Retro style

A face like that…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

If, like me, you find your vision is increasingly weak with each passing year you will understand the importance of excellent specs. The entire world is just a messy blur when I remove my glasses. Thus, I have to wear them every second I wish to actually see. As a person who finds it difficult to commit to one style, a permanent accessory can be tricky. Enter Where.light, the answer to all my spectacle prayers.

Folk always think I’m getting paid to talk about Where.light because I’m so enthusiastic. I’m not; they’re just that good. They have the widest range of frames (from plain to me & beyond) at the most reasonable prices. The prescription lenses are spot on and they’ll even do you tinted prescription for hardly any extra. If you wear glasses and you don’t check them out you are a fool.

ly h Kerr glasses

Anyway, In times of flux I reach for new frames like others reach for a new hair do. My hair is unchanging, my face fashion can always be shaken up. This time I opted for really big, really bright & kind of sparkly. I’m in love.

ly h Kerr big specs

There’s some light, think you need it…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

I knew Mother’s Day was going to be tough this year. Since I always over think every little thing, I did spend some time dwelling on that in the run up to Sunday. Occasionally my inability to switch my thoughts off serves me well, this was just such an instance.

It didn’t change how sad I felt, but I did stumble upon a new strategy. Simply put, I’m going to try my damnedest to have more fun. My life is not really all that easy (who’s is?). There’s a lot of pain, exhaustion, stress & large scale disappointment. None of which I can control. I’ve had to make some huge adjustments in my life expectations this year and that is, well, a process. I can’t change the fundamentals of my situation. I can let go a little bit. I can allow myself to please just me more of the time and I am going to.

Glasgow new beginning

I’m going to date. For fun, god help me. I’m not seeking a soul mate or partner. The aim is merely to find some amusing people I can do enjoyable things with. Hopefully without anyone making too many demands. I’m reviewing all my filed away lists of things I’ve always wanted to do and bloody well jumping on anything that is actually doable. Efforts will be made to ditch the guilt. I’m going to say more no’s to the things I do for the benefits of others that cut me in two. Plus a lot more yes’s to anything & everything that makes me feel good. To hell with the rules or convention. Life is going to fuck me regardless, I might as well squeeze as out as much glee as I can along the way.

With that in mind I began my week with a jaunt to Edinburgh to see my favourite man. Friends who will let you say anything and always leave you feeling better than they found you are magnificent. So, I soaked up too many glasses wine & just enough of his loveliness to give me a major boost. I followed up with the an almost perfect day at the farm. Watching my baby nephew discover the world is a truly beautiful experience. The tiny goats were also worth the trip.

ly h Kerr, Castle st, empty glassesBuchanan st, Pygmy goat, baba & a chicken

I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck now. It’s going to take some recovery days to get back to ‘normal’. My ratio of doing to resting isn’t what I’d hope for. I’m giving myself permission to use some of those good days for pure frivolity.

ly h Kerr

Truth will mess…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

I’ve scaled back my ‘social engagements’ of late for various reasons, meaning note worthy outfits have been sparse. If I’m not in my jammies I’m doing medical nonsense or carry on with the little ones. High fashion has not been my go to.

Upping my #ootd game on my mind I planned something cute, did my hair & painted face. Then I made the stupid mistake of waiting until the end of a baba filled day to take any pictures. The rain wrecked my hair, I look frazzled and I’m really not loving how my arms look. I was going to abandon posting this look, but then it occurred to me that this is life. Flabby scarred arms, crumpled clothes & tired everything are reality. All the things you do to make the mess are worth more than the perfect picture anyway.

ly h KerrBaby playing

Close up eating broccoli ly h KerrBabies lunching

You’re my favourite…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves ~ 2 Comments

I’m still a little bit in holiday mode. I’m struggling a bit with some hardcore fatigue and have given myself until Monday to get back into gear. I didn’t want to leave a gap here, so I settled on the epitome of new year posts; the round-up. My 2018 favourites, if you want to get specific.

I started the year reading what turned out to be one of my favourite books of the year. ‘The Love of a Bad Man’ by Laura Elizabeth Woollett is a collection of short stories that tells the fictionalised (based on real events) account of the women who paired up with some of history’s most notorious bad men. When I say bad, I mean completely evil. It’s dark, but so original. We rarely get an insight into the lives of women caught in the drag of historical men. These imagined tellings of their relationships and (often destroyed) lives is compelling.

