When in Doubt...

Hey Smudgers, 

So it's been quite the roller-coaster lately; college is a mess. Anyone in First year Art and Design will punch you if you ever say "so you draw all day?" because we work our asses off and there's no one there to see it! It's great that out of over 800 applicants, 220 of us got in. But we got into the college, no our courses. So while we're all partying together and leaning on one another for support in this whirlwind, we're all enemies. I get a sick feeling in my stomach when I think that I mightn't get into Fashion and I'm changing my project for the 4th time! 

Right now Smudgers I'm supposed to be studying but I'm so wiped (between antibiotics and my second round of root canal treatment) that I can't even focus. 

But there has to be a way. I'm one of those people that believe everything happens for a reason and that if you wait for things to happen in your life, you'll never live. I'm going to get up off my ass after this post and work!! 

Think about it, everything around you is made or constructed by someone with a drive and a dream and a little backbone. I'm writing this on my Mac computer, listening to my IPhone - Steve Jobs WORKED! All the artists whose music I'm listening to, from Jimmy Eat World to Lady Gaga to Slipknot - they WORKED! All the clothing websites I've saved to my bookmarks, from Vivienne Westwood to Forever 21 to Drop Dead - they WORKED! 

'A Girl Should be Two things; WHO & WHAT SHE WANTS' - Coco Chanel 

I know I promised the pics of FWs but despite my hours of scanning through all the fashion shows this season, I've lost all the pictures that I loved - I really don't get technology!! I was so angry after I lost the pictures that I went shopping :/ I can't even find the hashtag key on the keyboard; fml....

Halloween is coming up with severe speed (lol tomorrow) and I will be travelling down to Cork city to attend the Freakscene Halloween event in the Savoy Hotel so expect some rocking pictures - it's supposed to be amazing! What are all the Smudgers dressing up as this Halloween?? There's two types of girls at Halloween which I love because you kind of see who is fun and who is the evil slut that just wants to be sexy :P Girls; live a little! I'll be going as a broke student so SUGAR SKULL - Loving all the skull makeup takes with this look; some are so elegant and wicked so here I go! 

Mark your calendars by the way Fashionistas because 'Style in the City 2' is coming back on the 10th of December to Galway and I CANNOT WAIT! If it's anything like last time it will be truly unforgettable and full of fun and yummy cocktails! Another thing to save up for in London is the Alexander McQueen; Savage Beauty exhibition which will take place from March to June/July - I'm going! 

When in doubt, Travel! I live by this rule too much which is why my bank account has seen better days... But I'm currently on a quest to get my friends to got to Paris with me for a few days, I just want to go away to a beautiful city and forget my troubles :) but sadly no one is really tagging along... IF I HAVE TO GO ALONE I WILL (believe!). Every day is a new adventure and a new day to be someone new. Every night the you from yesterday dies and what you wake up with in the mornings is the memories and a little baggage, but you can change everything in a day :)

So I'm going to change today because the me of today is wasting away and there's been no fun had (and no study done either..) So later Smudgers ^_^

XOXO

F.S.

Remember life before the Internet? Cuz I Don't!

Hey Smudgers what's up! I know I owe you guys some posts and I'm sorry but my internet has been down :( I'm keeping this New Years Reezie if it kills me (touch wood!).

So how has everyone been keeping??? So I've decided to go all super fit for Benicassim! Despite the fact that I stupidly bought diet pills, I highly doubt I'll take them. I found this 30 day programme online (http://imgur.com/gallery/FkVrO) which I will be repeating and have been following - so far so good! I've also completely changed my eating habits and have cut down my coffee intake (which has been more difficult than I care to admit..), my tea intake has increased dramatically due to this :P For breakfast every morning I've been eating porridge (which tastes 10 times better with soya milk, who knew!) and a banana, along with a cup of tea and those Vitamin C things that dissolve in water. Then I'll do what every workout I have to, stick an apple and a bottle of water in my bag and head out for the day :) At lunch I'll eat like soup/ tuna sandwich (I know salads are supposed to be all healthy and all, but I don't like how they can be smothered in salad dressing and I hate tomatoes!!). Then I'll walk home, depending on the day and weather, which takes an hour any way I go, and have a lovely chicken stir-fry (one chicken breast, an onion, greens, a carrot, seasoned with some thyme, black pepper and ginger :) ). I've been doing this for over a week now and according to the scales I've lose 8 pounds :) I hope that's accurate and the scales are functioning! So I'mma keep going and let ye all know how that goes!

So Fashion; My recycled garment is currently in the window at G.T.I.'s Claddagh House, so if anyone is bopping by have a look! I want to use this post to talk about a woman in fashion that I only heard about through my Historical Designer brief on Charles James - Eleanor Lambert

Who is this woman you ask? Well you can thank her for New York Fashion Week and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). 

Eleanor Lambert was born on the 10th of August 1903 in Crawfordsville, Indiana. She studied sculpture and  fashion at the Chicago Art Institute, earning herself a promising career. She moved to New York and started  working for an advertising agency in Manhattan, dealing with artists and art galleries. Lambert was also involved in the founding of the Museum of Modern Art. She also assisted in setting up the American Art Dealers Association. 

Lambert saw fashion as an art form. In the 1940's she set up the International Best Dressed List, the Coty Fashion Critics Award (1943), and organised the semi-annual Fashion Week in New York which allowed international and national designers to showcase their collections to the world, and which still runs today. She did the same for European fashion capitals. In 1962, she founded the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). In 2001 the Council created the 'Eleanor Lambert Award' presented for a unique contribution to the fashion world or deserves special recognition. 

