarrassing accidents. But with such unashamedly Grandad socks teamed with worn brogues it's actually rather desirable and probably very warm. Very tempting...

Spotted in the Cloisters

Juhee Lee ~ History of Art

We love this because ~ Those shoes (alas, unobtainable all the way from Korea) are much harder work, and much sexier than most people bother strolling to lectures in, and the colour works so well against the grey-brown of the tights. The coat (again, from Korea) flows elegantly yet is made trendy with the cheeky tartan lining.

Essay Procrastination - Underwear as Outerwear

So spring time has come around and we are all so excited to get out of these layers-a-plenty and strut around in clothes people will actually see. But which trend should you go for considering you’ve probably already run out of money until the next loan comes through in April (please tell me the next loan comes through in April…).

The money appears to be on the underwear as outerwear trend. You probably already have some suitable garments lying around in a pyjama drawer for special occasions, and if not the high street won’t disappoint. Nude colours are everywhere, and H&M in particular have some bustiers so pretty it would be a shame to cover them up. Lace from your Christmas wardrobe also fits nicely.

Underwear as outerwear is also perfect for this time of year. Fresh enough to feed our hunger to want to slip into something soft and breezy, but with no shame in bringing a fur coat out to cover up. After all, it wasn’t meant to keep you warm.

But do be careful with this trend. A safe idol would be Cassie from Skins Season 1. So ditzy you could believe she’d simply forgotten to get dressed but so elegant you wish you could get away with that too. I can't find a pic of my favourite outfit but when I've done this essay I'll get a still up. For now, this video does it some justice.

Anything more overt than that and a warning must be issued. Blair Waldorf may have got it just right in Season 1 as she danced on stage in just pearls and a pink slip (and you can’t deny that she did it perfectly because it got her Chuck Bass), but just wandering around in a nightgown is to be advised against.

It can give off the wrong vibe…

Jessica Wilde - @littlemisswilde

Spotted in the Toilets

Joasia ~ 1st year ~ Psychology


We love this because ~ the relaxed tailoring of the blazer (from Portabello market) juxtaposes the smart sharpness of the bags. City meets country with playful florals and tousled hair completed with eye-catching red lips.

Wishlist - The Mulberry Alexa

When I say that this bag is on my wishlist that is an understatement. I cannot sleep properly because of the existence of this bag. Every time I make a purchase, even for something as necessary as toilet paper, I get an intestine-twisting erruption of guilt as I know I should be saving for this bag.

This bag makes me do stupid things. Today I thought I saw a girl holding it, and if I wasn’t so afraid of a criminal record I would have tackled her and run with it. But then I remembered it was impossible to get hold of and that I was probably seeing things and instead ran into my feminism lecture still sobbing.

I was even tempted to blow my entire student loan on the beautiful thing. Thank God it sold out before it came on sale because I am not one to live on crackers for an entire term. Although it is hugely practical for my student requirements; satchels were made to carry books. Perhaps I should set my sights on the oversized version and use this as my justification. And with this reasoning I could also buy all of Louis Vuitton's satchels/briefcases/laptop bags without an ounce of guilt.

Maybe when my brain finally comes to terms with the fact that this bag will not turn me into Alexa I will be able to sleep properly again, and dream of something different.

Miss Wilde @littlemisswilde

Essay Procrastination - The Rise of the Boutique Charity Shop

I confess that I’m a charity shop virgin; that is, I’ve never found anything even remotely desirable that enticed me to purchase it. The hope of finding some knock down designer shoes or a one-of-a-kind vintage treasure were usually dashed when faced with jumbles of unwanted tat, profusions of fashion faux-pas and that relentless musty odour; it was definitely time to shake off the unrelenting stereotype. Pick a bad one and you’ll be put off charity shopping for life, but know where to go and these fabulous little treasure troves are guaranteed to turn you from a junk shop dodger to a charity shop junkie. Here are a few little gems to feed your new found addiction...

A favourite student haunt, Camden offers enough charity shops to satisfy even the most ardent bargain hunter. But save your feet and head straight to Oxfam in the middle of the high street. Given a new lease of life last year by salvage stylist Mrs Jones, Oxfam was reinvented into a chic retreat for Camden’s savviest fashion addicts. With window displays rivalling those of Selfridges (OK so maybe not quite to the same standard) and bright, modern decor, it’s the perfect environment to rifle through the rails and bag yourself a bargain; and that is exactly what I did, a nice little pair of black suede shoe boots to be precise. I admit these aren’t designer specimens but for £4 you can’t complain, and plus they don’t look like they’re going to break anytime soon, which can only be a good thing. For second-hand first-timers there are even bins of local designer’s creations, ideal for the more wary charity-goer. Perfect for up-to-the-minute trenches and furs on a budget, this Oxfam is in a league of its own, the rails are even colour co-ordinated, need I say more?

Since Mary Portas revolutionised the dated, and synonymously austere charity outlet, the ‘Boutique’ charity shop has made a convincing entrance on to today’s high street, setting an unprecedented trend of fashion-forward charity enterprises. Head to The Octavia Foundation on Brompton Road to satisfy you’re bargain binges; you’ll even find umbrellas suspended from the ceiling (maybe a little too kitsch for my liking but undoubtedly a plausible effort). Situated in wealthy Kensington, every other item is emblazoned with designer labels; Chanel , Miu Miu, Gucci, all for 30 quid? YES this is obviously the place for designer junkies to get your fix and to inject a little Max Mara in to your high street-saturated wardrobe. An gorgeous grey wool blazer, Jill Saunder no less, with an extremely appealing price tag of £29 was definitely my favourite find. Looks like my student loan might not have to be sacrificed for the dream designer purchase.

Miss Bentley

Spotted on Torrington Place

Xuelei Li ~ 1st year ~ Archaeology

We love this because ~ we're first drawn in by the mystery of the cover-up; is it a shawl or a jacket? Effortless layering in monochrome with a kitschy spotty bag gives the outfit a 'cool' edge without being too in-your-face.