strangely, the majority of people actually HAVE experienced ikea the way i have when i was little. once upon a time when i was a little girl and less materialistic, my mum and her friend, along with her daughter, would take us to ikea. while our little sisters played in the 'babies' area that we were too tall for, we would roam around ikea, imagining we were shopping for our family home, our holiday home, our pent house flat etc etc. we would 'ohh and ahhh' at what we liked, and in typical childlike manner loudly discussed what we didn't like and, i dread to imagine, propaply describe how it looked like poo!
ikea was a magical place, it was filled with miniture homes that, to us, were like giant dolls houses. after the living room, bedroom, office and child's sections we would stop at the cafe for meatballs and chips and gravy (the BEST meatballs and chips in the world!) then onwards to the kitchens, the rugs, the arty and the plant section. all the way through the store we would have the opportunity to steal pencils, mayonaise at the cafe (which i still do due to student funds) and just ogle at all the beautiful bits and bobs that i'd designed for my own home.
to some this might seem strange. when i've said to people before about how much i love ikea they are completly baffled. some people though, my sort of people, know exactly what i mean. my mum dragging me around a homewear store doesn't sound like fun, but with a child's imagination it's the best thing in the bloody world. forget thorpe park and disney, ikea is just as fascinating!
the nostalgia that ikea brings to me is often revisited. since me and friends have been able to drive i can remember 5 magical and wonderful trips to ikea. the purchase of woodoff (my russian boyfriend, trapped in a swedish world), the maze of thurrock where ikea is and my awful (mostly late) directions, numerous tastings of meatballs, ape dawg on a trolley and many more.
rebecca carey and matthew sandford are my regular escorts. the joy we have had in a warehouse of furniture is peculiar to say the least.
since being at university i have already been to ikea twice with the roomies. meatballs have been consumed, pointless purchases have been made and paparazzi style photographing has taken place. free meatballs in october was meerly an excuse to eat two helpings! we were stalked by security, i bought a pair of moon boots and a crocodile door stop that does nothing of the sort! £1 meatball meals will now be a weekly ritual, and i'm sure i'll fritter away some more money.
the joy of ikea is that it simply makes me feel like a child again!
every month i pretty much have a small hernia if i don't get vogue. this month i saw it once and didn't pick it up, i then spent 2/3 weeks looking in every shop that southampton has to offer. alas i couldn't find it.
i think i appreciated vogue november 09 more because of this, when my mother finally found it in sainsbury's at home i couldn't wait to read my long awaited copy! and it did not disappoint!
i usually read vogue because i love my monthly fix of well written articles and commentary on fashion, and i like the prettyness of it all. it doesn't mean i can ever purchase the majority of bits and bobs they feauture. that was until this month...
'more dash than cash' appealed to me on so many levels.
i laughed (not mockingly) at the make do and mend shoot. it was amazing to see what they had done with every day utensils. my favourites? maybe the clingfilm body-con dress with marigold glove shoulders? so on trend, and D&G inspired sleeves
or the cotton wool ball skirt suit complete with toilet paper shoes? quite possibly the 'cutest' picture i have ever seen and isn't the skirt suit big this season as well??
it was the cleaning lady (ours at uni is the mysterious mary) on crack, listening to lady gaga and being truly inspired! i loved it, it was fresh and different. plus i imagine shona heath, william tempest and peter jensen had the most fun ever changing carrier bags into circus-esque, cup sleeved dresses!
the most wearable of them all was the preppy, chanel inspired mop-head skirt and tea towel cardigan held together with pegs! i love it, i'm so close to being inpired enough to make my own!
'the dash cash directory' was the most useful a to z i have ever fallen upon. when i have finished re-reading and re-reading i might (disgruntingly) pull it out to keep in my bag. or i could photocopy it...
tip off's of the best charity, vintage, haberdashery and outlet shops. great 'get creative' ideas that inspired me enough that i got off my lazy ars and sewed lace on everything!! i honestly went crazy with the lace! if i have time tonight i might even wack out the lace again!
all in all my favourite vogue yet. georgia jagger made me feel old though. i wish i was 17 again! but she looked hot, asos dress on the front cover! i loved the colour co-ordination of red lippy/red background. the first photo featured of the roksanda illinic for whistles dress (deep rich blue, i want to say electric but i think it's a bit brighter than electric...) well the blue dress/too -gold-almost-yellow hair/red background look amazing together! and ohh the next pages green dress might actually be my favourite colour contrasts! aaaand it's all so affordable (well student living budget permitted..)
I LOVE VOGUE NOV 09!!! 
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