In the immortal words of Take That, BACK FOR GOOD!

So compadres, it's been a fair while since we at Le Freak have treated your eyesies and mindsies with an update on the hottest trends since 80's power shoulders, but I can indeed confirm that we are back and ready to rock yr socks.
Due to work commitments, SC's Zoe and Betti have been unable to update Le Freak as regularly as we previously did, but now that I, SCBetti have quit one of my jobs we will resume normal service and continue to bring you the best in new and alternative fashion!

So to kick things off with a bang, I thought I'd begin with a list of the top five things on my fashion Hot List this month...


1) Nail Art.
Permanent Le Freak style crush Audrey Kitching is a massive fan, and if its good enough for her its darn well good enough for us! I recently found an amazing nail bar in Cardiff tucked away in the miniscule Cardiff Arcade that does top-notch manicures and nail art starting at a mere £5. Yes! £5! I was so surprised when the little manicurist told me that I nearly fell off my seat. but anyway...nail art is a fun and fashionable way to keep yr mitts looking as good as the rest of you. Get down to yr manicurist pronto! Although I can't guarantee you'll get as good a deal as I did...


2) Chimney Sweep boots.
Yeah, at first glance they may look like something worn by construction site workers, but trust me, paired with some opaques (black, or a bright pop of colour) and a cute floral dress, they really work to add a bit of edge to an otherwise girly-girly ensemble. I'm wearing mine with black jeggings, floaty chiffon cami's and heaps of leather, studded jewellery to get the tough-girl balance just right. Well worth shelling out £60 for, this is a trend that just keeps on growing.



3) Classy nightwear.
Because a girl needs to look glam even when she's chillaxing with a cuppa in front of the X Factor. After all, who knows who may pop round at any given time?! I'm taking a leaf out of perennial style icon Audrey Hepburns manual and going for a bejewelled sleep mask and a simple tailored white dressing gown, as seen in Breakfast At Tiffanys. Obviously I'm not suggesting you wear full make-up and an up-do that resembles one of the models in the Elnett ads, but who wants to wear their dads mouldy old dressing gown and pyjamas that were seemingly constructed during the stoneage during their downtime. Not the Le Freak girls, thats for sure! 'They' (whoever 'they' are) say that the better yr underwear, the sexier you feel. I believe the same goes for pyjamas. Stay glam.



4) Faux Fur
Ahh, this old chestnut. It rolls around every year, manifesting itself in various jacket-and-handbag shaped forms. Love it or hate it, its not even close to it's death rattle yet. Leopard print is the obvious choice, but I saw a lovely dalmatian print pea-coat on the Miss Selfridge racks, and later, on a very fashion-forward young lady the other day. Fashionable AND functional (wearing one of these babies is like slotting yourself into a toaster), whats not to like?



5) Home-made.
What with everyone banging on about the bloody recession nowadays (note to the Daily Mail - the words Credit Crunch are getting very tiresome), its probably time we reassess our spending habits and question ourselves as to whether we REALLY need that Topshop shift dress, darling though it is. No, my buzzwords this month are make-do and mend, and having just re-discovered Crafty Sew and Sews haberdashery, will be spending the majority of my free time sat on the sofa, needle in hand, beading and applique-ing and slashing up various old-hat items in my wardrobe, thus giving them a new lease of life and saving myself a pretty penny in the process. For those of you who want to achieve the homemade look but are too ruddy lazy to get yourself to a fabric shop and do it yrself, Recycled With Love are a fab Cardiff based company who make all their clothes from second hand scraps, and will even make you up a custom design if you bring them some old fabric. Genius! (see above picture)

Back for good - Space Cadet Betti xOx

HIATUS!

Until Space Cadet Betti stops working two jobs (ie in two weeks) Le Freak will be inactive xxx

I've Got Wood

I know I cant be the only one lusting after the designs of Brighton based artist Zara Wood.

I stumbled across her designs a while ago when I saw her "Two for Joy" magpie print on Google Images (I'm a self confessed google addict and I don't care) and I knew that anyone who shared a love for magpies like I do needed to be checked out further. Then, after more time Googling, I found out that she had a line of designs with Topshop. Now, I know that Topshop can be the devil when it comes to both the prices, and the sheer amount of poser idiots that tend to shop there, but Woody's designs are colourful, fun and wearable. The collection can be dressed up, or down, but would undoubtably look best with a good pair of skinny jeans, some shoe boots and a worn leather jacket for warmth. Its winter now, dontcha know.

