13.9.10

what's NEXT: my very own pop up shop




Next has always been a brand I've felt good about, which is why I'm doing this. But lately, it's really capturing my imagination. (More about that in my next post. Ha! Get it? Next?)

Anyway, I love this concept: in conjunction with the NEW NEXT ADVERT (click here), we're doing this post. It has really brought out the girl playing with Barbie Dolls side of me. When the lovely Next people explained the idea, I was like, I'm in. And it was bizarrely the same day I saw Jackie wearing that gorgeous jumper tunic from Next. Serendipity.

This so captures my imagination, because it's all about looking at eleven photographs of models wearing clothes and accessories (all by Next: the same looks as in the new Paris commercial that launched) and then making a quick decision of four looks that are my style. I found it really easy to choose, I knew the looks that screamed ME, and sent it off within minutes.

And then, I panicked. One look was that style that always trips me up: the fifties flare skirt. The model had a tiny waist and was wearing ballerina pink and black.. let's face it, I am a straight up and down girl, with a sixties silhouette, not fifties. What was I thinking? So I changed for the third look: skinny jeans and a jumper. Classic with a slight rock chick twist. This is my final choice:



Now comes the hard part: which items should I choose to actually own (up to £100 total)? I've become slightly obsessed. Any suggestions? I can basically get anything but the Aviator jacket.

Getting dressed - fashion - style - is so like cooking for me. I'm in the mood for a combination of flavours, textures, and then it's a question of getting the balance right. It's impulsive, creative, a form of expression.. there's that moment when you imagine a finished result: a meal, a 'look'. The leap of faith when buying something online is imagining how that item - those shoes, that dress - will work on me. It's like reading a recipe, imagining how it will taste.

So I played a little photoshop game with one of the dresses I chose for my 'shop':




Because we're all posting at the same time, I'm curious about is who the other bloggers are, and which styles they chose (I know that Jazmine is doing it, and the beautiful Kristy, a lovely new blogger I met with a blog called Fashion Champagne). Haven't you seen things and thought 'that's not my style, but it's exactly my friend's?' It's a great little game, a psychological experiment.

Oh by the way: today just happens to be my birthday. And no, I'm not telling you how old I am. Just know this much: I'm older than you think, and I'm older than you are. xoxo

28 comments:

Veshoevius said...

Love your choices - especially the aviator - might have to hunt that one down. Happy Birthday!!

Shopgirl said...

Happy birthday!!!!

I also am doing this - and I reckon that we all chose the fabulous aviator jacket!!

Love the advert - I want to wear everything from the collection for my trip to Paris next month :)

Hope you have a fabulous day! :) xx

mtg said...

Happy birthday, Jill! I have tried to email you twice but I think it did not go through... I don't know how old you really are but you THINK young (in a very positive way of word "young").

WeShop said...

Happy birthday - hope you have a lovely day. I'm doing the Next thing too - we picked 2 of the same outfits for our shop. The Eiffel Tower one with the gold brogues is my fave. Although I love the beige jumper with the pearly-trim bit.
Sarah x
http://www.weshopthereforeweare.co.uk/
PS You might not be older than me, you know!

Unknown said...

Great pieces from Next!
Happy Birthday sweets.

the style crusader said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY birthday girl! i hope you are having such a beautiful day.

i love what you've done with this Next post. the photoshoped dress is so cool! that is incredible how you did that. i totally thought you actually had on the dress. love your selections. a few of them made it onto my little shop too.

hope you're having a great day! xx

Style At Every Age said...

Happy Birthday! and rest assured you are not older than me! LOL. Loved the Next thing, I read Fashion Champagne so am looking forward to seeing Kirsty's top picks! Can't believe you can do that on photoshop, I can't even make a collage for my pictures on the blog, I am useless!

