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FABULOUS!

Best Dressed of the Year

From all the fashion shoots, editorials, events and candid shots this year that I have seen, only one celebrity has stood out to me the most this year as Best Dressed.

These four pictures show Drew at her best this year, my friends would tell you how much I obsessed over her massive hair in the first picture. Marilyn would be proud, just look at that massive blonde bouff! Again, the second picture, a perfect slicked pony tail with a small barbie-ish curl at the end, and the perfect Marilyn make up, topped off with the Lanvin dress. This was my ideal woman.

Thirdly, at the Grey Gardens premiere, in a 60s/70s ish outfit, hair, makeup, clothes, perfect again!

And last but not least, Drew wearing Alexander McQueen, and two tone, dip dyed hair. Now this was a risk, and it sure payed off. She is now cemented herself as my favourite actress. She practically always has been since Josie Grossey danced with herself with The Smiths playing in the background in her house awaiting an ill-fated prom date - absolute perfection yet again in that god-awful pink prom dress.

I love you, Drew.

Love Edie

With Love from Thailand......

So fellow bloggers and readers, I am off on my hols!!!! Two weeks in Thailand with my best friend Wills (Who could also be classed as a second rate diva) So I will leave you in the trusty hands of Petey to deliver all your second rate diva needs MUCHIO LOVIO.....



Love Alice

P.s I hope you all have a merry xmas and a happy new year <3 <3 <3

Alex the coolest kid on the Island!!!

The award for the coolest kid voted for by me SECOND RATE DIVA Alice goes to........

ALEX WHITTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Me and fellow second rate diva Petey work alongside Alex at HQ and well what can I say I LOVE him and he is uber cool and fills my day with utter beautyness as my partner in crime on the web team!!



I love Alex <3 <3 <3



Alex the coolest kid in east London......



Love Alice xxx

Outfit

Todays outfit was one of my favourites I've worn the last coupla months, mainly because I incorporated many corker items together and managed to pull it off well...

First off, a bit of fur and a faux leather studded Zara biker jacket. perfection, of course.

 

Second, my little project. My fabulous shoulder sweeper things. Made from two necklaces. They look amazing, of course, and with a bit of help from Alice this morning, I stitched the last stitch and they are firmly in place. I can shimmy away and whip some bitches into place if I do so please. Very well done to me. Alice claimed I got the inspiration for this tee from a Zara top that is in their new look book, however, I got this idea from Michael Jackson, so Alice can keep her comments to herself.

Lastly my Nike Terminators. They were limited edition, and I managed to get them for £40, I believe this was a fault by Urban Outfitters, they retail for well over £100, and I could probably still get that on E-Bay. They are black leather with gold studs on the back and a beautiful shiny gold tick. Perfect. This picture is from a fashion project I did a while back, but whenever I shove on the dunks, I think of the angles of my perfect modelling and photography, haha.

Now is time for bed. I finished packing and now I have about 10 bags and a massive duvet to lug to my car tomorrow morning. If I fall to my death on the icy steps in the style of Death Becomes Her, then Alice, you can have my Vivienne wallet.

Packing -> Portsmouth

So I am packing for my trip back to Portsmouth, that's right, driving home for Christmas and all that shebang. I hate packing, however. I have far too many essential items to pack light, and far too many clothes to choose from to even think about getting a train, so Donatella (My car - she's burnt orange in colour, you see) is going to feel like it's carrying an elephant for goodness sake!

I have packed up my staff shop suitcase, only £5 for this cute, nautical case, with all my tops, I have my Marc Jacobs PAN AM filled with my jeans, and my leather Comme Ca Ism filled with accessories. I don't even know what I'm going to carry my shoes in, I'll get to that one tomorrow... And let's not forget products! oh dear... But must carry on, I have bought plenty this past week, I will show you a few items...

2 Fabulous tees from staff shop again, both available at River Island for £25 each, I love them both, they are very ME tees if you know what I mean, the kind of thing that I would wear on a lazy day, but would also dress up with layers and my usual skin tight jeans.

The best bargain so far this week, my Jamin Puech double wallet thingy, It's real leather and studded, and a staff shop dream boat, I knew instantly that I wanted it when I picked it from the shelf, and I am very happy with my little gem.

More staff shop goodies, mainly bought last week, all watches available from River Island again, I have had SO MANY compliments about the gold watch with the pink face, I knew from the second I saw this watch in the photo studio that I adored it, I could not wait to have that beautiful nightmare on my wrist, and whence I found it in the wonderful staff shop, I grabbed it straight away and paid ASAP. The pocket watch has also been a long time dream of mine, I have had it a few weeks now, and not even worn it, I need to incorporate this somehow. The last watch is the studded strap with the clock face carefully disguised in one of the oversized studs. It's a great watch as it doesn't look like a watch at all. Well done me.

