Dear Friends and fellow Star Followers! I bought my brogues. I was so excited - got them home and began to try them on with outfits I had in mind. Oh No! Not being a model in American Vogue, I looked crap (whoops! ...awful) They're going back tomorrow. So, a lesson to be learned - that brogues (asexual chic) is absolutely not for me. Boo hoo. So, my go-to look has got up and gone walkabout.
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Who knew that the words "I agree with Victoria Beckham" would ever be uttered by me? The Great Spice Girl said, on designing her own shoe range, "Shoes (the wrong ones) can kill an outfit". This is something I learned at a very early age. Possibly Two. And in the World of Francine when updating by adding (at great expense) or by altering (modernising) at a little less, and I mean a little less, expense existing garments, one is left with one dilemma - the final touch. Shoes, boots, sandals, trainers - what does it take to complete the look? One shoe fits all is complete hogwash. (No way!) Colour, heel, width, height, square toe, pointed toe, platform, flatform, strap, no strap, lacing, zips - shall I continue? In my opinion, thank goodness I can get away with my handbag selection.
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Just had the New York Times' Bill Cunningham report on the street style for the New York shows, and he got it absolutely correct. A key look for Autumn - "Roman Holiday". A look I love and have been championing for a long time. Hurrah! Longer length skirts 2015 with a very strong nod to 1958.
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Power,
Who wants it?
Who has it?
And how to use it?
We'll come back to that in a different blog.
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Fashion or Bust. What I mean by this is, is that having a bust can seem a bit of a problem. Not really, but I'm finding some of this Autumn's looks a problem of balance. Not to balance my bust, but the proportions in the clothes.
Friends. I have decided to title part of this blog "Friends" because I feel they are the (second of course to family, who you can't choose) the most important things in my life. And without them (you) life would be a very much emptier and sadder place. I am really very lucky to have you in my life.
NOW have we let the genie out of the bottle? Instant Fashion - now you can click-and-buy from a catwalk show. Is this speed really preferable? Can what I like today work in six months time? I'm having enough problems with the Best Dressed list I saw through American Bazaar that for a moment rendered my wardrobe useless. But having spoken last night to some women from different social cicles and seeing what they were wearing, enabled me to regain my Autumn momentum. For all of you that read my blog, I'm going to pursue this topic further. Until then - Autumn, Full Speed Ahead!
Happy Shopping.
Friday, 19 September 2014
Thursday, 4 September 2014
The September Edition
How far can these prices go? I've just finished reading English Vogue's September edition and I would like to know who is paying between £5,000 and £7,000 for a day dress? I thought my fashion addiction was bad, but not at these prices! I have a broad selection of friends who "buy clothes" and I can see no actual evidence of this madness. I am going to check the prices, but I'm sure there was a mini-dress for £26,000 and many standard items between £12,000 and £26,000. Maybe my reaction is to English Vogue who constantly show these clothes on girls that always look about 16-17 years old. OK, I am not 16-17 but neither is English Vogue a pre-pubescent comic. Or is it? I'd like to know what their demographic is. Judging by the advertising, it's me. But not ever by the fashion. I'm going to compare American Vogue when it arrives. But one thing I can say for sure is that the styling of the models (whatever age they are) does not alienate me.
Is there such a thing as bad publicity? Should designers pay people not to wear their clothes? Kim Kardashian-West (referred to from now on as KKW) wore a beaded Balmain mini-suit to the VMA awards show last week. With her huge fake breasts protruding from a deep V-front, this woman who, with her mother, has made a fortune from a leaked sex tape, a bogus marriage, and now marriage to a pop star, are the very reasons not to allow her to wear your clothes. Who (well in my mind) would want to look like her? She looks 100% better now that Kanye West is dressing (or at least influencing) her. But still, put your breasts away! We know you have them - we all have them. You're a very pretty woman and you could look absolutely amazing, but please respect yourself and stop this Porn Hooker look.
