The Dating Game.

Online Dating. You didn't have to watch this series of Alan Sugar's Apprentice to realise it's big business. Before this week, I regarded online dating sites as the virtual stomping ground of - as Bridget Jones would so succinctly put it - "alcoholics, workaholics, commitment-phobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs, emotional fuckwits, and/or perverts". In short, to be registered on an online dating website, there must be something wrong with you. Because what normal, average-to-good-looking person with a stable constitution would need the help of a computer to 'match' them with a partner? Turns out quite a few people. 

I moved to Bristol in the Summer, and apart from one very dear (female) friend, I knew no one. I was working non-stop, often not getting home until 8 or 9 in the evening - by which time the last thing I wanted to do was get dolled up, go out, and perch on a sticky bar seat waiting to get hit on. Sitting at home on a Sunday afternoon, hungover from a solo night of drinking and feeling wholly sorry for myself, an eHarmony ad came on the TV and I actually thought twice about joining. But be it romantic pride, or egotistical narcissism, I couldn't help believing that I, as a 22-year old, vaguely good-looking, fairly intelligent, normally-formed human being could have trouble finding a date. Were romance and serendipity completely dead? Not yet for me, it would transpire. I met my boyfriend in the soulless smoking area of a cheap pub a few weeks later - which, while not romantic in the traditional sense, was at least a physical, tangible introduction. But while I thought I was in the majority for wanting the real-life, chanced, first meet, a large amount of the population - including a surprising number of friends - don't seem too bothered. In fact, online dating seems to be, dare I say it, preferable. 

So in the name of investigative journalism, or at least curious blogging, I decided to take the plunge and see what all the fuss was about. With the arrival of smartphones, online dating no longer has to mean sitting at home bathed in the depressive glow of a desktop monitor. You can now search, flirt, or reject, potential matches at work, on the loo, in bed, and anywhere else you can get a 3G or WiFi signal. As someone who's iPhone has become a virtual extension of their own wrist, the convenience of a dating app seemed to make the most sense. So I downloaded the four most popular: Match.com, Plenty of Fish, eHarmony, and Tinder. Here are my experiences, laid out in all their reluctant glory.


1. Match.com

Match.com, the once-mighty Methuselah of the online dating platform, is beginning to show its age. With its garish green and blue, and nauseatingly cringe photos of 'couples ambassadors', this app epitomises every fear I have about online dating: it's the final frontier for those with no other alternative but to put their desperation out on a line, and pray to God someone, anyone, bites. On a Wednesday afternoon, there were some 22,000 of these wretched souls online, organised by distance from my person, all with a hint of hopefulness in their eye. It's not long until Match.com tests your loyalty to the cause of 'true' love by funnelling you through a series of subscription traps, all persuading you that your experience will be made all that much better - and far more successful - if you hand over some cash. For the iPhone app, that's £15 a month. Double that price if you want access to the more functional, and slightly less depressing, online site, which has all the excitement and charm of a price-comparison website. Having managed to dodge the virtual clubbing over the head of subscription fees, I decided to attempt to update my profile - a decision which was possibly one of the most daunting experiences of my life. It's been nearly half a minute of scrolling, and I still haven't reached the bottom of the list of key attributes, beliefs, interests, prerequisites, turn-offs, turn-ons, and a host of other sub-topics I couldn't be bothered to read. Literally: fuck that shit. I'm lazy as hell. I also can't honestly believe that anyone would give two shakes of a stick what my diet is like, or what my favourite 'hot-spots' are. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't one of the exciting aspects of dating the mystery of the other person? Slowly finding that stuff out over a series of encounters? No? Instead, Match.com is trying to peddle romantic relationships like a job application: CV, covering letter, an attractive but not inappropriate accompanying photo… Since when did romance become so corporate? A relationship isn't a business transaction. You cannot draft up a contract of 'favourite hot-spots' and 'views on children' and then sue if those terms are broken. And with this thoroughly repelling realisation, I logged out of Match.com.

Verdict?
2/10. Way too depressing.



2. Plenty of Fish

Although it claims to be the World's largest online dating site, I had never previously heard of Plenty of Fish. The name, presumably referring to the phrase 'plenty more fish in the sea' (although could equally be alluding to 'reeling in a catch' (creepy)), conjures up images of childhood board games like Hungry Hungry Hippos. And the childhood analogies don't stop there. With a homepage that looks like it's been designed by a twelve year old, and an iTunes Store screenshot of 'babes' that don't look much older than that, PoF is starting to look pretty sinister. Certainly, PoF is much more image-conscious and materialistic than Match.com. They don't really give two hoots about your views on marriage, or your favourite hobbies. They'd rather know whether you'd date someone who describes themselves as having 'a few extra pounds', if you do drugs (both 'Yes' and 'Socially' are options here), and what your income level is. If Match.com's were like a job interview, PoF's questions are about as comfortable as an airport cavity search. But hey, at least I'm not being berated to hand over my credit card; PoF is completely free (although I imagine you probably pay for it in other ways). At the end of your probing questionnaire, you are finally required to write a mini-essay about yourself. Examples include:"Mr Romantic - LOL! My names Joey I am a bit of a tart but theres nothing wrong with taking pride in your appearance My hobbies are Shopping! Clubbing! Tattoos!" and "Heyyyyyy get at me if you want to knowwwwwww more ppl. I'm always up for a little chin waggggg :) don't be scareddddd it's only banter :p hollaaaaaa.Love money, cars, football, work, keeping fit..." And on that note, I'm off.