And my military jacket that fits like a dream boat, again from, you've guessed it, staff shop! Hooray! I have a military jacket already, but I could not resist, I love a bit of military, it'll never plonk out of fashion, ever, and a great, quality coat is always useful in these snowy times.

Onto other items, not bought in the fantastic staff shop. This scarf was purchased at H&M in the sale, it's only £3, so go out and find yourself one. I love how it's all scraggly, a bit grungey which is very me. I love a bit of fur, so I could not resist this bargain. I also got one for Alice dearest so we can be faux furred up together.

Some Lush temple balm. apparently this one will make me go WHOOSH! I have yet to try it, but it smells divine, kind of like medicine, lemon and honey. I hope it has the desired effect when I'm feeling a bit crap, like I have been with this strange fluey feeling I've had the past few days...

 And now my favourite item of all. I was not expecting to buy this at all. My dear friend James very generously offered for me to buy this wallet from him as he bought it for a friend only to find it was an unwanted gift on his friends behalf (how ungrateful). It is 100% genuine as is my smile, I got this for a great price with thanks to a few connections on James' behalf. so there we have it. My first Viv Westwood, and soon enough, hopefully, I'll have my pirate boots, thanks again to a very well connected friend ;)

It's funny though, last week when I went on a shop-a-thon with my dearest Bob, I saw this wallet in Liberty of London and was very annoyed at the price as I wouldn't dare spend so much on a small wallet, and this week, I now have the wallet with the help of an unwanted gift, coincidence? I say it was simple meant to be.

And Here is a little sneak peek of my outfit tomorrow. The jacket is a staff shop purchase of course, very 70's and very big shoulder pads, what more could I ask for? and the black and gold item? Well that's what I've been working on the past few days, it should have been oh-so-simple, but with my tragic brain with it's illness, it took me 2 days to realize how I was going to create this masterpiece! I cannot wait to wear it to work tomorrow, will update with pics tomorrow ;)

Enough of my packing antics already...

God Save The Queen

This was my clothing Mood today.........

Punky, slogan t-shirts, messy hair, and lots of Westwood! :)

Sex Pistols by alieliw88 featuring Vivienne Westwood accessories

Items in this set:
Check Strapless Bralet, $40
1977 Punk Tee, 15 GBP
Notify Sequined skinny jeans, $595
Punk Rock Clothing - Angry, Young and Poor, $7.50
Pelle Moda Deluca Bootie - Black, $180

Love Alice

WANT OF THE WWEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!

So this week I am majorly longing and lusting over this 'House of gods' Debbie Harry AKA Blondie oversized tee from ASOS £40, which I would wear with leggings or tights and some cute brogues!

Me and second rate diva Petey are IN LOVE with Debbie Harry, Peter has more then twelve Debbie Harry t-shirts!



Love Alice

Polyvore

Well Well I have just used Polyvore for the first time today!! And I LOVE it such a good way to get to create some wonderful mood boards! LOVE LOVE LOVE this is sssoooo my new addiction!!! :)

Here is my 'Nude Chic' which I have been creating whilst watching Coco before Chanel.



Love Alice - Polyvore newest addition!!!

Weekend again!

So anyway. The weekend had just finished, of course, and my Blogger dashboard has only just decided to work when I am at my most sleepy! But I will still update a small piece for you lot, and create an amazing piece tomorrow!

Thursday, of course was the staff party! Singing Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights with Charlotte in our home made Peter Pan and Cheshire Cat outfits has to be the highlight of the night, especially being booed off stage by that second rate Diva AKA Alice!! How dare she infringe on such talent!
As the DJ faded out the music after the first chorus, he did question: Who the hell thought that was a good idea?
I told him to shut up of course. Me and Charlotte are way before our time, I'm sure.
Other antics with the purple cat include some amazing pole dancing. The bouncer wouldn't let us on stage at first, but 2 seconds later was called to the bar to sort some kerfuffle out, and in perfect timing with the lyrics to Britney - Slave 4 U, Charlotte took my hand, rushed up the steps to the stage and screamed "HERE WE GO NOW" - one of my favourite lines from the song. Coincidence? I think NOT.
Anyway, after launching ourselves at the pole for a good twenty minutes and spinning around until our free white wine spritzers were on the way up and out, we gave up and decided to go to the karaoke bar again, but this not to sing, but just to make tits our ourselves dancing away. Oh well, That's what staff parties are for. That and stamping on Alice's pet dog that she clutched onto all night while dressed as Cruella Deville!

