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posted on Wednesday, 29 January 2014 @ 05:15 by Unknown
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Now, I'm not normally one for going out at the weekends; I can't stand the crowds, the prices, the atmosphere or the "Woop Woop it's da weekend" types who end up crying in the toilets whilst their friends re-do their make-up for the 87th time and pretend to listen. However, last Saturday I made an exception, as my favourite cousin was up from Lincoln for the weekend, and I promised to take him out to celebrate him having turned 21 a couple of weeks ago.
The plan was to go for dinner, with my brother and his girlfriend, then head for drinks and then a dance. Because neither my brother or I are particularly organised, this remained the full extent of the plan until Saturday morning, when I finally decided to get something booked for dinner. Having left it so late to book a table, I knew my options would be limited. I had to choose somewhere within our budget (my bro and his burd are both students), in the city center (for easy travel between restaurant and pub) and that had space for us around 7ish...
TopTable to the rescue!
I booked MP's Bistro, part of the Parliament House Hotel on Calton Hill for 18:45, and as TopTable customers, we managed to wangle ourselves 2 courses AND a glass of wine for £17 each! Incredibly, the offer applies to anything on the menu, not just certain options (although some items, like the steak, incur sur-charges, but that's to be expected.) The menu isn't huge, but has something for everyone, and the food was excellent.
To start with, two of us had marinated pork, black pudding and smoked bacon terrine, which came with red onion marmalade and apple chutney; one had a tower of roasted vegetables and lemon rosemary, which was, a little disappointingly, served cold, but was still tasty; and our fourth diner had the biggest bowl of carrot and sage soup the world has ever seen - good, but nothing to write home about. For our main courses, three of us had chicken stuffed with haggis (it was Burns' Night you see) which was served in a Drambuie cream sauce and with the most delicious wholegrain mustard mash (I need to make that at home!), and Beth, the fourth, had a burger - homemade, not the best I've ever tasted, but very good nonetheless, I think the burger bun was home-made too, which was hugely impressive, and hand-cut chips. I had some roast carrots and parsnips too, which were bloody delicious, but it's hard NOT to make parsnips the tastiest things known to man. We were served by 3 different girls, all Italian and all polite, but slightly lacking in charisma. Service-wise there was nothing to complain about, but nothing worth leaving more than the expected 10% tip. The restaurant itself, I'm guessing, is fairly new - it was so quiet and I had never heard of it before finding it online, and is decorated more like a reception/waiting area for a private health clinic than a restaurant, but was clean and unintrusive. If you need the bathroom while you're there, don't wait until you're desperate, because the bathrooms are VERY far away and you will probably get lost. Even if you don't book through TopTable, you get 2 courses for £16 or 3 for £19, which is still an absolute bargain, considering the location and quality of food, so well worth a visit.
After our meal, we headed to The Newsroom, opposite St James Shopping Centre on Leith Street. I had passed it recently and saw it was being re-furbished, so I was eager to check it out. The atmosphere was buzzing, the music was an eclectic collection of remixes provided by the in-house DJ - so nice to have someone in control of the music, rather than just a generic playlist of chart nonsense. The bar has a News theme to it - blown up newspaper articles adorn the walls, the menus look like broad sheets, complete with humorous nonsense articles, and the day's papers hanging from holders placed along the bar. Their house white is a Chardonnay, so obviously I had to have something from further down the list - a Sauvy-B at £5 a glass, not great, so I switched to Pinot for another, much more palettable, fiver. My cousin, Jamie, drinks Jack Daniels, and was delighted to see they had Gentleman Jack on their shelves, so treated himself to a double, no idea how much that cost, but the fact they sell it is merit enough. A bunch of my pals were out, including our own lovely Ceci, so they joined us and much merriment ensued.
I had decided earlier on that the dancing would take place in Electric Circus at their "
Magic Nostalgic"
night, which I had been to a couple of times before and had always
enjoyed myself. The Electric Circus is a really cool venue, tucked round the back of Waverley Train Station on Market Street. Through the back they have 5 or 6 little rooms which you can hire out as a private area for you and your pals, each of which has a kareoke machine! The main dancefloor isn't huge, so can be a bit cramped at times, but that's pretty standard anywhere on a Saturday night! The bar is right in front of you as you come in, and runs off the side of the dancefloor as well. The bar staff are awesome. All of them are dressed smartly, but with a bit of flair, and seem to really enjoy what they do - I watched them dancing and singing with each other on numerous occasions, and they are always up for a bit of banter, despite being rushed off their feet. There are a few wee booths by the bar too - arrive early-ish if you want a seated base for the night (we arrived at around midnight and were very lucky to get one). As the name suggests, Magic Nostalgic is a "retro" night
(I use that term loosely, as I'm not sure 5ive counts as retro...) but
with a fun twist - every half an hour, the unbelieveably energetic DJ hauls someone off the
dancefloor, usually a Hen or a Birthday Boy/Girl, and asks them to spin a
wheel of fortune to determine which genre will be played next.
