Re. Punk

Dearest Third Cousin,

From the latest issue of Purple Fashion Magazine, Spring/Summer 2013. Photographer: Alisdair McLellan, Styling: Jane How, Model: Ehren Dorsey, Hair: Duffy and Make-up: Miranda Joyce. 

Clothing from Comme Des Garcon (vintage), St Laurent, Helmut Lang, Haider Ackermann, Mary Kantrantzou, Celine, Lanvin, Balmain, Bodymap (archive), Christopher Kane, Proenza Schouler, Felipe Oliveria Baptista and Yoji Yamamoto (vintage).

Images: purple.fr

Until Next Time,

Sarah

Polaroids

Dearest Third Cousin,

Over the past four years, photographer Robert Oades has been taking Polaroids of the models he works with. These 'model off duty' images reveal a little bit of each models personality, he asked each subject to sign their photos. From quotes like 'smoking kills' and 'mines a jack and coke' to a simple signature these shots show Oades' eye for a great image and which models couldn't resist having some fun with the opportunity. Have a look at Rianne Ten Haken in particular 'it ain't much if it ain't Dutch'.

Images via: roboades.co.uk

Until Next Time,

Sarah

The Origins of Monsters

Dearest Third Cousin,

The Origins of Monsters is one of my all time favourite editorials. Tim Walker, Katie Grand and Kirsten McMenamy team up to create these fantastical images for Love#7. The tense atmosphere coupled with Kirsten's high priestess look makes for a romantic but disturbing glimpse into a magical, other world. McMenamy takes control of this world, helped by Grand's always pitch perfect styling and Walker's signature over the top staging. 

Photography: Tim Walker

Styling: Katie Grand

Model: Kirsten McMenamy

Until Next Time,

Sarah

Form and Function

Dearest Third Cousin,

The over the top styling of these eight covers by Antidote magazine is brilliant. The not in any way subtle, take on the hyper nature of street style, is just comical, great for a laugh on a slow Friday. While the magazine's intentions were more noble, it’s hard not to look at these images without the commentary of Suzy Menkes and others running in the background.

I'm a big believer in wear whatever you want but the functionality of a surf board as an accessory, while walking down what appears to be a main road,  has to be questioned. I suppose, if you can't get away with on a magazine cover where can you get away with it?  However, it does make for a great image and a fun viewing experience. I really do love these images, with or without the irony.

Images via, fashion gone rogue

Photography: Hans Feurer

Styling: Yann Weber

Until Next Time,

Sarah

x



The Perks of being a Tomboy

Dearest Third Cousin,

The spirit of the Tomboy is godamm irresistible. A girl, who climbs trees and beats the boys at their own game, what’s not to love? But what happens when this girl grows up? Who does she become and what does she wear? Tomboy culture is vibrant and varied. I imagine there are as many perks to being a Tomboy as there are women who identify as Tomboys, with this in mind, I have put together a rather incomplete list of some personal Tomboy highlights.

I feel pretty at home in the tomboy category but I also do not feel defined by it. For me, much of the allure of Tomboy is the essence of it. The Tomboy spirit is uninhibited and rebellious but with a good dose of self awareness, this woman knows who she is, what she likes and how she likes it. At 22 I'm still figuring it out, but I'm definitely beginning to understand what I really like, particularly in terms of clothing. I tend to gravitate towards masculine tailoring, tough fabrics, shirts/t-shirts and flat-ish shoes. That said, I still love some typically feminine clothing, I have yet to meet any kind of sequined/embellished separate I haven't taken a fancy to. On the whole though, my wardrobe has become more basic and my personal style has become more menswear orientated. These masculine styles have contributed to my growing allegiance to all things Tomboy, it's an identity I increasingly feel more comfortable inhibiting.

One of the perks of being a Tomboy is the lifestyle and fashion brand, Wildfang. Wildfang is a German word that literally means Tomboy but also means 'wild child', 'rascal' and 'animal caught in the wind', kinda brilliant, right? This online space celebrates everything about the Tomboy spirit while offering a top class selection of menswear inspired clothing. The brand was founded by two friends, Irish and Fox, otherwise known as Emma McIllroy and Julia Parsley, who enjoy blazers and stilettos as well as, button downs and sneakers. They are 'liberating menswear one bow tie at a time'. If I'm being completely honest,Wildfang's clothing is expensive and there are many cheaper options out there, but the spirit of the brand should be applauded and if I had the money I'd probably buy into it. The video below, was made by Wildfang and it illustrates everything the brand is about, if you have the time take a minute and enjoy it, it features a cast of Tomboys all wearing Wildfang while exuding the spirit of the brand.

Nadia Sarwar is one of the women depicted above, she is the force behind the blog froufrouu. Nadia's style is an effortless take on menswear, she is a brilliant representation of modern femininity. Nadia sources most of her clothing from vintage and thrift shops, the menswear sections in vintage and thrift shops are often the least picked over and usually offer some of the best quality pieces, this is another perk of being a Tomboy. I have found some beautiful menswear jackets in charity shops, ranging from a genuine vintage tweed to an as good as new burgundy Topman beauty, both of which were under ten euro. Another easy charity shop/vintage find are men's jeans. I love wearing them rolled up at the ends with a thick leather belt, much cheaper and better quality than many high-street 'Boyfriend Jeans'. These two elements, worn together or separately, with wide brimmed hats, beanies, stacked jewellery, various t-shirts/shirts and my trusty black leather boots have become a kind of uniform. This uniform, offers me the chance to project my personal take on Tomboy style and hopefully the Tomboy spirit too.

