Ribbon and Thread - Day 12, Whatever Tickles Your Fancy

My fancy is always tickled by the awesomeness of Etsy. I can get lost in its quirky, creative pages for hours on end. If you want to feel that this global village is a little smaller, then all you need is a little smaller then all you need to do is order something from one of its variety of sellers - you will receive service beyond anything you would expect from any local store. I have yet to receive a piece from a blessed etsy seller that was not originally (and beautifully) packaged, with a personalised note - long live customer service and the human touch.

And so I would love to invite you to meet (and browse the wares of) my new favourite etsy seller: Ribbon and Thread. I am a huge fan of the handy canvas holdall and own a varied collection myself - cute, good for the environment, better than the crappy old plastic packet - Bags for Life are the way forward, and this stylish collection is too good to turn down. Hand made (with much love) by my dear friend Bridget, each one is hand painted with unique designs. The totes are trendy, arty and well made. Being, sadly, artistically mediocre at best myself, I marvel at what Bridget produces. Next payday I will be putting in my order (I am a sucker for the London print) and I urge you to do the same - the fun Bubble design for a friend to haul around her vintage shopping finds, the sneaker design for a college student's book bag, or one of the birds for Nana's knitting.

An Open Letter to my Sixteen Year Old Self

I turned twenty six yesterday. It was birthday, and this time of the year always tends to rock my boat. Because it is a celebrated landmark, it inevitably draws attention to where you were this time last year, what you had hoped for and how far you have come. Inevitably I end up being underwhelmed by my progress and wallow in existential crises as long as anyone will let me. In the run up to the anniversary of my birth this year the usual anxieties surfaced, however yesterday I suddenly realised that I was 26! I had lived 10 years after my 16th birthday. This seemed such a milestone. Sixteen was a landmark year for me. It is when I started to realise who I was, forge my identity, become an adult. Looking back I was so remarkably like myself already, and yet there was an innocence that I dearly miss, and a self doubt that I do not. I think everyone has a few things that they would love to share with their younger selves, a few lessons you wish you hadn't had to learn the hard way. And so...

Dear Young Hayley

Some advice...

Playing dumb is not attractive. You have a brain. You have (strong) opinions. You love books, you look things up, you like using big words, you are interested in politics...These are all things that you will learn to be proud of, and will define who you are. Stop thinking anyone knowing that you are a clever girl will lead them to assume you are dull. Don't let people assume you are a bit of a giggly airhead, because you will waste much valuable time having silly conversations with silly people. Your brain is one of your most attractive qualities - use it, and show it!

Give people a break. You are arrogant and you think you can imagine every conceivable situation and how you would react...you have no idea. You cannot know a person until you have walked two moons in their moccasins. Judging people will get you nowhere, and sometimes you will wish you had asked more questions, because you will find yourself in the same situation.

Your parents are people too. They have all the same problems and hang ups and difficulties as you, so stop expecting them to be above human weakness. Mum is the best friend you will ever have, stop throwing tantrums and give her a break.

Teenagers are a hideous, mutant subspecies - try not to behave like one.

Don't drink that bottle of Malibu at 17 - it will put you off for life, and make cocktail choices very limited.

You are going to have more fun than you can imagine. Your life is not going to be boring, and everything happens after High School. But don't believe the bullshit Hollywood is selling - life isn't like that, and God you'd probably hate it if it was.

Stop blindly following fashion. You don't look like those girls, and who wants to look like everyone else anyway.

Some of the prettiest adolescents are unremarkable as adults, and you grow into your face, so don't worry too much on that account.

You will always miss dad, but you are so like him that he is still here.

This is not the worst day of your life, neither is tomorrow or the next day, or the one after that. Tough times are coming, so save the drama. You are strong and you can deal with it.

Stop fighting with your hair, stop brushing it, and please god, don't cut it again.

Tortured artists are overrated, and you are too high maintenance for their own self absorption. Move on, its never going to happen.

You have to learn to let go of things. Realise that things change, people change, you will change. Everything is not forever. Sometimes people are in your life for a short time, and that's okay. Don't flog a dead horse - you need to realise when its time to move on. By attaching yourself too firmly to people and places you will stagnate. Not every decision is life altering. Start going with the flow now - I need the practice. You will lose some people along the way, but never the things that you shared with them. Let them go.

You'll be fine, you'll see.

