My Girl Lollipop

 I have always been a bit of a tomboy who also happens to dress real girlie sometimes....what's wrong with that? As an opposite to my androgynous boy side I also have a child like, dressing up. girlie side.

I have always loved the 1960s Dolly look which made the model Twiggy a fashion icon. I love the basic, childlike outfits of the era and those eyelashes! I once heard Twiggy say on TV that she would put on a few sets of eyelashes and then about 8 layers of mascara to get the look! I am always a fan of dolly style make-up, I love the dolly rouge on the cheeks, worn with those eyelashes and the side parted mod like hair style.

I started using child like hairstyles on my hair as a teenager during the early 1990s circa Bjork Debut era, I loved Bjork's style and the way she styled her hair and coveted it.

Around the same time there was a new underground culture emerging in Harajuku in Japan, this was documented in Fruits Magazine by photographer Shoich Aoki who photographed street fashion portraits within the suburbs of Tokyo.

Many of the portraits featured cute and childlike styles.

Fruits achieved cult status in Japan during the 1990s and more recently mainly thanks to social networking, worldwide cult status.

I personally didn't find Fruits until about 1999 when I found the newly published Fruits Book on the shelf in Selfridges and had to buy instantly! I had seen some fashion images of Harajuku kids in magazines but not on this scale!! Since then, I have been obsessed with Fruits Magazine and Japanese Street style culture, so much so that for our honeymoon Phil and I went to Tokyo and got to hang out in Harajuku on a Sunday, despite the scene not being quite as big as it was during the 1990s, I still loved it and got to be a Harajuku girl for a day!

Oversized hair bows and child like graphics.

1960s Dolly Style

Fruits - the book that started my Harajuku obsession!

1990s Bjork style



Retro child like prints, baby pastels and dolly styles at Meadham Kirchhoff  SS 12

Child like styling and outfits made from hand painted pastel net curtain fabrics by New Zealand fashion graduate Ella Barton Buchanon via my favourite blog Style Bubble!

http://www.stylebubble.co.uk/style_bubble/2012/12/candy-lace.html

I want Candy!

Cute styles from Annikavictoria and Wonderlandharu who I follow on fashionfinder.asos.com

Child like make-up and accessories

Baby doll dresses

White ankle socks and DMS!

Cute hair styles in bright colours and geek chic

Since there will always be children, this child like dolly style will remain and although it will adapt to become more contemporary with each scene and trend, the inspiration behind it will remain timeless and I certainly hope to continue to be influenced by it and hope to become the eccentric old 'fashion obsessed' lady that I aspire to be! ND xx

Thanks to all below for the wonderful images via my pinterest Fashion board! http://pinterest.com/nodebutante/

urbanheartvintage.tumblr.com   vintagevirgin.tumblr.com   larajadephotography.tumblr.com   jofesin.blogspot.com carolinesmode.com fairykei.tumblr.com  stylebubble.co.uk
tokyofashion.com

Meadham Kirchhoff - My favourite collection from SS2012

Now that we are finally approaching Spring, it's time to show you my most favourite Collection for the season. I am late blogging about Spring Summer 2012 comapared to most Fashion bloggers but hey, I am not most fashion bloggers! It's not about being the first for me, I only blog about the things I like (or hate on some occassions) I won't be mentioning every show, every season, just the ones that catch my eye or like the Meadham Kirchhoff SS12 Collection, really excite and inspire me!

 How can I start to big up this collection???  The colours, the styling, the prints........I just love it all. It's completely unwearable for most people but I am loving it and will show how I shall be (attempting to) wearing it this year!

It's 70s retro, 60s dolly bird, Harajuku girl, kitsch, cute and a little bit mad! You can see why I love it!

Teddy bear pockets on a turquoise blue mini skirt anyone? Look at the candy floss hair and fluffy wedges? Love it!

 Not only is this tee super cute but I have a history with this print. The lamb transfer was on my dolls cot when I was little. My Grandad made it for me. I then discovered another dolls cot at Phil's parents house (it was Phil's sister Dawn's dolls cot - not Phil's, incase you were wondering) which was also made by Phil's Grandad, with the same transfer! So much for individuality!!! I guess every cot had the lamb on it in the UK during the 1970s! I love it, just the same!

Oh, and despite me rather disliking slogan tshirts ' Riot Not Diet' is one of my mottos!

 Loving the cardigan with the eyes, I do love a bright cardi and this one is fabulous! Teamed with layers of shorts and bloomers (all my favourites and a new thing to try) big white sunglasses, clashing prints, ridiculous bright doll like make-up and candy coloured hair. I think this collection was just made for me!

Cute shorts and skirts are in this Summer!! Yey!! Get yours in bright colours, clashing prints and textures and team with bright tights or socks. This would be especially useful in the UK where the chances to wear no tights and shorts are very limited due to it always being so bloody cold!