Unknown said...

oh helloo there and thanks for the mention. lovely to meet you the other day xoxoxox

jazmine rocks @ jazzabelle's diary said...

happy birthday, jill! thank-you for commenting on my post, i'm so glad we both got ours working! the photoshopped picture is amazing. i really do think that dress would suit you, as you said in your email and i said in my post, very audrey hepburn! xxx

Carrott said...

First of all happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day!
Second of all, (and about the NEXT commercial) how cute is my fellow spaniard Jon Kortajarena? I once saw him walking around Madrid and I was shocked at how handsome he is in person.
Anyways, I really love that dress you chose. My favourite outfit is the bottom left.
Enjoy the rest of your day! xxx

Fashion File said...

happy birthday jill! thanks for commenting on my post and for adding me to ur blogroll ! it means alot :)

have a great day!
Love, G

mtg said...

Thank you so much for adding me to your daily reads!!!! I really appreciate it! I am going to try to email you again. I hope it works this time.
xx
maya

S said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I picked the beige coat in that picture and the soft white blouse, but my sister's already got her eye on the coat!!

I think you look fab in that Next dress. I was actually thinking 'that's very Jill' when I saw it!

S
http://notjustmedical.wordpress.com

Rosalind said...

Big happy birthday to you Jill! I got involved with this initiative too - it was a lot of fun choosing the four outfits! (unfortunately I am yet to sort out my blogger template, meaning some it has been cut off! Grr..)
I worked from the shoes upwards when choosing. The two items I chose that I am particularly lusting over myself are some plum and grey brogue style high heels, and a tan cable knit cape. I could imagine the cream coat on you, as well as the lace skirt in the aviator shot.

I wonder how many of us next blogger pop up bloggers there are?

Oh, and I was just wondering if you ever got the email I sent you? If not I'll try and send it again..

http://clothescamerasandcoffee.blogspot.com/

Style At Every Age said...

A link for the show schedules http://newyork.mbfashionweek.com/schedule/fall_2010/sept10?filter=*
xx

Mademoiselle Marie said...

les 4 photos street style sont magnifiques !

xx

http://www.mademoiselle-marie.fr

Ms. Scotch said...

Happy Birthday! I hope you have a totally fab day!

(And even though I told myself I would not wear any jeans outside of work this winter, I love the skinny jeans/jumper look you picked! It might make me break my vow)

Platform P said...

Happy Birthday Gorgeous!

Hope you are having an amazing day. Shame we didn't plan a get together of some cakery sort.

Trust you to keep your birthday a secret!

xo

styleeast said...

It's your birthday?! Happy Birthday! I feel we should be celebrating! Next week...

Agree with Jazmine about the dress, very Hepburn and utterly perfect on you x

Style Odyssey said...

Wishing you a splendid birthday, Jill! You've been on my mind over the past few days. You are so special.

The photoshopped image: pretty dress on you, absolutely your style! I've been thinking about personal style a lot lately, too.

xoxo

adrielleroyale said...

Happy Birthday!!! ANd congrats on your new opportunity as well! :))

Unknown said...

oh yes i know we do all seem to have chosen smiliar items! i love them all really want everything in my shop ha ah x

lovemedesigns said...

I saw the new Next ad for the first time last night and LOVE IT!! Happy Birthday for yesterday! Hope you had a fabulous day!
lovemedesigns xx

SabinePsynopsis said...

I'm a bit late, but HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY (my excuse being that mine was on the 10th and I needed a few days to recover). I've given up on counting the years and aim to totally transcend age - you look like you've achieved it already!
Hope you had a wonderful day, Jill! xoxo

Natalie said...

Happy Birthday Jill (belated, sorry!)I am green with envy over your legs in those pics they are gorgeous! Endless and super tanned - lovely! Hope you had a wonderful day, very best wishes, Natalie

Workers Compensation said...

my gf got the long coat in the last pic with dark blue really cute

Personal Injury Lawyers said...

sorry that too late to say happy birthday. love your blog with all my heart xx

Unknown said...

Congrat Jill! I really love the looks!