Jacket therapy...only males' allowed!

I have bargained two absolutely wicked male jackets at a Designer sale in BrickLane.

To my utter horror this happened when I didn't plan to splash any more d'argent on clothes and when my garderobe [as in wardrobe]  told me enough is enough and started bursting at its seams.

Khm...but that day at BrickLane....oh what a day it was....some urgent shopping therapy was a must.

So it was the day of the African Fashion Week London, which I decided to attend with my dear friend.

Woke up early to get my bits ready, somehow the time flew and the next thing I knew  was that the 3 hours to do my hair turned into 15 minutes before my train (which I decided to cycle to). Oh MAMA, I was packing fast! Also the same day  I was meeting a male friend in the evening;) so had to look presentable, and not too much ninja-gangsta-hippy was permitted. But since I had my famous camera backpack I shoved as much stuff as I could, dunned my new jeans (boyfriend cut = low rise), flats (to save my feet), hills (for the evening), cap (to look ninja @AFWL), make-up (NO TIME!), perfume? psh psh psh ......more? psh psh psh psh ...now RUN!

Head over heels and I am on the groundfloor. Bike. Can't mount! The boyfriend jeans restrict the leg movement so I can't send my leg over the seat. Moreover, the cut is so badly done that the trousers are holding onto my  calfs and the backside pops out like one massive pocket (I am sure you have experienced that before. ZARA is notorious for having their models all deck-flat with no transition from your rear to your back)  Didn't take my belt, so would have needed to hold my trousers with my hands! HA! 

Scrap the bike, grab a boos! RUN!

In da boos!  Make-up! Choose a sit where no one can stare at your masochistic bouts of applying mascara whilst on a moving transport. Besides, I think this is rather personal business that should not involve any strangers' observations from a seat opposite. Lo siento, but turn away byatch.

An elderly man next to me suffocated from my excessive psh psh psh , chocked for a bit and then moved the seat, preliminary opening all the windows on the coach. I had to look away in objection...and  more in embarrassment.

Stampeded onto my train. The bugger was cancelled. Embarked on the other one (after stressing for a good 15 minutes searching for alternative routes). My friend, meanwhile, set out from her house towards the same destination and managed to loose some buttons from her blouse, had to return back home, to discover a broken zip on her skirt. Uh-la-la!

So when I eventually sat down on the train, all pampered up and with my cup a coffee! Opened my bag and saw an extra pair of flats (but I was wearing one already), no battery in my camera (and it's a flipping heavy beast).... can't use my phone to read as I would obviously need camera on it and the battery is notorious for being unreliable. Saturday- no free papers on the train. Some funky looking dude opposite me, gulping down Coke non-stop. Turned out it had a good half of Hennessy in it. No wander he's so plastered at 11 AM.

And finally...our show didnt start until 3 hours later. 

Nevertheless had a wonderful brunch with my friend which we wrapped up by checking out the Designer sale ...and I wondered into a male section and never came back....

 Now the magic: so with the bags full of jackets and AFWL freebies, absolutely knackered after the evening date I am chasing trains in the killer hills and run into my old school classmate at the platform. Haven't spoken for the odd 7 years, but turned out she is such a talented and beautiful person (always was, no doubts there).

Thank you Anna Shen  for the lovely pictures and a great day together! So much fun.

Guys please check out her FB page: https://www.facebook.com/annashenphotography

Well, you can also check out mine since you are on there...and LIKE THEM! 

 https://www.facebook.com/garderobeme

AFWL? No, no pictures from there. But all models looked exceptionaly hot! Period.  

Brick Lane

Custom built

To majority's relief I have decided to change the stance of Garderobe and introduce some framework to the endless styles that are represented in this blog (regardless of my love for random analysis of all things "nice") 

So the plan is to go urban, city, funky and with bicycles. I have developed this fascination with fixies and single-speed two-wheelers. And despite having my baby-blue cruiser  I still starvingly gawk at all girls and boys (obviously) whizzing through the streets of London or patiently bouncing on the junctions before charging into the space again.

I do commute on my baby-blue and constantly have to compromise with what to wear, so always good to see how others deal about it and what their carriage is like.

Whilst on my quest, have met some lovely outfits there.

Custom built

Raleigh

Check out Deigh Smith page, he's got some serious looks there, cutting edge, sharp, sleek ,very chic. We don't get much of that on Garderobe. Bring it on Deigh!

