My fashion blogging days are very much over.
But you can still follow me and catch up on my new blog Live. Notes. Travel
Find it at livenotestravel.com
Wednesday 13 April 2016
Tuesday 17 March 2015
Thursday 5 March 2015
Observations #6
It seems to be a fact that food rules. The obvious detail of food as fuel for the body aside, I mean food rules everything. The politics of food production, the food industry, food and obesity...need I go on? Of course then the dominance of food in fashion. Fashion, very high fashion, ordinary fashion favours the thin. People in fashion talk a lot about food but not necessarily eat it. Unless they are overstating the fact they eat burger and fries, when in reality they used to and are really expressing a longing. Please refer to Victoria Secret's Angel's diet/fitness regime.
Sigh.
Yes food rules. It rules social media as well. This fact is borne out by my baking photos on every on Instagram. The likes on my account at a minimum treble. I have finally realised that the secret to success is food not fashion.
Let them eat .... biscuits
Sigh.
Yes food rules. It rules social media as well. This fact is borne out by my baking photos on every on Instagram. The likes on my account at a minimum treble. I have finally realised that the secret to success is food not fashion.
Let them eat .... biscuits
Friday 13 February 2015
Notes #7
It is ever thus in fashion and beauty, always in the eye of the beholder. Yet there is a movement in all things style, which is now upon us. Simplicity. Simplicity in form and feature. It is not easy to define as minimalism, nor would that be the correct conjecture of what is 'occurring'. Frankly what is occurring is a measured approach to how you wear your clothes and flaunt your style. Wow betide the wonderful and sadly dearly departed Steve Strange, because now excess is few careful placed bangles, or that understated necklace hidden within the fold of your silky shirt, merely delicately peeking, a hint of something. Even those delicious red lips are accompanied by scraped back hair or natural volume unstyled hair. The eye make up natural and deferential to the lips.
This mood has crept upon us and is not just reflected in our clothes, our makeup but also our home, our outlook on life. It is a movement probably long over due and delicate in its nature. It is reflected by the recently created Harvey Nichols Pinterest board 'Minimises'. And for all of you beset by a simple approach to things there is James Wallman's Stuffocation, which is a fantastic read and examination of our lifestyles.
Simplicity in our personal style does offer fresh unburdened choices, yet it is important to keep a little bling, tat or brashness to align your true self with this zeitgeist. (Been wanting to use zeitgeist for ages!) What say you folks on this new taste for fashion?
This mood has crept upon us and is not just reflected in our clothes, our makeup but also our home, our outlook on life. It is a movement probably long over due and delicate in its nature. It is reflected by the recently created Harvey Nichols Pinterest board 'Minimises'. And for all of you beset by a simple approach to things there is James Wallman's Stuffocation, which is a fantastic read and examination of our lifestyles.
Simplicity in our personal style does offer fresh unburdened choices, yet it is important to keep a little bling, tat or brashness to align your true self with this zeitgeist. (Been wanting to use zeitgeist for ages!) What say you folks on this new taste for fashion?
Alexa Chung at AG launch embodying the look
Monday 2 February 2015
Observations #5
January is a dry month whether you've given up drink or not. Inspiration is thin on the ground as you attempt to organise focus and direction for the year ahead. However for the first time in goodness knows how many years I knew exactly where I was. No more surprise magazine folds or clients to chase, attract, ditch or hope for. This year started as it ended with my work intact, not bad for a freelancer. Not that I'm resting on my laurels. No freelancer worth their salt would think for one minute that all is safe and sound, but not having to currently motivate myself or think about networking, pitches or my portfolio (still haven't done that website!) is a joy. Which made moving into February even more of a pleasure, plus the glass of red wine breaking the back of virtue.
Sometimes having space allows for creative thinking and I've been inspired by my winter walks with my dog to observe colour and light. The weekend walks allow me to notice a myriad of items and absorb their beauty. I have actually developed a fascination with logs! But this is a good thing because looking at matter is a way to imagine space, proportions and relevance. My log love in is taking over my Instagram (which is katetwistedskirt). I'm surprised how many people are being beguiled by logs too! Expect to see logs in a photo shoot soon...
