lace on the lids.

eyelash decadence, non? Shu Uemura is doing some very lovely lashes for their Tokyo Lash Bar collection. i'm not really a false eyelash sort of girl... or though come to think of it i really should be. i wouldn't mind getting my hands on a pair of these babies - Shu Uemura Black Gown lashes. the Velvet Feather lashes are to die for as well... so unnecessary yet also sooo necessary. i might stop by the Shu Uemura counter on my lunch break tomorrow and get a pair... hmm... they will without a doubt leave a noticeable dent in my purse but they are more than half the price of the Shu Uemura X Viktor and Rolf lashes that came out earlier this year and personally i'll much rather flutter these lacy beauties. yes, that was my attempt at justifying my purchase.

my single attempt.

spent the morning sorting out some of my photos... deleting, filing and seperating London from Cape Town and Cape Town from Hong Kong. anyways it's tedious stuff really but i came across this photo that i took of a Korean girl in Pret (in London Tottenham Court Road). i took it a good few months ago... for an article i was writing on Geek Culture. i didn't end up using it... but i decided not to bin it today. it's my first and only (and probably my last) attempt at street fashion photography. i've had a few people asking me to take some street snaps of Hong Kong's most trendy (i'm yet to find a good street fashion site for Hongkies) but to be honest everything happens so fast in Hongkies - i swear it's like a race to see who can get to their next destination quickest - that i wouldn't dare to stop anyone in the street... besides i would rather leave it to all the kids who know what they're doing. i'm assuming that photographing K-girl's shoes was probably more important than photographing Pret's entire beverage selection. really, what do i know?

kicking it like my father.

sale season is finally upon us here in Hongkies and my first guilt-free purchase (yes yes 50% off!!) were these tasseled brown suede loafers... i feel like i've stolen my fathers shoes. i'm telling you they are comfy as hell though... like those warm fuzzy bed slippers your grandmother use to wear. today, i'll be kicking it like my father did back in the day.

happy birthday from Maison Martin Margiela

yesterday was my first visit to a Maison Martin Margiela flagship store... can you believe it? call me sad but i was extremely amused by their jukebox, which was standing modestly at the back of the store. yes... their clothes of course were thought-provoking and rather silly, maybe evening mocking... but the jukebox was just a big ball of fun! it probably wouldn't have been as amusing if i didn't happen to have spent the whole day staring at mannequins and comtemplating the best angle to photograph a pair of shoes. no matter how beautiful the clothes are and how envious i feel... it just all gets a bit too much sometimes... the shopping malls, the sales people and the security men... ugh. the MMM jukebox was a BIG lift-me-upper though... can't wait to check out the Hong Kong store... wonder what kind of fun they have hidden there...

i want to party in a ACNE dress.

ever since i held this overly ruffled, fabric heavy a/w ACNE dress in my arms while interning at British ELLE i've fell in love with the Swedish label and now that the holidays are around the corner and there's been lots talk of Christmas parties and i've been attending, perhaps one too many, Christmas light-up ceremonies in a number of Hong Kong malls (for work of course) i've been drooling over their collection of cocktail dresses. i've decided that this year there'll be no partying unless i'm partying in an ACNE dress. it's time to make a plan.

when glossies became matties.

anyone notice that our much loved glossies are slowly becoming matties? first ELLE with their limited edition issues and now Vogue... is it just me or does it not quite feel/look right? just a sunday thought.

a little London in Hong Kong.

it's been a busy week in Hongkies so far for retail-hungry fashionistas. the Comme des Garcons for H&M collection was finally launched today (everyone at work was talking about it!) and earlier this week the Kate Moss for Topshop a/w 08 collection arrived at Lane Crawford. i accidently stumbled upon the ginormous Kate Moss for Topshop poster in Lane Crawford's window display in Tsim Sha Tsui... i got horribly lost on my way to work this morning and ended up walking the entire length of Canton Road (well almost) before realising i was going in the wrong direction - oops. it was nice to see a little London in Hong Kong though. and talking about Lane Crawford... it must be known that Lane Crawford is the ultimate haven. if Mr Andy Warhol is right in saying that, "people [never] die. they just go to department stores." then i would like it to be known that my department store of choice would be Lane Crawford.

a Comme des Garcons moment at ELLE.

Comme des Garcons for H&M. i totally forgot. i haven't quite had access to any high street stores for awhile and it just totally slipped my mind until i was flipping through a Hong Kong street culture magazine on my way home. 

i was lucky enough to see some of the pieces back in June while i was playing fashion features intern at ELLE... all i remember is lots of polka dots, black en masse and the disapproving looks coming from some of the fashion editors (apparently the material wasn't, and i quote, "very Comme"). seriously though, what were we all shaking our heads for? we all knew deep deep down that it wasn't going to meet our expectations - it's Comme for the high street not Comme for real! this is usually where i would begin to consider the whole "high fashion/high street" debate... but nope not this time. we can all agree that it's been well covered already, yes? YES.

i do however remember that there were some great trousers... don't remember what they looked like at all. jolly, June wasn't that long ago... was it?! it must have been a v. busy month. anywho all i remember is that they were great and the look of approval on Rebecca's (the fashion features editor at ELLE) face. must try locate an H&M and check out the collection for real and since i can't afford real Comme, high street Comme will just have to suffice for the time being... ironic isn't it?

those camera clicking city kids (part one)

as promised, more Q&As with some of the most notorious bloggers on the web. STREET STYLE BLOGS have become a bit  of an online movement (okay, that might be an understatement) and i wanted to know what these image-makers were thinking so i tracked them down and asked them a few questions. i have a lot of love for these kids behind the camera who document street fashion and capture the essence of street style in their city... just so they can share it with us. i feel the love everytime i click. 

