shoe shoe

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Is this maybe really good? Or is it bad? Or is so awful it's delightful, to use Stevie's turn of phrase? I mean, obviously the knit is fine, I really like the the colours and the mish-mash pattern. And the polo shirt and loose baggy track pants are nothing new. That muted red is kind of lovely, isn't it? And all together, it's ok, right? And the sunglasses are eco-friendly, which is nice for the environment. You see I can convince myself up to a point and then I just get to the shoes and suddenly I'm stumped for an argument. I should hate them. I have made strong, vocal arguments against sliders, especially in 90s teen flicks such as 10 Things I Hate About You where alleged figures of female desire like Joey (note the use of the word alleged) wear them in a decidedly un-ironic fashion and it completely stumps me. Are they acceptable footwear now? They're comfortable, yes. But aren't they just for wearing in the shower at the gym? I think I hate them but then I keep looking at them and I start to question my initial reaction. I mean, the question I normally ask is would Ashley Olsen wear them? And I have to say, I think she might. I love how the two designers who showed sliders as a legitimate shoe choice this season were Christopher Kane and Stella McCartney, two designers on the opposite ends of the spectrum to the other. Stella Mac with her wearable clothes and yummy mummy posse and vegan leather bags, Kane the blue-eyed boy with his almost-vulgar-but-not-quite frocks and his rags to riches story and his awesome relationship with mentor Donatella Versace.

The shoes make me think of something Sarah Mower said recently. "I know for certain when something's good when I get a physical reaction to it - like goose bumps, a shout of laughter, even feeling a bit nauseous at the newness in front of you. I know it sounds weird but that 'sick' reaction is what I had when I came across Christopher Kane at Central Saint Martins in 2005. He was doing something so borderline vulgar with his neon-bandage collection, but I could see he was frighteningly talented."

There's something in that, I think. So often we can fall into a rut, especially with sources of stylistic inspiration. It's not good for us to consume the same images over and over again - that's why I follow Hawai Five O screencap tumblrs along with the usual fashion ones - we need diversity in order to stimulate our brains. And who knows when something from some non-fashion place might inspire us, hello Hawain prints, Stella? You shouldn't just surround yourself with things that you love. I like that Sarah Mower has a very physical approach to fashion. It's the kind of thing you hear most often from art critics. You know it's good art when it moves you somehow, whether to tears or laughter or awe - or equally as important, disgust, shock and even nausea. I understand what she said about Christopher Kane. It's the same way I always feel about his collections. He constantly takes the staid staples of fashion - plaid, florals, knitwear - and twists them about upon themselves, subverting them with sexual ferocity and belly-button rings. I like him a lot as a designer. Not to wear, but to be moved by. 

These shoes are one of those "moving" moments. Kane had some on his runway, too, and they were less utilitarian - less Stella, natch - with their bling and their beads and their satin. Kane has said that he's sick of seeing a towering heel with a mini, and would much prefer one of his comfortable, chunky sliders instead. It must have been one of those horrifying moments for the Mowers and the Wintours and the Alts of this world, a look that could turn the most hardened fashion gal to nausea. But that's what good, no, great design does, right? It moves us in the face of, to use Mower's phrase, newness. I love that this look is as fresh and new on Kane's runway as it is on McCartney's. It's plucked fresh from a Natalie Imbruglia video clip, but still, there is an undeniable newness to it. There's been nothing like them in fashion - high fashion, that is - in the past 5 years. And they feel kind of right for now. That initial gut reaction of "what the??" moves seamlessly into a a head-cocked, lip-biting kind of thought process where it becomes evident that this is just the logical progression of the whole clog debacle of 2010. With a big, wacky knit and a loose pair of trousers they might just be right. The touch of wrongness, of tackiness, of the ugly to perfect an outfit - like midi skirts, like anklets, like shoulder pads. So awful they're delightful, you know.

I'm not saying I'd wear them. But they do move me.

