I've got a war in my mind

By Neslihan

I thought I still had to give you this tacky yet very idylic screensaver image. I just love how the landscape is also reflected in the lake. It looks so peaceful and calm and it even seems te be spring in this picture. You know, the kind of weather that makes you wanna get out of your shorts and tee and jump in the water with your cute polkadot bikini. 50's romanticism, corny, I know, I know but my soul needs some enlightment and sun as Belgian weather is freezing our thoughts and even feelings. And you can take this quite literally because the kind of coldness we're experiencing in Belgium is the kind of cold that makes you forget about every other thought or feeling and makes you aggressively impatient to reach your often less cold destination. 

The worst thing actually is that I do not have ONE single thing that could keep me warm. Yesterday I realized that my winter wardrobe is the same as my summer wardrobe but with the added pantyhose, scarf and coat of course. As a result I'm freezing (as in -10°C!) my butt off everyday. Need to get a grip and get some thick and cosy jumpers. In the meantime I'm having private concerts in my room and practicing on my Lana Del Rey face. I'm suffering from wintertime sadness and I'm absolutely loving it. Melancholia never felt so good.

This intense vibe is accompanied by a couple of pre fall looks taken from the Proenza Schouler and Alexander McQueen collection. Both very different in colour and material but they've got this deep midnight thrill to it. You know, the kind of night that carries mysteries with itself? Time to reveal those secrets as we take a look at the pictures.

Alexander McQueen

Proenza Schouler

Notes: McQueen reminded me of this Roman, dark, secret cult priests. The cape and the velvet they've used for it, was utterly luxurious. P. Schouler on the other hand used this metalic printed fabric in goldy yellow and petroleum green and I cannot tell you how much in love I am with that dress. I hate those kind of necklines but this dress is so amazing, I'm willing to look past that.

Even though the title refers to 'Ride', this is the one that has been on repeat lately.

1st image found on tumblr

2nd and 3th image from http://vmagazine.com/

Cool chicks cut their own hair

By Neslihan

Kristen McMenamy

You remember those cool girls in high school? You know the ones that always looked effortless without even trying. The ones who cut their own hair and wore high waist 80's jeans without looking like they had been cut down in two at their middle. Those bad ass chicks who wore ugly trainers and totally rocked them. They started trends without even wanting it. They formed this unaccessible, yet accessible click and they said "You can't sit with us" without even opening their mouths. They could even make chav or homeless look glam. This post is dedicated to those girls. To all the quirky chicks who had the balls to take their destiny into their own hands and cut their own hair without even their hand trembling. 

And I respect that. I do! I've got my straight bangs for almost 5 years now and haven't seen my forehead since 2008 (a little exaggerated but you get the point). I visit my hairdresser once/2 weeks since my hair grows quite fast, or at least my bangs do. I hate that two-weekly visit. I think it's a tremendous waste of time but since I lack the cut-your-own-hair skill, I'm not risking anything. I've once tried it and it's never to be repeated again. My bangs were unequally cut and I had this wave thing going on. That was a hair disaster, say a dark page in my hair history. So NEVER, NEVER, NEVER again.
I can imagine that amazing feeling of freedom or selfconfidence when taking those scissors in your hands though. It's this "I'm the creator of my own disaster" thing but that's not always the case. Because there are a lot of successful stories aswell. Alexa Chung for example cuts her own hair too and always looks fabulously flawless after doing so. Some poeple take the extra mile by giving theirself a pixie haircut, now that is something to admire, I think. And so does Vogue UK in their November issue:

 Call it the ultimate in laid-back chic, call it recession ringlets, call it what you will - but there's a whole new wave of creative women taking hair maintenance into their own hands. "Traditionally cutting your own hair was something not spoken about, a social taboo", says hairstylist Zoe Irwin. "But now it's a sort of throwaway beauty adventure, a new way of embracing the spirit of our times." -From 'Making the cut'

 I love Freja Beha's chaotic straight bangs. Since she has different layers in it, it looks easy to cut it yourself.

GIRL CRUSH #1

Florence - I have awesome hair- Welch

Hair heroine

Hey, I'm Zooey - awkward- Deschanel

Cute pixie

Michelle Williams

Alexa Chung and her homemade haircut

Trashy glam

Belles de Banlieu shoot in Jalouse FR (November 2012)

Or the bad girls from the block

Photography by Timur Celikdag

“It’s about the bad girls I knew at school, the ones I envied”, Miucca Prada on establishing Miu Miu.

Sources: Vogue UK, Jalouse FR, both November 2012

Amour simple

By Neslihan

This one will be a quickie! In my previous post I held a true hommage to simplicity as it is and this post won't be any different. I'm showing you some pictures of an impeccable Vogue UK shoot starring Guinevere Van Seenus photographed by Josh Olins. Together they're exposing some delicious clean cuts and sleekly finished clothing. Calvin Klein, Céline and Jil Sander (by Raf Simons) are some names Van Seenus wore during the shoot. I just love how the rough landscape creates an amazing contradiction with the balanced and smooth clothes. I can not tell you how much I loved this shoot when I first saw it. And I will keep on spreading my fashion motto on this blawg: SIMPLICITY FO' LIFE, BITCHES.