Verdict? 
5/10. Might be higher if I was a self-obsessed whore.


3. eHarmony

eHarmony's USP is based upon the romantic, but unrealistic, philosophy of it's what's on the inside that counts. As a non-subscriber (subscription is £20 a month - for access to both app and website), I couldn't see any photos of my 'matches'. Which is kind of a retarded incentive to subscribe from a company that claims to not be about image. This having been said, the user experience and design of the app is actually quite pleasant. It looks nice, it doesn't ask you probing questions or makes you write a mini-essay about yourself. Put it this way: your profile doesn't reek of desperation. In a couple of hours, I've already received some tantalising emails with subject lines like: "Rob's Interested - Are You?" and "Johnny Wants To Get To Know You". What I like about eHarmony is the lack of personal contact at the first stages. Instead, someone contacts you with a list of 5 multiple-choice questions, you answer, send some back, then ask some more, then ask some open-ended ones, and then you have the option of eHarmony mail (which is only for subscribers - another clever marketing ploy). You don't get the perverts asking for pictures of your tits because there simply isn't a multiple choice question that exists for that. Also, doing it in small doses like this makes it - dare I say - exciting; only heightened by the fact you can't see their face (unless, of course, you pay £20 a month to be potentially disappointed). eHarmony is a curious one. It takes the desperation and embarrassment out of online dating, because it's neither sleazy nor depressing. It's actually quite fun - if you liked watching Cilla Black's Blind Date and enjoy filling out questionnaires, both of which I quite enjoy - in small doses. The trouble with the survey questions is that there aren't enough - you end up asking and answering the same ones over and over again until you realise why sites like Match.com and PoF decided to just put this information permanently on your profile. I guess you just can't win.

Verdict?
8/10 - although I can't help feeling my score would go down if I could have seen people's profile pictures.


4. Tinder

Tinder. I saved the best 'til last. I'll be honest, I've heard mixed things about Tinder, most people reporting it as a guilt-free dating/hook-up (balanced more towards the latter) app that allows you to judge a person based entirely on 5 photos. While this sounds banal and backwards, I can confirm that it has become one of the most used applications on my phone - simply for pure entertainment. When speaking to my friend about it, he put it simply: "it's funny how you could go to a club and get hit on, and rejecting those advances would be an unpleasant thing to do, but with an app like tinder you can invite it and make it enjoyable." And it's exactly that. There's something incredibly liberating - albeit cowardly - about having the power to 'next' - or 'nope' - someone based purely on one photo. Balding? Nope. Fat? Nope. Photo taken with someone who is probably your wife? Nope. The fact that you can just swipe to the left to discard someone is so deliciously dismissive that it's positively enjoyable. Like eating a pound of chocolate cake enjoyable. Or overtaking a policeman enjoyable. Within an hour of downloading, I'd already been 'matched' with 4 people. Bearing in mind that I was being ridiculously picky (no selfies, not too many topless photos, not 'fit-but-you-know-it', not too many tattoos, not younger than me, not too many photos out clubbing…), this was quite a confidence boost. I soon got a message from a guy called J. He looked kind, and we talked about photography and travel. Certainly not the sex-addict and pervert chat I'd been expecting. A few days later - after an enjoyable afternoon spent with my mum laughing at various profile pictures… 

(such as these)

…I was matched with one of the most beautiful human beings I'd ever seen. No offence to my boyfriend, who is handsome in a rugged, manly way, but this guy could have been Freddie Ljungberg's better-looking younger brother. At first conversation started out fairly innocently; where are you from, what's your job (Footballer. -1 point) - but it soon became apparent what he was using the app for. When I declined his request for a FaceTime, he became aggressive and started accusing me of being a fraud… I guess trawling for tits gets you a lot of old man dick. Tinder's redeeming feature is that it allows you to 'block' people from contacting you - even after you've been matched. But let's not be too harsh on the handsome mini-Freddie. Personally, I think it's great that young pervs like him have a stage in which they are free and unashamed to put themselves out there. Before the arrival of online dating - and it's various darker satellites - fetishes, perversions, and even sexual liberties and liberations were confined to damp basements and dodgy alleyways; premium-rate phone lines and ads at the back of dog-eared men's mags. It makes for a much safer sex industry to have it all out in the open. And at any rate: if you don't like the heat, Tinder makes it very easy for you to get out of the kitchen.

Verdict? 

