All Babes are Wolves: August 2013

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Her name was Lola, she was a Showgirl

Kate Moss by Craig McDean for Esquire Magazine, September 2013

Lately I've noticed a trend for pairing of simple parred down items contrasted with shot of glam. For example, I'm loving these looks for Kate Moss featured in Esquire September 2013. Styled by the super talented Katy England, she juxtaposes Showgirl-style costume jewellery with a plain white jacket, and on top of a white t.shirt.

The showgirl inspired jewellery reminds me of Wendy James' shoot for The Face in May 1991, with Wendy casually hanging out in nothing but an elaborate Moulin Rouge style diamante encrusted bra top.

The combining of the everyday with glam harks back to Anna Wntour's first Vogue cover in November 1988. It wasn't even a conscious decision. Model Michaela Bercu didn't actually fit the skirt to go with the top of the bejeweled Lacroix suit, so she was photographed by Peter Lindbergh in blue jeans. Scandalous for a Vogue cover in the day, so much so that the printers doubled checked with Wintour that it wasn't a mistake. But the cover has gone down in fashion history as a ground-breaking 'moment'. As Madonna had been doing, this was the beginning of the trend in pairing 'High Street' fashion with designer pieces.

Michaela Bercu by Peter Lindbergh, Vogue US 1991

This style is also echoed perfectly by this fab dress by Prada in Harper's Bazaar Australia's September issue, pairing a stunning gold gown with a simple grey cardy! This stunning shot of Scarlett Johannson is by Karl Lagerfeld and styled by Carine Roitfeld.

Scarlett Johansson in Prada for Harper's Bazaar Australia, September 2013

Prada Fall 2013

I'm also loving this showgirl inspired shoot in the same casual louche style features Amanda Seyfried (she is everywhere at the moment!). These are the stunning out-takes from People Magazine's 'Most Beautiful' shoot, April 2013. There's something very stylish and cool and about a girl dressed to the nines slouching about as if she's just at home in a t.shirt and trackies.

Steven Meisel, whose finger is always on the fashion pulse shot this fabulous editorial of real showgirl Carmen Carrera for W magazine September 2013. Linda Evangelista pops up here too, in suitable showgirl style.

Showgirl by Steven Meisel for W Magazine, September 2013

The latest diamante encrusted & feather Showgirl looks seem to be inspired by a bit of Moulin Rouge, the Notting Hill Carnival - and My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding (the theme of Kate Moss's Hens' Party in 2012). Here are some more showgirl-inspired looks that have popped up this year.

Kate Moss for Esquire

Jewell encrusted shirt, ELLE UK July 2013

Georgia Jagger wear jewelled necklace as a top, July 2013

Rihanna at the annual Kadooment Parade in Barbados, August 2013

Olivia Wilde for Vanity Fair, March 2013

Rita Ora with Karl Lagerfeld, March 2013

I love these extravagant feathered looks from Gucci Fall 2013, seen on a roster of uber glam celebs at events and in photo shoots this year.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Nina Dobrev, Olivia Wilde,
Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer lopez, Kate Upton, Chrishell stubbs and Blake Lively
in Gucci, Fall 2013

Showgirl looks for UK Sunday Style mag, March 2013

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Mad for Plaid 2013

In the wake of the grunge revival, I'm thrilled that one of my favorite fashion staples coincides with the latest looks - the plaid shirt. After I started writing this I saw the cover of Glamour France pop up in the Daily Mail - Amanda Seyfried in a fab red & black Richard Tisci by Givenchy plaid shirt.

Amanda Seyfried for Glamour France, September 2013

Designer plaid looks are turning up in many another glossy for Fall 2013 (including those by Tisci, Dries Van Noten and Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent), as below.

Carine Roitfeld and Julia Restoin Roitfeld
for Givenchy Fall 2013

Rosie Huntington-Whitely in Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent shirt,

Numero Tokyo, September 2013

Kate Bosworth for TopShop 2013

Sky Ferreira for ASOS

Dries Van Noten, Vogue Brazil April 2013

Dries Van Noten, ELLE Russia

Dries Van Noten, ELLE UK

Meghan Collison in Dies Van Noten shirts,
Vogue UK March 2013

Freja Beha Erichsen in Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent,
for Vogue UK, August 2013

Sasha Pivovarova in Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent,
Vogue Paris September 2013

Ricardo Tisci for Givenchy shirt,
Vogue France September 2013

French Vogue La Fievre Grunge shoot
by Mert & Marcus, September 2013 (all 4 images above)

Charlotte Coquelin in Dries Van Noten for Radicale

Philip Lim Spring 2013

Despite this resurgence, a good plaid shirt never really goes out of fashion. A leather boots, jeans, white tee and a shirt thrown casually on top or tied around the waist is many a rock chick and off duty model's uniform. My favourite ever plaid shirt was purchased 4 years ago. I wish I could say I got it from a vintage Americana store for a dollar and it probably belonged to a real cowboy, but no. It was not exactly a bargain, I found it while perusing Kate Sylvester's menswear range in 2009, upstairs in her High St Auckland Store which was set up as a cool kind of Rat Pack Mens' club/den. It's a gorgeous blue & grey number in butter-soft 100% cotton, with cute coconut buttons. The fit & style totally works on a girl so I was thrilled with it.

The plaid shirt style really took off in 1990 during the birth of the grunge era, a Seattle staple and Kurt Cobain fave. A pajama top did the same job. (I documented this era in my grunge post from a few years ago, here). Suddenly, the shirt of choice for lumberjacks, cowboys and tradies was a fashion favourite. Following are a few of my fave recent celeb plaid & check shirt looks.