hailee vs elle.

imgs from Tom&Lorenzo & fashionista

That is, Hailee Steinfeld (for Miu Miu) and Elle Fanning (for Marc by Marc Jacobs), both shot by big name photogs (Bruce Weber and Juergen Teller respectively)
These have been around for a while, and I've seen a lot of opinions on the subject. Since it kind of ties into my dissertation subject*, I like to think I have something to add.

Both labels are aimed 'at the younger customer', so from that point of view it makes sense to feature teen actresses, but the main negative point I've noticed around (in comments, if not in blog posts etc) is that 'they look like little girls playing dress up' or 'do the designers think these girls can sell clothes to adult women?', which is never something I hear about 15-year-old professional models...

Anyway, I think Elle Fanning has rather an Olsen vibe, if anything. Yes the clothes are too big, but it's all down to the styling, non? That is the look? I'm sure they could've found sizes (or made them up for the campaign) which would've fit Elle better, but the look in the ads reflects the feel of the collection, and it works for this season.

Hailee, on the other hand, veers from looking far too smartly dressed, to looking younger than her age, to looking much older. That second shot, for example, makes me stop and double take. Whether the styling or her pose, it suggests a much more mature model than Hailee's years. And the third shot's pose suggests a little girl lost and crying... I wouldn't be surprised if the aim of either campaign, after having secured such stars, would want to embrace the 'little girl playing dress up' theme - if everyone knows who these girls are, then we're going to comment on their age in relation to the target market anyway...

Alright, so, I have chosen the best shots, and in some of the others both girls does look a lot younger (or, yknow, their age), but if they were models, rather than actresses, and we didn't know their ages, would we question it?

*what, I wrote about celebs and fashion and ads were part of that. Perfectly qualified; shutup.

ode to... snoop dogg

So I picked up this music-based paper in Best Vintage* on Saturday; casually flicked through it.

It's rare for me to read a music mag these days. I'll pick up The Fly if I come across it, I always forget you can read it online (although I am now cos I've just remembered. Wild Beasts are on the front!), and perhaps Narc (another free paper effort based in the North East...also has the same name as an Interpol song. w00t!), but nothing like the "good ol' days" of NME (around the years 2004-2006, I would assume) before I matured enough to realise it was a bunch of epic dross whose only aim was to hype whatever band they thought would make them money.

If I need to know it now, someone on facebook will likely do a status about it. This is how I found out about the imminent (NEXT YEAR NEXT YEAR) next Interpol album. Also popjustice; legendary.

Oh yeah, sorry, what was my point? The Stool Pigeon! That's what!

It's been running 2 years - a monthly paper based in London, and tis a hefty lil' thing.

I will get around to reading the interviews with Vampire Weekend and Julian Casablancas (♥) and what I assume will be some reviews an' ting further towards the back, but the interview with Snoop Dogg on page 22 with accompanying photo (above) was the one that caught my eye and made for a classic read.

I shall insert some classic snippets below. Warning (mam): Snoop is well down with the ol' swearing; that's just how he rolls.

SP: Kids are forced to grow up quick these days, I think.

Yeah, you don't wanna shape and mould your kids because your gonna shape and mould som'n that you don't want. Let them find out who they are and let them become the best at whatever they gonna be - even if it's a criminal, a preacher, a doctor, or whatever it is...

You need to come back to Britain. We need to sort that out.

Yeah, they need to let me in and quit bullshittin'! They acting like bitches over there! Let me in the motherfuckin' place!

Who decided you can't come in, the home office?

Well, the people, they want me there and love me and wanna see me. It's the motherfuckin' government. Some white-wig-wearin' parliament motherfuckers. They running they shit based on the 1800s, as opposed to the 2000s. Y'all livin' in yesteryear! Y'all need to change your shit over there!

OK, no politics - dull subject - but it makes me think of money, and you do have a lot of that. What do you do with your money?

Well, you can't die with it! Fuck it! Spend that shit! What you gonna do? Save and shit?...

So you don't feel like you should start rapping about doing the dishes and putting the kids to bed?

I don't never do the dishes! So why would I rap about it? I got a motherfuckin' maid to do that shit!

Anything you wanna do that you're yet to do?

Yeah. I feel like a gotta win a motherfuckin' Grammy.

More than an oscar?

Yeah, real shit. But I'ma get one of those too.

Snoop; an expert on childcare, politics, money, housework, awards....legend.

They even call him Uncle Snoop, up in the rap world. BRILLIANT.

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* a usual favourite of mine on the Newcastle vintage scene, but not so much of late...I think London has spoiled me with the quality of the ol' vintage. Hmm. Better stuff to be found in THE BEST charity shop, RSPCA in Byker, I reckon. Must pop in there soon. Anyways, yeah.

anotherman

You can read the new AnOtherMan magazine online here, which is nice.

Good for things to be free.

You may wonder why I'd post about a men's fashion magazine (hey, just cos I'm not wearing the clothes doesn't mean I can't look at and be inspired by 'em, yeah?) but OTHER THAN THAT there's also an interview (and some brooding pictures) with one rpatzzzz. Mmm.

And he doesn't look too tired.

I mean, he always looks tired, right?

Courtesy of AnOtherMan

There's some other good stuff to be read in here; plus yknow, it's all free and online and shit.

ga-ga, ooh la la

NEW SEASON MCQUEEN

FLAMEEESSSS

PEACH HAIRRRR

I'm kinda, a little bit, hoping my hair fades to a peachy shade...even if she does look like Frenchy.

It's turning dusky pink at the ends....its kinda cool.

That is all.

oh gosh

maybe I should do a post?

sorry, been busy doing nothing in Dundee for the last few days. This threatens to continue until wednesday.*

But what to post about? Well, some random things that have caught my attention lately, that's what.

sometimes a fashion blog is not the most inspirational of blogs

I'm finding Facehunter's second and more personal blog more inspiring, of late. Yvan Rodic (that would be his real name) has incredible photos from his travels around the globe. Example? This shot from his latest post, from Jakarta. It could be something from an editorial, almost?

sometimes blogs you'd kinda written off post worthwhile quotes

I'm not the biggest Tavi fan. OK? Yeah, I said it! If you haven't come across Tavi yet...never mind. OK, it's not that I'm not a fan, it's just I don't think the hype is justified, particularly.

She's the Arctic Monkeys of bloggers.

Don't believe the hype.

I'd like to thank Patricija off of Fashion Mongers for sharing my view. On a post about a month ago? Yeahhhh.

So anyways, yeah, this post, fairly self explanatory? Often the view of non-fashion people; often a defence I have to roll out. It's not too rare an occasion that I have to defend my career choice and/or interests to some random fash-basher. Eurgh.

sometimes, tv talent competitions become a parody of themselves

ok, so I'm not now, nor have I ever been, the biggest x factor fan. I mean, I'm never a fan of the music the alumni release**, I don't usually watch the auditions (I don't wish to watch people who can't sing make fools of themselves and the country laugh at them, kthnx), and I'm not too bothered if I miss an episode. If I'm in, I'll watch it. If there's nothing on tv on a sunday, I'll itvplayer it. There's no one I''m particularly a fan of this year; there's no one I want to win (Olly, at a push, though.)

That said, the Jedward craic is amazing.

What I'm amused by now, is that they don't know how they've got this far***, and I think they've a little bit stopped caring and stopped putting effort into their singing (if they ever were) and seeing how far they can go. Given how seriously everyone else involved in the show takes it, knowing that few, if any, of the contestants, will have a career out of it, I think that's worth applauding. Maybe.

Course, if they do win, there'll be no shutting Louis Walsh up, and by god the man is an idiot.

Anyways, Henry Holland is onside.

I want that tee. Even knowing that it won't be relevant in a few weeks.

FYI, I've been writing this for approx 2 hours, because Jon keeps distracting me with his questionable music choices. And kisses. ^_^.

