Hold onto your hats because it's been a ridiculous 14 months since my last fashion fancies post! What happened - I hear you ask - and the truth is I don't know, I suppose I just ran out of inspiration and other things got in the way. But this post has been lurking in my drafts on Polyvore for months so I thought it was about time I published it! If you don't know what this is about, basically I take a historical or fictional character and come up with a few outfits that I imagine they would wear and the situations they would wear them in. In the past I've done Catherine Howard, Cathy Dollanganger, Wednesday Addams, Mia Thermopolis, Dolores Haze and Sylvia Plath, but today I would like to turn my attention to possibly the most stylish of my favourite female characters of all time: none other than Audrey Horne.

I only watched Twin Peaks for the first time over Easter this year but since then I have been constantly rewatching it and I think I must have seen the whole series all the way through at least 7-8 times now. There are honestly no words to describe how much I love this series: I love the storyline, a sort of murder-mystery in a small town type thing but so so much more; I love the characters, who are all so real and alive (apart from Laura Palmer obviously); I love the atmosphere, how it's set in a town nestled in the woods where a certain evil lives; I love the absolutely hauntingly beautiful music; I love the authentic 90s fashion; I could go on and on! (please note there will be spoilers)

But one of my favourite things about the series is the character of Audrey Horne, and specifically her character development. At the beginning of season one she's seen as a troublemaker and deliberately ruins one of her father's business deals for attention, not to mention tries to seduce an FBI agent and infiltrates a brothel to help him with his investigation. As the series go on she finds love elsewhere and becomes a social activist, committing an act of disobedience in the name of the local environment.

I imagine this is something Audrey would wear on a romantic date with Agent Cooper or John Wheeler, perhaps to a fancy restaurant in the town. The dress also reminds me of what she wears when she infiltrates (and ends up getting trapped in) One Eyed Jack's but we'll gloss over those episodes because they upset me. Basically this outfit is full on timeless glam and the colour is so Audrey it hurts.

For me this outfit sums up Audrey's everyday style in one look. The colours are muted and complement each other but there are little touches like the neckline and heart-shaped sunglasses which express her personality. And of course there's a plaid skirt involved! To sum it up: 90s fashion at its best.

One of my favourite scenes with Audrey is the school bathroom scene near the beginning of the series - not only is it unbelievably aesthetically pleasing it's also a lovely interaction between Donna and Audrey, who are later revealed to be half-sisters. This is nothing like what she wears in that scene but I think the 'school vibe' does serve to remind us that for all her glamour, sophistication and worldly ways Audrey is still only a high school student and teenager trying to find her place in the world. The saddle shoes are a reference to another iconic school scene too!

Throughout the first half of the series Audrey tries to help both Cooper and Donna Hayward find out the identity of Laura Palmer's killer, and her adventures take her to increasingly seedy places. I think this outfit has little touches which recall stereotypical detective attire (like the hat and trench coat) but with a modern, feminised twist. It's simple, practical and stylish, and note the little coffee cup pin!

Halloween is just around the corner and I for one have got my outfit sorted. It's a witchy ensemble with a long dress and a veil (actually a tablecloth from Poundland, I'm on a student budget here) and if it works out like I'm imagining it in my mind it's going to be great.

However if you haven't decided what you're wearing I've got a few more last-minute ideas that you could probably recreate easily from things in your wardrobe, this time with a less traditionally 'scary' Halloween feel (see my previous post for those) and more of a 'feminine' vibe. Enjoy!

1. Ghost

This first outfit is ridiculously simple but equally as effective. Basically just take any longish floaty white dress and accessorise - with a cross choker necklace, for instance, and pale creepy makeup. It's so simple I have literally nothing else to say.

2. Victorian Attic

Now obviously you're not dressing up as an attic but I feel like the various components of this outfit idea could easily have been found in a dusty old room full of crumbling antiques. In reality think slightly scruffy old-fashion clothing, with lace if possible, and then (the piece de resistance) drape fake cobweb stuff over yourself so you look like you've just crawled out of a pile of old drapes.

3. Space Princess

I like to keep Halloween dressing up more or less in the creepy realm and I think this hits the mark - think aliens and weird spaceyness and hazy shimmer. All right, so it's unlikely you'll have a holographic skirt hanging around but I imagine a similar effect could be achieved with a length of material and a needle and thread (it doesn't have to be perfect). Then just dig out your little sister's princess crown, add sparkly heels and you're sorted!

4. Prom

This skirt just screams prom but it's a nice halfway point between 'girly' and 'gothic' with a doll-like vibe. Hair and makeup could go either direction with this one: either something super glam and pretty or dark and scary-looking.

