Mary Benson Spring 2016

Lately it's been easier to aesthetically cataloging various fashion collections instead of exhaustively reviewing them. The words aren't coming easily. I've put a lot of pressure on myself to maintain this blog and make it as good as I feel it can be. But doing all that whilst still trying to write my thesis/ apply for a PhD/ apply for jobs isn't easy either. While I've always had the opinion that blogs which don't, at least sometimes have a strong written component I'm beginning to see visual expression as valid as written content. To celebrate Mary Benson's Spring 2016 collection, I searched for images from Rookie Mag but some Hole references for good measure. The motifs on her clothes, emphasized using glittery holographic foil, as well as crystal embellished sunglasses celebrated emotional outpourings. I love her fantastical designs, and to see someone celebrate gushing tears down models faces gave validation to every time I had to run to the bathroom and cry. 

This collection also served for the best moodboard of all the makeup looks I need to try out as soon as I can blog on a regular basis. I'd love to be a little more experimental with how I wear makeup, without the marginalization of certain groups through cultural appropriation. Basically it seems that wearing glitter and celebrating all things synthetic and plastic is the best way to go. I have lots of book contact which would be perfect for removable tears running down my cheeks and onto my neck. It's certainly a lot easier than trying to perfect my makeup using permanent markers or texta when I still struggle to make my winged eyeliner symmetrical... But I suppose the point is to not conform to unrealistic beauty standards (including perfect symmetry) but to dress in a way that matches how I feel that day or channel a certain energy. Yes it's cliche, but the alternative is to just throw on a clean shirt and pair of jeans for the rest of my life and live within a cookie cutter mold. 

Aside from the tears and glitter, another motif from this collection were the creepy eyeballs. It almost exists as an extensive of the land of Oz, populated by living forests. This time each eyeball pertained to a globular flower or bush. Since it's October (and Tumblr has become one big advertisement for pumpkins and skeletons), I can openly appreciate things which are both beautiful and creepy. It seems that cartoon lips and eyes will continue to be popular with fashion designers and artists on etsy and I for one couldn't be more excited. Unfortunately it seems that noses aren't as popular, in fashion or on instagram but I'm going to keep hoping I see them up there one day (!!) Anatomy aside, it was cool to see bell sleeves and raw denim jackets with a difference, amongst all the 1970s hysteria that the fashion world seems heavily tied up on. It was cool for the first couple of months, but I'm wondering what Topshop will stock once the gravy train is over and people are looking for The Next Trend.  

Backstage at Mary Benson SS16, photography Chloé Le Drezen.
2- Courtney Love 'Miss World' video, 5- Courtney Love. 9, 17, 21- Stars in my Eyes by Rachel Louise Hodgson.
12- Rookie Yearbook Three.

White Widow

Wearing: Meadham Kirchhoff X Topshop dress, Meadham Kirchhoff X Nicholas Kirkwood shoes, POMS earrings and thrifted wedding veil.

I miss the presence of Meadham Kirchhoff collections at London Fashion Week so so much. I feel like they left the fashion industry so suddenly we were never really given a chance to protest or express our indignation and now the only thing left to do is mourn. I know it sounds childish to miss artists whose work I never experienced first hand, or met in person but I still feel a real sense of loss both for the fashion community but also teenage girls. For the latter their work was the most informative and influential, it brought together pastels and Riot Grrl movement in perfect synergy. For many it introduced the idea that personal style as well as music could express political ideologies and the self-proclaimed feminists set Instagram on fire when they announced an open casting for what was to be their last collection. I don't think we'll see anything quite like them in the future, and anything that does look similar in aesthetic will certainly miss the same stage presence brought to each of their shows.