Look at these nails?? Are you looking? LOOK!! Retro prints, Japanese style kitsch prints and cartoon vaginas! (that is what that is, isn't it? )

The images remind me of my childhood (the 1970's half) and are also very 'Antoni and Alison' who were my favourite designers during the 1990s. I had loads of stuff from their shop with these type of retro prints on. I must blog them on here some day. Anyway to see what they have been up to in 2000's look here www.antoniandalison.co.uk I dont think they have updated their site for a while though, which is a shame!

 The little Japanese-esque hearts remind me of Peskimo illustrations and prints. Peskimo are local artists from here in Bristol, I have a few of their prints (which I must blog soon) I am also very lucky to be good friends with Peskimo and my baby girl Sylvie was lucky enough to receive a Knitted Bunny from them as a gift! Thanks Peskimo! find them here www.peskimo.com

 I am very excited about this....These nail wraps are soon to be available by Nail Rock at Topshop for a limited period from Mid February! I am so on it! If i don't get them I will die! Yes, slightly dramatic there but I really want 'em!! They had me on the packaging if I'm honest!

Pinafores with Teddy bear and heart bibs, A-line mini dresses over shirts. Poly Styrene from X-ray Spex (and one of my style icons) would rock this collection, especially this blue dress and check shirt above.

I love the cute kitsch bright knits, tutus, shorts, bloomers.

Pastel fur coats!!!!! I have one of these in candy pink, I made it myself for one of the Hoochie Coochie shows I was DJing at. Again, I need to blog this! The Compare for the night told me I looked like a Glam Muppet....Which I took as a compliment, of course!

As a final image here are the sugar almond Courtney Love dolls! You have to love them! They add a 90's element to a mostly 1960's and 70's styled collection, just to add to the toylike mash up that is the Meadham Kirchhoff Spring Summer 2012 Collection.

Now you see why I love it??

All images are sourced from Google images, I do not make a claim to taking any photographs, I'm sure it is obvious that I didn't. I will credit everyone that I can.

Next blog?? Hmm! Good question, well I have soooo much I want to blog I need to prioritise what I want to put up next, I'm also joining Pinterest which will be more for me to think about, Oooohh! So much to say, so little time! I really should do a catch up with all the things I mention and then say I should blog about. I can't decide now....Watch this space xx

Whole Lotta Sylvie

I have been trying to stay awake and find the time to write on my blog for ages, but it is near on impossible with a new baby! Sylvie is now 2 months old and currently having a quick nap after the morning school run (she's not big on sleeping), so I shall attempt to get some images up of this stylish little lady, I'm sure she is desperate for me to show off her wardrobe for her....ahem...

I would also like to show off some of the handmade items that a few creative and lovely ladies have made for Sylvie as gifts! Thank you ladies!!

It's 10.28am on Fri 27 Jan, let's see how long it takes me to write this post!

1 Day old, I feel mean dressing a new baby in uncomfortable layers so we opt for this cute n cuddly Debenhams babygro by Blue Zoo, which is a fantastic range for little girls.

1 week old - yeah, I seem to have decided against the comfortable n cuddly option, lets get the tutu out! On this day the midwife asked 'are you going to a party in that outfit?'.......I just looked her blankly, surely everyday is a day for a tutu?

Tutu from Mamas and Papas UK, spotty bodysuit from H&M kids

At this point I will just let you know the baby is now awake, so there shall be a long pause until I start up with this post again..... see you in a bit....

OK, I'm back, it's 12.50 in afternoon and I've managed to get Little Sylvie off to sleep in time for more blogging!

Here's me and Sylvie in a rare photo of me looking half awake in my Super Lovers tee and the old faithful leopard print cardigan from Top Shop., Sylvie is looking more stylish than me in her adorable 1970s inspired orange jumper dress with Bunny print by Blue Zoo from Debenhams and stripey knitted H&M Kids leggings, clashing it up nicely. Can I say I would never usually rate Debenhams but the baby stuff in the designer section is too cute to resist.

2 Weeks old and Sylvie is rocking her Pink knitted Skull n crossbones jumper knitted by the lovely Miri-Biscuits (named by my oldest son Lucian - Miri would always bring biscuits when she visited) a very clever friend of mine who really should sell these jumpers, Miri, I'd buy a load of them off you for my kids!! I Love the jumper!!

 You must always pair your pirate jumper with Pink spotty bloomers (part of set from H&M Kids) Boden spotty tights (a gift from my Mum, I cannot actually afford clothes from Boden!!) and completing the outfit pink legwarmers (from H&M Kids). Sylvie clearly loves it! Even if her newborn skinny little legs did look like the legs of that Gremlin from the film of the very same name.You know the Gremlin in the bar? Breakdancing? You remember?  No?

