FD - 20th July - Carrie's Wedding Dress in the Sale!

Think back, think back before Sex and the City 2, all the way to the first Sex and the City movie... Thinking? Though it shouldn't really take all that much thinking, remember Carrie's wedding dress...

Get a picture of it in your mind! Okay, sorry about the brainwashing, I'm a bit excited, you should notice there's a picture here anyway! I'm excited because, having sold out on Net-A-Porter last year, you can have your own Carrie Bradshaw wedding dress from The Outnet's Sale! Well it's not the exact same one, but its verrrry similar, a sort of mini version. It is of course Vivienne Westwood (Gold Label), and is in the same luxurious taupe silk. While its original price was £4,530, it's now had a whopping 60% knocked off it's now a slightly more palatable £1,812.

All you need to do is find an exotic teal bird to perch on your head, swipe some rouge across your lips and the Carrie look is nailed!

Incase you can't get your hands on said bird of paradise, there's an abundance of feathered fascinators online and in shops at the moment with it being wedding season... I'm loving this emu feathered piece from Packy B (price on application) .

Ooh I only wish I was getting married now!

It's the Benna.co.uk Sale!

With the high street shops having sales left, right and centre at the moment, you all know that feeling you get when you discover a gem! The sale has just been launched on luxury accessories e-boutique Benna.co.uk and trust me there's a lot of that feeling to be had as you browse through the website. There's beautiful Annina Vogel jewellery and fabulous Tom Ford sunglasses, all at a fraction of the original prices!

Here's my pick of the best sale items...
(Click on the image to go directly to the item on the Benna website)

I'm quietly weeping at this adorable Pearl Swallow Bangle from Annina Vogel, now £175 instead of £250

Or there's this gorgeous Lara Bohinc clutch which you can grab at a reduced price of £425!

And if you still haven't got your sunnies for your holidays, this classy Tom Ford pair are now £147 from £210.

Perfect for summer weddings or parties, this glam Jennifer Behr crystal and cord headband is now just £62.50.

Finally I love this stunning Monica Vinader Lemon Quartz ring reduced from £108 to £75.

The Benna sale won't be on for long so make sure you pick up these fabulous pieces, and all the equally amazing items on the website before they all sell out!

You can go straight to the Benna.co.uk sale page by clicking here.

Happy Shopping!

London Diary (The final one... from Liverpool!) - Sunday 11th July

As promised, there is a final installment in the London Diary series, from my sofa in Liverpool! There is no picture of the outift again today because everything is in the wash, and I'm tired and frankly I look a mess!

Our theme was "Re-Make/Re-Model" (have I already told you that??) and was to be inspired by Maison Martin Margiela. Because I'm so addicted, and because it was actually part of my research - honest - I did a Polyvore of Maison Martin Margiela which you can see below.

Research done, and a sketchbook filled with the stuff, which you'll have to just ask me to see because I can't be faffed uploading pictures of every page, we had to finalise a concept and do a mood board.

Then we could start designing. My concept is stripping fashion back to the bare bones of clothing in colour (muted) and fabric (natural), so that the clothes end up as a base to wear how you will. As it is supposed to reflect our own style too, I placed emphasis on the contrast between volume and structure... You may notice therefore, that I would happily wear each of my pieces!

These two pics are some sketches I did on Friday while developing my design ideas for my final collection.

And these are the final four designs that make up my collection!

I don't think I can possibly string these diaries out any longer so this is it until my next trip to CSM!

Night! x

Oh P.S. I'm actually loving my certificate of attendance!!

And P.P.S. Please laugh along with me at this pic of my luggage taking up the whole luggage store on the train to make me feel better about it!

And P.P.P.S Please excuse the dodgy photos, it's all better in real life trust me.

London Diary - Friday 9th July/ Saturday 10th July

I didn't do my blog last night... my bad! But it was 1 in the morning when I got back and I didn't think anyone would bother to read it anyway! Yesterdays outfit was my favourite dress as pictured, today's I forgot to get photographed, but it's a little black frilly dress and my long gold beads and sandals incase you were interested!