I just feel like I've been a bit selfish, it's taken me this long to share the good word with you fine peoples, silly me. In hindsight, it could be a good thing, because I discovered her amazing jewellery collection in the meantime too.

Words can't describe how gutted I was when I discovered that this Little Owl Locket was no longer available. And the Bunny Bow Tie Brooch below is just fairytale amazing. I adore them, and I will be wearing one of her jewellery designs before the year is up, finance permitting ofcourse.

For more info on Zara Wood and to peruse her collections yourself, visit http://www.zarawood.com/.

SpaceCadet Zoe

Winter Warmers

It's that time of year again! The leaves are golden and crisp, providing a crunchy carpet to shuffle through on these chilly autumn days. The skies are grey and heavy with rain, but here in Cardiff we've been fortunate enough to see hardly a drop. Halloween is on its way, Christmas too. It's my favourite time of year as although everything around us is dying, the air seems fraught with anticipation! To put it simply, I love winter!

So I thought I'd dedicate a blog to the hottest trends of this season, and provide a brief overview of the pro's and cons of each one. Here we goesss...

Sequins - The bane of my boyfriend (he actually feels physically ill when he has to look at my sequinned blazer) and a trend that has been carried over from summer. Sequins are the forte of drag queens and fashionista's alike. For wallflowers who don't think they can pull off this seasons spangly trend with aplomb, best to opt for accessories with a bit of sparkle - such as the sequinned beret above. Those who enjoy throwing caution to the winds and full-on embracing any even remotely outlandish fad that comes their way, good on you! Bag one of River Islands gold sequinned tuxedo jackets, scour Primark and vintage boutiques for head-to-toe sequin-encrusted dresses and sparkle your way through to Christmas!
Pro's - Bang on trend, and versatile too. Go for chic and classy in black or bold and brash in electric blues, reds and golds.
Cons - Wear with caution. Just one foot wrong and you could end up looking like a cross between a bad drag queen and a Christmas tree.

Vampire Chic - It was a major feature on London Fashion Weeks catwalks, with designers from Gaultier to Jacobs falling over themselves to get in on the action. Films and TV shows such as Twilight and True Blood have set a decidedly gothic theme this season, and as a result the glossies and the high street are going to be chock full of lace dresses, victoriana and blood red lips from now until the January sales roll around. For the faint of heart, try a ruffled Victorian style blouse with your standard jeans and boots. If you want to go all out, however, almost anything goes. Try a body-con black lace dress with fetish heels and smoky, vampy make-up. Just remember that this seasons Vampire is about sleek, standout silhouettes and dangerously sexy details. Save the fake blood and white face powder for Halloween.
Pro's - Worked correctly, vampire chic can turn even the plainest Jane into a femme fatale.
Cons - Worked incorrectly, vampire chic can make you look like an act from your local pubs Halloween celebrations, or worse, like a dick. Leave the fake fangs at home.

Oversized Slouchiness - A favourite trend of mine. Nothing says 'winters arrived' like a chunky-knit, knee length cardigan, thick knee high socks and a long, bulky scarf. Oversized has been a recurring look for the past couple of winters, and shows no sign of dying out now. The high street has myriad jumpers, cardigans, sweater dresses and scarves all ready for your consideration, but for a truly original look, try knitting your own and adding some quirky details such as a corsage or some cute buttons. Better still, beg yr nan to do it - she'll probably be happy for a project to fill the time between drinking cups of tea from Royal Albert china and watching Countdown whilst polishing her collection of ceramic figurines. Personally, I'll be digging out the cardigans my mammy knitted me last year during a failed attempt to give up smoking, and jazzing them up with some pearls and ribbons.
Pro's - Oversized slouchy layering is so very now, gloriously flattering and cosy to boot.
Cons - There is the chance of looking like Bridget Jones, in the scene of the movie where her and Mark Darcy find themselves wearing those hideously unattractive home-made Xmas jumpers. Bad times.

So there you have it! My pick of this winters hottest fashions, laid bare for you to scrutinise. Take your pick of the bunch, mix it up, and most importantly, have fun! I'll be back later in the week (providing I can fit some time in between Swn Fest and my new enviable job at Benefit Cosmetics) to update and bring new fashion gems to you all!

Much love, Space Cadet Betti xxx

Kristian Digby

I'm fully aware that alot of people are going to think I'm insane for this.

Whilst watching the daytime television hit of "To buy or not to buy", I realised that I have an extremely unhealthy love for both the programme and it's presenter, Kristian Digby. One of the main reasons, is because of the way he dresses. I shit you not.

