Tie-Dye a Sweater

Tie dying is really 'trendy' at the moment. And it is really easy to do it yourself.

(Aka don't go to Urban Outshitters.)

I grabbed this sweater from the boys section in Primark, mainly because I liked the colour. But as you can see, it is tres boring... so I need to do something to it to set me apart from all the other Primark-wearing people in Birmingham.

What I'll need:

the sweater

elastic bands

some household bleach

a washing up bowl

a clothes airer

Most student houses in Selly Oak should have these items. (But, if like me you don't have elastic bands, you can get a big pot of assorted ones from Poundland.) So go and get an old sweater - preferably a darker one that you don't mind playing around with. This one was £8, so I won't cry if it goes terribly wrong!

Now scrunch it up bit-by-bit and randomly shove elastic bands round the scrunched up bits relatively tightly. It literally doesn't matter where you put them - the more mental the better!

Do that until your sweater looks something like this...

Now go and fill the washing up bowl 3/4 full with warmish water and about 100ml of house hold bleach (make sure you're wearing an old t shirt or something in case you get splashed... And rubber gloves so your hands don't get itchy.)

Shove the jumper in, making sure it is submerged. Mine didn't quite go fully under, but I just moved it around a bit every now and then.

Leave it in there for a good ten minutes. If you can't really see anything happening, add another 100ml of bleach and give it a bit of a stir. Leave it for another ten mins.

Tip: If there are any random bits sticking out of the surface, drizzle (and I mean DRIZZLE) a bit of neat bleach over the top to get some paler splashes... looks really nice.

Tip the water away and it should be looking something like this...

Now go outside with a clothes airer and let it drip dry for a bit so that all that nasty bleachy water can drip away.

N.B. Last time I bleached some jeans I didn't bother washing them before I wore them and I ended up with legs like a Leapor. So you MUST wash stuff you've put bleach on or you'll have irritated skin.

Don't put the jumper in with any other clothes, you could knacker everything. Put it on a low heat wash (30 degrees preferably!) and give it a good, long wash, with nice smelling washing powder to get rid of the nasty bleach smell. Don't put it on anything higher or it will fall apart!

Wait for it to dry.

Put it on. (I'm gonna wear mine with glam jeans and shit-loads of chunky jewellery!)

Are Student Lock-Ins worth the hype?

Student lock-ins are shopping events held frequently around Birmingham - enticing all students in the city to squander their loans by taking advantage of big discounts and offers.

Shopping on a Saturday in the Birmingham Bullring is, for most, as enjoyable as attending a 9am seminar with a hangover. Personally, I believe that student lock-in events can be a similar experience.

Lock-ins tend to run outside of day-to-day shopping hours (usually between 6pm and 10pm) and involve the big-name chains such as River Island, H&M and Topshop offering out-of-the-ordinary discounts for students.

But here's the catch (well, one of them) - it is key to sign up online for these events, which involves a tedious online form. Then, upon arrival at the Bullring, there is a queue to pick up your confirmation of registration before you can actually start shopping. This whole routine is what one might call - for want of a better word - a "faff."

Granted, if you are willing to go through the motions, lock-ins can be brilliant when it comes to finding bargains. For example, Forever 21 - a huge high street store exclusive to Birmingham and London in the UK - has, on several occasions, offered a huge 21% discount for students. So, if one had seen something in there prior to the event but couldn't justify paying full price, these sort of events can make buying a treat less of a blow to a student purse or wallet.

However, with some of the shops (Mango for example), there is a further requirement - having a standard University ID Card is not enough. For a few of them, you'll need an NUS card - so it is a good idea to check the small print before setting your heart on something.

The main thing that personally turns me off is the sheer amount of people. Topshop during a lock-in can get pretty claustrophobic, and if you're more of a 'browser' the packed shops are not ideal. In addition to this, it's near impossible to try anything on as the queues become ridiculous.

On the other hand, lock-ins can be a great way to socialise - making a refreshing change to a night out. And for some, a lock-in may prove to be a cheaper alternative! As well as the shopping perks, a lot of food chains also offer deals during these events - big names such as The Homemade Burger Co. usually make an appearance on the list. So it does provide a cheap meal out for a group of housemates who don't fancy 9p noodles for the 4th night running.

