Modern Day Nymph: Jemima Kirke

By Neslihan

You know those girls who have this natural bohemian vibe going on? The ones that don't stuff their hair with fake plastic floral crowns in order to show you that they don't give two shits about fashion. They're the girls I'm jealous of. Seriously, how do they pull that off? How do they look effortlessly cool and yet comfortable in their fashionable -they'd shoot you for using that word- granny dresses? I already paid an ode to Florence -absolute babe- Welch on this blog and praised her fiery hair and floor length gowns but I think I'm girl-crushing AGAIN. The object of my crush is 'Girls' star Jemima Kirke. Not only do I love her character, Jessa, in 'Girls' but also her personal off screen style. I love how she wears what she wants and how she doesn't care about 'body-flattering' fashion. As if being curvy is a crime and you should be punished for it by restricting your clothing choices. That's the only thing I hate about make-over shows like 'Trinny and Susannah'. Let everyone wear what she/he damn likes, you know?! That's why I love people like Lena Dunham and Jemima Kirke. They're absolutely stunning girls and don't give a fuck about Holywood's body standards and they're so creative and smart with fashion. They don't wish to be a fashion designer's pet and lend their bodies as fashion advertisments. They stay true to their own personal style and taste and I think that's what makes you credible in life: TO BE AS YOU ARE. One philosophy I will never abandon. Jemima's personal style can be best described as dusty attic glamour pimped with vinatge witchy gems. Jemima loves comfort and clothing with a story. So she'll visit the local flea market to look for 2nd hand kaftans and used brown leather bags instead of rushing to dig in the sales of huge boutiques. She often reminds me of this fairy who got lost and found herself in 21st century NYC. It seems as if every day is a dress up show for Jemima, yet she manages not to overdo it and look enviably naturel. Jemima often wears long dresses, kaftans made from rich fabrics and jewelery with authenticity. It sounds as if the whole can be quite dramatic but she tones it down with the hair and make-up. Looking pure and healthy is always the most important. She's never excessive with make-up, the most excessive thing she does is probably pop up some vampy red lipstick. When it comes to hair, she chooses a messy bun or loose nymph hair over a glamour look.

P R E A C H I N G
The reason I posted this is, I want Jemima to inspire us. I want us to feel as if all options are open and there are endless possibilities. I want us not only to copy Jemima's style but also her body positivity. Let's feel incredibly beautiful and embrace our curves and stretchmarks. Let's celibrate it with cropped tops and hotpants because a body like yours should be seen anytime.

Ps. I'm so sorry for the different sizes of the pictures. It looks so incredibly unprofessional but I never claimed to be a whizzkid either. I wished I had some graphic skillz, then I'd probably be able to create more than just silly, colourful paint frames.

S-T-R-A-P-P-E-D

By Neslihan

CAN I GET AN AMEN FOR LENA DUNHAM'S PERFORMANCE IN THE 'ROLE PLAY' EPISODE? Not only was she hilarious but she was also amazingly brave for putting on that bondage themed playsuit. She gave it a playful Hannah twist though as she paired it up with a blue pair of cute cotton panties. It's not the first episode in which she fysically disarms herself because she recently did the same thing in the 'Beach House' episode when she wore a bikini during the whole episode. And I admire her for that 'cause I believe she brings a whole new level of body positivity into the business. She's not a size 0, nor a size 4 yet she manages to feel comfortable taking her clothes off on screen. Not that I'm saying she shouldn't but it must be very confronting at the moment because it's all about exposing your vulnerability to strangers who are watching the series but also to your co-workers who are on the set with you. And that's why the award for 'Best Guts' goes to Lena Dunham. You just can tell she doesn't give a f*ck about comformism and she will keep on flashing her boobs and ass on HBO. And I can only support that since we need more realistic role models.

But her playsuit also reminded me of those Nobuyoshi Araki bondage photos:

Try it at home:

Agent Provocateur 

La Fille d'O

Women's Secret

Eventhough Agent Provocateur and La Fille d'O have playsuits that are slightly more edgy and daring, I'd go for the grey lace playsuit because it cheaper but also a little more classy and elegant. But if I had the money I'd just buy 'em all.

Which one would you wear?

