Stronger

GUESS 2010 Fall Campaign

I'm personally not a great fan of GUESS. But when I came across their ad campaign this time around, it was the their retro 50's, early 60's styling that got me. We've seen an avalanche of elements from the era spill over into fashion's impressionable mind, and the bulk of the torrent is yet to come.

Models: Alyssa Miller, Silviu Tolou, Elsa Hosk

Photographer: Ellen Von Unwerth

Style Muse: Grease

How can you not watch this movie and not want high-waisted full skirts? Other drool-worthy pieces include cat-eye glasses, cropped halter-neck top, the fabulous all-black off-shoulder outfit worn by Sandy, and did you see those red clogs she had on in the finale? I'm excited about the 50's redux in fashion trends I talked about in earlier posts. Sweet Sandy or Sexy Sandy, both looks will be huge this coming season. 

The Beauty of Music

"It is cruel you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness, of pain, of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony."

Benjamin Britten

"Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes, and turn my back to loneliness."

Maya Angelou

I wish I was wearing

This is what I wish I was wearing today. Well, maybe with a bit more layering to beat the cold. So if anybody knows where I could get my hands on this grey marle jumpsuit or the long double breasted vest, plesse do not hesitate in letting me know. Thank you.

P.S I'm interpreting the text as "Top 10 trends to die for". Am I right?

More Beautiful You

Little girl fourteen, flipping through a magazine

says she wants to look that way

But her hair isn't straight, her body isn't fake

and she's always felt overweight

Well, little girl fourteen, I wish that you could see

that beauty is within your heart

And that you were made with such care,

your skin, your body, your hair

are perfect just the way they are

There could never be a more beautiful you

Don't buy the lies, disguises and hoops they make you jump through

You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do

So there could never be a more beautiful you

Little girl twenty one, the things that you've already done

Anything to get ahead

And you say you've got a man but he's got another plan

only wants what you will do instead

Well, little girl twenty one, you never thought that this would come

You starve yourself to play the part

But I promise you there's a man who's love is true

And He'll treat you like a jewel you are

There could never be a more beautiful you

Don't buy the lies, disguises and hoops they make you jump through

You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do

So there could never be a more beautiful you

So turn around, you're not too far

To back away, be who you are

To change your path, go another

It's not too late, you can be saved

If you feel depressed with past regrets

The shameful nights hope to forget, can disappear

They can all be washed away

By the One who's strong, can right your wrongs

Can rid your fears, dry all your tears

And change the way you look at this big world

He will take your dark distorted view

and with His light, He will show you the truth

And again you'll see through the eyes of a little girl

More Beautiful You - Johnny Diaz

Fairy Tales

When I was a little girl, I used to read fairy tales. In fairy tales you meet Prince Charming and he's everything you ever wanted. In fairy tales the bad guy is easy to spot. The bad guy is always wearing a black cape so you always know who he is. Then you grow up and realise that Prince Charming is not as easy to find as you thought. You realise the bad guy is not wearing a black cape and he's not easy to spot; he's funny, and he makes you laugh, and he has perfect hair.

Why I heart Winter

It's okay to be Snow White.

Dressing is no sweat. Seriously Easy, literally no sweat.

Repetition rules. (You're generally frowned upon if you wear the same dress three days in a row, but wear the same jacket five days running, and it's your signature style.)

Make-up stays put.

Beanies, hats, berets.

Black is back. Head to toe black is tres chic.

You can eat and eat and eat. The secret's safe under winter coats and jackets.

Tights, stocking, leggings. (Not jeggings.)

Men are gentlemen. A far cry from boardies, singlets, shorts, thongs.

Layers and Layers. If you can't decide what to wear, it's alright to just wear it all! At worst you'd look like Mary-Kate Olsen on a bad day. Good enough for me!

Dear...

Dear Billy Blue student,
Why do you keep giving me that funky look? Was it because when we both lost our tutorial class, I left you and went my own way and you ended up coming 1 hour late? Well, sorry. I forgot that we were heading to the same class.


Dear R.e.l,
There is something about you that reminds me of Kate Moss. You have a certain cool effortless 'model-off-duty' look that is a little bit London chic that I admire. Your shoes from Paris are enviable! And I wish my legs were as skinny as yours. I fear mine appear like sausages next to you.

Dear Lulu,
You tug at my heartstrings when I see you sit on the window sill and look out the window all day waiting for your gorgeous, cuddly, ginger and white coated boyfriend. He'll come around. It's been raining these days.


Dear World,
Oh cruel, cruel world. Where is the love? Why are you so hard on me? Why do you discourage me and pull me down the dumps? But I still refuse to conform. 


Dear future husband,
Be bold and courageous. Don't conform to the patterns of this world.


Dear self,
Don't change who you are. Be real. Be passionate. Be glad that no-one is like you. You're special. Be yourself. Although, I realised you are a menace at art galleries; getting told off for doing the wrong things, taking photographs, elbowing Monet's painting (accident!), leaning back on a painting just as you'd lean on a wall (sorry!), and putting your luggage down on a piece of artwork (also accident!). Please don't.

Variations on Lace: Flair Magazine August 2010

Model: Ali Stephens

Photographer: Eric Guillemain

Stylist: Kate Sebbah

Dear...

Dear girl with knee-high green and black socks humming "Shape of my heart" next to me on the train this morning,
Even when we went our separate ways, I kept singing the song to myself because you successfully got it stuck in my head. It brought me back memories.


Dear quiet emo boy in lecture,
I was worried when you were alone first week of semester, but I'm glad you've made friends. I really like your hair. Complicated hair for complicated feelings. I also liked your grey beanie today.


Dear spider on the wall,
You were crawling way too close to me today. All I could do was lean very, very far away from you and hope I didn't look too awkward. Also thank you for disappearing suddenly. I had to keep checking my hair to make sure you weren't somewhere in there.


Dear friendly boy with pierced eye-brows,
You made my day when you asked me how I was. Sorry if I came across as rude, I'm just socially awkward. Oh, and you have really enviable skin.


Dear Ryuichi Sakamoto,
You are brilliant. Thank you for creating beautiful music for my imaginations to run wild, especially my train ride home after a long day. Today one of your songs reminded me of two lovers regrettably saying farewell to each other at the station platform, the last whistle blows and the steam train is about to leave. It made me sad.

Dear self,
Get organised! Start getting to bed earlier so you can write better notes. Looking down at my notes, I have no idea what it says, they're just scribbles. You worry me. And your face is pudgy, lose some weight!


Dear freezing cold wind,
You make my ears want to fall off, and you definitely make it hard to get out of bed in the mornings thanks to my ice box bedroom, but stick around... you make everything so much better.


Dear David Ahn, Sarah Mckenzie, and Jade Holdsworth,
Happy Birthday.


Dear future husband,
Wherever you are, keep warm, don't catch a cold. Hope you've watched 'Inception' and liked it as much as I did. Enjoy the rest of the week. Remember to take an umbrella tomorrow. Are you even in Sydney?


Dear God,
You are an awesome designer. The best I know.