Laura La Rue’s blog

I don't mean boyfriends in the romantic type, I am not wise enough to advise on relationships just yet (check Cupcate for that). I mean male friends, unromantically linked men in your life. I am no expert on the way mens minds work, I feel you would need to take extended post graduate study to fully understand that but as I have three brothers I have come to understand a basic level of their behaviour.

Untilvery recently most of my best friends were male. I don't know why, I'm not especially boy-ish but for many years women seemed to have issues with me. These days I live with three lovely ladies and although I still have many male friends I am not crazy enough to actually live with men. Fact: Boys have smelly rooms.

Generalisations out the way. Today I was reminded of the problem with having male friends. Although they are great fun, generally relatively honest and easy going male friends have varying levels of loyalty. Whilst your girl friends would (hopefully) feel immense guilt for standing you up or forgetting something important to you, men don't even consider you unless you're with them or barraging them with calls. This is why boyfriends (in a romantic way) are different because you are in constant contact and can remind them regularly of any plans you might have. Boy friends need a little bit more persuasion.

If said male friend has a girlfriend (who invariably will not like me but thats by the by) you are even less likely to see them unless the girlfriend reminds him. The thing is, you wouldn't expect a guy to call you just for a chat. There are guys who do this but they are RARE, even boyfriends require training for that! I can sit with my BFF (who is a girl) and talk utter nonsense for hours and then still speak on the phone later in the day and some how not run out of conversation. Phone conversations with guys are often very forced and straight to the point.

Needless to say, a male friend of mine forgot to tell me something vital today. And then wondered why I was pissed off.

Firstly, apologies for turning my own blog in to the closest thing to a child blog. I don't know if there are any child bloggers out there (i mean like 5, I'm sure there are plenty of 12 year olds) but if there are I bet they write about things they like or don't like or people that pushed them over in the playground. Seeing as I work from home...alone...sob, sob...there isn't even anybody to push me over so I can't write about that. I can, however, tell you about a man I saw on Askew Road who MUST have been like 70 at least in a funky fairisle sweater (sooo Eley Kishimoto) with a guitar on his back carrying a can of beer! Screw you Australians! Even our old(er) folk can booze in the daylight in the street!! How cool? I wanted to hug him, but seeing as he was deep in convo with a crazy I figured I'd leave him to it and walked past smiling.

Wow, could I get more off the point?!

Anyway so today I seem to have been informing you about the things I like and don't like. However now a conundrum occurs...I am not sure if I can like this. Some blonde girl from Croydon who most likely stinks of Marlboro Lights has (probably not) made some clothes for a store which you've probably seen over flowing with teenage girls. I write about it because I am a fashion writer and that is my job (although my post was heavily steeped in sarcasm to the point that I think people are scared to like it). And whilst looking through the range I found myself upsettingly drawn to one of the pieces! AGh! Now I am such a stubborn shopper. I made a vow not to shop at Gap when I was 13 because of sweatshops and continue to not shop there til this day. However, I do shop at plenty of other sweatshop endorsers but the point is, I said I wouldn't. Again, I said blonde girl stinking of fags for high street store would be shit so I can't like it! But Oh! I do!!! Admittedly, I haven't tried it on yet and the fit will obviously be awful, not to mention the fact that it will fall apart on second wear (second so that you don't take it back, first would make it too easy to complain, yeah didn't think I knew that did you!).

I might try it on if I just happen to be passing the High Street giant, and then I will definitely give in if it fits me. Eugh, it's hard being me isn't it?   

I feel bad about being so negative, I don't consider myself to be a negative person. Shhh being cynical is different to being negative!! So here is a lovely little pug acting like a person! The argument continues between Sausage Dog and Pug! If you live in West London and you want to give me a sausage dog or let me play with yours ;) haha that sounds dodgy....

Today I hate is never gonna be a happy go lucky type of post but over the weekend I struggled to commit myself to one thing that I actually hate. Anyway, so in an effort to channel my anger I have decided to share these feelings with you lovely people! I will try and counter act it with something that I love too.

I had a slightly heated argument with my housemate recently about why I hate cheap underwear. I really can't stand Primark pants that come in a pack of 5 for £1, what good can come of a day when you start off by putting on a pair of sweat shop cheap knickers??? I believe that underwear is mainly just for you and you should make an effort to make yourself feel a bit special with some nice underwear. Obviously, there are certain times in a ladies life when cheap underwear is the best way forward but for the rest of the time, ladies, PLEASE have some self respect. Start a day as you mean to go on with some classy, elegant underwear!

No joke. I wonder what this shop did sell?? 

I cannot stand winter. It is no secret and if you have so much as said 'hi' to me you are probably aware of this fact. I am also not a great fan of the small suburban midlands town that I grew up in, although I can guarantee that if you have been there your feelings will be similar. Despite this, every so often, even in the winter months I must travel the distance to Deadendsville. Packing for this trip is often a problem as it is actually colder despite only being 100 miles North of the great capital. It also rains more (has anybody else noticed that it hardly ever rains in London?) and you have to be able to drive (e.g sensible footwear). Nothing about that criteria sounds particularly sexy does it?

