Summer Staples

As a student I can hardly afford to buy clothes on a whim and therefore I tend to consider purchases carefully, thinking about how much wear I would actually get out of X item of clothing and do I have own anything that would actually go with it?

Anyway, for those on a budget this season I've tried to put together a few staple items that adhere to the trends but don't require you to keep buying clothes all summer long. I'm not suggesting you buy these specific items/do the suggested DIY's but I've written about them just to give ideas of how to work S/S12 trends into your wardrobe without breaking the bank.

DIP DYE

Moto Dip Dye High Waist Hot Pant - £34

I'd probably stud these beyond recognition but worn with a simple black or cream shirt, with no tights and these would look great. To dress down a bit on holiday you could pop them on over your bikini or wear with a simple crop. The key to something like this is to make them the most interesting part of your outfit.

PASTELS

ASOS Pastel Shirt - £30

I've never been a pastel person, I'm horribly pale which means any gentle pastel colours wash me out. However, it's a key trend for this summer so if you've got the right complexion for it, do it! I've gone for this chiffon mint shirt because it's a item that can be taken through to winter with some heavier accessories and some knitwear.

STRIKING FLORALS

H&M Dress - £49.99

I really wanted to include trousers for the 'Striking Florals' staple but they hard to work unless you have A LOT of clothes (which I don't) so I'd probably work Katrantzou style florals into my wardrobe in dress form. Motel, Zara and H&M are doing some of the best dresses I've seen on the high street this Spring.

METALLICS

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Metallics are big this spring, particularly in clothing but on a student budget I think the best way to do it is through bold jewellery instead. For example, I'm seeing these gold/silver neck cuffs everywhere at the moment and they look great under the collar of a shirt. I think that metallic trousers would look great this season but by next season you're going to be left with them thinking 'Am I really ever going to wear these again?'

GRUNGE

Flannel Shirt - Cow - £14

Rather predictably my favourite trend this spring. When I think of 'grunge' I think of the 90s, Nirvana and oversized checked shirts, which is exactly how I'm embracing the trend. The bigger the better with the checked shirt, a men's vintage shirt would be ideal worn over leggings and docs. (I know, I've just done the dirty deed and suggested wearing leggings as trousers on their own but as a general rule, if it covers your crotch, it's okay!) You could also combine the trends with this one - for example, a lot of stores are doing pastel items adorned with studs, zips and spikes at the moment. Or simply get onto Ebay, order a pack of studs and go to town on an old tatty denim shirt! I found this great DIY on 'a pair and a spare'.

Ivory Jar

I am incredibly excited about the new-on-the-scene London boutique Ivory Jar. Adhering to my fondness for all things studded, zipped, chained and questionably blasphemic Ivory Jar instantly caught my eye when browsing the Brick Lane Vintage market a few weeks back.. If I had known it existed in the small entrance of the market I would have come stocked up with cash but alas, I did not, so I got some spiked earrings for £6 which have ended up perfectly matching my favourite Topshop necklace.

Here are some images from their S/S12 lookbook:

I have of course noticed the amazing black shirt with the studded collar, so I will probably invest in it as I've been grieving over the horribly expensive Zara one.

The web shop is due to launch soon but in the mean time like them on Facebook and check out their Tumblr:

http://www.facebook.com/IvoryJar
http://ivoryjar.tumblr.com

Recent purchases

Finally getting round to posting some of my recent purchases. I'll start with the vintage offerings:

I've always been more a high street person than a vintage person but as a student I've been slowly learning to embrace vintage shopping. I find the best thing to do if to go into a vintage shop with a loose trend in mind (eg. Katrantzou style florals) and look for pieces that work into that well, it is much cheaper than the high street and a great deal more fun. I got this reworked checked shirt dress from Cow vintage in Sheffield. I've been after a checked shirt for ages but for some reason they simply don't suit me so this was a good solution. It's turned out to be a fantastic gig dress where I tend to team it with a necklace under the oxford collar, black tights and docs.

When Hugo took me into Beyond Retro on Great Marlborough St in London I was adamant I wasn't going to buy anything as I'm horribly skint at the moment (student, so go figure...). However, this shirt instantly caught my eye, partly because it's striped, but primarily because of the utterly amazing back! The front is a bit 1980s for my tastes and if the back cut-out wasn't there then I probably would have left it. However, I knew if I left it behind then I would never come across anything like it again so I succumbed and bought it. I received complements every time I've worn it but I've also received some "you look like a referee love" slurs. Now the sailor/nautical references I can accept but since when has a referee ever been sighted in a shirt with a fabulous back cut-out? (Perhaps its time...) It's a shame some can't appreciate this shirt!

