This Is My England

As a little kid growing up in the 1980s here in England, there was a cult style that I would see on a daily basis, known as Skinheads or Skins these teenagers were given a bad reputation by the press, were not popular with parents, but were a massive British subculture and I secretly wanted to look like them, if only my Mum would have let me shave my hair off and leave a long fringe!

This massive British subculture which began in the 1970s now thrives all over the world in different guises for some it is a fashion statement for others it is a lifestyle.

 

 The look is very simple, a buttoned up Ben Sherman (probably checked and worn fitted and tucked in) or a Fred Perry polo shirt, Dr Martens, turned up jeans, braces, harrington jackets, bomber jackets (my latest fashion obsession) and short fitted skirts for the girls worn with ankle socks (preferably white) and docs or loafers.

The look is very androgynous, it's tough but smart. The music that goes with the subculture is a familiar sound to me and was played in my house a lot as a child.

 This is Ska!

Please pop on your favourite ska record and have a look at these images that I have been hoarding on Pinterest and I am now sharing with you. Expect original skinheads, new skins, the cast of Shane Meadows epic film This is England and more recent skinhead style inspired fashion shoots.

 

 

There is alot of the original skin heads style on the streets at the moment although I'm not sure how many people are aware that they have been inspired by it. Shirts buttoned up to the neck, Dr Marten boots, Dr Marten style shoes worn with ankle socks, turned up jeans and I am predicting the Bomber jacket is gonna be big over the next 12 months, I've pinned loads off them on Pinterest already, expect a bomber jacket post very soon. Whilst writing this post I have found many more blog worthy images for Skinhead style, so another post will be on the horizon!

 

I am very excited to announce that I hit my all time record for the number of blog views yesterday which was the best news for me! Thank you to everyone who follows me and hello to all my new readers!

 

All images courtesy of  kidsizebraces.tumblr.com, fashiongrunge.com, new-wave-hooker.tunblr.com, ftape.com, moon-turtle.tumblr.com, tensionwire.com and you can find all these images and loads more on my Pinterest boards follow me here http://pinterest.com/nodebutante/boards/ 

 

ND XX

No Debutante - BS7 Double Denim

It's Thursday!!! Only one more day at work and it's the weekend! Let's crack open the wine to celebrate.......but before we do here's a quick look at what I wore to the office this week in sunny old Bristol.

Denim Rockabilly

 

I walked around Topshop today and although it really is one of my favourite shops, I didn't feel the need to buy anything, I figured out I pretty much owned a version of most items in there in one guise or another thanks to many years of collecting and hoarding clothes. It was an uninspiring window shop..... I hate it when nothing catches my eye!

 

I nearly forgot, it is my little brother Mike's birthday today, Happy Birthday Mike!!!!

 

ND xx

No Debutante - Army Of Me

I joined Google + yesterday as part of my attempt to get more traffic to my blog, I currently only use Facebook and Pinterest which serve me well, I just need to get my blog out there even more! I am not trying to make a career out of blogging (although the opportunity would be amazing!!) I just want more followers and some recognition for my noncommercial fashion and styling ideas and inspirations. As much as I love Pinterest I really am very fussy about the fashion images that I repin, you see a lot of the same thing on Pinterest and that does not interest me, it's all too safe and let's say, wholesome, if it has been repinned a hundred times, I'm not interested. Not too be pretentious about these fashion images but they just do not inspire me, why do I want to look like everyone else? That's what everyone says I guess but, like sheep, they still repin that image!
 

So, what's next? Twitter, I guess, followed by Instagram, which would be a great way for me to instantly show my daily personal style pics. Blogging is so time consuming but I love it!

 Today's personal style images where taken on the mornings school runs thus far. Looks like I'm loving that Primark Khaki jacket and the Converse are still with me and I love layering it up!

If you're thinking I'm looking a little tired in these photographs you can blame

my 16 month old Sylvie Belle who has been getting us up at 6am since the clocks went forward, I worked out I've lost 7 Hours sleep in a week, That's nearly a nights sleep for me!! I am also useless at choosing what to wear when I'm tired so I am pleasantly surprised that I am looking, style wise, OK in these photographs.

I feel a style icon / inspirational post coming on, enough of me and my tired face!