Highlights from Saturday night included 30 minutes of "Rock Gods" and
half an hour in which I think we heard every Aussie song that doesn't
make you want to claw your eyes out (they were celebrating Australia
Day). This was the third time I had ever been to this particular event, I've always had an awesome time - I would highly reccommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different to the usual George Street Grind.
Here is a picture of us enjoying ourselves. They are giving me the finger as I refused to have my picture taken that night - I had to enforce a law of Radio Silence that weekend, as I was technically skiving work.
 |
Lewis, Kayliegh, Mat, Russell (my wee bro), Jamie (my cousin) and Ceci.
Image courtesy of The Electric Circus |
Labels: events, food, music, places
posted on Monday, 15 April 2013 @ 13:47 by Unknown
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A Zombie Apocalypse in Edinburgh?
Our beloved city is preparing for a zombie apocalypse, expected this weekend. From Friday through Sunday, the entire city will be over-run by infected, undead bodies; the only safe zone in the entire city is the labyrinthine Summerhall, where scientists from all over the world, soldiers and survivors will be gathered to decide how to deal with the epidemic.
Of course, this is not real. There is no threat of a sudden, 28-Days-Later-esque, outbreak of undead infection. So what am I blabbering on about?
This is what I'm talking about:
A truly unique production, where science meets theater in an attempt to answer a question which I'm sure we've all been asked, or asked ourselves: Would I survive a Zombie Apocalypse?
To answer this question, epidemiologists and biomedical scientists from Edinburgh University's Centre for Cell Biology and Roslin Institute, Heriot-Watt and Manchester Metropolitan Universities and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have teamed up with
LasTheatre, a company who specialise in "interactive and immersive events," and invite audience members to work in partnership with the real-life scientists and actors, who will play the parts of both soldiers and zombies, to develop a strategy either for curing the infected, or sanctioning the destruction of the city.
Unlike other Zombie Apocalypse events such as
2.8 Hours Later,
Zed and other zombie survival experiences, where participants are usually either chased and tagged by "zombies" or engage in survival training and controlled combat sessions using Airsoft Guns (although those do sound pretty awesome), Deadinburgh is a much more realistic (thanks, Science) and tactical experience of how the human race would cope with such an invasion, where survival depends on so much more than just individual ability to double tap, outrun and outsmart the infected.
Of course, as soon as I heard about this I got in touch and nabbed us some tickets for this Friday night, so we'll report back on Saturday about how it went - only if we survive, of course!
Tickets are available from the
Summerhall website and include entry to a survivors afterparty with music and drinks.
Labels: events
posted on Wednesday, 27 February 2013 @ 15:46 by Anonymous
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5 Ways to Wear a Statement Necklace
A necklace is a truly underestimated fashion piece. I feel
that you can pull an outfit together with something as simple as a necklace and
I am a necklace hoarder. There are stands, hooks, drawers and bags, that’s
right, bags of necklaces in my room. I cannot get enough of them. There are
probably some I haven’t even worn, but don’t worry, when the right occasion
comes, I will.
So, first on the list: The Chunky Number
This is a statement piece, so needs to be work with
something relatively plain (by plain, I mean a block colour) but can turn a
dull or boring outfit into a fashion statement.
Next: The Long Chain
There are often times when I have a top or dress on and I
feel that a short necklace is just not enough. It doesn't convey the image or
style I am trying to exude and can be a little dull.
Onto the next way to
wear: Hippy
If you are going to rock the pagan or hippy look this
summer, (if you are going to a festival this would be perfect) then you are
going to need a long chain; something with bells and feathers and preferably
suede, or even wooden.
The fourth way to
wear: Under the Collar
If you are wearing a shirt or a blouse and you need that
extra bit of funk or glamour, wear the necklace under the collar with the
pendant or embellished part peeping out around the neckline. It’s a subtle
look, but can really be the cherry on top of your outfit. Also, a little pic here of collar studs, another little accessory to add an edge.
Now, different from the one above, this is for when you
don’t have a collar, but your outfit could really use one.
If you try any of these out, or have your own signature necklace wearing style you want to share, then send us a pic! Either leave a comment below,
email us or send us a
tweet!
Labels: fashion
This outfit I wore for a friend's birthday and I didn't want to go too glam and over the top so I teemed this elegant black midi dress with a more masculine army style jacket to make it edgier and more funky. I also wore a chunky necklace to give the dress a bit of life.