(this boy is so on-trend it gives me goose-bumps. the 'tache, the rolled up trousers - i like, i like.)

Q&A with LIISA & SAMPO, the ladies responsible for HEL LOOKS (Helinski, Finland) - this is quite a serious one... hope you enjoy it.

Why do you take photos?

To document interesting and individually dressed people who dare to stand out and create their own style. Doing Hel Looks is fun. We get to meet lots of new people who inspire us. Also, we love clothes, fashion and photography.

How did you get into street style photography?

We’ve always been big fans of Shoichi Aoki. Hel Looks is a tribute to him.

You remember the first photo you took?

Yes - it’s actually the very first photo on our site. It was taken at Tuska – a heavy metal festival – in Kaisaniemi, Helsinki.

Where do you tend to go to take photos?

We always carry our cameras on us. Whenever we see something interesting we stop and ask to take a photo. We don’t usually go out looking for people to photograph.

What camera do you use?

Canon 5D.

How do you decide who to shoot?

We photograph the people that surprise us.

What sort of style is unique to Helinski?

I think personality and the courage to stand out. In Helsinki, we are not that interested in mainstream fashion. We like to create our own style.

The amount of fashion on the internet is rapidly increasing and Hel looks is a big contributor. How do you think your site and other similar sites are contributing to the world of fashion?

They are helping people to become more aware of what’s happening in other countries and cities. Also it stresses the importance of individuality.

questionable tan-lines.

i apologise for posting about Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes once again... but you know how some people are all about MJ bags (clickity click here >>> Bryan Boy) well i'm all about the shoes. these M by MJ s/s 09 sandals make me smile. i feel ridiculously happy just looking at them. i have a terrible weakness for strappy flats... which usually leaves me with questionable tan-lines by the end of summer.... but questionable tan-lines as a result of wearing these shoes would definitely not be a problem... no no. they are simply adorable and the ribbon! lets not even get into my obsession with ribbon.

i think a little trip to the new MJ store in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong needs to be made (i'm making a mental note as i type this) even if it is just to hold them in my hands for a few seconds... possibly minutes...

who's that girl?

jetlag is keeping me awake... yes still (my body just refuses to adapt to the time zone!) and i've got a "to blog" stickie that is taking up a lot of screen space... i can no longer see the left hand side of my wallpaper... so i thought it would be good idea to do some bloggity blogging.

i'm doing a bit of backtracking... this is a blog idea that occurred to me a few days before leaving the Cape Town... but please bear with me. i promise it's worth it.

the girl i refer to is LULU. LULU, the girl who sells vintage clothes on Church Street (off Long Street) between the elderly ladies of the Church Street Antique Market and the asian dude at the end of the road selling fur coats. i'm sharing this with you because one - i've found so many great things there and surprisingly not many people know about sweet LULU and her stall and two - LULU is just such a great girl with a i-wanna-steal-all-your-clothes-sorta-style that i just couldn't resist but to kiss and tell.

LULU was actually stuck in an adorable green cotton dress when i was taking my last peek around before leaving on a jet plane. while helping her out of the dress we got chit chatting. unfortunately i wasn't able to get a snapshot of LULU - i left my camera at home. yes, i know what you thinking - bad bad irresponsible blogger (!) but i did make up for it and asked all the necessary questions. LULU is there everyday of the week except weekends (of course) and thursdays (when she is out restocking) and if you give her your digits she will kindly send you a message when she has new stock. i probably won't get that message until next year (sigh) but please pop by the stall to check out the amazing vintage clothes and don't forget to say hi for me.

team intern.

just a super quick post. it's my last day in the Cape Town so have a million people to meet, coffees to drink and places to be. i'll be in Hong Kong in less then 48 hours and in between shopping up a storm and eating too much noodles (it's just what we like to do in the east) i'll be returning to the world of interning - this time at WGSN Hong Kong. if you know who they are then you most probably work in fashion. 

i'm almost sure that my work is going to start seeping into my blog posts. so i thought it would be appropriate to give a bit of a shout out to my fellow interns whose blogs are always fun to read and a bit of a peek into the glamourous world of fashion. STYLE SPEAKS LOUDER is an intern at British ELLE and HIPSTER MAGAZINE INTERN would like the publication she is working for to remain anonymous... but i'm sure you can all figure it out. here's to coffee-making and the 20kgs of clothes we have to lug around with a smile on our face! 

lost and found.

i've spent a good few hours today rummaging through my wardrobe - trying things on, taking things off, putting things in and taking things out again in an attempt to put together the perfect traveling wardrobe - whilst keeping in mind that i will probably be working among Hong Kong's most trendy fashionistas. anywho... i found this second-hand dress in my wardrobe that i forgot i had. i bought it a couple of years ago for mere pennies. don't know why i never got around to wearing it... maybe it's cause of the odd length of the dress (mid-calf-ish) which i find kinda unflattering... but i think it would make a fab-u-lous shirt dress - roll up the sleeves, hitch up the hem and look-a-there another dress to add to the pile of dresses dying to get a spot in the delsey. discovering lost clothes is really not helping the packing process! i need help.