What are your plans for Halloween?

Yesterday I walked into town (to buy a printer, look at me adulting) and had an overwhelming feeling of Octoberness - the leaves were a gorgeous array of yellows and reds and golds and the air was crisp and bright. All of which means Halloween will be here soon!

I don't usually get majorly into dressing up unless I have a fancy dress thing to go to, and even then I've always dressed as something 'scary' rather than just dressing up as whatever. I think it's quite an American thing to just dress up in general, but I've always done that kind of dressing up at Carnival and just 'scary' dressing up at Halloween. So I thought I'd turn to Polyvore and rustle up some simple, practical and easy to recreate outfits that could pass for Halloween without being over the top.

1. The Wednesday

My go-to Halloween outfit is the Wednesday Addams look. Just take any plain black dress with a contrasting white collar, add dolly shoes and stockings or tights, and there you have it! I usually plait my hair too because it makes the look more recognisable. The basic outfit would easily pass as an everyday outfit, but to be even more Halloweeny you could accessorise with a 'pet spider' or a headless doll (both very Wednesday!).

2. Skeleton

Sometimes it's all in the accessorising - with some bold statement jewellery, belts and studs you can turn a simple skirt-and-top ensemble into something far more costume-y. The top here is actually a onepiece swimsuit-style thing, which I imagine would be a good investment piece for Halloween outfits because you could style it in so many different ways. Also the shoes are fierce.

3. Gothic chick

Any all-black outfit is a good starting point for Halloween, and all the more so if you happen to have something like this poofy skirt lying around that you might not wear every day. I'm picturing this look with really intense black makeup for a seriously gothic look.

4. Vamp girl

For this last outfit I took inspiration from the whole vampire-cum-catholic-schoolgirl vibe (if that's even a thing, maybe it's just Tumblr). It's probably unlikely that anyone will have a sheer black dress like this one but any lacy number will do, even if it leans towards being a bit of a nightdress. This is another one where makeup can make all the difference!

Next time I'll be posting some more Halloween outfit ideas with a totally different vibe!

x

I was originally going to start this post with 'autumn is well and truly here', but that's not entirely true since it was over 20 degrees today and I was boiling in jeans and a long sleeved top. Having said that, most days have been hovering around the 15 or 16 degree mark, which is enough to need a jacket especially if the wind is blowing, so I feel entirely justified in writing a blog post on autumn fashion.

1. Skirts are my favourite thing to wear in autumn, providing it's not too cold, and of course they can be worn with knee socks or tights. I had to include a button-down skirt in here somewhere and this brown one is perfect for the move away from more summery denim. I'm also really loving heeled Chelsea boots, although I would buy them in black as I literally own nothing that goes with brown!

2. Even in the colder months, dresses are such a go-to as they constitute an entire outfit and require minimum effort - simply throw one on and you look utterly put-together in an instant. I love wearing them with dolly shoes/Mary Janes/whatever you want to call them, as they give such a playful vibe. Also I'm obsessed with this tapestry bag, I wish I could get my hands on it!

3. Shorts are much the same as skirts when it comes to putting tights under them, without the potential risks that gusts of October wind might pose. This outfit is super duper coordinated if I may say so myself, perhaps too much so but all the autumnal colours are so easy to combine!

4. And finally, if it really is a bit too chilly out for skirts etc, I adore these checked trousers for an instant cosy effect. The top picks up the colour of the criss-crossing lines perfectly, and screams out for a long necklace to jazz it up a bit.

Thanks for reading!

I tried to keep these outfits relatively authentic to the 1950s, but I feel like this first outfit leans more to the beginning of the 60s. While skirts were obviously still the norm for women trousers were beginning to be a thing, so I feel like Sylvia might have preferred a more comfortable outfit for sitting at her typewriter and banging out drafts of her poetry. I also really like this pink jumper, I have no idea but I feel like it would be the kind of college-style thing girls in the 50s would have worn.

2. Poetry in the Park

This is my favourite outfit of the four, and I especially love the skirt with its tapestry effect. I think it could easily have been upcycled from a pair of old curtains, in the spirit of 1950s 'make do and mend'. If Sylvia went wandering around on a crisp autumn day looking for inspiration in nature I think she would have worn something like this.

3. Weekend in New York City

Most of her novel The Bell Jar is set in New York, as the protagonist gets a summer internship at a magazine based there. This is one of the major autobiographical details, as Plath herself had a scholarship at Mademoiselle magazine beginning in 1953. I feel like this outfit would have been appropriate for a day out and about, as it's fashionable yet practical.