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sugar and spice

l

love magazine

One fashion "rule" I always, always stick to is never stick to fashion "rules". You know the ones. "Blue and Green should never be seen". "never wear navy and black together". "don't wear white shoes at night". "don't wear white shoes at all". "No diamonds until after you're forty". "Don't have short hair until you're 30". Blah, blah, blah. It's much more fun to make up your own rules, I think. Although there is something to be said for the "sugar and spice" rule. That's the one that's all about balance. If you're going to go all girly and frou frou make sure you have some killer lingerie underneath. If you're going to wear biker chic leather you better have your hair and nails done too. You can wear whatever you want really - big, brash necklaces, thigh high boots, lace collars - but there has to be balance. Style yin and yang. Take Alexa here, stunning in a cheeky little checked mini. It's a girly print kept just this side of saccharine with the kind of side split that would make your grandma blush. A little bit of nice and a lot more naughty. Just like Christopher Kane's absolutely wonderful Spring/Summer 10 collection, all gingham, lace, beading, tulle and splits right up the dart-line of Lara Stone's toned and terrific legs. Sugar and spice, naughty and nice. I suppose that's a fashion rule I can stick to.

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shop till you drop

I go on about them enough, and so for those of you not living in sydney, here is a bit of a glimpse into my favourite shops. I've been having a bit of a wander around and enjoying all the new collections - although not buying, i'm being very well behaved indeed! - and thought I would have a play on polyvore with new clothes, and then that resulted in a whole post... and now I want to go out shopping again. Wish i didn't have to work tomorrow! Things i'm looking to invest in are pieces of blood orange's minimalist chic, like k jacques sandals and t by alexander wang basics, or a slice of the parisien cool from isabel marant at the corner shop. If i had the funds I would be buying up all the vanessa bruno in the world from Belinda, and of course, nothing could stop me from purchasing a PS1 from Lands End, but for now I'll settle for my Assad Mounser necklace and the hope of one of Christopher Kane's floral tee shirts. Divine!

Blood Orange

Achingly hip like that girl who wears the clothes you wish you knew the label of but you're just not cool enough to know - or wears the clothes you think are boring until she wears them and you go, oh!. Diptyque candles, Mediterranean amulets and charm, charm, charm. She lives by the beach and has skin the colour of toffee.

alexander wang jacket, ellery sunglasses, bassike tee shirt, jennifer meyer necklace, current/elliot pants, proenza schouler ps1, k.jacques sandals. 


Belinda

 This girl's got style. There's really no other word for it. Style. She's clever and funny and bright and she wears all the right things in all the right ways. She goes to all the cool parties. She works in PR. Don't you just want to be her?

Vince jacket, vanessa bruno top, the row sunglasses, ysl ring, bex rox neclace, marc by marc jacobs bag, peter pilotto skirt, alexander wang shoes.

 

The Corner Shop

Why bother? there are girls out there who can pull off denim short shorts and pink tips in their hair and slouchy little vests! There are girls out there who manage to know everything about fashion and music and art and food and culture and lie! There are girls out there who get to dress up for work in Isabel Marant and 3.1 Phillip Lim instead of black, black, black. And they all work for the corner shop.

Elizabeth and James blazer, Isabel Marant jumper, Sahani necklace 3.1 Phillip Lim shorts, Alexander Wang boots, graz sunglasses, jerome dreyfuss bag. 


Lands End


If a store could possibly be your home, it's this one. Cooler than cool, chicer than chic, and always with at least 3 fingers on the pulse. To own everything that has ever passed through those blue doors would be a blessing indeed - just think of all the ps1s you would have! The only bad thing about this store... they don't carry shoes. Think what gloriously shod feet you would have if they did!

opening ceremony jacket, A.L.C dress, assad mounser necklace, cutler and gross sunglasses, proenza schouler ps1, christopher kane dress (worn underneath), lanvin ballet flats.

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Encore

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This time last year Christopher Kane's atom bomb and cloud print tee shirts and dresses were, well, EXPLODING into the fashion stratosphere. His Resort 2010 is delicate in fabric, but strikes a mighty impact with those prints. "Sinister but beautiful" was Kane's description of the atom bomb print, and it's an apt way to capture the feelings that these images evoke. Like the bloody gunfight at the end of the Western, there is some visceral, and tragic, certainly, beauty in the rising atom cloud print. When it is contrasted against the images of the natural cloud formations that adorn the remaining dresses, jackets and even shoes (Kane wanted to communicate the idea of walking in the sky) it is poignant indeed. On the one hand, a cloud of warfare and anger, on the other the innocent formations of a peaceful sky. I'm sad that Christopher Kane didn't do a resort collection again this year, but we have certainly been spoiled for Kane over the past 6 months, what with his eagerly anticipated Topshop collection, his exceptionally witty and clever debut collection for Versus by Versace and the perfection that was his gothic vision for Spring/Summer in London Fashion Week in February. I've said it once, I'll say it again, Christopher Kane is a fascinating designer. He uses the word sexy at least once to describe every collection, and yet there is something else in his clothes. Intelligence. History. Good Humour. And sharp tailoring that can make any woman look good. I wish he was stocked with more regularity in Australian boutiques, we have been shamefully slow on the Kane uptake. 

