NFD Sample Sale

Last Thursday I was on my way to work, checking twitter and saw @NFDressed were having a sample sale that evening....


I have bought a quite a few things from Never Fully Dressed and, apart from the dresses being too short (due to my height) and one brooch mishap, have always loved my pieces.

Their popularity is so fierce that pieces sell out instantaneously and there is a mad dash when a few pieces go back on sale, or when another seller is revealed. The most popular piece is probably the infamous Frank Frock which started off in only two colours, black and cream, but has since been made in a range of other gorgeous shades.



Frank



 

Franks disappear in the blink of an eye, or the hesitation of click. I lucky enough to find one on eBay! However they have expanded and do now also sell on ASOS Marketplace and Pretaportabello.

Their range includes a lot of sheer pieces, shirts, dresses and tops and some gorge pleated chiffon maxi and mini skirts. Also they have always had a range of beautiful bold and bright cardigans



Queenie



They have branched out using different materials, making trousers and leggings and also now supplying jewellery, accessories and even Barry M make up!

They provide a lot of staple options but often pieces pop up that are the perfect statement (note:The Queenie). I always like to go on around new season time, because with just one transaction your wardrobe feels the difference. It is also a nice feeling to be able to say your jumper isn't Topshop or Primark, even if it's not necessarily a bargain to shop here!

Anyway, after lots of toing and froing, I decided to set off for it. As nervous as I was, having never been to anything like this before and generally being rubbish at meeting people, this was made 100 times worse when I found out it was actually at their model's house!

In the end it was a very personal affair, with (I assume) all her friends being over. This meant I didn't really feel comfortable to take photos or stay long, because I came over all shy and like I was just some weirdo creeping around trying on her clothes.

Surprisingly though, seeing the model was really useful, as I automatically knew why none of the dresses are ever long enough for me! It will be good for reference when I see something I want to buy again.

I tried on a few maxi skirts and a couple of jumpers, (I don't need any more sheer shirts!) and decided on the Kate jumper in charcoal.  A gorgeous thick knit jumper with metalic thread intertwined, perfect for a Christmassy vibe before I'm allowed to wear a brilliant novelty one!
I will have to take a photo of myself in it - as it looks completely different on me than on the model; cropped and slightly boxy.

Sucker

Limited Edition. Smells like one of the nicest desserts ever. I. Must. Have. It.

I don't even really like vaseline that much. But I thought this would be on another level of yummyness.

I saw it in Selfridges last weekend and boldy walked past it. Bravo. But seeing a ransacked stall of it in Boots today made my buyers fingers/wallet/mind tingle.. But for shame, as I said, it was ransacked. All systems stable.

Spending my lunch wandering up The Strand instead of holed up in the kitchen, I innocently pop in to Boots for their moreish Raspberry & Mango water. I go to hand my £1 over (Bargin) and what do I see.. one.. lonely..so lonesome.. Creme Brulee Vaseline. Clearly this was sign. I was brought to this Boots for a reason!
And then there it was, sitting in my bag. Payment was a blur of smugness.

I had a bit of a whiff as I was walking back to work, very happy with myself. It didn't even smell very different to cocoa butter! I do have a cold at the moment though so am going to reserve full judgment, but.. really it doesn't.

On the usage front, it's Vaseline. No worse, no better. As per usual, just that bit too slimy.

 Oh well! I'll just ride out the dreaded buyers remorse.

Blade Runner

I don't know how I came across these photographs, but I literally cannot stop looking at them!

  

As with all photos from pre digital era they are look over romanticised and everyone looks bloody gorgeous! But as far as "behind the scenes photography" goes I haven't really seen anything like them, they are so relaxed and unassuming. Usually these sorts of photos seem to be more for PR than actual actors personal memories and are just difficult to enjoy.

And as for the serious shots of  Mary Sean Young (that is the gorgeous lady's name who is in/owns these photos!), they look like development shots or hair/make up portfolio ones rather than "Look what a beaut our leading lady is, jealous?". Even though she is stunning and I am : )

She is also repping a lot of the trends that are floating about at the moment -   

 



Chunky Knits                                                                                             Androgyny



Statement Brows                                                                               Leather Skirts

  

Everything always comes round again, makes you wonder how "original" designers, stylists etc can be anymore. When was the point where everything was done? Is it now just all a polished up version of what came before?

When was the last truly original clothing era - the 90's?

It's the same in music, soon the only original music will be some sort of silence and the original outfit choice will be us walking around in the nude, although that's very "Eve" sort of Genesis thing.





                                                                              









Winter Warmer

Unloved apples, Pimms left over from summer, a penchant for anything cinnamon and my love for cooking on the weekends has led to this...

Pimms Cinnamon & Vanilla Poached Pears

Obviously this has been done before, but I didn't a follow a recipe, any measurments for general poaching or even a guide for poaching the old things. So here we go and tonight they will be tested after a beaut dinner of roast beef :) mm.

Ingredients

• 4 apples
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3/4 cup of sugar (I used fructose)
• Sultanas/Raisins
• Water (1 pint)
• Vanilla Extract - Or pods if you are lucky enough to have them!
• Pimms No.1 (1/2 pint)

N.B. You also need the juice of your lemon mixed in a bowl of water to keep your apples from browning as you faf around. Unless you are super good at timing.

I used some anonymous apples from my uncles tree and some random fella that looked like he was up for a poaching. I'm not sure how a braeburn/pink lady etc takes to cooking. But basically I looked for apples that didn't look appetising to eat raw!

I started by putting the water, cinnamon & sugar in a heavy pan over a low flame, adding lemon zest after the water was slightly heated, this is in order for all the lovelyness to be released from the ingredients! Just a side note, I zested straight in to the pan so to catch any yummy lemony oils. 

I then peeled and cored the apples, placing them in the lemon water. I don't have a corer, so this left some hefty holes all the way through, which was affecting my cooking time loads!

(In hindsight I would probably score them with a fork instead, and core them far more delicatley because my apples lost their structure really fast. One even just was a mush at the end.)

After about 5-10 minutes I added the pimms, and left for another few minutes before adding half the raisins and all the apples. I then put the rest of the raisins in the holes of my apples. This was half just for fun and half to give my apples more structure so I could cook them for longer. 

I then poured a little vanilla extract in the middle of each apple and some in the liquid. This probably amounted to a tablespoon. But this was only extract and I LOVE vanilla so wanted a stronger flavour. I wish I could've added vanilla seeds in at the beginning, much yummier :) 

At this point I turned the flame up to low to medium till I got a little simmer on...

After around 7 minutes I turned my apples over (to cook the tops) and saw that my bottoms were far too mushy :( grr. Anyway I didn't cook the tops for as long, turned the heat down and kept lifting them for a check as my confidence was out the window!

Once I was satisfied that they were cooked I slowly lifted them out into a dish and then turned the flame up and got the pan boiling so I could reduce the liquid (and alcohol) down slightly.

After a few tastes I was happy with the flavour. I left mine quite thin because I want the clotted cream ( :) mm dreamy) to add the thickness. If I was more dedicated I would have left it to thicken to a syrup, but I was worried that it wouldn't taste of pimms any more.

YUM. A big thumbs up all round. Dissapeared in about 3 minutes.

I reheated the .. gravy? sauce? liquor... before serving and dolloped the clotted cream on before melting it all with said liquor. 

 Delicious, sweet, slight tang from the booze. Would think about serving the apples hot and having with ice cream!

Also I now want warm Pimms with apple as a drink now.