The love of a bad man

My favourite beauty buy (who am I?) this year was bought early on too. It was a super cheap ebay experiment that had amazing results. I have long yearned for a dramatic winged eyeliner look. Alas I have never possessed the requisite skills. Enter my new friend, the eyeliner stamp. It took only a few attempts to perfect the perfect flick. I can now cheat my way to amazing eye flare.

Eye liner stamper ly h Kerr eyeliner flicks

By spring we were already engulfed in a heat wave. The Toyboy & I took advantage of sun & slipped off on a mini break. Kilberry Bay, Tarbert is just stunning. We enjoyed a few peaceful days surrounded by the most beautiful nothing. With a deserted beach so pretty that it’s used as a wedding venue and a gorgeous view of Islay, Kilberry was the ideal spot for a rejuvenating getaway.  I find the sound of the tide swooshing on the sand desperately romantic, thus this became my favourite trip of 2018.

Kilberry Bay

Summer brought more sun and No Shame. Lily Allen’s eagerly awaited fourth album. I’ve always loved Lily’s witty lyrics and wry honesty. No Shame ups the auntie on all of that, a lyrical description of the collapse of a marriage, juggling motherhood, work & living. All is laid bare with, you guessed, it no shame. Just lashings of reality. Each track pulsing with the guilt, hope & grit of life.

No Shame

I took until August to hit the outfit jackpot. The Edinburgh Festival was a masterclass in packing light as I knew I’d have to carry my back pack on the final day. Thus I had to think clever when it came to styling. I ticked all the boxes with this sheer/retro combo. I even managed to make my walking stick look almost cool in this picture. Which is quite a feat, believe me, navigating Edinburgh with a stick is not smooth going.

ly h Kerr Ed fringe

Last, but most definitely not lost least is my favourite day of the year. February 6th was without a doubt the most magical day of 2018. That’s the day my amazing little sister brought her adorable little man into the world. He has been a complete joy every day since. New babas to love will always be the best thing life can offer, so ’18 was a stellar year.

ly h Kerr baba nephew

Because the revolution’s here…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves ~ 2 Comments

I had a busy busy Friday culminating in date night. Sadly for my tired face all that bustle meant I only had about 45 minutes to execute operation pretty. Given the limitations I think I polished up not bad.

ly h Kerr, before & after

You can’t really go wrong with red lips & a high side pony. A taxi selfie sessions hyped me up & I arrived to meet the Toyboy with some pep in my step. We had a munch at a casual Mexican place before heading down a lane for some live music.

Mexican food & the toyboy

Quote of the dead, project post it, street art, smoke & lights

The gig was boisterous (see previous post) & my outfit was a new frontier. Yup, I’ve finally succumbed to the crop too revolution. I ordered this skeleton number (size up, it’s small) for Halloween, but couldn’t resist wearing it as soon as it arrived. I styled it with a retro swing skirt because I rather like pairing things that just don’t go together. I finished the look with my faux biker jacket & leopard print lace ups because you might as go all out on the mis match.

ly h Kerr, crop top & stereo

Skirt – Lindy Bop

Crop Top – Boohoo

Shoes – Just Fab

I bloody loved it. I’m also delighted with this ‘should be an outtake’ photograph. The TB has managed to grab my feeling myself attitude with this not quite ready pic. It was a fun night that continued with a lot of late night carry on when we got home. It may have taken me all of Saturday to recover, but you’ve got to misbehave sometimes, right?

Part of the reason I’ve been so busy is I have been watching my brother’s dog, Ringo, this week. He has squeezed himself into a cat bed every single night. Bronan watched on in distain as he has never lowered himself to sleep in the thing.

Ringo in a cat bed

People’s parties…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

On Saturday I had two parties to attend. One big event is enough to stress me out, so a 1st & 40th on the same Saturday had me more than a little worked up. I did actually manage to have fun & I think (hope) I pulled off two cool looks too.

First up was my best friend’s baby’s 1st birthday. I’m in still in shock that my tiny Madison is one already. I honestly feel like I’m living in fast forward. Anyway, she was an adorable birthday girl. Her party was incredibly cute & all the little people in attendance were a delight. Since it was a children’s event I went for a slightly whimsical outfit. All the colours & petticoat as a skirt was my choice.

ly h Kerr

Petticoat – Lindy Bop

Top – Asos

Cardi – Primark

Sophie the giraffe birthday cake

Sister, bestie & their babies.
I know the best babies.