9/10 - Yes there's a sleazy side to it, but it's young, fun, and largely safe. My mum and I have never had such an entertaining afternoon together. 

What are your thoughts on The Dating Game?

Love,

Belle x

Wish List Mondays #42 - Date Night

Whether it's a blind or a double, a first or a last, or some kind of weird Tinder/eharmony/potential catfish situation, most girls get anxious over what to wear on a date. We all want to exude sex appeal, but unless you're turning up to a date at a fetish swingers club, we don't want to look slutty. We want to appear like we haven't given this outfit much thought at all, yet we want to look like we've put some effort towards looking nice. Once you've gotten your head around that, you then have to tailor your outfit towards what kind of date environment you will be experiencing: outdoor or indoor - of which the latter can be either super-smart, or "smart-cashe" (smart-casual.). I've been dating for approximately a third of my lifetime. And while this makes me no expert on 'dating' per-se, I think I've pretty much grasped the basics of a good date outfit. I've tried to cover the three main date situ's (L-R): Outdoor (think Bonfire Night or a Christmas Market), Indoor-Restaurant (food=bloating=loose fitting top), Indoor-Swanky Cocktail Bar (LBD's are so last decade; LWD's are where it's at). So with no further ado, I give you the three wardrobe outlines to your perfect date outfit. Ah, l'amour…

The Outdoor Activity Date
1. Tall Crystal Stud Jumper, Topshop, £46. Help me crystallise, here.
4. Veronica Tartan Wool Mini-Skirt by Karl Lagerfeld, Net-a-Porter, £200. Mini Monochrome, here.
6. Tall Hooded Lightweight Jacket, Topshop, £60. Blackjack(-et), here.
11. 'Aubrey2' Suede Cutout Boots, Topshop, £78. A cut above, here.
12. 100 Dernier Control-Top Tights, H&M, £8. Control freak, here.

The Restaurant Date
2. Tall Satin Cami, Topshop, £20. Red Dead Redemption, here.
5. Super Skinny Super Low Jeans, H&M, £30. Skinny Minny, here.
9. Minaudiére with Zip, Zara, £26. Zip it, here.
13. Leopard-Print Calf-Hair and PVC Pumps by Gianvito Rossi, Net-a-Porter, £520. Pump it up, here.
14. Premium Cubic Zirconia Studs, Topshop, £16. Stud muffin, here.

The 'Money no Object' Date
3. Faux Pearl-Embellished Knitted Dress by Alexander McQueen, Net-a-Porter, £1,725. (Faux) Pearls of Wisdom, here.
7. La Laque Couture Nail Polish in Rouge Pop Art by Yves Saint Laurent, Selfridges, £18. Nailed it, here.
8. Body Glow by NARS, Selfridges, £44. Rock your body (glow), here.
11. Dolce Embellished Brocade Clutch by Dolce & Gabbana, Net-a-Porter, £895. Dolce Vita, here.
15. Pinky Twist 18-Carat Gold Diamond Ring by Halleh, Net-a-Porter, £1,250. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, here.
16. High Heel Strappy Sandals, Zara, £60. Golden girl, here.


Good luck on your quests for love, lust, and everything in-between.

Love,
Belle

Wish List Monday #41

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad." If you have a window, or a roof, you might have noticed 'St Jude' the hurricane that's thundered over the UK for the last 24 hours. In times like this, there is only one thing to do. Turn up the heating, stock up on trashy movies and TV shows, and slip into some comfy clothes that won't judge you on the amount of bulk-bought chocolate you will be eating. 

1. Moon Intarsia Cashmere Pants by Chinti and Parker, Net-a-Porter, £350. Over the moon, here.
2. Polo Bear Sweater, Polo Ralph Lauren, £255. Grin and bear it, here.
3. Coco Ivory Silk Crepe de Chine Pyjama Set by Olivia von Halle, Net-a-Porter, £330. Coco Mademoiselle, here.
4. Overknee Socks, H&M, £6. Sock it to them, here.
5. Obey Record Label Cushion by Obey, Urban Outfitters, £40. Put a record on, here.
6. Soft Check Scarf, Topshop, £18. Check mate, here.
7. Trochilus Boost Printed Sneakers by Stella McCartney for Adidas, Net-a-Porter, £250. Jeepers sneakers, here.
8. Jocelin Shearling Buckle Boot by UGG Australia, Office, £160. Boot-y call, here.
9. Knitted Hat with Faux-Fur PomPom, H&M, £8. Hat trick, here.


My sympathy goes out to anyone who's property or family have been harmed by St Jude. Hurricanes suck, yo.

Love,
Belle x

The Great Divide

Most people reading this blog come from a generation regarded by themselves and others as pretty liberal. Certainly compared to our parents generation we are more free; sexually, educationally, socially. We campaign for gay marriage. We support the fight of those against dictatorial regimes with no fear of the consequences of doing so. We are paid the same and have equal rights, whatever sex we are born. We stand for a freedom of choice, yet many of us do not apply the same 'freedom' to our own choices. Let me explain where I'm going with this.

