Lomography

My Cali - Using IPhone 4 - Hipstamatic Camera AP

Advertised in Harpers Bazaar Oct '10 - The Best Spent £1.19

Impressed with the detail picked up on the close up.

At the minute I am sourcing a new camera which I can use for one of my photo shoots for my Uni project. The shoot is based around Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll - 1960's style. Sort of like, documentary style images of a Rock 'n' Roll musician but not by using models, It's all about location, detail and being very metaphorical, well that is the outcome I am hoping for :) - Watch This Space!

I have found a really good site through my many hours of browsing the web: Click Me, Which stocks lots of retro, old school cameras(not originals) which require film. I have found some sites which sell original 1950s-1980s cameras, which I would love to purchase but at the moment i can't afford the hit-or-miss experimenting, I want something I know is going to work. I am quite excited over this as I would like to experiment with a bit of film processing myself, not like when I was younger an would just hand my snap and go over to the nice, Max Spielmanns lady in a skirt-suit, go back the next day and VIOLA...a little deck of flicks for me to browse at (mainly of fingers covering the lense! - Mum + holiday camera = very unique photo album)

So anyway I have never tried processing my own film, I have seen it on TV and always thought it looks fun but living In a digital era that is 2010, I tend to let computers, memory cards and printers do all the hard work for me, and don't get me wrong I love the fact things can be as quick and easy as 1, 2, 3 but being in my last year of Uni now, it would be so good to know how to develop my own film roll before I leave, or at least have a go at it :\ 

If I do have a go at this, and all goes a little unexpected, I can always use technology In the aftermath - Scanning the images into photoshop and having a dabble with them could  potentially create something really original. Hopefully I won't have to though as I am going to buy some different types of films which will hopefully give me the right effect I am going for - I'm seeing, black and white, sepia tones, grungy grain lines...Excited,  much! can you tell!? 

Now back to the camera situation, as this is a main priority if I even want to attempt my little project! I have a few favourites from the Lomography website, but have also found a few I like on the Urban Outfitter website - amazing place! I know these cameras arn't exactly the best quality out there, but that is what I am looking for, something with a bit of an edge and not to perfect. So here is my Pick of the bunch which I wanna have more of a look into, and get some feedback off people who already have them hopefully...

Holidays Are Coming...

And so Is my Birthday! Yes, that's right, I am going to be the big TWO-ONE In 14 days...not like I'm counting or anything :/ Really! 


So does this actually mean that my next "BIG" Birthday will be when I am 30!! Oh Yuck, It doesn't bear thinking about, does it? - quite an interesting subject getting old, I'd like to say I will grow gracefully but ask me again in 10 years and I will probably give you the number to my: botox surgeon, lipo clinic, eye lift specialist...and so on, you get the gist, I'm kind of not looking forward to being an oldie unfortunately.


It's actually quite sad because I love old everything - clothes, jewellery, people, just not old me. So I've decided, I'm never going to call myself OLD, or anyone else for that matter, I will say, I'm/He's/She's vintage! (I actually don't know which would be more insulting to some though) - only good can come of vintage I say, Old is boring and well, old but vintage just got better with time ;)


Anyway enough of the crazy talk...you would think I was coming up to my 70th, 21 Is and was probably the best year of most peoples lives, specially In America - I can't even imagine how excited I would be right now If I was 14 days away from being able to drink alcohol legally, without sneaking around - I definitely would not be the type to wait, patience is just not in my nature, apparently rebellion must be :P


On a brighter note, the thing I love most about Birthdays and any holidays/special occasions really, Is choosing something to wear and planning, planning, planning...OCD is a b*tch, but not when It comes to fashion! So for the past week I have been on the hunt! But with next to no money at the moment I have had to strictly stick to browsing the good old web, otherwise I am too tempted to over-buy and It really just depresses me when I can't!


