“The Sneaker Sect”

Tuesday 4th November 2008 - Write a comment

This is a piece I wrote for an assignment at University. It is based on the V&A’s “Fashion vs Sport” exhibition where we had to comment on a trend, silhouette or personality we found interesting. I got this piece of work back marked this week and gained a C- grade. I am happy with this as it is only my second piece of work I have done while at University. The copy below is as the piece was before marking.

“The Sneaker Sect”

The “Fashion V Sport” exhibition at the V&A, London, highlights the ever flourishing and evolving relationship between the Fashion and Sports worlds. The exhibition shows a range of examples where these two mammoth industries have collided to create one forward image. However there is one example of this collaboration that strides apart from the rest. The Sneaker.

Named after it’s unique noiseless quality the Sneaker has moved on in leaps and bounds since it’s humble beginning in the 1800s. The first Sneaker shaped shoe was the plimsoll and the first rubber and canvas show manufacturers was “Keds” who formed in 1892. After this in 1908 the “Converse” brand was born which was later to revolutionize Basketball and create an American legend.

As a sports wear essential the Sneaker is designed with practicality in mind for athletes. However it is the look of these shoes and their cultural identity and connotations that encourage people from around the globe to collect them in vast numbers. The connection between star athletes and sportswear is as prominent as the influence fashion has on the design on Sneakers. Many famous sports stars such as Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali and David Beckham endorse and promote Sneakers by different brands. This is what makes the Sneaker so desirable to collectors.

The Sneaker Sect is a world wide phenomena where individuals will pay vast amounts of money for one pair of shoes. In most cases these shoes are a limited edition release so the Sneakers will probably never be worn. A collectors mentality that is usually associated with high flying fashionistas.

Golden

Monday 27th October 2008 - Write a comment

For quite some time now I have been lusting after Chanel’s “Gold Fiction” nail varnish but have been put off by the £17 price tag. Chanel have a wonderful reputation for making good quality nail varnish’s, they also very often come with a cult following. Last year it was “Black Noir” making waves and sending fashion-types into a spin. Now however it is “Gold Fiction” that has us all tempted for its glimmering look.

However as a student spending almost three hours wages on a nail varnish is pretty ridiculous. I decided to wait until Christmas and ask my parents if they could get the now almost impossible to find varnish for me. I need not have worried. A girl named “Sayma” from work wore what I thought to be the illusive nail varnish to work on Sunday. After a moment of envious realization I asked her if it was in fact my dream polish. She looked at me like I was mad and said she’d bought it from Barry M a few days before. Today I made a visit to Superdrug after work and found the sacred gold nail varnish within seconds, at a mere £2.75 I bought it in a heartbeat and went straight home to try it out. This is the result:

You really can’t tell the difference between my Barry M varnish and that of Chanel featured above. Im in love with it and will be wearing it for quite a while to come!

Kitty x

Moshi Moshi Moshi

Saturday 25th October 2008 - Write a comment

This is a piece I wrote for an assignment at University, however it is more of a review than the News Report it is supposed to be. Considering that I had to completely re-write I thought I would share the original version with you, tell me what you think!

Moshi Moshi Moshi

Birthday parties are traditionally an energetic and joyful affair. This tradition was followed to the “t” this weekend at “Matter” at the 02 Arena in London, as the independent record label “Moshi Moshi” celebrated its tenth birthday.

Artists from the labels inventory of character filled and diverse acts such as “Hot Chip”, “Slow Club” and “Kate Nash” performed across the evening. “Moshi Moshi” DJ’s punctuated each set with yet more hits from the now veteran home of individualism.

It was “Florence & the Machine” who really got the party started with their mid evening set. Twirling around the stage in an outfit reminiscent of a Circus ring master, bare-footed and face covered in golden glitter, Florence Welch captivated her already bewitched audience. An innocent child-like charm extrudes from the twenty one year old singer between songs, however this is quickly diminished by a sexier, care free performer the minute she opens her mouth. A quick fist in the air and a kiss to the back of her hand and Florence introduces her massive, yet slightly controversial hit “Kiss with a Fist”. Not a song about domestic violence but a physical example of two people pushing each other to psychological extremes because they love one another.

Quite possibly the most important act on the “Moshi Moshi” list of artists, “Florence & the Machine” are whimsical and charming yet growling with passion and drive. An up and coming act that are set to produce some important offerings.

With musical talent such as this on their label “Moshi Moshi” records had reason to celebrate, Happy Birthday and heres to another ten years for the indie label.

Kitty x

Saturday 24th October

Saturday 25th October 2008 - Write a comment

Today I have made a new home for my Blog. It is going to carry on being a place for me to put personal writings while this Blog will become more work orientated. The Blog will be changing a little, becoming more involved in my personal life and less restricted in what I say. This could get me into some trouble but we will see how it goes over the next few weeks. This page will be used to post more of what I have been doing inside and outside of University.

The new home for my blog can be found here.

Kitty x

Friday 24th October

Friday 24th October 2008 - Write a comment

For me it is technically still Thursday as I have not yet been too sleep. It is 2.28 am as I begin writing too you. This is not unusual for me at the moment. It’s just the routine and time scale I have fallen into. I used to think it ridiculous that my Brother did this at Uni, but now I completely understand.

I have however spent the last two hours chatting to my house mate Sophie. She is going back home to Devon today/tomorrow for eleven days and to be quite honest I hadn’t even notice the time go by! A little crazy but so good, she’s so lovely for a natter. I will certainly miss her while she is away.

I made the biggest cock-up today! It would seem that two trains depart from London Waterloo at 39 minutes past every hour. Each terminates in Guildford but they take seperate routes. While chatting to a friend on the phone I boarded the wrong one and ended up in Guildford without a way home, except by Taxi. Not finishing work until 10 pm and not boarding a train until nearly 11 pm is not a good thing. I phoned my housemates to see if any of them loved me enough to come and save me from an ridiculous fare home. Sophie came to my rescue with my other house mates Dini and Louisa in the car and Michelle, our honorary house mate. I gave her some petrol money and all is well again. I was so grateful that I actually know some people who drive now, and that were awake when I phoned! Hurrah for Sophie!

In other news I have just logged into Facebook (not news in itself) and seen lots of new pictures from my friends at home. It just made me feel so sad that they have formed a new group which I am not involved in, all getting along with their lives just fine without me. And quite upsettingly none of them have made any attempt to get in touch with me to ask me how I am. Perhaps it should be me trying to keep in contact as it is I that has made a decision and moved away. I miss feeling like I belong to a group, that I have a precise place and knowing that there is a place I can get too easily and know all the faces. I also miss how things were this time three years ago. That I used to spend every weekend with a certain group of people and I always knew that I would fall asleep next to a certain person. Now we don’t even talk. The line “your one of my best friends” is just shit. I don’t know anything about any of you anymore. I miss you. A lot.

I feel helpless and left behind. And my new life is not what I expected it too be. Don’t get me wrong I am having fun and have made some good new friends. I just expected more.
I guess I am slightly disappointed, maybe other people are just better at sugar coating their lives to make them look better. Maybe I am boring.

Its all very up and then all very down and back to the start again.

Kitty x