Labels: fashion, what we're wearing
posted on Monday, 4 February 2013 @ 14:37 by Anonymous
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The Drifters drift into Edinburgh
The 30th of January saw the Drifters come to the
Edinburgh Playhouse and, lo and behold, guess who got tickets? Me! They were a
Christmas present from my boyfriend and we spent the days leading up to the
show listening to the Drifters on repeat, learning the lyrics so we could sing
along to the tunes.
We arrived early and got ourselves a drink and some jelly
babies... Well, maybe they were just for me... and got ourselves settled into
our seats. Upon surveying the theatre it was apparent that 80% of the
demographic were over the age of 50, but I didn't care because I love the
Drifters and their soothing tones. Their music makes me feel like life isn't quite so bad at times... they also remind me of my mother because I developed
my love of the Drifters through her, almost, obsession with them. In fact, I
still haven’t told her I went because I was worried she would get jealous and
fall out with me!
When the show began I wasn't sure how they would keep the night
entertaining because it was as long as a musical at two hours in duration and
as there was no story line I worried that the show would become repetitive, but
I need not have worried because they pulled it off brilliantly! There were old
songs, new songs, covers, some history on the Drifters, some purely
instrumental parts, dance routines, costume changes, stage props and solo
numbers! I couldn't have asked for more! They even got the whole crowd up
dancing and boogying away and a great night was had by all, even my boyfriend
who put up with my comments about how sexy the singers were in their different
suits.
If you are interested in this style of soul/jazz/doo-wop
music then I would definitely advise going to see this show. It’s coming back
our way in October. Enjoy!
Labels: events, music, places
posted on Wednesday, 30 January 2013 @ 13:14 by Anonymous
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Here is a cheeky little website which offers great discounts on designer merchandise, from bags to shoes to accessories to clothes! Some of it s a little on the pricey side, but if you are looking to invest in a designer piece, check out what you can buy here first.
Labels: fashion
This travelling fair always has a fabulous array of clothing
to sift through, offering vintage fashion gems at a very reasonable price.
There are two styles of fair which you can attend. The first being the most
normal style which consists of stalls and individual sellers willing to give
you conversation about where pieces are from and who you can bargain with, also
other merchandise such as comics, jewellery and vintage hair and makeup styling.
The second is referred to as a ‘kilo fair’ where you
purchase items weighed by the kilo and pay a set amount per kilo. Now, the
second option is actually a very good idea if you are intending to buy, say, a
leather jacket or fur coat, maybe something designer or shoes; things that you
may be able to get for a cheaper price than if you pay for the individual item,
BUT be prepared to trawl through a myriad of tables and piles of STUFF. You
literally have to rake for things. There are just piles everywhere and people
everywhere. There is no system or decorum here. It is every woman, man and
child for themselves. The clothes are in no order other than colour coded, and
there are some rails with coats and shirts, things that could get ruined on the
floor, but the aisles are tight, so watch out for the crazy bargain shoppers
who will shout at you for ‘crowding their space’.
We attended both fairs held in Edinburgh at the Out of the
Blue cafe and both made for very different experiences. First we scoped out the
regular fair, which was enjoyable, we got some good chat with merchants and
viewed the masses of vintage pieces on display (I even scooped some old
jewellery which I love). So, when attending the kilo fair, we assumed it to be
the same set up, but when you entered you could smell the sweat on the air, the
hardcore vintage shoppers were out to play. When we saw the masses of clothes
we were initially terrified, but after we began to look around we soon got into
the spirit of things and dug right in! We actually found some absolute corkers
and it is well worth the visit.
The next Kilo Sale is the 2nd of February at the Out of the Blue Cafe, Leith at 11am-4pm... enjoy!
Labels: events, fashion
Ladies out to Afternoon Tea.
When attending a birthday lunch with a few friends, we fell
upon this place where instead of the usual bevvying and pub grub, we had pleasant
ladylike tea and scones. At Eteaket they serve a wide selection of teas from
green to white to black and they are all made from their own infusions. Upon
serving the teas you are presented with a little timer whereby the perfect time
for the tea to fully develop is set and you impatiently wait upon your tea
being infused. This is just one of the little touches at Eteaket which make the
experience even more enjoyable. The staff are very friendly and the interior is
quaint and feminine, with a rather vintage theme. You can also order a multitude
of cakes, pastries and waistline destroying delights. Of course, if you are
trying to detox, like me, after the Christmas period you’re probably best
sticking with a nice green tea. I tried the cranberry rose green tea, a very
light and refreshing little number which instantly made me feel healthier. My friend had a Chai latte, which she said
was the perfect combo of spices and sweetness. Another had the jasmine tea
which comes in a glass vessel containing a little flower bloom, another simple effect that only enhances the occasion. You can also purchase any of the teas which
you like from the tea shop itself and carry on the detoxing at home! Fabulous
for a catch up with friends or a special lunch, definitely somewhere I’ll be
returning to.