I went to one of the most expensive schools in Britain. One of those public schools that still employed draconian laws like 7:30 'Feet off Ground' time, where you were expected to sit in bed and read a book. Teachers patrolled the hallways at night, ears pinned to doors, trying to catch wind of any whispering. We were allowed to see our parents 5 times a term: at the start, at the end, half term, and one weekend either side. It was quaint, it was backwards, it was bullshit. Unlike our more liberal state counterparts, our choices for GCSE were already mapped out for us, our only input being which language we wanted to learn, and whether we wanted to take drama, music, or art; geography or history. At AS and A Level, the choices slightly broadened, but no one dropped out at 16 and went off to do something vocational. That wasn't a choice. There was no other option than university, on which 'life path' there were plenty of patronising lectures on how to write your Personal Statement. There was never a contingency plan for those, who, heaven forbid, may want to strike a different path.

University is said to be the great social leveller, and yes, the structure and way of life of boarding school seemed practically medieval compared to the liberal 'personal responsibility' placed on you at the start of your course. Luckily for me, I chose to be put in a halls where there were hardly any public school people. Not that I have anything against what many would remind me is "my own kind", just that I wanted something different. I wanted to meet people I otherwise wouldn't have. I wanted experiences that a hall full of home-county LOMBARDs (Lots Of Money But A Real Dick) wouldn't offer me. Hell, I regarded my new life as so liberal, I looked at the glued-together cliques of girls from my old school in pity. Except I wasn't, not really, all that free when it came to my personal life. For it's all very well socialising with those who regard themselves as 'working class' (although university is largely regarded as an institution reserved only for the 'middle' and up), but dating one seemed a step too far.

My upbringing and education had instilled in me a certain level of snobbery. I felt fear at the imagined disappointment of my parents if I brought home someone who had attended state school. Collectively, my public school peers regarded those less fortunate synonymously less intelligent, and therefore somehow inferior. It was this arrogance I tried to distance myself from at university, not entirely unsuccessfully. This summer I moved to Bristol and met someone. The first boyfriend to have not gone to public school, or university. To come from a background where importance is placed not on mental achievements, but on physical. Where you are not judged by your A-Level results, but on your strength of character. It's a fast paced world that sees much money pass through hands but rarely sticks. There is a jealous loathing of the 'posh' and well-spoken; a deep-seated sense of entitlement coupled with a dark misery at the fear that they will live, and die, in the same place they were born. They all want to get out, yet couldn't think of living any other way.

This is a symptom of the dual nature of supposedly 'liberal' Britain. We say we're becoming a class-less society; that through cultural diversity and better education we are slowly shrugging off the age-old problem of class discrimination and prejudice that Britain has been at the mercy of for centuries. But the fact that even our generation, the most vocal and liberal campaigners, rarely end up far from the social strata that they were born, is quite telling.

In my first year at university, I read Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto as part of a crash-course on philosophy I took. Our lecturer, who was a pretty divisive character, stated at the start of the lecture that according to Karl Marx, those who are born poor, will die poor - those who are born rich, will die rich. Somehow that summary of one of Marx's social theories stuck in my mind. The sad thing is, despite his observations being based upon Victorian Manchester with its factories and slums, I don't think socially much has changed. The poor still marry the poor. Whether that's because a lack of education has left them bereft of ambition, or because they share common core values and experiences, is irrelevant. The lower classes will continue to begrudge those 'above them' without aiming to better their situations for themselves; the upper classes will continue to criticise those 'below them' without championing a system that supports and encourages those less fortunate.

We say we live in a liberal and free society. And we do, in the sense that we have the freedom of speech and expression, equal rights, and a *largely* democratic political system. But can a society be free when such deep-rooted divisions exist? Are we training our eye on the plight of third-world countries to escape problems within our own? Are we entirely hypocritical? I don't know. What I do know is that you can't call yourself liberal if you apply none of your beliefs to your own actions.

Do you agree?

Love,
Belle x

Wish List Mondays #40

After a 4-month period of dust-settling and adjustment following a complete life-overhaul, it looks like Wish List Mondays is finally coming to you on...a Monday. Pretty rad, huh. Yep, it's taken me this long to finally accept the organisational responsibilities of a person who resembles an adult (yet refuses to act like one). So forgive me for boasting that I actually researched this post over the weekend, and am now fervishly writing it in my lunch hour. All I need is Dolly Parton's Nine to Five playing in the background and my Devil Wears Prada-esque mental work montage would be complete.

Let's face it. The weather's shit. Winter's coming. And you're eating too much. What better way to distract yourself from the reality of a Bridget Jones existence than with a large injection of pattern into your wardrobe. (I could actually think of better distractions, but for the sake of younger readers I'll keep my thoughts to myself for now.) Get ready, ladies, your outfits are about to trip out...

