Prodigious Paper Fashion

Kathryn Elyse Rodgers, better know as her abbreviated name Katie, is possibly one of the best illustrators I have ever come across. Period. 

Her work speaks volumes to me. Each piece has been created with precision, passion and what looks like a whole lot'a love. Her blog is a favourite of mine, and is a long standing member of my bookmark bar. 

I really enjoy looking at each piece in plenty of detail, taking in each stroke of the brush and curve of the pen. Her combination of both water colour and ink gives her images a fantastic depth, but still with an out-of-this-world feel. I have never seen illustrations that I feel deserve more merit.

I don't want to give to much away, I feel her own blog gives her work the justice it needs, and only an artist can truly exhaling the love and care that goes into a creation.

The images above are my favourites from a calendar I received last christmas. I look forward to the end of the month to see what new image I will be dreamily looking at when having mind blanks in my own work 

She is a true inspiration and her work makes me want to be a better illustrator. 

I salute you Paperfashion 

Check out her website: http://paperfashion.net/

Today I Am Wearing ....

For todays uniform:

So as winter hits the south coast, it was time to crack open the winter wear suitcase, and release the seasonal outwear from its summer slumber.

As its only october I decided to choose a relatively lightweight quilted style jacket. This bad boy may look thin, but with its 100% synthetic qualities, I'm usually well protected from the ever reliable chilly breeze.
This fine garment is from my old employer - Jack Wills - and I remember being quite forceful about purchasing it on the last day of the sale, after finding out it was the last one in the whole company.
+ The blue marl polo was brought while fighting the freeze in the Big Apple back in February. I found it amongst the racks and racks of discount wear in the famous Century 21. I had wanted this for a while and hadn't expected to find an American Apparel garm in such a store, I had even planned to visit the West Village store on Bleecker Street the following day.
+ My collection of black denim is ever increasing and I've found myself with a rather large selection of black jeans, all very similar in colour but all with a unique fit or wash, I couldn't be without any of them. This pair are not normally seen, and were purchased from Topman - probably with money I didn't have at the time.
+ My footwear originated from a rather strange place. After meeting a companion at the start of the summer, I was left with the generous task of selling his old All Saints uniform, with the promise of a free rummage before I put his old workwear on the likes of eBay. I found these rather nice black loafers. As we have recently seen the Micheal Jackson trial played out in the media, I teamed the loafers with white socks in a homage to the musical legend.

The whole look is a simple transition from picturesque sunsets and sandy toes, to autumn leaves and evenings closing in. Wrap up warm, its cold outside.

New Shoes

So with my 21st now behind me, and a fresh wad of money in my pocket, I decided to heads to the new Westfield shopping centre in Stratford. 

I have one thing to say about that place. Crowd control. The centre was buzzing with fresh faces all looking for what the centre had to offer. Something I wasn't so happy to find. With my belongings held close, and my walking speed reduced to zero, I shuffled my way from shop to shop. 

My first stop landed me at Pull and Bear. A shop I have only ever visited while at Stratford's sister centre, Westfield White City. The store reminded me of an All Saints/Zara hybrid. With earthy tones and urban causal wear, I thought the store was worth a look.

From the moment I stepped foot over the fresh hold my eyes were darting here, there, and everywhere. I was in love with what was on offer. 

With a pile of garments in my arms, I noticed these beauties high on a shelf. I had wanted a pair of brogue boots since there debut a few winters back. This pair called out to me from their high but not so mighty perch. I loved the light leather and simple design, not to OTT, but enough of a statement to ensure a bystanders wondering glance.

With a rummage through a selection of drawers I found my size and quickly headed - with array of apparel in hand - to the closest mirror. They fit! That was enough for me, and with my heat levels rising, I decided to head to the fitting room for the rest of the preview; if not just for a cool down.

I loved everything I tried, and slowly headed to the cash desk to pass over my birthday swiller, an act I didn't need to feel guilty about. 

With a stop off at a few more shops, and more parting with the cash, I soon realised that shopping had taken its toll, and I was ready to head home with a sandwich in one hand and an armful of shopping bags in the other. I quickly boarded the tube in prepare for the night to come. 

In retrospect, I was not prepared for what was to come.