Monday Madness: Independent designers

Hellooo Lily here, My Monday madness this week is all about my favourite independent designers that I follow on Instagram and facebook. So I’m going to jump straight in and tell you about them!

Nrt fashions- ‘Handmade fashion by NRT, showing the beauty in the dark’

NRT was founded in 2009 by Nicole Rita Tomney , I have been following her on Instagram for a while now. She makes custom pieces including some awesome signature hooded dresses and rock inspired pieces. She shares my love for metal and Marilyn Manson, and this is shown through her designs which just makes them cooler. Famous people including Heidi Shepherd from Butcher Babies and Steve-O have worn her designs.

http://www.nrtfashions.com/ 

Peepshow clothing – ‘Fashion's Cutting Edge’

Jessica Nicole does something a bit different with her designs, rather than making pieces from scratch. She basically shreds t-shirts and customizes them but in a really clever and artistic way. Most of her designs are done from band t-shirts which makes them so much cooler, and her designs are really intricate. People lucky enough to visit her store can take any t-shirt that they want and she will do a custom design. Her designs have also been worn as stage clothes by the ladies from butcher babies.

http://peepshowclothing.com/shop/shop.php

Ashley rose couture – ‘Turning everything obscure into wearable art.‘

Ashley rose is a Boston based designer who makes the most gorgeous lace and flower dresses. I absolutely love her designs, they are so pretty and unique.  Her designs have been recognised by celebrities such as Kelly Osbourne, and she made a custom dress for Ash Costello from the band ‘New year’s day’ for the golden god awards.  Her dresses really are like something out of a fairy-tale.

http://ashleyrosecouturedes.wix.com/ashleyrosecouture

Malice clothing

Malice clothing is a lingerie based company that sells unique harness lingerie and suspenders. This company is awesome for people like me who like to have all the clothing, even their underwear metal based. These sets of underwear are the type you would want to show off all the time, but unfortunately getting your bra out in public is frowned upon...

http://www.malicelingerie.com/

Toxic vision – ‘Toxic Vision is the methodical chaos of one.'

Designer Sharon Ehman creates studded and embellished pieces for her brand Toxic Vison. Toxic vision has to be my favourite clothing brands ever, the leather and the metal music influences are so me and I would kill to own a piece from one of her collections. Not only are her designs amazing but also the photos she takes of her products. She makes custom pieces for band members as stage clothes,  and if I was in a band I would definitely be dressed completely in toxic vision. (She also has the most amazing figure! Definite girl crush).

http://www.toxicvision.bigcartel.com/

Getting Crafty

Hello! Just a little post to showcase some crafting I got up to the other day - it was great I felt like I was five again and, to be honest,  the items I have created look like they have been made by a five year old (in the best way possible). Taking pieces of furniture and sticking random colourful stuff to them can be a great way of personalising otherwise generic items - this is particularly useful if you don't want to spend a load of money but still want something unique, which is exactly what I'm after as a student. I'm currently in the middle of decorating my new room and these are just a couple of items I am using to make it more 'me'. I bought both a mirror and a box to store my makeup from B&M Bargains and then went to town with the PVA glue, here are the results...

For the mirror I simply stuck pom-poms all around the edge using UHU glue - simple but, I think, pretty effective (and very cute). The posters in the background are from the 'Indie Rock Poster Book'.

#OOTD

Helloo!

Close up of the Poms.

I had been planning on buying myself some Muji drawers (those ones you see on ALL the 'make-up collection and storage' youtube videos) but when I discovered the Muji shop had closed in Leeds my Mum got me this simple box-with-dividers set up instead. To make it look a bit less like something for storing paper-clips I simply pasted pictures out of magazines and made these creepy/fabulous faces. I then slathered the whole thing in glitter and sequins and called it a day. You could really use anything to decorate a box like this so get yourself to Hobbycraft and go to town!

Close up on the freaky faces.

Demonstrating the opening mechanism - technical stuff

My unimpressive make-up collection.

-Daisy

#OOTD

Just a quick outfit post, here's what we wore out for our dear Papa's birthday this evening. We went to Bibi's in Leeds and can honestly say it's the best meal we've ever had! We both had linguini carbonara and it was AMAZING, if ever there was a dish to foodgasm over, this was it. Anyways Happy Birthday Daddyo and happy hump day everyone else (heheheheh). Night! 

Daisy - Dress: New Look, Kimono shawl: River Island, Shoes: Louboutin (suspected fakes but still very nice), Bag: Primark and Necklace: Charity Shop. 

Lily - Top: Urban Outfitters, Skirt: Missguided, Shoes: Primark and Choker: eBay. 

Monday Madness: Oh You Pretty Things

THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER. Okay now I have that out of my system I can tell you about this weeks Monday Madness. This Monday I would like to bring your attention to 'Oh You Pretty Things: The Story of Music and Fashion' a series that started this week on BBC4 exploring the British love affair between rock and pop music and fashion. 

Seriously, this could have been written for me - I live for this stuff. This programme brings all my major interests together - there's fashion, social history, music, popular culture, counter culture and loads of SEQUINS and if you have any inclination towards any of the aforementioned topics then I promise you this is a must watch! Walk through any city or dissect any fashion week and you will see so many nods to the popular fashions of our past, but in the words of the show itself 'to understand why this golden past still matters we have to go back to where it all began' and that is exactly where we are taken.

The show immerses you in Britain's colorful past and takes you to a time when music and popular fashion were truly experimental and exhilarating, something that these days sometimes seems sadly lacking (why wasn't I 20 years old in the 60s?!). There is gorgeous archival footage and some truly incredible outfits that have really made me determined to attempt to make more of a statement with my everyday wear. I love out-there clothes, especially with a 60/70s aesthetic but often I am too lazy to really go for it! Anyway enough of me going on, if you want some killer fashion inspiration and magical music go and check out 'Oh you pretty things' at 9.00pm Wednesday on BBC4 or watch on iplayer and let the programme speak for itself. It is so worth watching I have managed to drag myself out of my 'Orange is the New Black' binge (which trust me was not easy) and I suggest everyone else who can does the same! Because I feel like this post needs some pretty pictures, here are just some of the styles covered in episode 1 'Tribes' as well as some music from The Only Ones, enjoy!

The Small Faces - Pioneers of Mod

Ultimate 60s babe Twiggy

Mid-sixties Biba advert

Psychedelic art by Nigel Weymouth

Psychedelia 

Into the 70s with Desmond Dekker and his short trousers

The Selecter and Ska revival

Watch them, or else.

Love Daisy.