Anyway, Saturday involved a very lazy day after working on Friday and nearly killing myself after eating enough for 5 days, but wait, another party to attend. More like a small gathering in Brixton at my friend Bob's flat. It was another amazing night, but my glands had totally swelled up so the night was more about eat-eat-eating again to try and build up some reserves incase I get ill... Whatever helps me sleep at night, eh?

Me and Bob exchanged gifts - I got her many fabulous pieces of jewelry from River Island and ASOS, a kitten teasing comb especially made to bouff her fabulous hair, and a fabulous vintagesque bag from UrbanOutfitters... Bob got me a KARL LAGERFELD TEE! I am so excited to wear it - maybe on Christmas day? It features his fabulous face on it, in a screen printed manner. Bob also got me a bottle of Absolut Vodka in an AMAZING leather unitard with little bronze studs on it, I so want to make it into a gimp mask, it's amazing!!! Bob always says those little studs remind her of me, as I have always worn a studded belt with the buckle round the back dating back to my greebo days. Love studs.

All that was good and well, until Sunday, after eating a massive hash brown sandwich and watching the Diva herself - Beyonce - showing JHud what for in Dreamgirls, I realized it was 4pm, and I still had a small bit of Christmas shopping to do.

I did a mad dash to Oxford circus, Lush, Marks and Spencer, Superdrug, Topshop, PriMark and Selfridges and managed to get all the presents I needed to get peeps, and a few very important pieces for myself, 2 necklaces which I am going to make something very special with - or rather, I have already made it as soon as I got home, you just need to await the pictures...
Anyway, while rushing back to my car to drive home, I fell arse over tit right in to the snow. a proper movie type fall, legs flying into the air and everything. I never do things by halves, I never just fall onto my knees or my bum, I have to do a proper banana slip onto the ground, whilst clutching at five hundred shopping bags and scrambling right up and then tottering to my car to drive away and DIE!

And here we are, wrapping presents and watching Mona Lisa smile, and me about to down a fudge hot chocolate and a bottle of night nurse and pray I wake up feeling one million times better with no more pain from pole dancing... GOOD NIGHT!

The Christmas Party Season!!

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS... WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! And all that Jazz

Well I actually prefer the line... "You scumbag you maggot you cheap lousey faggot Happy Christmas you arse I pray god it's our last"

So this week has been truely HECTIC with a capital H for me and fellow second rate diva Petey!!! We have been none stop in and out of work with christmas related tasks clogging up our lives!! So I truley apologise for the sheer lack of blogging!!!! So today I thought I would give you a run down of my social event calender this week....

Tuesday I had dinner with some wonderful friends Sarah, Lauren and Becky. We did a Secret Santa between the four of us and well Sarah was my Santa and well her present I don't think I can even bring myself to tell you what she brought me!!!! So I think I am going to keep you in suspense!

Wednesday I spent with some of my Girlfriends from school and we had a takeaway and exchanged prezzies!!! SO I was full of christmas cheer, my FAV things is receiving prezzies :) and I got everything that I wanted!!

Coco before Chanel on DVD, Twilight on DVD, Florence and the Machines Lungs, Paloma Faith Do you want the truth or something beautiful?, and a book on Marilyn Monroe!



Also on Wednesday we had our Christmas lunch at work which was wonderful, we got to spend two hours away from our desk AND we got wine!!! So thumbs up all round on the web team! Take a look at the festive bunch....





Keep a look out on http://comedinewithfe.blogspot.com/ for a full low down on a christmas meal :)

So Wednesday in HQ was buzzing all day as we had all drunk and eaten and swapped prezzies and Thursday was our Christmas party!! YAY SO everyone was doing last min prep to get into there costumes and we where all in good Spirits.

THURSDAY xmas party time!! The theme was 'Dead Famous' so the web team mastered up a marvelous theme that would guarantee us to win best dressed Walt Disney and we could all play an individual character (which we didn't FYI we lost out to a 'Titanic' theme which I had previously laughed at in the week and branded a 'weak' idea)



Anyhow.... after much discussion etc etc I came up with the idea I needed to play a character that was most like me so I choose Cruella Deville!!! I am only joking I would NEVER wear real fur especially not cute lil dalmations. Well I am sure you could guess what Peter went as... Peter Pan (any excuse to wear tights)



Personally my FAV FAV FAV FAV FAV outfit of the night goes to Charlotte from the web team!! I think she looks utterly fabulous in her Cheshire cat outfit! Which took her 4 long hours to make....



