Vamp it up

Manchester Pride parade 2012

Manchester Pride ran from 17th-27th August with the parade taking place on 25th August. It started at 1.00pm from Deansgate as it does every year. I was the first time I've watched the whole parade as last year I just caught the tail end of it disappearing back into the gay village.

I positioned myself in front of a man with a huge appendage (his camera) who was standing on little step ladders. I thought the ladders were a great idea as the crowd was about 3 people deep but I planned to go the pub after and was glad I didn't have to accessorise with ladders.

Seeing so many groups, businesses and organisations taking part made me realise just how many people not only accept but actively support and are proud of Manchester's gay community.

It was fantastically flamboyant, tongue in cheek and as camp as a row of tents! Here are my best shots:

Even the sign isn't straight.

Did some one spot their boss in the crowd I wonder?

Check out the man in the middle making kilts look stylish. Nice to see the Scotts have come all the way down here for Manchester Pride.

Could this get any camper?

...yes!

Man Bears playing it VERY safe.

I want to break free... from these crippling heals!

It was great to see the emergency services taking part with lots of enthusiasm.

The catholic church is up for a gay old time too - apparently.

Alan Turing an iconic figure.

I thought this dudes style was cool.

As I was going in to Piccadilly on the bus I passed 'her' chatting to a taxi driver. Two little irish kids sat in front of me excitedly drew their mums attention to the 'strange glittery lady' which I thought was funny.

Moss-side Caribbean carnival 11th August 2012

I loved the carnival this year as there seemed to be a higher number of dance troupes taking part, more elaborate costumes and a lot of enthusiasm all round. The carnival it's self (held inside the park) had some great performances on the main stage and very talented singers and MC's on the youth stage. I always look forward to the fantastic traditional food - washed down with a pint of Red Stripe of course.

This year the Trinidad and Tobago people were celebrating 50 years of independence from the UK which falls on August 31st. The main theme for this years costumes - ironically was The Queen's jubilee. The second theme was the Olympics but troupes from Moss-side, Whalley Range and Hulme usually design costumes that look like typical flamboyant carnival attire that leaves little to the imagination and allows them freedom to dance!

I positioned myself in front of the main gates of Alexandra Park.  On either side of Alexandra Road a large crowd of people all ages, races and different nationalities linned the street in the sunshine. 

 

The best pattern on a cat suit I've ever seen!

"Irie!"

This steel band sounded wonderful - I love that warm sound.

This sexy dragon was getting a lot of female attention. 'Sexy' and 'dragon' - two words I never thought I would put in a sentence together.

 

 

Street Art: Space Invaders of Manchester

I started to notice little mosaics of the old 80's space invader graphics about 6 years ago. I learned that a French street artist who called himself 'Space Invader' (appropriately) had visited large cities around Europe to spread his art. I then started noticing bigger and more colourful versions around Manchester so whether they are originals or tributes I'm not sure. I found one of his in Amsterdam as well not shown below.

Back of Picadilly

 

Newton Street

 

Found on a night out so I don't actualy remember where!

 

Bridge over Oxford Road

 

Portland Street

 

Whitworth Street

 

 

 

Manchester street art part 6 - cont.

As you can probably tell this is an iconic image of Twiggy back in the day. This is on the side of a boarded up building in Beswick , Manchester.

 

I found this in a very small back street hidden away just outside the city centre.

A tribute to the great Mancunian comedian 'Frank Sidebottom' who died last year. He was thought by many locals to be a realy lovely and increadibly witty bloke who seemingly ALWAYS wore his giant plastic head.

The same wall from earlier posts being re-used. Not sure if this is a character out of a kids book or just from the artists imagination.

There is something rather mystical about this old soul.

Hurrah! I was hoping that someone would copy the famous Sailor Jerry  hula girl logo in Manchester.

6 days of street style

Back in Winter 2011 I took pictures of my outfits for 6 days to see if after a month or two when the trends had passed would I still liked them them or think "What was I thinking?".

Lace, leather, satin basis: I still love this but I've cut down on eating choccy muffins as muffin top is not a good look above my waist band!

Punky, leather, metal spikes, deconstructed and metalic fabrics: Well this is just me as I normaly am pretty much - no planning required.

Embelishment, slightly ethnic prints: Love this! Wearing this again for summer and still happens to be in fashion although the prints are more African or Aztec inspired this year....

Goth gets classy: Faux fur coat belted (a la Kim Kardashian), Goth colours and velvet. Not liking this anymore. I think it was a style of it's time and now out of context it looks like an outfit from the set of a contemporary film noir put together by a rather confused wardrobe assistant.

 

Snake print: More this year - hurrah!

Colour blocking, over knee boots: Great on there own but I'm not going to put them together in the same outfit again. Colour blocking and sports luxe instead for this Spring/Summer, maybe throw a bit of 80's inspiration in there too.

ConclusionI'm going back to what feels authentic: Being inspired by what is all around me as well as what mood I'm in, rather than sticking ridgidly to current fashion trends. Otherwise it looks a little too contrived for my liking.

 

 

Manchester Street art part 6 - Spring

Finding this bathed in full sunshine made my day! The detail on the back of the building is quite pretty as well.

 

This is round the back of a recording studio on the outskirts of 'The Northern Quater'. I had to get the retro car in the shot as it just added to 80's vibe of that  shot.

Don't mess.

I always try to include the tag of the artist in the frame if possible.

 

Ok I hardly had to find this piece of work as it's on the side of a graphic design office. Nice advertisement idea though.

 

 

Teacher beats student in rap battle

This teacher has a poetry slam style but all the while he's battling his student, if he let the kid win wouldn't that be prudent? - Nah.

http://gu.com/p/35dbg/tw

Beautiful views and more random things in the Scottish countryside

I've recently come back from a week long holiday in Scotland with my bloke and another couple. We went on walks, explored and I took pictures of EVERYTHING. Here a selection of the best:

View from our cabin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minerals in sand

Sunset outside cabin

I was suprised and pleased to see this little dude stuck to a tree in the Scottish highlands!

Standing on Aonach Moor at 4006 feet

 

 

On our way down on the Gondola cable car

Journey home to Manchester, England.

Log fire and lamp art

I played about with  a long exposure whilst wiggling my Nikon Coolpix camera around in various ways to get these effects - it's that technical!

 

My bloke commented that this one "looks like a women with a fiery spirit." My aura then, possibly.

The robin.

  Kiss

The deckchair.

Something a little rude - maybe.

 

Fool proof guide to looking glam when running late.

Wear neutral coloured comfortable shoes/boots.

Leggings/tights.

Simple dress.

Dress outfit up or down with a belt and earrings.

 Use dry shampoo or tie hair back & add pretty hair clip.

Apply mascara, powder and tinted lip balm/gloss.

Grab nail file to file nails to the same length whilst en route.

Check you have Phone, Purse and Keys before running out of door! 

I've got this down to about 20 mins now but it used to take me about an hour to get out of the house even when in a hurry and the more I rushed and stressed the more things went wrong! My dressing table, mirror and carpet where covered in many splashes of product and my tights would all ready be ripped somehow. Then I learnt to just BREATH.