Sometimes having space allows for creative thinking and I've been inspired by my winter walks with my dog to observe colour and light. The weekend walks allow me to notice a myriad of items and absorb their beauty. I have actually developed a fascination with logs! But this is a good thing because looking at matter is a way to imagine space, proportions and relevance. My log love in is taking over my Instagram (which is katetwistedskirt). I'm surprised how many people are being beguiled by logs too! Expect to see logs in a photo shoot soon...
Spot the heart(s)!
Friday 23 January 2015
Conversations #4
Have you seen Spiral? This is actually my question de jour touts jours to anyone. Late to the party I have obsessively caught up and am now slightly disappointed I am waiting for the next episode.
Words fail me when I come to discuss why I love this French crime series so much. The characters, the storylines, the fact it is in French, the way it is shot and Laure Berthard (Caroline Proust). Just go to the BBC Four pages on Spiral, otherwise in my excitement I'll link it all at this rate!
Laure is fantastic as a lead female character. I love her inability to care abut what she is wearing and just be herself. Spiral beats everything hands down and I'm weeping that I didn't watch it from the very first episode of Series One as someone happily told me yesterday. I just looked sad and nearly muttered 'putain' under my breath.
image: BBC
Laure is fantastic as a lead female character. I love her inability to care abut what she is wearing and just be herself. Spiral beats everything hands down and I'm weeping that I didn't watch it from the very first episode of Series One as someone happily told me yesterday. I just looked sad and nearly muttered 'putain' under my breath.
Tuesday 6 January 2015
Observations #4
This is not the post I was planning to write. Firstly Happy New Year and I hope 2015 is a joyous and prosperous year for you all. I would have then liked to undertake an assault on all things detox in a fun way. Yes, I'm not detoxing. When did detoxing become such a multi million pound business, oh and juicing. Juicing is the new Snickers. Anyway there's not a whiff of kale being pulverised on my patch, however there's not a drop of alcohol coming near me this month in support of Dry January. No alcohol is probably the cheapest and best detox you can undertake.
Alcohol is under examination on all fronts, from it potential benefits or on the other hand its lack of benefits to health. Then there is it's impact on society and the NHS. It has been ever thus. Read Chaucer and you will find a modern take on our modern life. And in Chaucer's day they had a fair few choice words for people such as....Ched Evans. The base knave who is dominating our media. (Technically 'base knave' is Shakespearian and therefore early modern English, Chaucer was Middle English fyi)
It is a fact that we are besieged by a tale of a maid who was most unholy abused in a state of inebriation. In plain very modern English, the young woman was pissed out of her mind. To her bad fortune she chanced upon Clayton McDonald and went with him to his hotel room. Later on Ched Evans turned up. I won't go into the details of the case as you can read about it everywhere. Suffice it to say the victim awoke naked and asleep in her own urine. Ched Evans was convicted of rape.
What is of consequence are the English words - consent and rehabilitation. There is no doubt that the victim was in no position to consent to any sexual act. McDonald was cleared on the basis the victim 'willingly' went to the hotel room with him. Now a drunk woman eating a pizza at 3am is a 'catch' huh. McDonald even texted Evans to say 'I've got a bird'.
It doesn't take much to understand that a very drunk 19 year old woman (or girl) is immature and vulnerable. Equally the defendants were undoubtedly immature but they were not in a vulnerable position. Yet Mr Evans seems hell bent on returning to his 'profession' namely football under the guise of 'having served his time'. Hence the reason for the timing of this post because we seemed to be a nation divided, the division is between those who are appalled by the attempts of Oldham Athletic FC to employ Evans as a striker. A lot of us cannot accept the notion of 'rehabilitation' applies in this case. Most convicted rapists are unable to return to their jobs on the basis of either not being allowed to by law i.e. teachers, barred from working abroad, banned from being a director of a football club, police and so on, plus actually the probation service has to give permission to sex offenders on licence to take up new jobs. Countless private companies do not allow people back into their previous jobs or would employ a convicted rapist, certainly not without due process taking place.
