Geared up for fall - Hide and chic

The material of choice this upcoming season, whether it's from trimming, to applique details or full on outfits, prepare to experiment with lots of leather. I can't wait to embrace this trend.

-Fal

Oh yeah, we've Met.

It was the intense gushing on Twitter a couple of days ago about the gorgeous gowns at the Met Ball 2012 that piqued my interest and had me typing 'Met Ball 2012' into my Google search bar. With the exceptions of the odd balls like Coco Rocha with her pink curls and canary yellow pant suit, Alexa Chung in the shirt-under-a-leather-accented-bandeau-tubedress and Leighton Meester's washed sepia look, the A-listers proved again why they command the eyeballs all over the world.

The photo, taken by Kevin Tachman, speaks for itself. Being under the spotlight is no joke. Just imagine the incessant flashes of light, beeping from the cameras, yelling from the reporters, shouts from the photographers as they fight for attention, jostling and pushing behind the 'Do Not Cross' line. It probably takes effort assuming nonchalance and ease in the face of such chaos. The photo starkly juxtaposes the glamour and exclusion of Hollywood with reality - competition, jostling, fighting tooth and nail to get what we need in order to get what we want.

It's literally all eyes on you and these eyes stay on you long after the event. Technology has enhanced the longevity of images and words more than we can ever imagine. Once these photos are launched into the www universe, they don't ever leave. As usual, women come under scrutiny - intense, extensive and unforgiving scrutiny - especially at such events. The media is a sucker for red carpets and the ever-brilliant PR companies will not hesitate to leech on the vast amount of media attention bestowed on the event (a ball, a benefit or an awards ceremony) at no expense, after all they're not the ones wearing the gowns and under the spotlight, they just reap the harvest - numbers, eyeballs, coverage and talking points. Society encourages such voyeuristic activity, supported by technology and an incessant need for more images, more pictures, more proof. So much is seen and so little is heard yet no one ever stops to question anything.

No, I am no Luddite, in fact, I am more than happy to catch a glimpse of the gorgeousness strutting down the red carpets (and runways for that matter). I just think everyone needs to take a step back to consider how far we've come, what technology has afforded us and how we are using it and to what effect. Then only can we appreciate what we have come to take for granted and relish it all the more (and hopefully use it more wisely).

Camilla Belle was nothing short of stunning in Ralph Lauren.

Carey Mullian sparkles in Prada

Emma Stone in Lanvin

Jessica Alba channels bronze grecian goddess in Michael Kors

Jessica Biel in bespoke Prada

Lily Collins in a romantic Valentino which I believe only she can pull off

Emily Blunt in a coral Calvin Klein Collection

Gisele Bundchen, THE body beautiful, in Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci

I have to say it is a waste if such beauty isn't shared.


♥,
Fir

Golightly and Google

Google is probably the only thing that fuels laziness and stimulates inspiration at the same time. On one hand, we do things the lazy way and google for ideas; material that will hopefully inspire and trigger a host of new search terms and tags that eventually enables us to create something different or something new out of the remediated material. In a way, nothing is truly original and all our seemingly original ideas are in fact not born from within us but are born because of what we have experienced, learnt, done, seen, heard or felt. I guess it is that personal touch that gives an artist the authority to call a piece of art, be it choreography, fashion or prose, something that is truly his or her own. Honestly, when reading about designers or artists, how often is it that they describe a masterpiece as something that is inherently personal and deeply in sync with their life stories. Food for thought over my soy banana muffin and coffee that is black as night to (ironically) get me through the day.

This came about because I was doing an image search for costumes on My Fair Lady, as part of the current stage production project I am involved in. As is the case for any research done on the Internet, I got distracted. Go type 'my fair lady' into your google image search bar and image after image of the ever-gorgeous Ms Hepburn pops up. Focus completely lost, I sidetracked to finding out more about Audrey Hepburn. I absolutely adored her as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, a show that I've watched countless times.

We're all familiar with that iconic photo of Hepburn with that slim cigarette holder that rests sexily on those luscious lips of hers that are amazingly well-defined. It's been replicated so darn many times; sketched, watermarked, photoshopped, painted and also, of course Warhol-ed into pop art for mainstream consumption. Which takes me back to what I mentioned earlier, about the whole 'copy culture' especially on the digital platform. Nothing wrong with it of course, if anything, it opens new avenues for creative growth in tandem with the opening of space for digital piracy and copyright infringement, which I think we have all heard enough of. Seriously, instead of fighting a losing battle, media giants should work the system since it is evidently not changing for the better even as the tech-savvy population understand the consequences of their actions.

Regardless, that image of Audrey Hepburn is etched in my mind so much that I am reluctant to put it in this post. Too much of a good thing isn't good. Hence, what you see of Hepburn here are some of the images that I feel really portray her beauty and charisma. (Ironically and hilariously, I have no idea if these images are copyrighted but let's close one eye to that.) There are millions of articles on the web about Hepburn as a fashion icon and so many people out there have chosen her as their style inspiration (again, google it if you want to read those). In a way, she is mine too except that I am more impressed by her off-screen persona than her on-screen style. Sure, we're all inspired by Holly Golightly, Eliza Doolittle or Princess Ann but what exactly is it about Hepburn that tips that scale for you in her favour?

Dancing in Funny Face

Muse for Givenchy throughout her life? Pioneered the LBD? I have to say her waif figure definitely contributed to the way she redefined fashion. Hepburn's beauty, class and grace remains unparalleled in my book and personally, nothing says a class act more than her simple, minimalist style accented with accessories so bold, you don't know if you should take your eyes off her to look at them or off them to look at her. Sometimes when jewellery is too huge, it looks tacky but somehow Hepburn wears her jewellery with such class, as though they all came from Tiffany's. As a sucker for chunky jewellery, Hepburn is naturally one icon I can relate to. Not that I would replicate her Givenchy-chic to every last detail, that would be brainless copying which I find is not fun at all. Anyway, I like some grunge in what I wear. Give me a pair of boots over stilettos any day, unless those heels are Louboutins (haha). What I would love to adopt, or rather adapt, is the effortless manner with which she carries all that jewellery on her tiny frame. Perfection.

Some Hepburn for your Monday blues. Note the difference between the blues and the mean reds. The blues come about because you feel fat (check) or maybe the weather is just unbearable (check). However having the blues just means you're sad, the mean reds come when you feel afraid and you don't know why or what you're afraid of. Wise words from Holly Golightly, who also suggests hopping into a cab to Tiffany's for a dose of calm. Retail therapy works wonders.

Hepburn; in a class of her own

In Roman Holiday

Wayfarers with chunky pearls and a black evening dress complete with long black gloves, balancing a coffee whilst clutching a white shawl and eating a croissant standing up- I salute this Belgian babe

On set for My Fair Lady before the Rain In Spain number which is, honestly, a rather ridiculous song but it gets the message across that her Southern English has vastly improved and she's well on her way to becoming a refined English lady worthy of upper society

Holly Golightly lighting up and looking like a million dollars even with that cigarette on her lips

One of my favourite photos (ever) of Hepburn

Hepburn really won me over when I discovered she named her Yorkshire terrier Mr. Famous.


♥,
Fir