I didn’t have much time to get organised for the next event. So, the plan was to change outfit, amp up the eye make up and reapply my lipstick. I somehow managed to create my dream grey glitter eye including winged liner. Unfortunately as it was a bit of a fluke it’s possible I’ll never recreate it. Thus, I intend to enjoy these pictures incase it never happens again. Clothes wise I settled on a dress I’ve had for years, but only worn once. The Toyboy thinks it looks like a gladiator dress & I’m very ok with that. I’m afraid I didn’t get a full length picture, but you can get a good look here. Another of my siblings turning 40 necessitated the drinking of many shots, which scuppered outfit photos. I did of course document my sexy smokey eyes & fun was had by all. Not least my big bro, who even took the dance floor.

ly h Kerr, smokey eye

40th birthday cake & lights ly h Kerr, mum & sis

Dress – Asos Curve

Shrug – Monsoon

Happy Birthday Kevin & Madison. Now I need the rest of the month off before I’m ready for the anniversary of my own birth.

Woman of the week…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

This week’s celebrated woman is someone I have the pleasure of knowing. She is a bopo goddess, a thrifting maven, accomplished public speaker & possibly the bubbliest person I’ve ever met. Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you Hayley Angell.

I met Hayley at a blogger event in Glasgow & was instantly impressed by her vintage look. I was also a little intimated by her polished confidence. I don’t find these events very easy. I have a lot of anxiety around new people & situations. I have even more anxiety about hiding my discomfort. The moment I spoke to Hayley I felt more at ease. Her sincere warmth allowed me to collect myself & have a good time.

Taking Shape blogger event, Glasgow

I obviously immediately commenced following her on social media and have done so since. Hayley’s accounts are bursting with life affirming energy. Her honesty about her body positive journey; discarding control garments, trying new activities & generally enjoying her body is inspiring. She recently discussed her experiences as a plus size women taking burlesque classes. Despite outward proclamations of inclusivity she still felt it was assumed that fat women would be less assured. She got the sense that fatter folk were quietly ushered into the background. It takes guts to be open about this stuff. Even more to be honest about how often we convince ourselves that we belong at the back of class. Thus, she used her Instagram account to launch #stepforward a reminder to all plus size people that we are worthy of taking up space & being seen.

The Body Positive community has given me so much. I always want to say thank you to those who inspire me. I also want to spread their work because I know it can bring others happiness. Hayley is one of those fabulous women who can help you change how you see yourself. She is an insta must follow.

Hayley Angell

*

Bopo aside Hayley is, as I mentioned, a thrifting magician. Her Instagram is worth following for her second hand style alone. If you need tips on trawling the charity shops for fashion gold, Hayley is your woman. If you simply enjoy seeing a person enjoy themselves & clothes, she is still your gal.

I’ve only met Hayley in person once, but I would not be without her online presence in my life. For a shot of genuine self love, go press those follow buttons.

* Photo credit : Hayley Angell

Drift like a cloud through the festival crowd…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves ~ 2 Comments

On Monday the Toyboy & I headed off for our annual (it’s the 2nd year, that counts, right?) trip to the Edinburgh Fringe. Three days of exhausting, but fabulous adventures ensued.

Our first show of the 2018 fringe was Phil Jupitus is Porky the Poet in Living in A World Where They Through the Ducks at the Bread . That title is quite a mouth full as was some of this show, but in a good way. I’ll be honest, I only really knew Jupitus from Never Mind the Buzzcocks & it turns out I like his poetry much more than I liked that programme. His poetic style is silly & witty & heartwarming. His in between chat is also all of the above. I’m a spoken word/poetry fan, but I think even poetry virgins would enjoy Porky’s words. Oh & bonus I got a free badge that sums me up fairly accurately.

Troubled poet badge

Voodoo Rooms is a perfect example of example of Edinburgh Festival venues. It’s down a lane, riddled with stairs & you’re packed in tight enough to lose circulation in your extremities. We made the mistake of trusting directions of a stranger (male, why can they never admit they don’t know?). We walked around in a massive circle before discovering the venue was about 2 minutes from where we started & on arrival I realised I had actually known where it was all along; I just didn’t know the street name. Anyway, what I’m trying to tell you is this is a quintessential festival experience. Finding most venues will become a magical mystery tour of possibly the least disabled friendly city in the world. Everything is up a hill & 3 dozen stairs. Spoonies beware or budget for a lot of taxis!

