Inspiration: Nineties Girlpop 2

I enjoyed reading the comments on part 1 of this post.  It's funny how the mention of one band or artist triggers memories of a whole load of others.  There were so many artists that kept coming to mind when the idea for this post was in its embryonic stages that I couldn't have included them all.  Instead I opted for the ones that struck a chord with me, just not necessarily for the calibre of the music.   As one commenter observed "Some music just doesn't stay with you, it's too firmly rooted in its time"  I wholeheartedly agree.  But it's OK to get nostalgic once every now and then

Shakespears Sister

I loved them!  Named after the Smiths song of the same name, a fact which was lost on my 11 year old self, as was the Baby Jane aesthetic, but I was unmistakably drawn to the theatrics.  I have 'Smash Hits' and 'The Chart Show' to thank for bringing them to my attention.  Siobhan Fahey remains my favourite member of Bananarama.  Let's not forget that Shakespears Sister produced some very radio worthy tunes.  Even though I didn't really like 'Stay'.  I preferred this one

Voice of the Beehive

My sister liked Voice of the Beehive.  I wasn't too aware of them at the time but had I been, I would have probably been a fan.  I remember this song being on Top of the Pops

Dubstar

The 60's dreampop thing was huge in the 90's.  Sarah Blackwood of Dubstar was another proponent of this.  All industrial eyelashes and helium vocals.  Dubstar's second album 'Goodbye' was the soundtrack to one of my first episodes of what I thought at the time was heartbreak.  I think the songs stand up even now.  And apparently the band have reformed and a new album is on the cards...
    

Fluffy

I was a bit older by this point.  It was 1996 and I had started to realise that I was really into girls in bands.  This band was getting some airplay on the Mark Radcliffe show on Radio 1 and their sound, and their look was right up my street.  In retrospect, a group of rather posh 19 and 20 year olds singing hardbitten songs of emotional abuse and domestic violence doesn't quite ring true.  Nevertheless, they were the perfect antidote to the stage school pop garbage filling the charts at the time and I was quite the fan.  I still occasionally look up their stuff on You Tube

Inspiration : Nineties Girlpop

Because, you know as much as I love her, it didn't begin and end with Courtney Love!  Lately I've been musing on some of the female fronted bands from the nineties that inspired me through my pre-teen and teenage years

St Ettienne

Sarah Cracknell was the perfect frontwoman for this 60's inspired helium vocalled dreampop band.  They churned out some impressive tunes in the early nineties, and of course the sequins and feathers sealed the deal




Shampoo (uh oh):-

Jacqui & Carrie, a coule of schoolgirls who ran a Manic Street Preachers fanzine and later went on to form their own pop double act with a hint of riot grrl.  Brattish and abrasive and not everyone's cup of tea.  Not even mine if I'm honest. But I did love these girls' style, more than I cared to admit.  And I'm pretty sure they coined the phrase 'girlpower' before the apocalyptic emergence of the Spice Girls




Alishas Attic:-

Style over substance?  Yeh probably.  Best known for the ubiquitous 'I Am, I Feel'.  Alisha's Attic had one standout successful album 'Alisha Rules The World" then kind of slowly faded into insignificance.   I bought it and spent more time studying the CD artwork than I did playing the music.  These girls had style and in the days before broadband internet the only way to absorb that was album artwork and the NME.  I particularly adored the way they did their make up

And I wanted to live in the flat in this video

Alisha's Attic - I Am I Feel by lucky33 There are more where that came from.  I may yet do a part 2. Any memories here?

I'd work very hard but I'm lazy

This is the kind of dress that I will never get bored of wearing.  It's casual but pretty, it's sooo comfy but still on the right side of twirly, it doesn't require me to breathe in all day or to wear special underwear and it looks great with big clunky shoes.

Because although I'm partial to dressing up on the odd occasion, for the most part I just can't be bothered. 

I want to be comfortable and I don't want to have to make too much effort.  I don't want to have to spend more than 15 minutes doing my hair (including drying time)

But I still don't want to compromise my aesthetic, whatever that is, I'm still not sure

This is my new favourite dress.   It reminds me of the best bits of the 90's.  

It reminds me a little of this dress but at a much better length for me

I only have to put it on and I feel pretty (oh so pretty)

Hurrah for lazy glamour

Dress - Asos

Shoes - French Connection

Necklace - Zara Taylor (seen in more detail here)

When I was thinking about the theme of this post, I couldn't help but think of this band

And this girl

Oh Justine, when I was 14 I desperately wanted to be you.  So effortlessly, androgynously cool, not a scrap of makeup to be seen

You were part of the coolest love triangle in britpop, had a pin-up boyfriend in Damon Albarn, the pretty boy of his time, but you didn't shy away from telling the music press that you weren't a fan of his band's music (cos let's face it, post Parklife, it was pretty much pants)  You were well educated, sexy in that rich girl art school way, and had a kick ass band of your own.  