The fact is a footballer is in the public eye and has become, as most sports people, deemed to be a 'role model'. Actually the profile and nature of this case means clubs are flaunting something very unpalatable in the face of football supporters who are women, children and men who find the whole case abhorrent. Even if on appeal in the unlikely event he is found not guilty of rape, he is certainly guilty of very bad behaviour and choosing to do something most human beings wouldn't, in Rhyl, in the early hours of a Sunday morning. He showed a grave lack of judgement and a self serving nature. He hasn't apologised, shown remorse and has failed to silence his army of supporters who have set about abusing the victim.
The case is no longer about Ched Evans - it is about decency, standards and the ability of businesses including football to set a moral benchmark in society; which sends a clear message to all that rape or taking advantage of your position in any form is unacceptable and we - includes all of us who are tweeting, speaking and writing alongside notable people like @PollyVernon and @henrywinter who have written far more eloquently than me- are standing up to stop future Ched's.
Alcohol is under examination on all fronts, from it potential benefits or on the other hand its lack of benefits to health. Then there is it's impact on society and the NHS. It has been ever thus. Read Chaucer and you will find a modern take on our modern life. And in Chaucer's day they had a fair few choice words for people such as....Ched Evans. The base knave who is dominating our media. (Technically 'base knave' is Shakespearian and therefore early modern English, Chaucer was Middle English fyi)
It is a fact that we are besieged by a tale of a maid who was most unholy abused in a state of inebriation. In plain very modern English, the young woman was pissed out of her mind. To her bad fortune she chanced upon Clayton McDonald and went with him to his hotel room. Later on Ched Evans turned up. I won't go into the details of the case as you can read about it everywhere. Suffice it to say the victim awoke naked and asleep in her own urine. Ched Evans was convicted of rape.
What is of consequence are the English words - consent and rehabilitation. There is no doubt that the victim was in no position to consent to any sexual act. McDonald was cleared on the basis the victim 'willingly' went to the hotel room with him. Now a drunk woman eating a pizza at 3am is a 'catch' huh. McDonald even texted Evans to say 'I've got a bird'.
It doesn't take much to understand that a very drunk 19 year old woman (or girl) is immature and vulnerable. Equally the defendants were undoubtedly immature but they were not in a vulnerable position. Yet Mr Evans seems hell bent on returning to his 'profession' namely football under the guise of 'having served his time'. Hence the reason for the timing of this post because we seemed to be a nation divided, the division is between those who are appalled by the attempts of Oldham Athletic FC to employ Evans as a striker. A lot of us cannot accept the notion of 'rehabilitation' applies in this case. Most convicted rapists are unable to return to their jobs on the basis of either not being allowed to by law i.e. teachers, barred from working abroad, banned from being a director of a football club, police and so on, plus actually the probation service has to give permission to sex offenders on licence to take up new jobs. Countless private companies do not allow people back into their previous jobs or would employ a convicted rapist, certainly not without due process taking place.
The fact is a footballer is in the public eye and has become, as most sports people, deemed to be a 'role model'. Actually the profile and nature of this case means clubs are flaunting something very unpalatable in the face of football supporters who are women, children and men who find the whole case abhorrent. Even if on appeal in the unlikely event he is found not guilty of rape, he is certainly guilty of very bad behaviour and choosing to do something most human beings wouldn't, in Rhyl, in the early hours of a Sunday morning. He showed a grave lack of judgement and a self serving nature. He hasn't apologised, shown remorse and has failed to silence his army of supporters who have set about abusing the victim.
The case is no longer about Ched Evans - it is about decency, standards and the ability of businesses including football to set a moral benchmark in society; which sends a clear message to all that rape or taking advantage of your position in any form is unacceptable and we - includes all of us who are tweeting, speaking and writing alongside notable people like @PollyVernon and @henrywinter who have written far more eloquently than me- are standing up to stop future Ched's.
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