A fortuneteller once told Eleanor Lambert that she would a live long life and know the most talented people of her era. Eleanor Lambert lived to be 100 years old; She died on the 7th of October 2003. Eleanor Lambert's contribution to the world of fashion was extraordinary - the achievements you see before are only a small segment of the work she did throughout her long life. Lambert saw the greatness in fashion and the events she founded will continue long into the future. Without her, the world of fashion would be limited and bare. Eleanor Lambert shaped the way the world views and experiences fashion. 

For more information on Eleanor Lambert;

 ( http://cfda.com/about/history )

 ( http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2110513_2110630_2110690,00.html) 

Untitled #316

Untitled #316 by noturaveragestranger on Polyvore

No Sugar In My Coffee Makes Me Mean

Well my dearies how has your weekends been???
Well on Friday night I went for a girly night with my two friends - down to Kelly's for a few cocktails :) Try the Pink Lady if you like something sweet! Or my friend got a Strawberry Daquiri and my Oh My that's good :) Here's a pic of it with my Mojito. Along with the live bands playing I gotta say it was a great night!!!

Last night I went to my friends 18th party and I'm a little rough around the edges today.... It's like someone got pliers on my temples :( But what a great night! I much prefer house parties with friends than going out because it's so much more relaxed with the people you know, you can dance like an eejit and instead of randomers in a club giving you dirty looks, your friends can take videos and put them online :)

So hope you all liked my interview with Natalie Coleman :) I was able to use it for my Irish Designer Assignment in college! But now that that's done a new project has been shoved my way - my Historical Designer Assignment (the work load never ends!). This is all part of the Art Appreciation Module of the FETAC level 5 Fashion Design course. I have to say that I actually feel more prepared for this one because I already know who I'm doing and have loads of info on them :)
Charles James - America's first Courtier - if you don't know him, look him up! And if you love evening wear, like me, look him up now!

Cristobal Balenciaga - “the world’s best and only dressmaker.”

 1954 Swan Gown by Charles James 

Charles James born 18 July 1906 in England. In 1924,  his parents pack him off to Chicago, his mother’s hometown, where he began to pursue a career in fashion. At the age of nineteen in 1926, he opened his first hat shop with the support of his mother’s friends, using the name of a school friend, 'Charles Boucheron'. 

In 1928 he left Chicago for Long Island and set up a studio in Southampton. He later transferred his workshop to the Murray Hill area of Queens, New York.

James divided his time between the U.S., England, and France, creating both models for reproduction and custom pieces for high-society clients. In 1937 he made his formal Paris haute couture debut with a collection that included pieces crafted from vintage silk grosgrain millinery ribbon. In 1953, he received the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award for his Empire of fashion couture. 

On the 23rd of September, 1978, Charles James died alone and penniless in the Chelsea Hotel, NYC. 

A little history lesson from Freaky! :)

XOXO

Freaky Smudge 

Don't Laugh at my Jelly!

In order to kinda get into blogging tonight I've this song drumming in my ears - Blue by Eiffel 65 (Classic!)
They don't make songs like this anymore :(

So really getting stuck into the whole college thing now, though I know I'll be so tired for the next week or two! This was the outfit I wore today, along with that 'Screw You' necklace from JUNK Jewellery that I put up last week in my "Best Buys #1" post. The teal top is from a charity shop though I'm pretty sure the origin was H&M, as was the skirt (bought in London). I got the white 'Whatever' top from Jennyfer (bought in Rome). I have to say that whenever I am abroad I always get cool stuff in Jennyfer and Berschka! :) The black tights are Penneys finest, and the pink neon beanie from Cotton Face Vintage :)

So two hours of Commercial Fashion Design this morning though we really just went around the classroom, getting a feel of everyone's background and what they want to do after the course. Some people have done the most interesting things - It's so cool!! I guess that's one thing about meeting new people; everyone comes from a different walk of life and has different experiences.

During our hour break I ran to Penneys to buy this adorable pale blue dress with little flamingos on it :) I know that sounds weird but my mum bought this dress yesterday and I saw it this morning and was like "This shall be mine!!". Sure it was €15, and so cute! Had to get a 12 because all that was left was size 16/18/20, but I think a red chunky belt would look nice with it... If I can find one. After this we had Problem Solving which is basically going over all the problems we're having with assignments and projects, etc. I was expecting like an AA meeting or something :P But no we went over the steps on how to make our pin cushions and got some materials which was great fun!

Then we had 4 drawing classes- this was... well I found it difficult because I did Art in Leaving Cert. and when  we sat into the class today the teacher told us to look at the arrangement in front of us (bananas, apples, kiwis, an orange, and leaves) and just draw the lines. No shading or perspective, so it was definitely a change. Practice makes perfect... damn! :) I'm sure I'll get the hang of this eventually!

Anyways, after I had a lovely chicken stir-fry for dinner (yummy!) I went to get up to date with the latest on the Fashion Week - which has ended today- and I gotta say that I would love to be a model for Betsy Johnson! I think anyone would, all those models looked like they were having a blast and the clothes were so fun :) leopard prints and sparkles and candyfloss colours (what more could a girl ask for).  Loved this collection, and Oscar de la Renta. Oscar never fails! I didn't get a chance tonight to check out the Marchesa stuff, but I'll always remember the dress that Olivia Wilde wore to the 2011 Golden Globes. Look it up if you have a chance, was beautiful!!!!!

Oh before I forget, can you guys please follow me on this, and Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Bloglovin! I would really appreciate it. You're all probably really sick of me asking that but ya know - gotta get the message out there.

Sorry if this was kinda a crap post but I'll make up for it or something :) Maybe a give-away on Facebook.... Got your attention yet???
Later kids.... Oh and the jelly thing was that I bought some for lunch but forgot to get a spoon :'( apparently funny stuff... :(
XOXO
Freaky Smudge