The Sartorialist

I love street fashion. Perhaps this explains my love of sitting in coffee shops and people watching, which I spend a worrying amount of time doing. Scott Schuman (aka, the blogger behind The Sartorialist) has made this a whole lot easier by taking snaps of all sorts of different people around the world and posting the pictures on his wonderful blog. From models to businessmen and from PR girls to builders, all Schuman's subjects have a unique personal style, which could be overlooked if you were to hurredly walk past these people on the busy streets of New York, but when isolated in a simple photograph, becomes something beautiful.

This video gives a great insight into his work and what inspires him.

Springtime Socks

                               

I love this look in Spring, especially with denim shorts, pretty skirts or peeking out over Converse trainers. Cute.

      

The man who coined the name Twiggy

A selection pictures by Barry Lategan, the photographer who discovered Twiggy in the 60s, suggested her pixie haircut and photographed her for the hairdresser, Leonard. It was these pictures (see right) that prompted Deidre McSharry, a fashion journalist from The Daily Express to organise another shoot with the sixteen year old, in which she wrote: "The Cockney Kid with a face to launch a thousand shapes ... and she's only 16! - The Daily Express, 23 February 1966.

He has now photographed everyone from Princess Anne and Margaret Thatcher to Paul and Linda McCartney and has shot an amazing thirteen Vogue covers.

Introducing... Oreva O from Sweet Disposition

My beautiful friend, Oreva has the most amazing photography blog full of her own snaps and those of her favourite photographers, who include Mario Testino and Tyler Shields. Take a look - www.highfashionandhazydays.tumblr.com




I recently got the opportunity to ask her a few questions about her love of photography and about herself.

Oreva

Why did you start your blog?

My blog is a platform for my photography. I decided to start blogging as a means to share my love of photography with anyone who is even slightly interested in the art. Before the blog, I kept my photos saved on my computer with no purpose; now i have a purpose for my work. 

Do you hope to make a career out of photography or is it just a hobby?

Well, I've always loved photography. I find with every single photograph there is a story to be told and such stories are meant to be interpreted by the viewer in a personal way. I want people to do that with my photography so although it's just a hobby for now, if it were to transform into a career, that would be a huge bonus. In the song, 'Watchers' by B.O.B. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUk23RAHXGU) he says "If you're good at something make sure they pay you and if not then take a Thank You!" which I strongly agree with.

Who inspires you?

The inspiration came from fashion magazines - Vogue and Elle in particular. I was in awe of the models, their elegance and beauty. Being a typical 'girly-girl' I've always being into fashion - all aspects of it. My mother's very glamorous with her dressing so I reckon I inherited the love for fashion from her. However, with my photography Mario Testino is a key inspiration. I adore his photography and admire his focus; he starred in my GCSE photography portfolio a few years ago.

What is your favourite photograph that you have taken?

Very difficult decision, but this is my favourite of the moment. It was originally featured in WHAT. magazine.

Tell me three things about yourself.

I love to dance so so much. Anywhere I go if there's music, I can't help but go with it.

I'm a Cancer and strongly disagree with the 'timid' take on the star sign which I like to think i'm far from.

I think everyone and everything was created for a purpose, and that purpose is found in what we enjoy. Experience is the key to survival and through experiences we learn better ways of dealing with different situations if they occur a second time.

Braidy Bunch

There’s something so pretty and carefree about plaits. I’m desperately trying to grow my shoulder length hair so that I can do more with it than my normal hair down -hair in bun -hair in ponytail rotation.

When my hair looks like Twiggy’s I’ll be happy… Probably an unrealistic ask as her chunky plait is a clip-in. Hersheson’s do some amazing ones similar but somehow I just can’t justify spending nearly one hundred pounds on a synthetic (but nevertheless beautiful) braid. For now I’ll be waiting patiently for my real hair to grow and doing mini plaits along the way.

Marchesa, I love you...

Marchesa, New York Fashion Week a/w 2011


Inspired by Miss Havisham from Dickens' Great Expectations, Marchesa's a/w 2011 RTW collection of silk, satin, tulle and velvet dresses were absolutely beautiful. Each one embellished with crystals, pearls and feathers, Marchesa really outdid themselves. Rumour has it that one of the models found her wedding-style ivory dress particularly tricky to wear as she experienced breathing difficulties because of the huge amounts of chiffon and tulle around the neckline - a true case of suffering for one's art although to be honest, even if I died in Marchesa I'd be happy.