The short-lived burst of hot weather at the end of March ignited my search for sun dresses and I found this Leopard printed delight in the Oxford Circus branch of Topshop. I haven't had the chance to wear it yet as the sun promptly went away. Its going to turn into a waste of a purchase if I don't wear it soon and I hate it when that happens so I think I'll probably team it with tights and a cardigan/jacket for the time being.

Continuting the Leopard theme, (albeit in a different sense) I saw someone wearing this shirt a few weeks back and loved it. The stud detailing on the collar is the main attraction and the literal leopard print is lovely! Fits really nicely as well, a lot of my shirts gape a bit at the chest, despite being the right size in the shoulders and arms, and it's not a good look so I've started to size up in favour of this not happening. Although I am chuffed with this purchase, another shirt initially caught my eye.. a chiffon white shirt with a studded collar. However, it was price at £60 which is simply out of the question on a shoe string!

Nothing much to say about these earrings really. Studs, chains and half price - perfect!

I posted a week or two back about my ill-foresaken search for sunglasses that finally ended in success with this pair from Urban Outfitters. They are not what I expected to end up with but they suit me so I didn't question.

Why I believe we should keep the National Anthem

(Published in Forge Press, University of Sheffield's student newspaper - 29/03/2012. This was published as part of a debate where I argued 'for')

With the approaching Summer Olympics, the British national anthem is being brought under increasing scrutiny. Many feel it’s time we swept aside the old and brought in a new anthem that better represents our diverse nation. However, is it really accurate to accuse ‘God Save the Queen’ of being outdated? The national anthem contains themes that are still very much relevant and treasured in today’s society.

The most hotly criticized part of the national anthem is its focus on the monarch. There are a select few calling for the abolition of the monarchy, feeling it is too costly and unnecessary in modern Britain. However, these anti-royalist feelings certainly do not reflect general British opinion over the royal family. We need not look any further than the national frenzy over last year’s royal wedding to reveal widespread enthusiasm for the royal family. If we look beyond the crap merchandise and annoyingly overwhelming media exposure, it reveals that royalty still firmly has a place in British society. As part of our much-treasured national heritage, the royal family seeps into other areas of popular culture and an obvious example of this is the roaring success of films like The Queen and The King’s Speech. Our current National Anthem represents something which is cherished in British society and therefore, it would make no sense to abolish it.

 ‘God Save the Queen’, is also questioned due to its religious connotations. We seem to be an increasingly secular and multi-cultural country but officially Britain is still Christian and the Queen is head of the Anglican Church. To change the National Anthem over this issue of religion would mean changing the monarchy and government as well, as we live in a country that cannot claim that the church and state are completely separate entities. Religion is firmly entwined in Parliament. For example, in the House of Lords there are 26 bishops. Religion therefore remains part of our daily lives and it should not be considered a controversial part of our national anthem.

Religion and monarchy aside, the anthem as a song exudes British spirit. It is a huge source of pride and unity in our nation and as a firm fixture at sporting events, it is used as a sign of good sportsmanship and for podium position athletes it is associated with triumph. It is in this sense that the anthem has transformed its position in modern Britain. No longer is it a representation of war and empire but instead, sporting prowess. With London 2012 just around the corner, the national anthem is going to be ringing throughout the world and used to represent Britain internationally. It emphasises our country’s pride and determination and thus reflects a strong, positive image of our society to the rest of the world. The act of singing ‘God Save the Queen’ also binds us together.

We live in a nation that is home to people from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds and as a nation we are deeply proud of our heritage. Our national anthem lies at the heart of our rich British heritage and to lose a part of this would be a huge shame.

Alice Burrow

Fighting the Stereotypes: The Teenage Mum vs. The Working Mum

(Published in Forge Press, University of Sheffield's student newspaper - 29/03/2012)

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“You can’t be arsed with your baby.” “I’m a teenager mum, what do you expect?”, replies 15 year old Tonie slumped on the sofa as her mother cradles her daughter’s young baby in BBC Three documentary ‘Underage and Pregnant’. Despite the recent news that teenage pregnancy rates in England and Wales are the lowest they’ve been since 1969, there is still a noticeable stigma attached to teenage pregnancy. However, teenagers aren’t the only recipients of heated criticism, older mothers are also increasingly being questioned over their decision to conceive in their 30s and 40s. The media widely insinuates older parents have somehow ‘missed out’ by not having children in their 20s and early 30s. Is it time we gave mothers, old and young alike, a break and let them enjoy the freedom of choice and child rearing?