1. Heart-Print Shirt, Topshop, £32. Burberry rip-off, here.
2. Navy Check Romper Suit, Topshop, £36. Check it out, here.
3. Monochrome Jacquard Coat, Zara, £70. Jac(quard) and Jill, here.
4. Printed Scuba Skirt, H&M, £35. "Scuba party", here.
5. Knitted Rabbit Print Jumper, Topshop, £48. Hopping mad, here.
6. Juno-Striped Insect Print Silk Tshirt by Mother of Pearl, Net-a-Porter, £295. Pearl of wisdom, here.
7. Dolce Medium Ayers-Trimmed Embellished Bag by Dolce & Gabbana, Net-a-Porter, £2,560. All that glitters, here.
8. Furry Leather Plimsol with Tassels, Zara, £70. Hot fuzz, here.
9. Two-Sided Soft Scarf, Zara, £20. Two-faced, here.


And if you're feeling really indulgent, why not buy yourself a fucking crown. Here's one I want:

Gold-Plated Swarovski Crystal Crown by Dolce & Gabbana, Net-a-Porter, £2,060.

Now Sold Out. Must be a lot of princesses about.

Love,

Belle x

Tune Tape Tuesdays #37, #38 & #39

TUNE TAPE TUESDAY IS BACK! After over a month of no-show, I'm back with all the music you've missed. That's a blockbusting THREE Tune Tapes at once. That's around 70 new tracks to get your teeth into. So with no further ado, let's get cracking.

Continuing on the theme of threes, I thought this week I'd pick out three stand-out tracks from each week of missed Tune Tapes. So, y'know, I'm giving something back. Rather than go into a long ramble about WHY they're awesome, I'm just going to list them. Because a) it's a bit pretentious, and b) it's time-consuming and I'm lazy. Besides, I'm giving you a shedload of new Tunes - ain't no normal person got time fo' dat!


Tune Tape Tuesdays #37

Top Tracks
1. Satellite Stories - Campfire
2. Brodinski ft. Theophilus London - Gimme Back the Night
3. Bondax - Giving It All (Joe Goddard Remix)


Tune Tape Tuesdays #38

Top Tracks
1. Ludovico Einaudi - Walk (Phaeleh Remix)
2. Lorde - Million Dollar Bills (Easy Girl Remix)
3. Jake Bugg - Broken




Tune Tape Tuesdays #39

Top Tracks
1. The Paper Kites - St Clarity
2. Pr0files - Call Yourself a Lover
3. Lorde - Buzzcut Season




Well. That should keep you going for a while. If anyone is still having problems with loading these - Internet explorers crashing etc - then just let me know.

Love,
Belle x

Wish List Mondays #39

As Ned Stark would tell you, "Winter, is coming". And in the fashion world, that can only mean one thing: new boots. This statement is none the less true even though I work for a major shoe company. You might think that the last thing I want to write about when I get home is shoes. But you'd be so wrong. Shoes, as my accessories-obsessed Grandmother would agree, are much more than foot coverings. There's a reason women - and men, let's not be sexist - get excited by a new pair. I reckon it goes back to childhood. That visit to the shoe store, where you were faced with a wall three times the size of you, and told to pick whichever one you wanted (so long as, of course, they were practical and not too expensive). Nowadays, practicality - and in many people's case, price - is not really an issue. Which I guess technically makes the occasion of buying a new pair of shoes much more thrilling. This week, I've done your homework for you. I've sourced out a collection of boots that will *I hope* fit every 'style tribe' out there, and all weights of wallets. So without any further ado, and only a small drum-roll, here is my pick of the best boots to get you through a British winter. Roll on the mince pies and Game of Thrones box-sets.

1. The Studded Rocker Boot: 'Langdon Fizz', Clarks, £80. Tell me about it, Stud, here.
2. The Biker Boot: 'Orinoco Club', Clarks, £50. Rev your engine, here.
3. The Indie Lace-Up: Leather Boots, H&M, £60. Play the lace card, here.
4. The Dress Heel: Suede Ankle Boots by Bottega Veneta, Matches Fashion, £495. Well heeled, here.
5. The Smart Wedge: 'Lorenzo Ocean' in Black Ponyskin, Clarks, £80. Giddyup, here.
6. The 70's: Leather Knee High Boots by Chloé, Matches Fashion, £860. That 70's Show, here.
7. The Statement: Shark-Lock Leather Wedge Boots by Givenchy, Matches Fashion, £1,430. Go sharking, here.
8. The Riding Boot: 'All Out' in Black Tan Leather, Office, £110. Tally-Ho, here.


No Winter shopping spree would be complete without a coat, so here's one I'm lusting after this season:

Cream Biker-Style Coat by Red Herring, Debenhams, £80. Cat got the cream, here.