ND xx

No Debutante - Band T-shirts and a Night Out

After successfully getting on the correct bus to work this Friday morning and feeling rather pleased with myself that I had got the kids to school and nursery on time and even managed to put Sylvie's hair up and style Mika's hair for him (he is getting very particular about his hair these days, I don't know where he gets it from..) to then realising that I had clearly not put on any make up!! This is a crisis for me since my make up hides how tired I really look and I also have fair eyelashes which without my faithful Max Factor Fat Lashes smothered on them frankly make my eyes look even smaller! I panicked and had no make up on me since swapping my bags and contents over when I went out last weekend, I walked into the office with my sunglasses on and luckily borrowed some make up from my work buddy Cath! Phew! Trauma over!

 

On Friday evening I caught up with my work buddy Rudi for drinks, we drank rum and put the world to rights and ended the night in a chip shop (don't judge, we were hungry!!) rather than a night club - Rock n Roll!! As always it is a pleasure hanging out with the lovely Rudi.

 

Casual work outfit - Blondie t-shirt borrowed from my husband Phil

 Friday night outfit and another band t-shirt

 Ridiculous rainbow shoes and turned up leopard print leggings

Rudi rocks it in denim hot pants and a faux fur

 

 

All styling (except Rudi) and photography by No Debutante

 

 

Don't forget to nominate me for the Company Style Blogger Awards 2013 here http://www.company.co.uk/magazine-hq/stylebloggerawards2013 it appears that the whole last days to nominate thing that was appearing on loads of blogs is untrue as the Company website is still promoting the awards on their homepage. So, if you do like what you see please nominate me in the Best Personal Style Blog catagory!

 

Thanks kids. ND xx

No Debutante - Jean Jeanie

I have been called out of work early today due to my son Lucian feeling unwell. I am still on the fence as to whether Lucian is actually poorly or felt like getting the day off school (it wouldn't be the first time) but the school are on it calling parents up at the whiff of any minor illness so Lucian was going home either way! As a parent I feel guilty for thinking these thoughts but I was a child too and had many a fake afternoon off school much to my Mums annoyance! As a good Mum I shall hope Lucian feels better soon! The positive side to this skive off work and school is that I get to do a bit of blogging leaving my evening free to watch a film and have a glass of wine with my gorgeous husband Phil.

 

This personal style post features double denim, layering, grunge,1950s styling and how I wear jeans.......in a general mash up of style it would seem!

 

Preppy 1950s styling

 

I have decided not to list the shops in which my items are purchased on every post but I will let you know when I get something new and where it came from. You are welcome to ask me though, I know my rainbow creeper boots post has been very helpful to all who also wanted to own those ridiculous shoes!

 

Styling by No Debutante

 

I have no clue whether you can still nominate me for the Best Personal Style Blog in the Company Style Blogger Awards 2013 as there is no info on the website to say when the deadline is so I'll just keep plugging it until 2014!

 

Nominate here http://www.company.co.uk/magazine-hq/stylebloggerawards2013

 

ND xx

No Debutante - Get Shirty

My Wednesdays at work have become more challenging with a constant weekly deadline looming over press days and planning sheets, it's changed my day of slowly easing back into work each week  (I work weds-Fri) to a full on, get thrown into the deep end first day back at work! To make things that little bit harder, the baby woke us up at 5.55am and my bloody phone company charged me £10 for listening to one track on Spotify?? What the??

 

Here's a quick look at what I have been wearing over the past few days, the denim shirt was a favourite. This is how I wear mine with a little help from Sylvie Belle. 

Sleeveless or long sleeves, denim shirts are one of my new favourite things to wear! Dr Martens and wearing my hair down were popular too it seems and another shock horror story I actually considered buying an iron (we don't iron anything, my mother in law claims she saw me ironing some flyers for my club night Bang once, sounds about right!) So, yeah, since I have been wearing shirts a lot lately and lots of Sylvie's dresses seem to need ironing, I was actually considering the iron option. Or get my Mum to do it for me! Do I look like I'm kidding??......Muuuuum?

 

All clothing from Primark, Topshop, H&M and Dr Martens

All styling by No Debutante

 

Nominate Me for the Best Personal Style Blog in the Company Style Blogger Awards 2013 here http://www.company.co.uk/magazine-hq/stylebloggerawards2013

ND xx

No Debutante - Working 9 to 5

I have to apologise for my total lack of blogging over the last few days things have been really busy at work, at home ( a new kitchen is on the horizon) and socially. Yes, this busy Mum of three was out Friday and Saturday night and I am now paying for it with a two day hangover and some drunken regrets. The good news is I have a back log of personal style images to show so I need to get on with it and apparently, despite the rumours going around the bloggers currently nominated for the Company Style Bloggers Awards, there is still time to vote for your favourite blogs. So, here comes the quick plug for you to nominate me as the Best Personal Style blogger follow this link http://www.company.co.uk/magazine-hq/stylebloggerawards2013

 A great, big, massive thank-you to anyone who has already nominated me!!! It means a lot!