Recently it emerged that the teen pregnancy rate in England and Wales has reached its lowest since 1969. Statistics released by the Office for National Statistics show that the number of conceptions in under-18s dropped from 38,259 in 2009 to 34,633 in 2010, a decrease of 9.5%. The FPA put this down to the effects of better sex education, contraception and local services to help young people confidentially. The Women’s Officer, Sarah Charlesworth, agrees that this accounts for the decrease. “Teenage pregnancy is likely to drop when there is good and mandatory sex and relationship education in school from a young age.” The acceptance that teenagers are having sex, encouraging them to do so safely and asserting the awareness of STIs is having better effects on the teen pregnancy rates than encouraging abstinence or simply ignoring the problem.

However, this news is not necessarily a cause for celebration. Britain still has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Europe and while the teenage pregnancy rate has fallen considerably, these statistics have highlighted the failures of New Labour’s ten-year strategy. Launched in 1998 under Tony Blair, the government hoped to reduce the numbers of teen pregnancies by half. By 2010 they had fallen by 23.8% from 1998 levels, meaning that the Labour government achieved barely a quarter of their target. However, it would be too dismissive to write off the plan as a complete failure. Instead, the successes should be noted such as the improvement in sex education and the increased spread in availability and awareness of contraception.

For many female students the thought of having to raise a child on top of the pressures of university work is nightmare inducing. This, however, is a reality for many students in our own community who are raising children while undertaking their university studies. At the University of Sheffield we have 1,000 student parents. Frances Moxon-Smith, a Primary Education student at Sheffield Hallam University, knows only too well the difficulties of working her life around childcare and university life. She fell pregnant aged 17. “Juggling university work and childcare is very hard, me and my partner own a house together so we have housework on top of that!” Raising a child alongside university studies can be a very costly endeavour, an obstacle which no doubt discourages many from taking it up in the first place. Childcare is one of the more costly aspects to being a student mother as Frances tells us. “Nursery fees are more than our mortgage!”

While the teenage pregnancy rate continues to drop, the stigma surrounding the subject appears only to be stiffening. Speaking from experience, Frances believes that the media only focus on a select group of teenage parents. “I think its more a class thing. The media seem to focus on lower class teen mums on benefits.” It is noticeable that the media places the spotlight on a small sub-section of the population of teenage mothers. That is not to suggest that teenage parents who receive state benefits are any less able that other parents but financially, a great deal of them struggle to keep up with the rising costs of childcare. Furthermore, as with any group of people in society, the actions of a minority can impact on the reputation of a majority. Lately there has been a boom in television programmes documenting the lives of underage expectant mothers, most of which concentrate on this small minority of mothers. These programmes have a tendency to revel in depicting teenage parents as sullen, bored adolescents being mercilessly nagged by their parents, who are often left holding the baby. Unfortunately this is simply television producers satisfying the appetites of a disaster-hungry British audience. However, perhaps this is a somewhat cruel sweeping interpretation of the influx of these programmes. Frances believes that, for the most part, these programmes have good intentions at heart and deliver a positive impact on the perception of teenage mothers. “The programmes provide a realistic view for young people who may regard mothering a child at an early age as ‘fashionable’ but it also gives some good role models and representatives if teens do find themselves in that situation.”