Labels: food, places
posted on Monday, 28 January 2013 @ 08:22 by Unknown
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Lady Jojo's is a vintage inspired
boutique, selling 50's and 60's style dresses and accessories,
carrying labels as well as its own line and bespoke pieces. Just off
the trendy end of the Grassmarket on West Port, nestled between
Butterflies (perhaps Edinburgh's most famous Prom and Bridesmaids'
dressmakers) and Godiva Boutique, it is impossible to pass by the
window of Jojo's without stopping to gaze in awe at the striking
silhouettes created by the display. We caught up with Joanna, the
owner and driving force behind the brand, to talk about the shop, the
designs and her take on the Edinburgh fashion scene.
Tell us a little bit about the shop,
how it came to be, what made you start.
Well we opened in
April 2010...I think the reason – everyone always asks that, I'm
never really sure – it just sort of fell into place. I'd just
finished uni, and I ran away for a bit, travelling. Then I came back
and waitressed for ages, trying to find the right thing, applying for
graduate jobs. When I'd been travelling I'd seen lots of cool shops
in Sydney and L.A., quite like this style. When I came back a lot of
my friends were really getting into vintage and vintage inspired
styles. There was nothing here [in Edinburgh], or really in Scotland,
at the time. I was still young enough to get some help from the
Princes Trust, who can give you quite cheap loans if you're under 26.
I just loved the style and everything. I was managing cafes and
things, so I was in a position where I thought I could manage a small
business. If I can do it for someone else, then surely I can transfer
the skills and do it for something I love. It's hard work, but if
you're doing something you love it's worth it.
What or who is your fashion
inspiration?
I did Film Studies
at uni, so I watched a lot of old films; Hitchcock and stuff,
drooling over the fashions, so a lot of it is really from classic
movies... There are no particular celebrities that I'm really
enamoured by. That old glamour. What we do is not exactly the same
thing. It doesn't transfer completely, but we try to attract people
with some kind of relevance. Just trying to capture that elegance.
You see these young girls who go out and wear nothing. You can be
classy and sexy and still wear a long skirt, or sleeves. A lot of
people when we first opened were really happy that we were catering
to women in their 20s and 30s. There's Topshop, and really young
shops, then... ah...'old women' shops, and nothing really in the
middle.
Who are your
main clients?
When we opened, we thought it would be quite a young-alternative
clientèle, but I'd say it's really 30-40 year old women who want a
dress for a party, a lot of people come here if they're going to a
wedding. Mid 20's to mid 40's career women, but you do get some 16
year olds who are going to prom, or we've had some women in their
80's who are still rocking the style – I love that!
We heard you actually make some of
the stuff here in the shop?
I don't do it myself, because I don't have a design background, but
we had a girl called Caroline, who started in October last year
(2011), she got it up and running, then left to go to Australia, so
we got a new girl called Samantha. There are a couple of other girls
who are trained, they studied fashion, they do the construction of it
while I faff around with ideas, and they tell me what I can do and
what I can't do. I get to mess around with materials, and do the fun
stuff.
And now you've branched out into
Bridalwear..?
That started in
April (2012). People had been asking about converting the design, but
it wasn't something we'd done before. Then the Vintage Wedding Show
got in touch and asked if we wanted a stand, because we were vintage
inspired, so we did a few display dresses, thinking we'll just see
what happens, and it was really popular. We're trying to convert
upstairs into a proper custom Bridal section, so there's a proper
structure, rather than having the dresses mixed in with all the
others. We'd never even planned to make dresses, so now we're doing
bridalwear as well...it's just brilliant.
Do you think in the future you'll
open more shops and branches around the country?
Whenever
I think about the future of the brand, I sort of model my thoughts on
shops like What Katie Did
and
Vivienne of
Holloway – they
both have flagship stores in London, and until recently that was it,
besides other shops which stocked their designs, and a really strong
internet presence, so I think that's the model I would try and
follow, because retail is really expensive. My dream is to follow
What Katie Did
and have a boutique on Melrose Avenue. I don't think I'd like to have
lots
of boutiques, because if you have lots it becomes less of a boutique
and more of a chain; it's less personal.