Lena Dunham, an unorthodox cover girl being tamed

By Neslihan

PROs
Lena Dunham for Vogue

The polka dot Burberry shirt

This video

CONs

source

source

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After this short intro I can finally cut to the chase. When the news of Lena Dunham being February's Vogue cover star hit the non-existing Anarchy of Roses HQs I was gasping for breath. Not only do I identify myself with Lena's vanity, humour and genius but I also love how unorthodox and daring she is. Let me further express myself: she is the mastermind behind 'Girls', a non-compromising tv series following the daily struggles of 4 twenty-something girls in Brooklyn- New York. And these are exactly the things I like about the series but I'm not an objective criterion either since I'm literally gushing about it on a daily basis. But let me put it this way: if you're looking for a series that shows you awkward, uncomfortable, non-airbrushed, fictionalized reality than 'Girls' is definitely what you're looking for. I'm talking about break-ups, unflattering nudity, nervous breakdowns and the occasional moments of enlightenment. It's not typical American feelgood and life certainly doesn't have a lesson on the end of each episode. The series is about failing incessantly and trying to get back up afterwards and I think that's what we need. We don't need glamorized Hollywood productions telling us how we should live our lives or dress ourselves. The series has such a basic content, yet it's so powerful since a lot of people can identify themselves with the characters. And I think there's where this series' strength lies. It's not about perfect representations or escapism, it's about being subtly caressed by reality, showing us we're not the only ones struggling.
I wasn't expecting the same amount of reality from Vogue. We're talking about the fashion bible which is being set as an example for millions and millions of women. It's a copy paste thing. It's in because it's in Vogue and not the other way around. They make tomorrow's icons, so they still have that original authority thing going on, as one of the very few magazines. But I kind of lost that admiration for Vogue. I actually always freaked about their covers and editorials but the thing is the more I got engaged with fashion and fashion magazines, the less I could relate to the editorials and the fashion portrayed in it. It felt too literally, too forced, too unreal to get in touch with. The perfection combined with the excessive airbrushing made me look out for something more real (read blogs and magazines with personality). Ofcourse I do not think Vogue is the only magazine that actually airbrushes its models but IT IS SO GOD DAMN OBVIOUS WHEN THEY DO IT. I guess I'm ready for something new. More edgy perhaps, something that will inpsire me to explore my own identity instead of adopting the one 'the industry' creates. To put it dramatically: I H4V3 L1B3ER4T3D MYS3LF.
Ofcourse I think it's a pity that Anna Wintour and her acolytes didn't grab this opportunity to get rid of their infamous and not so body-friendly reputation, which is their and so many other women's loss. You just cannot underestimate the impact they have on the female population since they're a platform for women starting from the age of 16 to 77. Like why are there no tasteful nudes of Lena in Vogue? This is what she does, she stands for body positivity, why not accentuate that? Why is the cover so safe? And why does it show so many similarities with ID's Wise Up issue? I also feel like if Lena can't change the mentalities, who will ever be able to do so? It's just a never ending debate and I think it's bullshit. Denying the existence of other body types won't make them suddenly disappear and I think they deserve a bit of attention since they're also amongst the buyers and since they monthly invest in this magazine's growth. Wouldn't you think so, Anna?

Despite the criticism I think the pictures turned out really well. And can I get an AMEN for Adam Driver please? I'm also in love with the setting, oh Brooklyn, my heart's pounding for you.

This picture has actually nothing to do with the whole Vogue story but I had to share this one. How amazing does she look in that darling red dress?

A manual for former losers

By Neslihan

She is your best friend. A true style icon. Perfection at its best, even with its flaws -how cliché this might sound. Her presence, her elegance truly have this impact on the crowd. Just standing in her aura makes you a better person. She's this glorified human being and you're a nobody. She's Regina George, you're Cady Heron. She's Pipi Langkous, you're Annika. She's Beyonce, you're  Michelle.

Thought this was funny and completely irrelevant at the same time.

We all have been through this, whether it was as a Beyonce or a Michelle. It doesn't often feel like someone (in this case Beyonce) is standing in your spotlight. This kind of friendships become something that can be best described as a c-r-u-s-h. It's not purely romantic, there is something platonic about it. The way she dresses or makes herself noted just always leave you in disbelief. How does she do it? Oh mighty queen, reveal your secret. Well, here comes the break-through, SHE HAS NO. Or maybe one -buckle your seatbelts for the biggest cliché in the world- confidence. It's predictible yet obvious. Your mind is connected to your fabulous body and the other way around. It's simple: you feel bad, you look bad. It's perfectly balanced interaction or it usually is.
First step: break your chains. I'm not talking about actual chains but I'm talking about leaving your 'Oh-you-almighty-goddes-cult'. As soon as you realize that she's just a human being who doesn't poop shiny rainbows, you'll see how ridiculous it actually was to be all over her shit (poop joke n°2, u guyz!). I think worshipping someone else than yourself or Florence Welch is a complete and tremendous waste of time. It's like someone else taking selfies with your phone. Hey loser, I don't want any other pictures than my own ones!!! You've got to fill up that vacuum with a lot of narcissism, almost acceptable cockiness.
Second step: wear what you want to wear. Don't be like: "Omg X has worn this already." Be like: "It would fit me better." Try things you've never dared trying before because it was taboo or an inaccessible area. Do wear pink on Fridays or jeans on Mondays and Tuesdays because you are making your own rules. Here comes the 'be your own Regina George' bullshit. Be fearless, be a kind bitch, which basically means your being radically quirky but nice to other people at the same time. Okay, yes kindness doesn't save the world, but nor does your sass.
Third step: another 'Cover Girl' motto- be true to who you are. Don't wear metalic trousers if you hate shine and shimmer. Don't dye your hair blond if you've always mocked blondes. Just don't turn into a completely other person. Because that's called schizophrenia and will be dealt with in another post.
Thanks for your reading.
And good luck, loser!

Jean Luc Godard
(This is the ideology)

Devon Aoki for Numéro

Source unknown, found on tumblr

Léa Seydoux for ID

Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction