Fashion In Motion

I love reading fashion blogs and surfing the latest looks on websites like www.style.com. While I was reading the blog Polka Dot I came across this post and this post about a parade of Yohji Yamamoto clothes held at the V&A in London as part of a series of fashion events called Fashion in Motion.


Yamamoto cast real life couples from the streets of London and visitors to the V&A, and what I love is that gay and lesbian couples were included.


Maybe fashion is trivial, and maybe you could say that this is a gimmick, but in a genre populated by impossibly tall, uniformly beautiful people, seeing a diversity of people represented on a catwalk (including gay people) is kind of a fabulous change.


It's also lovely to see relationships being celebrated. In a time when a number of places in the world are legalising gay marriage (although sadly not the country I live in), any forum for equal representation seems like further shoring up of gains being made.


It wasn't so long ago that seeing two women or two men who are a real life couple walking a catwalk holding hands, displaying their real life relationship, would have been shocking. To me it seems like the most normal thing in the world, and hopefully the more representations of equality that are portrayed in all sorts of areas of life (whether 'serious' or 'trivial') the more people might agree with me.

Check out Polka Dot's two posts I linked to above, as she has some lovely close-up shots of the actual parade that give you a good feel for it, and show some other looks from the parade. There is also a larger collection of photos on facebook here.

Style Files

I'm going through a mini obsession with sewing and fashion blogs at the moment. Over the past few weeks I dug out the sewing machine and pieced together a quilt top for a simple throw for the couch, bought a Japanese book of coats for men, and started planning fabrics for a new coat for myself. Meanwhile (and in part while I'm waiting for my measurements to stabilise, what with the weight loss and all) reading about sewing is almost as good as doing. To whit:

• Unsung Sewing Patterns: an archeology of home sewing. Andrea's blog documents her experiment in sewing garments from old patterns and her research into the history of home sewing. What makes her blog fascinating is her focus on the unsung more utilitarian side of things; everyday garments, children's play clothes, workwear, costumes and clothes (like nautical styled "middy" blouses) that had a context that seems obscure to us now.
  
• Colette Patterns Blog. The Colette Patterns blog is attached to the commercial Colette Patterns website and is written primarily by the company founder and designer Sarai Mitnick. What I love about this blog are the fantastic how tos, the technical articles (a recent series about fabrics was very good) but especially the excellent profiles of vintage designers. These snapshots of past designers are a great intro and springboard for further research, and I love that some of the designers are influential but perhaps not that well known.
  
• OutsaPop is an English language blog by Finish blogger Outi with a particular focus on luscious photography, young designers, sustainable fashion and remade and recycled clothing and accessories. Her "trashion" as she puts it. Outi is so insanely cool and stylish, has a great eye, and has even styled a pop band with her "trashion". We are not worthy.

A Tribute to McQueen

A stunning tribute to the late designer Alexander McQueen by photographer Nick Knight, with music by Björk. Knight uses a series of black models wearing important McQueen gowns to celebrate McQueen's creativity, while Björk wails as only she can.

Husband Material

Every now and then, amongst a sea of black/grey/brown/navy menswear modelled by hollow cheeked 20 year olds with 28" waists, I'll spot something different that makes me sit up a little straighter and take notice. Anthony Keegan of the fashion label Commonwealth Utilities spiced up my morning when I spotted this trio of hockey player-thighed Fantasy Husbands he sent down the Fall 2010 runway amongst the bevvy of whippet thin 20 year olds.



I'm getting a Sunday morning just rolled out of bed and threw some socks and knitwear on over the long johns to grab the paper/let the dog out for a pee/put the coffee maker on sort of vibe.



With a bit of a honey, while I'm up do you want sourdough toast or a bagel? thing going on too.



Or maybe that's just me.

Dressed To Kilt

Oh how I love the kilted silliness that is the annual Dressed to Kilt event.

What you don't see in this video clip is all of the performance of the UK tv's Scottish interior design duo Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan's trip down the catwalk.

McAllister & Ryan

A real life couple since 1985 the boys decided to seal the event with a kiss.



Awwww. Two of my favourite things, boys in kilts and cute guys kissing!

Advanced Style

My friend Lyn over at Shades Of Grey recently posted a link to a fantastic new find, Ari Seth Cohen's Advanced Style. Ari documents the stylish and interesting members of the older generation, in a similar manner to Scott Schuman over at The Sartorialist.

I love it. Now I know what I want to be when I grow up, full of joi de vivre!

Suits You, Sir

Photo by David Siljper for the NYTimes.

Photo by David Siljper for the NYTimes.

Photo by David Siljper for the NYTimes.

Moschino, F/W '09-'10

September Is The January In Fashion!

Late yesterday afternoon I saw the documentary "The September Issue". OMG, I loved it. I came out of it absolutely loving Vogue's creative director, stylist and photo guru Grace Coddington, but I also came out of it having a new respect and admiration for Anna Wintour. Yes she is that "The Devil Wears Prada" character to some extent, but she also comes across as whip smart, fearless, somewhat wounded (when she speaks about her family in particular) and a little bit wicked and cheeky at times.

One thing that really stands out is how much work and effort goes into producing the magazine. A fact she speaks about in the Sundance film festival interview below:

Maybe fashion is facile and frivolous much of the time, but you have to admire the work that goes into creating beautiful things; the clothes, the photos (gorgeous!) and the magazine. These are people at the top of their game that are working damn hard to stay there in a constantly shifting landscape. Highly recommended.

