Cheltenham Fashion Week

"It's about wearing your haute couture ball gown with your wellies"

When I heard about CFW – the exciting brand spanking new fashion event with an actual moral compass about to hit the Cotswolds – I rejoiced! Here was something which Stilettos in the Sticks could  empathise with – yes, we live in the country, but yes I know my Wang from my wellies. I like a cool, edgy label with a overflowing tumbler of rock 'n' roll and a stuffed rail full of vintage. And yes I legitimately wear a Barbour – not for the I-have-one-to-emulate-Kate-Moss-at-a-Festival reason but in the I-need-it-to-muck-out-the-horses way.

This week, I met with Director of CFW, Sam Bawden – catch an interview with her in a future post – at The Tavern in Cheltenham (you haven't been there yet? Check out here and go now.) The event isn't all about flash-fash'-in-the-pan for One Week Only hustle and bustle – no there's much more longevity involved. The ethos is about sustainability, creating opportunities for local talent, platforms for young creatives to showcase their work and to promote the area and it's talented occupants. 

From the 17th to the 21st of September, CFW is going to be the buzzword at every coffee shop and post-work drink in the GL area. There are events at Cowley Manor including Boutique 24 which will transform the hotel into your One Stop shopping experience including a scent bar from Jo Malone (the Jimmy Choo of the candle world) and cocktails on tap. Think very a la Somerset House during the spring/summer collections in London. On the downside there may not be Dolce's David Gandy but on the plus side there will actually BE plus sizes (as in women over a zero. The joy!).

Then there's also fashion shows – naturally – but these range from talented school kids running away with their imaginations and graduates at Gloucestershire College to black tie benefits with couture and Tattinger. 

Take a look at the website here to read more about it.

Make sure you go along to some of the events, whether it's sneaking out on lunch break or making an evening of it with the girls. Remember it's rural but not rustic so dress to impress. 

Let's face it stilettos at Cowley ain't exactly a

 hoe down amongst the hay.

Meet the Superstars

"It's time to do battle"

End of Day one of the Paralympics and it's literally been one incredible story after another from Team GB winning their first gold courtesy of Sarah Storey to Iaroslav Semenenko the backstroke swimmer from the Ukraine who knocked two seconds off his rivals in today's heat - despite not having arms. These are unbelievable feats; unbelievable stories. 

As the ad campaigns said post the Olympic Games in the run up to the Paras;

"Thanks for the warm up"

And, thanks Channel 4 for bringing Public Enemy's Harder Than You Think back into the populace's psyche. Brilliance.

Best Foot Forward

Seen the new Zara campaign? There's either Cara Delevingne, all razor sharp eyebrows and cheekbones you could hook your hangers on, or Freja Beha Erichsen with her tousled hair and Lolita limbs, both encouraging you to click-ity-click and fill up your e-shopping bag. Have to say, mine's looking dangerously over loaded. Mostly with shoes. 

Unsurprisingly. 

 

 

The Rude Awakening

So how was everyone's first day back after the long bank holiday weekend?

It's safe to say that very few of us would've been basking in much English summer sunshine but I hope that didn't rain on your parade too much. 

Perhaps you were laughing with friends at smokey BBQs or struggling with The Novel, surrounded by illegible notes with biro smudges inking your hands. Maybe you higher-ed your heels and your dress,  lowered your morals and hit the Bright Lights or kept it simple with walks on the beach. Were you closing your eyes, arms in the air at SW4 or drinking not-so-cheap-beer in the street at Notting Hill Carnival? Perhaps you were playing overs between showers at a friend's cricket match before hitting The Fox at Barrington - sorry I missed that one guys – or rounding up the usual suspects for an asado and vodka diet cokes. 

Whether it was a booze-fuelled mosh-fest at Reading (Yeah, I got the Kasabian, Vaccines and Florence highlights on BBC3, very rock n roll) or curled up in a fresh-linened bed with Prison Break on loop, I hope that extra Monday off was a soothing tonic. 

Unless you went on the I-can't-believe-I-can-party-on-the-day-of-rest cocktail conga and in fact the only soothing thing about yesterday were the four paracetemol, 8 pints of water and entire packet of Berocca's you went through. 

In which case, hope your Tuesday wasn't the new Monday.

 

Credit where credit's due: Me, Tumblr, Tom Martin NME & Marc Sethi, Reading

Le Crazy Horse

Mon Dieu! Crazy Horse – the sexiest cabaret this side of the law – is coming to the South Bank Centre, London next month. I saw the troupe at their Parisian HQ last year for my birthday and it is super saucy but also super impressive. 

There's a lot more to it than nipple tassels. (I've always wanted to get that sentence into something). 

My advice? BOOK NOW HERE

The girls and I, Paris 2011

Credit where credit's due: Crazy Horse

Hold onto these Moments

Wow. Wish I'd been there. 

"Moment Factory has conceived and created a "pixels rain" for the closing show of Osheaga 2012 with The Black Keys. While the band was performing "Everlasting Light", hundreds of pixels flew over the crowd." 

Credit where credit's due: Via Huh

Lookin' Good

Anyone else find it a little depressing looking at Autumn/Winter clothes in August? Yes I want to see all Must Haves and Have Nots but it's August and in my mind, the sun should still have its Panama hat on. 

The latest lookbook from Sandro though is so good that I don't mind turning my attention from bikinis to bomber jackets. A little bit Mod, a lot very cool.