Love,
Belle x

Fashion Spotlight On: Emma Cook

I have a bit of an obsessive nature. If I like a song, I'll listen to it until I'm sick of it. If I like a food, I'll eat it every day until I can't stand the taste of it. TV Shows? I'll watch all series back-to-back (I finished 5 seasons of Breaking Bad in two weeks.). Recently, I've become a bit obsessed with a fashion designer. Like, literally fallen in love with everything she does. Her name is Emma Cook, and she's bloody brilliant.

Graduating from St Martin's College of Fashion with contemporaries such as Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen (RIP), Emma is a seasoned professional. Yet, compared to her glorified peers, she's flown relatively under the radar over the last decade; the guilty pleasure of clued up members of the 'fash pack'. But she cannot be contained! In the last few seasons, online wholesalers such as Net-a-Porter, Matches, and even ASOS have picked up her collections and flogged them to a greedy consumer. And I'm happy to say I'm one of them. Her beautiful designs, featuring digital prints in the style of Mary Karantzou or Peter Pilotto, sell for a fraction of the price. They are more playful, less serious, and immensely wearable - whether you're a teenage raver, or a 35 year old CEO. Shift Dresses, T-Shirts, Skirts, Shorts and Jackets are taken to a level you will only recreate by taking LSD; kaleidoscopic prints make your eyes feel like they've been staring at an optical illusion for too long. In a good way. You can check out her newest collection here and make a mental shopping list of pieces you'll be buying when it arrives in-store in December this year. Here are my choice picks of her Resort 2014 collection:

If you can't wait that long, don't fear. I've also made a Wish List of her pieces available to buy now - get ready for handbags at dawn, ladies, 'cause these bad boys are selling fast...

Love,
Belle x

Tune Tape Tuesdays #36

Here at LBeLB, we like to roll with the times. Which is why, if something isn't working, I try to fix it. Take Tune Tape Tuesdays. A few of you have fed back that the sheer megaload of great music I give you every week, in separate Soundclouds, slows down their Internet browser and makes y'all a sad panda. So I've taken the liberty of trying to find a solution. Instead of listing every song individually, I've put them all into a set - hopefully making running time smoother, and allowing you to play the whole Tune Tape at once (without having to click on each track when the last one ends). Let me know whether this set-up works better. As for the introductory jargon - let's do away with it for a while, and just appreciate the music on its own. If any of you really enjoy my ramblings, then drop me a line, and depending on demand, I'll pick it up again.

Happy listening.

Love,
Belle x

Wish List Mondays #38 - The Look For Less

So I know I've been absent for a while. What with putting down a deposit on my own flat (and feeling super grown-up about it), working 12-hour days, and getting back into the dating scene, I've hardly had a moment to breathe. Or more importantly: shop. Which is why this Wish List has been a couple of weeks in the making, but months in the pipeline. Remember that show a few years ago in which Gok Wan went up against some American troll of a "stylist", trying to convince the nation that he could make High Street look High-End? Well, I thought I'd have a shot at it. So this week, I've put together three looks: Casual, Work, and Party - each with one high-priced, designer bought items, the other with entirely High Street finds. If that doesn't make sense, hopefully it will once you scroll down (it's been a long week).

CASUAL
For the purpose of this article, I am going to call myself a stylist. And what does every stylist have to have? Inspiration, mon cher. Well, my inspiration behind this look is a transitional 'weekend casual' - what you might see in any British park, or shopping arcade, come the weekend. It's part-pretty, part-grunge, and 100% "now". 

DESIGNER
1. Scalloped Lace and Jersey Dress by Marc by Marc Jacobs, Net-a-Porter, £290. Buy it here.
2. Men's Chunky Ribbed Wool Cardigan by Dolce & Gabbana, Mr Porter, £650. Buy it here.
3. 'Alexa' Satchel in Deer Brown Hair Calf, Mulberry, £2,500. Buy it here.
4. 'Christi' Hidden Wedge Boots by Isabel Marant, Matches, £410. Buy them here.
5. Cashmere Cable Socks, Pringle of Scotland, £75.
TOTAL: £3,925

HIGH STREET
6. Cutwork Tea Dress, Topshop, £50. Buy it here.
7. Knitted Cardigan, H&M, £25. Buy it here.
8. 'Times Table' Leather Satchel, Clarks, £80. Buy it here.
9. 'Moonlit Cool' Leather Suede Ankle Boots, Clarks, £70. Buy them here.
10. Fairisle Socks, ASOS, £3. Buy them here.
TOTAL: £228


WORK
If you work in an office dominated by men (I work in fashion, so no such luck for me), it's all about power dressing. Shirts, tux pants, soft - yet strong - tailoring, and heels are a must. Massively intimidating black bag optional, but advised.