Lock-ins can be fun. But if you are looking for an easy amble around the shops then you're better off going on a weekday. If, on the contrary, you are a ruthless bargain-hunter with your eye on the prize, you could find a real gem. Or a pair of gems.

My new houndtooth jeans.

Look at my new houndtooth jeans.

Aren't they just da bomb? I was bored of wearing blue and black jeans all the time so I thought "bollocks to it" and bought these little beauties.

They were actually only £15 in the River Island sale (although I've just looked again and they've gone down further to £10... FML.)

Nice little crotch shot there.

So yeah, I'm in wuv. I wore mine with an oversized, red, woolly jumper and I looked like a massive Scottish haggis but I don't even care. Long live Scotland. And long live my new jeans.

Mr. Bird's Emporium



So this place looks brilliant.

Check out the latest addition to Digbeth's vintage clothing scene, Mr. Bird's Emporium.



Was given a flyer in Urban Village and I cannot WAIT to get down there. I've heard very good things. My housemate came back with a lovely, cosy-looking Christmas jumper covered in reindeers. So I better get down there sharpish!

So this is happening. Wow. Goodbye money, was nice knowing you.


Will let you know how I get on and what bargains I find. I have needed a velvet burgundy blazer for ages now...

And a bow tie.  :)

Bastille

Wednesday the 17th of October, 6pm, HMV Institute. Bastille are playing, and I'm as excitable as a Jack Russell puppy.

Casually trying to forget the 9am seminar that I had the next day, myself and two friends from home got the train into town and made our way into the depths of Digbeth alongside a throng of terrifying Trivium fans - as they were playing too.

Lois, Holly and I getting a quick snap outside HMV, exciting times

The queue moved quickly, and before we knew it we were in 'The Temple' room of HMV, where a warm-up band were helping out with the sound checks and having banter with the crowd. Because we'd got there early, we were right at the front - giving us an amazing view of the stage.

In what seemed like no time at all, the supporting band, Swiss Lips, were up on the stage. Now, I'd done my research on them beforehand so I knew what they were like and got familiar with their bigger songs "Danz" and "U Got The Power", which they played. However, they had such a fun vibe that everyone was dancing after the first song - even though most people probably didn't know who they were. If you're a fan of The Black Keys and/or La Roux, you should definitely have a listen to them. They were really friendly too - I had a chat with the keyboardist who promised to check out Uoblogfest!

Great view of Swiss Lips, check out 'U Got The Power' here

Then they appeared. Bastille are what you might call an 'indie' band. They're an up and coming quartet from South London, who have recently found success after their latest single 'Flaws' was made Greg James's 'big thing' on Radio 1 - and after this evening, I have no doubt that their success will only continue to grow.

I've been following Bastille on YouTube for a while after hearing "Flaws" on the Made In Chelsea advert about a year ago. When it comes to their sound, they're a perfect mix between electronic and indie, and I've yet to find a rotten egg in their collection of songs so far.

Starting with the rousing "Icarus", the front man Dan Smith had the crowd going wild within minutes. But he wasn't your typical cocky front man - he was very humble, as were the other members, thanking the crowd after every cheer. You could see it in their faces that they are still coming to terms with their rapid success, and were genuinely amazed by how much love they were getting.

After a few more of their bigger hits (some of you may know "Laura Palmer") everyone was waiting for one of their brilliant covers that have been particularly popular on YouTube. We didn't just get one though - we got THREE. A slow, sensual cover of Lana Del Ray's "Blue Jeans"; their fantastic version of City High's "What Would You Do"; and towards the end, the pounding 80s anthem "(Rhythm) Of The Night". Their covers are barely even covers though - they literally take a song and just make it undeniably better.

Still, the highlight of the night was yet to come, and I was getting exceedingly "squiffy" (as my mum would say). When Dan jumped into the crowd - that was it. I was like a feral child, treading on everybody and anybody just to get near him.

And my barbaric behaviour paid off - my friend and I found ourselves sandwiching him, belting "Flaws" down the mike. I was like a twelve-year-old who had just got an autograph off H from Steps.

I am not ashamed to admit that I did indeed lick his face.

So open a new tab now and get on YouTube if you haven't already - you'll be hooked quicker than you can say "sweaty moshpit." 