 

Here come a couple of outfits that I had worn to work last week. You will notice a lack of office attire since I do not appear to own any and have a serious problem with being told what to wear, instead I went for a bit of sportsluxe grunge layering, comfort is key! I also managed to be a tiny bit hungover (god, I sound like a right lush this week!) on Friday morning and ended up on the wrong bus with a brief day trip around Bristol before finally getting to work only 8 minutes late??? My boss Becky told me I should get on the wrong bus everyday.

All clothing from H&M, Topshop, Tatty Devine and Dr Martens. Styling by No Debutante.

 

I shall look forward to showing you my next blog post when I shall look somewhat more glamorous on the first night of my double-whammy weekend out.

 

Thanks for reading. ND xx

Bang is 10! - 10 Years of Your New Favourite Club

My club night Bang turned 10 years old a month ago and to celebrate this amazing event we organised a massive Bang Birthday Party with all the fun of the riotous Bang affair plus photo displays, the Bangzine, a Bang Birthday cake and the return of the Bang Band which includes the Bang DJs plus our infamous roadie Steve on drums. Thanks Steve, for your energy, enthusiasm and encouragement (and for being so into it that you want to continue Bang Band!) You Rock!

The big birthday bash took place at our new home upstairs at The Stag and Hounds in Bristol alongside our fellow club night Dirty Casino (downstairs) on Saturday 16 February.

I wouldn't normally appear to boast about something I did but we had worked so hard to plan the event and these comments made me so happy and proud that I had to give them a mention!

Facebook comments on the Bang fanpage http://www.facebook.com/bangbristol after the event included.

'The Bang Band were brilliant'

'What a brilliant night thanks so much for a fantastic time!'

Wow!!! What a night! I love Bang!

'Loved it, the band rocked it. Roll on May! Xx'

'It was amazing, folks. Thank you so much x'

 

Thank you Bangers!!

And as we say at Bang.....It's time to kick out the jams!!

I love the two images of the amazing Bang Birthday cake. The top one where the cake is lovingly displayed and the second taken during the Bang party! The fantastic cake was made by the very talented Naomi (my brother Mike's lovely lady) Thank you Naomi!!!

 

The set list image (taken in what looks like a stable from all the random bits of straw on the floor) shows you the seven tracks we covered in the band these are all Bang favourites from the club night and were received really well, which was fantastic! I sang Decepticon by La Tigre at the end as I pretty much have to scream and it kills my voice! Totally worth it though!! I really enjoyed it!!

 

For the past 10 Years, the Bang DJs have always ended the night with 'Life on Mars - Bowie' which we did on this night too but the atmosphere was amazing and my brother Mike(seen above with Phil, my husband) decided we needed an encore and quickly grabbed - whilst managing to keep hold of his pint - 'Ace of Spades-Motorhead' The room went mad! Bang on!

 

For those who didn't know....Bang play 50s, new wave, northern soul, ska, alternative 80s, 60s garage, glam, underground indie and punk.... It’s time to Kick out the Jams……

 

Join Bang at The Stag and Hounds in Bristol, Uk on the following dates in 2013

 

Saturday 18th May
Saturday 17th August
Saturday 16th November

 

Be there or be square Daddio!

ND xx

 

 

 

The Bang DJs at Hoochie Coochie Christmas Ball

It’s been a long time coming but here are some of my favourite images from The Hoochie Coochie Christmas Ball event which was held in a 100 year old Spiegaltent on the Harbourside, here in Bristol, UK during December 2012. I was lucky enough to play at this amazing event as part of The Bang DJs, who frankly, rocked at the after show party!

The Spiegaltent is constructed from rich mahogany, dappled glass and coloured mirrors, decorated in velvet and brocade, and illuminated with antique lamps this created a vintage, dark and lavish backdrop to the Hoochie Coochie Kabaret show and the atmosphere was electric!

The photographs have a dark, vintage look to them thanks to the reflections from the coloured mirrors and the deep red velvet backdrops (the camera flash turned off also helped!) They are fun images that seemed to capture moments from the evening seen through the Bang DJs eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think we had a good time! Bang on!

ND xx