Oh, and these tee shirts are on sale at Lands End at the moment. A slice of Kane for all, perhaps?

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i want you, i need you, oh baby, oh baby.

I don't feel bad saying this because I'm sure I'm not alone - when a package comes from my (hot) mailman I get so excited I could power a small country town. It's something about the little child in me that still gets excited on christmas day, that still loves the thrill of opening presents and seeing what's inside. And even though i usually know what's coming, unless some lovely person has sent me a present, it's still incredibly exhilarating to rip open that plastic packaging and reveal what lovely prize is within, be it topshop clothing, amazon.com books, vintage jewelry scammed off ebay or a present from a friend halfway around the world.

As you can tell my christopher kane for topshop package arrived yesterday, and after having worked my a** off all day, arriving home in an exhausted stupor i went into my room and found it on my bed. I screamed out loud and started jumping up and down maniacly. Mum was laughing as i ripped open the paper to pull out my studded sweatshirt in all its glory. I love the way that they feel all new and untouched. I even love that slightly plastic-y warehouse smell that topshop clothes have when they first arrive. But then, i did work in a warehouse packaging things for 5 months, so i do get a little attached to the smell that way. I've paired it with my beloved checked skirt and stripy crop top (from topshop, incidentally) and know this will go from day to night as i meet friends for drinks later this evening, although i'm going to add some heels. I'm mulling over a shoe purchase even though i'm supposed to be saving money. lace up wedge heels? i think yes... but my head says no, save save save. hmph.

Why is it that things sent by the mail carry so much excitement with them? I'm not convinced that it's just the fact that it's something you bought on the internet and you want to get it. I think it's that old-school romance of snail mail. Of post offices, of sheets of stamps, of hot mailmen in their tight shorts delivering packages from a white minivan *sigh*. Of having something delivered to your door. It seems like such luxury, even though, you know, you paid for every cent of it. But oh, doesn't it seem just marvelous to have everything you buy brought right to you, as if you were some fabulous duchess having bellboys carry your hat boxes behind you as you walk? I definitely like that part of it, even if you DID pay for shipping yourself. It doesn't seem that way, not when the hot mailman comes with the package and says something cute like, 'it's a heavy one today.' (and it was, those studs and mirrors aren't light!).

Feeling like a queen even when i'm looking like a blingin' gangsta.

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ah, maKANE, you've done it again

hehe, so that title was a little aussie reference, there is this frozen food brand here called Maccain, and their little taglain is (in broad aussie accent, of course) 'ah maccain, you've done it again', which i have now re-appropriated for none other than man of the hour himself - Christopher Kane. See what i did? wasn't it clever? ahhh you guys, you're the best audience, really.

There is a lot of vitriol on the internet regarding Kane's latest collection. People seem to question how it fits into the Kane aesthetic, how it flows on from his last collection, and whether it is actually any good... i'd like to weigh in, if i may (that's what this blog is for, isn't it?)

1. it's perfect for now.

Remember, Kane is always ahead of the pack. He did 80s neon revival and tight form-fitting bodycon back in 2006. He did the lace well before miuccia prada and his animal prints are sure to be fixtures on runways to come. He's not one for looking back, he's one for constantly moving forward, each collection an evolution beyond the other.

And now, as designers consider stepping back from all the black, the leather, the studs, the goth (marc jacobs said at his New York show that he was sick of seeing studded things) - even Alexander Wang has moved away from ripped grunge and into sportswear - Kane is one of the first to capture this aesthetic completely. His sexy milk maid collection, with pastel colours, gingham checks and naughty details - the dresses were shot through with cut outs or slits, revealing glimpses of the model's skin - is that so very 'now' idea of relaxed romanticism, playful exuberance and everyday implied, never declared. The hair was all messy and askew, the garments were undone (the underwear as outerwear featured heavily here) but the idea that the girls were fresh from a romp in a haystack or had been kissing a boy behind a garden shed was not so clear as it was tantalisingly hidden.

No sex please, he is british.