DESIGNER
1. Wide Leg Tuxedo Trousers by Antonio Berardi, Matches, £888. Buy them here.
2. 'Grace' Washed Silk Shirt by Equipment, Net-a-Porter, £240. Buy it here.
3. Faux Suede and Mesh Pumps by Stella McCartney, Net-a-Porter, £490. Buy them here.
4. 'Cabas Chic' Medium Leather Shopper by Saint Laurent, Net-a-Porter, £1,540.
TOTAL: £3,158

HIGH STREET
5. Suit Trousers, Mango, £20. Buy them here.
6. Silk Blouse, H&M, £40. Buy it here.
7. 'Alma Kendra' Black Suede Pump, Clarks, £55. Buy them here.
8. Leather Bag with Metal Tab, Zara, £109. Buy it here.
TOTAL: £224


PARTY
As Summer rolls to a close, and the nights start to get longer, people tend to have more parties. "Dark corners for dark deeds" and all that. Queue the LBD. It's been languishing in your cupboard for over six months, so time to give it an update with some statement heels and a gorgeous clutch - roll on midnight, Cinderella.

DESIGNER
1. Lace Mini Dress by Dolce & Gabbana, Matches, £2,060. Buy it here.
2. Blue Suede Sandals by Giuseppe Zanotti, Net-a-Porter, £450. Buy them here.
3. 'The Knot' Intrecciato Satin Clutch by Bottega Veneta, Net-a-Porter, £990. Buy it here.
TOTAL: £3,500

HIGH STREET
4. 'Rochelle' Ribbon Dress, French Connection, £180. Buy it here.
5. 'On and On' Blue Wedges, Office, £50. Buy them here.
6. Horn Clutch by Vince Camuto, Kurt Geiger, £105. Buy it here.
TOTAL: £335


I'm not Gok Wan. I'm not going to sit here and call you "gorjuz baby doll", and tell you to "work it, hunny". I know designer looks better than High Street. That's why it's more expensive. But the High Street exists for the purpose of getting the look that celebrities are wearing, for a fraction of the cost. And hey, Britain does this pretty well. In my opinion, British fashion defines itself by its High Street. Those 'most fashionable' aren't the ones you see dressed head-to-toe in Versace, Dolce, or MiuMiu. They're the ones who mix Topshop with Temperley, Primark with Prada, Gap with Gucci. And that's something to be commended. 

Love,
Belle x

Tune Tape Tuesdays #35

It might not be a Tuesday, but perhaps this Tune Tape is coming to you at a good time: just before the weekend. Here in balmy Bristol, we're being treated to a balloon festival, where, every evening, hundreds of hot air balloons float through the skies above the city delighting children and adults alike. It's a beautiful time to be outside and enjoying a barbecue - and what do barbecues need even more than a piles of assorted undercooked meat? Music. And I think I've got just the ticket...

It's the Return of the King. The Kings of Leon, that is. And about time too. A couple of weeks ago, they released their first single since 2010: Supersoaker. As a massive KoL fan, I have to be honest: I was fairly underwhelmed. Luckily this week, they dropped their second single off their new album, 'Mechanical Bull' (available to buy 23rd September), and have totally restored my faith with Wait for Me. Sounding more like a return to their 'Aha Shake Heartbreak' days, but with the emotion of Pyro, it signals a great return to form and proves that the Kings have still got it. 

Next up is a track that uses possibly the most epic recording sample I've ever heard in a Deep House track: the Emperor speech from Charlie Chaplin's The Dictator. Sax is provided by the incredibly talented Adrian Symes - think Klangarussell, but smoother and sexier. Unlike a lot of 'epic speech' samples that have been used before, Thomas Jack manages to blend it perfectly with both the beat and melodies. I'm excited, how bout you.
While not exactly new, this song is new to me - and it's utterly timeless. Third on this week's list is Didn't I, by the 70's soul artist Darondo. Lesser known (and less cheesy) than the BeeGees, this track will inject your iTunes library with some serious soul. 
I've featured a couple of Kulkid tracks on here lately. This week he's back, with his new remix of Mumford & Sons' huge hit of 2012: I Will Wait. Without being too obvious about it, Kulkid gives new life to the track and turns it into quite a subtle - but powerful - well, banger, blending house with a dash of Jamaican dancehall perfectly. Who doesn't like a smattering of steel drums. If I Will Wait was too "gay" for you guys out there to listen to first time around, at least you can now enjoy it without fear of growing a vagina.
Speaking of steel drums, next up is BASECAMP (what is it with bands and capitalised names these days.) with Emmanuel. Listed as 'electronic R&B', it's almost impossible to put this category in any genre, but don't let that put you off - it's great because it's original. With a vibe that is perfect in almost any situation - enough beat to move to, yet sexy and slow enough to be chilled - it's a great new addition to your iPod.
BANKS is everywhere at the moment, but this week they've teamed up with SOHN who has helped produce their latest track, Waiting Game. You can definitely hear his influence in the track - it's much more subtle, more dark, and less indie; defiantly Chillwave in nature. It's definitely the best thing they've done to date - I hope to hear more in the future.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Indie. Which is why I'm super excited about the next track: Beggar in the Morning by The Barr Brothers. Indie to the point of singer-songwriter acoustic, it's exactly the kind of sound I like to chill out to. A song you can imagine on the soundtrack of something like 500 Days of Summer, it's both happy in sound, but powerful in lyrics. Perfect to listen to on those sunny mornings in to work.
I absolutely adore Fink. This is the Thing is one of my favourite songs ever. Synapson has taken his track, Maker, and given it an ingenious makeover, putting in some extra instrumentals and a Funky House beat. Warning: may result in sex. 
On my weekend on the East Coast we had no choice but to listen to late-night Kiss FM. As much as I have my doubts about late-night radio (I can't help but think about Alan Partridge), this song came on and totally blew me away. It's Aeroplane's remix of Grace Jones' William's Blood. I'll be honest, I'm not a massive fan of Miss Jones, but what Aeroplane have done to this track is bloody epic. Not quite Progressive House, not quite Dub, it's seven and a half minutes of awesome. And 'awesome' is a genre.
Next up are two songs by Jakubi, a new artist I discovered this week. Although I've kind of gone off new Hip-Hop lately (too many Drake and Kanye wannabes as far as I'm concerned), I can't help but like this guy's style. In both Can't Afford it All and Holiday there are fewer bitches, hoes, and expletives; more in keeping with mid-00's artists such as Gym Class Heroes - combining rap with melodies that you will have in your head for days. There might not be much of a 'message', but with a vibe this happy, who really gives a shit. 
Finally, we have Misterwives with Coffins, who are following in the footsteps of female-led bands such as The Jezabels. These bands combine unusual lyrical themes with beautiful melodies and instrumentals (in this case, violins) to produce moving and emotive tracks that offer up a new meaning with every listen. Powerful stuff.