A woman who definitely projects the spirit and fashion sensibilities of a Tomboy is Alison Mosshart. While her personal style is perfect for the demands of her day job, as the commanding front-woman of the Kills, she is also a fierce (in the non Tyra Banks sense of the word) representation of femininity in the 21st century. She is unabashedly dominating and sexual on stage, her dueling with Jack White while performing 'Will there be Enough Water?' is flooded with tension. On stage she presents a genuine and un-contrived force, her presence is simply powerful. While Alison's onstage persona is captivating, her personal style is just as magnificent, it's simple masculine overtones are shaded by stunning jewellery and the odd sequin. Her hair deserves a post of its own. She is a perk of being a Tomboy, which is a strange way of saying that Alison is a woman who has succeeded in an area of music that is mostly populated by men, just like Suzi Quatro and arguably the queen of Tomboy style and culture, Patti Smith. These women offer a version of femininity that is modern and vibrant. They should be celebrated. Quatro and Smith are, like Alison, perks of being a Tomboy but perhaps best left for another day, or part two of this post.

Tomboy's are multifaceted and more nuanced than this blog post could hint at but I hope you get a sense of a few perks of being a Tomboy. Menswear is a great addition to any wardrobe but the real appeal of the Toyboy is the self assured and confident nature of a women who is in control of her appearance and her identity.

Images via: Froufrouu.com, http://hellyeahalisonmosshart.tumblr.com/

Love,
Sarah
x

Colin Horgan Interview

Dearest Third Cousin,

I'm about the take a small blogging break, college is winding up, for good, and I have a nice little pile of work to do. I'll be back in about 3 weeks with lots of new posts, including the Perks of being a Tomboy! For now here is an extended version of my interview with Colin Horgan, I did for The Fair. I got a chance to chat with him just after Kerry Fashion Weekend but since then he has been very busy launching a men's capsule collection and jetting off to Copenhagen to work with David Anderson.

Colin Horgan’s designs feel very fresh and cohesive; no small feat for a designer only in the 3^rd year of his fashion design degree. While still in college, Colin has started to build his brand and taken some really smart steps to establish his brand as a business. Not only has he established an online presence through social media but has also begun to cultivated an e-commerce aspect to his brand and secured stockists. While his brand awareness is impressive, he importantly has the design skill to back it up. Colin creates clothing that, are fresh and very modern. He understands the kind of women who would want to wear his clothing and he has created a new collection ‘FC13’ (first collection 2013) which will keep a lot of women happy.  This collection has a singular voice and you very much know what Colin is trying to convey, in my opinion this sense of unity is the hallmark of any successful collection. I think ultimately Colin has created an interesting take on femininity which taps into a new sense of what is sexy: sheer fabrics give a sense of sensuality which coupled with indelible leather provide strong shape and alluring strength. This duality is a great play on modern femininity. This collection makes me very excited to see what he does next.

I got a chance to ask Colin a few questions about his new collection just after he won the coveted ‘One to Watch’ award at Kerry Fashion Weekend 2013:

First of all, congratulations on your really well deserved success at Kerry Fashion Weekend, how was the experience?

Thank you! It was really amazing experience to be showing at Kerry Fashion Weekend. Opening the show seemed to have a bit of added pressure but thankfully everything (well mostly) got sent out the right way! I didn't expect to win as the standard this year was just so high. So winning is always a plus! 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how started designing?

Well I was always creatively ambitious. I guess everything fit into place once I got accepted to Limerick School of Art and Design. I'm currently in my third year out of four and love it here! The tutors are really inspiring both creatively and technically. The foundations of constructing and making garments have heavily influenced my FC13. I also gained experience last year while working in Stockholm, Sweden. The Scandinavian aesthetic always excites me. Clean, directional and polished lines often inspire me and my way of thinking.

Can you describe your ‘FC13’ collection?

FC13 (First Collection 2013) was inspired by a woman fighting back. My influences were defence forces like fencing and railings - pretty much anything that had a repetition of line! FC13, for me, is a way of fighting back, even when risks are involved!

Your collection has a very strong identity and I love the mix of fabrics and the strong shapes you used can you talk about these aspects of your collection? 

I wanted to create a story of transition through fabrics. Sheer chiffon and mesh airtech gradually evolve into luxurious jerseys. Perforated lambskin pierce into hard patent leathers to develop shielded armour. The silhouettes are quite masculine with a feminine cut. Tops are cut just under the bust; leathers are applied in strong areas, while zips provide for hard detail.

Who do you see wearing it?

A woman who would wear this collection is strong, confident and daring.

Will your collection be available to buy?

This collection will be available in store Om Diva , Atelier 27 Dublin.

What next for you? And how would you like to see your brand evolving?

Well I am literally off to Copenhagen in a couple of days to work with Danish designer, David Andersen. I will be working on my next collection for KFW2014 when I am not at the company, and then it's graduate collection! The brand itself is still under construction because I am still in college. But I feel that once I am confident to launch the label and know my customer I will definitely go for it. I cannot wait to begin and looking forward to the future!

For more of Colin’s work check out:

Website: http://www.i-m.co/COLINHORGAN/COLINHORGAN/ ,

College Portfolio: colinhorgan.weebly.com

and Facebook: @ColinHorgan. 

Images c/o Colin Horgan.

Love,

Sarah

x

Run Free

Dearest Third Cousin,

 Summer time, is a time to run free, explore, bear some skin and make some sweet memories.

5 things I want to do (more of) this Summer:

1. Yoga
2.Get a tattoo
3. Attend a music festival
4. An internship
5. Write (more)

And for any of you lovelies that have some exam stress coming up here is a beautiful guided meditation from  Melissa Ambrosini .


Love,
Sarah
x

Images Via: Sticks and Stones Agency, Lottie Hall.