A dreamer

The cap, the Vans, the fringe. Very nice. Cheer up buddy.

There is also something generic about Brick Lane even though you would think that it is so alternative. Noticed the same Vans him and "Marilyn Monroe" above is wearing?... nice though

Spanish folk. I love the fact that she is holding a spliff in her hand. Noticed only during the post production.

Afternoon siesta @BrickLane

...to be foretold the [British] weather?!

“But who wants to be foretold the weather? It is bad enough when it comes, without our having the misery of knowing about it beforehand.” 

― Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat

As I was pondering on how to mould my excuses on delaying with this Tweedrun post since April, as we are just tiptoeing at the threshold of the summer;  the sudden spell of "lovely" British weather has spared me the hassle.

My repetitive tweed-blab is the most sensible thing to write about these days.
Welcome the sartorialists:

Swagger!

The only serious vehicle that we had on the ground was from The Chap magazine journalists! 

Here they come the trendy gang.

The Tweedrun took place in April, at a very moderate speed cruising through Marylebone, Regent Street, Picadilly and Trafalgar. Strictly tweed and vintage bikes only.

The convoy of dapperly dressed chaps and ladies arrived to their tea party.
Myself and a couple more volunteers were  in charge of brewing loose Earl Grey tea in hundreds of teapots for the riders. At some point a cake was served but we missed this bit amidst all the heebiejeebies of serving tea.

Hello you two!

mmm, nothing offensive but you seriously look like a Russian man, dude! Levin may be?

He never photographed me back! This is just rude :)

A couple of volunteers that were helping to run the event made a hell of an effort, not only making the party great and filling everyone with litres of aromatic tea, but also turning up in such spruce outfits!

These gloves make me think of Madonna! 

Blatant daylight robbery!

And I still hate yellow socks

Anna Akhmatova's flipping ghost! 

Guten tag herr Furrer!

Teaser, taster, tweed & jaeger

 Just as you are about to maroon my overactive blog, I am going to throw at you this vampish look. Yes, I have more of that to come which will sweep you off your stilettos {or your vintage bike perhaps?}

So grip onto your handlebars and get ready to storm London, as we are heading into what it looks like a traditionally British summer. Thence I suggest you rethink your bikinis and get some serious layers out...and a pump....just in case...

Riding the trend

Cycling has always been around but somewhat "nerdy" and shunned vehicle, often perceived as a chunky, causing sweat and "what if it rains" hassle. But as we already know  fashion-mob has a tendency of picking up any refuse dropped by the general public just to turn it into the most sought after thing. A year down the road and the biggest designers would represent the item in their newest collections topped up with variations of additional gear, special wear and all things cool and wicked. 
Notwithstanding, the hipster-cycling has immersed from after WWII ages for more obvious reason: economical austerity, environmental concerns, and fitness obsession all this has radically shifted the outlook on lifestyle, resulting in cycling's massive come-back in cosmopolitan cities. In addition, the heyday of vintage and all things eclectic  made millions of fashionistas (who are often young and students) to take up cycling. However this time instead of flashing a the newest multi-gear bikes they drug the old grandads' bikes from their sheds to give it some good polish.  And that is the very same piece of junk you used to ride to the school until you would get laughed at by a peer group just to dump it in a shed to have a good matter of oxidation of a rust on it. At last you can cross it out from the 'shame list' and proudly ride your most sought after fashion attribute.

Not only it is an alternative mean of transport, it is also a tremendous money saver, fat burner, health booster and traffic jams' cutter which can also massively add to your look or even increase your outlook on lifestyle as it did in my case.

Many riders will agree that the best thing about urban cycling is that you have an advantage of discovering the face of your city, the back streets, buildings, peer citizens; and get to know your city as you have never seen it before. A bicycle liberates you from the 'moles' prison'- the underground, giving you the total control of time, location and route. You can even have your own personal seat for free! Imagine! 

__

The dapper and the dappiest...

As seen at the Tweed Run.

According to the official Tweed Run facebook page, the gentleman on the left was honoured "Cordings Most Dapper Chap". Congratulations Mr Elliot.

The image courtesy of Tweed Run's facebook page 

Accessorize !!! ... and ride the Spring parade..

Spring 2012 necessity.
The basket's rubbish though...but we'll get it fixed.