that was hazy cosmic jive

day dress, strapy wedges, skirt suit, flared slacks, killer heels, graphic satchel, easy hang vest.

Now evidentally, none of the mid-range fashion brands have taken seriously their responsability of shamelessly recreating peter pilotto-esque space and galaxy prints. Lusting after all things intergalactic since the backend of last year, I'm still on the hunt of garments to help me act out my nebula fantasies (haha, just me or does "nebula fantasies" sound like a phrase that would be incredibly well suited to space fan porn? anyone?..) the disappearance of my galaxy print purse (the same fateful night I lost my camera) certainly hasn't furthered me in my quest. Desperate times call for desperate measures and all that. And well, what can I say, I'm a natural designer, allow me if I may..

"I present the "Hazy Cosmic Jive" collection, kindly named by Mr David Bowie himself, these silky pieces hang like carefree whispers with the occasional Hannah Gibbons scalloped edge thrown in for good measure. Snap up the collection before the Scientologists do, they've been poaching me to sell them rights to reproduce the pieces for their "uniform". I'll let Beck and Juliette Lewis wear them, but after that I draw the line."

What a pitch! I think I smell funding pie..

acceptable in the 80s

what I think I love most about this collection is that it gives a nod the 80's in a perfectly authentic way. it's not an "hey, i'm wearing neon leggings" in-your-face/agyness deyn kind of look, it's more molly ringwalder as claire standish in the breakfast club if she'd got together with john bender, had a few moments of rebellion and then moved to nyc and partied it up with with mr jacobs himself.

the colours pop, and there may even be a little clashing in there too, but they do it without a whisper of nu rave, and in a dignifed way; pairing that shimmering mustard yellow dress with a large cocoon coat.

the hair and make up is amazing, taking us from ivanka trump to grace jones, and madonna to joan collins.

i can see these pieces shaping up very well as red carpet looks. take them apart a little, rub off the runway sheen and choose just one piece and it'll be a great look. the 80s shaped dresses get my pick because they're a shape that is outdated enough to be daring and exciting rather than nostaligic for the sake of it.

view the rest of the marc jacobs collection here

and the rest of the new york fall 2009 collections here

where's the wang revolution?

There is a noticeably special buzz surrounding the fall 2009 shows this week, and I should think it'll extend right through until the end of the new collections when Paris Fashion week draws to a close at the start of March.

It's a "this year is different" mentallity and an excitement and overdue need to see some new trends. I'm craving looks that are more refined and slick; more Jil Sander than Alexander Wang, something I've spoken about in a a couple of previous posts.

Having said this, I waited for the Alexander Wang Fall 2009 with baited breath, waiting to see if ironically he was in the same mood. Would he steer away from the leathery sheen of his grunge luxe or would be press on with his typical aesthetic of droppy tee shirts and cutaway sex?

I must say, I was a little disappointed, because although glad to see him embracing a more grown up look, the collection didn't feel enough of a departure from his previous and I was hoping for more of a progression to promise that the Alexander Wang look has longivity. Though that CFDA/Vogue fashion fund along with the show's presence of big time influencers Anna Wintour and Phillip Green should be enough to promise a sustained future.

So in conclusion, the collection didn't quite do it for me, I was hoping for a more of a covered up look, with those black maxi skirts I've been speaking of; I'd love to see Wang come up with a new take on conservative. Instead with hemlines shortcoming and more slits in leggings, the front row which housed Jen Brill, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Roisin Murphy, Zoe Kravitz, Vanessa Traina [and bizarrely Sarah Jessica Parker who I would never have down as a Wang groupie] seemed a more promising breeding ground of new ideas.

pics jak and jil, style.com, fashionista, wireimage

acne fall oh nine

tomorrow sees the start of new york fashion week and therefore the "official" start of fall 09! if that sends shivers down your spine and messes up your biological clock, you're not the only one.. to get into the swing of things, feast your eyes on the acne fall 09 collection.

the search for a wedged boot rages on.* my mum has a fantastic pair but loves them too much to share.. boo!

meanwhile the sellophane trousers are looking awfully appealing and further applause for the long and simplistic silhouette continues in the form, this time, of loose tux trousers instead of a maxi dress.

*and a nod of the head..
to the magnificent minimarket wedges, for if I had the cash (alas, any cash) this is where it would go.

pics style.com, minimarket boot pics from fashionsquad.com

hip hip hooray

When the Katie Holmes for Miu Miu ads were revealed and quickly met with little sighs of disappointment, the Pamela Anderson for Vivienne Westwood campaign remained the light at the end of the spring advertisement tunnel. a glimmer of hope sparkled, as surely such a pairing, along with juergen teller as photographer could be executed in an imaginative and humorous way..

When the first of the photographs (see the third here) hit the internet this morning, I thought it had all gone a bit, ahem, tits up. i wanted to see Pamela looking cutely trashy. maybe in a gushing pink dress with one of her tits out on a sofa in a trailer park (that's the setting we were promised after all) surrounded by cheeto packets. and what stared back at me was pam on, rather predictably, a beach, with the boring outfit taking a backseat to her boobs.