So as I write tonight, I am sat in my comfy seat on the train (but it is cold...) on my way back to scouseland *weeps*.

Don't get me wrong, I love Liverpool, but London this week has been amazing and I found I fitted into the role of honourary Londoner quite well... I even got asked for directions, and that made my week. The mother observed today that there's no conformity here, everyone dresses how they like, and a lot of the time look really good on it. Then there's all the characters you see as your going round doing a bit of people-watching, when you wonder what on earth the person pushing past you down the road is hurrying for and what precisely went through the minds of people as they got dressed (I do mean that in a good way b.t.w.) As a cultural melting pot, London is an inspiring place, lots of creativity and ideas. But then it does seem lonely, no one speaks on the tube, the bus or in town, everyone just seems to be too stressed to converse. And I'm still none the wiser as to why everyone seems to think that honking their car horns is going to make the traffic go faster. Saying that, I have managed to cause a bit of a stir on the tube this week opening my big gob and having numerous po-faced business people quietly giggling to themselves as the scouse novelty that is me sqwarks to whoever I'm with. I didn't really fit in the area I stayed in either to be honest, the town where everyone wears "sensible clothes": jeans, trainers and quite a lot of the time, tracksuits. And then there's me, tottering down the road in my dress and heels - Sound familiar? In a nutshell, I love London, in a different way to how I love Liverpool!

So anyway yesterday, final day of college, I couldn't count the number of times I said "I don't want to go home". The girls had full permission to hit me when I did! We had most the day to finish our projects, which in my case was do a ton more sketches and draw up my final 4 designs. I think I nearly cried when I finished you know, I didnt think I was actually capable of doing so much work, that is if i say so myself, far better than my usual. I honestly think I have learnt so much in a week, not least how to draw legs! I will take some nice photos of my mood board, final designs etc and post them on here tomorrow - it's a bit difficult to do on the train! Later on we had to all meet and critique our work, and have a good nose at what the rest of the class had produced! We also had a talk about foundation courses and continuing our Fashion Studies! Way too exciting! After a rather emotional farewell, we left the doors of Central Saint Martins, and off I went to shop away my sorrows! It's funny, during the week, I didn't feel an overwhelming need to shop seeing as I was channelling all my fashion know how into something worthwhile... I have to go back! In our little group we decided in many years time the four of them will be famous fashion designers featured in Vogue, with "By Hannah Ramsay" written under them!

Today, I did feel a need to shop, a big need in fact! So showing off my tube know how and newly gained London knowledge to the Mother and the Mother's friend, I went on a white blouse rampage... sixth form you see! Finished up with sore feet (It's wearing sandals, never a complaint when I'm in my heels.) in Nandos and now still on the train!

Look out for my pics of all my work tomorrow... no doubt I'll be harping on about this week for a very long time to come! Hope you've enjoyed reading this diary, you've certainly got my average page views up... Over 350 just this week!

The final installation in the London Diary will of course be from Liverpool tomorrow (actually as I write this bit now I'm in Crewe), so until then,

Night! x

London Diary - Thursday 8th July

We were all funny today... waiting for a minute past twelve to scoff lunch, magazine massacres, random solos and a disco rave in room 2. Despite this we did actually, or at least I did, get a lot of work done! Huge sigh of relief breathed when both tutors understood my concept and even huger (is that even a word!?) one when the second said she thought it was very sophisticated - phew!!

The outift, b.t.w. was very fitting when I left the house this morning since it was dull and cold... I didn't know it was going to go sunny later! Never mind, at least I avoided that dreaded "khaki two days on the run" situation I've been harping on about! I have my favourite dress for tomorrow which should take me nicely from college to dinner with the mother when she arrives tomorrow night!

