Jonathan Saunders Fall 2015

Abstract cumulus clouds, square boxy sunglasses and loosely coiled turtlenecks all contributed to the revival of the 1970s at Jonathan Saunders, whilst everyone else remained firmly enamored with the allure of the sixties. A departure from fringed suede and billowing dresses, Saunders focused on the synthetic or plastic fantastic if you prefer.There was something very Wonka-esque about the entire assortment of candy-colored outfits which drifted down the runway to the tune of George Michael's Careless Whisper. Perhaps it was the eye-popping combinations of purple and red softened by shades of grey and brown. But there was nothing diminutive about this collection, in fact Saunders adopted the mantra of "less is a bore" for this season specifically and cited the music which he chose for the show as something which put a smile on his face. The collections I find most inspiring are those where the designers always demand more of themselves and of their art. In this case Saunders has reconciled work and play beautifully by simply enjoying his craft and being able to create moving art.

Although those technical powder puffs opened and more or less defined the show I fell completely in love with the stripes. Notably Saunders opted for vertical stripes over horizontal stripes, breaking that age old fashion rule. You know me I find so-called fashion rules to be a complete bore and restricting. It's because of these rules that my mother will dictate what I can wear, at what time of day and where irrespective of the harm she may be causing to my self-esteem. So basically, fashion rules suck and creativity is awesome but it looks so glamorous and chic with a pair of laced up thigh high boots. These stripes in particular look more dreamy, colourful and playful than any vintage piece which has had to for survive decades. The same goes for materials such as vinyl which often degrade and can flake which can be exacerbated by wear. It's a real shame but sometimes despite all the love and care our clothes receive it's important to remember that they are material objects and do not experience change and growth the way our bodies do over the course of a lifetime. So sometimes the most healthy thing we can do is to buy something new and enjoy it's short but beautiful lifetime and make sure it gets lots of wear and simply look at each scuff mark as a little memory.

Another aspect which I enjoyed almost unexpectedly were the trousers paired with a simple colour block sweater. They were chic but understated and suited for a more emasculated, 1970s counterpart of Mad Men. The only thing that seemed missing was a cute little clutch purse or something else to create contrast. Even in a frozen snapshot I admire they movement and flow through them, as well as the legacy of slightly frumpy stretched flare pants that went around in the 1990s. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, you should definitely check out this post by Style Bubble here. Although admittedly these pants by Saunders are the cats meow and nothing can quite compare to their lovely tailoring. The simple knitwear made me feel like I was transported to the packaging of a Kodak film roll or something as equally antiquated but colourful. The variation of stripes, as well as vertical patterns emulating wallpaper and interior designs of the seventies made for a smorgasbord of colour. Pleated panels were also used as a substitute for more stripes making the transition from straight vertical stripes to curvilinear rainbows.

I'm not someone who normally delights in the mod aesthetic, save for Shirley Kurata who is definitely a celestial being and not of this world. The narrative of a secretarial workspace has also been recently popularised by a number of designers, choreographing their shows to the typical closing time of any office space. Jonathan Saunders goes beyond each of those two ideals but maintains their whimsical nature in spire of a somewhat dreary or minimalist setting. That brings us back to the Willy Wonka vibes that I mentioned earlier minus a creepy cane or sinister subtext. I can't be the only one who had nightmares haunted by little orange men with green hair or confectionery creations turning on their consumer in an act of revenge. Childhood trauma aside, this upbeat collection was in its own way the physical embodiment of Saunders enthusiasm and delight in his work. It is people like him and Bill Cunningham who take such joy in their work that I idealize above all others. Happiness and good health is what will always matter first, what you're wearing and looks are not nearly as important in the grand scheme of things.

*Images via Vogue.com

Interstellar

Wearing: Josh Goot dress, Romance Was Born skirt and Lipstik jelly sandals.

First of all I apologise for the clutter in the background but I ran out of time this morning and decided to take these outfits photos at uni rather than at home. Also it was raining this morning and I had too much to do today to wait for the weather to cooperate! On the plus side you can see the archaic (pun intended) folders in the background jam packed with palaeontology papers! While it's not totally inspiring to see my messy office space it does remind me of when I first started reading fashion blogs, particularly The Fashion Void that is DC. This later morphed into Moohoop a Tumblr blog and in 2011 Brooke Kao stopped writing altogether. She was among the first wave of fashion bloggers who really pioneered blogging as a platform for self-expression and although her photos weren't polished, her guide of vintage and thrift stores within Washington propelled her to success. I guess today I just really wanted to be vulnerable and removed from the realm of commercial, air brushed photos and perfect hair.

Dream Cave

Wearing: Josh Goot dress, Perks and Mini hat and Rubi shoes platforms.
 
So I've mentioned a bunch of times that I'm a geologist and specifically a palaeontologist but I've never really showed off any knowledge. It's only now that through obsessively thinking about the importance of science communication in society that I've wanted to combine my love of science with fashion and creating interesting outfits. When I talk to my friends from geology they all talk about collecting rocks from their field area or places they've been, but what draws them in is an aesthetic taste. Obviously they also understand the theoretical framework and environment in which those rocks forms which enhances their understanding but fundamentally they like the shiny pretty things. I've also come to understand how important it is to break the construct of a scientist. Ultimately I want to change the way people come to view and interact with scientists, and in particular encourage young girls and women to pursue a career in science.

5, 10, 12, 21, 27- Glitterous Clitoris. 2- Kentallenite in cross polarized light. 3- via. 6- Olivine teschenite thin section in cross-polarized light. 9- Metamorphic rocks in Canada, by Les Palenik. 13- Gassets Schist in cross polarized light. 16- Gneiss. 17- high-pressure schist in cross-polarized light via KLKGeo. 20- Kentallenite in cross-polarized light. 23- Kentallenite in cross-polarized light. 24 & 26- Migmatite in the Sand River, South Africa shot by Pierre Thomas for Planet Terre. 30- Leucogranite via University of Maryland.