Critically, the problem seems to be the assumption that no teenager makes a good parent and all cases of teen pregnancy are mistakes. Sarah says “I think you have to appreciate that if a woman wants to have a child at 17 or 18 then great! I know quite a few women who choose to do that. But ultimately it's about choice and being aware of all the options.” Of course, the majority of teenage pregnancies are unplanned but this does not necessarily mean they will be not make good parents. In a recent study by Simon Duncan, Rosalind Edwards and Claire Alexander called ‘Teenage Parenthood: What’s the Problem?’, it’s argued that there is no reason to present teenage pregnancy as a catastrophe when evidence actually suggests it has a positive impact upon the lives of teenage parents. According to the study teenage parents see themselves as ‘just another mum or dad’. Frances asserts this viewpoint with her approach to childcare. “I blend in with the mums at my babygroup, I cook all meals from fresh with a balanced diet, I take my son to museums, parks, farms etc. and I spend a lot of time teaching him at home."
 While some are choosing to have children in their teens, the recent statistics have also shown a rise in women in their 30s and 40s having children. Conceptions amongst women aged 40 plus rose by 5.2% from 2009. Experts put this trend down primarily down to financial reasons, particularly the recent economic recession. Parents that find themselves out of work have more time to spend on child rearing. However, most parents enter the ever-so-slightly scary world of parenthood with the expense in the back of their minds. Of course, the joy and love a child brings is foremost but to put it bluntly, raising a child is not cheap. In fact, that is perhaps not blunt enough; raising a child is horribly expensive. A study by Liverpool Victoria revealed that by their 21^st birthday a child will, on average, cost their parents £210,000. This would surely serve as a deterrent to starting a family in tough financial times. In addition to this, times of austerity mean that securing a good job is becoming increasingly difficult. Although very much illegal, it’s often argued that women are less likely to be hired if an employer is aware she has child commitments which may provide an answer as to why women are having children at an older age. Choice.

When this increase in mothers aged 30 and over was reported in the media, it was widely claimed that women were ‘missing out’ by having children later in life. However, this is somewhat unfair. We live in a society where contraception and medical care mean women have the option to choose and the risks of pregnancy at an older age are significantly lower than what they once were and therefore, we can now question whether having children in your 20s continues to be perceived as the norm. In their twenties, women experience the peak of their social lives and face the increasingly difficult task of securing a position on the career ladder. With the freedom of choice over fertility that modern life brings, it’s no wonder that many women wait until their late 30s and 40s to start a family. Why they should be expected to conceive in their 20s? In a blog for The Guardian, older mother Mariella Frostrup berates the media for commenting that women were missing out by not having children in their 20s. ‘Is it possible that these women might actually be dictating their own fates, rather than being unable to live up to other’s expectations?’

Ultimately the key to this issue is choice. As Frances nicely points out, “age is just a number.” Whether a woman has a child at 18 or a child at 40, it is simply her decision and one that does not deserve criticism from the media and general public. It is about time we realised that stigmatising teenage parents does more harm than it does good by alienating those facing the already difficult task of raising a child. Furthermore, the falling statistics are a cause for celebration as it shows that the improvements in sex education and contraceptives are providing real results.

Alice Burrow

The Death of Dating?

(Published in Forge Press, University of Sheffield's student newspaper - 29/03/2012)

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“This our first date isn’t it?” My boyfriend asks while sat in a restaurant. Nothing unusual, if we weren't a whole three months into our relationship. As I think about it for a bit, I suddenly realise that even when we were ‘seeing’ each other we never went on a date in the traditional sense. It seems this is not a rare occurrence either; 21^st century relationships are taking very different forms and unfortunately, the patterns emerging point towards the death of the date.

Long gone are the days of getting to know your potential other half over a meal or a drink and pondering the timing of that coveted first kiss. The nervousness of waiting for him or her to call you back afterwards and arrange for a follow-up date, the excitement when you turn up and see your date already waiting for you with a smile on their face... Is this all history?

Instead, making out with strangers in decrepit clubs - and sometimes waking up with them the following morning - is now accepted as part of our relationship culture. The aim of a night out has become seeking out the affections of a stranger rather than dancing until the early hours with friends. For those hoping to see a relationship at the end of it, this hardly inspires romance and passion now, does it?

While we can criticise the ways and means, it has to be accepted that relationship dynamics are changing with the influence of communication technology. It is now possible for us to stay constantly in touch and this has increased the speed at which relationships develop. Most young adults in relationships will recall the early days spent racking up ridiculous phone bills and endless text conversations. This has long since taken over from traditional dating in terms of letting relationships flourish. Part of the problem stems from the rise of social media. The internet is proving to be an arena for fledgling couples to meet and flirt. It seems we prefer staying up until the early hours on Facebook chat to the traditional drink at the pub or romantic walk in the park. It could be argued that this is dating for the 21^st century but personally, I simply don’t think virtual forms of communication can match up to the face-to-face conversations.

Dating is not only for 'new' couples, being in a long-term relationship does not mean the dating has to stop. In fact, it is one of the best ways to keep the relationship alive. Unfortunately, money can also deter couples from dating. For students, a meal at a restaurant and a night at the cinema can easily blow the weekly budget.

