This Week's Treat

I've been quite good this month, technically I haven't bought anything over £20 ( I did buy 2 pairs of trousers and one pair of shorts for a total of £9). I have bagged a few cool bits over the past month, which I will show you all quite soon but I have treated myself to two pairs of shoes this week. 

Outfit - Vintage denim army jacket, Ralph Lauren check shirt, Junk de Luxe chinos, Vans

I'm picked up the jacket in Urban Outfitters while I was in London last week and the chinos were found in the TKmaxx clearance sale, chaching!What's everyone's take on clear plastic bags? You don't really see them much but I had to put up with it all day.

I whipped up these Tretorn suede brown hiking-esque ankle boots today at a preview of this weekends menswear sample sale in Manchester at the Triangle for £20. I had to squooze into them, they are slightly too small but I will go with it, check out the detail of the eyelets, each set a slightly different size. Pretty neat eh.

Me and Hollie(check out her new blog) are off to Wales at the weekend, more specifically Llandudno. If anyone has been and has any recommendations for us please let me know, any ideas are welcome.

Brighton Retreat

So I spent a few days in Brighton last week with my mate Nic, weather was so-so but times were grand. Here's some snaps I took, rather random and may not make much sense but here goes.

2 many glasses

Why doesn't this still exist?!

Beautiful bandstand area on the prom

Nic's firetruck

Beach donut

Amazing chair display in the local museum

Lovely little street where every house is painted a different colour

Would you use Nosegay?

Everyone loves melons 

Meet Nic

I didn't take an amazing amount of photos but me and Hollie are going away to Llandudno for a few days next week over the English Bank Holiday. So I'm sure I'll be taking even more then.

Has anyone been/going away this summer?

Brighton, Briefly

Outfit -j+ Uniqlo blazer, Gap shirt, Topman mustard chinos, Superga trainers, Fossil bag

Brighton Seafront taken my Nic.

I am still alive, back from my mini break but I have had hardly any time to catch up with all your comments and new posts( I was up the next morning and following days for work). So I plan on replying to everyones over this week.

We had a nice time but shame about the naff weather, lots more photos to follow. I'm also planning my next post on "Homegrown Talent" and posts on all my new purchases.

Gone Fishin'

(source)

Well, not quite fishing but I'm off to Brighton till the weekend so there will be a lack of blog posts. I'll be taking my camera so I am hoping to take plenty of photos. Next week there will also be the next installment of my "Home Grown Talent" series, thanks to all the feedback up to know too, I will be passing it all on to each artist featured.

Bye for now.

Lisa Marie Payne's Illustrations

This is the third post of series in where I am looking for talent on my own door step, I've been searching in and around Blackpool for all things creative. Next up are some lovely illustrations and prints from Lisa Marie Payne. Usually taking her hometown as inspiration(there really is so much going on all at once in Blackpool), she creatives one-off prints in the most vibrant and detailed way. A recent graduate of Textiles at Manchester Metropolitan University, Payne's work is printed onto canvas and she has been dabbling in printing onto silk scarfs(see below).

Feast you eyes people;

Blackpool North Pier

Clown Drawing

Drips Installation (This one is one of my favs, got a touch of surrealism in there)

Le'Opera Silk Scarf 1

Pier Hut Collage

It's nice to see your hometown in a different light, but a different perspective altogether is really unexpected. I wouldn't mind the "Pier Hut Collage" for my wall at home! When I finally make a permanent move it would be nice to take a small part of the seaside with me.

Here's how she describes her work and thoughts, "Energy filled fun fairs, sinister clowns and dizzy festivals fused with romantic picture houses, ornate architecture and nostalgic theatres inspire my chosen imagery and ambience. The storey behind these visuals, teamed with my fascination for intuitive marks, abstraction and linear qualities within contemporary painting, collages and photography create inspiration for my most recent pieces."

To your taste, would be really great to hear some feedback so I can pass it on? Are you enjoying my homegrown talent series?

All her work is available for purchase and she does commissions too, visit Lisa Marie Payne's site for more info.

Hentsch Man AW10

I remember stumbling across menswear brand, Hentsch Man a few months ago whilst I was on my daily read of Style Salvage. I recalled that SS did an interview with the brand and featured a post on their pop-up shop in London. Since then the brand just crept off my radar, until their AW10 look book popped up in my inbox.

The idea behind Hentsch Man is to bring a small range of wardrobe staples that you won't tire of wearing or look dated after a few seasons. They started by creating the perfect white shirt, then expended their range to slim fit trousers and slowly introduced pumps.

But for this season the range has progressed even more, with more styles of flannel and chambray shirts, basic and patterned knitwear, tweeds and an excellent selection of coloured trousers. All very my sort of thing.

As I'm currently on a shopping ban, I'm all about introducing staples into my wardrobe. My shopping habits have changed dramatically over the past 2 years, less really is more! Cillian at Male Mode also likes Hentsch Man.


Im more regular news, it was my mate Jamesy's birthday the other day so I baked a cake(of course) and dished out the slices. We also went off into the countryside to a nice pub.

First chance to test out the self timer. For anyone that asked which camera I got, on my last post, I went with the Canon IXUS 95 IS.

Wore - Blue check/stripe Velour shirt, Grey Supera trainers, mustard Topman trousers, Tabio socks

A Week In Photos

I haven't had the most eventful week but I did get a new camera, so every opportunity is a camera opportunity.

Hollie's new boots.

Wall designed by Paul Smith in one of the only decent shops in my town.

I'm off out for a drive to the countryside with Jamesy today, for his birthday, hoping to find a new county pub and wind the hours away.

Tolga Ozturk's Body Sculture

After doing a post a couple of months back on Yannick Dixon's photography, a fellow Blackpool local, I decided to do a bit of research into what else talent is coming out of my seaside town.

Tolga Ozturk is currently studying Fashion Design at UWE Bristol university and has been creating some wonderful body sculptures while he has been there. The move into sculpture and moulding on the body is a welcomed one and defiantly a step in the right direction. He was always a really talent designer when we were at art college together but it's great to see him experimenting and pushing his abilities. 

Moulded wrist cuff

I caught up with Ozturk to find out how he would describe his work; 

"The concept behind my work is using unexpected materials to create wearable accessories. It is all about experimentation and being playful and I find that the best results are often the product of mistakes. I tend to focus most of the pieces i create on the shoulders as this, to me, is the most interesting part of the male silhouette."

It's interesting to hear his view on the shoulders as I haven't really thought about this too much but really does make sense to me. Hence a classic piece in a mans wardrobe would be a blazer ect.

Tolga Ozturk is currently interning an milliner Nasir Mahzar, based in East London. So expect to see more of him in the future. What's your thoughts then, hope you all like?