Street Style: Harem Pants....For Girls

Yesterday it was Harem trousers for the boys. Today the girls, Donna (above) and Paulina (below), embrace the Harem/Drop-crotch trend*.

I think the key to wearing the Harem trouser is to keep the top half of your outfit fairly structured to avoid having too much volume everywhere- you don't want to risk getting lost in too much fabric and going down the Hammertime route.

Love the gold studding on the back of Donna's shoes: an unexpected detail to toughen up the look...from behind.

I love how Paulina has dressed her drop-crotch jumpsuit down with a little pair of white sneakers and a fresh, stripey shrunken blazer. Remove the jacket for night, add a pair of killer heels and some big, bold jewellery and voila, it's right for night as well!

*I think this is one trend which very much evokes strong cries of "OMG I LOVE harem pants or OMG I HATE harem pants!" Whichever way you fall, I think it is wise to remember that fashion is about having fun, taking some risks and remembering that the world would be a very boring place if we all dressed exactly the same :)

Street Style: Harem Pants....For Men

The return of the Harem Pant is not just limited to the gals. Marshall pulls them off perfectly with not a whiff of MC Hammer about him. And his glasses....oh how I love his glasses!

Guess where Marshall got them? The District Line*!!!! Brilliant! It adds another dimension to the question of "where do you shop" :)

*This a London Tube (metro, train) Line for anyone not familiar with The District Line.

Street Style: Jump...for Neon!

Neon Brights, Ra-Ra Skirts, Power Dressing, Prince, Shoulder Pads (wheeeeee!), Silky nylon jogging suits, Acid & Stonewashed jeans,Cyndi Lauper, Tube/Bandage dresses (remember the Robert Palmer "Simply Irresistible" girls-who didn't want to be one of them growing up in the 80's?!), Bubblegum jeans (what were those things made of? they went from teeny tiny teenage wrist size to teenage leg size in a nanosecond), Madonna, Ankle Zip jeans, Parachute pants (yeah, you know those breakdancing drop-crotch 'MC "You Can't Touch This*" Hammer' pants which kind of looked like you were walking around with a full nappy), Bodysuits, Michael Jackson, Playsuits, Spandex, Spandex and even more Spandex, Culture Club, Spandau Ballet.....

YES, most Excellent Blog Fans- it's the 80's and they're BAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!Anyone reading this live through the 80's first time around? I'd love to hear what you wore back in the 80's: poodle perms, mullets, fluro socks, off-the-shoulder slouchy tee's, hugh plastic earrings, which were predominately clip-on because they were SO big and heavy, teased fringes, legwarmers, frosted pink lipstick, punk- let me hear about your fabulous (and/or cringeworthy) moments!

I love that fashion is having a fun, 80's flashback moment (a response to the current economic climate perhaps?) and the adorable Ellrimmer I photographed here shows how to do in a young, fresh way. I think the way she has teamed the little pink neon skirt with a very non-80's sweater and jacket looks fabulous and (teen)age-appropriate.

So, if you "did" the 80's first time around, are you too old to do it a second time? Hell No! Okay, so maybe you might want to give the ra-ra skirt a miss if your legs aren't quite up to Kate Moss standard but a little neon here and there (Lanvin have a divine fuchsia cocktail ring which would look great worn with neutrals, or team a pair of towering fluro yellow pumps with a black pantsuit), a tight pair of acid washed jeans worn with a heel to lengthen the leg, a Balmain-ish inspired jacket (all about the strong shoulder), a pair of Harem pants, a boyfriend jacket or a skin-tight Hervé Léger bandage dress all whisper Girls Just Wanna Have Fun rather than screaming it through iridescent purple lips as we did back in the 80's :)

Now, just where did I put my hair scrunchie, my cropped "Choose Life" t-shirt, my white mesh singlet top, my perforated white lace-up booties, my purple tube skirt, my hot pink satin shirt that I wore with my oversized purple jumper (and the aforementioned tube skirt-eek!), my stonewashed highwaisted jeans, my rollerskates......

Thank you so much Ellrimmer for doing "The jump" and the Easter Bunny ears. You rocked it!


*Predominately because he was wearing so much fabric below his waist!

Street Style: It's All About The George...And The Jeans

Sun: check
Cloudless Blue Skies: check
Temperatures in the mid-teens: check
Devastatingly handsome gent: check
Beautiful Girl: check
Jeans (one white, one acid washed): check
Men's Blazer: check
Sunglasses: check

Most Excellent Blog Fans, I give you London in the Spring :)

And who is George? George Cortina: Uber stylist, Associate Fashion Director for Vogue Nippon and regular on The Sartorialist. You can check out Scott's latest photograph of George (with the divine Anna Della Russo) here.

And guys, what is George wearing with his white* jeans? black shoes with no socks.

Her shoes are by Topshop in case anyone is wondering....

*George's jeans are indeed whiter than white! I think I need to work on my white balance....my photos are always a little yellow, no?

Street Style....Vintage + Trench = Perfect for Right Now

So, its 8:30pm on Friday night and I am doing the cleaning in a little 1970's vintage Pucci kaftan and a pair of Agent Provocateur fluffy marabou mules. Yes, that's right: I've got the vacuum cleaner in one hand, a glass of Pommery in the other, Charles Aznavour blasting out of the speakers and I'm flitting about the apartment in a wafty vintage kaftan I picked up for a song in a darling little vintage shop in Darlinghurst.....Jealous?

Ha! I so WISH I was that girl! Instead I am sweating, humping a half dead vacuum cleaner around the lounge room (explain to me what the deal is with vacuum cleaner hoses? they always seem to break on me. Hmmmmph. And no amount of masking tape is gonna save this one), heating up an M&S ready meal in the oven and wondering whether the neighbours love Goldfrapp at full volume as much as me. I truly hope so or I expect I will get a tetchy knock on the door very shortly :) :)

Oh yes, and I am wearing a pair of old trackie-daks with a Qantas pj top to carry out my domestic duties. Vintage clothing? I want to love it, I really, really do. I love it on other people like Lorraine (above) and Agnes (below) but I just can't get into it myself. I am talking about proper vintage, not "shop-your-closet from 3 seasons ago" vintage. Part of the problem is that when I go into a vintage shop, like a 'proper' vintage/2nd hand shop (not like the vintage department at Liberty or the gorgeous Merchant Archive shop in Kilburn Lane where someone else has done the snuffling out of the good stuff for you...and adjusted the price tag accordingly!) I get overwhelmed by the racks and racks of clothing and shoes, and my brain goes into a little spin. The smell of moth balls and faint musty aromas seem to override my ability to think clearly. This is obviously something unique to me as almost every person I photograph on the streets of London is wearing a "little vintage thrown together with a little High Street and a little designer".

Like Lorraine and Agnes here. I like how they have teamed their little vintage finds with a great trench- so perfect for the unpredictable weather we are having right now.

I gotta try harder with this vintage thing I think!

Lorraine:



Agnes:

Street Style....Comfy Cardi's and Distressed Denim

Q: An oversized knitted cardigan- beautiful, warm, soft, snuggly, enveloping...and in a sublime ecru colour. What could be more heavenly?

A: When that cardi is handknitted especially for you by your grandmother!

I met Elise and Gianmarco in Brick Lane on Sunday and I let out a little yelp of delight followed by a "Oooooo knitted by Nana. We love that!*" when Elise revealed that her cardigan was knitted by her grandmother.

Hmmmph. I tried knitting classes the Christmas before last with my lovely friend Ewah. It was in a word, disastrous. It ended in tears: mine. I don't know why but I just couldn't get the hang of it. And the instructor, a very camp blustery sort of chap, didn't help matters when he asked, in front of the entire class of my fellow knit and pearlers, whether I suffered from a learning disability!!!