(apologises for the clothes that seem to be engulfing the room and just the general air of messiness... that's just how i roll when it comes to limiting my wardrobe to 20kgs... hence the scale on the floor.)

local design goodies we love.

a visit to the THE OLD BISCUI MILL was a pretty perfect start to my saturday morning. it wasn't the local food market that had me going gaga this time though. i don't know how long THE DESIGN GOODS MARKET bit has been around for exactly, cause as most will know i haven't really been around in the Cape Town... but lets just say there was some rather covetable threads hanging from the rails. i can't help but agree that local is rather lekker. there was a impressive selection of well tailored, good quality, local goodies (including my long-time favourite local brand COPPELIA). all of which got me rather excited about the local in fashion in South Africa.

i didn't get a chance to properly check out those cute strappy leather sandals close to the back of the tent though... anyone know who they are by? help a sister out cause my summer-ready feet desperately want a pair!!

i dream in fashion frames per second.

a brief note: this post has nothing to do with the the real world and has everything to do with the little imagery world that i tend to visit from time to time in my dreams.

a/w 08 still has me spinning... obviously. last night i dreamt i was working the Miu Miu a/w 2008 headgear. i was a synchronised swimmer!! (golly, it has been a stressful week.) it must be that the headgear reminds me of those head-tight swimming caps i use to wear as a child for my weekly swimming lessons. i, along with the rest of the synchronised swimming team (yes, there were others!), were head to toe in Miu Miu and nattering about Miuccia Prada's choice of colour for our headgear. who dreams about stuff like this... seriously?!

a hipster and proud.

i've recently started to dig into a few south african fashion blogs. my favourite atm is SOUTH AFRICAN STREET STYLE - it's got the perfect balance between what's happening locally and internationally.

i loved Mr Dan Pinch's recent post entitled hipsters will inherit the earth. according to the little questionnaire at the end of the post i'm a hipster... and rightly so. i do drink too much vida coffee and i do read One Small Seed, religiously. i'm a hipster and proud - and why shouldn't we be? we're fueling consumerism and keeping the economy alive... well at least that's what i'm hearing through the blogvine.  and also, this might sound a little cheesy but... it reminded me that however confused i am sometimes about where i come from (don't ever ask me where i'm from... most of the time i'm not sure myself.) a very big part of me is south african... yes, a south african hipster and proud!

missing out on Louise Goldin.

okay i admit that leaving my intern position at British ELLE  just weeks before London Fashion Week s/s 2009 was probably not one of my finest moments. my biggest regret would be missing out on the Louise Goldin show. i'm a little late on covering this, i know... but it's still deserves a post. i thought Goldin's s/s 2008 was simply fabulous but s/s 2009 just takes the whole damn chocolate cake. it might not be the fashion world's favourite collection but it's my fave by far. ahh... what i would give to have been there... 5 rows from the front, wiggling in my chair trying to get the best view of the catwalk. 

when Goldin showed her first collection everyone about town was oohing and ahhing over her fabric of choice - "i didn't know you could do that with knitwear!" she's wonderfully brilliant at creating contrast - using soft knitwear to create strong structured shapes. that contrast was created once again in this season's collection - structural futuristic shapes contrasting with soft delicate materials. the soft, pastel colours, which is quite new to Goldin, makes for a flirtier and more feminine collection. i particularly like the touch of elegance and prettiness (in a v. Stella McCartney sorta way) that the huey colours and delicate fabrics (both knit & silk) create and bring to the collection. the body suit is a winner too. i can't quite see myself wearing it but it is rather lovely, isn't it? 

hopefully... fingers crossed*... i'll make it to next season's show.

the young ones.

i was flipping through a hong kong esquire yesterday (yes, i have resorted to reading anything i can get my hands on and it just happened to be, on this occasion, a men's magazine in a language i can't quite read!) and i come across an article about a 12 year old fashion blogger. i was immediately intrigued...

apparently there's a new wave of young fashion bloggers in the US and TAVI (above mentioned blogger) author of STYLE ROOKIE has had quite a respectable amount of publicity in the past few months. i can imagine the disapproving looks and uproar she has had to experience. in her latest post she attempts to defend herself (not that she needs to) and she gives a shout out to her fellow young bloggers.

honestly, i didn't realise that there were 12 year olds that were so fashion conscious and so stylish, believe me it took me by surprise, but i think it's great that there are kids who know who Rei Kawakubo and Martin Margiela are. there will be no disapproving looks coming from me - i actually like the idea that there's a new generation of budding fashionistas who are choosing to express themselves creatively through fashion.

withdrawal symptoms.

