Little Black Jacket

Yesterday i decided to be productive with my day off and visit a few exhibitions in London. As usual, my London timings were pretty messed up and i only managed to go to the Saatchi Gallery to see the Chanel 'Little Black Jacket' exhibition by Karl Lagerfield.

It was an absolutely amazing exhibition with four rooms full of stunning photographs styled by Carine Roitfeld, taken by Karl Lagerfield. The photos show different actors, models, singers and designers wearing the jacket. Each photo is styled in a different theme, for example victorian, rock chick or bohemian, showing the versatility of the classic jacket. I also got a free poster, which was a very welcome gesture. I would highly recommend trying to visit the exhibition as it's a beautiful display of an iconic design. It's only on until the 28th October this year - so crack out your rouge allure and get going!

If thats not possible, here are a few photos i took (please excuse the bad quality). 

The last two images are taken in the cutest little cafe cum art gallery in Dalston, East London. It's called 'Other Cafe & Gallery' and is sandwiched between old furniture and textile shops. The owner is an interior designer which is obvious as soon as you go in as it's absolutely gorgeous. It kind of reminds me of my Nan's house, full of pretty little antiques in every nook and cranny. The food is also really good, and really cheap - two qualities that put together are far and few between in London! I will definitely be returning. www.othercafegallery.com

I need this dress from COS. There is no question of want. The verb here is NEED. However i also need to eat. I need to buy a train ticket home to see my family. I need to pay my phone bill. Whats a girl to do?

Third world problems.

Fabric moment: denim

Denim: a jack-of-all-trades. Not as luxurious as velvet, sexy as lace or tough as leather; denim is a versatile fabric with the chameleon like ability to be all three and more. 

Originating from a wool-blended fabric called serge, invented in Nimes, France in the 1600’s, it gained its name from the shortening of ‘Serge de Nimes’. The term ‘genes’ came from the city of Genoa, where trousers made out of the same natural twill indigo material were first made.

Due its durable, hardwearing qualities, it was the fabric of choice in the 1800’s, when Levi Strauss created a business selling trousers to gold miners. Fast-forward a hundred years, cowboys often wore denim jeans in 1930’s western movies, familiarizing them with the public. In the 1950’s, James Dean in ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ set the fashion standards for the emerging ‘teenagers’: denim was the ultimate symbol of rebellion and youth. The 1960’s and 70’s saw denim become a huge part of fashion and culture when high-fashion brands such as Gucci put them on the catwalk. Denim became sexy, desirable.
And today? Think Diesel, Religion, J.Brand, Current/Elliot. As ever, the search goes on for the “perfect fit”.
Yves Saint Laurent said ‘I wish I invented blue jeans’. And with good reason, don’t you think?

Tour de Newsagents

Today, i was given the assignment of visiting a number of established magazine and book shops around London, taking a photo outside and choosing a new publication to do a write up on. Unfortunately, me and my group still haven't fully got our barings in London and only managed to visit three in the East End. We did, however, probably walk a marathon in the process. The magazine of our choice is Suitcase. Launched this year and on it's second published issue, Suitcase is an up and coming publication which covers fashion, art, culture, food and travel. I have high hopes for this magazine - especially as it's main focus is to showcase young British talent. Flux magazine, eat your heart out.

www.suitcasemag.com

Mikkat Market

Sometimes i stumble upon an online shop and feel like kicking myself because i haven't found it sooner. I actually found Mikkat Market (lets call it MM) a few months ago; i'm aware it's already popular in the States, but barely any people seem to know about this little gem in the UK.
Theres nothing better than well tailored, unique, quality clothing that could easily be passed as high-end designer  with a purse-friendly price tag. MM offer all of this. The website is updated regularly with brand new lines and brings back items that are in popular demand. The stock covers all the spectrum - basics, updated classics, one-offs, stunning jewellery and recently, shoes.
The only downside is the shipping cost to the UK is quite pricey, so it's more economical if you order a few items at one time.
The pricing is in dollars, so i'll convert them into sterling. Here are a few of my favourite pieces online at the moment.

skirt £24.33, dip dye shirt, £30.57, clutch £29.95, leather skirt, £29.95, sheer patch top £38.68, plaid trousers £26.20, lace up dress £82.99, dog bone necklace £14.97, two tone trousers £25.58, metallic varsity jacket £38.81, army jacket £58.65, sunglasses £9.98, studded brogues £26.83.

www.mikkatmarket.com

Beinta Photography

Beinta is a London based photographer from the Faroe Islands, currently studying fashion styling at London College of Fashion. She is one of my favourite photographers at the moment; in my opinion her work is breathtaking. Her use whimsical colours and soft lighting create a dream-like feel to her images. There is a certain elegance and fragility about her work, and a subtle surrealism. I'd definitely like to see an exhibition of her work one day - all i can say is watch this space.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

On wednesday, i went to see the well anticipated film 'the Perks of Being a Wallflower'. I'm ashamed to say i had not read the novel beforehand and i've still not got round to doing so... however maybe this is a participating reason why i enjoyed the film so much as i had no expectations.
On one level, it's your typical indie romance, set in an American high-school (varsity jackets and cheerleaders galore) backed by a soundtrack of the Smiths, Sonic Youth, David Bowie... you get the picture. It's about an awkward, shy boy who begins high-school with a longing to belong but without the social abilities to make friends. He eventually meets Sam and Patrick, who accept him for who he is. It's funny in parts, sad and awkward in others but really relates to most peoples own high-school experiences in one way or another.
 But on a deeper level, the film touches the sensitive subjects such as sexual abuse and mental illness. For a teen film, that's pretty deep. But the subjects are only hinted at throughout the movie, giving it a more mature, underlying message.
Also, Emma Watson was surprisingly convincing. Not once did Hermione come to mind - she's come a long way from being the bossy know-it-all the nation loved so much. Innocence is certainly not a main character trait of her said character, Sam.
Anyway, i recommend anyone who likes a good tear-jerker slash feel-good film that really does linger on your mind.
Now time for me to read the book... hopefully it is just as good or better than the film.