2. an evolution doesn't always meen a revolution

Even though gingham checks and pastels might seem light years away from Gorilla prints and circular scalloping Christopher Kane is actually a designer who builds upon his collections each season. While some designers might focus on colour or print, for Kane it is the form of the clothes, the shape, the cut, the design that he is so intent upon developing. This season he took the ideas from fall/winter, of the tight bodice pushing out into full skirted volume at the waist, and the square necklines, and he developed them even further with cut away windows, floral applique, sheer panelling and embellishment. Like i've said before, Kane is a designer's designer, he's creative, but he's also technical. The floral embellishments on the dresses were superb, and his colour matching was so perfect for spring and summer. These dresses aren't for everyone, but then, Gorilla prints, neon leopard print and swirly organza skirts aren't for everyone either, are they?

3. did you really expect it to be like christopher kane for topshop?

the man has already sent forth a collection this season, the highly anticipated, highly lauded, highly lucrative christopher kane for topshop launched last week. people seem to be astounded that those little gem cup neon dresses, studded jackets and jeans and animalistic designs and prints aren't on his spring/summer runway. I don't know why people thought he would put out a collection, a mere 4 days after topshop was launched, that was similar to it? This is the same designer who moves effortlessly from tight bodycon to flowing silk, from gorilla's open mouths to organza and pailletes. He is aware of his position within fashion - Anna Wintour and Donatella Versace sat front row at his collection, the overlord and the mentor - and it must be a huge mantle to labour under. His continuing ability to evolve and change is a sign of his strength as a designer.

This collection might be a little frou frou and sweet, but it's never sickly or saccharine thanks to Kane's dark vision for his clothes. This isn't your average milk maid, after all. She's almost the kind of willing prey for the vampires that at current haunt our every entertainment genre. She's the sofia coppola heroine, running through fields of dandelions and daffodils with messy blonde hair and a knowing smile. She's that girl everyone wants to be, who turns up to the boutique opening in a dress with a frothy tulle skirt, high neckline and slits up to her thigh. She's a milk maid with attitude, style and a wicked sense of humour.


My one complaint would be that it was a little heavy on the dresses. A few more pants, jackets, shirts and skirts would have made this collection a little more full-bodied. But who can blame him? it's his dresses that regularly sell out and feature on the starlets of the moment as they parade down red carpets and dance the night away at after parties.

And, after all, Versace was the King of the dramatic dress, wasn't he? And with Donatella styling Christopher and Tammy as holding the same relationship she had with Gianni, he might do well to evolve his dress-making technique.

style.it

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you look lovely today... just today?

After a few minor slips at my uncle's bachelor pad - working out the wireless and breaking a chair, to name a few - I've settled in quite nicely. I'm even starting to feel attached t0 annandale, the news agent man who lets me browse the magazines and ask him repeatedly when he's getting in vogue uk and harpers, the grocers who know the type of bread i like (crusty wholegrain), the guy at the minimart below the apartment building who let me get the milk even though I was 20 cents short (I must have looked really desperate for cereal). And i love the freedom. A friend asked me if I get lonely living by myself and I didn't even have to pause for response - a resounding no. No no no. I love it here! It's great to be by myself, work without people around me, have my own space, cook my own food, sleep in a big, luxurious king size bed. I love my family and can't see myself leaving anytime soon but still, isn't it just marvelous to have a bit of alone time every now and then?

Alexa Chung

celebutopia

Hipster tatters begone, embrace the LBD chic within! I love it when Alexa Chung sheds her 'cool girl' image of tartan shirts, leather shorts and gladiator sandals for something a little classier, like this get up at the Miu Miu party during fashion week. The dress is stunning, the shoulder detail is right on trend and I love how the simpleness of the style is set off through the quirky panelling on the dress and the accesories - those shoes are very cute. Sure, it looks like you could snap her collarbones in two, but hey, you win some you lose some. (and in Alexa's case, you lose a lot)... ah that joke was in poor taste. But she has lost a lot of weight, hasn't she?

Dasha Zhukova

style.com

I know a lot of people have it in for Dasha, saying that she only got the job at pop because of her money and connections (what editor/fashion stylist isn't these days?), and that her kova & t leggings/tee shirt line is nothing special (it's basics, what did they expect?). I'm glad that she has managed to pull together a fantastic first issue of pop, showing the naysayers what she's made of. And she's announced that she's pregnant too! In the perfect maternity wardrobe of empire line dresses, bright colours, practical heels (not too high), and, of course, that mark of the pregnant woman - the tell tale glow. Sometimes she can come across as a fashion victim, her style stemming from her heiress' bank account and her fashion connections. But here she is just your garden variety beautiful girl (because she is very beautiful, it can't be denied, look at that bone structure!) wearing a flirty party dress and quirky little shoes. And that's style.