my ideal sunday morning involves a hot cup of tea and a good glossy magazine - simple isn't it? however my lack of reading material on this v. lovely sunday morning has got me experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.  and the fact that the november 2008 magazine issues are being splashed all over the internet is really not helping the situation. i want, i want, i want! i neeeeed! you see... a trip to the magazine section of a book shop is like a trip to the candy shop for me. in london i had borders (oh how much i miss it) and here in cape town i have exclusive books - also a candy shop of some sort but where the candy is imported and unfortunately v. dear... sometimes i just can't help myself though and i find myself leaving the shop with lots of over-priced candy - naughty i know. 

how can i resist though? these big guys are doing fantastical stuff. i-D always has amazing covers which has me drooling - quite literally. ELLE is great for catwalk fashion/trends and recently their fashion spreads have been right up there with Vogue and their covers are just spot on - clean, slick and so stylish. the articles in Vogue are always written beautifully - "wow wee" writing.  i-D and Dazed have more edgy and innovative fashion spreads which is always a breath of fresh air and which i love love love. i just can't seem to do without them.

An interview with Mr Steve Salter.

here's another interview with one of my favourite bloggers. STEVE is author of STYLE SALVAGE and i was lucky enough to ask him a few questions. Back in May, STEVE told me he was currently really interested in unearthing unlikely icons (his most recent: Steve Zissou from Wes Anderson's Life Aquatic) which got me rather giddy - my head was racing with all the possibilities. here's what else the blogging addict had to say.

What sort of topics do you choose to cover in your blog?

I personally like to cover as varied topics as possible just because I am interested in so many within menswear. Music and art are often overlooked by many blogs but there influence on menswear and vice versa is undeniable. I read other blogs and all the magazines I can afford for inspiration.

What sort of things inspire you to write?

Other blogs inspire me to write. When we started the blog last June (2007) there really wasn’t that many blogs dedicated to menswear. We thought this was a crying shame and we knew that there was a demand for it so embarked on a mission to cover this area in our own way. Since we started more and more menswear blogs have started and now we all push each other to write about this topic as well as possible.

What do you love about blogging?

Blogging is a bit of an addiction really. I both love and hate the fact that it is hard to step away from the computer. It takes over your life to a certain extent because there is always something new and interesting to look at. At the moment I just can’t get enough and actually want to increase my blogging levels but one day it could get all get too much and I’ll need to check into blogging rehab.

Any perks?

People actually reading my rambled musings. Of course there are the invitations to events which are always welcomed. I would be uncomfortable with any greater perks than the odd invitation and goody bag though.

Anything you don't love so much?

Negativity. But at the moment we have been very lucky. The readers we have are great.

What do you think men's relationship is to fashion on the internet?

I recently read that more men (56%) are now choosing to shop online than on the high street which seems crazy to me and of course this stat will only increase. Men are coming round to the idea that there are more uses to the Internet than watching porn and shows like Family Guy. Also, not a week goes by now without some new men’s fashion blog coming to our attention. High profile blogs like the Sartorialist's and Kanye West’s have helped create a dialogue around men's fashion which was previously unseen.

Your favourite fashion sites or sites that you think are doing something interesting/different?

So many have popped up recently including Mensrag, Getkempt, Kanyeuniversity. My blog roll is already pretty intimidating and ever growing. The obsessively detailed eye of The Sartorialist is well known and rightly so. However sites like Hel-Looks and Breach of Style all give men across the globe something to think about

How many hours a day to you dedicate to blogging?

Currently not as much as I’d like as my laptop is being repaired…otherwise around 2 hours blogging…the rest of the day I think about it.

Your favourite spots in London?

I’m fortunate enough to live in central London so there is so much to do right on my doorstep. My new favourite place is in and around Carnaby Street as there are so many good stores there, including Shop22, Hurwendeki, Concrete, Beyond the Valley and the stores within Kingly Court and of course if I get hungry Cha Cha Moon is right there as well. In terms of going out I tend to gravitate East.

Favourite item of clothing?

My YMC hi tops which have changeable uppers.

Fashion icon?

Fred Astaire,

Your dream job?

Owner of my own acclaimed menswear store in London.

Other men on the web that you think should be recognised?

I'm inspired by Thomas Mahon of the English Cut because I dream of being a tailor one day.

Any thoughts on the future of fashion on the internet?

I personally want to see more magazines come online and do something interesting, generating great editorials and spreads online!

lovely lady lace.

a/w 2008 has once again proven that lace is timeless - a fabric that awakens feelings of nostalgia but which also has the ability to be really young and modern at the same time. i decided to take a little advice from Miuccia Prada and invested in some lovely lady lace. i actually found this dress on my birthday in a little treasure trove on the coast of Cape Town known as Kalk Bay. the colour of the fabric makes the sexiness of the dress, usually associated with lace, quite understated and more lady-like. i like the idea of the lace dress peeking out from under other garments - toning down the full-on lace by layering and also at the same time creating pretty puffy textures - my favourite.

it's a lookee likee.

i love browsing about street style blogs because from time to time you find something that holds your attention for longer than the usual mili-second (my attention span is shamefully short - i blame it on all the MTV-watching in my teens). i happened to stumble upon this image on facehunter. aside from the fact that i had an instant surge of jealousy towards my fellow londoners, cause obviously the sun is still shining there (people just don't wear sunglasses in london unless it really is sunny), i completely luurrve the outfit! minnie does a/w grunge. her glasses caught my attention first - do they not resemble the Jeremy Scott sunglasses from the Linda Farrow Vintage s/s 2008 collection? they do, they do me thinks. i guess if you can't own it then you should just reference it. it makes a lot of sense really.