With his cool-as-a-cucumber mix of smart & casual, I think this is definately a style that the professional young gent should adopt.

Basically, its about wearing all of the stuff your parents would also wear to go to the office, but putting a modern twist on it. Also picture the male cast of Gossip Girl for inspiration (don't pretend like you haven't seen it, men.)

So, whats the best way to get this style?

Grab yourself a smart blazer, waist coat and shirt combo and mix it with Jeans. For those wanted to be extra special cool, don some battered converse for the ultimate eclectic fashion. This may seem like an obvious choice for male fashion, but it works so well. Now, to add the most unique touch to this, add your Kristian Digby smile.

Spacecadet Zoe

Style Crush: Sherilyn Fenn as Audrey Horne

David Lynch's seminal 90's series Twin Peaks was iconic and a cult hit for many reasons, but perhaps the most intriguing character was the sultry, quirky high school student Audrey Horne. Played superbly by Sherilyn Fenn, Audrey eschewed the 90's fashions of her contemporaries and adopted a 1950's style aestethic, complete with bouffant curls, patent brogues and knitted tops paired with high waisted, knee length skirts. It's a look I'm going to be channelling for winter, thats for sure. To get the look, see my polyvore set below. To get the attitude, think rebellious, smoking-behind-the-school-bikeshed, insouciant, mischeivous and above all sexy. Don't be afraid to dance to your own tune and embrace your inner Audrey.

Win and Fail 5

WIN - Faux fur gilets. The one above is £54.99 at H&M. Now, I'm guessing a few of you are sceptical of the win factor that the FFG possesses. Perfectly natural - I was too. Until I tried one on as a joke, that is. (Isn't it funny how many times those items you pick up 'as a laugh' often turn out to be the new most-worn thing in your wardrobe?) While not exactly versatile, these boho beauties look great teamed with a long-sleeved poloneck or chiffon shirt, fishnets and knee high boots. A word of warning, though. Try to seek out sleeker, more streamlined styles, or risk looking more caveman than chic.



FAIL - Of course, if you are under the (mistaken) impression that caveman chic is all the rage, you can think again. These boots are a solid reminder of everything that is wrong with the fashion industry at the moment. Don't go there, people. Uggs are like cold-weather crocs, functional, yes, but so very, very ugly, and wrong on every level.

SELL SELL SELL!

Space Cadet Betti here, hoping you've all got yr purses at the ready!

I've got some left-over beauties from the Le Freak Club jumble sale that I'm ready and willing to sell on this here blog. Take a look and see if you fancy anything...to see a bigger version of the pictures, just click on the photo.


Beautiful unworn green rabbit and unicorn dress by Mina - £10. Size 10, amazing condition.



Vintage style fur shrug - £6. Labelled size 8-10 but will fit up to a 12-14. Great condition, only worn twice!


Authentic 1950's eggshell blue brocade prom dress. This is a one-off rarity that I've only ever worn twice. It needs a new zip or buttons at the back (the only reason I'm selling it is because I'm too lazy to fix it up) but its a show-stopping dress that deserves a good home and a lot of TLC! £15, fits a size 10.


Cherry-red 80's shot silk cocktail dress. Its an American Vogue design that I picked up a couple of years ago in a Cardiff Antique shop. It turns any figure into an amazing hourglass, trust! The straps are a bit tatty but apart from that its in excellent nick. £10, fits a size 10-12.


Super-cute grey frog prince print hoodie, worn once (its too small for me!) I love this hoodie to bits. Its not too thick, not too thin and looks killer with a pair of opaques and a denim miniskirt. £5, fits a size 8-10.

Fun Motel tunic, worn twice. Uber-flattering and mega-comfy, and only £8! Fits a size 10-12.


Sweet Primark day tea dress, fits a size 8-10, looks great with boots and a biker jacket! Only £5...

Unworn vintage style New Look shoes. Size 7, 4 inch heel. A snip at only £15.


Sweet little Pop bag, pleather, postbox red. A mere £8!


Damson kitten heel bow shoes, unworn. Well cute, size 6, and only £15!

Lace pink ballet flats with a satin bow, size 6-7 (i forget!), unworn, in great nick! £10!


If you want any of the above, just drop me a message on bettiwasaspacecadet@hotmail.co.uk. Send me a postal order plus £2.50 p&p, and I'll get the item(s) in the post the same day. Happy shopping!

XOXO