4. Garden Party

To be honesty this last outfit is more inspired by the 1950s than Sylvia Plath's actual life. I really love the floral pattern of the midi skirt, and I think it would be perfect for an afternoon spent sitting in the sun and making polite conversation.

x

If you've been anywhere near the internet in the last few months you may have noticed that (love them or hate them) these button-down skirts have become a major trend. As the weather gets colder I've noticed them beginning to materialise in the autumn/winter collections of high street stores such as New Look and Topshop, and I have to admit I've tried a couple on. But somehow I can never figure out what I'd wear one with, so I decided to play around with some possible combinations on Polyvore.

1. Thanks to tumblr I can't help but associate these skirts with the whole 'art hoe' aesthetic, which includes taking photos in art galleries, collecting books about artists, wearing things like block colours, striped tops, artsy socks, and Kanken rucksacks. Personally I think the whole thing is adorable and I just wish mustard was more my colour, so in honour of my appreciation the first of these outfits is decidedly 'art hoe'. Button-down skirts look great with a simple patterned top, and this stripy one would look nice tucked in too.

2. This type of skirt might be on the casual side of things, but I think you could easily dress them up with any kind of smartish top, heels, bling and a little evening bag. The effect probably wouldn't work quite as well with the traditional denim skirt but they come in all materials and colours, such as this red corduroy one.

The character of 12-year-old Dolly/Lo/Lolita is fairly well known as the original 'nymphet' type, and has become quite an icon among a certain class of Tumblr users. As a character, Dolly is childish, capricious, stubborn and often petty, but she is also flirtatious and has a strong sense of fun. I don't really want to get too much into my interpretation of the novel because that's a whole different post, so lets move on to the outfits.

This is probably the most girly outfit of the four, but it's made up of a few iconic nymphet items including heart-shaped sunglasses, pink plaid and bardot necklines. I can imagine Dolly wearing this to a party or on some kind of other occasion, given the heels. Although I don't think it's particularly 50s (maybe more modern day?) I think it fits with her character.

2. Darling Carmen

Lolita is set in 1949, and I thought that time period ought to come across somewhere, such as in these school shoes, the adorable dress (which I would totally wear) and the vintage-esque suitcase - very appropriate given much of the novel recounts a road trip. There's definitely an element of glamour in Dolly's life though, so I included some high end type makeup products as well.

3. Sparkle jump rope queen

It's important not to forget that Dolly is 12 years old at the beginning of the novel which makes her still essentially a child. Rollerskates, pinafores, daisy chains and milkshakes are all things I associate with childhood, and perhaps especially being a child in America. Also I love that Wizard of Oz case so much!

4. Scarlet starlet

x

Today I have another 'how to style post', this time centred around fruit - see the last post here. Lately I've noticed a lot of fruit-themed clothes and accessories in shops and generally in internet fashion, not least from the gorgeous Kailey of Mermaidens blog, who is the undisputed queen of fruit (and ice-cream) motifs. Here are a few ideas for incorporating the fruity feel into your outfits this summer.

1. Fruit prints don't have to be overpowering - they can still be cheeky and fun. These shorts with the banana pattern are perfect for creating a playful summer look, especially with the simple blue and yellow colour palette. I also love the sunny sunnies.

2. It's been scientifically proven that sporting fruit makes you cooler in all senses of the word, making it perfect for sporty looks. According to tumblr mustard and platform shoes are very in right now, so this is really a triple whammy.

Today I have a new instalment in my 'Fashion Fancies' series, in which I take a fictional or historical character and put together some outfits I imagine they would wear. Previously I've created looks for Catherine Howard, Cathy Dollanganger, Wednesday Addams and Mia Thermopolis, and I honestly can't believe I never thought of Daisy Buchanan before now! She's absolute ideal as a character because of the period The Great Gatsby is set in, that is to say the roaring twenties. I love twenties fashion, and when I did my history project/essay on the history of European fashion last year it was by far my favourite decade to research and write about. It's so opulent and decadent, all the more so when you remember that the 1910s and 1930s were both relatively austere and functional.

Daisy Buchanan is not the main character of The Great Gatsby, but she's very much central to the storyline. A beautiful young woman from a rich family, she fell in love with Jay Gatsby during the war and promised to wait for him to come back from fighting but then married Tom Buchanan, a man from an aristocratic family who could promise her a wealthy lifestyle. Her cousin, Nick Carraway, eventually finds out that the extravagant parties that the mysterious Mr Gatsby puts on at his mansion in New York are all to impress Daisy, in the hope that she might decide to come to one of them. Daisy is rather notorious for being an unlikeable character. She's shallow, vapid, excessively indolent and seems to care for nothing other than parties and beautiful dresses - which makes her wonderful to dress.