everybody (secretly) loves a knock off.

yes yes lets just all go ahead and admit it... we would all prefer to have the real deal (who wouldn't?) but sometimes a knock off can do the job just as well - this applies to everything except Chanel and Krispy Cremes of course! i found a pair of Marc Jacobs mouse flats look-a-likes at Mr Price (a South African chain store - basically the equivalent to Primark minus the vicious lunchtime shoppers) and i got them for a ridiculous 40 rand (that's roughly 3 pounds). they look identical (with that one exception of course) but they brought a smile to my face none the less. i recently blogged about jelly shoes... and if i didn't draw a clear and pretty picture for you the last time, i have officially embraced the jelly shoe comeback. they're adorable and i'm tempted to get them in every colour!


the knock-off.

An interview with Mr Elliot J Sainsbury.

i always take a moment out before an interview to close my eyes really really tight and make a wish to the fairy godmothers above that my subject is not a man (or woman) of little words. any one who has conducted an interview will know how excruciatingly painful it is to get a lousy "yes."/"no." as an answer to a well thought out question. lucky for me, ELLIOT was every interviewers wet dream. a man of many many words!

ELLIOT is the head fashion writer at Fashion156 and also contributes regularly to Topmanzine and London Kicks

What sort of things inspire you to write?


As a fashion blogger in particular you have to develop a sort of mental 'peripheral vision'; i.e. always being in the state of mind to be inspired. The most inspiring thing is people, if I'm being honest- it's other people, how and why they choose to wear what they do, seeing them on the street, knowing how they put this or that look together. And the designers themselves, of course.

What do you love about what you do?

Today was a good example - we got a case of necklaces from a new designer just launching in the UK and they were astonishing and made me excited about clothes all over again. The thrill of uncovering a new designer, or seeing a new show or inspirational lookbook is really exceptional. Being surrounded by clothes all day and meeting some wonderful, creative and motivating people is what it's all about.



Any perks?


Yeah, but it's not all free clothes and limousines! There's some very lovely gifts people sometimes give and some great events but it's usually the nightbus home. Though yesterday I interviewed Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, who is one of my favourite designers ever and ended up at the private view of one of my favourite photographers. I guess that sounds glamorous when I actually write it down...



Anything you don't love so much?

Blogging in particular requires tough hours and a lot of research, but it's hardly rough manual labour for 365 days a year...
 


What would you be doing if you weren't doing this?


Working on my novel, playing electronic music with my band or writing about something else- what that is though, I've thankfully never had the time to work out.



What do you think men's relationship is to fashion on the internet?

It's good for everyone really! Men who are 'scared' of fashion can shop, discuss and get inspired by imagery from the comfort of their home and get style tips without a personal shopper. The second thing is that men who are fashion-savvy can expose themselves to a massive variety of media and expand their knowledge really easily.

Do you think fashion on the internet is dominated both by female-orientated content and a female readership?


It pains me to say, but yes- in sheer terms of volume and number there's a staggering amount of female-orientated content. Technically it is dominated by a female readership, but the grey areas- what ideas they pass on to any men in their lives, what gender of clothing they're reading about- tells a more interesting story. 



Do you think it is changing?

It is changing. Online shops for guys have become more integrated, and taken globally menswear boutiques now offer an astounding selection of clothes compared to about five years ago. The internet has made a few 'stars' out of menswear bloggers/photographers/video-makers which is a really recent thing too, people who now publically promote men's style in print, on television and campaigns- in other words, avant-garde tastemakers. 



Fashion sites that you think are doing something different & interesting?

I love men.style.com for the collections; StyleBubble, Breach Of Style, Hintmag (whose multimedia/forward-thinking shoots are really interesting); oki-ni, which has expanded fantastically as a menswear concept; polyvore, as I love collages and shopping (and this combines both); youtube for music video costume research (I'm obsessed with 90's house and eighties electro); Big Cartel as it's really like an online market for small designers; Oak and Seven in New York as the selection and product shots look so inspiring and editorial-quality. There's a blog called The Staple I like, whose writer focusses on a menswear staple each post, placing it in the realm of classic men's style like good books, coffee and music.



How many hours a day can you be found sitting infront of the computer?

About 23 1/2...


Where do you go to relax?

I spend a lot of time in Charity shops, taking Bay Garnett's advice that they're a good place to focus your eye. Walking through London is the most relaxing thing; absorbing the people, sights etc. I love the George and Dragon, Bar Music Hall, the parks (Richmond especially), the canal, the City, the historic centres of London.

Favourite item of clothing?

A charcoal Miu Miu cardigan, it's my favourite label (now RIP for menswear), I got it for my 18th birthday and have worn it every week since. If not, a very long wolf-print t-shirt I hacked the arms off of, a pair of Carola Euler panelled trousers, an inherited striped shirt, purple cargo shorts or my Siv Stoldal scarf.



Any fashion icons?

Neneh Cherry. David Hockney (the colours, the hair, the glasses). Grace Jones, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Romani people, City of London policemen, Oscar Wilde. My aim is to look like a robot from the future living in a 1920's forest.

