Category: Comment
What do you see?
I’ve been reading a great deal lately on the pros and cons of the Dove Real Beauty ad campaign..Does it represent a significant change in advertising by re-defining the unrealistic ideals regarding the way women should look?..Or is it a cynical reinforcement of the same old message that beauty is the most important asset for a women to have?
Personally, I can’t help but feel it’s an attempt at blue sky thinking by driven, claustrophobic, muttering male advertising execs who see it as an opportunity to make money by taking a ‘supporting’ stand.
Particularly when you compare the sugar coated rhetoric of the Dove ads, to the genius take it or leave it campaign for Karen Walker’s sunglasses based on the inspirational ladies from Ari Seth’s Advanced Style Blog.
Ilona Royce Smithkin, Artist, aged 92 wearing Northern Lights.
Wearing Galaxy.
Wearing Atomic.
Joyce Carpati, Singer, aged 80, wearing Northern Lights.
Wearing Intergalactic.
Wearing Eclipse.
Linda Rodin, Fashion Stylist, Founder and Owner of own beauty line RODIN Olia Iusso, aged 65, wearing Atomic.
Wearing Blue Moon.
Wearing Orbit.
Lynn Delll, Boutique Owner, aged 80, wearing Space Bug.
Wearing Optimist.
Wearing Deep Freeze.
I wish we could see more advertising like this with no pretence, no underlying message other than rich visual flair, charisma and exuberance – this subject shouldn’t really be a blog post, just like the Dove ad shouldn’t really be a Blog post.. but until advertisers stop religiously peddling youth as the only currency that sells, with beauty as it’s alter-ego then campaigns such as Karen Walker’s will just be brilliant flashes in the pan.
Until then, all I know is I want a little bit of what they’re having for no other reason than I think they are awesomely super cool…I think I have a crush..
Laters, Kate x
Oasis in the noise..
This post is dedicated to Laura Lynn as an extra pair of eyes for her to see the more hidden parts of London, until she can come and visit again x
There is a nearly secret garden literally buried deep in the heart of the City, almost under the far reaching shadows of St. Pauls Cathedral.
It’a called the Postman’s Park and was once the graveyards of St. Leonards Foster Lane St Botolph Aldersgate and Christ Church Newgate. Which sounds huge, but it’s only a little place with a rich atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Ordinary yet quietly extraordinary.
Through the gates and past the pond is a memorial created by George Fredrick Watts, a painter and social radical. In 1887 he had the idea to commemorate ‘heroic men and women’ for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee year. No-one else felt it was a particularly good idea so he financed it himself.
Set into the wall are over fifty plaques catching frozen moments in time, each bringing a spotlight to the pendulum swings of fate and lifes’ vulnerabilities. Every plaque commemorates a selfless act of bravery and with simple words to make you bleed they open up a theatre in the mind as you picture the stories and comprehend the consequences.
It is a small place, a poignant place where history lives on.
Laters, Kate x
Blogging…
The gorgeous Anna on her way to a christening.
In Bath! With the lovely Flo and husband Harry.
And now a little (I lie) rant because I’m a bit confused..y’see I thought blogs were a collection of posts much like magazine articles, with good visuals, a story and writing to match? But when I take a stroll through the Freshly Pressed fashion posts I’m seeing post after post of pictures by the same blog. I click through to the Blog..and that’s all it is. A post is a picture. No context, no words carefully crafted, no content. The roughly nine posts it spews out each time, each hour? All completely random..different people, different subjects, different languages…morning, noon and night..same thing, same blog – ‘Artwall Blog’..and the same caption..Please like my blog…but I don’t. I don’t like it. I don’t like posts reduced to their lowest common denominator, published as a quick flash in the pan, then move onto the next bright bauble of attraction. I don’t like them swamping out all the singly posting blogs by multiple times multiple postings like a rampant weed on speed, sucking away the oxygen and draining the light. I am tired of the quick idea, the quick buck and jumping on the band wagon to mow through thought, craft and attention as if they were ghosts.