 

• “It was glamour with a capital G at Marchesa—and it had nothing to do with Harvey, the line of town cars as far as the eye could see, or the paparazzi buzzing around.... No, this was all about the 24 exquisite dresses inside, presented in a modern manner with dewy-faced models perched atop glossy white cubes like living artwork, or perhaps young goddesses—particularly apt for a white Grecian gown traced with gold embroidery. Though it was a tight collection, it seemed to cover so many bases: short and spirited in a little ombré fringe number, darkly soigné in an asymmetrical black lace gown, and no-holds-barred belle of the ball in a frothy lilac tulle gown with a spray of orchids crafted, unbelievably, from feathers.”

  —Meenal Mistry Style.com

• “We're women designing for women. We know how they feel in a beautiful dress. That's our focus right now.”

  —Georgina Chapman The Houston Chronicle

• “Clients pay $3,000 to $10,000 for their dresses, engineered to flatter because they are built on a scaffolding of multiple bones and elasticized panels. Ms. Chapman laid out for inspection a hand-stitched crimson brocade dress with an elaborate internal construction rarely seen since the '60s.”

  —Ruth LaFerla The New York Times

• “It was glamour with a capital G at Marchesa—and it had nothing to do with Harvey, the line of town cars as far as the eye could see, or the paparazzi buzzing around.... No, this was all about the 24 exquisite dresses inside, presented in a modern manner with dewy-faced models perched atop glossy white cubes like living artwork, or perhaps young goddesses—particularly apt for a white Grecian gown traced with gold embroidery. Though it was a tight collection, it seemed to cover so many bases: short and spirited in a little ombré fringe number, darkly soigné in an asymmetrical black lace gown, and no-holds-barred belle of the ball in a frothy lilac tulle gown with a spray of orchids crafted, unbelievably, from feathers.”

  —Meenal Mistry Style.com

• “We're women designing for women. We know how they feel in a beautiful dress. That's our focus right now.”

  —Georgina Chapman The Houston Chronicle

Shattered

I’m not normally into gimmicky products but when my aunt sent me a pot of the new O.P.I. Shatter polish I was pretty intrigued. With its cool silver “shatter effect” lid, it looks like any other black nail polish until it dries and creates what can only be described as a cracked look. For someone who spends a significant amount of time trying to work out how to make my nail varnish stay chip-free for longer, I was really surprised that I liked this product although I definitely found that it works best with brighter colours.

The instructions say that it’s best applied over a shade from O.P.I’s Katy range (their amazing collaboration with Katy Perry) but I’ve tried it over a number of polishes with successful results. 

A big shout out to Marcelle for letting me use her beautiful nails.

Spring/Summer 2011 Campaigns

It’s always an exciting time of year when the new S/S 2011 ad campaigns are rapidly appearing in the glossies. My favourites are Mulberry (how cute is that pig?), Dolce and Gabbana (I’m a sucker for florals and so pleased to see that someone has finally realised that it’s ok to smile – especially in the Summer!) and Chanel (love the unexpected Chanel suits in an overgrown garden).

And the wooden spoon goes to Proenza Schouler… I feel surprisingly strongly about how much I dislike these shots considering that it’s not even one of my favourite designers. It’s probably something to do with the fact that the models look a bit – dare I say it – corpse-like, which does not make for a good underwear shot.

Shades of Grey

Here is a very relevant song for you to listen to while reading this post. “Shades of Grey” is by exciting new singer/songwriter, Marie Naffah and I just can’t stop pressing the replay button. Her debut album, Bare Feet is available on iTunes.

Maybe it’s something to do with London’s overcast skies or it could even be the January blues, but I seem to be stuck in a colour rut. I used to associate the colour grey with stuffy workwear and grimy tracksuits but 2011 seems to have changed my mind (or perhaps it was the beautiful grey cashmere snood I found under the tree this Christmas…).

I’m trying to keep my grey obsession from looking dull so I’m drawing the line at wearing it head to toe, but the All Saints dress above is my new LBD. I wore it a few nights ago with a fitted black blazer to stop it from looking too nightwear-ish. I’ve also swapped my normal black eyeliner for a grey (I use Bobbi Brown gel pot in Granite Ink).

 I hate to use a cliché, but I think that grey might be the new black.



Topshop, £70



Ooh la la

I'm a little obsessed with French New Wave cinema, particularly films by Jean Luc Godard. Even if you don't watch the film, at least watch the trailer!
 The main female character in my favourite of his films, A Bout de Souffle (Breathless), Patricia, played by Jean Seberg, is entrancing. The failed Hollywood actress made waves in Paris with her simple striped tees and gamine pixie crop - perhaps this is where Emma Watson found her inspiration for her post-Harry Potter makeover? Arguably her most iconic look in the film is the Herald Tribune t-shirt she pairs with slim black cropped trousers and pumps. This Christmas I'm hoping my nearest and dearest have acknowledged my many hints - I'm hoping for a Rodarte replica under the tree.