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*it is continuing until wednesday, this is when my train back home is.

**not counting Will Young. But of course, he is a pop idol alum, not an x factor-ite. Oh, and Beat Again by JLS. Tune.

***it's because Louis is an idiot (for putting them through) and the general public can't be trusted to be sensible when given the power to vote in masses, quite frankly. That's democracy for yer!

Pics off of Yvan Rodic && Henry Holland's twitter page.

paris; day 2

Lying in bed without a hangover even after that much wine is amazing.

Doing such after an night where me and Bailey ate about double our daily calorie intake worth of food (probably soaked up the ol' alcohol...) and then went to the x factor house IN OUR PYJAMAS (cos it's only about 15 mins walk away) and were loud/giggly enough after reading the graffiti to bring out the bouncer was BRILLIANT.

And then we laid in bed on facebook, and Bailey fell asleep with the screen on my profile and her hand on the keyboard.

Hilarious.

ANYWAYS

PARIS

DAY 2

dead folk; monuments; tiny art; cocktails

Went to Peré Lachaise cemetry. It was awesomely creepy.

That bit of cobweb was floating in the breeze, it was SO CREEPY.
Famous graves! Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde ♥

So yeah; that was cool.

Went to that tower, walked across the river and up to the Arc De Triomphe and all the way down the Champs Elysees to the Louvre and then behind to Notre Dame.

Actually, thats a lie, I stopped of at the best charity shop EVER.

Well, the best if you like fur coats and leather jackets and the €1 bin. Which I do. Blew €61 euros on the most amazing, soft, well fitting, made of awesome faux fur coat and a dress. I'm gonna have to do a "stuff I bought in Europe" blog post, cos there's enough.

FYI, I didn't see much of the Louvre. Partly cos it's bloody massive, partly cos I couldn't feel my feet at this point; mostly because I saw the Mona Lisa and the Venus di Milo and I was like "meh". At least I got in for free.

Mona is a bit small and you can't get close enough to it to appreciate it as art, so....yeah. Not impressed Louvre; not impressed.

I adore this picture of Notre Dame. Cos there's random petals out front; and it makes me think of t'Hunchback (one of my favourite Disney films. NAY, ONE OF MY FAVOURITE FILMS) and the feast of fools kerfuffle.

Not a lie; one of the soundtrack songs came on my iPod on the walk up to it.

I totally took it off shuffle and played the rest of the soundtrack. Man, I'm cool.

Met up with Liam and his housemate and had copious amounts of €5 cocktails at this bar in the Latin Quarter, before returning to my hostel to find a large amount of Australians who were going back home the next day. Became an honorary Australian; stayed up til 5am. Wasn't hungover the next day; the usual, the usual.

OH YEAH

On the Champs Elysees there's an exhibition, of sorts, of French Vogue covers through the years. My favourite was this Audrey Hepburn effort.

Ahhhh, Europe. Excellent times.

Next on the agenda? Saving up for Scandinavia, maybe a little Poland and Russia, and definately some Iceland and certainly, CERTAINLY, a return to Berlin; some time next year. I hope. Whee!

Let's return to the fashion posts an ting, hmm?

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I'm no longer friends with my case.

Being dragged around Europe for a month, full to the brim of clothes an ting, and being dragged/bounced down any steps I come across due to laziness does not make for a happy case...

The bottom has bucked, the wheel trims have fallen off, the handle threatens to snap off when it's fully extended, but if you only extend it halfway the thing falls over every 5 seconds cos the wheels go wobbly.

I have been quite vocal about the fact that I hate my case. I've shouted at him in the street and everything. I gave him a pep talk when we got to Bailey's (and dragged him up all the stairs to her 3rd floor flat) and informed him just to keep it together, cos he only now has to get from here to Golders tube station, from King's Cross tube to the train, from the train at Newcastle to the bus (over the road) and from the bus to home (down the street). IT'S NOT THAT HARD, CASE, YOU CAN DO IT.

