What a way to start the week.

On Sunday Polly Vernon was hilarious in Observer Women with her irreverent thrift guide. My favourite had to be 'Make Do And Mend, only kidding! Instead why not shoplift? (we didn't just say that).'


I found the making fun, of the making do stuff that is suddenly de rigueur, in newspapers and magazines far more acceptable than the Lorraine Candy article about slumming it with high street pieces. Steely successful female that she is her report reads like someone who might get crabs from entering the Primark changing rooms. Working for a fashion magazine is a privilege, you get to borrow, insider invites to pre pre sample sales and very occasionally gifts (which you're not meant to accept or you weren't in my day). And I'm sure Lorraine gets to buy too on her well earned salary. But when an editor-in-chief can't find something from the high street to wear to Naomi Campbell's star studded Fashion for Relief charity catwalk show because something from the high street wouldn't pass the test, come on?! What test? Taking the p*** out of making do shows humour and if we can't laugh at hard times then there's no hope. But setting arbitrary 'tests' what is that all about. The test is that sometimes in life only a designer label will do, next time you get caught in a flood make sure your wearing Chanel. Reiss, Whistles in case you didn't hear you are not special enough!


I'm going to have a new benchmark in my life - the Candy test. When I'm next fortunate enough to purchase something additional to my MA books or basic requirements then you might see me being a bit sniffy about anything other than designer.

So when I received two lovely awards from the creative and thrifty Hammie the fact that they weren't designer ...no I won't even go there, I'm running out of styling work as it is!!
Thank you Hammie they are lovely and the Mrs Doyle esque photo (Mrs Doyle is from the wonderful Irish comedy Father Ted) one is my favourite . I don't think she wore designer pinnies - enough!

Now I'm duty bound to pass the first one onto two bloggers and the second one onto seven. So many of you have already received these awards so I'm going to do my best! Mind you I'm sure it doesn't hurt to get things twice.

Both Stylist Stuff and Style Slicker get one and two! Delicious Industries, Le Belette Rouge, Coco's tea party, Everybodysaysdon't and Wear Palettes. Really everyone deserves them but some of you (cough Imelda) aren't that bothered with them and I try to give them to someone different every time because I enjoy every ones blogs. I've also update my blogroll to add those whom I read but have failed to highlight and so if any one wants a mention just holla!!