The party itself was all very fabulous as you can imagine (of course it was with a free bar!) Which you could imagine me and Peter took FULL advantage of... So when they announced that you couldn't take drinks on the dance floor me and divatron Peter took that as down you drink booty pop to beyonce and go get another one!!!

So Friday seemed like the longest day in history and there where sore heads all round! All in all no broken bones and no one got sacked!! Good times!!! :)

Love Alice AKA Cruella

Photo Day

Wednesday is a day when Alice and I pick a favourite photograph / editorial / advertisement / digital image - whatever you want to call it, and post our thoughts on it.

Today I choose my most favourite photo of all time, and favourite magazine cover of all time. They happen to be the same photo.

 That's right. Lindsay Lohan, shot my geniuses Mert and Marcus.

Everything about this cover calls to me. The typography, the composition, the mast head, colours and layout. Many of you may detest Lohan, but I have always had a soft spot for the train wreck, and an even bigger spot for Interview Magazine. I try and get every issue, but thanks to a subscription I don't have to worry about finding it at Brent Cross WHSmith, I can get it shipped straight to me house, thank the Lord!!

Anyway, Since Fabien Baron took control of Interview magazine last year, it has turned into something amazing. The layout of every page screams fashion, Some fashion magazines should take note and employ me to recreate their layouts *cough*BritishVogue-yesidoloveyou,butsortyourlayoutout*cough*

But Ive heard news that Fabien is out. He doesn't care I'm sure, but what will new look Interview magazine be like? Only time will tell...

The latest Interview magazine features Penelope Cruz on it's cover... Nothing can beat Lohan though...

Living for the Weekend!!!!!!

So sorry that I did not blog this weekend! I literally didn't stop from Friday night all the way through to Monday morning..... Don't worry I got a good telling off from my fellow second rate diva Peter the second I stepped in the office!! He didn't even give me a chance to get much much needed morning coffee fix!!!!

So I am truely making up now... SO Friday night mine and Peteys pay day destination: Westfeilds (STANDARD) needed a dress for Saturday night! I had seen a Mango dress on ASOS.com but when I went to purchase it had sold out!!!! You can imagine my total shock and horror, you could probably hear my shreaks running through HO in timbuck two!! But never fear mine and Peters trusty work collegue Pitchfork saved the day and popped to Westfeilds and reserved me one!!!!

This is me in my dress from Mango £35 I love it I think it is very All Saints (without the price tag) and it has a lace print on it which I think looks sssoo nice and on trend without looking like a boring plain black lace dress which we aaallll own.

This is me on Saturday night FYI!!!







I accessorised with my staff shop find of the decade!! This wonderful watch which I haven't actually taken of since I found it!! I totally love the face on it etc etc! The bag I wore was anothered beaded staff shop find... I think it looked vintage and cute and went well with my outfit!!!



I had a wonderful evening with my old work friends who all looked absolutley gorge!!! Check out what the girls are wearing....

From Left to right: Hayley (Not 100% sure where Hayleys outfit was from but she look blooming gorgeous) Lauren wears a pinky nude dress from Topshop. Becky wears a gorgeous black sequinned dress from Warehouse. I am in my Mango dress! Sarah wears a Warehouse dress which was also gorgeous but I think we merged into one when we stood next to each other. And last but not least Hannah Moon Fox wears her standard Topshop get up and go!!!



Love Alice x0x0

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I have two Happy Birthdays to yell about!!!! Tara Sonner and Hayley Stewart both DEVOTED readers to secondratediva!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I have FOUND Carmen Sandiego."

Go Fug Yourself never ceases to amuse.

Weekend

So let me catch you up on this past weekend.

Friday evening started off with a bang. Pay Day, of course, for Alice and I at least. So of course, A trip to Westfield and a Wagamama was number 1 on the agenda.

First stop was Mango. Alice got to Westfield about 10 minutes before me and was hassling me to  get to Mango ASAP! I have stuff to do, and that silly second rate diva was rushing me, I swear I nearly walking into a glass door with all that rushing about.

Anyway, Alice got a very beautiful and flattering dress, but I'll let her post about that one. I saw this Tee. Siouxsie, that number 1 diva is featured, and sheer polka dots running throughout the whole tee finish the fabulous look. What I did not like was the text: "REVOLUTION IS MY BOYFRIEND"... Seriously... WTF? I would have bought this if it had not been for this stupid text and font featured, Mango, you've let yourselves down.