A question. At what age do we women have to say goodbye to the strapless dress? I saw a Hollywood star at the Emmys on television the other night. From the front in a spaghetti-strapped dress, she looked fine(ish) but that was until she turned around and there it was! No longer youthful flesh cut into by the back of the dress - it was just hanging there - not a pretty sight! Now, I know we all get older, men and women, but men cover up until the sun and general holiday attire. So, yes it's not really fair what I'm saying, but it's just a fact. I saw some women way past 40 in a very smart club and they too had strapless dresses on. But my opinion was that next to the 20-year olds parading around, they looked tragic. So now the season is about to start again - lunches, dinners, charities and the like - let's get real and dress our age in public. What you wear elsewhere (in the bedroom, the light is different) is all our own business. Which actually brings me on to the topic of the day - nude or sexually explicit photos of Hollywood stars on the 'net. A breach of privacy? It could have happened to me - a past boyfriend expressed a desire to photograph me in our most intimate moments. I said NO! He was very disappointed, but I never veered from "no". So he has no photos, there are no photos and can be no photos. It's not the first time I've been asked. In my previous life as a make-up artist, the photographer I worked with a lot at the time (David Bailey) asked the same question. But this was slightly different - it was for a book of nudes. Same answer - No.
In this time of hacking, sexual promotion and hardly any privacy, if you don't want to be exposed on the 'net, no matter how safe they say it is, then say no. How hard is that? If in this day and age you do take photos, well I fear you really have no one to blame but yourself. Just remember - photograph your fashion, your friends, your family and whatever else floats your boat, but when you want to keep things private, turn off the phone!
Happy Shopping!
PS: Just in time! My September edition of American Vogue has arrived and I can tell you in this very short space of time before I get ready for Zumba, that it really hits it. My first brief look at the fashion and I'm sold!
Is there such a thing as bad publicity? Should designers pay people not to wear their clothes? Kim Kardashian-West (referred to from now on as KKW) wore a beaded Balmain mini-suit to the VMA awards show last week. With her huge fake breasts protruding from a deep V-front, this woman who, with her mother, has made a fortune from a leaked sex tape, a bogus marriage, and now marriage to a pop star, are the very reasons not to allow her to wear your clothes. Who (well in my mind) would want to look like her? She looks 100% better now that Kanye West is dressing (or at least influencing) her. But still, put your breasts away! We know you have them - we all have them. You're a very pretty woman and you could look absolutely amazing, but please respect yourself and stop this Porn Hooker look.
A question. At what age do we women have to say goodbye to the strapless dress? I saw a Hollywood star at the Emmys on television the other night. From the front in a spaghetti-strapped dress, she looked fine(ish) but that was until she turned around and there it was! No longer youthful flesh cut into by the back of the dress - it was just hanging there - not a pretty sight! Now, I know we all get older, men and women, but men cover up until the sun and general holiday attire. So, yes it's not really fair what I'm saying, but it's just a fact. I saw some women way past 40 in a very smart club and they too had strapless dresses on. But my opinion was that next to the 20-year olds parading around, they looked tragic. So now the season is about to start again - lunches, dinners, charities and the like - let's get real and dress our age in public. What you wear elsewhere (in the bedroom, the light is different) is all our own business. Which actually brings me on to the topic of the day - nude or sexually explicit photos of Hollywood stars on the 'net. A breach of privacy? It could have happened to me - a past boyfriend expressed a desire to photograph me in our most intimate moments. I said NO! He was very disappointed, but I never veered from "no". So he has no photos, there are no photos and can be no photos. It's not the first time I've been asked. In my previous life as a make-up artist, the photographer I worked with a lot at the time (David Bailey) asked the same question. But this was slightly different - it was for a book of nudes. Same answer - No.
In this time of hacking, sexual promotion and hardly any privacy, if you don't want to be exposed on the 'net, no matter how safe they say it is, then say no. How hard is that? If in this day and age you do take photos, well I fear you really have no one to blame but yourself. Just remember - photograph your fashion, your friends, your family and whatever else floats your boat, but when you want to keep things private, turn off the phone!
Happy Shopping!
PS: Just in time! My September edition of American Vogue has arrived and I can tell you in this very short space of time before I get ready for Zumba, that it really hits it. My first brief look at the fashion and I'm sold!
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