Masters of Style (Somerset House) Part 1: Strong Female Figures

Prada, AW/1991-2, by Peter Lindbergh. This dress is like an enveloping dress coat, but also like a comforting duvet. Elements of both mean, for me, that the model is straddling the public/home image of herself as a woman.

Prada, SS/1994, by Peter Lindbergh. White clothing in summer is a no-brainer, but here it's got that Picnic at Hanging Rock feeling. The model (Christy Turlington) is mysterious and has a severe and potentially Gothic edge - school shoes and tights in the wrong season, and that edgy haircut, make for an unsettling but captivating vibe. She's off on an adventure and she's taking you with her.

Dolce & Gabbana, AW/1987-8, by Ferdinando Scianna. The everywoman of the Italian village suddenly becomes a star in her own right. She exudes grace, even in her dusty and bare surroundings.

Dolce & Gabbana, SS/1988, by Ferdinando Scianna. Is this woman in her own grand house, or is she exploring a palatial setting and pretending she rules it all? There's a definite fairytale feeling to this, and I love it.

Dolce & Gabbana, SS/1988 (cropped), by Ferdinando Scianna. Whilst one man pretends not to be looking, the other two are unashamedly staring at her. She can feel they're watching but she doesn't care - she's out of their league.

[All images taken from the Masters of Style booklet, complimentary with entry to the exhibition at Somerset House, London. I have reproduced these images to describe them fully, as you can't take photographs in the exhibition space itself].

Somerset House chose to produce a tribute to some of the biggest Italian fashion houses with this new display of their official photographs and adverts throughout the years. Curated by the fantastic Colin McDowell and created with the vision of Carmody Groarke, it's full of sumptuous imagery that will remind you just why these brands have stood the test of time. You can now even buy shares in Prada, though a single one will cost you nearly as much as a piece from their latest collection, because it's all about the whole Prada experience. With loyal customers around the world, and a creative vision that will draw you in, it's hard to argue with them. Seeing this exhibition has proved beyond doubt, in my opinion, that fashion is art.

One thing that blew me away in this exhibition was the way that the gaze was used in an empowering, and not exploitative way, to make the fashion models project a positive message: it's okay to want to look good. It's also okay to want to dress up, to make an effort and really push the boat out. It doesn't matter if nobody's watching, or if your onlookers do not approve. You can flaunt what you've got, and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

I loved this show and I will be blogging about it again soon. The staff were really friendly and helpful, especially as my cousin (who visited with me) had lost her wallet. I would thoroughly recommend seeing this exhibition as it's a great insight into Italian fashion and the power of advertising.

Miss Selfridge's Project #1: A lesson in modern essentials

Fringe benefits: the multi-tasking jacket with the expensive-looking back detail.

Leopard lust: my favourite print is in the spotlight with three variations. Want. Them. All.

[Original images taken from Miss Selfridge's website and adapted by me].

At last: a capsule collection on the high street where practically every piece can be worn by a variety of shapes and sizes. Miss Selfridge has struck gold with this range, Project, which has been created by their team to reflect the most fashion-forward desires of their clientele.

However, these are not pieces to be scared of if you're unsure of your exact style, or if you're afraid of a good pattern (see the leopard print montage above). There are plain items such as sheer shirts, a drop-back dress or vest to show off a new area of your body if legs and cleavage aren't your confidence zones, and a gorgeous satchel bag to rival designer numbers. It is evident that this collection has been well thought out, no more so than in the introduction of the fringe back jacket. This allows you to work a trend whilst wearing something that is appropriate for smart occasions and everyday moments such as drinks with friends. Meanwhile, the animal print leggings have a panel design that will slim down your thighs and calves whilst covering you up (goodbye visible cellulite). For the more adventurous shopper, the leopard slippers will not disappoint - they're sturdy but fun, and will look just as appropriate with a pencil skirt as with jeans.

I'm totally enthralled by this new range, as it's exciting without being too of-the-moment; you could buy something from Project and still be wearing it in two years' time (as long as you haven't already worn it to death). My only quibble would be the lack of accompanying jewellery, but I'm sure you can dig out a gold chain or a pair of hoops to complete the outfit. I hope this collection encourages shoppers to be a little bolder with their fashion choices.