In
2011, for my 21st
Birthday bash, I bought a Jojo's dress after having seen it in the
window and falling head over heels in love with it. It was the first
dress I'd tried on, and I remember my flatmate, who had come shopping
with me to offer advice, saying “I don't think there's any point
even looking anywhere else... and I don't say that very often – you
know how much I love shopping, any excuse!” So we didn't. I bought
the dress there and then, donned some 50's style killer heels, and my
outfit was the talk of the party! I even received a compliment from
an Assistant Buyer from Debenhams!
Besides myself, other celebrity customers include America Ferrera
(Ugly Betty!) and BAFTA award winner Rosie Marshall.
Jojo's is certainly one to watch, not just on the Edinburgh style
scene, but on an international scale.
You
can shop online via the
website (they have a sale on just now!).
Labels: fashion, places, shops
posted on Sunday, 27 January 2013 @ 14:12 by Anonymous
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Hey guys. After months of absence we are pleased to tell you that we are returning to the blogosphere. We apologise profusely for going AWOL; between Bambi starting a new job and Ceci going back to uni and a myriad of other life events we have been up to our eyeballs in STUFF. But, now we are back with a fresh start for the New Year and we promise to deliver something new to your computer screens every week. Despite our hectic lives and our online absence, we have managed to squeeze in a few events, parties and interviews in the last few months: Edinburgh Online Fashion Week was a huge success; a couple of vintage fairs in Leith; various gigs and art events; and an interview with a Grassmarket boutique. As well as our usual "aboot toon" escapades - trips to restaurants, galleries, gigs, shows and some style spotting on the streets of Edinburgh, we have a few big fashion events on the calendar this year:
- Edinburgh Charity Fashion show, March 2013
- Edinburgh College of Art open day and Degree show, May 2013
- Scottish Fashion Awards, June 2013
- Edinburgh International Fashion Festival, August 2013
- Edinburgh Online Fashion Week, October 2013
 |
| Bambi & Ceci - glad to be back. |
 |
| Toasting Mr. Burns & Our Return! |
To celebrate our return, we threw a wee shindig on Friday night (which was Burns' Night, so of course we had to have haggis with our champers!) for some of our closest supporters. Everyone had a great time, too much food and too much wine. Look at the t-shirts!!
 |
| Bambi & Hannah |
We invite you to join us in our hunt for the freshest cultural delights Edinburgh has to offer - if you visit a really cool cafe, see a great local band (or are in a great local band!), enjoy an art show, find a cool spot for a picnic, snap someone wearing something awesome or just fancy a blether,
email us, or
send us a tweet.
posted on Wednesday, 5 December 2012 @ 09:27 by Anonymous
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Chanel comes to Scotland!
One of
the biggest fashion events of our calendar came to Scotland this year: The
Chanel Metiers d’Art collection runway show. Hosted by Karl Lagerfeld in the
grounds of the Linlithgow Palace, Lagerfeld claimed it was the ‘rough romance’
of the Palace ruins that he wanted as a backdrop for his collection. As the
fashion Royalty descended onto the sleepy little county of West Lothian, hoards
of people flocked to the Palace to catch a glimpse of the festivities.
This
collection was inspired by the heritage in Scotland and showcased a lot of
tartan, tweed and cashmere pieces from Hawick cashmere makers. According to
Lagerfeld, Chanel herself discovered Tweed and Cashmere here in Scotland, and
now they have bought their own knitwear brand in Scotland, Barrie Knitwear, in
order to continue her legacy. Stella Tennant, Scottish supermodel for 20 years
and Scottish Fashion Awards Hall of Fame member, was the opening and closing
model for this event.
guardian.co.uk
The
event itself costs around £2 million and it took 200 hard working Chanel staff
to bring the creation to life. A rustic and mysterious atmosphere was created
by the numerous candles and braziers. Due to the missing roof at the Palace, a
huge glass cube had to be erected onto the structure to provide shelter for the
guests. A lot of bare wood and wood burning fires were put in place to create a
medieval atmosphere.
www.wallpaper.com
The
Collection itself was a ‘ready to wear’ selection for this winter; a lot of
knitwear and coats, causing fashionistas around the world to coo and fawn over
the beautifully oversized pieces. It really is a huge boost for the Scottish
fashion industry, not to mention a big boost of patriotism and recognition of
our culture.
www.glamour.com
Unbeknown
to me, my boyfriend was working the bar at this event, and who did he have a
little chat with? None other than Karl Lagerfeld himself. And more to the
point, he didn’t even know who Karl Lagerfeld was or what event he was working;
literally had no idea. He didn’t tell me till the next day and all he could
remember was that it was an event in Linlithgow, to which my jaw fell open and
I nearly wet my pants. He didn’t even get any pictures, autographs... or Karl’s
napkin. I would have taken any little gem on offer from that show... It was
such a shame. Had I not had an essay due the very next day I would have been up
there myself.
