I hate space. Well, at the least I dislike thinking about it. Sometimes I get mildly freaked out when I look at the star tattoo on my ankle and start thinking about real scary clouds of gas that one day are going to explode and kill all life in our corner of the universe… Ahem.

However sometimes it can be real pretty. Like on Christopher Kane’s latest resort collection. To be honest I’m not really looking at the cuts, just enraptured with the digital prints. It’s a huge step up from last year’s dismal choice of graphic.

Gorgeous. Sadly, one of those frocks is not within my financial grasp. So I bought the next best thing – space knickers:

Thanks Bonds. They are much cuter in real life; totally galactic fantastic. Now I can wear the universe underneath everything I own!

It was the little things that bothered me… Not being able to read the drinks board at bars(!), a few headaches, catching the wrong bus, and once, mistaking a bicycle for a very short person. Everyday my eyes were deceiving me in new and shameful manners. Time to get my sight checked.

(Yes, admire my poor edit of this ad)

I tottered up the road to my local optometrist, which by sheer good luck happened to be Occhiali, a store known for its fashion forward approach to eyewear. I went through a barrage of fascinating tests, confirmed shortsightedness and then moved on to the fun part – choosing frames.

LA Eyeworks: They design fun plastic frames in a huge range of colours. I like the owl-like look of these Pip frames but they would make my face super-duper round.

Ksubi: I thought about going brand-matchy-matchy with my sunnies, by getting the most extreme pair of eighties jammers out there. They certainly made a statement, but would I want to make that statement every time I went out to dinner with my parents? That said, they also had some sweet fawny glasses.

Colab: I adored the round glasses with the keyhole bridge, and earnestly considered the very serious two tone frames from Colab’s range of optical eyewear…

The grand winner however, is a pair of gorgeous Chloé spectacles:

As Occhiali mention on their cute blog, oversized frames in neutral hues are big right now; plus they suited my (apparently very symmetrical) moonface.

Branding wise, Chloé is a class act; from the letter pressed box to little touches like a branded cleaning cloth and the tiny envelope with the warranty tucked away inside.

Despite the unexpected expense, I’m a very happy girl. Tip for pros: Occhiali offers a tax free service if you’re travelling internationally. As you might have noted, I’m in a hotel room in (South Korea), so they sorted me out a pick-up service at the airport. If you need prescription lenses and are going abroad soon, see if your optometrist offers this. It let me afford the cuter pair of frames, a sound investment! Alright, I’m off to sight-see now… literally.

Do not sharpen this image in Photoshop under any circumstances. So. much. texture. It almost makes me dizzy. That said, I’m regretting tossing my ancient crimping iron in the trash while moving house last weekend. Look what could have been!

These water-coloured/water-stained tee shirts by Daphne and Vera Correll are beautiful.

Almost enough to make me buy a white t-shirt, which would be a very rare event.

Being the design nerd I am, I always seem to find half the fun is in the packaging. These Leona Edminston stockings were recently given to me with that in mind. I like the peek-a-boo window, slide out tray, and the custom printed tissue paper. While I’m not entirely convinced by the graphics (less retro, more contemporary – more like Mor?), nevertheless it feels like a luxurious encasement for some nice hosiery. And as long as it feels expensive, that’s all that matters.

Other examples of slick packaging for little things include H&M’s tights, Peter Alexander’s Days of The Week knickers which come in a pretty, frilly gift box (I was given these, they’re awesome), and Loulou Loves You (when I opened the package it was as joyful as peeling foil off an Easter egg).

Now to find something to wear all these pretties with!

For the last three years or so, the fashion world has been braid crazy. Now, plaits have just gotten even wilder, with this concept from French hair stylists Studio Marisol, in conjunction with the Spanish creative agency CuldeSac.

Hair bonnets, obviously the next step up from Lady Gaga’s hair bows. I like them a lot! The images are part of a promotion for ‘Crazy Hair’, a styling workshop to be held at Domaine de Boisbuchet in August.

[via dezeen]

Today I woke up, cursed, and tried to snuggle back into the warmth of my dreams. Alas, it was a very crisp morning, signalling that Autumn is definitely in full swing.

I have mixed feelings about this seasonal change; I hate cold weather – it makes me gloomy – but the fashion is so much better! Tights, scarves, woollen caps and coats. I love it all – especially knitwear. Perhaps I’d be happier if I could get up every day and put on one of these fun jackets from Granted Clothing:

Oh my. The camels, the pyramid. What can I say? If I saw a boy wearing one of these this winter, I’d fall in love on the spot.  Truth. Camels not your jam? They also have other quirky designs featuring flamingos, deer and whales.