Fashion Photography, Helpfully Explained

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Speaking Of Jackets...

I love this jacket from the Fall 2009 collection by clothing label Rag & Bone. When I say I "love" this jacket... I mean I LOVE THIS JACKET. I want to make it my boo and leave it little love notes.


Want.

Actually, the whole collection is pretty faboo. Especially if you're a willowy boy with hollow cheeks who can carry off the funky 'ninja pants'. I have a soft spot for this classy long line jacket too:


Nice. Not terribly apropos for those of us blessed with hobbit proportions, but nice.

[Check out the rest of the collection on men.style.com]

Project Rungay

Here's the way my mind works. I have a big, important project with a very definite short time frame - namely, job hunting. In truth I'm finding the thought of it a bit overwhelming. So of course I've been spending my time... learning pattern drafting and starting to design a jacket for myself. See how that works? La la la I'm not listening. Oh look, shiny!

(Actually I have sent off one application, and left a couple of messages with my old temp agency... but frankly I could be doing more.)

A few months back I bought a fab book Metric Pattern Cutting for Menswear by Winifred Aldrich. Winifred (don't you love it?) teaches you how to use standard measurements, or your own, to design all sorts of basic pattern blocks which can then be adapted to create unique designs. Given that my own shape is a somewhat unique design (short and stocky) I decided to use my measurements and draft some basic garment blocks.



First up the 'classic casual jacket' block, a close fitting jacket block with minimal shaping. So it's slightly boxy without being oversized. The shoulders fit the natural shoulder line, and the chest and hips are fairly close fitting. I also drafted the 'basic one-piece sleeve' block, then cut them both out of some scrap cotton I had and bunged them together. The cotton is a bit lightweight and wrinkly for the job, but it's what I had on hand. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that not only did the sleeve fit the armhole like a charm, but the entire thing fits me brilliantly.



Since then I've been tinkering with different collar designs (the one above is the 'standard convertible collar'), jacket length, whether to have a button or zip closure, pockets, and even epaulets. I have a lovely lightweight navy wool and I'm thinking of making a slightly military style hip length jacket, with epaulets and possibly 4 patch pockets. Fun! Thank you Winifred.

Tomorrow, job hunting. I promise.

Trompe L'oeil

trompe l'oeil (trômp loi)
n. pl. trompe l'oeils (loi)
1. A style of painting that gives an illusion of photographic reality.
2. A painting or effect created in this style.
[French trompe l'il : trompe, third person sing. present tense of tromper, to deceive + le, the + il, eye.]

Stunning Spring/Summer dresses by Hermes, 1952. Photos by Gordon Parks for Life Magazine.

Now Wait...

I think, no, I'm certain I had a child with me when I set out this morning...

Darkness & Light

"Hey, tattooed love boy. If I stay within the lines, can I colour you in?"


"Oh! Suits you, sir." (But then, I always was a sucker for a boutonniere.)

Why Don't You?...

Go native.

With eyeliner.

Pledging

I realised a little while ago that I hadn't bought much in the way of new clothes in ages. A t-shirt here, a work shirt there. So when I noticed that the next round of sign-ups was coming around over at Wardrobe Refashion I thought "No 'new' purchases? I can do that!" Of course it isn't that easy, and when I think about it I probably have bought a number of clothing items in the past 4 months.

Wardrobe Refashion encourages people to pledge to only re-use, recycle and refashion for a given period. Your own wardrobe discards, and second-hand purchases are the raw materials. I picked the 4 months pledge, several months can go by when I don't really buy anything anyway so where would the challenge be? Underwear, shoes and specific work relates clothes (not really the case for me) are exempt from the pledge, and everyone gets a Get Out Of Jail Free card to pull out when there is something just too good to pass up.

So this is my challenge to myself, to become more mindful of what and how I use for the next 4 months. To think about what resources it takes to keep me shod and clothed. I have the motivation and I have the new machine, so I now also have the mechanics in place to undertake the challenge!

The Pledge

I, Andrew pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 4 months. I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle pre-loved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftiness brings!

Signed, Andrew (The Other one).

Windswept And Interesting

Out on the wiley, windy moors...



We'd roll and fall in green.



You had a temper, like my jealousy...



Too hot. Too greedy.



How could you leave me, when I needed to possess you?



I hated you.

I loved you too.

[Photos from GQ Autumn/Winter 07/08 by David Slijper, via foto decadent.]

Sneak Peek

I finally got around to creating an Etsy shopfront. It's a work in progress, and I haven't uploaded anything for sale yet, but here's a sneak peek of something I've been working on. (I'll post a link to my shop once I have something up for sale.)



A generous sized woman's scarf, in warm tones of chocolate. Lightweight mannish wool suiting, silk embroidery and Indian handmade beaded flowers. Yin and yang. Serious and flirty.

I'll be setting up shop with some scarves, some jewellery... and maybe later some kilts. It may not be the ideal time ask people to buy high end handmade goods, but these ideas have been bubbling away for a while and with my new sewing machine it all becomes possible. Handmade has become more and more sought after in the past few years, in this mass produced high tech world. But most of all I'm having fun, and that's as important as the $$$s really.

This Is The World I Want To Live In