You can ride it if you like It's got a basket A bell that rings And things to make it look good I'd give it to you if I could But I borrowed it.
Pink Floyd - Bike
Hey! Ipod shuffle! I love you. You make me discover songs like this, ones that I didn't know existed, let alone owned. Thanks. I've written about bicycles before here.
Zoe just finished reading Kingdom of Fear, by Hunter S. Thompson. I started it on the train this morning, and damn, it's good so far. He's one of my favourite writers- an incredible journalist and man of letters, one of the forerunners of the New Journalism movement in the sixties, a smart man, a funny man, and a complete nutcase to boot. Is there anyone you'd rather drink whisky with in the early hours of the morning? Maybe Joan Didion, but that's another story.
I recently re-read The Rum Diary, which is his first book. He hadn't quite hit the chemical chaos of his iconic work Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas- it's more a story of boys gone wild in Puerto Rico, rum, cigarettes, newspapers and girls on the beach. It's great- Kerouac without the stream-of-consciousness stylings, just raw, instant prose. Violent, alcohol-fuelled and maniacal - pure Hunter.
In Timothy Ferris' introduction to Kingdom of Fear, he writes that Thompson's aim is "by the power of the written word to make you hear, to make you feel...to make you see. To bring us encouragement, consolation, fear, charm - all you demand - and, perhaps, also that glimpse of truth for which you have forgotten to ask."
Every pseudo-wannabe-thoughtful-indie-intellectual girl worth their salt loves Cat Power. And hey, who am I to argue? Sometimes you just want to wallow in a sad, sad song- and that's what Chan Marshall does best.
Is it the crack addiction? The way she used to down a forty-ounce a day? Perhaps it's the chainsmoking or the devastating dalliances with boys from Vincent Gallo to Bill Callahan of Smog. Perfect fodder for songs of heartbreak, for odes to chaos and despair.
Perhaps it's her curtain like fringe, her pared-back style (army anoraks, teeshirts and jeans, sneakers or motorcycle boots) - all of which inspired Lagerfeld to make her the face of Chanel Jewellery.
Molly of Musette recently wrote a lovely post about Cat Power's album's here.
I've loved Cat for years- from her Covers Album, with it's eerie rendition of the Stones 'Satisfaction', to her killer tunes on The Greatest, I'm a fan. I saw her play for the first time about four years ago with a boyfriend on Valentine's Day. She hid under the piano and asked the audience for drugs. It was excruciating, but kind of great.
Some of my favourite songs are her bootlegs and guest vocal appearances, namely, on 'I've Been Thinking' by Handsome Boy Modelling School. Listen- it's pretty good- I don't know anyone else that could say steez without making me gag.
John Peel, the best radio DJ ever, hosted Cat Power - the Peel Sessions just before he died. Chan does a cover of Hangin' on the Telephone by Blondie - it's genius - along with some Lynyrd Skynyrd- Free Bird and a little Mary J. Blige.
Also- check out Speaking for Trees, a film made by the excellent Mark Borthwick. Beautiful.
Valley of the Dolls is one of my favourite books of all time. And yeah, I know that makes me sound vapid, but you have to balance the intellectual with the trashy don't you? It's camp and it's brilliant; everyone should read it.
Written by Jacqueline Susann and released in 1966, the book follows three friends as they climb the showbiz career ladder and quickly come crashing down as their lives are torn apart by addiction to pills, or 'dolls' as their nicknamed in the book. Anne Wells is a small town girl who moves to the big bad city, and eventually becomes a pill-addicted model with a cheating husband. The young and somewhat naive Neely O'Hara (a character that is said to be based on Judy Garland) eventually becomes a spoilt and difficult Oscar winning superstar, with a dangerous addiction to uppers and downers. And Jennifer North is a buxom blonde showgirl who thinks men only want her for her breasts. Her story is probably the most tragic, but I won't spoil the surprise.
The book was turned into a film starring Sharon Tate, Barbara Parkins and Patty Duke, but there are differences to the book (notably the ending), therefore the book is so much better. What it does have going for it though is the fashion: gigantic beehives, glamorous twinsets, dramatic makeup. The Fall 2008 collection from Christian Dior was clearly inspired by the film.
Also on my must-see film list? Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, a musical spoof of the original.
Imogen Wilson is a student, burgeoning stylist and blogger. The Wellingtonian launched her blog, The Girl with the Kaleidoscope Eyes, about a year ago now, and we love her mix of fashion, photography, art, music and more. She interviews some pretty cool people too: Mark Hunter (aka The Cobra Snake), Australian model Tallulah Morton, and designer (and former Russh stylist) Kym Ellery. So what is she into right now? Here's her very cute list of things she loves:
1. Persian cats which are Dyed pink I really want one. It started with me wanting a flat-faced (persian) white cat. I thought why not dye it pink?, animal friendly dye of course. I’m still waiting for a cat...
2. i-D's Male Models
Skinny, Indie, unusual but beautiful. Think Luke Worrall.
3. Viktor and Rolf Bags
These amazing quirky little bags are my favourite! A new addition to Viktor and Rolf but one of the best by far! Five styles in luxe materials like patent leather, silk satin, lizard, textured kidskin, and woven raffia. Color options run from black and white to brown and pink.
4. Deadly Ponies
Their Fashion Week installation was amazing! I love the bullet necklaces and gold bone chain bracelets.
