hilkat

I think Autumn is one of the best seasons for photography - the bright colours and changing nature scenes make for wonderful pictures, rather like my latest ones. Outside my window is a tree which seems to be losing its leaves at a rate of knots, leaving the ground looking like its been carpeted in yellow, while a little way across is another tree which has turned bright orange.

As I was resizing the images, I got to thinking how much like the blog is currently like the Autumn season - lots of changes, everything from the past making way for new things and an overall sense of progression. I’ve finally got to grips with the fact that I can enjoy clothes and crafts and domesticity and going out for the evening, all at the same time. Liking fashion doesn’t mean you have to follow trends religiously, as I used to (and frankly, with a one-year old, who has time?!), and I’m currently reveling in bright colours, patterns, the Toast catalogue and pretty dresses. Reading previous posts makes me smile to myself, as it was only over the summer that I was convinced I had to keep up with the teenagers with regards to style and clothes - I’m far happier just collecting pretty things!

PS: I bought some great buttons yesterday!

Since getting the new camera, I’ve been rather more taken with photographing the landscapes than my outfits (that and the fact that I haven’t bought anything new in absolutely aaaaages - if that’s not an excuse to go shopping, I don’t know what is….), particularly since Autumn is now well underway, and has covered the outdoors in a multitude of colours and hues. I enjoyed making the Autumn mosaics so much last time that I’ve decided this is a rather effective way to show all of my own images, and so I give you my latest attempts…

As well as photography, I’ve been pondering on the true reason for the existence of this blog. While I love, adore and will always be preoccupied with clothes and fashion, my tastes have changed somewhat over the last few months, and I find as I grow older I’m drawn more to well cut, made-to-last, quality garments, rather than the disposable fashion of Primark and suchlike (I suppose this could have something to do with working for Paul Smith…). I’ve also been spending rather a lot of time on Etsy and Folksy, and have been really inspired to get out the paints and canvas, fabric and sewing machine, and attempt to bring to life the designs that I had intended would make up the Hilkat label. I’ve even learned to crochet over the last few days….

This blog was intended to be a platform to sell well-made, home-crafted and designed products such as paintings, knick-knacks and homewares, and somehow they’ve never appeared…. until now. Rather than spending all my blogging time posting the latest offerings from Topshop (although I am still looking, let it be known), I’ll be showing photographs and my latest crafty achievements, and general tit-bits from everyday life. (We’re moving house in January, so expect lots of interiors and homewares posts!) And I’m sure the odd dress will pop up here and there as well…

Yesterday started out with one of those wonderful clear and cold Autumn mornings that I adore, so I took advantage of the cloudless skies and piercing sunlight, the golden colours and windless trees and took a couple of photos out of the bedroom window….

I love Autumn. I love the way the weather gets colder gradually, teasing you with thoughts of winter boots and chunky knits, luscious layering and coloured woolly tights. I love the crispness of the mornings, the crunchiness of the leaves and the freshness of things after the sticky summer weather. So todays post is a little homage to Autumn and all it brings with it.

For a day out with my other half and our Boy, I decided to go casual - ripped jeans and a sleeveless kaftan, covered by a menswear cardigan from Primark and finished off with my slouchy studded bag and flat black boots seemed perfect for rolling about in the park and trekking round the shops looking for birthday presents (yes, I know you’re reading this, and no, I’m not giving away what I bought. Ha!). As always there were purchases galore and many, many photo opportunities - both signs of a cracking day out.

I really do intend to be more adventurous with colours, honest guv, but for now I’ve been sticking to play-it-safe style. Perhaps when I start my new job on Monday and rejoin the land of the living (aka not the arse end of nowhere) I’ll have a little more time and purpose to experiment further.

But for now, here is my bargain of the week: the £10 Oasis sandals. I was actually on a hunt for work shoes, and found these lurking at the back of the shop. They were reduced from £38, and I liked the detail so much that it felt quite rude to leave them where they were. “Not exactly a winter shoe,” Sensible Me pointed out. “No, but it’s not winter yet, and anyway they could be an investment for next year,” Shopaholic me countered. Shopaholic won the tussle, and the sandals came home with me. Good job really, as halfway through the day the sun burst out from behind its cloud and the temperature rose by several degrees - hot sun and black chunky boots just don’t cut it, so for our walk I broke the sandals out of their carrier bag. And they performed wonderfully.

Again, a completely fashion-unrelated post, but my camera impressed me so much while stopping to photograph a lavender bush that I just had to post the results.

And since this is effectively a fashion blog, I found these on lookbook.nu which tie in nicely…

This is almost, almost a post completely unrelated to fashion or art, but there’s a twist at the end, and also I do have a photography section, so I’m allowing this one.

We went to Brighton last week with the Boy, thinking it’d be a nice change of scene for us all (it was, but it would have been better had we not got lost trying to find a Halifax), and although I didn’t buy any clothes (shock, horror) I took some pretty cool photos of various bits and pieces. The beach was lovely, and the weather was good, which is how I managed to get the picture of the boats on the shore. I have no idea who lives in the house at the end, but it was just so gorgeous that I had to photograph it. (If this is your house, let me know, and I’ll credit you!)

I did say there was a twist at the end…. Although I didn’t buy any clothes or shoes, I didn’t manage to hold off on fashion-related purchases completely, and had to duck into a little bookshop in the Lanes when I saw a book on Edie Sedgwick. It’s got some amazing photos of the girl herself, as well as of Andy Warhol, and the graphics and prints inside are glorious.