Yesteryear

I came across this post on Elle's new fashion assistant, Rebecca Sammon's blog. The pic is of Janice 'world's first supermodel' Dickinson. There's something so fresh about her, like all the models back in the eighties and nineties (and it's not that it was 20/30 years ago).

Look at the models now, although undeniably beautiful, they lack the innocence of models from yesteryear. Remember that shot of Kate Moss?

Would love to see Freja Beha or Anna Selezneva's debut shots...

We'll Always Have Paris

Paris is undoubtedly one of my favourite cities to visit. The notion that with every turn you take you could walk out onto a cobbled path littered with vintage shops, or pass two friends playing chess on the balcony with tumblers of red wine or stumble upon a beaten-up cafe, hazy with smoke but serving saliva-inducing croque monsieurs; its insouciance is infectious and with every visit I fall more hopelessly in love.

All images - weheartit

The Great Debate - Bumbags

"Fanny packs? Nice. I hope you're not going to say anything good about them." - The ever sardonic Morgs.

Fanny pack, belt pack, belly bag, Buffalo pouch, hip sack, hip pack, bum bag, moon bag; whatever you want to call it - the bum bag (for the sake of my UK base), is back.

Somewhere between 6 and 12 months ago (I can't quite remember but I do know it was prior to September S/S10 fashion month), I predicted, albeit to myself and Morgs, that bum bags would make a comeback. It may have been a power shoulder knocking me in the head, or the MC Hammer-inspired harem pants subconsciously telling me that a tote is entirely the wrong accessory; the epiphany came. And went. Damn, it would have been a good 'I told you so follow-up post', right?

Anyway, now we're post festivities and feverishly making way for the forthcoming trends (I am particularly partial to the sorbet colours which Burberry executed with all the sweetness of a Sunday sundae), it should come as no surprise that on page 29 of Vogue's February runway supplement, there appears to be 7, no less, bumbags all making a welcome return to the runway.

Marc Jacobs

Jonathan Saunders

Oscar de la Renta

Studs, monogram, super-skinny belts, tassel trims; they're all there. And I love them. Oscar de la Renta paired an embroidered evening gown with a wrap-around pouch while Ashish off-set his 'Same Old Chic' sequined t-shirt (my new-season must have), with a metal studded leather number. Fantastic! Ok, their first incarnation was a bit of an eyesore and wasn't exactly the most stylish, but nor were shoulder pads, drop crotch trousers or batwing sleeve tops and look what happened last year. It's the new millennia makeover that's the key. Just think what Christopher Kane or Marc Jacobs could do to a shell suit?

Ashish

D&G Dolce & Gabbana

With a simple clip, buckle or self-tie fastening, it's the hands free option which appeals to the urbanista. Never again will you have to juggle a champagne flute, canapé and iphone.

Embrace this irreverent trend head on I say. At least until the shell suit comes around.

Pictures - style.com, google images.

251209

Merry Christmas to everyone!

I'm off to France for a few days skiing where I'll be guaranteed a white Christmas (assuming Gatwick and Easyjet are on my side of course...). Here's hoping wherever you are, you're sprinkled with snow too.

And if not, seek solace in Vogue Korea's festive-inspired shoot below.

See you soon!

Sx

Picture - Vogue Korea 2005

Image - www.fubiz.net

RIP Daul Kim

Just read really sad news that Korean model Daul Kim has been found dead in her Paris apartment. Although there's initial speculation, it's not clear what caused her premature death. Daul walked for Alexander McQueen and featured in countless editorial and cover shoots for British and Korean Vogue. Such a shame.

I love her peeking out from the field of flowers.

Images courtesy of thefashionspot.com and nymag.com

Top Off

Monday evening and my Paris hen do has been and gone, leaving me with a hoarse voice and wonderful memories. The girls did me proud! In the past 48 hours i've flicked through racks of vintage Balmain, Chanel and Chloé and experienced the best show i've ever and possibly will ever see at the Lido on the Champs-Élysées.

Showgirls, cabaret and prancing ponies aplenty, there was sequins, beading, trouser suits reminiscent of Yves Saint Laurent circa 1990 and topless Parisian burlesque beauties! Lithe and impeccably turned out, the breast-baring beauties were high up on the table discussions with much adoration.

So with this in mind and while flicking through Alice in Wardrobe Wonderland, i wanted to do a post about the wonder of femininity and fashion and especially how nudity can be portrayed tastefully and polar opposite to a tabloid page 3.

Would you agree?

The shots below are from Vogue Australia and then Kate Moss who champions the top off to perfection.

Say What?

Last Saturday my dear friend B and I went to a press screening of The September Issue. Aside from spending 80+ minutes in total fashion and docu-drama heaven, one of the best quotes I've ever heard was uttered before the trailers for the film even started. "There's always a way to wear fur", mused Anna Wintour. A girl after my own heart.

Out in cinemas nationwide today, what's your favourite quote?

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Yesterday I picked up another of my favourite monthly's, Harpers Bazaar UK. Like the March issue with Emily Blunt, the September issue (which covers Natalia Vodianova who is just beautiful), is oversized and printed on recycled paper to produce not only a luxurious fashion issue but a more green one at that.

Pouring over the many pages of fashion and beauty ads, I was caught by what I thought was Meryl Streep but who actually turned out to be her daughter, Mamie Gummer, posing insouciantly against a park bench for Parisian label, Gerard Darel. With the signature hook nose, Mamie looks every bit like her elegant, Oscar-winning mother and it reminded me of another mother-daughter merger with Jerry Hall's youngest daughter, Georgia Jagger, posing for the forthcoming Hudson jeans campaign.

I feel incredibly blessed to look like my mother and am so proud to have her 'ski-slope' nose and 'tombstone teeth' (as she would say).

Which other mother-daughter duos can you think of?

Last image courtesy of vogue.com

Ageless Grace

Every month, when that little grey plastic-covered package lands on my mews-bound doorstep, I wait with baited breath before challenging Morgs to a game of 'who's on the cover of Vogue'. Each month we toss between celebrity vs. model vs. credible actress and every month we equally get it wrong. Only moments ago as he put Giselle on the table for September's issue and I on the other hand put Mossy. And I won. With a ear-piercing squeal I might add.

It's been a while (for her anyway) since KM was on the cover and although it's not my favourite KM cover (that'd be October 2008), you can't deny her longevity and her ability to weather the media storms that keep coming her way.

I wonder whether she'll keep on gracing the covers of Vogue for years to come and I wonder whether whether she'll age as gracefully as Carmen Dell'Orefice, who, at the grand age of 78 still looks as fresh today as she did when she first took Vogue's cover at the tender age of 15.

What are your thoughts?

Images - Google Images and Vogue.com