Whilst on the prowl I have came across some potential buys but, one particular image makes me go back for, 'oh just one more look'. Then a few looks later, with one unimpressed boyfriend, 'oh I don't know, Is It right? just one more look'. I then start to visualise myself In the mirror, on the dance floor, opening lots of HUGE expensive gifts (wishful thinking never killed anyone) all dolled up in MY new dress! To be frank, its a pretty simple design, and quite minimal as far as detail goes but, I just really like it...maybe It's my monochrome loving, wannabe Chanel side calling me or Is It because I am getting...vintage :P


I can see myself In those KG platforms during winter months with some tights - even though they are last season they are not too summary with the black detailing etc..

Oh Yeah Did I tell you about my OCD, Planning problem...Well this Is the evidence! I even have cut-outs of potential outfits and accessories in my diary for occasions! What can I say, I like to visualise the look in many ways :) Give It a go, you will save a fortune! Anyway, this is my initial Birthday dress (no doubt I will have my eye on a few more by the time the 25th) and a couple of shoes which i am considering purchasing, I want the River Island ankle boots with the feather trim or the red Topshop booties to go with that dress and a slick of red lipstick and maybe black opaques to keep my pins warm In this November temperature!

I absolutely love the miu miu-esq, KG by Kurt Geiger platforms, for a bargainous £99! Think I may get those just because I think they are super cute and I love a good bargain, specially when I was browsing at a pair of the similar, Miu Miu Mary Jame platforms from the S/S'10 collection earlier, which I know even at past-season price I can definetly not afford(Sigh)

Miu Miu S/S 10 - Mary Jane Platform - STILL
Love the Jewel Encrusted detailing and the cut of the shoe!


My Wish List:
(Hint, Hint: Birthday 25th Nov)





My New Job

First off, Whoopee I have found myself a new J.O.B!
I am now working for the one and only, Mr Ralph Lauren!
Well I suppose that was a bit too much of a “Big Myself Up” moment, as I don’t actually get to meet and greet Ralph himself everyday (maybe one day…No? OK stop dreaming now Ria) But anyway I am part of one of his retail teams now, and that is good enough for me right now, thank you very much :)


Unusual Ralph Ad. -
No country styling,
No all American Girl/Boy next door looking model,
Edgy - I Like :)



As I don't have too much of a plan for my Post-Uni life at the minute, besides wanting to do well of course, I have decided not to treat this as just another part-time, money-maker. I want to show-case my natural and taught skills whilst having my foot in the door of a designer company. I have a background in retail from my previous job on the High Street so now I am ready to work my way up the ladder and become more than just a 'sales associate' I would like to go on to maybe managing a store, or moving into the head office department for a bit of experience.

The goal is by the time I finish Uni to have shown my manager that I am committed and wiling to learn more, as I like the fact that they are already putting forward huge prospects for me, they have even mentioned training me up for store-merchandising :) which Is exciting! Once I told them I was doing a Fashion Course, they must have noticed how passionate I was, now they just can't do enough to help me, I think I may have found my dream job...for now :)

On the subject of jobs, I would like to bring my retro info-overload to good use and mention the 'Women's Liberation Movement' - a feminist movement that emerged with force in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It established networks for support, analysed women's roles and relationships in society and defined a set of demands for the social and economic equality for women - I find this to be one of the best changes which took place in that Era, obviously as I am a woman myself, I am not a complete feminist but I do believe we deserve our rights and now that we are a permanent part of the workforce of today and have a degree of economic independence which was previously denied to us, we owe a lot to this organisation. To enable us of the rights we now hold, 4000 women marched through London on the movement's First International Women's Day (March ‘71), petitions were handed to the prime minister and demands were printed on banners

‘Equal pay, Equal education and job opportunities,

Free contraception and abortion on demand & Free 24-hour nurseries’

I believe that the minimum wage for women Is still around 18% less than men of today but that to me, Is a far cry from them being the only providers in a marital relationship. There Is still a lot of controversy around this subject as I know there will be some women sat there now thinking, “I earn more than my man, I am an independent woman” etc, etc… On the other hand some Men are still very old fashioned and will expect their wives to stay at home, cook his meals, look after the children and clean the house. I personally could not do this at all, and would not be able to progress with a man who expected this of me, but some women enjoy that type of life and that Isn’t a problem. As long as we know that we now have the freedom to go out there and get ourselves an education and good career, that’s all that matters, as back In the day, women didn’t have the choice, It was all or nothing.