Bambi
– I found out, the night before the event, that one of my friends, Sam, was
working there too, as a waitress. When I spoke to her afterwards, she said it
was one of the most exhausting nights of her life. They had spent the days
leading up to the event assembling tables, bars, walkways and makeshift
dressing rooms, then on the night itself spent hours running back and forth,
pandering to the requests of Chanel's prestigious guests. Sam was lucky enough
to serve Lagerfeld himself, although not directly – everything must be served
to his personal butler, who then delivers it to the man himself, who only
drinks Diet Pepsi – ice, no fruit. Alexandra Schulman was, of course, in attendance,
so we can look forward to a well deserved Scottish mention in Vogue!
Altogether,
the Chanel show was an amazing opportunity for us Scots to show off our
heritage and hosting abilities, and such a great honour for a world renowned
fashion house to choose a location so close to our hearts.
Labels: events, fashion, people
posted on Wednesday, 24 October 2012 @ 09:30 by Anonymous
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Edinburgh Online Fashion Week
Friday the 19
th of September saw the closing
catwalk show of the ‘Edinburgh Online Fashion Week’ and what an interesting
show it was. The hair, the makeup, the clothes, the champagne; it was all very
professional and made us feel very important. Bambs and I are still getting
used to this event attending lifestyle, so for us, choosing what to wear on the
night was a huge dilemma. In the end going for something glam yet formal was a
winner as when we arrived many were dressed head to toe in fabulous high street
and designer outfits.
 |
| Us on the catwalk at EOFW |
Held in the quarter mile this event promised to be an
interesting show and having walked past the quarter mile several times dying to
see what it was like inside, I was not disappointed. It was very new and modern
and fashionable, and fit right in with the type of event we were attending. As
we had our tickets checked we were handed a QR code on a piece of paper... This
was our ticket; how very high tech! Having never experienced this before I was
clueless, asking what it was for. The girl looked at me as though it were
obvious that this was my ticket. It seems I am behind the times when it comes
to event etiquette.
So, moving on from my social blip we made our way to the
bar, scoping out the seating arrangements and the other fashionistas around us.
Everyone was so glamorous! Bambs and I felt right at home, and as we ordered
our glasses of champers and sauntered over to some seats we got our fashion
goggles on and started looking through the list of designers we would see that
night. As the show began the DJ put on some energetic music which got us all
revved up for what was to come, and after one too many champagnes I was maybe a
little more enthusiastic than necessary, sharing my opinions rather loudly with
Bambi.
EOFW aims to show case the talent and availability of
fashion here in Edinburgh. The catwalk show itself addressed the boutiques,
designers and outlets that are on our doorstep, so this was a real treat
allowing us to observe and take pride in the work happening in our capital
city. Thirteen designers and boutiques were showing a few pieces each, although
throughout the week there had been more shows and events and these events will
be released in October by EOFW. First up was Fiona Somerville, a Scottish
designer specialising in knitwear. Her pieces were very loose fitting and
oversized, which is what I love in a winter garment; something that will keep
you cosy! I also love all the dark and warm colours, which just happen to suit
my skin tone perfectly. This year it seems maroon, teal, purple and moss green
are taking over the winter fashion collections.
Psycho Moda showcased some very patriotic pieces, in the
form of completely tartan dresses, which is a big theme for this season.
Another boutique which caught our eye was the ‘Those Were the Days – Vintage
Boutique’. A unique store dedicated to finding the best and most sought after
vintage items, providing a sense of glamour and mystery. One piece that really
stood out for me was by designer Jennifer Morris. Her weird and wonderful
fringed pieces are works of art, but the blue, feather maxi dress she showed
was just my scene. The electric of the colour, the glamour and decadence of the
feathers, and the long and elegant cut are all things that I seek in a garment.
If I had somewhere outrageously decadent to go, I’d wear this dress.
I also have to comment on the hair provided by Dickson Reid and
make-up by Laura Gollan, which were beautifully done. The bonanza of hair
styles which had been quiffed and crimped stayed in place all night and along
with the make-up they provided a dramatic and strong effect which only enhanced
the viewing of the show further.
Labels: events, fashion
posted on Monday, 20 August 2012 @ 19:53 by Unknown
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Edinburgh International Fashion Festival
Last night, Cecilia and I managed to bag tickets to the final runway show in 2012's Edinburgh International Fashion Festival. It took place in the Dissection Room of Summerhall - the old Dick Vet school, which has been transformed into an eerie, year-round art and exhibition venue.