However, this doesn't mean one should forego dating altogether. All you need to do is get a bit creative. Here in Sheffield, we have the Peak District right on our doorstep. You can go walking, explore one of the picturesque little villages or simply sit and enjoy the stunning view along with your loved one. No money to take your partner out to dinner? Now that it's getting warmer outside, you could set up a picnic in the park or even your back yard and serve a variety of homemade snacks. Just add candles and a bottle of wine and you've got your romantic evening sorted... You may even got bonus points for creativity. Cinema nights run by the Film Unit are priced at £2.50 a ticket, which is considerably cheaper than any cinema in town. You even get a voucher that can be spent on food and drinks at the Interval cafe.

As students, we are used to having a good time while spending as little money as possible. If this applies to nights out, surely it can be applied to dating as well.

It pains me to speak ill of the most treasured of Sheffield institutions but perhaps it’s time we got out of Corp on a Wednesday evening, stopped locking faces with strangers and revived the institution of dating before it fades away completely. This is not to say that 21^st century perks to dating should not be embraced. It is a wonderful thing that the Internet has brought together people that would have never previously crossed paths. But for new and old couples alike, dating is a fantastic way to liven up your relationship.

Alice Burrow

Asymmetrical Hems

One of my latest obsessions is asymmetrical hems. Its a trend thats been on the scene for quite some time now and I've always been aware of it but it's only recently that I've started to feel the need for one. I have an amazing Cheap Monday shirt with an asymmetrical hem (which unfortunately I've left at uni so no photo!), however, I want something really colourful or exciting whether that be a skirt or a dress.

Colour Burst Maxi Skirt - Topshop - £55

This Topshop skirt is amazing but I just don't understand the £55 price tag. Thats silk price not polyester, come on Topshop! I hope this isn't the start of a price increase as I can barely afford Topshop as it is.

Ambra Striped Asymmetric Maxi Dress - Missguided.co.uk - £26.99

Ileana Sheer Asymmetric Maxi Dress - Missguided.co.uk - £25.99

Missguided.co.uk have a huge range of pieces with asymmetrical hems at the moment. With regards to an earlier post, the cobalt blue dress obviously caught my eye! I also love the stripy version but after being told repeatedly this weekend that I looked like a referee in my new striped shirt (I'm doing a recent purchases post soon so I'll show you it in that), I'm having to reconsider stripes.

Asymmetric Pleated Skirt - Zara - £29.99

Sticking with the blue theme, I also love this skirt from Zara. One of the biggest problems I get with asymmetrical skirts is that they're far too short in the front. Brands seem to want to make up for the length at the back by chopping it to knicker level at the front. However, this is a lovely midi/maxi combination. Zara seem to be getting it so right this season, I love most of the stuff they've got in.

Anomalous Hemline Black Skirt - Romwe.com - $48.99

While not strictly asymmetrical I couldn't help but include this Romwe skirt, though the black isn't really ideal for Spring/Summer. I'd pair it with some bright on the top to get away with it.

UNIF

I think I'm a wannabe punk and I'm learning to accept this, a realisation that has only crept over me when I was sat at the table with my friends yesterday and Jordan assigned colours to us all.. Binder was given red due to his fondness of knitwear in all shades of the colour and when she looked at me she didn't even pause to exclaim 'BLACK!'. I also finally got a pair of docs this year after secretly coveting them for years and my friend Eleanor sums it up well by saying anything covered in zips or studs screams my name.

A brand that fuels my obsession only further is Californian based clothing brand UNIF. They specialise in grunge and punk. Their clothing is adorned in studs, zips and questionably offensive slogans and I just can't get enough of it. 

Unfortunately, it's on the priceier end of the spectrum so I haven't been able to buy any pieces (yet!). But here are some of my favourites:

Gym Satan Laundry - $60

UNIF Studded Biker Jacket - £180

Cape sleeved mini dress - $86

Earlier this year UNIF released the most amazing shoe I have ever laid eyes on.. the Hellbounds. As soon as I saw them I could see they'd be the new Lita in my eyes, they're calling for me...

Mary Katrantzou

Sorry I have been away for a few days. Spent the weekend up in the Lake District with some uni friends, had a great time despite the fairly grim weather!

I've been wanting to write about one of my latest designer obsessions for quite some time. Greek designer Mary Katrantzou only really entered into my radar late last year despite having been around on the scene for quite some time. I've become obsessed with her fantastic prints, clashing florals and amazing attention to detail. I'm over the moon that she has influenced some of the biggest trends this spring as her style of prints seem to be all over the high street at the moment.

