Aspirations.

For the first time in my life, I have some sort of aspiration of what I would like to be when I'm older. Like these women please... (and I think that the photos, for once, need no commentary...)

credit; Dazed & Confused #57, 01/08 from foto_decadent
-meg,xoxo

Fetch Me Her Housecoat!

Housecoats are certainly not the most fashionable item, neither to my knowledge, are they still commercially avaliable to buy. But looking at some today, I wondered about their possibilities. One I saw, was almost a dress; a long quilted skirt with a thermal polyester drawstring top. It looked a lot better than it sounds, I'll admit. By just cutting off a majority of the bottom, it could have been made into the cutest winter dress, warm and fuzzy. Damn, I want it now. Another idea would be to make a quilted jacket; just lop off the bottom and presto, you have a cuter version of a puffa jacket.

Another vintage item I'm ever so obsessive with is lingerie and bedwear of the 50's, 60's and 70's. Slips, nightgowns, dressing gowns; I am in love with it all. It is the perfect antidote to recent bedwear which is sloganed to death, or completly sexless (or the severe opposite). It manages to be sexy without being slutty, and pretty without being overtly so.

images; poshgirlvintage.com
-meg,xoxo

The Details

I enjoy detailing on my clothes; buckles, clasps, ribbons, buttons, anything that brings a little extra to the plate. So, today when I saw this dress (Marios Schwab for Topshop) I fell in love. For once, I think that this is something Topshop managed to price correctly.

The tiny flower print contrasted with the clasps looks even better in person. It's all about the juxtaposition! And the effect that simple clasping detail brings.

-meg,xoxo

Working Girl

Autumn/Winter '08 looks like one where there will be the ever so predicatable return to more ladylike looks. Although part of me mourns this (I enjoy not having to brush my hair every day), there have been some catwalk looks that have made me perk up and Eley Kishimoto Fall 2008 is one of these.

Clothes like these, are in my eyes, completly appropriate for the dreary 9-5. They are sugar sweet in terms of aesthetic, but they still retain an office-appropriate edge. Business casual at its finest!

I also like the collection as it reminds me of a favourite editorial photograph of mine. Sadly I cannot remember where it orginates; however I do know that this is how I'd dress for a job in my dream world.

images; style.com
-meg,xoxo

Vintage?

The first ever vintage item I bought was about four years ago; a brightly patterned 1960's dress, with a full skirt and a zip up the front. It cost me £25 from Pop Boutique in Manchester, and it continues to be one of my favourite dresses, suitable for day and night. I've continued buying vintage; mainly dresses from the 60's or 70's, and accessories.
Vintage has exploded over the last few years (witness 'vintage' sections in charity shops such as Oxfam, the increase in independent vintage sellers on eBAY and in 3d, and a resurgent interest in charity shops, for those in search of the perfect quilted gold-strapped bag). But something caught my eye today in Urban Outfitters.
As you may know, UO have an 'Urban Renewal' section instore, which contains vintage clothing, as well as newly constructed pieces from vintage stock. I have a few things from their vintage section (all on sale and all from the men's department; plaid shirts, 1980's vest tops and my prized turquoise sachel). But I don't ever really look at it; I find it overpriced and opportunistic. However today, they had a large selection of tooled leather bags, all of which I fell in love with (my favourites being a rose pattern and a deer pattern). Tooled leather, for me, evokes a certain kind of aesthetic; hippyish, bohemian, natural. I have a tooled leather belt that I bought for £2 and I adore it. These bags provoked a similar reaction from me. The only problem? Their price.

£38/£40? Sadly I wasn't shocked. That may not seem like a lot of money for something, you'd be hard pressed to buy a brand new bag off the high street for less. But I can guarantee that it would be far cheaper to go to an actual vintage store, than buy it from Urban Outfitters. I hate that major stores are ripping off consumers in order to make a quick buck. Or do I just not get the point of capitalism?

-meg,xoxo

Aesthetic Inspiration

Some images that have been inspiring me lately...

This Prada ad is just so perfect. I love the louche vibe it gives off, and those bags are delectable.

This girl, snapped by The Satorialist is making me jealous. She pulls off jeans in a way that I never could and that yellow patent trench is great. I like how she's pulled the collar up, it's little details like that that really make an outfit 'pop'.

Riley Keough (grand-daughter of Elvis) at Prada's premire of Trembled Blossoms, an animated short by Muiccia Prada. I like the juxtaposition of a sheeny black trench with a pretty dress peaking through. The dishelleved hair completes the outfit.

I have no words for the dress that Arden Wohl has on here (again at Prada), apart from: I WANT NOW. The black details (headband, tights) make the dress and shoes look ever better. Sigh.

Sasha Pivovarova is such a cute overload! I love her floral layers, her slight bohemian charm, and her adorable smile.

images; style.com, the sartortialist @ style.com, the fashion spot

-meg,xoxo

Fashion/Politics

Fashion. A word that can conjure up a thousand images; whether it be couture, style, mass-market, trends etc. Politics is another word with many associations; lying, war, voting, presidential candidates. They make strange bed-fellows, but they are actually two of my greatest passions. I love clothes, always have done. But I also love debates, on topics such as abortion, taxation and federalism. Now, I'm not about to put my views up here (unless asked to). They are mine, and mine alone, and I respect that others may not agree with me. However, the point of this post is not to debate my views, but to identify the link between these spheres that seem to be so seperate.