We acted the tourist for a little bit; had a lunch from a food truck & bought Edinburgh rock. Then I tortured the TB with outfit pictures before an outfit change & catching up with some Edinburgh based friends. After a few cocktails & much hilarity we headed off to our last show of the day.

ly h Kerr Edinburgh Fringe 2018

Edinburgh Fringe 2018 random sights

The Waverley is just off bottom end of the Royal Mile. It looks like it hasn’t been decorated since 60’s & feels like it might house a tiny part of real festival spirit. In the upstairs room there was a sparse audience & a life size cut out of Billy Conolly declaring ‘This is where I started’. I’m not sure if that’s inspiring or just a kick in teeth to those playing a quiet room, but the woman we came to see gave it a spirited try. Becky Fury (that’s her real name) hinted that she perhaps wasn’t having her best night, but she did have some interesting takes on current state of politics. I suspect the show that emerges from her Edinburgh run will be more polished than Lip Salve for the Soul. In the meantime her Star Wars movie via Corbyn memes was funny. Her visual display of how dehumanisation happens, somehow Hillary Clinton faired worse in polls than terrorists, was insightful. Plus her off the cuff material on my breasts was actually pretty fucking amusing. Anyone who can make ‘that’s how genocide happens’ a punchline & get me to laugh when the size of my tits is publicly discussed has got to have talent. I’d say book early for her 2019 show, it’ll be a cracker.

Billy Connolly edfringe cardboard cut out

With only two shows under our belts we grabbed some very expensive fast food & headed back to our apartment. We needed a bit of rest because Tuesday was jam packed. Stay tuned for everything from medieval disco theatre to serial killer book podcasts all viewed with eyes adorned in razor sharp liner.

ly h Kerr & Toyboy

American idiot…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves ~ 5 Comments

I included a picture of this outfit in a post a few weeks ago & I got few questions about it. So, thought I’d do a full outfit post on it. I call this look protest chic.

I was combining my Friday night out with an anti Trump protest. I wanted to look great whilst I used my voice for good. I was also dying to try out this amazing lace body suit.

ly h Kerr, Anti Trump rally, Glasgow

Bodysuit – Boohoo

Skirt – Lindy Bop

I’ve definitely gotten bolder with sheer fabrics this year. I think I used to be wary partly because I’m fat, but more so because I have huge breasts. Over the years I’ve absorbed a lot of negative messages about not showing too much in that area. I’ve always raged against the notion that if I wear a low cut top my boobs are fair game. I still felt like lots of styles were automatically off limits to someone of my (breast) size. I’m so glad I’ve pushed against those limits; I feel & look great in the new styles I’ve been trying.

ly h Kerr
ly h Kerr, close up

Sunglasses – Where.Light

Necklace – Fuck the Tories

Bra – Yours clothing

I like your spunk pin – Spunk Rock

I absolutely adore the look of this bodysuit, but it is a bit tricky to wear. It isn’t very long, so if you’re on the taller side it’s a fidgety one to get fastened. It’s also a bit of a faff to wear as I had to keep adjusting to keep my more bra than I wanted popping out. If you’re thinking of buying it, I’d recommend sizing up.

Summer loving…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves ~ 1 Comment

Wedding season is in full swing & I attended my first nuptials of the year on Saturday. The sun was shining, the bride was glowing & I debuted possibly the cutest dress that ever existed. Not to make it all about me, but I was adorable.

From the cute mint green colour to the delightful jungle print, this dress was a winner. Add a rainbow petticoat & you’re into super awesome territory.

Dress – Lindy Bop

Shrug – Monsoon

Petticoat – Lindy Bop

Yes, those are tigers & parrots & a wild jungle woman. Yes, this is best dress you’ve ever seen.

I was also responsible for selecting the Toyboy’s Outfit. Thus he looked incredibly cool & handsome. I went for linen in grey tones & it worked. He garnered many compliments & I couldn’t wait to get him home.

Trousers – Next

Shirt – Next

Jacket – Burton

The wedding itself was lovely. The humanist ceremony was very personal & romantic. The setting was pretty & the bride looked stunning. We had a lot of fun hanging out with the Tb’s family. Special mention to Michael who got involved in the tequila & who definitely reads this blog.

Cheers!