Source: Vogue UK, August 2012

Osm@n, ur aight

By Neslihan

At some point you have to embrace your contradictory views. You know, as much as I claim to be a simplicity lover, as much as Raf Simons causes me to have wet fashion dreams with his on point designs, I'm also a kitsch lover, embroidery, embellishments and glitters make me go coco! I just love that sense of naive playground fashion. It lightens up my soul and thoughts. So now and then, I try to revive that kind of kindergarten nostalgia by applying poppy pink lipstic or wearing colourful necklaces. Even nail polish can awaken that thoughtless, spontaneous, happy feeling. It's all about daring and going for it. And boy, Osman went for it! He shamelessly combined electric blue with poppy pinks and metalics. Even though I would never wear those two colours together (in some cases not even alone), I deffinitely liked what Osman Yousefzada did. He went for plain shapes and colours and there was even some sense of simplistic designing. So, when he combined my two dearest fashion mottos (KITSCH X SIMPLICITY) I couldn't be more ecstatic. Okay, it is deffinitely not the most innovative or refreshing collection I have posted on this blog but it is pretty and it caused this childlike happiness inside of me. And not everything has to be revolutionarily exciding, right? Somethings can be beautiful. Just brainlessly beautifull. Full stop.

Notes: The pink coat doesn't have the most exquisite tailoring I've ever seen but I think the emphasis lies on the splashing colour combo. I also think the weird splits in the dresses/skirts aren't really practical even though it looks incredibly sexy. But that too depends on who is wearing it. Same goes for the deep cleavages. Also in love, love, love with the salmon pinkish pants on the last picture and that top is just flawless. Digging the fact that the skirts over pants trend is getting a sequel this spring! No bad words about the heart/petal shaped prints!!!

Osm@n himself looked great aswell!

His shoes <3

The non-existing perks of being a nobody

By Neslihan
I mean yes, there's a lot to talk about. The absence, the exams, New Year, the sales, my reluctant attempts in updating this blog... If I really have to be honest, I'm a little disappointed in the blogging traffic I have gained (or not) after I changed my URL. I've always said that I blogged for myself because to me it was important to have this online diary in which I could record momentary highlights in the fashion buz. It was this kind of inspirational fridge in which I stored my fashion food but as it turns out it feels like I'm only talking to this white wall and I don't get anything out of it. I've created this 'ique feeling' towards my blog because of the lack of traffic AND my missing enthusiasm AND inspiration. I feel like I have to take a new direction to keep things fresh and interesting. I have to find my will to blog again. To feel the blood rushing through my veins when I find a new blog topic. I have to sort things out, you know? I have to awaken the fashion cemetry that I've caused on this blog lately. So, let me do that first. I created this collage in order to accompany my depressing mood, well ehrm, enjoy.

1) 'Welcome to the fake world' editorial, unknown from tumblr
2) '(S)laughter', unknown from tumblr
3) 'Okay, let's satisfy the masses', a still from 'Accattone' by Pier Paolo Pasolini (1961)
4) Girl and typewriter, unknown from tumblr
5) Dita von Teese during the Haute Couture S/S 2007 Jean Paul Gaultier show
6) Yours truly in her most optimistic mood, NOT
7) 'Black is such a happy colour', a still from 'The Addams Family' (AKA my favourite quote)
8) Virgin Mary candles (GIMME, GIMME, GIMME)
9) Audrey Marnay by Peter Lindbergh for Vogue Italia February 1997
10) Drinking and smoking kids, 'Princess Yvonne and Prince Alexander', 1955 by Marianne Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
11) Editorial from Vogue Korea, January 2013
12) Frida Kahlo's death in 1954
13) Marion Cotillard for Vogue Paris, September 2010
14) 'She's morphine, the queen of my vaccine', Alt-J 'Breezeblocks' lyrics

Do it like a brother/ Trend update

By Neslihan

I feel like the dudes are being discriminated on this blog that's why I dedicate a blog post to all the fabulousness out there for the males. Becuase you've got to admit: those a/w 2012 collections are to die for! Those suits, shirts, pants, shoes make me wish I were a boy but then again I don't have to be a boy to wear men's clothing...

1 )Printed shirts (Dries Van Noten): Van Notens autumn/winter collection contained a lot of shirts with quirky prints and texts. I know how difficult it is to style a crowded print like this but there are always two ways to combine 'em. Or you go for a sober result by combining it with a pair of black/denim trousers or you go over the top and mix it with other prints. You can find shirts like these in a bunch of second hand/vintage shops.

2)Fur (Maison Martin Margiela): it's hard for a guy to wear fur and not to look like André Leon Talley but I think MMM pulled it off quite well. The beige colour neutralizes the bombastic effect fur usually causes. I wouldn't go for the furry handbag at the same time or I wouldn't go for a furry handbag at all. It reminds me of those stuffed animal rucksacks I'd used to wear to kindergarten. Realising a bit afterwards my orange juice had run out again. Sticky days recall sticky memories

PS: growing a moustache/beard seems to be the new artsy thing to do. 