What does fashion mean to you?
Historical materialism, or, constructing a personality.

Where do you want to be in 10 years?
Involved in some kind of cultural menswear revolution, getting everyone to experiment with neckscarves and knitwear, whilst writing EastEnders episodes by night.



Other great men on the web?

Guy, our editor, does a lot to promote young menswear designers, like recently Christopher Shannon, J W Anderson, Material Boy and QED. Tim Blanks from style.com is, of course, awesome. 



blogitty blog.

as some of you might know this blog started out as a pre-requisite for a LCF course that i recently completed... but to put it simply the blogging got addictive and so i decided to keep the blog as opposed to letting it disappear into the realms of cyberspace. i wouldn't quite consider my coursework to be blogitty blog material but for my final project (FASHIONING THE WEB - a supplement for i-D magazine) i found the perfect excuse to interview some of the girls and boys responsible for my daily reading material. i've been sitting on this for awhile but i think the time as come for me to share the love...

N.B. Jas M. B. Sample Sale

i don't really know why i haven't made a big deal of my jas mb bag that i bought earlier this year at the grazia london fashion weekend sale... but i think it's time i gave a little shout out to jas. to be completely honest i've never heard of jas mb (yes, silly me.) until i came across the stall at the sale... but really it was love at first sight (cliche - yes... but exaggeration - most definately not!) i couldn't tear myself away from all the leather goodies! my poor sister, i think i dragged her back to the stall a good few times to have another look... and feel of course. needless to say, i purchased the lovely leather item (after much contemplation and confusion - i am the most indecisive girl ever) just seconds before the cashiers closed... and i got it for less than half of the original price! so for the past few months i have been the happiest jas mb toting girl in london. and it's funny cause just yesterday a friend of mine commented on the fabulous-ness of the bag and, like everyone else who gets the opportunity, couldn't help but reach out and cop a feel. what can i say? nice-to-touch leather is my guilty pleasure.

anywhoo... try get yourself down to the jas mb sample sale this week in shoreditch. there's bound to be lots bargains and hoards of cool-looking asian kids to up the game. i'm a 9-5 (or rather 10-6) unpaid working girl from tomorrow but i'll definately try get myself there... i might even stay for DJ set - maybe jas has other talents aside from making trendy understated leather bags which make me weak at the knees.

the controversial jelly shoe.

what is it about the clothes and accessories that defined the 80's that makes us cringe? bodysuits, skorts and... the infamous jelly shoes. i can proudly say as a child i never owned a pair. but after slaving over the computer - fighting with the workings of indesign and my ability to work late into the night... i decided this girl deserved a pair of shoes! who knew that the first pair of shoes my eyes would set itself on would be a pair of JELLY SHOES... yes. i actually saw a okay-looking (as in i would consider wearing them) pair. okay don't get me wrong... i haven't totally given in to the dark side - that is the jelly shoe. i still think some, okay most, of the shoes are... well... just plain unacceptable!

i thought these (above picture but in black) were cute though_ okay. stop pulling that face! they aren't exactly peirre hardys or christian louboutins (although mind you marc jacobs, gucci and marni have all done a few jelly looking shoes for their collections). and yes they aren't exactly made of organic, sustainable materials and whatever natalie portman's vegan shoes are made of but they are cute and i quite like them. this is where i'm going to stop arguing my case cause my persuasion skills are crap and the jelly shoe is a difficult debate that i most probably won't win.

anyways they didn't have my size in black... they did however give me a glittery pink pair to try for size. aha as you thought - it nearly had me running for the door, promising never to lay eyes on another pair of jelly shoes again. what was i thinking?! and that's how i'm still feeling from time to time... constantly reminding myself... "but they're jelly shoes Ulanda!!".

but the store just called and my size is waiting for me... and so the internal debate continues... to own or not to own a pair of jelly shoes?

luella goes from geek to goth

if luella s/s 2008 was 'geeky cool' than a/w 2008 should be titled 'pretty goth'. big, girly pigtails and pretty skirts contrasted with gothic lips and a dark colour palette. our expectations of an oxymoron fashion statement, that has become unique to luella, was fulfilled once more. looking like they had stumbled out of enchanted woods, feeling a little mystified, this season's look was inspired by folklore and fairytales - with witch's hats, crafty embroidery and gypsy inspired hair accessories defining the collection. waistlines continued to be high and peter pan collared blouses, sweetheart dresses and gingham prints - that was all the rage last season - was translated from bright candy-colours to warm winter shades. think rusty oranges and deep blues. wooly pixie hats, thick coloured tights and scarves that became hoods that became scarves were simple, practical and perfect for english winters. i predict, come christman, they will be on every girl's wishlist.

are you ready to JUMBLE?