Helllllllooooooooooo um, no, not one that I am aware of anyway! I mean it was suppose to be a stitch and bitch class but crikey, I didn't think I would be the subject of the bitchin'! What did I do? I think I just went bright red, let out a twitter of nervous laughter, shrunk a bit lower in my seat and prayed to the Good Lord that the class would finish soon so I could go home and knock back a stiff gin and tonic. And I never went back. For my hard earned £, I got 2 teeny misshapen long knitted "things" (a scarf perhaps I hear you murmur? um, no, just 2 little "things" which could never be described as scarves, even on a very good day), 2 knitting needles and a ball of sad looking wool. Oh yes, and a big dent to my creative self confidence.

My dear friend Lizzie from Australia tried to advance my efforts when she came to visit us a couple of months later. Having a patient teacher made all the difference...but I still don't think knitting is going to be my most successful creative pursuit.

Unlike Elise's grandmother.

Thank you so much Elise and Gianmarco for enduring me and my camera- you guys ROCK!

*note to self: psychiatric help should probably be sort when one continually refers to oneself as "we". We are not Gollum in Lord of the Rings :)

Street Style...The Stepper

"Ladies and Gentlemen

Boys and Girls

This is Paul's slice of pavement

You just walkin' on it

So from the front to the back lemme see where you at

Go on and flaunt it

Get on it!"*

Sooooo, this is Paul. And his bitchin' ride? It be the 3G STEPPER. Take a long hard look at it. Do y'all see what it is missing? (this is like doing one of those "Spot the 5 differences in the photo" puzzles in the London Lite paper) A SEAT!!! No seat I hear you cry! What the?! Nope, no seat. This little baby is gonna rip you some abs you will want to eat dinner off, give you a pair of pins fit for those Halston Cluny cutout boots you've been eyeing off and don't even get me started on the cardio benefits. All while cruising about town looking cool as sh*t. People are going to notice you riding this bike- I know this first hand because Paul was attracting a lot of stares when he was cruising around Brick Lane on Sunday. And its eco friendly as well: what more could you want? So how does it work? Here's the blurb:

"The 3G stepper combines the functionality of a bike with the dynamics of a cross-trainer, to give a full body workout whilst gliding effortlessly around town. The 3G is a seat less bike propelled when the rider pushes down on the two steps whilst standing (arguably better for the posture). It cruises at around 15mph and can be ridden for an hour or more comfortably. It comes in 5 models including one made especially for kids and one for teenagers."

Put your hands up who wants one? I see my hand up in the air waving about!

Where can you find out more? You can contact Paul on his MySpace page (simple genius). Paul is the UK distributor for the 3G Stepper and they are going to be launching le hip treadly in May. Otherwise you can email me and I will put you in touch with Paul.

Get on it.


I LOVE Paul's belt....the detail in that claw of a hand is amazing. Paul is a modern urban eco warrior and pretty much only wears reworked and/or eco friendly clothing.

*okaaaay, so this was a very LAME adaptation of TV Rock's "Flaunt It" lyrics. Hmmmm I really need to get a life :)

Street Style...We *heart* Marc Jacobs

Have you seen Marc Jacobs lately? Damn Skippy! He is HOT- like not just smokin' hot but roaring bonfire "is this thing under control?" HOT! I came across the photograph of Marc shot by Terry Richardson for US Harpers Bazaar magazine wearing nothing but some Stephen Sprouse-inspired graffiti and a, ahem, strategically placed Sprouse for Louis Vuitton bag. And I can tell you that he looked mighty FINE. How can I have missed his transformation? I must have had my head buried in "how to" photography books for the past year ;-)

And just why am I banging on about how cut Marc Jacobs is? Well this gorgeous girl is sporting a Marc Jacobs coat (I think she said it was Marc Jacobs and not Marc by Marc Jacobs) and I love it! The flirty little spots, the gold buttons and detailing, the beautiful navy colour- so much to love. And her shoes? Pierre Hardy for GAP. We like :)

Street Style....Turquoise Accents

If you know me, you know that I just LOVE jewellery - more than I love clothes, handbags, shoes, my camera....ha ha just tricking y'all. 'Course I don't love jewellery more than the Nikon! But only just.

