Book: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Gloss: Lancome’s Color Fever Shine in 001, the perfect beige/pink
Interview: Nylon with Kelly Cutrone
Film: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (“He’s Just Not That Into You” just doesn’t cut the mustard and the whole desperate thing is over.)
Hair: Big glossy curls, check out Elin Kling’s.
Day: Valentine’s Day because true love and romance never goes out of style
Several good things coming our way today - Barack Obama’s inaguration as the 44th US president in a few hours is just one of them. Read a very good column by an American student (just after being brutally pushed by a woman who desperately wanted to sit down on the tube), saying that president Obama is to be shared with the world; his hopes, dreams, willingness and ability to listen and better this world. It was a very insightful piece by someone so young and very… hopeful if not anything else.
Also, have a look at style.com piece on the inaguration and “the fashion cabinet”. Just goes to show that the people over at Vogue are a truly dedicated bunch.
I read somewhere (actually I know where I read it but a good friend says it is an embarassing magazine…) that acting happy will soon make you feel genuinely happy. This theory is quite pleasing as it simply puts back the truth in “fake it til’ you make it”. Other useful tools could be looking at the spring collections for 2009. Its all jazzy type of modern haute couture with lots of colours mixed matched and packed with patterns. The 80’s are back (once again), surpassing the predicted grunge period. This mainly to do with the financial funk the world is finding itself in. Designers are refusing to create dull and boring clothes and we should thank them for it. Remains to be seen how the collections do but one thing that is definitely going up, as always when economic times are dire is the lipstick index. Little luxury treats like mascara and lipgloss are economic indicators in times when people (women) can justify these purchases but not a new coat or a new pair of shoes. On this note I would say invest in Bobbi Brown’s bronzing powder, Estee Lauder face wash, Chanel nail varnish in grey and of course a lipstick, something beige/pink from Mac.
One of my favourite moments from SATC is when Charlotte has to re-negotiate the pre-nup that the McDougal clan set for her and Trey’s wedding and categorically states to Carrie and Miranda “I can’t even get stuff on sale”.
Arguably, most women do not suffer from this problem, something I am more convinved of since seeing some crazy footage from a big London deparment store a few days ago and the women - crazy, mad and excited - eager to say the least to get in there and tear the racks up.
My (sale) list would included classic black pumps (a shade that never goes out of style), a baggy striped top, cropped cotton pants in black or beige, something hot pink (anything from Alexander McQueen’s collection), sequined platform pumps or flats (Miu Miu) and an old school classic bag like a baguette from Fendi. In with the old and new!
2008. What is worth remembering?
1. This has been the year of digital fashion. Unrivalled era of how easy it is to be spot on and comfortable in both choosing and returning your outfit. Whether you’re on the asos.com or net-a-porter.com/mytheresa.com budget, you can always get your monies AND trend books worth.
2. Boho. It’s just one of those things that you feel keep being repeated over and over again and just never goes away. Perhaps in thirty years time, new fashionistas will view Sienna Miller as the ultimate boho queen who brought it to life but right now it just seems a bit tiring. Which is why Gucci’s fall collection of from russia with love style boho chic felt surprisingly refreshing… It probably was the fur.
3. Credit crunch. House repossessions, mortgage payments, career moves to other continents and what not… but fashion remains. Special cash set aside for those little luxuries in life. Or maybe not. Fashion sales have dropped with more than 5% this year, Vera Wang (and others) are pulling out of the Bryant Park tent fashion show to be appropriate with the times and even pop culture is following this trend: covers are the new thing. Once again.
4. Cheap fashion. It is so easy to walk into any store, pick a few pieces and you look like (well, you CAN) you’ve stepped out of Vogue. It’s all so accessible and just simple.
Predictions
Re-runs. If fashion goes in a cycle of 20 years then we are looking at 1989 soon enough. Acne and Lanvin’s new collaboration is like the ultra chic and clean version of that, high end grunge if you will. Then of course there will be more ripped jeans, plaid shirts a la Kurt Cobain, dirty t-shirts, Dr Martens, grey, black, grey, filthy red and blue and maybe a new wave of heroin chic Kates. Thinking about it, grunge actually blends quite well with credit crunch. It’s dark, yet so easy and we’ve all hit the patch at some point. And it ends at some point as well - usually at the point when the floaty spring collections arrive.
Calvin Klein pre-fall 2009. Angular patchwork and art deco chic.
I am struggling to find any inspiration at the moment in this dull London weather. Wore my print Cacharel skirt the other day to add the only splash of colour I have seen in a long time. In lack of a better comparison, I felt like the girl in the red coat from Schindler’s List or something. So here’s something to be cheery about. Pucci’s signature print in the form of a tunic.
One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell is like “Sex and the City” but grown up. More rich fiction (in every sense of the word) and perhaps less Manolo Blahniks. But still amazing.
Dream from Whyred will be mine tomorrow. It’s just lying there in Stockholm waiting to be picked up. Oh yes.
Rumours are flying around that Anna Wintour won’t be seeing past her two decades at Vogue after this year is over. And the replacement is supposed to be Carine Roitfeld, editor of french Vogue. Makes one wonder if it really is rumours: french Vogue’s circulation is so much smaller and the atmosphere and take on fashion different to American Vogue… Plus Wintour is an icon. But maybe I am biased by just reading that Roitfeld weighs her staff and she said that “if they are not beautiful, well, then they are very charming.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.