Rumble in the Jungle

Usually when we say the word "jungle" we refer to something chaotic or disorganized, but visually they are among the most cohesive surrounding on the planet. Aesthetically, colour is king and just about every life form has learned to advertise itself using colour or camouflage itself to hide amongst the plants. Both Hayley Elsaesser and Kenzo have recognized this and taken inspiration from the jungle in all its splendor. The animal menagerie you see before you is not too unlike that from Disney's 'The Jungle Book' way back in the 1960s. From things that slither to the most fearsome of feline predators, knitted prints and silk dresses captured the full spectrum of wildlife from the rainforest. Elsaesser has combined her loud prints with anthropogenic iconography such as eight balls wearing cowboy hats, whereas Kenzo have revistited their muse over a number of seasons. The end result is eye-popping colour in a range of comfortable and roomy shapes and silhouettes perfect for a walk through the savannah or traipsing through the forest. 

1, 14, 20- directing, casting and styling by gwarngal for Kenzo. 2, 6, 16, 22, 25, 28, 30- The Jungle Book (1967). 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 19, 21, 23, 26, 27, 29, 31- Hayley Elsaesser Fall 2015 via Fashion Magazine. 5- Backstage at Kenzo Spring/Summer 2013. 10- Photo courtesy of Mark Sommerfeld. 11a & b, 24,  'Electric Jungle' Kenzo's new video for Resort 2013. 17- Kenzo at Paris Spring 2013 (Details). 32- KENZO Spring Summer 2013 'X Campaign' by Jean-Paul Goude.

Wild Child

Wearing: Vintage coat, Rodarte X Target dress, American Apparel socks and Nicholas Kirkwood X Rodarte Shoes.

I should have done worn this outfit sooner since I love both these Rodarte pieces so much, even though the dress is technically only a collaboration piece from Target but whatever. Owning this vintage coat has really changed how I approach style though and it's been totally liberating owning a piece that's so versatile and the perfect shade of baby blue. It was always a color that made me feel really awkward because all my school uniforms were the color blue but now I can wear it in a way which is just really comforting. None of the colors in this outfit match perfectly and there are so many different aesthetics and themes going on at once but I love it. I don't slide around in these shoes either so I thought the socks were a nice touch despite American Apparel still somewhat problematic despite the fact they fired Dov Charney in December last year. I guess I wanted to reference Style Rookie as well as Rodarte circa 2011 when the brand was still growing, as was Tavi's career. Both still have unlimited potential and I suppose that's what I want for myself.

Just be yourself

Wearing: Asos faux fur coat, gifted t-shirt, Emma Mulholland shorts, Karen Walker Iris sunglasses, American Apparel socks and Lipstik jelly sandals.
 
I know it's been a few weeks since the Natalia Kills fiasco but I thought I'd use it to discuss some thoughts I've been having about originality and authenticity. What she said was nothing short of narrow-minded and delivered in a very vicious way and without being featured on StylelikeU I would never have heard of her. Her music didn't really inspire me to dig deeper than that and I had no idea her husband was also a musician. I also find it amusing that someone who models herself on Cleopatra and identifies as the Egyptian Queen reincarnated has the gall to complain about someone else's lack of creativity. In the days that followed she became just another Internet meme. I was obviously influenced by the photo of Kills wearing her Karen Walker sunglasses compared with Willy Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

So here's the thing, the notion that you should "just be yourself" or "stay true to your artistic vision" is not helpful if you aren't sure what that is. Or if you're still trying to figure that out. Collaboration is often seen as a dirty word and citing something as an influence usually draws negative connotations. Being able to reinterpret something artistically and re-examining why our interests are special should be seen as adding value to our feelings, rather than detracting from them. In biology it's widely accepted that as a consequence of living in the same environment, different animals converge on the same morphology in what's known as convergent evolution. But a similar philosophy cannot be applied to art or culture and suddenly there is this pressure to create something totally unique, individual and not having to credit anyone. 

In the Pink

Wearing: Meadham Kirchhoff X Topshop sweater, Emma Mulholland denim shorts, Atilin saddle shoes and cat amulet by ginette lapalme (etsy).

I normally don't wear all pink, nor am I the first in my age group to do it (see Pink Zoe Experiment) but I thought it would be fun. Plus it gave me an excuse to wear my cat amulet from Toronto artist Ginette Lapalme which I should wear more often to be honest. People certainly treat you differently when you wear all pink- it's like you're some crazed lunatic or something. It's certainly a different reaction than say, if you were to wear all black in which case you are effortlessly chic and epitomize style, elegance and grace. Or people are more likely to comment and say something snarky compared to wearing all black though. It kind of sucks that people think their opinion carries greater weight than say your own self-esteem or creativity but I've learned not to let it bother me. This frame of thinking has largely been helped by badass bloggers such as Susie Bubble and Tavi Gevinson who learn not to take things to heart (unless what they did was genuinely offensive or showed some kind of prejudice).