3)Military (John Galliano): spotted on Van Noten's spring/summer catwalk but a little earlier in Galliano's collection: khakis, browns and camouflage prints should wake up the warrior feel. Going over the top like they did at Galliano is not necessary though, you can also go for a couple key items like a parka, boots, khaki pants or a camouflage printed shirt.

4)Pastels (Walter Van Beirendonck): faded rose, purple, yellow, those are all tones that are not easy to combine as a brother but I appreciate what Walter did. Combining pastels with pastels  is deffinitely the way to go. 

5)Layering (Ann Demeulemeester):  Ann's a/w collection was a true ode to layering. And you can interpret this quite widely. She layered with lengths, materials, prints (tie dye/ombre)... She made her men wear long knitwear and coats, which looked utterly luxurious. As if her models had escaped some dark, modern version of a 19th century novel. The boots made the totality look more dramatic.

6)Florals (Comme des Garçons): Rei is a fucking hero because not alone did she make her garçons wear skirts but also garments with enormous flower prints. Raising her middle finger once more against conformism. I know that it might be scary to wear an obvious print like this but I can tell you you'll love it. It's an instant energy boost. If you're still not ready to look like a fashionably justified rose garden, you can start off with something small. Fold your pant legs and wear flower printed little cute socks in your brogues. 

7)Knitwear (Raf Simons): don't you love to wear your cosy, oversized jumper once autumn has started? Wool, snow and hot coco make an excellent threesome. That's also what Raf thought while he was creating his a/w collection. Look at that wonderful clash: short pants combined with a mustard-coloured pull over! Also in love with the beanies in this collection.

8)Greys (Pringle of Scotland): once it starts to rain more often and the wind is omnipresent and our moods are effected by less daylight, our closet starts to get effected too. Grey is this kind of colour that never gets out of fashion. You can never be underdressed in grey. It's like black but the more sophisticated, snobby and depressing version. 

9)Velvet (Burberry Prosum): is there anything more rich than velvet? The soft feel of this royal fabric is the ultimate weapon against harsh winter temperatures. A velvet blazer is an absolute must this season. Ideal for the holidays to come.

10)The suit (YVES Saint Laurent): there are some irreplacable formalities in life and one of those formalities is the impeccable black suit. A lot has been written and said about it but Yves Saint Laurent still is the King of all suits. This one is amazing in all its simplicity but the leather collar makes it edgier in a classy way.

Check out the whole collection here. 

Source

Grand art versus kitsch bitch

By Neslihan

"So two days ago I went to the opera" might be an unusual beginning to a blog post but it is the truth though. It wasn't on my own initiative, it was an -and I quote- "educational, obligatory and relevant activity" according to my Latin teacher. So, here's where we pause. The opera. Maybe we should take one thing into account: you're talking to pop culture teenagers, who watch superficial American teenage drama series in order to escape reality. And not some 18th century opera composed by a random, dusty-wigged German composer. Yes, I'm talking about Händel and his 'Agrippina'. And yes, I'm ignorant, a total layman when it comes to opera or classical music. The idea of sitting in this huge opera hall for FOUR hours just didn't sound that appealing (at first). Hey, take it down a notch, this is our first opera.
 Older generations (grandma/granddad/mother/father/teacher/neighbour) like to make us believe we are the result of the volatile consumer society in which durability and norms have been replaced by tendentious pleasure. Isn't that a little too negative and black and white? And isn't it normal that older generations nag about the generation following them. How will my generation be over twenty years? 
So I decided to give this opera thingy a chance because what is there to lose, right? And it seemed like opera is all about repetitive great gestures. And as I looked at Agrippina (Ann Hallenberg) and heard her impressive voice, I started to wonder: are we used to great gestures like these? Can we handle this much emotion, ambition and passion? Are we able to sit on a chair and focus on only one thing? And although it's dangerous to talk for a mass, I'm going to do it anyway. No, I don't think we are able to do so. In a world in which everything changes too fast, it is important to know a little of everything. So you know everything but only fragments of it. Specialization takes effort and effort takes time. And time still is money, often money we don't have.
So Agrippina, your ambition scared us all after a heavy day of school. We were tired and sceptical, you gave your all and were fierce in your tacky Dynasty costume because that's also something the world of Grand Arts is suffering from: modernizing classics. I never understood why they do such horrible things. Well no, of course I do understand; they want to make it more 21st century, more temporary, more 'us'. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but either way it awakens a hell of reactions and that's when you know it's good, whether it works or not. So those tacky kitschy 80's costumes and huge hats were the right choice. And even those artificial tacky holiday backgrounds were well-found, eventhough I hated them, I must say, well done. What a wonderful clash between a classic and major tackiness.
Another succesful temporary interpretation of classics are Kehinde Wiley's modern paintings. The Afro-American artist paints African, African-American, Afro-Brazilian, Indian and Ethiopian-Jewish (Beta Israel) men in heroic poses. He mixes baroque prints with divine florals and all his paintings seem to have this intense vibe. See for yourself and maybe take a moment and ask yourself: "What if Napoleon was African?"

'Prince Tommaso

Francesco of Savoy-Carignano', 2006