In the past when I was still studying (and slightly foolish) I thought it was important to wow the midlands with my ahead-of-the-times fashion. When many people in this town still consider boho and fake-ugg boots to be the style du jour (and not in a she-raaa way) this is not exactly a challenge. However, I quickly cottoned on that nobody so much as batted a fake eyelash at my amazing-style-breakthroughs (sic) and I merely left myself open to abuse from my Mother. Not to mention feeling slightly cold.

Now that I am older and probably not any wiser I do not strive for such style icon status. In fact, one might argue that I aim for quite the opposite channeling a celeb going incognito. When visiting the surburban towns, you must be prepared for the countryside which nestles on your doorstep and that is certainly not a place for the latest Jimmy Choos or J Brand wide leg jeans. Yesterday, I braved the elements and took my young nephews to the woods. I find that the best attire for this environment is wellies, old jeans, knitwear, old coat (maybe even a fleece!), woolly hat and gloves. This is clearly a look you could achieve with some dignity if you have an endless bank account (after all the Queen is now a style icon) think Hunter Wellies (pictured), Superfine skinnies, cashmere, a Barbour jacket and cashmere winter accessories. There was a barbour coat on offer but the smell repulses me.

Yesterday however, I was also offered a new addition to my outdoor get-up, a pair of thick walking socks! What a treat for my toes these are! They're so thick and soft and although the colour lets them down slightly I cannot see a bad thing in them. They're large size means that ultimately most of my shoes no longer fit me but I see no reason to leave the house when I can be this snug and warm inside, well at least not until flip-flop weather resumes. You may be able to tell that I am wearing them right now. Hmmm. Maybe it is time to give up the comfy socks and go back to uncomfortable heels, after all, nobody said fashion was supposed to be comfortable.

This post is almost definitely going to leave me out of favour with the majority of readers as I am well aware that even the title of this post will leave many of you with boiling blood. However, you could at least hear me out?

On Good Friday there was an article in the Guardian about how converse trainers are the footwear of rock stars. It explains (accurately) how Converse have been worn by some of the greatest names in rock'n'roll including The Clash, Kurt Cobain and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. However, and this to me is where the problem lies, they are also endorsed by the likes of Paul McCartney (who I might take this opportunity to point out is 65) and Ricky from the Kaiser Chiefs. Hmmm.

I like Macca as much as the next person but he's 65 and sadly has just-passed-midlife crisis written all over him. I honestly love Paul, and hate to be mean but over the past ten years has begun to resemble a drunk Uncle at a wedding waving and doing peace signs all over the place. He has also been guilty on many occasion of wearing a perfectly nice tailored suit with bright coloured converse trainers. Personally, if you're going to opt for a suit then you should keep it classic especially if you are over 50.

I can't even begin trying to explain why Ricky Wilson isn't cool. If you really must know, watch this clip (why is he wearing a CATS t-shirt? Is Andrew Lloyd-Webber suddenly cool?) and realise how unbelievably untalented they are. The narrator John Thompson introduces them saying, "They are best known for their football terraces anthem, I predict a riot." Riiiiight, and we all know how much talent goes in to writing football terrace anthems. It essentially involves a bit of abuse, something you can shout easily and a bit of anger. Altogether now, THE REFEREE'S A WANKA.

Anyway, I digress...

I am sure that Converse trainers and the most comfortable shoes ever made and they're a classic etc etc but please can people have some originality?! Yeah sure you can get them in a range of colours, patterns, shapes but why not walk away from the band wagon and see what else is out there. From what I've heard, trainers are designed to be comfortable so I'm sure that stores such as OffSpring are packed with soft shoes that mould to your feet. If you are more interested in comfort than style then why not opt for a pair of crocs!

For me, converse are inextricably linked with midlife crisis. They're what 30/40 something men wear to show the rest of the world that they're still in touch with the youth of today. They probably wear them with a pair of jeans and a Ramones/ The Smiths t-shirt, too much of a stereotype? Go to HMV/Fopp or any good record store on a Saturday and see how many men fit this description.

My final beef with this trainer is the fact that a lot of people I have met who wear them claim to hold no interest in fashion what so ever. If indeed this be true, how did they find out about converse in the first place? It's a trend and definitely a fashionable item whether I like it or not. Anything that is taken on in mass by the general public becomes a trend thus if you buy in to it, you become a follower of this trend.

In the early-mid nineties when grunge was still very much alive Converse were an acceptable item, however, now I feel they have gone too far in to the mainstream, they have 'sold out' if you like and their new advertising campaign which cashes in on their rock star endorsers just proves this. People are always going to wear them but please, the next time you need a new pair consider the other sneakers that are out there.

Rant over.

Watching daytime TV rots your mind and when the same old Ocean Finance style adverts are shown repeatedly you'd be forgiven for thinking the above advert contained facts. However, skip forward to about 1.20 in this excessively long advert (you can watch it all the way through but don't blame me if you then are so brain-dead that you don't notice the lie) and I think you'll be quite surprised by the miracle that they're offering. It would seem that Dog's Trust have spent sponsors money well teaching dogs to write and will therefore now get your sponsored dog to send you a letter! This has led me to think about setting up a charity called Literature for Canines, who's in?

"The shit's so thick, you could stir it with a stick" REM - Bad Day