no.2 Kimono wrap maxi dress

OK, so I didn’t go anywhere that would warrant me in my finery (the bank. I went to the bank).  So instead of getting to wear my pick of the sale today, I’m showing you rememories of a video I made once upon a time, and a girl wearing it far far better than I could.

Was £45 NOW ONLY £35 go get one and make your own rememories HERE

Proper photo by the ever wonderful Emilie Muller

Some other rejects off of Hanger magazine.  I’m a little short on words today as I’m sick-sick-sick-and-in-bed-and-won’t-come-out-until-I’m-better.

Maxi skirt // Maysaa (unreleased), Body // asos, Army Jacket and Jewellery // vintage.

My very first article is in Hanger magazine A/W2011 (Out Now!), it was a pretty scary process being so in control of the content and at the same time having no control over how it was put together.  I’m yet to see it in print and hold it in my hands, but I hear it’s waiting for me in my home away from home.  There are (as ever) photographs that I didn’t put forward, but I still have a lot of affection for, so you’ll be slowly getting the pieces from my cutting room floor (or more accurately ‘folder’).

Silk crepe print skirt // Maysaa (preview)

Chiffon scarf snood, £19 // Maysaa

And feel free to hype it on Lookbook

What’s not to love about this photo… or to put it another way, what’s to love about this photo…

The styling, those loose layers, those boots

Michael Van Der Ham but of course

The full length skirt and maxi dress, I have a real urge to get the sketchbook out

The site from whence it came The Contributing Editor I am whole heartedly obsessed with the editorials on there

The 90’s grunge referencing

Simplify, simplify, simplify.  Since seeing this collection I’ve become increasingly obsessed with wearing monotones and layering, unfortunately the weather here is conducive to only one of those.  The looks, the layers, the oversized tees- it’s the 90’s grunge scene only a little older and cleaner than it’s teenage self.  I love this, really.  The formula for layering, with sheer chiffon and heavy knits is one to take note of.  It’s the kind of styling I can’t wait to try out, he’s just so goooood.

On a budget note, this is a diffusion line is actually well priced and well thought out, that is, if you’re not broke… oh well, there’s still some time before Fall, here’s hoping.

t alexander wang

Bring the Swish

The thing about having about 10% of my usual wardrobe means I’m rediscovering my own designs (self promotion? no no, this is purely out of necessity you understand).  I saw this on my good friend recently, and she looked freakin’ amazing. So naturally I decided it was high time I aim for that level of fabulosity.  I decided to go boho.  You have two options to make this day wear, go grunge or go boho, so I went the floral and vintage route.  I just love the way the layers of fabric fall about your feet as you walk. This is why I named it the Maysaa Swish Side Panel Maxi Skirt (not because I just like ridiculously long names for things). The fabric is lovely, and it’s lightly lined, and a snip at just £29… ok that was pure advertisement.  Looks amazing on people with actual hips too (I almost considered padding out my non-hips just to get the look.)

P.S. Oh, and I’m standing on a stool in that first picture, I’m not just massively tall.

The full debrief

I finally got a chance to give you these pictures!  I know it’s been too long (this incidentally should be my catchphrase for the coming months) but I thought I’d make up for it with a lovely plus sized post.  I had such a blast at Smoky not Smudgy, aside from the inevitable panic about models and fittings etc.  My helpers Dee and Zinah were amazing, I have no doubt I would have been (more of) a wreck without them!

A Few of my Favourite Things

1. 1. My helpers, bien sur, they were wonderful.  I had to reward their efforts somehow, so I made some ‘team t-shirts’ see above. Maysaa ♥’s Zinah I.D.S.T.* and (after finding out her nickname Xena.. as in warrior princess) a fully embellished sword on the back.  Dee (as in Sunny Dee) got a Sun, not that I was choosing girls with great nicknames, I kinda lucked out though right?
2. 2. Meeting all the lovely people who came.  Including seeing a beautiful girl wearing the Maysaa Chiffon Scarf Snood which she’d teamed with a fabulous, and I will make an exception for using that word in this particular case, fur hat.  A perfect Polish addition!
3. 3. Getting an email from a wonderful girl who travelled from Manchester to see the show.  I was speechless, and rather sad I didn’t actually get to say hi.
4. 4. A mini reunion with my girls Jana (off of hijab style) and Miss. Elenany (off of Elenany), it’s been too long.

*For those of you who didn’t spend their childhood writing I ♥ Z.C.  I.D.S.T. all over their notebooks it stands for If Destroyed Still True, and I stand by that, I know nothing of a *cough* ‘dirty’ version.

Zinah’s Blog

My lovely helper Zinah has the most wonderful blog.  She has such an eye for capturing detail, and her style is just beautiful.  The photos here are a mixture of hers and mine, I’m so glad she was there to capture those moments.  I could go on and on… but why not just check it out for yourself here. x

[View with PicLens]

via. PONYHUNTER

Isn’t this photo just breathtaking?  Isn’t the skirt just stunning?  Isn’t Laura’s blog PONYHUNTER wonderful? (*see bottom for answers)

The Juliette Hogan skirt is awesome, like so good I would consider having it shipped all the way from New Zealand.  Maybe even so crazy about it I’d consider popping over to NZ during my Malaysia trip to buy it.  If anyone in Auckland should want to pop into her boutique and find out how much it is I’d very much like to know.  It was part of her beautiful Spring 2010 collection.

*YES!!

Sometimes one shirt isn’t enough

The skirt is by Maysaa, it’s rather fabulous even if I do say so myself.  There is just a waterfall of fabric from your hips, it reminds me of the character skirts I used to be in awe of back in my dancing days.  But this time I decided to rough it up a little with my vintage denim shirt and leather belt, and my Alexa Chung for Made skull necklace.

via Maysaa.com

Well that was a long winded title, but to the point methinks.  Here’s an extract, but check out the whole post here, including the original sketches for the bandage waistband jersey maxi skirt, a little bit of history for y’all. x