One of the major 'episodes' towards the end of the narrative only happens because Daisy insists they go into town on one sweltering day. I think she would probably have worn something practical yet opulent, such as these amazing velvet shorts and chiffony top. Accessories are of course essential - a black cloche hat, for instance, and practical flat t-bar shoes.

This dress is probably the most authentically twenties of the lot: it has the distinctive drop waistline and medium length, with elaborate beading and details. The shoes match perfectly and again are a classic t-bar style with low heels. To me this screams partywear like nothing else and it's exactly the kind of thing I imagine Daisy would have worn to finally attend one of Gatsby's famous parties.

This was kind of an invented outfit since there isn't a part in the story where they all go clubbing or anything, but I like to think it's a modern take on the twenties vibe. To be honest anything with sequins or geometric patterns fits the bill, especially this glitzy top. And I bet Daisy would have gone wild for a perfume with her name, like the Daisy by Marc Jacobs scent!

Even with such an enormous house to wander around in, I'm sure Daisy would have had nights where she couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk in the grounds. The green light at the end of the Buchanan's dock is hugely significant as a symbol of hope in the novel, so I like to imagine she might have wandered down to the dock to stand by the green light so that Gatsby, on the other side of the bay, might have been able to make out her silhouette.

I could probably write a whole fanfic on Gatsby mini episodes or Things That Might Have Happened In The Novel, ahahaha.

x

Today I thought I'd try something new, so after fiddling around in the Polyvore creator for half an hour I came up with the (somewhat unoriginal) idea of doing a series of 'how to styles'. This essentially does what it says on the tin, in that I style a particular type of clothing item each time, hopefully in a variety of inspiring - or at least mildly interesting - ways. I'm starting with patterned shorts, purely because it's summer.

1. My number one rule when styling patterned bottoms, whether skirts, shorts or trousers, is to keep it plain on the top - unless you're looking to live on the edge by combining patterns, which can go disastrously wrong if not done skilfully. Hence why I've paired these gorgeous jungle print-cum-tapestry shorts with a simple cream blouse. The shoes more or less match the shorts in terms of colour, while the bag adds a different shade to the palette. 

2. This outfit is a little more 'edgy', because of the beret if nothing else. The bold primary colours complement each other as the pattern of the shorts picks them up in a subtle way. I love the velvety texture of the top and the high neck, even though personally I would find it irritating to wear. To be honest I don't know which decade of fashion this would fall into, but I feel it has a distinctly 70s vibe, as it reminds me of something my mum might have sported in her teenage years.

3. By all means keep it plain on the top, but plain doesn't have to mean a cotton tank top - this shiny silver strappy top works perfectly well to complement the tones of the shorts. Metallics aren't always the easiest to wear as you can easily miss the casual mark and look like you're on your way to a disco, but it's never a bad thing to experiment.

4. You can never go wrong with combining neutral tones as they don't necessarily have to match, so these shoes, bag and top work well together (I think). I love the pattern of the shorts, it's kind of an earthy paisley print that makes me want to run into a pile of crispy autumn leaves.

Thanks for reading!

x

1. School day

Mia goes to Albert Einstein High School in New York City, and the uniform is described on a couple of occasions as being blue and gold in colour - here's the blue, anyway. Books, pencils, a sturdy backpack and sensible school shoes are all essentials for surviving the school day, especially when you have to go straight from school to princess lessons in the afternoon.

2. Royal engagement

Naturally I had to include some princess-wear here, so this is my take on the pink poufy dress Mia's cousin designs for her to impress her long term crush (and best friend's brother) Michael Moscovitz. Mia isn't the most natural princess, so I feel like she would have benefitted from The Girl's Book of Glamour. A tiara completes the outfit.

3. At the loft

When she's not at school or learning to be a princess, Mia likes to wear her overalls and trusty Dr Martens, and write in her diary. She gets a mobile phone of her very own for her 15th birthday from her parents (bear in mind this book was published in 2001), so I've included a brick here. Notice the detail of the snowflake necklace, a present from Michael also for her 15th birthday which symbolises the Winter Dance when they first declared their feelings for each other.

4. Party at the Moscovitzs'

This is quite a specific reference: in the seventh book Michael throws a party while his parents are out of town, but Mia worries she isn't enough of a 'party girl'. She turns up to a party in quite an uncharacteristic outfit, drinks a beer, and naturally the whole evening ends in disaster. The beret deserves a special mention.