The runway show featured a collection by Christina Borcher, whose designs are inspired by the dark fairytales of her Danish home land. Besides the first three pieces, the entire collection was black, abundant in leather, lace, sheer blouses, dramatic outlines, collared capes, long trained evening gowns and, the absolute highlight, huge mini-crinis, putting Viv Westwood's attempts to shame. The show was soundtracked by a live DJ, playing trance tracks reminiscent of the late 90's, giving the show the atmosphere of an ethereal, underground party, almost as if we weren't supposed to be there.
After the show, we were treated to guided tour of the Syn/Aesthesia exhibition, in the old animal hospital. Although none of the pieces were designed with that venue in mind, they could hardly have been housed in a more perfect space. The exhibition hosts several video installations, most notably a Pringle of Scotland commission of Ryan McGinley's starring Tilda Swinton as the nameless protagonist, crawling through the windows of a ruined castle in eveningwear. For me, the highlight of the exhibition was the collection by Amanda Harlech, who has worked with John Galliano and Karl Lagerfeld. She displayed three large oil paintings, and a sample from her own, will-turn-you-green-with-envy, wardrobe. I almost cried (Literally. I will greet about anything.) when I saw her black John Galliano 3/4 length coat. With a single silver button, huge, square lapels and flowing hemline, it echoed the dark elegance of the earlier Borcher show.
Upon leaving the exhibition, we were invited by a mysterious Eastern European man to stay and watch a show which was about to take place in the courtyard, so after a quick trip to the bar, we settled on a picnic bench (cute, right?) and waited for the show to begin. It was a piece of physical theatre with music supplied by an excellent live band (who performed inside what looked like someone's living room, with the windows open out into the courtyard) called Cadillac. Using humour, mime, audience participation and plastic balls it told the story of a man who has to complete several, violent tasks in order to claim his lottery prize - a Cadillac. A simultaneously sombre and funny portrayal of the megalomania and consumerism of the world we live in.
2012 was Edinburgh International Fashion Festival's first year, and was thrown together in just a few short months. With plans for next year's festival already in the pipeline, and after the incredible show we saw last night, we have very high hopes for next year.
Well done to everyone involved and thank you for letting us be a part of such an incredible fashion festival.
Edinburgh International Fashion FestivalLabels: events, fashion
posted on Sunday, 19 August 2012 @ 18:20 by Anonymous
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The Scottish fashion awards have again done us proud, show
casing the wonderful talent we have here in Scotland. The tartan filled event,
hosted by style guru, Alexa Chung, proved to be a success for its 7th
consecutive year. Judged by a panel of knowledgeable magazine editors,
photographers and bigwigs in the fashion industry, the chosen award winners
were well picked. The only prize to be awarded by a vote from the public was
‘Scottish Fashion Icon’ which went to the deserving Dr. Who actress, Karen
Gillan. Karen’s demure and sophisticated style won this award over actress
Louise Linton and even model Tali Lennox!
The winners which really stood out for me were the Scottish
Textile Brand of the Year, which went to ‘Dashing Tweeds’ who provide a fresh
and exciting range of tweed patterns which will give any suit/tie/trainer a
funky and modern twist. Also, congrats to Stella Tennant for her 20+ years in
modelling and making it to the Scottish Fashion Hall of Fame! 20 years down the
line and she is still going strong advertising campaigns for Chanel and working
on an international level.
The winner of Scottish Fashion Photographer was also
very deserving of the prize, Jonathan Daniel Pryce definitely caught my eye.
His work is very emotional, and always conveys a strong atmosphere, you can
always sense exactly what is meant. But, the star of the show for me has to be
the Scottish Young Designer of the Year winner, Hayley Scanlan. Her pieces are
exactly what I look for in fashion these days. Daring, colourful, eccentric, bold,
funky and glamorous! Everything that you need in your wardrobe. Even
celebrities are loving this girls’ stuff. Her designs have been donned by
Stooshe (funky new girl band) and Little Mix, and I doubt it will be long
before Jessie J is on the bandwagon, this is the type of thing she’d love! The
designs that Hayley creates are always very powerful, strong and sexy. I
believe the wearer of any of her garments would immediately be absorbed by these
qualities. Well done Hayley, and keep it up! We need a new fresh chick on the
block to bring some vibrancy and youth back to our wardrobes. One to watch
folks!
Labels: events, fashion
posted on Thursday, 12 July 2012 @ 18:58 by Anonymous
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Edinburgh College of Art Degree Fashion Show 2012
If you are looking to attend the ECA degree show, then make
sure you set a whole day aside to view the masses of mad and wonderful pieces
there are to see. Upon entering the front door you are flung into the crazy
haze of colour and ingenuity. Each department has something to offer, and even
for those who don’t love art, there is something that will inspire you. I, of
course, focussed my interests on the fashion exhibition, where the sheer volume
of work shown is astounding in itself. You can see that these projects have
been the heart and soul of these students for the past year, and the many hours
of toil are shown in their work, and I have to say, it has paid off. Each
student has produced something interesting and individual, and if I could, I
would just spend days sitting in the gallery looking through all the pages and
pages of work, absorbing the ideas and the inventiveness, just being completely
inspired. Even the presentation of the work is something to be admired. There
is no question that this young group of fabulous designers will go on to do
wonderful things.
