Distraction Techniques

Okay. In order to keep my brain in a state of calm, having done all the prep in advance and now having two hours before I have to leave for my interview in which to, potentially, run about the house whimpering, I have done a blog post.

So, having decided previously that I needed new shoes in oreder to look presentable, I popped into New Look yesterday, knowing that they would have something that would look the part, feel relatively comfy and also not necessitate that I buy no food for the next week.

So I tried all these on...

 

I realise its quite a few, but one can never be too careful when purchasing shoes...

Anyways, I went with the ones on the top right in the end, as they are business-like without being too 'fashion' and the strap means they won't suddenly fall off and make me fall over as I step up to shake hands.

Those grey ones are gorgeous, very 30s and the small heeled black ones with the studded bow are seriously comfy, but a bit too cutesy for the situation.

I don't usually like pointed toes on my shoes, but the lace-up ones in the bottom left were actually pretty funky, especially paired as they were with my bright purple tights! (Not the tights I will be wearing to the interview, you may be pleased to hear!)

Whoop de Whoop! Call Back!

Wahey! So I have finally been granted an interview!

The question is, what do I wear? Now I know I did a feature on this not too long ago, but having actually got an interview lined up, I checked out some sites on appropriate attire - turns out my lovely bright mint dress and pink coat combo would probably create a very bad impression at anything other than a fashion magazine. Quite possibly not work too well there either. Doh.

The word on the scene is conservative. Black/grey/navy suit, plain white shirt, shined matching shoes...ideally ditch the handbag altogether! Horrific as this statement of interview attire is, what is worse is that it has thrown me into a veritable tizzy.

My only plain, sensible shoes are some old black courts, scuffed on the front. My blazer jacket, while black, is also pinstriped and therefore not matching to either my black skirt or my black trousers. White shirts? What do you wear under a white shirt so that you are not indecently showing off your bra? Questions, questions.

I have come to the conclusion that an emergency run on the shops will have to be made. New shoes are definately in order, thats a given. But do I just cave to the pre-interview jitters and buy a whole new look to obey the stringent rules of interview dressing? Afterall, the whole point is to gain money...does one spend money for the potential to make more?

What is more, my hair! It has not been properly cut since before I went on my gap trip round NZ and Oz...I returned three weeks ago, but does my hair need to metamorphose from its scruffy traveller look to a more upmarket do? Geesh! Who knew that merely being granted an interview would be so stressful! This is before even having to go through with it!

(You may be interested to know that for men, a tie must be worn, it must be silk, 3 1/4 inches at the widest point, with a modest pattern and, ideally, in red or burgandy. How exacting! How do they not end up with a queue of matching man-clones standing in the corridor?)

Any ideas? Anyone? Please?!

Design and Make

I know I mentioned the build-your-own Converse, but when I previously tried to go on it, the web crashed.

So I went on it again today, and now I am addicted. It is beyond awesome to play with - and so customisable! Usually, they let you change a single colour or something, but here you can actually change everything, with prints and colours! Here is my first go. I am loving it so much! Now I just need to rustle up the money to order them in from America...also, the willpower to not plaster the blog with millions of different versions of Converse...

Raining, and I Want to be in a Coffee Shop

So, today it is in that weird state of grey, colourless void outside. It can't decide whether to rain or snow. I'm lazing about inside, applying to various jobs I find online, knowing that later I have to go out and do the grocery shopping, or else I will starve. Joy.

To soothe my fractured spirits, I have done a brief bout of outfit shopping...Here's my lazy look for the day.

Sooo, the Warehouse Playsuit looks divinely comfy - I adore playsuits and since they have come into fashion they are way more affordable than they used to be! In more designs too, which is always a good thing. The silkiness should go some way towards keeping me warm too!
I'd layer the Cheap Monday Tee with its groovy diamond print underneath, and pin the whimsical little polka-dot teapot Dollydagger Brooch onto one of the straps of the playsuit. Then I'd team the whole ensemble with these button detail Topshop Socks (probably layered over nude tights so I don't freeze) and these bright and cheerful Yellow Converse.

I found on the converse site that you can design your own! There is my newfound love!

Catwalk Clone Dress

So, I was checking around some sites for dresses (its my birthday party tonight and despite already owning the dress I want to wear, it never hurts to look...) and I found a dress on boohoo.com which is a dead ringer for this Luella frock (Style.com).

 

Well, you can see how it was styled on the catwalk, but with its obvious Vday featurette, I figured I would give it a go - its a definately noticeable dress, but how versatile is it?

So first off I gave it my spin on the fifties rockabilly look, just for funsies.

 

So thats the boohoo.com dress (it is like deja vu, I swear), paired with these absolutely mental Polka Dot Platforms for some real height and to make that skirt swing! Geesh, those things would give anyone legs like a giraffe...if you can still walk in them, props to you.

Then, some shiny shiny black agate Lola Rose Earrings to peep out from a less fifties, more 2010 tousled 'do, and finally (because it is still freezing outside) an awesome studded Miss Selfridge Leather Jacket to top off the whole thing and give it a bit of attitude - attitude that would need to be backed up, because as already mentioned, there is going to be no running happening in those shoes!

The second look is more Spring than Autumn. It focuses on the trend for pastels which, weirdly, I have fallen for, hook, line and sinker. Usually I only like brights, but hey.

I am loving this look. Okay, I'd wear the Miss Selfridge Parka open over the dress, as a pop of colour and to show off the French Connection Floral Belt detail - texture and the satiny sheen will pick up the flowers nicely against the dress. The ASOS Boots tie the look together as chic rather than scrubby, as does the Net Bow Clip which, if worn at a rakish angle adds a little bit of British to what is a more Parisienne colour-scheme.

I guess it is quite versatile after all - there were loads of looks I could have gone for, but I restrained myself :p

This Day is Just Another Shade of Grey

Okay, today is a bad day. I've been waiting around all day for a job offer which has not happened and I am now miserable.

However, I am going to pick myself back up by going upstairs, dusting off my sewing machine, making some cushions with the awesome fabric remnants I bought recently and starting my own, fabulous money-making empire of comfyness. So there, World.

I did see these earrings though, and I thought they were pretty cool. They are from MissBibi.

Dreaming of Working..?

What with my slight obsession with securing a job to earn me the monies over the last week or so, I have been trawling the net and the ad rags ceaselessly looking for suitable vacancies and applying.

Now interviews are on my mind, and what with the bleak greyness outside, I think my interview-wear fantasy took a definate turn for the colourful. Well, I know it did, because I have visual evidence.

 

The majority is from Dorothy Perkins, my go-to place for instant work-oriented pieces and the brooch is a smoky blue glass heart from prizmatic. 

The lovely grey shoes work nicely for a day sitting in interviewing style and come in blue and cream as well. (I want all three colourways. Now. I am sure they would boost my credibility).

The cuff says 'elegant', and picks up the button detailing on the fitted dress, in a gorgeously eye-catching mint (very Spring!). With the pink coat worn open over the top, I have no doubt I would leave an impression in the interviewers mind...and thats before I say anything, too!