But hoorah, the other adverts have saved what i thought was a shattered dream (forgive the X Factor contestant style metaphors) with her prancing beside Mr and Mrs Westwood; what a twist that Vivienne herself is featured! Juergen Teller's photography, now instantly recognised (or just associated) for it's "marc jacobs haze" tones down the deliciously bright orange colour palette that is Pamela's life and makes it all the more high fashion.

Take one unfashiony type star, add some trashy imagery and the forgiving arty focus of a hazy camera and hey presto, one top notch advertisement is the result!

refinery29

annual january "summer thirst"

Ah, yes, the third week of january. When it feels like it has been the longest winter on record, and when we wonder whether there will ever be an end to dark evenings. we forget how to spell sumer sommer summer, it's been so long. The advertisements for the spring/summer collections are like golddust. Every tanned leg, every sun ray reflected against the camera, short hemlines and sunglasses must be absorbed as a way of building up some reserves to survive until we get a taste of the 'real' summer beyond pages of a magazine.

The new lookbooks spill from every corner, and with daydreams of holidays turning to fruition, thoughts are now occupied with finding the perfect collection of swimsuits and cover ups. Or roadtesting and feeling our way across the spirit of a trend, hanging in the air just out of reach until the temperature allows us to explore and take our own interpretations for a spin on the streets.

1. the sophomore spring lookbook is here.

..now, summer. would you care to join us?

the miu miu moan

i feel disappointed. i was hoping miuccia and her team would completely transform katie holmes beyond recognition. although it could be argued that the airbrush tool did a good job at this anyway. remember when the lindsay lohan for miu miu adverts came out, whether you liked them or not (i love them, i must admit) they were fantastically un-lohan and fresh and interesting.

this is just dull. she is dead in the eyes, and the colours may pretty, but the backdrop is hardly a saving grace. I don't understand the holmes appeal at all. she seems to be getting an awful lot of "style icon" for owning jeans in multiple styles, and therefore being the "queen of denim"

reality check, in the "real world" people wear denim everyday.

rant over, i'd love to know what you think about the first of the ads to have been released.

image, grazia

apple picking

sheesh, where did the weekend go? can it please come back? i have so much left on my to do list!

the horoscopes post will be up soon hopefully, i'm fearing they won't be relevant for this month by the time they're up, so maybe you virgos et al will have to wait til feb, even!

while-u-wait, i leave you with a shot from the glorious new marc jacobs SS09 advertisements.

shot by juergen teller, with raquel zimmerman.

what will happen to the hutsons?

These days reading fashionista.com is like reading a minute by minute report of the state of the global economy; there's no getting away from companies and publications caving under the pressure of the recession and into administration. Although (i'm no economy expert) I'm very much of the view that recessions come in cycles and are perfectly natural (how could we always go up but never down?) it's very saddening indeed when the latest on the list of bad news is the lovely brand obedient sons and daughters, though the brand has been forced to close it's doors because "investor hasn’t provided sufficient capital to support the brand’s growth." (thanks style.com) uhh, so that isn't related to the credit crunch?..

More importantly, why in gods name, has somebody else not riden up like a knight in shining balenciaga legging-ed armour and saved the day? The brand, led by coolsters Mister Swaim and Missus Christina Hutson was clearly headed for big things after being nominated for last year's CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and coming up with this bloody superb collection.

Next for The Hutsons appears to be a collection which will be ready for it's show scheduled for Valentines Day. So where is the financial backing for that coming from?..

there is nothing much to see on their website except quite simply the words "new year, new day, new beginnings". the fact this little message was posted on january 8th as opposed to the first tells me they're sadly not referring to 2009.

ps, part two of style horoscopes coming asap, i promise!

a little look back

even if you want to deny it (who would..?)

these guys were the coolest couple of OH EIGHT.

also see the style.com video which can't be embedded..

here...http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=n9SwZFw3rqw

does anyone fancy writing a short poem about this awesome twosome?

rhyming isn't optional!

advent season: day thirteen, remembering mj's annual bash

due to financial difficulties (be those as a result of the credit crunch or dodgy not-so-behind-the-scenes hefty bribery pay offs..) dear marc jacobs will not be throwing his annual christmas bash for the first time in 18 years.

it had originally been scheduled for wednesday just gone, and would have had a rock and roll circus theme. surely citizens band and a serving of karen elson would have been pretty perfect for this, but hey ho, let's celebrate and take a look back at the previous years rather than mourn for "loss" of this years.

2005 The Wild West


2007 Arabian Nights


& the rest..


The Previous themes:

2003
The Theme: White and Silver
Marc's costume:Polar Bear

2004
The Theme: Red and Gold theme
Marc's costume: Heinz Ketchup Bottle

2005

The Theme: Wild West
Marc's costume: Wilbur from Charlotte's Web

2006

The Theme: Carnival in Venice
Marc's costume: Vetetian Pigeon

2007

The Theme: Arabian Nights
Marc’s costume: A Camel Toe

pics wwd, style.com, google

just a girl. and a t shirt.