Go to see these guys if you ever get the chance, and I advise you to go sooner rather than later - because they are destined to be HUGE.

Tell me about it, stud

I love studs.

 I've already got 11 of the little bastards pierced into my flesh.

So when the whole obsession with studs on clothing began, I was all over it like a rash. Tops with studs on. Shoes with studs on. Blazers with studs on. You name it, I loved it. But still, the gypo in me refuses to pay for it.

This shirt is divine. Anyone who denies it is a liar. But it... 30 quid from River Island. For a student, £30 is 6 Fab tickets. Or a fortnight's worth of food. So I just can't justify it.

So that's why I do studs like a cheapskate. Oversized shirts are really easy to find in charity shops - most of the time you can actually find really good brands (I found a tartan flannel Ralph Lauren in Marie Curie going for £6) so there's no excuse to buy a shirt brand new. Just grab one from a jumble sale and it will be easy to make it look good. And all of the shirts that I own are men's ones, because they are just generally easier to find and have a looser, comfier fit.

Here are my hints for making any shirt look like it fits:

If it's too big in the body, tuck it into your jeans or tie it in a belly knot. (I am rocking this look as we speak.)

If the sleeves are too short, roll them up and sew them in place.

If it's too tight over your chest, wear it open with a cool t-shirt underneath.

Simples!

Similarly, River Island are flogging this little number for £20. Wtf?! It's just a black t shirt with a few studs round the neck. Evidence that the high street will rip off people who are uneducated in self-customizing.

So. How does one go about studding?

(That sounds dodgy, soz.)

Adding your own studs to clothes is easy, and it's a great way to bring an old garment up to date. Take the shirt that I wore today, for example...

 

 I bought this for £2 at my local charity shop. It was a bit of a boring shirt before - I'd only bought it because I liked the colour... So I went on eBay. And I bought some studs, and did this...

The amount of compliments I have recieved is unreal! Just go on eBay and type in "studs for clothing" and there are pages and pages of gorgeous studs sold by independent sellers for really really really cheap prices. And I mean really cheap. Like so cheap. (I wouldn't bother with Amazon though, they don't have little private sellers on there so they tend to be a bit more.)

You get sent a little packet of them, and then you just pierce them through the material where you want them to go, and flatten the back down with the end of a fork or some scissor handles!

Voila!

 

Levi's extravaganza

So today was a bit of a denim overload. Denim shirt. Denim shorts. I was just all over the double denim look.

Me rocking the double denim.

I was a bit scared that I would end up looking like

this...

 

 

But luckily I think I left my Britney/Justin obsession with my velvet hair scrunchies and inflatable chairs. And I think if you do double denim right (aka, not with a denim suit jacket that is almost certainly ten sizes too big) it can look pretty good.

 

My obsession with denim shirts is a bit unhealthy. I have a denim shirt with studs on. One without sleeves. One that is dyed about 30 various colours. And I still feel as though I want more. And, ever since Levi's shorts (or 'denim knickers' as my Grandad calls them) became cool, I have worn them non-stop - even if my lovely housemate Phoebe is confused by the pockets.

 

Where to buy vintage denim in Birmingham

 

When it comes to denim, nothing is as good as Levi's. Urban Village is the best place to go for Levi's shorts in Birmingham - no question. Granted, Cow has more stock, but in terms of price, they can be a bit silly. On more than one occasion I have picked up a pair of shorts only to find that not only are they dirty, they are waaaaay overpriced (often pushing £30.) At Urban Village, it is easy to find a good pair for £15.

 

And as for denim shirts, pretty much all of the ones that Urban stock are genuine Levi's, whereas some of the 'vintage' shirts in Cow are actually just out-of-season high street ones that they charge £25 or more for. Don't be robbed. Most of them in Urban are never more than £15.

 

 

Sometimes a baggy Levi's shirt can look like a blank canvas. So I put this gaudy Forever 21 necklace on with it to add a bit of sparkle. (This was one of my bargainous Forever 21 finds!)

 

I wore mine tied in a belly knot so that it didn't look like I was being a slut and wearing it as a dress. I think this is a trend that can work if you do it properly. I don't really agree with getting belly buttons out, but with high waisted shorts it can look really cool.

 

Over and out!