5. Mickey Avalon
His lyrics are witty and amazing. Despite being white, he doesn’t even try to be black which is cool. His past; selling himself for heroin makes it even more interesting.
6. Albert and Louis Flint
These two identical twins are new faces at Red Eleven Models in Auckland. Their look is amazing and powerful. Two of the best new additions to New Zealand models within the last year for sure!
7. Abbey Lee in 10 Magazine – a Luella Bartley shoot
I adore Luella amd Abbey Lee. This shoot is amazing! One of my favourite shoots to date, Abbey looks so stunning and effortless in Luella.
8. Diet Coke
It's terribly bad for you, but I could possibly call it one of my main food groups. It's amazing!
Who doesn’t want to follow the hottest parties, concerts and fashion shows?? Amazing cool T-shirts and stickers too! Mark is awesome guy too. (I interviewed him a week or so back for my site)
10. Chloe shoes
Quirky, simplistic, feminine but edgy. Best shoes out.
Yelena Yemchuk is fast becoming one of my favourite fashion photographers - she shoots for my favourite magazines - Lula and UK Vogue, as well as Kenzo and Dries Van Noten. Her Ukrainian background is so apparent in her aesthetic and she seems to love horses, desolate landscapes, braided hair and deserted houses as much as I do.
For Japanese Vogue
Tableau 2 - Piet Mondrian, 1922
Landscape
Michelle Williams for UK Vogue
for Dries
From Japanese Vogue (just cause I'm a sucker for a bicycle).
In the age of email and text messages, the idea of sitting down and writing someone a letter is rather quaint. Why send someone a letter that could take days to get to them when you could send an email or text that gets through immediately? But just think of how lovely it would be to get a handwritten letter out of the blue! I recently sat down and wrote a letter to Natalie, but it was a lot harder than it looks: namely because we tend to send each other about 50 emails a day so we already know everything that’s happening in each others lives. But there was also the fact that after years of typing, my fingers aren’t actually used to writing much more than a few sentences. Needless to say, my penmanship has quickly degenerated since the days of school, when writing clearly and following the lines were all-important (good luck trying to figure out what I actually wrote Natalie!).
The source of my new found passion for letter writing is the cute letter sets from the $3 Japan store on Queen Street. I plan on buying several packs, but for now I am writing letters on mini pieces of paper printed with floral fabric swatches, lace edging and a charming piece of advice that goes a little something like this: “If you take care of your personality well, you will appear beautiful.” kikki-K is another good source for simple letter sets (above) - albeit a lot more expensive than $3 Japan. Or if you want to go really vintage, how about an old-fashioned typewriter? I just read Hunter S. Thompson’s amazing autobiography, Kingdom of Fear, in which he included several letters written to friends and foes, all meticulously typed on an old typewriter. Courier New never looked so good.
This is one of the only films I've watched more than four or five times. I love everything about it - Bertolucci's cinematography, the costuming, the music (Hendrix, Dylan, the Stones), the ever-so-bohemian content, the politically charged atmosphere of Paris in 1968...did I mention the costumes?
Insouciant and oh-so-French twins Isabelle and Theo have a relationship bordering on incest, so when American exchange student Michael comes on the scene, all hell breaks loose - in a desperately thoughtful and pseudo-intellectual way, of course.
The apartment they live in is grand, with soaring ceilings and cluttered with books, overflowing ashtrays and bottles of Beaujolais.
In true Bertolucci fashion - this is, after all, the director who instigated Marlon Brando's infamous butter scene in Last Tango in Paris - Isabelle loses her virginity to Michael on the kitchen floor. While her twin brother watches (at the same time as frying an egg).
The twins, and soon, Michael, are fascinated by film - constantly referencing great cinema scenes and actors from Marlene Dietrich, to the scene in Godard's Bande a Part where the trio run through the Louvre.
Best of all, however, is the scene where Michael sees pattern in everything during a family dinner. I love it.
Who knew that Harry Potter was such a fashion plate? Round glasses - both optical and sunglass versions - are set to become the fashionable eyewear of choice. How amazing does Anna Karina look in the pic above? It's about time there was a new eyewear shape too: I'm sick of the Wayfarer shape, and Nicole Richie esqueoversized frames are like, so over. Mary Kate Olsen probably kick started the trend when she stepped out in Lennon-esque round wire frame glasses, and then Mary Kate or Ashley (does anyone know which Olsen this is?) wore these half-tint round Chanel shades.
Chelsea Thorpe sent models out at New Zealand Fashion Week in round thick-rimmed black sunglasses; I want a pair.
And Kate Sylvester's new range of eyewear also has plenty of round action, with wire rimmed round glasses inspired by Lennon and thicker rimmed sunglasses referencing Iris Apfel.
There's nothing more satisfying than a tidy desk and things arranged by colour, especially bookshelves. They remind me of when Rob in High Fidelity broke up with his girlfriend and re-arranged all his records in chronological order - a mammoth undertaking.
Personally, I oscillate wildly between impeccable, bordering on OCD tidiness and eclectic clutter in wild abandon, scarves strewn across my floor, stacks of magazines and shoes, shoes, shoes everywhere. I'm a whirlwind dresser - but I figure, as long as everything is very, very clean, it's okay to be a little messy.
I recently moved house in a hurry (long story) and had to downsize from a separate, walk-in sunroom-cum-wardrobe to a clothes rail. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
And 