What do I love about jewellery so much? Its ability to transform an outfit, the history that one teeny little piece can hold, the fact that it (and the accompanying memories) can be passed down from generation to generation, the ability of a treasured piece to instantly lift one's mood, its beauty, its meaning to the wearer....mmmmmm and the fact that it fits no matter how many packets of chewy caramel Tim Tams one has devoured in the past few months!

And I especially love turquoise jewellery. And I extra especially love it on this exquisite woman I photographed on the weekend. Okay, so I know that the strap of her handbag isn't exactly a piece of jewellery but it works in the same way. And her rings....do you see them? Oh my, I want them both! The turquoise and silver one? Simply sublime.

I love everything about how this woman is dressed-almost a little Ralph Lauren when he takes inspiration from the Navajo Indians. I would look ridiculous carrying a furry bag like that (on me it would look like I was carrying a stuffed toy gorilla won at the local village fete) but she pulls it off so effortlessly. What do I adore most about her though? Her fabulous smile.

We love a great smile :)

um, and jewellery!

Street Style....Romper Suits and Shorty Shorts

Playsuits, Jumpsuits, Romper suits, Onesies- call them what you will, they are everywhere right now. And these ain't for babies-they are strictly "adults only" wear. Paired with flats for weekend day and vamped up with heels for night, they are a spring/summer must have. Net-a-Porter has a rather gorgeous Stella McCartney black silk tuxedo jumpsuit (and a sublime Yves Saint Laurent sequined strapless number), I spied a sweet striped See by Chloe romper suit in Liberty last week and Topshop even has an entire section on its website devoted to playsuits.

Frankly though, I see a little problem with these "all in one" numbers....there is no delicate way of putting it: how does one use the lavatory when one is wearing such a garment? Well, I mean obviously, being a girl, I can work it out but how excruciating having to undress almost entirely when using public facilities. Just my luck I would be, ummm, sitting* on the loo half naked and a little kid would pop his/her head underneath the cubicle wall and ask (very loudly) "Mummy, why is that lady doing pee pee's with no clothes on?". Oh the horror Most Excellent Blog Fans, the horror! And don't even get me started about having a few (too many) drinks while wearing a onesie!

Anyway, lovely Athena (top photo and below) looked fabulous wearing her romper suit and I am quite sure that she managed to use the facilities in a very dignified manner :)

And I loved Lucy in her pretty blue shorty shorts (below):

*well, my mother always taught me that one should never "sit" on a public toilet seat so lets pretend that all toilets have those little plastic disposable toilet seat covers shall we? (In Istanbul the electric ones were very popular- I could have whiled away a good hour or so just pressing the little button and watching the "new" toilet cover arrive! Small things do seem to amuse me....)

I have developed a little backlog of photos so if I have taken your photo over the last few days, bear with me. It will probably take me a week or so to post all of them.

p.s. Completely unrelated to fashion, I was excited to see a post by The Digital Trekker (Matt Brandon) showcasing some photographs his daughter, Jessie, had taken with his camera. I am a big fan of Matt's work and his daughter is showing the same remarkable talent. Check out the post here. Guess how old Jessie is? 12!!!

Street Style....Colour, Colour, Colour!

