Street Style: Bows, High Heeled DM's, Mad Max....it's all about being a Teenager!

I love photographing teenagers: there is something about their fun, "up for anything" unselfconsciousness and genuineness in front of the camera that is wonderful to capture.......One of my dreams is to do a shoot for Teen Vogue (c'mon, a girl's got to have BIG dreams, non?!) I also love just chatting to teenagers - listening to their hopes and dreams for the future, hearing about what's cool right now, their tastes in music and fashion. It puts me in touch with my inner teenager which still lurks in me somewhere despite it being, oh, some 10 years since I was a teenager ;-) ;-) ;-)

As with Ellrimmer who I photographed last week, Alva (above) and Louise (below) look like teenagers i.e. age appropriate. They aren't trying to look 25 and heck, as we* all know, youth is fleeting.....or at least it feels that way. So even though Alva is wearing heels, they are sturdy 8 eyelet Doc Martens so she doesn't look at all like she is tottering around in her mum's "borrowed" shoes.

This was not my finest photographic moment (which noodle-head put their overstuffed bag smack bang in the middle of the photo?Mmmmm oh yes, that would be me!) but I wanted to show you Alva's DM's:

And how cute does Louise look? When I asked if I could take her photo her friend goes "See, I told you you look hot today!!!" Check the little piece of tape holding her glasses together!

I asked Louise what she wanted to do when she left school. Her answer: A geophysicist! Both girls are beautiful but obviously very intelligent as well (Alva is thinking of starting her own blog: Do it, Do it, Alva).

From today onwards, I am going to be asking the people I photograph the following two questions: what was the last thing they purchased and what's on their "wishlist" (they don't have to be fashion purchases but things will probably lead that way). I am a naturally curious (sounds better than nosy, huh?) so I guess this is a way of me finding out a bit more info about the person and also gives me something to write about if I am running out of ideas :) :)

I didn't get to ask Alva because I photographed her last week, but Louise's last purchase was the Diesel "Mad Max" Hoodie she is wearing in the photo (together with the little vintage scarf tied around her handbag). On her radar for the future? A glittery gold vintage jacket from Beyond Retro!

*meaning those of us over the age of 25 who are now spending our "pocket money" on anti-ageing creams rather than on a bottle of Sun-In!

Street Style....Red Hair and Furry Hats

"Blondes are noticed but redheads are never forgotten." Unknown

I LOVE red hair...not least because I was one for about 10 years from my late teens to my late twenties. I am a natural blonde (hee hee-well, as "natural" as one can be when one leaves one's teenage years behind ;-) ;-) but decided to embrace my inner Titian and went a glorious Pre-Raphaelite red. Actually I think it was my hairdresser who decided I would be much more fabulous as a redhead.... and I blithely agreed*. And I loved it. It was different, it was fun and vibrant (err rather too vibrant at times I suspect: it did take on a rather orangey glow under the lights at the department store I worked in while I was studying) and it suited my fiery, passionate Aries temperament. I think it also went some way in fulfilling my childhood dream of being Anne of Green Gables :)

I knew my red hair phase couldn't last forever though and I am now back to being blonde again.....but my love affair with red hair continues. I saw the stunning Keeley (above) and knew immediately that I wanted to photograph her. Keeley, a model and student, has an almost ethereal beauty but in a thoroughly modern way. Other redheaded women I would love to photograph? Karen Elson, Julianne Moore, Lily Cole, Alice Burdeu, Christina Hendricks from Mad Men (how ridiculously HOT is she?), Maggie Rizer, Shirley Manson, Lauren Ambrose....the list goes on and on. And that's just the girls!

One of my favourite UK photographers, the supremely talented Emma Hardy, photographed a number of redheads for Codigo magazine last year. The shoot took place in 2 public swimming baths in London and was styled by Lynette Garland. The photographs were stunning- you can check them out here (click through Emma's fashion portfolio to photo no.18)

And Keeley's furry hat? She is obviously onto a trend as I photographed the fab Phoebe Arnold (formerly fashion editor at POP magazine and now fashion editor over at Katie Grand's new LOVE magazine) a couple of weeks ago sporting the same look:

How marvellous is Phoebe's coral pink skirt? And her friend's brogues?

*It is amazing what we agree to once we are ensconced in the hairdresser's chair, no? "I think we need to go really short/cut a heavy fringe/tint your hair auburn for summer. It would look totally ah-mazing on you, darl!" And somehow I find myself agreeing. I suspect it rather has something to do with being plied with a pile of glossy magazines, cups of coffee (or wine!) and the mind-numbing effects of oodles of bleach being basted onto my head :)

Street Style: Men Behaving Stylishly

So.....during the week it was my birthday! Which one? Um, I'm not telling :) (although my facebook profile does list my birth year as 1911...I can assure you I am not that old!) Anyway, I got lots of lovely calls, emails and texts from my peeps including one from my dad saying that he reads my blog a few times a week* (waves, Dad!). One part of my Dad's email read as follows:

"I enjoy checking out your blog. So if you have a visitor counter a couple of those visits a week are mine. You seem to be into fashion this year rather than people in general and those pesky animals that chase you**. Beats me where you find those interesting, beautiful people. Since you have been photographing, I have taken more notice of people (not too much notice in case it is misinterpreted) to see if they would be interesting subjects. Alas, my creative side is so moribund I am probably looking but not really seeing what is of interest".