Living in such a high-tech world seems to have people nostalgic for the past. Old fashioned snail mail and care packages are favoured over impersonal texts and emails. Most prefer the instant pleasure of a Polaroid to a digital camera. Just as mixtapes ruled in the 80s, we still gravitate towards homemade labours of love.

this homemade appeal is what drew me to i ♥ boxie, a small dalston based tee shirt company which has cuteness and unashamed cool in equal amounts. now here's a thought; how about wearing your heart on your tee shirt rather than on your sleeve?

i came across the i ♥ boxie site a few months back and after reading about moxie (as the mastermind is approproiately named) and her soft spot for typewriters and a desire for embracing the story behind the tee shirt and it's wearer, i fell in love and dropped her a line.

though many of the tee shirts are made in duplicate numbers (but you can opt the bespoke "t spoke" way) they're all very personal in that they're inspired by a place or person special to moxie and their slogans tell a story. if you order a tee for yourself, expect the story to come typed (with mistakes and all) on a little typewritten page; i find little novelties such as this so refreshing and so much more rewarding than getting some old tee in a polythene wrapper from X online store.

another reason to heart moxie is because of the price, which at £23 a pop is certainly no piss take, especially when the personalised tees (you drop them a line with your own slogan) cost exactly the same to "encourage people to have their own tee that tells their own story."

check out the loveliness http://www.iloveboxie.com/

** to clarify, this is my (i guess you could say..) "policy" on chatting shit about amazing products.. I'll only feature products that I genuinely love on this blog, regardless of any freebies or incentives, because selling out smells badd. i got in touch with moxie to let her know i was going to feature her lovely tees on the blog and she kindly offered to send me one of my own. thanks again m. x **

if the credit crunch hadn't killed the christmas list..

and if asking for a collection of designer clothes was usually a feasible option anyway..

.. then each item from this collection would surely be on it.

embracing the anti face

and the internet buzzes with rumours that pamela anderson shall be vivienne westwood's face come spring 09. everybody's favourite "lifeguard" will be starring in Dame Viv's Spring 09 adverts which, according to the word on the street, were shot in a trailer park.

I think this sounds fantastic and actually, for all the 30 second marriages and boobage, I'm not afraid to admit that I absolutely love Pamela Anderson and actually think that she's a rather good role model. for starters, she's a advocate for animal rights and is constantly involved with PETA's latest campaigns. Her work is this area isn't half arsed either, as she has written numourous letters and publicly campaigned, sticking to her guns unlike some other people I can think of who publicise their anti-fur views only to go back on their "morals" when they're offered a free fur. Anyone who has seen Pamela Anderson interviewed would probably agree that she seems like a very cool and down to earth person, in fact the type who would fall into the "person i'd love to spend the day hanging out with" category. And of course she seems like a great Mum; she seems to actually hang out with her kids rather than employing other people to do it.

So to conclude, I think this is a fantastic choice of face for a Vivienne Westwood campaign. The choice of an 'anti-icon' or at least somebody who isn't instantly associated with high fashion (though Pam is a huge fan of Stella McCartney) is always an interesting route to go down, take Marc Jacobs who always chooses interesting stars for his campaigns, even if they're not typically beautiful, popular or an obvious choice.

let's wait and see.

pic; nymag

chloe

completely love the shy colours and 'pinking-sheared' edges which bring the dreamy demure edge of the chloe girl back to form. i want to be head over heels in love with the collection, but am still hesitating a little over the shapes of some of the trousers which are veering far too close to mc hammer. while this is not particularly a bad thing, I don't think it really works with the flirtiness of the rest of the pieces.

i sincerely hope that there won't be any more creative director re-jigs though. at the moment, chloe feels a little bit like an fragile child who is being carted between foster homes, with new people always coming and going! as any child psychologist can testify; chloe needs stability!

falls on the run way at prada, a wee case of schadenfreude make

another fashion week, another fall (or few..) on the runway.
this time it was the models at Prada who made us sigh "eesh kabeesh" as they teetered and stumbled down the runway in skyhigh snakeskin heels.

I should imagine that Stam is regularly haunted by flashbacks of that astoundinly awful (yet none the less schadenfredue enducing..) fall at Chloe back in 2006. I know I have reoccuring nightmares that involve that headsmacking on the floor. So look at the sheer determination on her face below at Prada's show. "Not again, not bloody well again.." are the thoughts racing around her head, me thinks.

I do geniunely feel sorry for these girls, talk about embarrasment.. but there is no doubt that it adds a little fun to the shows; the shoes are so ridiculous at times that it is indeed laughable..


pics fashionologie

misery at alexander wang

just a quick point.

i was looking back through the spring 2009 collections so far, and um, don't the models that walked in the alexander wang should look terribly sweaty and miserable?

we all know all the hardships models endure, but really, i swear they never usually let it show.

it occured to me that it may have been on purpose, but there is a sure difference between a look of misery and a powerful lara stone glare.

stam looks like she is about to cry! i don't think she likes her skullcap.

clare tough

it's all in the details..