The link can be seen quite superficially at first. The 2008 American Presidential election has thrown up all sorts of sartorial questions, some of which are predicatably aimed at Hillary Clinton. This has even made column inches; here (Tim Gunn for Newsweek), here (Jezebel quoting a Reuters article), and here (a Jezebel comparison of Michelle Obama and Jackie Kennedy) No doubt there are countless more articles on the subject. We even know who is voting for who in the designer world. The new Mme.Sarkozy is getting a similar treatment this side of the Atlantic, with this London Times article which sees her style as something to be improved upon. I suppose examining politicians and their spouses' fashion choices is nothing new (Jackie O is still a fashion icon) but it does seem to have reached a new level in these media-saturated times.

Anyway, thats all well and good, but I don't think it explores the relationship between fashion and politics, not the one that interests me most anyway. (And I'm all for being well dressed, but I'd rather someone run a country well and wear sweatpants, than wear Armani and attempt to nuke a good proportion of the world.) (Not to say wearing Armani would make you do such a thing.)

What interests me is the political or cultural messages an item of clothing can send out. The most obvious example of this would be the shemagh/keffiyeh craze that seemed to dominate every wannabe hipster~ last year. I really did not have a clue how to take this at all (and neither did some other people.) Was it just as simple as wearing a scarf? Was it culturally or politically insensitive/ignorant? Should it have been treated as another incident of people mindlessly wearing things for 'fashion'? (See also; crufixies when not Catholic.) Well, this hot potato temporily forced Urban Outfitters to stop selling the scarf (however other retailers continued to sell them.) It's not like UO really stopped (The Manchester branch was the first to restart selling them.) I actually recieved one when I was given a free goodie bag for attending a student 15% off event there. I've never worn it, I never intend to.

So what is the ideal way to deal with these things? To be blindly ignorant to a garments significance? To know how sensitive others may be to you wearing such an item? Or to eschew the trend? Overall, the best solution is to find out what a garment may mean to someone - and then make up your mind.

-meg,xoxo

Topshop Lust

Even though I can't actually spend any money at the moment (due to an upcoming holiday to New York and the lack of a job) that doesn't mean I can't look. And wish. Going into Topshop
today was not a great idea for my willpower, but thankfully the internet allows me to browse.

Once again, the limited/Unique/designer collaborations have me reaching for my wallet...
(L - R; Christopher Kane for Topshop linen dress £120, Unique Splodge print dress £95, Limited Edition stripe blazer £60, Premium platform lace-up boot £95)

The attraction to the Christopher Kane dress is obvious I guess. I was a huge fan of his first collection for Topshop (I have a top and a dress from it), and his collaborations just seem to be improving. I saw a girl in Topshop in the skirt from the new collection and it looked amazing.
The Unique dress is beautiful in person, and I'm a huge sucker for floral print anyway. But I actually already own a vintage dress in a similar pattern, and even if I didn't, £65 is a lot to pay for something I could probably thrift under £10.
The blazer is very Balenciaga-esque and would look great with the floral dress underneath. I do like it a lot but I couldn't persuade myself to part with the money.
However, the same cannot be said for the shoes. They are incredible! The perfect mix of edgy, subversive and slightly minxish. I enjoy the platform very much (despite knowing I'd be in 6" + territory). Anyway, despite their price tag, I may have to indulge, because shoes this great don't come along often. And I will get 10% off (thank you student discount!)

-meg,xoxo

Chloë Sevigny (Or My Girl-Crush Explained)

I think, out of all the people I admire for their stylistic pursuits (countless girls that post on wardrobe_remix, and a select few in the public eye) no one is more inspiring to me than Chloë Sevigny. I know, I know, I'm not alone in my love for her. There's just something so effortless in her attitude towards clothes that makes me foam at the mouth. And I do like the fact that she can be on best dressed lists as well as worst dressed ones. I'm in the former camp, yet I like how provocative her style is to a lot of people. Needless to say, I want one of the dresses from her line with Opening Ceremony (a Liberty print one with pockets) more than anything.

This is just an excellent t-shirt. And swiped from Harmony Korine, no less.

It It always amazes me how much modelling she does and how great she is as a model. I think this has lead in turn to her more 'fashion-y' reputation. My favourite shoot of hers was in s/s 07's Self Service magazine, titled "I'm very into a kind of circus look right now" which can be seen here.


Yellow looks incredible on her, as do those great boots.


I I I like the deconstruction of this dress. Plus it has pockets! Great boots again, she really knows how to play up the asset that are her legs.


I really adore this; it's playful and fun, although I know it wasn't recieved very well. Look how adorable she is! The pink lip is a really good look for her.


Pockets again! Such a great colour on her, Luella s/s '07. The statement necklace just finishes it off.

And finally, the photograph that started my Chloë-crush. Florals and white peeptoes! I have incredible amounts of love for this outfit.

Overall, I think her style works so well because it is obvious that it is her. She doesn't employ a stylist, and she is now serving as a style advisor for UK ELLE magazine. Her style is something very natural, and very becoming. Now that is something to strive towards.

photo credit; sevigny fans on livejournal.
-meg,xoxo

EDIT; 7/02/2008: According to WWD, Chloë is now designing luggage for Samsonite Black Label!