Ultramarine, Oriental Blue, Deep Cadmium, Pimento, Juniper, Scarlet, Acid Yellow and my absolute favourite, Deep Vermilion. These were a few of the colours in my prized Derwent coloured pencils tin when I was a little girl. Despite the fact that I possessed zero artist talent (I had the ideas, just not the ability) I loved drawing and colouring in....and my parents indulged my creative, expressionist side by buying me a monumental box of Derwent colouring pencils*. Oh how I loved those pencils! Just looking at them all lined up so prettily in their tin could inspire a wave of furious sketching, drawing, colouring and shading after which the resulting masterpiece was proudly displayed on my bedroom wall for all to admire (the wonderful optimism of childhood, non?)

I thought of those jewel-like coloured pencils when I photographed these girls (Agatha, above, and the lovely Hannah, below). It is so nice to see some colour in London despite the fact that the weather has turned rather depressingly dreary again. Somehow colour, even just a pop around the waist, on the feet, via a clutch or handbag or even (as with the girl at the very bottom) on the legs, makes an outfit come alive. Colour gives an instant lift- both to the wearer and the observer (and the photographer). I suspect that colour is part of the reason photographers are drawn to places like India, Bhutan, Peru, Cuba- the richness of the colours worn by the people are so stimulating and wonderful to capture on film (well, digital most of the time these days but y'all know what I mean).

Hmmmm all this talk of colour has got me thinking.. I do wonder exactly where those Derwent pencils got to....mum? any ideas? :)

Agatha:

Hannah:

*one of the many benefits of being an only child!

Street Style....Cobalt Blue Wedges

Sometimes I can wander the streets for hours without finding someone, something, anything inspirational to shoot- a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time (or just having sore feet and being in a grump). But then PLINK!! out of the blue can fall someone that I know I must photograph....which is what happened here. I spotted this girl and thought she looked like a doll - a fragile, teeny doll (albeit with very long legs) with mussed up hair and a super cute dress. In an instant the wind could blow and she would be swept away....

Ahhh but No! Look at her feet! She is not so fragile....Not with those wedges firmly anchoring her feet to the ground. Anchoring her outfit...preventing it from looking tooooo sweet. A little peep-toe wedge action and no one is getting swept away-not even in this windy, rainy "return to normal" London weather.

Street Style...Inked

Are you inked?

I'm not...inked that is. Nor pierced (well, unless you count a teeny hole in each ear...speaking of which did you see Kate Moss has a whole heap of new ear piercings going on?). I've never been interested in getting a tattoo on any of my fleshy bits.... I am a Mr Wimpy when it comes to needles and, well, what exactly would I get inked with and where? It's all a bit too permanent for my liking. What if I get bored (I am an Aries after all:))? Change my mind 2 years down the track? And oh god, what about when I'm old, grey* and wrinkly? What then?

But other people's ink- oooooo I LOVE tattoos on other people. Whenever I see a tattoo "of interest" I want to find out more: when did you get it?, what does it mean?, who did it?, have you got more?, where?!!

I didn't get the answers to those questions when I took this guy's photograph (sometimes "the moment" is over too quick!) but I loved his ink- and the way he wore his clothes. Tough. but not too tough. Edgy perhaps? Those tattoos though? they were tough.

And this young guy? I liked the way he wore he moved when I held the camera up to my face- its nice when people move a bit when you shoot (not too much of course!)

*Actually, forget grey. I am never going grey (unless I am blessed with that exquisite silvery grey you see on some women). My beloved grandmother dyed her hair into her nineties- I intend to proudly follow suit.

Street Style.... Oui, Hermès!

Oooppphhhhffff....it is only lunchtime and my head is already crying out for panadol and a soothing lie-down in a quiet, darkened ("draw the curtains won't you darling") room. What has caused this pounding fracas in my head I hear you ask? A night out at Claridge's sipping, no, guzzling, copious amounts of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs? A 15km early morning jog around the streets of London followed by a "gentle" pilates session to warm down*? An unfortunate "incident" in Mayfair with Nicola Roberts (from Girls Aloud) and her boyfriend?** Pah! No, our apartment building seems to have turned into a construction site of Candy&Candy-esque proportions overnight- the banging, the drilling, the relentless hammering - all seemingly being carried out directly above my head. Apart from the hideous noise, the high-pitched drilling is a constant reminder that I need to go to the dentist....