Although all that awaits him there is the bin. Don't tell him that, he might give up on life at an inconvenient time. (Like Monday rush hour on the London Underground.)

Wilkommen in Berlin

So, apparantly I remember more German than I thought I did and I think I have managed to convince the odd coffee shop employee that I in fact speak the language better than I do. And there's a class full of awesome architecture students from Dundee in my hostel, who are doing a project based in Durham of all places, so I've made friends and everything.....I love Berlin A LOT.

I did another one of those walking tours yesterday (they're in a bunch of cities, I'll probs do 'em all), so now I know more about Nazis than necessary. Nazis and German history of the 20th century, actually. Pretty long tour, but well worth it. If you're doing a Europe jaunt, check out the neweurope tours, they are rather excellent.

Here are a bunch of photos! That gate, that wall, etc.
The one at the top was the site of the old royal palace, which is currently being reconstructed (they've only put a bit of scaffolding up so far...I dunno what it's gonna be used as when its done though...)

Just a hotel, you say? No! Where ACTUAL Michael Jackson dangled that ACTUAL child that time. FACT.

I was highly amused by the last one. Why a sign to LA with the km underneath? Why LA?!? How random.

Currently eating a muffin and drinking a coffee in that oh so German establishment, Starbucks...

They have Ray Charles on.

It is nice.

I could live here, quite easily. (might need to learn/revise some more German though.)

Things Observed In Movies I

Y'know, I finally buy a new camera (it's snazzy, kids. And I haven't taken one bloody picture with it yet.), and all I have to post about is various Fashion Weeks and other such things only to be found online...

Pfft!

Firstly, an observation:

Frenchy, were she to have, at any point, had long blonde hair and a blunt fringe, would have been almost a dead ringer for Lady Gaga. Srsly. Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this?!

...it would be easier to see if the Gaga wasn't wearing as much makeup, I'm not gonna lie.

Secondly, a confession:

It was not until earlier this week that I saw Clueless all the way through (I also saw Rain Man for the first time, but this has nothing to do with this post, unless I start to randomly/subconciously write KMart in the middle of sentences.).

Anyways, I've seen the TV show before, but not the film, and it hadn't occured to me quite how awesomely one Cher Horowitz dresses. Not the matchy matchy 2 pieces of the opening scenes, really, but looks such as:

BERETS! SHEER LAYERS! CROPPED JUMPERS!

There's more than a little of the Wang look in here - I'm seeing those sparkly football jumpers from last week in that last look of Cher's there, and the gym class scene is more than a little Wang-esque IMO...

It was only a matter of time before the 90s came back around (good old predictable 20 year rule!), but I feel a lot more comfortable welcoming this in than I did when that whole 'rave' thing happened....

I never did succumb to the neon. Well done me.

"But this is an Alaia! He's like, a totally important designer!"

Amen to that.

Irregular?

Referring to both posting, and Choice, the wonderfully quirky shoe brand. I've always been a fan, but don't own any of their shoes. Unless you count the mint green size 7's with the pink corsage that we knocked down from the shoe tree last year, which I then scrubbed up and sold on ebay for a tenner. Would've kept them but they were far too big.

I just realised I haven't spoken of the legendary shoe tree before, and I believe it shall warrant it's own post....there are plenty of pics online but I may wait til I have a camera again and take pics then (which should be soon, my Dad is trying to find out about the warranty and such....I need it! I have stuff to take pics of! I have things to put on ebay!! *sob*).

Anyhoo.

Yes.

These pics have been around the blogs for a little while, but I'm only posting my favourite...

Ahhhhh these boots mannnn! The studding, the industrial feel? I'm loving it LOTS.

And the lookbook is pretty hot. All in toilets and such....shrug.

I'm assuming they'll be somewhat expensive. But probably cheaper than the much lauded (£335) Acne wedges, which, lets face it, are beautiful....as seen 'ere on the lovely Alexa Chung (Am I the only one wondering whats going on with her hair in these pics, btw? i dunno, it doesn't look right to me. A little flat. But then, I do enjoy big hair so 90% of hair looks flat to me. Hmm.)