Three Stationery Must-Haves

One of the many Archie Grand notebooks that has taken the stationery world by storm. The premise is to make a different book for every group of people you have met, with the range spanning 'Communists I Have Met and Liked' to the less popular 'Bankers'.
Image via the Archie Grand website.

Sumptuous, elegant and almost un-writeable, for fear of dismally failing to live up to your cover. This is a set of four notebooks by the designer Christian Lacroix, who has recently helped to reinvent classic fairytales with similar illustrations. Here, the notebook is reborn.
Image via Selfridges.

Featuring childlike typography but a sentiment that transcends age, the Waldo Pancake collection is very tongue-in-cheek and very much in demand. Other slogans include 'I could have been a novel' (for your Mills and Boon attempt) and 'If found do not publish' (for your secret diary). Image via Writers' Gifts.

My name is Polly and I am a stationery obsessive. Without the constant supply of new and exciting notebooks and pens on the market, there would be a hole in my life (but not so much of a dent in my bank balance). Since I could write a full sentence I've been hoarding these things, searching in National Trust gift shops up and down the country when I wasn't close enough to a dedicated purveyor of all things paper-related. Now I am left with a rather large collection of the things, and it's only now that I've begun to use them up, but with one roving eye on the newest launches in this department. Check out the three choices above to whet your appetite for more sophisticated writing days.

Currently I have 'The SS Great Britain' for lists, picked up during a trip to Bristol when I was eight or nine, and a brilliant black Moleskine journal (a luxury brand in the writing world) for writing reviews and articles in, which my Dad was given during a work conference and it's been corrupted with a brand logo but is otherwise perfectly useful. I used to write up my university notes with an incredibly naff 'Dickens World' pen that had a choice of four colours and was the width of a swollen thumb, but I've now graduated to a lovely 'Journalism Works' biro and a selection of Staedtler pens. For every occasion I find an excuse to bring out a different writing instrument or accessory ("Oooh, this calls for my new permanent marker/fountain pen/notelets"). It's a bit worrying, but takes up a lot less space than my shoe collection.

However, I'm always on the look-out for the next fix of stationery, whether it's a new branch of Paperchase that's opened or the news that Vivienne Westwood has moved into A4 journals (that made my 2010). If you've got a thing about paper, or some other vice that's not very rock and roll, let me know. We can start a support group.

All About Eve: the gradual Eve-olution of a character through fashion (excuse pun)

We see Eve Harrington (played by Anne Baxter) near the end of the film 'All About Eve' as a sophisticated woman with a power wardrobe of mainly black clothes. But how did she get here?

Eve turns on those around her, making life difficult for the woman who plucked her out of obscurity and offered her friendship, Karen Richards (played by Celeste Holm). Eve is wearing a feminine outfit with scallop detailing and a sheer panel, showing off her figure but keeping her demure to preseve her public image of the talented and graceful ingenue.

Eve takes a hand-me-down suit from her idol, Margo Channing (the brilliant Bette Davis), which is an early and poignant indication of her desire to capitalise on their closeness and seep into her life like a slow-acting poison. The creepy smile is further proof of her cunning.

When we first meet Eve she is a naive young girl in a mackintosh and very ugly rain hat. She looks slightly like a bad detective. The pale colourscheme also means that she blends into the background and can seem like a wallflower, when actually she's dying to take centre stage.

[Images my own, taken as stills from the film].

I was enthralled by this story of toxic friendship and power struggles. I decided to tell the fashion story backwards because we first meet Eve as she is collecting an acting award, the Sarah Siddons, for her work. We then flash back to how she reached that stage in her career, beginning life as a super-fan and slight stalker of Margo Channing. The film's final scene is absolutely genius, showing Eve how her actions will leave karma knocking at the door and she is just as replaceable as Margo.

Anya Hindmarch Pop-Up Shop - Keeping It Old School

The shopfront is brilliantly traditional, breaking away from the modernity of other pop-up projects in recent years. I really enjoyed this aspect of the display.

The display stands rely heavily on glass panels, meaning that people walking past can glance in and see a flash of handbag to entice them.