And so to today's post... some Hermès to soothe and swoon over. For yes, every time I see a Hermes Birkin I swoon (and probably drool) in a very unattractive manner. For me, IT bags come and go but a Hermes Birkin remains forever: classic, elegant, understated..... and I am quite sure that it can hold a Nikon D200 or, perhaps even a Nikon D3 as well! And a Birkin is entirely ageless: whether you are in your twenties or your nineties it looks appropriate (oh how I would love to photograph a lady in her 'more mature years' carrying a Birkin- a mission for me to complete perhaps?)

Anyhow, this girl was fabulous. Do you note she is wearing fishnets with her little thong gladiator flats? (TopShop if you must know). How does one wear fishnets with a thong toe? Crikey, I have enough trouble with the thong post itself (anyone else need to "break in" their soft, delicate winter skin between Big Toe and Next Door Toe before wearing thongs in summer?Or is that just an Aussie thing?) let alone adding fishnet tights to the mix!


And beautiful Emily Zak of Vogue Magazine- so very, very elegant but with a little "pop" of glorious green studded Hermès around her waist to shake things up a bit. Oh Hermès how I love thee :)

*I hear you snickering- I so could jog 15km if I really tried....okaaaaay, so maybe 15km is a little ambitious...mmmm maybe more like 50 metres

**I still haven't decided whether to blog about my um "incident" with Ms Roberts lest I come across like I have been sucking too many sour apple and custard sweeties ;-)

Street Style: Tom Ford and Westwood on the Streets of London

I spied this gentleman strolling with his beautiful wife and young baby and had to catch my breathe at his impeccably tailored jacket and pants...."And are you wearing anyone in particular?" "Tom Ford" Ahhhhhh, but of course!

Tom Ford is a master of proportion....well, he is, I am quite sure, the master of quite a few other things as well- but that's another story ;) "I don’t believe in playing around much with suit cuts. I like a fairly classic shape that gives a man strong shoulders, a fitted waist, and long legs. Classic simplicity always works". I didn't get a photograph of the back of the jacket but it fitted like a glove- creating a perfect, beautiful line. Is it just me or do bespoke-ish suits make a man automatically stand up straighter? (rather like having an in-built schoolmarm who hisses in your ear to "sit up straight, don't slouch" for 8 hours a day!) London is one of those places where you still see men who really "dress" on a daily basis and this gentleman was a marvellous example- casual yet oh so smart. Luxury that whispers almost....

And the trousers? the length? I love them although it is probably one of those "proceed with caution" trends- not for everyone. In the Spring/Summer 09 campaign, Tom Ford shows this trouser length with no socks, but well, given we are only just getting our first rays of sunshine in London for the season, socks with shoes are infinitely more sensible. Mmmm and did I mention that Tom Ford photographed his SS 09 advertising campaign as well? Arghhhhhhh is there anything this man cannot do well?

I was musing to myself after taking this photograph that Tom Ford should outfit Daniel Craig for the next Bond Film - especially with this new trouser length. A more modern Bond, no? But then I thought there may be problems trying to conceal his, um, weapons with those trousers (snigger, snigger! okaaaay, I admit that I am more than a little childish) Anyway, so then I remembered that Tom Ford DID dress Daniel Craig for Quantum of Solace. Urgh, I am so behind the times it is almost funny. Almost.

And then is Magnus, a designer, in his most fabulous, very Spring jacket by Vivienne Westwood.
A completely different look from the gentleman above (jacket worked back with jeans) but it works equally as well:

I wanted a close-up of Magnus as I loved his bone earring- quirky, cool and, well, I want a pair! Magnus designs for a jeans label (which he is wearing) which I can't for the life of me remember the name of...Magnus, if you see this can you leave a comment re your jeans?!