Diane Kruger

celebutopia

It's Kane-mania right now, and everyone is getting a little slice of the action. Whitney Port wore a Christopher Kane skirt to the VMAs, but she let it wear her, and not the other way round. That's not the case here with Miss Kruger, ever the fashion ingenue. She chose the perfect dress, those flyaway ruffles along the bottom are technical masterpieces, and they're preeeeetty. The bottle green pops against her fair scandinavian locks and milky complexion, and i love the geometric velvet/organza bodice, the perfect match to the flirty skirt. And those criss cross booties are to die for. Nothing like a pair of killer heels to finish an outfit off!

TGIF!

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crocodile smile

It's been blogged to death, and we're all sitting on the edges of our seats for some topshop madness tomorrow (online only for non-UK and non-new york residents unfortunately), so now seems as good a time as any to document the best bits of this incredible collection. 

Too often high street collaborations are cheap reproductions of the designers best ideas, or (whispers fashion savvy) designed by assistants and interns, and not the actual 'big name' themselves. The plus sides for a collaboration lie in the gaining of a garment carrying the name, and usually the hallmark of a great designer without the high fashion price tag. It's also a chance for the designer to diversify his audience and appeal to a wider range of tastes, sizes and interests. Just like how great chefs say they love working with airlines, hospitals and the armed forces - it's the challenge of providing high quality food despite the many restrictions (cost, size, possibility to reheat quickly). So too it is with collaborations, the best ones will maintain the designer's aesthetic whilst working around issues of cost, availability and design. 

mama's a rolling stone, the cut blog, the vine.com.au

Christopher Kane is that most rare of designers, one who matches an incredible imagination and creative wit with a real and awe-inspiring technical mastery of the cloth (or in his case, more often than not any of the following; leather, organza, calico, elastane and plastic). His designs can invoke a range of reactions spanning the spectrum of emotion - jealousy to lust, greed to despair (at the prices of his clothing). 

If you remember this post, you'd recall that I'm a bit of a fan of the Kane. He's not just about dressing the it-girl or the hippest young thing, even though, naturally, those can be found in his witty party dresses of interlocking technicolour velvet and ingenious whiffs and puffs of organza that swirl into skirts. Unlike other designers he pushes himself, really pushes himself, and he gets it right, even when it's wrong. He builds on each collection, evolving motifs into full on influences, taking something simple, even banal, and transforming it into the sublime. There's nothing he can't do - tailoring, colour, embellishment, form-fitting, loose, darting, panels... And he does it with this infectious adoration of the female form, I have never seen his clothes make a woman look bad. 

His collection for topshop is something really powerful for fashion right now. As a colletion it makes a powerful statement, it's all about the strong, 'fierce' (if you will), woman who is clever and cool,  and she does it all in heels. It's not mindless either, the crocodile prints and ancient circular motifs are matched with delicate materials and  sexy cuts to create a clear idea of this woman - tough and steely within a girly exterior. The stud patterns of embellishment are arranged almost like armour breast plates. Not to be crossed for love or money. 

 And not only is it a great capsule collaboration - the flirty little dresses, the embellished sportswear, the kick-ass heels and the crazy prints are Kane through and through - but Kane is fashion's wunderkind, and his rising star seems unlikely to stop any time soon. Like Elle UK purported this month, to own a piece from this collection, any collection, is to buy into fashion history. He is set to become a significant player in the world of fashion (if he isn't one already), and unlike any other time a designer has shot to fame this fast, the average consumer is now able to become a part of this rise (and rise, and rise). 

I have no money at the moment, so what i'm going to do is just let fate guide me. If there's anything left on the website when i get paid (and this is highly unlikely, but hey, you gotta have faith) then I'll buy it. But if not, well, that's life. I want a few things - the studded sweatshirt, the purple sheer jumper, one of those incredibly cool drawstring bags - but it's enough for me that Kane has done this, and I can write about it.

 I can't express enough how great this is for fashion. The excitement it has generated, the buzz it has created in the minds of all fashionistas is a sight to behold. For once it's not the high fashion collection that dictates column inches and editorial bookings, but rather it is a high street store (albeit a higher end high street store) collaborating with the designer of the moment who happens to have both the foresight and the humility to dedicate himself to a project that many of his contemporaries would turn their noses up at. It's bold, it's brash and it's for the masses. Exactly that which good taste and high fashion are supposed to stand against. But, like i said, even when its wrong, Kane makes it right. 

Lucky topshop, they're going to make a killing. 

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