IMAGE INFATUATION...

Fully adoring the way Le Train Bleu have shot their Karen Walker stock. There's something about it that makes me go back and look at it again and again. I would never have even noticed those pieces if I'd just looked at the catwalk pics and I actually wasn't too fussed about the collection before I saw these pictures. STOP PRESS: clothes being presented in a way that makes you want to buy them? Whatever will they think of next.

Also, when my hair looks like that I generally consider that to be a bad and shameful thing. How bourgeois of me. All I needed was a Karen Walker scarf.

(via Wiksten via Geraldine)

HOUSE OF POORLY...

The lack of bloggage is because I've been down all week with that virus that's been going round. I'm sure you probably have it, or have had it too (in which case I empathize entirely and also ask that you stay at least 5 metres away from me). I know next to nothing about this kind of thing but I thought that human flu and cat flu were not cross contaminatory. (I just invented a damn fine word.) If so, I think we have just made history.

The little one: yesterday she kept lashing out at me, which I put down to her being bored with my repetitive entertainment repertoire of sleep, vomit, wail in agony, clutch at stomach, sleep, vomit, repeat, etc etc. Then this morning she was a little bit sick. Hmmm still a bit grumpy. Then she literally stole the snuggly thick cardigan from my back by kneading at it - you know that piano playing thing cats do - reminds them of being kittens or something. So I gently took it off as she was so into massaging?! it and she climbed inside it, made herself a little nest which covered her completely and she did not emerge for six hours; sometimes emitting a little shiver or sigh which let me know she was still breathing. I wasn't too worried until I offered to put on Sex & The City series 2 and/or the free DVD I got of the first ever episode of Dallas and she wasn't interested. Poor Loly.

COVER BLOWN BY SELF...

Now I'm just GIVING away all my hard learned secrets and wealth of knowledge over at Gridskipper. This week it's How to Stay Chic on the Cheap. Freeloading blaggers get over there now. Apologies to anyone who previously thought I ever paid full price for anything in London...

*image is of the beautiful and amazing illustrator Ester Pastel...she's chic, not cheap.

STUFF I LIKE on WEDNESDAY...

*a small collection by Alyson omni-talented Fox. I really, really like the little videos...(oh and she has cool friends too)

*parkin/ginger cake and a nice cup of tea...

*gawping at Kate Moss's house (via Fashionista)

*the jewellery at this shop (in Brooklyn - a bit far)

*naps

KEY WORDS...

OK people: here is my latest piece for Gridskipper. Unfortunately it does not feature lap dancing clubs, sex, brothels or anything to do with douchebags. It's merely an informative piece on East London's darling Cheshire Street. I am learning. I should have stuck with calling my piece about shoe designers "Shoe PORN"...Oh well, popularity was never my main concern.

BERNARD...

Meet my new friend Bernard. Isn't he charming? His shop was so enchanting ~ and all his own creation might I add ~ that I asked him to make me a ring. It's very simple, which is just what I'd been looking for. But I'll treasure it even more because Bernard made it...

BLAH BLAH SOMETHING ABOUT THE NATURE OF MODERN CELEBRITY AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERNET...

In Paris I see Clemence Poesy in the 3rd and think, wow there's Clemence Poesy as I walk around the corner straight into a life size poster of her on the cover of Jalouse magazine. Then I realize I have never seen a film she's been in (I'm allergic to Harry Potter and I've no idea what she's done since except look great on Style.com wearing Balenciaga at parties).

I see the most stunning woman walking down rue de Poitou and recognise her as well. I am almost convinced I know her but when I look at her shoes: Prada sandals, it clicks that I don't know her at all. It's Giovanna Battaglia - favourite Sartorialist subject.

I guess my three month self imposed media ban didn't have any effect then.

(Eventually I buy Jalouse with Clemence on the cover and the man at the magazine kiosk who is a sweetheart straight out of Parisian magazine vendor central casting: black beret, thick round black glasses; makes me repeat Jaloooouuuse, Jalooooouuuussse, until I pronounce it correctly.)

BONJOUR FOR A SECOND...

Hello loves, just nipped off to Paris to catch the tail end of fashion week. Also - total unbloodymitigated surprise disaster - the internet is broken where I'm staying. Not that I had loads of work to do or anything...back to the computer on Thursday. Until then you can see where I've been waxing lyrical on my two Mastermind specialist subjects: shoe designers and cafes.

QUOTE ME...

Manolo Blahnik once said:

"I like experimental people." He....admires Nicolas Ghesquière's clothes for Balenciaga: "But his shoes are like furniture. They are like commodes on the feet."

Now might be a good time to eat those words...

{image}