Sylvie's sailor outfit inspired by Harajuku girls and the anime films 'Sailor Moon'. Sailor top from H&M Kids and spotty Bloomers (part of set from Pumpkin Patch- a shop that is a little twee -and expensive -  for my liking but I'm a sucker for bloomers!)

3 Weeks old - Sylvie and her friend Milo (Milo's mum is Rachel - the other pregnant lovely lady from My Whole Lotta Rosie posts.) Sylvie is wearing red bodysuit from H&M Kids and her tutu tights (tights attached to a tutu - fabulous!) from Baby Gap. She is wearing the very same outfit today and 2 months on the tights tutu just about fit her Daddy long legs!

4 Weeks old - Sylvie on Christmas Day in the spotty H&M Bodysuit, M&P tutu and stripey (I  can't afford these) Boden tights.

 1 Month old - Here's Sylvie looking unsure about her beautiful Celia Birtwell Cheongsam-esque babygro from John Lewis. Celia Birtwell (for those who didn't know) is a Textiles designer from the 1960s, you know, married to fashion desigher Ossie Clark, they changed catwalk fashion shows forever by putting on shows to music, inviting every cool person they could think of to the show and turning the shows into events rather than private shows for the Elite......oh hang on a minute that Elite thing still happens, let's say they just made them a bit more 'rock n roll'.......Anyway Celia has a lovely girlswear collection in John Lewis, there is also a womanswear collection using the same prints, which is interesting, not that I'm going to start wearing matching outfits with my Daughter.....well not everyday...

Yey! The pink Pirate 'Miri-Biscuits' jumper again and another pair of knitted stripey leggings from H&M Kids. The perfect pirate match! Aah Harrr!

These lovely little red Mary Janes were kindly knitted by another friend and Bang (my club night) regular Cat Daynes. Again, you really should sell these Cat! Knitted Mary Janes?....Yes! love it!

6 Weeks old and Sylvie is experimenting with her androgynous side, wearing the Cowboy Vs Vegas Elvis suit which has been worn by all my kids and by Felix my mate Rachel's oldest son since Rach bought it for Lucian 7.5 years ago. It looked really camp on the boys but it looks really masculine on Sylvie. You have to love it though, look at the little cowboy boot appliques!!
Stripey bodysuit H&M Kids, Elvis Jumpsuit Gymboree. Hair - Sylvie's own personal style Mohawk, you couldn't flatten it if you wanted to.

This amazing outfit is soooooo cute, It's by Molo and from The Pippa and Ike show kids shop on Gloucester Road in Bristol. It's full of quirky, mostly Scandanavian items, It's my new favourite shop! However it isn't cheap. I saw this outfit before I had Sylvie and decided I would treat myself  and the Little Lady to this dress and trousers. I was straight down there when Sylvie was born! The shop is conveniently close to my house too which is a little worrying.

Find The Pippa and Ike Show here www.the-pippa-and-ike-show.com or the-pippa-and-ike-show.blogspot.com

The print on the outfit is very on trend for the Spring Summer 2012 season with it's digital prints and pyjama style! I love all the dolls on this print which, I imagine, may be a little wierd and scary for some. I bloody love it and so does Sylvie as you can see she is nearly cracking a smile!

 7 Weeks old - Sylvie is laying on a beautiful blanket which was a gift crocheted by my very good friend and fellow blogger Dilly Foxtrot, thanks Dilly. Are you selling these now Dilly? Again....I want (to buy) more!!! Love it, Love it!!
Dress & bodysuit H&M Kids

Find Dilly Foxtrot Investigates on http://dillyfoxtrot.blogspot.com/

Pixie baby on the school run, the poor little thing is usually scooped out of her bed still in her PJs and put straight into the Pram most mornings! The cardigan was knitted for Mika by a kind lady (whom I have never met and works with my Mum) I requested she knit me a red one after she knitted hundreds of white ones for Lucian ( how ungrateful am I?) the Knitting Lady (as we will now refer to her) thought I was mad, but went along with the charade and came up with this hooded number, which I loved! Thanks Knitting Lady! The Sleeping bag that Sylvie is in is from Primark Primarni and in the sale cost me a whopping £1! Shocking! I felt like I was stealing it! You have to love Primers!!

The last of the outfits, for now....this dress was actually mine when I was a baby, it's a 1970s original! I love the smock style, they don't cut them this short anymore but my kidswear guru Dilly Foxtrot says you can keep baby dresses going for ages until they end up as smock dress and then finally a smock top. I guess thats why they make them longer now.

'Oh Sylvie you're so fine, you're so fine, you blow my mind, Hey Sylvie, Hey Sylvie!'

Thanks for being a girl Sylvie, I love you xx

Next time on No Debutante, Spring Summer 2012 Fashion ideas and inspirations, favourite collections, what I'll be wearing, what's on the High Street and all that.

OK, so I think I have finally finished this post, the time is 13.53pm........on Sunday 29 January....told you it would take forever!