It got me thinking about London and how wonderfully diverse the population is. In terms of fashion, you can wear pretty much anything and no one even bats a Shu Uemura false eyelash. I saw a girl wearing a tiger (a giant stuffed toy one, not real) the other day in Brick Lane and yeah, she turned some heads, but it just seemed kind of 'normal'. Oh yes, and then there was the girl wearing nothing but an emerald green leotard, black lace tights and a quirky little hat sauntering down Carnaby Street at lunchtime the other day. She looked faaaaaabulous! (she was on the phone so I couldn't ask her if I could take her photo). I love that people feel free to express themselves whether through fashion, music, art,whatever...and I love that people like me get to photograph them :) :) It's exciting, it's inspiring and I get to meet some amazing, talented, lovely and, yes, beautiful people.

These guys I photographed over the last couple of weeks in London: Each has their own style, their own look and their own take on fashion and pulling things together. As I said earlier this week, it would be such a boring world if everyone dressed the same, conformed.....Thankfully I don't think London will ever be in danger of conforming. There is a Mario Testino quote (which I can't for the life of me find on the internet) that goes something like this: On arriving in London from his native Peru, he called his Mum and said "Mum, I've got a new studio....it's called London!"

Tamer (above) was wearing a marvellous mix of Balenciaga, DiorHomme, Miu Miu....And his hair? The perfect coiffure.


Simon (who alerted me to Tamer passing by!):

And this guy (he is a teacher- but I lost his name!): I love how the family just walked into our photograph! It makes it a bit more interesting than my normal "clear background" style, no? I always love those fashion shoots where the photographer shoots the model in the middle of a bazaar or crowd but with nobody really paying any attention to the model...

*Parents are awesome in reading your blog, huh?! Even when seemingly no one else reads your blog, parents can be relied upon to encourage and praise :)

**This was a reference to the cow (which turned out to be a young bull - I am obviously crap at bovine gender identification) which chased me in one of the London City Farms late last year...

Street Style.....Sheer, Floaty and Floral

Wandering the streets of London looking for stylish, unique, beautiful people to photograph, I've noticed that since the sun has started peeking its head out of the clouds everyone's mood has lifted....people are happier, friendlier, pubs are packed with people spilling onto the pavement après-work, ice-cream vans (can anyone tell me why a Flake 99 does not cost 99 p? It has perplexed me since my first summer here in 2007) are popping up everywhere, Alphonso mango season is just around the corner....oh yes, and girls (and some guys) are starting to show some bare leg!

Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, out go the jeans, the opaque tights, the stockings, the leggings of the Winter season and in comes gorgeous acres of bare leg: Winter pale or (fake)tanned, bronzed and glossy- who cares? It's Spring and anything goes :)

I love this gorgeous floaty, sheer waft of a floral dress Rosalyn is wearing. With her hair and fringed ankle boots she kind of gives it a Bohemian/hippie vibe and avoids it all looking too pretty and romantic.

In less enthusiastic Spring news, I discovered this morning that these hideous little grey bugs (I think they are called Roly-Poly's, doodlebugs, woodlouse) have mysteriously reappeared on our balcony! Urggggh. I did battle with them last Summer and I do not relish the prospect of another fight to the death (um, theirs not mine hopefully!) this season. I know they are probably harmless but I find them utterly repulsive: and I hate that they roll themselves into a little ball and "play dead" when I'm in eradication mode.......tricking me into thinking they have gone to Bug Heaven when really they are just messin' with me ;-)

Street Style....60's/70's/80's vibe

Both of these utterly gorgeous girls would barely have been a wild, crazy "what if" thought in the back of their parents mind in the 80's let alone back in the 60's/70's.......but that hasn't stopped them taking influence from these eras and giving them a 2009 twist.

I love Dasha's (above) vibrant mix of colours (note her delicious red fingernails and glossy sheer red lips) and the little elements of the 60's/70's she has taken and worked back with shades of neutral grey. The headband, her little peace-sign earrings, the butterfly ring all hark back to more Bohemian times but then she's mixed it up with that pretty, girly skirt and a pair of Converse! And is that a bodysuit you are wearing Dasha???!!!!

And then this girl*? Those paperbag waist trousers? She was rockin' them. I had a pair of paperbag waist trousers in the 80's: I did not look this good in them! And her comfy, appliqued jumper? Well, that WAS from the 1980's- a little vintage piece she owns....

*I lost this girl's name.I know, I know: I must try and improve my name-remembering skills and/or at least ALWAYS write it down straight away. Apologies :)

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 :)