As a child born in the 90s, I cannot overstate just how much I love that the 90s fashion trend has made such a big comeback. Especially that I'm now at an age where I can properly enjoy and, more importantly, appreciate it in all its velvety, scrunchie-based glory.

 

If it's not clear, I really like velvet. In all colours. On any day of the week. So it's really no surprise many of my upcoming outfits for the Christmas season are centred around this little fashion crush of mine. Feeling the same way? Well here are a few of my favourite finds for all things velvet:

 



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As for me, I have a few parties and Christmassy events coming up over the next two weeks and I'm planning on maximal velvet exposure. But if you only want to dip your toe into the velvety pond, then a half up, half down hair style finished with a velvet scrunchie is an easy way to ease yourself in. Alternatively, opt for some velvet flats; these vary in colour and design across all major high street shops (and some, like the ones above, are currently in the sale too!)

If you're bold and want your velvet emblazoned across your body for the whole world to see, try some crushed velvet leggings. I myself bought a pair from H&M about a few months ago but if you're really feeling adventurous, squeeze yourself into this eye-popping pair of blue velvet leggings from Boohoo. Go on, I dare you. If there was ever a time to live by a quote from one of my favourite ever Gossip Girl episodes, it's now.  'You go, baby vamp!' -  the perfect seasonal sentiment!

 

 

Jade x

I am going to start this with a disclaimer: I am not a romantic.* I enjoy the build ups to big relationships, I like watching end-it-all declarations of passion but watching two people happily share spoonfuls of dessert? Not my kind of telly. (Sorry to any romantics out there).

 

But what does intrigue me, I have learnt this evening after watching an episode of New Girl, is the lingering chemistry between a couple that is no longer together. FYI, I really hate the word chemistry. (Can someone please think up a new word to describe that thing between two people. Buzz? Zing? Sazzle? Anything but chemistry). For those unfamiliar with New Girl, or unaware just how far behind the times the UK is, the episode formerly known as "Prince" has just aired. You know, the one with Prince in it? In an episode full of blurted out I-Love-Yous, the moment I latched onto most was between Schmidt and Cece.

 

Now, I'm not in a relationship, nor am I recently getting over a relationship so my comments are purely theoretical. But I think New Girl got it really right. There is no rule book explaining how long - if ever, in fact - that sazzle between two people lasts. (Yep, I went there). I love the way Max Greenfield plays Schmidt. He is by far my favourite character on the show and all the interactions between Schmidt and Cece are always so well written. Hannah Simone is equally talented and her Instagram feed is flawless, FYI. In the "Prince" episode, a scene unfolds between the two on a dance floor in Prince's house. Maybe it's because I have a life long love of dance, maybe it's because dance can, if infiltrated correctly, can offer touching, emotive moments in an otherwise heavily comedic half hour, but I just loved the way it was directed.

 

I don't know if you've ever had to dance up close to someone you did not foresee yourself fancying in the future, but it is one of the most awkward moments for everyone involved. (I have experience more than the average number of awkward moments which I am hoping to one day base a book upon, to make all other awkward teenagers feel better about their lives. You're welcome). It feels to me though, that it would actually be harder having to interact on that level of intimacy, with someone you are no longer supposed to be sharing such small space with. When I watched the scene play out, the comedic references to 'old friends' in light of Schmidt's hopes to gain new celebrity ones interjected a little humour but the core of the scene is, to me, very heartfelt. It instantly reminded of an episode of Gossip Girl, where Dan and Serena attend Lily and Bart's wedding ("Much 'I Do' About Nothing"). The clipped conversation that follows Serena telling Dan he can "let go now" to which he heart wrenchingly replies "I know. But I don't want to". I might be exaggerating a little on how heart wrenching it was, but the scene stayed with me long after the episode first aired. In both the cases, the couples are no longer together but are simultaneously not ready to be apart. The sazzle, the chemistry still exists but whilst Dan and Serena are mourning their (temporarily) lost love, Schmidt and Cece banter around it. I could turn this whole idea into a fully fledged essay on all the dancing in Gossip Girl alone. I won't, for the internet's sake, but I remain convinced dance is a great precursor of chemistry.

You can shove characters in a lift, sit them beside one another on a plane but I fail to see any other activity that forces two people to interact in heightened levels of public intimacy than slow rotations on a half-crowded dance floor. It's a genius plot device that often doubles up as a very poignant piece of TV.

Unless of course, you're Jennifer Lawrence and Jimmy Fallon. It is not possible for me to ever love a dance anecdote more than the one in this interview.

 

Jade x

 

* I would like to just clarify that whilst I am not a romantic, I do incidentally like romance. Of sorts. Baby gestures are better than big gestures. Some people want diamonds and matching tattoos; I'd settle for sugar ring doughnuts and dog walks in the woods. Future boyfriend, take note.

Yep, I watched Les Mis and yep, I've been listening to the soundtrack every day since. This isn't about Les Miserables however (because that post would go on forever) but instead about my endless mission to make my man hands look a little less manly.

My man hands and I have managed to break two rings within the last year so I'm always on the look out for replacements. This one was meant to be £7 I believe, but with a cheeky 25% off I could hardly say no.

The gold is actually really very bright and the red is a much richer shade of ruby than my camera has picked up. I have never heard of Susan Caplan's jewellery before but I have a feeling I'll be a keeping an eye out for more pieces in the future if this ring is anything to go by.

Now I'm not about to second guess myself, but I'm pretty sure the main reason I was drawn to this ring over some of the others on Asos was because of a subconcious memory of one Blair Waldorf. Without sounding terribly obssessed by TV, I genuinely didn't even recognise the similarity until a few days after I received the ring and Gossip Girl happened to crop up in a conversation.

But I can definitely see it now. Seems I have, once again, been fully enticed by TV. Whenever will I learn?

Never, if my obsession with Les Mis is used as an example. I think Red & Black is one of my favourite songs from the soundtrack, I'd love to think that in another world, a much braver me would definitely be at the heart of a revolution, really fighting for something I believed in. But until that happens, I shall lie on my bed and listen to this.



Over and over again. Enjoy!