The conclusion I’ve come to – it isn’t a blog it’s an Instagram drain-away. So why doesn’t it stay on Instagram? It seems to me this is a micro view of what is wrong with much of the world and I wish it would stop. Instead I fear it will spawn more insipid beasts to dilute, destroy and unify the unique individuality out there.
Laters, Kate x
Spotted..
I had to take a picture: The trendiest ten year old this side of the Thames…check out those shoes! We bonded over Molly (nose in pic)
It’s really weird but having The Husband away has put a spotlight on my inability string two words together…he calls up from some remote part of China and all that comes out is ‘Dog..forgot….children..crack of dawn…breakfast..ate pack lunch..blood..murder..’
But as the connections have been so bad I have resorted to sending him an email every day – just to let him know he’s not been forgotten..and relatively witty banter rattles out of my finger tips. Begs the questions..is this evolution in progress and am I turning into a computer keyboard?
He’s coming home today. Good thing as I’ve just found this. If no more posts appear, you’ll know why..
Maybe he’ll stay away..
Laters, if possible, Kate x
African heat..
Shoes by Burberry Porsum.
Like a moth attracted to a sweet spot I’ve been drawn towards the beauty of African print. It has that magic touch of satisfaction where something unusual feels like it should’ve always been in my life. I love the electric powerplays of colour… the fluid graphics..the exuberant clashes..it’s a buzz that gathers and turns a piece of material into a stage..
Anna is doing her best to distract me..she says Burberry ‘did it’ last summer..and she’s not wrong…
(Burberry Porsum summer 2012, photos courtesy of style.com)
But I think it’s time for the love affair to diffuse down the food-chain…I want to see more on the streets generally..there are legs on this baby… These photos were taken by MG Onania for Fashizblack Magazine..
Rich, magical and aspirational.
These are of Yassive Rahal by Julien Cozzoline for Fashizblack Magazine:
And these are from a wonderful blog: style-caralho.blogspot.co.uk. ( I don’t know the indivdiual photographers name – but if anyone does, I’m very happy to attribute)
For more inspiration check out this post on Kimberly akinola’s great blog.
personally I think we all need a fresh blast of African air.
Laters, Kate x
Oh! How I LOVE!
I have more dresses from our first collection…not perfectly shot because these were taken literally on the rails at the factory…but perfectly made…
This is the (Frilly) Billie in black broderie anglais…effing awesome in my entirely biased opinion! I will die to wear this dress..the piping…sooo chic!
The Grace in black..just a completely different dress…simple, elegant…wonderful!
This is our no-named shirt…Lace is our reflection on now..this print represents our vision for the future and a very british essence we wanted to capture. What has delighted us (can you tell?!) is that we wanted the core of our first collection to be cross-seasonal so we could carry it forward whilst growing new ideas…the other concept we wanted to embrace is escalator dressing..the ability to wear an item dressed up out to dinner..or casually with a pair of jeans or flip-flops..the final criteria is that where humanely possible everything will have pockets..love. love. LOVE! – check out the cuffs and the shoulders..
The Valentina, tarted up…don’t you want to just touch it? stroke it? Wear it? She is gorgeous!
Laters, a delighted Kate xxx
The pic says it all..
A very big thank you to ‘Her Passion For Fashion’ for our very kind Blog award..
Under the rules of the Award I have to tell you you seven things…not sure whether to do about me or Masonbentley so I shall make it a versatile mix..
1. I have a love of Art and used to do a lot of painting, particularly portraits..I developed my own style re-using (bit of a theme) newspaper, magazines, paint and charcoal..I liked how the ‘stories’ shone through below the paint turning 2d into 4d…I should have gone to Art School, but I didn’t – I went to the Royal Academy of Music instead. It’s a regret.
