Pistol Panties pops up in Selfridges

British swimwear brand Pistol Panties launches its pop up shop in Selfridges tomorrow.
The brands founder Deborah Fleming explains "I want the new pop-up space to inject energy, colour and craziness into the store, so that everyone will know that spring has arrived and summer is on its way. It will be a real psychedelic experience, think Zebras on acid! The spring/summer 2012 collection, called Psychedelic Rodeo, was inspired by Raquel Welch as a sassy and sexy bandit in the Fifties Western Bandelero''.
Pistol Panties is a great brand, not to my personal taste but quite clearly very successful with girly girls. I just wish their website was more user friendly and represented their brand image/gravitas better. I'd be interested to know where they manufacture, as I'm not sure that its the UK.
However regardless of personal taste I really admire Pistol Panties; I remember the brand from my Surgery PR days, and its great to see how they have developed. After seeing them exhibiting at the Miami swim show in 2008, I thought that's the level I need to get Black Neon to. It takes time and money to grow, plus access to press and buying contacts. Support from the likes of Vogue and Selfridges (the first retailer to stock the brand in 2004) have undoubtedly assisted Pistol Panties to where it is today, but it's the dedication of Deborah her team, especially through hard economic times that have got the brand to where it is today. I really hope that the Selfridges Pop Up this spring translates into cash in the bank for Pistol Panties!
Read more about Deborah Fleming, the British/Colombian designer behind Pistol Panties.

Boticca - Inject Colour and Pattern

If you want an instant update to your existing wardrobe, one of the best ways to do this is to invest in some coloured or patterned accessories. Boticca have an great selection of jewellery, bags, scarves and many other accessories. The beauty about Boticca is that they act as a market place for emerging designers all over the world.
Boticca began after a inspirational meeting with a jewellery maker in Marrakesh, Kiyan Foroughi co founder, decided these treasures and other peoples work should be made accessible to the rest of the world.
I could find lots of lovely things to buy but here are my instant favourites...

Zambia might be a challenge by freudenreich, Salzburg, Austria

Facets (pink) by Ayako Kanari, London, United Kingdom

21c saints by Alex Suh, Seoul, Korea


Divorce ring by Gisele Ganne, London, United Kingdom

Seahorse Double Finger Ring by Emilie Thomas, London, United Kingdom

Batik Clutch by Super Earth Goods by Bali, Indonesia

The Clemence woven necklace by Jennifer Loiselle, London, United Kingdom

Beauty is...

....in the eye of the beholder. We are constantly bombarded by images of skinny models and the looks of superiority thin women give; resulting in pressure to be thin or a certain size. However its up to each individual to decide what is attractive to them. I'm know never going to 7.5 stone again yet my thoughts sway between wishing I was thinner, just that half a stone lighter and loving the fact that I have distinctly athletic 'vintage' shape. Overall I'm happy being curvy, jive dancing in a vintage dress with stockings and suspenders, or pulling on a pair of tight 80s stone washed Levis. It leads me to question whether I'm attracted to the vintage look because it suits my shape, and if I wasn't the shape I am would I be into something else. Does our shape influence our life or does our life shape our body. Who knows maybe I just spent to long looking at my dads Pirelli calendar's when I was younger. To me attractive is a toned curve.

Betty Page



Cindy Crawford


Grace Jones


Helmut Newton



Ice T's wife Coco



Nicki Minaj

Summer Sorbets & Pastels

Summer feels like it could prompt us to embrace soft sorbets and pastels in our wardrobes. I however feel washed out in such colours, having blonde hair you can looking like a pale floaty cloud; this is not my style. I will be opting for the more citrus end of the colour spectrum and accessorising with black and white geometric prints, and chunky turquoise rings. However if your a blonde hippy chick, soft peaches and lemons can work well, but my personal opinion is that the trend looks best on someone with dark hair and pale skin, like Dita and Florence.

Preen SS12


Dita Von Teese


Florence Welch photo by Tom Beard


Scarf & necklaces from Lisette and the Fox Vintage

Coral

My obsession with the colour coral spans far and wide, real coral necklaces, nail varnish, perfume bottles....Colour ranging from neon or verging on red to a soft peachy blush.


I just had to take a pic of this wall, which is actually a corner with each wall painted a different colour....

Adorn London

Adorn London is diamond of a jewellery trend site. Often jewellery blogs/sites are very designer maker focused and don't have that fashion edge. Adorn London can be seen as the WGSN for jewellery, but accessable to the public, focusing on trends and colours; such as SS12 yellows seen here from Oscar De La Renta and translating into jewellery.


The importance of accessories and jewellery is huge in fashion and daily life. I for one feel myself having less desire to purchase clothes, prefering to wear simple garments, such as a black silk oversized tshirt (same shape as the teal one I made for Black Neon SS11) and accessorising with colourful jewellery, layering necklaces and rings.