A ridiculous weekend

Once a year, a group of my friends gather in a remote cottage and bring lots of food, booze, pyjamas and pretty much turn off our phones and ago a little mad. And this year there was a hot tub.

But at some point in this past mini break we decided to dress up and look seriously swish. There was the loose theme of the 1920s but I'l be damned if I'm going to wear a flapper dress, these curves weren't made for that era! So here are the girls, Lydia, me, Annie, Revis and Kate. As you can see, black was the colour of choice, accidentally!

 I'm wearing a 70s black maxi that I got from Bang Bang Vintage, a mink fur stole I nabbed on eBay a while back, Wolf & Moon art deco inspired earrings and my Gok Wan glasses (I lost my contact lenses the night before, frustrating!). The show stopping dress Annie is wearing is from Mango and it looked absolutely stunning on her, she stole the show most definitely. Revis kept things simple and added a pretty headband as a nod to the era. Kate kept things 1920s in a beaded flapper and curled her short blonde bob. And naturally, we all went for a dark red lip.

But it wasn't just the girls who made an effort, oh no. The boys outnumbered us in both actual numbers and fancy dress points. Oh by the way, I have a boy now (go me!) and I pretty much dragged him along to this messy weekend, he's at the far right wearing some fabulous Dead Mens' Spex and now I've got my Gok Wans', we match. And I'm more than OK with that. But don't these guys look handsome? Such a sexy bunch of friends.

If you want to read more about Annie's style and how I look to her for style inspo you should check out this blog post I did about her a while ago. I wish she would blog too!

It then started to go a little down hill...but I'm saying no more than the following photos! 

My Current Inspiration: Annie

Though I have a fairly whimsical, often eccentric wardrobe, I have found myself leaning more and more towards simpler styling. This really is due to the effortlessly cool Annie who plays bass in my band Screaming Maldini. She often gets compared to Zooey Deschanel with her thick brunette locks and blunt fringe, gorgeous eyes and cheeky smile! Though we are inspired by celebrity, magazines, blogs, music and history I think we are often most inspired by those around us.

The word "effortless" really sums up Annie's style. She turns up to most social engagements looking perfectly put together, yet completely natural and never over-styled. Annie knows what suits her but more importantly she knows what she likes and has unapologetically created a theme within her wardrobe. Especially with colours and tailoring. Annie is often in Zara and Topshop and that little leather jacket is from Mango.

Asking Annie what she's going to wear before a night out or before a gig is a common occurance! Though our styles are completely different, I always find it helpful to know what she's donning. Here are a few things that Annie has taught me:

• A statement necklace (or 5) is the ideal addition to your accessory collection as it finishes an outift in seconds. Preferably in gold. 
• Red lipstick can transform an ensemble from "I've just finished work" to "I'm on the rum!"
• Don't be scared of white shirts and buttoning them up to the collar.
• Simple works.
• Fashion doesn't have to be uncomfortable to look good.
• Stick to what you know suits you.

With this style in mind, I asked Annie to model for my first ASOS Marketplace collection. These two items looked so right on her, they sold in days and no wonder, she makes them look so wearable. That's what my collection is about, making vintage work for anybody. 

She's not only a savvy fashionista, Annie is a wonderful friend and a talented musician. She should really have her own fashion blog really! I wish I knew how to put an outfit together like this girl, I really do. In the mean time, I'll just make fabulous tunes on stage with her. 

xxx

G