2. Anna and I are like Yin & Yan…she is tiny, blonde, blue eyed and glass half empty…I am dark, curvy and doe eyed (it’s a way to prove the next point) glass half full. But our minds meet on this fusion plane like telepathy..it’s scary and incredibly powerful. We both knew it had to be harnessed into something tangible.
3. I have a weird thing with my where I can see 3d as 2d, but I can’t work out left and rights from different positions..take a cricket match layout..throw in a left handed batsman…brain fry.
4. The scariest thing I have ever done was a night dive on the barrier reef in Australia. It was our honeymoon and I was young and fearless..until we started racing out to the dive site on the boat…had to convince myself I was James Bond in disguise. Rolling off backwards into the dark took all my courage..but it was a truly incredible experience – at one point we sat down on the sand to listen to humpback whales singing…life doesn’t get much better than that.
5. Anna is the most talented visual person I have ever met – she sees things in a way that is very rare and that I am sure you have to be born with.
6. I have two very wonderful children who it took a great deal to have – 6 years of infertility, 7 miscarriages before Bella, IVF to get Bella (very scary after the miscarriages, I was on lots of drugs), miscarried IVF twins before Charlie – and then he was my final natural miracle baby. And because I have two children now, unless they knew, no-one would ever know. Strange eh.
(As you can see Bella got every attribute I ever wanted for myself – blue eyes and curly red hair..as yet she doesn’t thank me…but she will)
7. My husband is the most amazing man – super intelligent and like a big, cuddly teddy bear – I knew I was going to marry him before we even met…my friend was talking about him..and I just had this feeling…poor man never stood a chance after that…
Now for my Blog nominations – which was incredibly hard and represent an eclectic mix:
1. The irrepressible Laura at Cancer: My journey back to health – kicking and screaming all the whole damn way……This girl is amazing – her spirit, her passion – and her writing ability…read..and read some more.
2. Another great writer who makes me laugh – and makes me cry..(Just check out the title) Kenyan phil at Shit a Gay Kenyan Writes...my leopard with the pink spots..
3. On an African theme, I love the pictures from this Blog: Thorn Tree Country. Robert Maletta is a traveller, wanderer and artist of the camera.
Anna introduced me to the art of type font – I tease her that she is the only type font whore I know – in fact I forwarded her these blogs and that’s exactly what she did, spent hours poring over them like porn…her kids supper got burnt that night..but there is a joy of design in the perfect font for the perfect reason – it’s all about the layers of design that make up the finished article:
4. Greater Albion Typefounders – they love their fonts. I love their fonts.
5. Art Deco – celebrating fonts combined with wonderful Art Deco style. I have always adored this era of posters.
As you probably know, there is a great love of all things vintage here – and the following are a few of my favourite vintage blogs..
6. Cheers to Carla – This should be an impossible Blog to pull off but Chloe does it with such style I chuckle every time. Check out Dianes little white dress on April 11. Love it.
7. Waynes Radios – The guys here must always think who is this sheila with a fashion blog who always likes our posts? well, c’est moi – because I love up-cycling and re-loving and one day I am going to buy one of your radios for my husband because they are so damn super cool.
8. The vintage traveler – Such an informative blog..the history of each piece..the adverts – I love old adverts..a vintage joy. Let’s hope I get the link right this time hey.
9. Rubyfoot – again, a treasure trove of information and clothes – and much of it gathered first hand…to be treasured.
10. Roxy vintage style – Because she looks so damn good and makes me smile.
11. bravechica – for her passion.
12 44and a fourth – Because I can relate.
13. Jannairefalkner – because it’s not just about appealing pictures and I love her taste.
14. faccina87 – for a sleek, stylish blog
15. Iller brown – because of his eclectic mix and love of London and all things art.
CONGRATS TO YOU ALL AND I HOPE YOU WILL PASS THE BATON ON!
For the rules and what to do next – please click here
laters, Kate xxx
Idylic Islington..
Another foray..if you ever want a posh place to trawl vintage then head to Islington. Ever want a delicious place to shop?…to eat?…to be? then Islington is your place…
Super cool idea for vintage jelly molds..