i've done many interesting and unusual things in my life but never thrift shopping and live music at the same time. that's why the jumblist massive sale which promised exactly that sounded like a little bit of fun. obviously the 'everything 1 pound' part sounded pretty fun too_ the sale was held at 93 East Feet which is apparently (unknown to me) a pretty notorious venue to brick lane regulars. the results: a black chiffon topshop skirt with tulle lining and a leather belt with gold detail buckle for a total of only 2 pounds (aha. they were serious about the 1 pound an item thing). not only did i get a bargain but i also heard some pretty interesting music_ there was rob thomas who, when not entertaining at jumblist sales can be found busting at liverpool street tube station and then there was lail arid who sang about hugging trees and fashion magazines which was actually pretty fun and funny (seriously though she wasn't bad at all). the UV lighting sorta affected my colour judgment and left me wondering on more than one occasion whether the dress i was holding was blue or purple. most of the clothes were highstreet, with tags still on them - not the usual old pussy-bow shirts and maxi dresses. jumbling was all the rage today but i think i'll go back to thrifting... apart from being better at it i think i kind of miss the smell of vintage clothes, the lack of ambience and being able to tell the colour of the garment i'm holding without squitting.

wardrobe for sale! anyone?

women selling off their wardrobes... aha it's a trend. i have decided it is de-fi-nate-ly a trend. it's taken off on ebay and now daphne guiness is doing it too. she is auctioning off (a fraction) of her, i'm assuming, fabulous wardrobe and even better she's doing it for charity. i recently interviewed susan muncey (ex-boutique owner of London's hidden gem Fashion Gallery) about her soon-to-be launched online boutique, ShopCurious. she kicked-off the launch of the website with "the susan muncey shopcurious sale" where she parted with some of her most treasured wardrobe items. see like i told you it's a trend but i think maybe you would need a really impressive wardrobe filled with way too much clothes (although what does that mean actually?) in order to have the guts to sell some of it. so why is it a trend? i'm not completely sure yet? i'm still exploring, pondering and biting my nails about that one... but maybe it has something to do with the idea that "if i sell the old stuff i'll have more space for the new stuff"... maybe? i dunno...

i-Dedicate this to agyness.

we've seen her on the catwalk of London Fashion Week, on the cover of one to many magazines, in the windows of nearly every big designer store and hanging around camden town... and yes i know what you thinking. you couldn't see any more of her even if you wanted to? well you're wrong. this month's issue of i-D is 'the agyness deyn issue' and they are not fooling around with their themed issues. it's not just a cover page, an interview and a few pages of jaw-dropping photos. it's 6 cover pages, an interview with her, her mother, her sister, her bestfriend and her boyfriend (phew.) and a whole magazine, cover-to-cover, of jaw-dropping photos. i-D has lovingly dedicated themselves and their entire may issue to the british beauty agyness deyn . whoever said she's the next kate moss should seriously rethink that statement cause i don't remember a magazine ever dedicating an entire issue to kate??

my ♥ for chloe sevigny

i just found the lovely miss sevigny on the pages of an Uniqlo ad in this months issue of i-D wearing clothes from jean-michel basquiat t-shirt series, which was like opening a bag of skittles and finding loads of red skittles (you would understand if you knew how i felt about red skittles). hasn't she just been popping up in the most wierd and wonderful places? she recently joined the elle editorial team as their style advisor and now has her own monthly style column. she's graced the pages of magazines and every perfume counter looking wonderfully pretty as one of the three faces for the new chloe perfume - a girl after her own name. she has such an electic mix of quirky cool and girliness that kirsten dunst couldn't live up to even if she tried. here's why i ♥ chloe so that you'll have reason to love her too.

1. she was adorning RayBan Wayfarers long before they were cool.

2. she changes professions (model, actress, spokesperson, designer and columnists) with such ease and is actually unsurprisingly good at each and every one of them.

3. she's been nominated for an oscar and golden globe (incase you've forgotten)

4. she's not conventionally pretty yet still i could name several girls (and guys) who would want to be her.

5. she's so fashion savvy and ahead of the game that elle gave her her own column.

6. she's in this very glamourous and arty (dance number) ad entitled "Carousel" for Ritz Fine Jewellery - which i love!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPTs8MgSYHU

7. she's teaming up with the (just as lovely) zooey deschanel in Divorce Ranch, an indie comedy/period piece - looking forward to it? please all raise your hands now.

vintage overdrive. (urban junkies workshop)

is it just me or have we seriously gone into vintage overdrive?! vintage shopping not so long ago was a fun and delightful shopping experience that we did on saturday mornings with friends exploring a treasure trove of past-on gems at affordable prices. Nowadays saturdays are simply a morning of window-shopping, glaring enviously at those Chanel pumps with the very steep triple figure price tag. the first time we reach into our purses is to buy a skinny vanilla latte, extra hot, no cream which is not nearly as satisfying as a good-vintage buy, close but definitely not close enough. i propose that we all boycott the vintage fashion craze and find something else with more vintage cool then a pair of 1970’s Vivienne Westwood sunglasses. let’s say an old record player from the 50’s or the very first model of the Polaroid camera? Polaroid has recently announced the discontinuation of their products so get down to finding and hanging on to that now-retro-looking 80’s Polaroid camera of yours that has probably started collecting dust in the box labelled ‘junk’ and divulge yourselves in old-school Game Boys and other vintage-tech that won’t result in a call from you bank manager.

polyester potential.

Like all fashion lovers I sort of have a problem with polyester and I usually refuse to buy anything made from it unless the clothing item in question is truly lovely and not too expensive. Seems vintage fashion sellers are well aware of our feelings for synthetic material - they tend to write 'luxurious silk from 1968' on the tag even though clearly the item is marked '100% polyester' on the inside.