Mary Katrantzou spring 2012

Although I love the prints from her Spring 2012 collection, Fall 2012 is by far my favourite Mary Katrantzou collection. It contains some of the most amazing pieces of clothing I have ever seen (I mean, come on look at the literal pencil skirt!)

Crazy/amazing detailing from her fall 2012 collection

Fall 2012

Here are some ways to channel Mary Katrantzou on a budget this Spring:

Zara printed trousers - £39

Motel crop top - £20

Zara floral print dress - £49.99

Cobalt Blues

Seen as I'm fairly new around here, I'll introduce myself better. My name is Alice, I'm 19 years old and I'm studying History at university. My main interests include writing, fashion and music. My favourite bands are The Cribs, The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys. Oh, and my favourite colour is cobalt blue. This last piece of information is most relevant of all. I really love bright blues and luckily for me its a key trend for the fall but I love this colour too much to wait, I want to wear it now! I'm guessing the high street stores have had similar thoughts as shops like H&M are full of bright blues at the moment.

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ICB / Ann Demeulemeester / Balenciaga

I've become slightly obsessed with that image at the top and I desperately want some cobalt blue trousers now. H&M have the perfect pair in at the moment but as usually happens when I really want something, they didn't have my size in stick. Going into Manchester next week so hopefully I'll have better blue luck then.

H&M bright blue trousers

Sunglasses Woes

This is going to turn into the ultimate #whitegirlproblems post but I've finally found a pair of sunglasses! For those who know me well, this is a momentous occasion. Whenever the sun comes out and everybody reaches for their Ray Bans, I usually start complaining about my sunglasses problems. Why I have I never found a pair of sunglasses that suit me? (with the exception of Nile's Ray Bans but at £120 I had to forget about those)

I've throughly exhausted ASOS and probably pissed off the customer services department by returning every pair I ordered - which was a lot. I really loved this pair of matte keyhole sunglasses, but my face somehow morphed them into an atrocity.

ASOS Key Hole Round Sunglasses

For some strange reason I thought I'd be able to work the John Lennons. Needless to say, I couldn't. Thankfully there is no photo to prove this but here are some of my favourite round sunglasses:

ASOS/Topshop/Jeremy Scott

I even scoured the various markets in London, with their hundreds of cheap sunglasses stalls, but nope - nothing, much to Hugo's annoyance after being dragged round them all.

Camden Market (image credit)

Here are some disastrous efforts from the past that eventually fell into my Mum's possession as she has the ability to make any sunglasses work. Even the dire 2008 Topshop bug-eyed sunglasses (in my defence they were all the rage back then).

I finally found a pair of sunglasses that suited me in Urban Outfitters. And this was after visiting the flagship Topshop that quite literally has hundreds of pairs of sunglasses on offer at the moment. They're not what I expected to suit me and perhaps I should have loosened my grip on the Ray Ban copies earlier and accepted that they simply did not suit me (unlike the real thing but alas...)

Urban Outfitters Leopard Sunglasses

Jeffrey Campbell x Black Milk

I, like every other blogger, have been lusting over the much coveted Jeffrey Campbell Lita since early last year. At around £120 I've never been able to justify (or afford) buying a pair. My mum was very baffled late last year when I spotted a pair in the window of Urban Outfitters and virtually sprinted in to try a pair on - such a bad idea as now I know how wonderful they are on and off, sigh. After wholeheartedly jumping on the bandwagon and spending a few months flooding my tumblr with pictures of them I finally accepted that they wouldn't be mine and put them to the back of my mind. However, the recent collaboration with Black Milk has emerged online and it's only renewed my pining for a pair of Litas, particularly the Litas with the comic strip print.

Lita Fab - Sick of Men

The collaboration extends beyonds the Lita into other shoes such as the Damsel and Night Lita. The Bone print has been inspired by the wonderful Alexander McQueen. I can definitely see the late designer's style echoed in this dark print and the Damsel's are putting up strong contention against the comic strip Litas as my favourite in this collaboration. However, I'm unsure of the galaxy print ones but they're a Tumblr tween's wet dream at any rate.

Damsel - Bone Machine

Night Lita - Rainbow Galaxy

They're available to order on Solestruck at the moment and are priced between £118 - £155. Unfortunately I won't be doing so but for those lucky enough to be able to, here is the link.