Breaking news - I drew a successful set of legs today! And trust me, the WHOLE college heard about it! I went on to draw another lot when I got home tonight, so I am rather pleased. The problem is, arms and shoulders seem to be the new major issue! More breaking news, quite literally: I broke a nail. On the tube I believe. Unimpressed. I now have one skanky "island in the middle of the nail bed" finger. Yum.

I decided to make another paper dress today, on the mannequin this time which was much easier. It was then suggested that I drape fabric onto it to really represent my concept, and what an idea that was!

I also created my mood board, the final step before designing our clothes, a picture of which I will post tomorrow or in my little summative article!

Right lots to do before college tomorrow... printing off pictures and making fabric mood boards, so this is all your getting off me tonight! At least I sound awake though! And excited, surprising seeing as this is coming to an end! All is good though, our little group are planning our next course down here - London Diary Take 2!

Night! x

London Diary - Wednesday 7th July

I am actually shattered today.. must be what three full days work does to you having lazed around since May! Another outfit dilemma today, almost had to wear another khaki outfit since it was neither warm, nor sunny when I got up - eek! Decided to be stubborn and keep to the pretty dress I had planned on, I did add a blazer so I didn't freeze to death!

We had a full timetable of drawing today: drawing with our left hands, with our eyes shut, in 30 seconds, angrily, sadly and happily... Not all at the same time thankfully but it did feel like it for a few of them! While the results sort of leave something to be desired, the tasks made us all focus, loosen up and look for detail on the model (which yes was a poor human being - the girl stood on a table all day!). Apparently it doesn't matter if the legs are two completely different sizes or if the arms look like those of an like Olympic swimmer, its your interpretation and understanding of what your drawing that counts - Phew! But please note, the image to the left, I did actually do with my left hand! It is a reassuring excuse for some of mine, but honestly I'm still on the quest to draw the perfect set of limbs! And just for the pointless daily update... the brush pens came into their own again today transforming mundane dresses into sheer beauties! I also found out they blend with eachother and with fineliners - what fun I'm going to have later!

I love how this post is significantly earlier tonight, I'm not falling asleep as I'm typing!

More work on our projects tomorrow, then we start designing our final collections - ahh!!

Night! x

London Diary - Tuesday 6th July

I think today was even better yesterday, and I could have done that a million times over! Had a slight outfit dilemma this morning when I realised I would have to shift my order around a bit so I didn't end up with khaki two days on the run... Had to wear one outfit today as a result!

There's not really any more tube updates, I did it faultlessly today! Arrived at college and we went straight off to Somerset house to see the Maison Martin Margiela 20 exhibition. What an exhibition it was, an hour and a half went very very quickly as we were all particularly absorbed and inspired!

After lunch at Covent Garden and a quick mooch round Rokit Vintage, (very exciting for a scouser with no Rokit in Liverpool!) we couldn't wait to get back to college to start putting our research on paper and exploring some ideas around our brief. We are looking to "Re-make/Re-model", or, deconstruct clothes. I ahve lots of exciting ideas but you'll have to wait a couple of days to see them! Along with Katie, I made an even more creative mess than yesterday, though some thought yesterdays was worse! You can judge for yourself! We are all in love with my pastel brush pens, as it turns out that they can make any mediocre fineliner sketch look utterly professional! Love it!

All day tomorrow we are doing fashion illustration with a model.. exciting! Hopefully I will actually learn how to draw people for my clothes to go on!

After promising my tutor, Jane, a paper dress for tomorrow, I'd better get to work!

Night! x

London Diary - Monday 5th July

Well, well, well, what a day it's been! I officially love Central Saint Martins, and I am now even more certain that's where I want to be in three years time, if that's actually possible! Ah outfit, amazingly comfy patterned hareem pants and simple vest!

Starting off on a train, I took a different route today finishing up with a new line on the tube - woop! Arrived at the college expecting to be one of those who had travelled a long long way... Hong Kong and Mexico outdid me without a doubt, then there's France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Singapore! Surprised to find another 3 girls from my neck of the woods, between us, Liverpool and France are making up most of the class! We were taken on a tour of the place having been issued with little student cards, I particularly loved the wall of past alumini and spend the rest of the day wondering if Stella McCartney had touched that particular door or Alexander McQueen had sat on that chair...

