Musical Muse

(Images via Standart News and Last FM).

For those of you who didn't see the amazing Mark Knopfler program on BBC Four last night, you're in for a treat. Not only is this man amazing at writing lyrics and creating the most incredible guitar riffs and solos, but he is also known for his distinctive look in the 1980s. I knew he was famous for those little headbands, but I'd never quite appreciated the whole ensemble until I was watching the archive footage on this documentary; it's not only practical (who wants hair in your face when you're boiling on stage?) but it's about ignoring whatever anyone else may be wearing and doing your own thing. There are no logos or considerations for looking cool (besides maybe choosing something in a nice colour or a crazy pattern), because comfort and purpose have overtaken them. With sportswear looming large on the catwalk, the more functional terry towelling headband may yet make a comeback, but I hope this doesn't leave us with a lasting trend. The whole thing about Knopfler is that you can try and imitate what he does, but you'll never do it quite as good as him. I wish more men had the guts to dress however they want, without being restricted to obvious choices or whatever is in the shop window. It's time to be inventive.

Crisis Clothing

I'm experiencing a problem which hasn't significantly reared its ugly head in nearly ten years; one of my peers is stealing my style. The last time this happened was in school, and my eclectic multi-layered t-shirts and baggy brightly coloured cords became the ultimate items for one of my closest friends. It was supposed to feel flattering but it just felt disappointing, and that's still my reaction now. The difference is, we're not at school any more; this decade's look-thief is someone who is normally quite content to do her own thing, yet recently she's been absorbing my hair colour, hair style, clothing ensembles and other such small and seemingly insignificant details. It's frustrating when I spend ages trying to express myself through what I wear or how I present myself, and then suddenly there she is, expressing me through her own body (if that makes any sense). It's truly maddening. I don't feel I can say anything because we haven't spoken properly in a while - that's right, this modern version of imitation is conducted by her checking on my Facebook photos and 'liking' them. It's a sad day when the technology that unites you with your friends also makes you want to slap them.

Cacharel-Inspired Preppy Moment

After a brief absence from the blog (work/holiday-related), here's what I've been drawn to in recent weeks:
1. The quest for the perfect leather skirt. The one in the image above is from Zara's TRF range and it's pleated with an A-line shape. It took some getting used to as my previous favourite was a pencil skirt from a charity shop, which I've now lost to my sister's wardrobe. The Zara skirt is an imitation leather, which makes it more pliable and soft, but it doesn't have the toughness of leather, which I do kind of miss.
2. Men's shirts. I wear a lot of these for my part-time job, because our women's versions are often too short in the body and not as wearable print-wise, and now they've become a bit of a wardrobe staple. The shirt above is a delicate floral which is something I've been trying to avoid for Spring (it feels a bit predictable), but it jumped out at me the other day as the perfect contrast to the skirt. I added the lace bow, which I made from tying a remnant of lace around the collar. I wore this with purple brogues and a large grey coat with an asymmetric hem.
3. Navy opaque tights. My mum is a big fan of these and I normally plump for black, but navy feels less obvious and wintery. She looked quite proud when I bought my first pair!
4. Rodarte's collection for SS/11. On hearing a description of this, you'd think it was hideous - imitation wood prints and a blue and white design which appears to be taken from a willow patterned plate - but somehow it really works. There's something about the 'back to nature' element of it which would make a great antidote to the neon colours which seem to be creeping back into fashion this season. I'm also excited to see Rodarte's costume designs for the new Black Swan film, which sound sumptuous.