Seriously good vintage shops – and not just clothes.
Not quite so sure about stuffed fido..sometimes I think we love our pets toooo much.
The vintage clothes shops aren’t bad either.
Beautiful lace inside this shop – it was so cold, my camera seized otherwise there would be shots..
It is a really pretty part of London with lots of Georgian houses..it’s actually where my parents live..hello!
A shopper/browsers heaven.
Lovely boutiquey coffee shops
And this ones awesome door handle..
Scrummy food..
And on the way home I spotted this violet…surely a sign spring IS on the way??..pretty please with a violet on top???!
Laters, Kate x
Liberty’s, lushness and London x
I am a great believer in feeding the visual mind so I make little forays into London whenever I can, which lets face it, isn’t exactly a hardship…one of my favourite haunts is the lovely Liberty’s…
A temptation trove of delights and beautiful displays.
Love these candles – you lift up the domes and smell the scent caught in the tops of the glass. J’adore the whole styling/everything – like something out of Hogwarts…
Check out the fabulous names and descriptions..
Clever mind-confusing scent??…brilliant!
Interested to see this label as they blazed a trail for us – they started with just 8 silk shirts. Now look.
Very simple, very elegant, easy to dress up or down. Timeless.
Liberty’s – everything we aspire to be – beautiful inside and out.
When in London always look up.
A couple of minutes walk away through Soho is Beyond Vintage..well worth a browse.
Finished off with a well deserved coffee in one of the many boutique coffee shops
And a final browse round the market stalls..
Bliss.
Laters, kate x
Oooh ay Mouret!
I got a giddy thrill when I realised what exactly Roland Mouret had chosen as the inspiration for his fall 2013 ready to wear collection…nothing less than Catherine Deneuve in the 1983 film The Hunger..
A three-in-one sliding doors moment of revelation, sparks and vivid memories with many things colliding – first there is Mouret, the fashion designer and the inventor of the infamous Galaxy dress, then there is Catherine Deneuve – the aloof and mysterious film star and a fully fledged MasonBentley style icon as one of the world’s most elegant women.. and then there is the beguiling fact that I – yep, as in ‘moi’ – I was actually in The Hunger…along with David Bowie and Susan Sarandon, all directed by Tony Scott…
I played the musical double to this girl – can’t remember her name now – but in the movie it was Alice. We all played in a piano trio together practising Schubert.
Alice played the violin (well, I did)
David bowie the Cello (I first met him at the hairdressers with me under a halo of hedgehog-like highlighting foils. Most glamorous – but we did share a sandwich together!)
And Catherine Deneuve on the piano. Which was completely bonkers, especially when you realise that with a modicum of musical knowledge, we were all sitting in the wrong positions – but hey – that’s show business! and the light has to take precedence..
I was a little shadow happily lost in a fairytale – the bulk of the filming was done in a huge, stunningly beautiful old house encased in marble round the back of the Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair and I spent many a day watching in the wings, amazed by the amount of smoke they used and talking to costume, make-up and hair. I have graphic memories of the clothes..the lovely lady in charge of costume had just won an Oscar for Chariots of Fire (Kate, always wear pastels – they are your colour!) and I can see the influence of that film running through The Hunger…it was sophisticated, graceful…
But this wasn’t what inspired mouret…he looked to the edgy club scene in the opening scenes and the underlying aggressive, feral emotions that permeate the movie..
Check out the sunnies and the harder edges..and see the influence:
(courtesy of style.com)
(courtesy of style-com)
(courtesy of style.com)
(courtesy of style.com)
I particularly love the cream coat and the trousers above – and it is wonderful to be reminded of a special time in my life… there was talk of me having a proper part – playing Deneuve’s daughter – and I actually got taken out on a wardrobe buying mission…but the idea got canned…however I did get to have my throat cut by David Bowie..
How many people can say that?!
laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 