We got started on a task chopping up magazines to abolish the idea of traditional clothing and interpret shape and texture in an experimental and creative way. The idea was to challenge what could be shaped to the body, while blissfully ignoring wearability! My delightfully creative mess shows I rather got stuck into this task, after the disastrous ice breaker of portrait drawing (It's okay, none of us were particularly pleased!). I seemed to be having a bit of a hat thing today as well, all my models had shelving units or orchids or colanders on their heads...

Someone pointed out the time and before we knew it, it was 3 o'clock. I have a feeling this week will fly, which frankly I don't want it to because I'm having a ball. Tomorrow we are visiting the Maison Martin Margiela exhibition at Somerset House for research into our main project, more of which I will talk about tomorrow when I have some fabulous pictures!

Too excited for tomorrow!

Night! x

London Diary - Sunday 4th July

Today I braved the tube! Twice infact because I even changed lines- get me! I wore a cute pink lace trimmed dress contrasted with black ankle boots and accessories, which trust me was not actually as creased as it seems to look in the photo!

First stop of the day was the New Designers event in Islington, an opportunity for design graduates countrywide to showcase their talents in fashion, textiles, jewellery, metalwork and ceramics. The surface design students who focussed on clothes came up with digital patterns reminiscent of those by Peter Pilotto (left) and Alexander McQueen. Texture and sculptural knitwear was frequently seen, yet each collection was completely different. Another major trend was floral pattern. Some were delicate watercolour designs, others were bold and digital, while many would have fitted perfectly into any Erdem (right) collection. Many of the graduates really stood out for their bold, exciting, original designs, others for the dreamy prettiness of them, and I am planning on a few features on here in the near future so keep an eye out!

After the show (and a much needed trip to Starbucks!) we hit the shops in Oxford Circus, only to find a very disappointing Topshop sale! What is happening to the world!? My favourite pillar in the world though can be found in the H&M across the road though... It's clad in pictures of Lady Gaga!

Well, my course starts in the morning so I'm sure I will have plenty to report tomorrow night and hopefully a few pictures of my pretty sketchbook, providing I can actually find the place that is!

Wish me luck...

Night! x

London Diary - Saturday 3rd July

As promised, I am going to keep a diary of my trip to London this summer, complete with pictures of each day's outfits!

There's not really much to write today though since I only arrived at lunchtime, having taken far more luggage on the train than I'm sure is allowed! (See photo for confirmation!) I now have an Oyster card, and I have to say I feel almost like a proper London citizen... Well except for the fact I don't have a clue how to work the tube. Watch this space! Saying that, my scouse accent is getting stronger by the day - I'm sure it's to rebel against cockney!

Fashion-wise London seems to be working the nautical look today, I saw, from my comfy chair in Pret-A-Manger stripes in pink, yellow, green, and the traditional blue and white. For the men they're paired with rolled up chinos or shorts and classic deck shoes, for the women, tiny denim shorts or jersey maxi skirts.

This afternoon proved that my poor grandparents officially have the patience (and energy) of saints, as I managed to drag them round every shop on Regent Street, Oxford Street, and into most of the posh shops of Bond Street. As a result, I was tested to the max justifying why people spend £200+ on trousers: amazing cut, beautiful fabric, you know the reasons! I think I persuaded at least Grandma, who thoroughly enjoyed the foray into Stella McCartney and the world of luxury tailoring.(The staff are lovely by the way...) Plus, she gushed at the interiors in Matthew Williamson - Result! I also got to see Vogue house, I could actually see rails of clothes in the windows!

But now, having seen the clock at 4:25 this morning, it is time for bed! Tomorrow I am meeting my friend Amy and heading to the New Designers show... ooo exciting!

Night! x