Tinker-Tailor-Soldier-Sailor

TTSS: a notebook on life.

  • Plaid Please! – The essential check shirt

    Checking out what was in the shops yesterday, i got caught up in a sea of lumberjack shirts.  Clashing Pink and yellow, classic red and blue, cheesecloth or roll up sleeves – which to choose?  Anyone would have thought it was festival season…  So before i filled up my ever bulging wardrobe,  i paused to…

  • Donald Byrd – Change Makes You Want To Hustle

    I got into work extra early this morning as things seem to be taking a hectic turn.  So I plugged myself into Last FM and decided to listen to some of my ‘friends’ highly recommended music.  I wasn’t dissapointed. At first, some odd but surprisingly soothing waterfall-like music began (similar to the stuff beauticians play…

  • Deviate – Manuel Tur & D Play

    Whilst researching turn-tables, I got side-tracked and came across Deviate by German DJ, Mauel Tur and D Play.  And it’s awesome.   Ok, so it doesn’t really do very much, but that’s exactly the reason i love it.  It’s the perfect (but minimal) deep house track that’s going to lend itself very well to my…

  • Sunday soundtrack #3: Perfect Blue Buildings, Counting Crows

    Normally, this kind of genre of music (soft rock?) would go straight in one ear and out the other, but Perfect Blue Buildings by Counting Crows couldn’t be a more beautiful track. It reminds me of the transitional period when i moved from Edinburgh to London, a whopping seven years ago.  A time when although I…

  • Top of the crops

    Drop and give me 20 – the crop top is back.   I’d read it in the magazines and seen it creeping into a few in shops.  The latest thing to be littering the high street is indeed the return of the 80s crop top. T-shirt, vest, 50s rockabilly tie-hem shirt, striped or ditsy; make…

  • Trackback #2 – Aim and Coldwater Music

    I was thinking it was probably about time I added to Trackback #1 just as ‘Coldwater Music’ by Aim popped up on my shuffle.  Enter Trackback #2.   It’s a track that reminds me of a couple of years ago.  Not quite as long ago as number one on the list, Unkle’s amazing ‘Lonely Soul’…

  • The underestimation of the humble T-shirt & mini

    Ransacking my wardrobe for something new and a combo never worn, I went retro on Friday and pulled out an old black mini skirt which I thought had seen better days. Little did i know when pairing it with my much loved (and probably a bit over worn) super-size wolf T-shirt, that a new uniform…

  • We’ve been talking…you better get blogging

    I haven’t met a blogger yet that’s not guilty of finding an excuse to prevent them from keeping their blog up to date; myself included.  So when I gasped in horror today as a colleague told me they hadn’t written a post in almost five months, I also drew a silent sigh of relief thinking…

  • The BIG Blazer Boom

    If there’s one thing you simply must buy this season – it’s a longline 80s blazer with roll back sleeves.  Wear it with dresses, leggings, trousers and fade wash jeans and buy one size up.  Just don’t dare even think of leaving home without it. Oversized blazers have been seen on every runway from Stella…

  • What’s your guilty secret?

    Whilst i’m not one to be shy so to speak, there’s a certain prerequisite in society that prevents people from being their true self a lot of the time. At work, in the presence of someone new, at an interview – probably more than you realise. But everyone has a guilty secret right? On my way…

  • First look: Matthew Williamson at H & M

    A while ago, I wrote a post about the upcoming Matthew Williamson collection launching at H & M this month.  Best sharpen your elbows and get ready for those long queues, there’s only ten days until launch.   Expect to be greeted by a high summer palette of knock-out cerise, acid lemon, cool cobalt blue and a…

  • Global Guide 09 – Azuli strikes again

    In preparation for Ibiza ’09 (and for a bit of an iPod refresh) I wanted to hear some new house tracks.  Ultimately, and after listening to a few snippets on YouTube, I ended up downloading Azuli’s ’09 Global Guide. Each year (and probably a lot more regularly), the record label Azuli is one of the…

  • Funkerman – Speed Up

    Amongst discovering many new, amazing dance tracks whilst sitting on the awesome Sairee Beach in Thailand, I was reminded of a few old ones.  In particular, Funkerman’s Speed Up blasted out as two fire throwers twisted and spun their flames.   It’s an old one, but a very good one and has been promptly added…

  • Balmain and the Soldier boy (jacket) blues

    There’s no doubt about it, from fashion pack to Paris shows – Balmain is this season’s hot ticket. With a collection to literally die for, the french design house has got every one in the fashion industry in fidgets.  His Micheal Jackson, thriller inspired, soldier boy jacket being the main culprit.    Shoulders?  Check.  Faded…

  • Nastygal opens first US store

    Across the pond, there’s good news.   Much loved vintage brand NastyGal are opening their very first store in Berkeley, California. Mentioned before on Tinker Tailor, NastyGal are a haven for all things vintage and fabulous.  Their offerings include everything from dresses, jackets and shoes to accessories and even some rare vintage designer pieces at not too…

  • Jack Peñate – Tonight’s Today

    I fly to Thailand tonight – I’ve finally finished packing, the rain just stopped pouring and just as the sun started to beam through, Jack Peñate’s new single Tonight’s Today came on the radio. A very different sounding track, It’s a brave move changing your sound as much as Peñate has from his debut album Matinee (which got old,…

  • Reiss to launch sub brand for 25 plus

    As a huge fan of Reiss (and not so much of their over inflated prices), It can only come as a good thing that they are to launch a younger, sub brand aimed at fashion conscious men and women in their mid twenties. Yet to be named and with Reiss designers, including former Stella McCartney…

  • Lace, Love and Louis de Gama

    A long time ago, I heard about someone who was making dresses out of old lace curtains.  Yesterday, I found Louis de Gama’s shop on Cheshire Street in London.  Jackpot. There’s four simple words I’d use to describe these dresses: I.  Want. Them. All. Made from soft flowing silk in nude shades, black satins, leather…

  • Radio One Live Lounge: The Fray – Heartless and a little man called Kanye

    I don’t really need any more convincing to be a bigger fan of The Live Lounge, but Radio One and their guests just keep churning out more outstanding tracks.  The Fray’s cover of Kanye West’s Heartless being one of them. Kaye West appears to be a popular choice to cover too.  Soon to be super group,…

  • It’s not that he’s not into you, It’s just not that good a film.

      I was reading the book almost four years ago at a time when i was in the midst meeting someone that really was that into me – according to ‘The Book’.  So, when I heard there was a film being released with a star studded cast including Jennifer Anniston, Ben Affleck, Scarlet Johansson, Kevin…

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