Love,

Belle x

Wish List Mondays #37 - It's Indie Rock'n'Roll For Me.

For any of you who are familiar with Nails Inc. products, you’ll know that their gimmick is naming their Nail Polish colours after London streets and areas; colours that ‘personify’ that particular part of London: Pillarbox Red for ‘St James’, canary yellow for ‘Carnaby Street’, charcoal grey for ‘The Thames’ (no one can disagree with that…). Well I thought this was pretty cool, so I copied it with my iPod playlists – all named after Tube Stops. Hyde Park for those songs perfect for barbeques and sunbathing. Covent Garden for songs that put a smile on your face, and a spring in your step. Brixton for UK Hip Hop (natch.). Recently I’ve been listening a lot to Camden Town, the spiritual home of Indie Rock’n’Roll c.2006. Back then you could pop into the pub on the corner and you’d bump into Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse (RIP) and Pete Doherty, Alex Turner and his Arctic Monkeys, and probably a couple of The Cribs, Editors, Kasabian and Franz Ferdinand. These were not just the glory days of Indie Rock’n’Roll. These were my glory days. And, to be honest, I still haven’t really moved on. I still try and emulate Kate Moss at Glastonbury c. 2005. I like having bed hair. I like looking like I’ve stolen my wardrobe from a drugged-up rocker boyfriend. I like skinny jeans with boots, army jackets with aviators, and alcohol with cigarettes. If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then I’m practically bowing down at the altar of The Moss. So this week, in honour of Indie Rock’n’Roll, Kate Moss, and probably my own, glory days, I thought I’d put together a Wish List that 2006 would be proud of. So grab a packet of Malboro Reds, a old copy of NME, and a bottle of Glen’s because “it’s Indie Rock’n’Roll for me”.

DAY

1. Tall Hooded Lightweight Jacket, Topshop, £60. Neighbour hood, here.
2. Face Coin Ring by Laura Lee, ASOS, £185. Not just a pretty face, here.
3. Panasonic RP-HTX7 Retro-Style Headphones in Green, Play.com, £42. Press play, here.
4. Leighton Shoulder Bag, BCBG Max Azria, $268. Cold shoulder, here.
5. Mix Match Check Shirt, Topshop, £30. Check it out, here.
6. Denim Shirt Dress, H&M, £30. You gotta be shirting me, here.
7.'Nice Melody' Light Grey Suede Wedge Boots, Clarks, £60. 50 shades of grey, here.
8. Corduroy Trousers, H&M, £15. Play some cords, here.
9. Desert Boots in Sand, Clarks Originals, £79. Original gangster, here.

NIGHT

1.Paris Kitsuné Tshirt by Kitsuné, EndClothing, £49. On the streets of Paris, here.

2. Honeycomb Necklace by Bill Skinner, ASOS, £80. Busy bee, here.

3. Kitsuné Tee x Genevieve Gauckler Tokyo Tee, EndClothing, £49. Tee off, here.

4. Super Stretch Leather-Look Leggings, H&M, £13. Hell for leather, here.

5. Wool-Crepe Blazer by Saint Laurent, Net-a-Porter, £1,865. Get blazed, here.

6. Printed Chiffon Dress, H&M, £25. Print off, here.

7. Metal Trim Boots, Topshop, £80. Heavy Metal, here.

8. 6 Pack of Mid-Stack Rings, ASOS, £8. Get the stack, here.

 

 

Love,

Belle x