I came across a piece by fashion graduate, Jacob Birge,
which I immediately liked. A dress like garment, with multiple layers of
material built up in a shell like manner, and dark colours of black and red;
this piece made me feel very empowered. Its strong structure and symmetry give
the impression of a female warrior, a strong woman, a force to be reckoned
with. Upon reading the designers’ notes on this piece it would seem that his
idea comes across very well in his finalised work, as he claims he is making
the connection between man and machine, or in this case, woman and machine. The
collection centres on this structured theme and there are some captivating
drawings and imagery in his portfolio.
Another graduate, Eva Ng, caught my eye.
Her work seems to have an almost seductive edge, with its form sculpted to the
shape of the body, and the layering of materials. It commands again, a strong
female presence and stirs a somewhat emotional response.
My absolute favourite
piece has to be the work of student Nicola Davidson, who showed a black gown
with a crochet top and flowing skirt. This piece appealed to my sense of style,
with a very boho chic vibe and gorgeous detailing. I think that possibly the
main reason I enjoyed it so much is because it looks like something I could
wear now; something you could pick up in a high fashion store, akin to Topshop
or Asos. The different materials expressed also compliment the outfit, using
leather, crochet and some sort of sheer fabric for the bottom; it meets just
the right balance of masculinity and femininity. Again, upon reading the
designers’ notes it is clear that her aim comes across in her finished work.
Nicola looked at what makes a piece of clothing a ‘wardrobe staple’ combined
with street style photography. I’m expecting big things.
Labels: events, fashion
posted on Monday, 2 July 2012 @ 18:18 by Unknown
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Posh scran @ Michael Neave's Kitchen & Whisky Bar
Newly
opened in May of this year, Michael Neave's is tucked away down Old
Fishmarket Close. Hidden from the madness of the Mile, it has an
exclusive, but not snobbish feel to it. Michael himself is just 21,
but has several years of experience under his belt, working at The
Bonham and most recently, Amber Restaurant (Part of the Scotch Whisky
Experience), which explains the fondness for whisky, which features
as an ingredient in a fair few dishes.
I
visited Michael's with my family to celebrate my graduation, which
was on a Wednesday, so it was pretty quiet, but did not detract from
the experience in any way. We were welcomed in by Brian, our
impeccably-dressed (and Irish, yum) Maître D', who sat us in the
bright and fresh whisky bar, where he and the barman, Kostas, swooped
around us taking coats and a drinks order. Our table was ready for
us, but they didn't rush us to sit down, allowing us to relax and
peruse the menu in the comfort of the bar. After champagne bottle
number 1 was empty, we descended the stairs to the restaurant. At
first, I was worried we were headed down to a dingy basement, but
upon rounding the corner we were greeted with a moderately sized
restaurant with large, high windows, decorated with crisp, light-teal
walls and simply set tables. After ordering another bottle of wine
(special occasion and all that), Brian took our order, playfully
mocking or approving our choices.
The
main event...the food. My God. The food was incredible. Although
everything was amazing, I don't want to bore you with descriptions
with who had what, so will just take you on a journey of my
particular highlights. To start with, the quail's breast – a
perfectly sized portion for a starter, cooked medium-rare and served
with poached pears. For main course, the stand out meal was the duck
- slow roasted, tender and rich, with a potato rosti (mmmmmmmmm) and
orange sauce. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so usually go nuts
over a starter and main, and am very upset when I can't fit in
dessert, but at Michael's the portions are so perfect that I was
(just) able to manage a chocolate and orange mousse, and I am so glad
that I did. Melty, chocolatey but light enough to not be sickly, this
mousse was, for me, the best part of the meal. Once we'd finished,
Michael arrived at the and introduced himself to us, asking if we'd
enjoyed the meal, and giving us the banter.
All in
all, a wonderful meal. If you're looking for some upmarket, but not
stuffy and pretentious, scran, you should definitely check it out.
Since I visited, they've added a fixed price lunch menu, which looks
like excellent value considering the quality of food, otherwise,
their dinner/a-la-carte menu can be pricey (considering I'm a
student), although no more than you'd pay on George Street or a big
name high street restaurant, so you should all head there as soon as
you have an occasion or excuse to go!
Labels: food