 The perfect combination of artist and muse

I will never forget watching your live set at Glastonbury on the TV and seeing your bra-less chest in motion as you jumped up and down between vocals.  And I will never forget seeing you perform this song on Top of the Pops and squeeing in knowing recognition when I saw Damon playing keyboards.  You were one of the first women to make me want to be in a band.

I still remember buying this single in the Virgin Megastores in Chester.  Making a beeline for the new releases in my green stripey tights, Dr Martens and a knee length tasselled skirt.  I really felt like I was part of something

Of course, the band kind of imploded and I soon moved on to female musicians with Baby Jane makeup, glitter and chipped nails. 

But it was good while it lasted!

And I still love this song!

Lucy x

Back to School Blues and Shiny New Shoes

So here is what I wore today.

Dress from the charity shop and opaque tights.

A touch of the 90's non?

Do you ever get weeks where you just feel completely 'meh'?  A bit like you're fading into blandness.  I'm definitely having one of those weeks.  Even my freshly dyed hair just didn't do the trick today.  My hair is rapidly developing a two-tone look thanks to my ever growing roots and the frizziness of the bottom half.  Not tousled or sexy messy just frizzy.

See?

Grrr!

Maybe it's the first week settling back into routine.  I am the type of person who takes forever to adjust to new situations and becomes rather fretful in the process

Anyhoo, I sucked it up, put a whole face of make up one and just knuckled down.  One thing that certainly helped me cheer me up are my new shoes.  Do you like them?  I found them here. 

 They were kindly sent to me by the good folk at French Connection a brand, I must admit, that I have not traditionally bought but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by their Autumn/Winter collection.  They have some great knitwear.  I especially love the 'Atticus' jumper. 

I opted for the shoes as I wasn't entirely convinced that the jumper or any of the pretty dresses would accommodate my curves!  However, I don't have curvy feet, more like Sideshow Bob feet, but these shoes accommodate them perfectly and should give me many hours of wearing pleasure! 

Yup, I'm pretty pleased with them.  They're sturdy, they're comfy.  In fact, I'd so  far as to say I fcuking love them! (you saw that coming right?)

I'm got such a thing for school style shoes lately.  One of the reasons I was drawn to these is that they remind me of the first pair of shoes my mum bought me for secondary school.  My 11 year old self desperately wanted a pair of sturdy air cushioned soled boots more than anything in the world but my my mum was dead set against buying me them.  No matter how much I tried to persuade her that they were good value for money and would last me ages and I would wear them to death and love her forever, her response was always along the lines of (imagine faux posh scouse accent):-

"You're not 'avin those big 'orrible bovver boots".  

However she did compromise by buying me a pair of sturdy looking lace up shoes from the Army & Navy Stores (remember them?) which bear more than a passing resemblance to my new beauties.  I got a few snide comments about them from girls at school but now I feel totally vindicated!  I'm actually in fashion, several years late but I'll take it.

I have absolutely no idea why these photos came out blue tinged, spooky eh.  But I realised that it actually fitted the whole 90's theme.  I seem to recall a lot of bands going for the moody violet tinged publicity shot.

Lush 

Daisy Chainsaw

So although uninspired and glum, my lovely new shoes and 90's nostalgia made my 'back to reality' blues that bit more bearable. 

Lucy x

My So Called Holiday Outfit

So, holiday day 4, a thrifting trip to Berwick on Tweed.

I dragged Mr N down this leafy little lane just off the main high street that seemed to lead to nowhere.  Despite the fact it was pouring with rain, we managed an impromptu photo shoot.

Unfortunately the weather and poor light meant that most of these shots are pretty blurry

Hmm, who do I remind myself of?

It'll come to me

Later in the day I was looking pretty pleased with myself clutching my bag of thrifty finds.  Berwick was very nice and had some great chazzas.  One thing I love about Scotland and the bordering locations is its complete lack of pretentiousness.  All the beauty of the English countryside, vestiges of history everwhere, yet not a trace of grandness or snobbery.

Anyhoo,

Back at the cottage having removed my rain soaked shoes and tights,  I was feeling distinctly grungey in my floral skirt and crochet jumper combo.

Vegetable rights and peace!

It was then that it struck me who I'd been reminding myself of all day 

Source

Rayanne Graff.  The wildcard best friend from the wrong side of the tracks.  Seriously, I have to do a proper post about My So Called Life.  My very existence revolved around this show when I was 14.

Gonna party like it's 1994

With the earlier addition of the blazer (the only remotely sensible jacket I had taken with me) there was a bit of Alex Drake in there too.

A cross between Rayanne Graff and Alex Drake.

Yuppy grunge anyone?  Remember where you heard of it first!

We rounded off the day by taking in the rain-refreshed evening air.

This outfit made me happy.

Skirt, beads & belt: charity shop

Jumper: New Look sale
Blazer: Primark

Don't you just love it when you throw something together which unexpectedly takes you to a happy place?

Gonna post my thrifted finds soon.  Stay tuned.

Lucy x