See the big chunky zipper pulls? Granted makes these from salvaged wood branches – eco friendly and one-of-a-kind. Overall it seems like the Granted crew are conscientious lot; every single one of Granted’s cheeky  jumpers, hats, bags and bobbles is hand-made by knitters in Vancouver – from premium New Zealand wool.

You can see the Granted process right from the design stage to the fun bits. I think it’s fair to say I’m feeling better about the impending winter just looking at these.

Tomorrow I’m off with friends to Splore – a three day music festival where we’ll camp, dance and make like merry hippies. Hence I thought now is the perfect occasion to talk a little about what I’ve found works and what doesn’t when it comes to executing a fabulous festival outfit. After a lot of oh-so-tedious (not!) research at a multitude of concerts and gigs, I think I’ve got the basics down.

My picks for love a festival in a cold climate – it’s all about layers and balance (look good, keep warm):

- A simple merino wool dress will keep things looking cute; and whip away any moisture if you get damp. Merino is also notable for its “breath-ability” – it acts as a second skin with temperature control. Perfect for changing environments and crowd density.

- All the rest are just layers – a scarf to wrap on and off, a cloak or a gilet to loose yourself in (I am so partial to faux-fur right now), stockings, chunky motorcycle boots etc etc. You know the drill!

- I like the idea of fingerless gloves – they let you easily nip into your bag and grab things… It’s good to be dexterous!

- A clutch with a strap is also useful. Ever tried to get into a bag that’s hanging off a arm encased in a coat? Well, if you’re anything like me you’ll find coats hinder all movement. A clutch on a strap keeps things where you can see it, and makes for easy access.

This is my fail-proof uniform for an outdoor love-hippies-at-one-with-nature event, a la Splore*:

- Covered shoes (preferably sneakers with thick soles) to protect my feet from the elements.

- Dark shorts – there might be a lot of sitting on dusty/grassy ground, so keep the colour dark to avoid stains. The short option keeps you looking ladylike – I’ve seen it a million times – a girl sitting on a hill in a skirt, flashing the world. Don’t be that gal.

- This is the place where you can afford to have jangly, pretty jewellery – as hopefully there will be enough space for you all to wiggle to the music in peace – and therefore not rip any one’s skin to pieces with your accessories. Bon.

- An analog camera. Keeping it organic.

- A satchel big enough to carry all my junk while I’m away from camp.

- A big ass sun hat to keep your neck and face happy. Don’t forget to put SPF everywhere else though, including the backs of your hands!

* That is Laza sitting on the Tree Of Life at Splore 2008. I am conveniently standing behind the outfit.

For an inner city summer stomp think of the Girl Scout motto – “Be Prepared” – for any weather, any crowd:

- This is the place where you can afford to wear cute shoes. The ground will usually be paved so you can survive with a little heel, or some wedges. Want something strappy but tough? Try a Roman sandal, like you used to wear at school, they take a lot of punishment!

- I am a massive fan of the onsie – they’re playful, look good and you only have to make a single decision. Just make sure it isn’t too hard to slip in and out of when you pay a visit to the port-a-loo. Also, choose a playsuit made out of cotton rather than your fancy Karen Walker silk one if you’re worried about festival damage.

- Nylon raincoats scrunch up to fit in even the smallest bag. Bring your own if you don’t want to end up wearing a cheapie poncho, or worse – a garbage bag! I adore my Moochi raincoat.

- Packed festivals are no places to party with a digital camera (especially a DSLR). Unless you’ve got a tether and hella good protection, go disposable! If it gets lost in the fray, no worries. Diamante encrusted throwaway anyone?

And in brief…

BAD: Silk play suits, jeans, complicated wraps, bulky handbags, mega expensive/cherished garments, delicate accessories, pastels (careful careful), flashing the world.

GOOD: Sundresses, cotton stretch onesies, small satchels, disposable cameras, skin protection, merino wool, flexibility, deodorant, layers, cardigans (tie them round your waist, make a turban, whatever!), happy attitudes, good friends.

Agree? Disagree? Do you have a fail safe festival costume you rock every time, perhaps experiment depending on the event, or do you always show up in the same thing you usually wear out?

Karen Walker has just released a new fistful of sunnies under her Karen Walker Eyewear range. The ‘Sun Gods’ collection builds on previous shapes (retaining the popular circular frames) and introduce a pretty coral colour. The look-book is golden too, a Ra inspired series shot by Derek Kettela, who is behind her previous years’ advertising too.

It’s the fashion equivalent of cuddling up to a SAD lamp! I just feel so joyful looking at these pictures.