But a recent article in W Magazine got me thinking about the future of polyester and its potential as a luxury clothing material. Lanvin, one of the worlds most elegant and lavish fashion houses, recently used polyester in the making of their iconic floaty dresses. Aber Elbaz, designer at Lanvin, admits that he 'loves the feel of (polyester)'. But surely he's not talking about the same polyester that was overly used in the 60's and 70's to create most of what we see and try our very best to stay away from in thrift stores today?

Apparently polyester is no longer the restraining and tacky material it once was. Synthetic material has been improved and is slowly making a comeback as more and more designers are choosing to use polyester.

If big fashion houses are dabbling and divulging themselves in synthetic fabrics to create beautiful and breathtaking pieces maybe polyester will no longer be the unspoken and forbidden word in fashion. I won't exaclty be rushing out to get my hands on as much polyester as possible but it does mean that I might have reconsidered that clothing item labelled '100% polyester'. Maybe one day there will be no horror reaction to a tag that reads 'luxurious polyester from 2008'.

the death of the ultra-cool polaroid.

unless you haven't heard... Polaroid Co has decided to officially discontinue their products within this year. invented by the ingenious Edward Herbert Land in 1947 the polaroid has been around for well over 50 years and has left a stamp on the world in the form of billions of polarized film. i can't help but wonder how our lives will change without polaroids... what will the fashion world do? how will jason mraz take photos of himself on stage and throw them out at his audience? and what will amusing sites such as postcardpolaroid.com do with themselves now?

in the 1990's Polaroid sorta had a revival and that's probably when my love-affair with instant film began. my first Polaroid was actually the Polaroid JoyCam and then the iZone and only then the regular sized Polaroid camera... more than anything it's probably cause i love anything pocket-sized and the iZone polaroids were tiny compared to the regular sized polaroid. (oh god and do you remember the SpiceCam?? i remember it was the height of cool to have one. random thought sorry.)

but with digital cameras (and facebook profile pictures) taking over our lives... i guess polaroids have kinda taken a backseat. nowadays our camera-savvy friends take the photo and instantly we gather around him/her trying desperately to catch a glimpse of the outcome. is my double chin showing? or has that huge spot that i'm so discreetly trying to hide with my v. interesting hand posture reared its ugly head? and after much protesting ('i look horrific in that photo'/'you gotta delete it'/'if you post that up on facebook i'll delete you as my friend') the photo is deleted - without ever actually being a real photo. with polaroids - we embrace the imperfections and bad hair days... on the most part cause instant film is rather pricey but none the less you gotta admit that there's never a bad photo when it comes to a polaroid.

i'm personally sad to see polaroids slowly but surely seeping away. there's certainly something about them - i dunno it might be their old-school cool or quirkiness but there's just something unique about taking a polaroid and owning a polaroid. something that i'll miss in the future and that's why i intend on getting my hands on as much instant film as i can or at least as much as my bank account will allow.

on the otherhand i think we might also have a found a window to something with vintage potential? my advice is to hold onto all those instant snapshots (even if they are of you in your pajamas) cause they might be worth more than you think one of these days.

in the mean time... visit http://www.gopetition.co.uk/petitions/save-polaroid-film.html and sign the petition to save polaroid film!

80's apparel_

i was browsing about topshop yesterday and tried on a blue & white striped bodysuit with a high waisted flared skirt similar to the ones shown at miu miu s/s 2008 show (a look that i basically stole straight off the catwalk) the look worked well but the blue & white striped bodysuit didn't quite work so well with the rest of my wardrobe. and so began my (unexpected) search for a black/white bodysuit that would fit right into my collection of wardrobe basics... and where better to get a bodysuit than AMERICAN APPAREL? yes i actually went looking for a bodysuit... you remember those leotard tops that we happily agreed to own in evert colour that had us resorting to descreetly pulling at our pants, trying desperately to get rid of a wedgy without anyone noticing? aha - think hard! the suppressed memory is definately there somewhere at the back of your mind. i think i can finally admit that the 80's are officially back! but really it only seems natural that with highwaisted trouser/skirt back in the fashion spotlight that bodysuits would naturally follow... the two fundamentally go hand in hand - yes? a decade or so ago i was totally working the highwaisted jeans/bodysuit look and lets not forget the legwarmers that went over the jeans! now that we have embraced the 80's comeback it comes as no surprise that AA is fast-becoming a hit store on the high street. the bodysuits were flying off the rails so fast that i could barely get my hands on one that wasn't a XS or L... but i guess with so many more AA stores filled to the rim with shiny spandex and skin-tight lycra in every colour under the sun i shouldn't have any problem getting my hands on some 80's apparel for the second time around.

fashion lets loose!

you know how they say "all work and no play makes jack a dull boy" well fashion is running and screaming refusing to be dull this spring. designers return to their childhood for some inspiration and start having some silly fun as they turn this seasons catwalk into fashion's very own playpen.

lego hairbands. crayon coloured shoes. heart-shaped sunglasses. spongebob squarepants. playsuits. lego belts. batman motifs. mickey mouse head pieces. smiley faces. floppy bows.