After a little shop, a trip to Wagamama was in need. I got the Katsu Curry and I couldn't care less what Alice got, mine took about 20 minutes to arrive. And guess what, half way through eating, I litereally blacked out. I had to tell Alice to stop talking, I couldn't see or hear her after all. Was a very scary moment for me, and so we finished up and I rushed over to Waitrose and bought 2 multi packs of Kit Kats to munch on for the rest of the shopping trip. I don't think I actually bought anything after all the drama. I tried on the Kurt Geiger, Vivienne Westwood inspired boots I blogged about a few weeks back, and my legs are way too skinny for them, so that dream is dead and gone. Deffo want the Viv's, black with nude buckles please.

After leaving Westfield with nothing - at least I don't think I bought anything, I needed SLEEP in order to start another shopping adventure on Saturday in London with my friend Bob.

But before Saturday was to begin, I bought 2 new pairs of glasses online at GlassesDirect.co.uk as the two pairs I have are great but I like variety. I have a bright orange Calvin Klein pair, I think they are amazing and really flatter, however, I cannot wear these every day. I can hear the comments now "Oh my God, here comes that boy with the orange glasses AGAIN!!!" I've had them for about 4 years now, and that same comment runs through my head every time I wear them - like anybody would actually think that anyway? And I have a pair of 50's esque, navy blue glasses. But because I am quite a 50s-a-holic, I decided to crank up 2 new pairs to rock out in. My Mum will be very pleased with them I can tell you, As My ma and pa grew up and lived the 50's, I have always asked them what they would wear back in the day to get inspiration for my own outfits. I remember asking my Ma about 5 years ago how to make my skinny jeans skinnier, she said sit in a tub, I said "don't be so silly" so I ran them through the sewing machine, and made them so tight I had to cut myself out of them!!! oh to be 17 again, eh?? anyway, here's the two pairs I bought:

I cannot wait to get both pairs, I bet they both look totally hideous, but oh well, free delivery and free returns, can't complain!!!

ANYHOW...

Bob and me always have the best days out, Ever. No doubt about it. Whenever I hear Bob a'calling my name, I come a'running! We spent the day shopping in Oxford Circus, silly I know, but the day was also spent with us plebbing about, me walking into a mirror in H&M (I wasn't paying attention at all, and thought my reflection was somebody else walking towards me, I was about to look up and tell the unidentified person to give me some space, and before I realized what I was doing, smack, my arm hit the mirror! oops) and singing Shakira and Black Eyed Peas all day with our awfully shrill voices.

Saturday was a much better for the shopathon. I ended up buying my Mother two very exciting and beautiful gits that come in little blue boxes if you know what I mean ;) And I purchased for myself a H&M tee that I have been lusting over for about 2 months but could never find in my size...

AMAZING! Very simple, but the embellished detail really works for me, and at £12.99, I cannot complain at all.

I was also pleased to find out that H&M have started selling their suits in 34R, which is still a little too big on my chest, but it fits my shoulders perfectly, I have very broad shoulders, more like the shoulders of a blazer in the size of 38R but being a 34, I find it very difficult to find things that fit, but thankfully with inexpensive stores like Topman and H&M now doing smaller sizes, it's easier to find an inconstancy in a blazer that will have slightly larger shoulders, therefore fitting my chest and shoulders and making me a very happy boy. Confusing, much?

COS also provided me with a bit of wrist candy, this bracelet is a stunning piece of work. For £12.99, I had to have it, it is made up of about 500 small chains creating one big bracelet that looks perfectly grungey and glamourous on my wrist. And can I just say, the new COS website is amazing. I would love to know how they made it, they way it sweeps to the different areas of the site when you click a link in the navigation bar. The website building geek is coming out of me now, I do love making a website.

I also bought a few things from Swarovski Crystallized with the intention of making a few gifts for relatives for Christmas, won't got into too much detail about that in case they see this blog, but they look amazing, I made them last night with the tools I bought from John Lewis for jewelery making. Inexpensive, personalized and Swarovski gifts will make everybody happy at Christmas.

Anyway, after much walking around, Bob had to leave at 7ish so I decided to stay on for another hour and look around the shops more, everywhere was a lot less busy around this time which made me a lot happier because I got to look around the shops hassle free, but I had to leave at 8ish because my feet felt like they needed reconstructive surgery! They still do, every time I step it feels like they are going to implode!

Anyway, to wrap up the weekend, I went to St Albans today for a little more shopping, I  lost my stupid parking chip and had to pay £5 for the pleasure of doing so. Oh well, at least it's only £1 for the whole day to park there, so it wasn't so bad, I think about the amount of times when I've not paid at all when I should have, it's purely karma coming back to bite me on the arse for getting away with free parking all them other times. argh. Oh well, I believe I have finished my Christmas shopping once and for all for this year, now to begin on next year. The Boxing day sales is the best time to begin, so I'm saving my pennies awaiting that day...