FYI, the Acne website only seems to have the powder blue version. Which I was going to link to, but...nah. The black ones are much, much, fitter.

On an unrelated note, and one which makes it EVEN MORE ANNOYING that I am living with only the use of my crappy phone camera, I have been having many random adventures of late. When I look back on my life, this summer will be the summer of boys, blisters and spontaneity. Bliss.

Givenchy for Madonna

How awesome is this? Riccardo Tisci's actual illustration for Madonna latest tour outfits!

I'm all about seeing high profile designers illustrations. That's pretty much what I wish my illustrations looked like. I shall get working on them when I've done my placement report*.

This is the finished product, btw.

All courtesy of WireImage/Coutureinthecity.com, via Project Rungay.

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*Which I should probably start soon, instead of making banners and what is essentially an ebay advert. You may have noticed these things (above and to the right, respectively).

Purchases; Part Two

Ways to kill a 3 hour train journey: part one.

Actually, I only have an hour and a half left now but yeah.*

Currently listening to my London playlist - yes, I do have a playlist for everything. It is necessary.

This post is Wednesdays purchases; aka my goodbye East London tour '09.

All bought before I found out my bank account had been hacked** and I had to cancel my card and get a new one.

A new one which is being sent to Newcastle and would take at least 5 days to get there.

Leaving me with just under 30 quid to last me 4 days, and 7 ebay packages.

Obviously this was going to end well.

Additionally, I have new respect for goths. Especially in summer.

Wearing black and chunky boots in this heat is not advisable, so as a lifestyle choice it must be pretty tough going.

I bring this up as my get-up on Weds was as such:

Beloved oversized blazer; black Topshop bodysuit; Miss Selfridge

jersey skirt - both snaffled from work; Doc Martens

Anyways

I found the East End Thrift Store, I bought another versatile dress. Oh how I love versatile vintage ♥

It was at the til that I was informed of the following evenings 'shopping party', where there would be free alcohol.

Even before the '30 quid for 4 days' debacle, I was vair interested. This will get its own post!

Then onwards to Beyond Retro; where I can never resist buying stuff. Never.

Finally found a playsuit I didn't hate, and again a versatile one in the sense that if I get bored of it being a playsuit it would make a FANTASTIC and awesome jacket, and I suppose a pair of shorts also. These next few pics aren't too clear. Stupid light. Apologies.

Also, a black lace corset, which I have been after for some time. This one comes with blue ribbon detail, and is both to wear under and over stuff. Clearly not going to be posting the under section, but here is over, with navy and black and my beloved simple elastic belt, which I have been neglecting of late, but is really an absolute need-to-own item. And all this for 2.50. Sometimes it is worth braving Primark, but only for tights/socks and occasionally awesome belts.

And finally; after about 10 minutes of scouring the shoe section and trying on anything because vintage sizes are never what they say they are - I was at one point desperately trying to squeeze my foot into a heeled beige loafer with gold accents, which were beautiful, and labelled a 5, although clearly more like a 4...bad times - I came across these beauties.

Now the decision to buy them despite dwindling funds, I am a little ashamed to say, is because only days before I'd watched that episode of Sex & The City where Carrie's new Manolos go missing at a party.

These ones.

You may have noticed they bare a striking resemblance.

LOVE.

In non-spending related news, lunch was accomplanied by indie musician spotting.

99.9% sure this is Blaine from Mystery Jets. Photo taken for the wonderful Catherine Young; who loves him a little bit***, and is vair jealous of me right now.

But moments later came the fateful phonecall from the bank, which but a bit of a dampener on my day, so I went home pretty sharpish after this...

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* By the time I finished writing this, I only have 45 minutes left.

** That's so not even the technical term for it, but I am such a part of the Internet generation that I can't think of another word...!

*** A lot.