hair-raising

I've taken fashion blogging to new highs in terms of beehive hair, but also lows with what might be the worst (i.e. unoriginal) title for a blog post- ever. That said the content is absolutely fine and in fact I greatly admire the work of Julien d’Ys, who you might recognise as the hair stylist for Rei Kawakubo's colourful collections. In particular, the flamboyant fluorescent yellow locks that graced the stage at the Comme des Garçons Homme Plus presentation. These sculptural hairstyles were just one component of a collection which redefined gender at Paris Fashion Week. I remember seeing the hairstyles for the very first time in a youtube video, featuring the best of mens' fashion week and watching cool and disaffected male models exit the rear of a building. While not hugely practical or something that I can imitate on this blog, I thought the looks were worth sharing as inspiration to other bloggers or simply those who are dissatisfied with their current hairstyle and craving something different.

*Images via Dazed Digital, Photography Ilker Akyol

Athleisure

Comfort and style have been brought together in perfect synergy as part of the athleisure trend. The trend, introduced to me by Freshpair varies from that of sport luxe which seemed to prevalent throughout 2013 in its shapes. Tracksuit materials and puffer jackets create a bulky silhouette shrouding the female figure, followed by a loose skirt or trousers and culminating in a pair of chic heels or simple runners. Wearing something comfy underneath, such as a supportive bra is also an integral part of this trend.  Athleisure also seems to differ in that brands are not splashed across jumpers or sneakers but the style of say the shoe seems to speak for itself. Its much more versatile and understated and sure to be a big hit amongst street style photographers. Warmer weather in the Northern Hemisphere means the inclusion of more mesh materials and the normalisation of basketball shorts as part of everyday life. But for those who can't bring themselves to align directly with sportswear it means wearing comfy sneakers.

1 & 15- Street Royal. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 10- Sporting Life via Rookie Mag. 4- Photo by Petra for Rookie Mag. 9- Untitled by Claire Milbrath via The Ardorous. 11- Models backstage at the Jacquemus spring/ summer 2014, photo by Lea Colombo for Dazed Digital. 12- Photo via Gabifresh. 13- Patwa, Geordie Wood. 14- Miranda Kerr for Vogue Korea July 2013 by Eric Guillemain.

Adam Selman Fall 2015

At a time when I so badly needed some kind of guidance from a cool, older sister-type figure I rediscovered the Adam Selman Fall 2015 collection and everything was right with the world. Although I had not yet resolved my conflict, or faced my inner demons but in my mind I had conceptualized the kind of person I had to become in order to achieve these goals. Cool, disaffected and confident hiding behind a pair of razor sharp sunglasses and preferably sporting a killer hairstyle. For the last few years I have believed that what we wear is a reflection of what we feel like that day and I needed to adopt a kind of armor. If I needed to act like a bitch I wanted to surround myself with plenty of strong women, the kind who intimidate men. Adam Selman's collection, largely inspired by some of John Water's iconic characters retains some aspects of original thoughts. It is interesting as it is not the regurgitation of a preexisting troupe but blends certain elements, some heavily borrowed and expresses these ideas for a consumer market.  

Rather than opting for sharp winged eyeliner, red lipstick and leather motorcycle jackets which seemed the most intuitive marriage for this aesthetic Selman offered a myriad of different textures and patterns. Tiny bows decorated 1950s inspired cardigans which were countered by his stunning range of sunglasses and lace bustiers with capri pants. Different collars as well as neckerchiefs were also used as a vehicle for experimentation and deviation from an old troupe. From the outset I felt critical that this collection didn't live up to my expectations, but on closer inspection and having these standards challenged I realised that the collection had transcended these expectations. These pieces feel a little costume-y to begin with but they really are beautiful and wearable pieces. I can see myself lounging around in one of those ribbed, long sleeved dresses on the couch. From these backstage photos we can also see that these pieces can be dressed up or down, depending on whether you have mastered creating the perfect beehive. Messy goops of hair gel smeared across the forehead and creating a side-swept fringe are also deemed acceptable within this context. 

The girl gang aesthetic is as strong as ever- which I why I wanted to show these backstage photos first rather than the front on shots from the runway. These images are so much more powerful rather than seeing each outfit in isolation. On a personal level, I'm most comfortable when I get to take photos by myself in my frontward of my outfit but having the opportunity to hang out with a bunch of cool, like-minded girls is far better. I feel nervous to begin with but it's actually so good to talk with other women who are creatives and this collection reminds me so much of that. Rather than seeing other women as competitors this magical group of beings have banded together in order to support one another. These photos in particular focus on the emotion as well as relationships of each outfit with respect to one another and the kind of closeness the fashion industry can create (in an idealized way). However, parallels exist between the various fashion bloggers and editors who hang out at fashion week and accompany one another to the next show. 

Photography Evan Schreiber via Dazed Digital