Love Old(er) Hayley

** I have finally figured out how to sort out the commenting feature on this blasted blog, and so you no longer need to be logged on or whatever to comment...give it a try, and let me know if its working!

Just a bit of Joan

The weekend was a total write off thanks to the fact that quasimodo decided to move out of the belfry and onto my eyelid...I have a huge sty which no amount of Golden Eye antibiotics or Jackie O sunglasses can apparently camoflage. Hence, I have had a weekend on the couch with Don and Betty Draper, Joan Holloway and the rest at Stirling Cooper. I have pretty much buried myself in the Mad Men box set, hiding my shameful peeper in a fugue of sixties cigarettes, slips, bourbon and sexism...

For those of you who have never watched the dirty indulgence that is Mad Men basically the show is a slick, sexy depiction of the world of advertising, and linked parts of American society and culture, in the 1960s. It's an education - just how far away is 40 years? At times the opinions and beliefs of the characters seem ridiculously quaint and old fashioned, at others the process of seeing opinions held and defended so long ago, allows you the cathartic realisation that in some aspects we haven't come that far at all.

A while ago I posed the question on my Facebook status (the Magic Eightball of modern times):

Can I be a modern woman and still want Don Draper?

Perhaps an easier question to answer is, can a modern woman still want to look like Joan Holloway?

Played by Christina Hendricks, Joan is a powerhouse of a woman. Perfectly put together, she is not the obvious feminist heroine, and her pandering to the men in the office at times borders on the sycophantic, however there is no doubt that the lady knows how to get what she wants (most of the time). And she is a style icon. Her clothes make me long for a time when dressing was an art. She lived in a time when the roles of gender were easily definable, and when ideas of what each looked like were pretty set in stone too. I can do without the gender stereotyping, thanks very much, but god, what I wouldn't do for those clothes! I am the queen of low maintanence, throw on outfits, however, after a weekend with Joan, I am desperate for a little bit more femme fatale, a little less happy hippy...

My Joan inspired wish list:

Giovanni Gold Brooch

Diana Vintage look pencil dress - custom made

Vintage Pen Necklace

Red Carpet Keepers

What is there to talk about today, if you are remotely interested in fashion, but the red carpet? That glorious parade of taffeta, silk, satin and chiffon is enough to make me sell my soul and head off for Hollywood! Now usually when looking at a few of the dresses I find it hard not to get the claws out and rip some of those brocades to ribbons, but as this is supposed to be a positive space lets focus on the gorgeous, glorious, womanly numbers...

Sticking with my latest passion for peach, I couldn't help myself when I saw this frilly phantom of a frock. Anna Kendrick looked like Titania's sister in this wonder of folds and floaty fabric. Its not something I could ever wear, but a girl can dream right? This dress is Romance.

Damn the internet - the woman won an Oscar, and yet I cannot find a fitting tribute to this dress. How I love the diagonal way the lace has been placed, to give curves and the one sweet little cap sleeve. But alas, another one that is not gypsy friendly. My colouring is no good for champagne, and lets face it, something that high necked is no good for one with the boobies, but damn Sandra looked such the Hollywood siren.

Oh god, I am a scarlet harlot, a total whore for red! And this dress is amazing. Amy Adams just blows the idea that red heads can't wear red right out of the water, and its such a flattering style - shows off the decolletage, floats over the tummy, long pleats make you look longer, and the geometric patterns make it modern and interesting. Generally its a keeper, and a style that would work for so many real women. Wondrous.

Maybe I live in a bubble, but I pretty much have no idea who this woman, Sherri Shepherd, is. She is off that programme The View, and apparently a lot of people hate her. Well whatever. I love this dress. I love the midnight blue with the black overlay, and all that drapiness makes for a very flattering style, while the band accentuates her waist.

Kate Winslet has long been one of my style icons. Firstly, the lady celebrates positive body image, and disagrees with having the shit photoshopped out of herself so she looks like something totally unattainable. Secondly, she knows how to do glam. I love how old school Hollywood this dress is, and as I am going through a bit of an art deco fixation, I am really enjoying the references in this dress. Now if only I could get some blonde forties hair going on...

The second midnight blue number, and another example of old school Hollywood appeal. This dress is miraculous for creating curves where I am pretty sure there are none. Seriously though, if even Miss Kristen Stewart, wants some curves, shouldn't us real women be celebrating ours and making the most of them.

Viva la Glam - Now someone take me to the ball so I can get my Cinderella on!