Birthday Ballgown

It was my birthday on Tuesday, and after flapping about with various substandard outfit choices and getting thoroughly flustered by the whole affair I went for broke and rocked a vintage ballgown for the entire day. Because really, what better time is there to sport daytime velvet and tulle than on a day celebrating the frankly miraculous fact that I've managed to survive a full quarter-century despite my chronic common sense impairment and inability to cross roads.

Dress - Northcote Lane Market, headscarf - Oasis vintage, Converse - "borrowed" from Sian, sunglasses - H&M

I embraced my inner creep and pitched this look in the no-mans land between cybergoth, pastel-grunge, a Givenchy-esque silhouette and Lily Allen circa 2006. I usually buckle at the idea of pairing scruffy trainers with my vintage ballroom babies (the whole rough/polished contrast strikes me as a bit contrived and, well, dated), but a lack of suitable footwear + a desire to stomp around the park feeding the geese = this actually quite thumbs-up ensemble that had me tripping the light fantastic down the sun-drenched lanes of Cardiff to my mothers house.

My favourite thing about this birthday suit (ha...ha...) has to be it's ridiculously low cumulative cost. I picked this velvet ballgown up at Northcote Lane Market for a mere fiver a couple of years back after I fell in love with its full midi skirt and structured, waist-contouring v-shaped pelmet. Pear-shapes the world over take note - this here dress is the perfect antidote to a slightly heavier rear end. The headscarf was £1, the specs £7, and the shoes borrowed, taking the entire combo to a grand total of £13. Jog on, Topshop. Arrivederci, American Apparel. I sniff disdainfully at your painfully mediocre skater-style party dresses, and opt for bargain-basement flamboyance any day of the week.

FRIENDS BANDS WHO REALLY REALLY DESERVE YOUR ATTENTION: This week it's the turn of Lung, aka James Ellaway, aka my little brothers best man. James has been producing slick-as-an-oily-fish D'n'B and liquid dubstep since he starting DJing in Cardiff about five years ago, and is now on the cusp of releasing his debut album through Med School Music. 'Afterlife' is by far and away his best track (if a bit of an oldie). Spine-chillingly awesome sounds.

Betti Baudelaire xxx