It wasn't just bags - the shop sold leather goods, and products could be personalised if you wished.

With gold lettering and black wooden panels, this really was a classy affair.

[Images my own. Please ask before reproducing].

You may be familiar with Anya Hindmarch as the woman behind the 'I'm not a plastic bag' shopper; you may remember her photo bags from further back. Even if you've never heard of her, there's no reason to stop you enjoying this unusual and beautifully designed pop-up shop, on the ground floor of Selfridges, Oxford Street. The decor brought me straight back to childhood, as we used to have a chemist's shop in my local town which was like a relic of Victorian times. It had shelf upon black wooden shelf of old bottles and jars, and it smelt just as a chemist's should. It also sold some very naff nail polishes that I used to save up for (99p each, with lots of glitter), but that was not really part of the overall setting and more about my love of sparkly nails. Anyway, this old-fashioned chemist's shop would have blended in well in Hindmarch's atmospheric setting, with the feel of a traditional retailer.

The aim for Hindmarch's pop-up shop, which appeared at Selfridges, was to provide a bespoke service and a range of products designed to withstand the test of time. The founder herself said that: "They are not 'of a season', they are 'of a moment in your life' that will last and be part of a story for generations." That's the great thing about leather - when cared for properly, it can be timeless and prove to be the ultimate wardrobe staple. A good bag will not shed its lining or lose its handle strength, as long as you treat it well.

I urge you to go and see it, if only to try and hark back to your own memories of days gone by, and to really appreciate timeless leathercraft.

All Things Blonde and Beautiful - the Slogan T-shirt

After a mid-bleaching ginger/yellow moment, I have finally achieved platinum blonde again. Last year this was a salon-based tranformation, but this time I created the look at home, with gaps of at least a week (if not two) between colour changes, to aid hair recovery. [Image my own].

This is on my wishlist for new items. It's cheeky as a slogan but also the actual colourscheme is really nice - I love the mustard yellow against the dark marl grey. There's a brilliant red seam running from both armpits, which will make blonde hair stand out that little bit more.
T-shirt, £14.99, River Island [Image taken from their website and enhanced by me].

It's time for a confidence-boost, and I've found the perfect solution with this t-shirt. Sometimes you need to go back to basics with dressing, and remember that not every outfit has to be a smart one. For those more relaxing days, a slogan tee strikes the perfect balance between fun and functional, plus it allows you a lot of flexibility regarding your bottom half. Of course you can go for jeans, but equally a plain midi-skirt or shorts would work here. The great thing about an inoffensive slogan such as this means that it can be worn for babysitting, spending time with relatives or meeting new people, without the risk of causing offence (put away your 'Barbie is a Slut' version for those occasions).

Trust me: I'm a blonde.

Ethical but Aesthetically Pleasing: the new Mel collection at Office

[Images via Office Shoes].

When you imagine Vegan footwear, these styles are perhaps not what you would have in mind. The traditional stereotype of ethical brands as being centred around hemp and the socks-and-sandals brigade needs to be quashed, as proven with the new designs from Mel by Melissa. Each pair of shoes is lovingly made from bubblegum-scented plastic (which has to be smelled to be believed) and is recyclable, but also takes on the shape of a staple footwear style, such as the peep-toe heel or the flip flop.

You may recognise the boots, seen above in grey and red, from the Melissa collaboration with Vivienne Westwood Anglomania, where this basic template was adorned with large gold buttons and available in classic shades of red, blue, taupe and black, sometimes with a smattering of glitter. Now the Mel boot has arrived, which uses a gold ribbon design to give ankle detail to the streamlined shape. At £38, this is not far off the RRP of premium brand wellies, but will keep your feet dry in a definitely more feminine way.

If you're not into boots then the brogue option might just sway you - they've been in our fashion lives for a few years now in leather, canvas or faux leather formats, but the plastic brogue with lace-up detail and authentic panelling (£28) is an innovative new option. A pair of these would look great with some bright ankle socks or simple patterned tights (think lace, floral or polka dot) for a modern and quirky take on androgynous footwear.

This is style with a conscience, and I'm certainly a fan. For more styles, see www.melshoes.com.

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