Christian Dior Haute Couture

I'm having a manic week work-wise so my run of posting has trailed off considerably alas. It'll be a few days before I can start up again, but in the mean time, I leave you with some fashion escapism courtesy of the genius that is John Galliano. It was strange as I was thinking of Edwardian fashion on the train today, before seeing these pictures. I adore the colour combinations. Sumptuous and elegant. As always. And the deep red gown reminds me of a friend's wedding dress.

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America’s Next Top Short Model?

This is a piece I wrote this morning which was intended in my head for the Guardian's Comment is Free section - but having written it I now realise is far too frivolous for them!

America’s Next Top Short Model?

America’s Next Top Model is one of the guiltiest of pleasures. A hugely popular tv programme on which girls compete for a flash-in-the-pan modelling contract and a spread in a minor teen magazine, and which revolves around the gargantuan ego of ex-minor model herself Tyra Banks, this reality format veers towards the absurd. Never more so than in the present series being aired in the UK – which features contestants all under 5 ft 6, the bare minimum height for catwalk modelling (and Kate Moss’ height).

The fashion industry’s demands for a certain kind of physical “perfection” have come under fire of late, in terms of its “size zero” culture. We have, over the years, occasionally seen plus-sized models on the catwalk (mostly when a designer’s ideas have dried out and he needs to distract attention from the clothes being worn to the bodies wearing them: yes, Mark Fast of the hideous knitted dresses, I’m talking about you). But the one thing that all models have in common regardless of body shape – be it voluptuous, athletic, heroin-chic, or cosmetically enhanced curves – is their above-average height. You’ll never see a lass of 5ft on the catwalk. There is space to be “plus-size” now in the fashion world (i.e. a UK size 8) but you’ve got to be Amazonian with it. The one thing you can’t be is short.

This is demonstrated by the fact that ANTM has had to switch from its longstanding partner agency, internationally renowned Select Models, to offer a contract instead with another agency beloved of all the high-end glossies. Wilhelmina. Um. You say you haven’t heard of them? Neither has the rest of the world. But Wilhelmina’s books are open to models of all heights and body shapes. Yay! Whether those “models” actually get any work, is not mentioned.

Which is why the current series of ANTM seems particularly cruel. Of course, it’s the central irony of the show that after 15 successful series in US and a staggeringly global franchise (New Zealand’s Next Top Model, anyone?) this programme has failed to produce a single supermodel. You do, on occasion, get to see faces that seem kinda familiar on adverts in Superdrug. But this disconnect between the programme’s stated aims and its actual achievements (the inflation of Tyra Banks’ ego to megalomaniacal proportions is the only one I can think of) has never been as ludicrously apparent as it is in the present series. (Short) girls are being taught to strut their stuff for a catwalk they’ll never get a leg-up onto. Not even for Walmart.

It's Commute-Time! Ups and Downs

Here I am, heading back from my first trip to the office of 2010! If I enjoyed working from home I'd be pretty chuffed by that, but I don't much, alas. I just wish Canterbury was a bit closer!

Anyway, I also haven't done an Up/Down post in a while so voila:

Up

Bartimaeus

Not up as such, but I do love him more than ever. He's been working really hard of late and I'm so proud of him. I feel truly blessed. Which is odd phrasing for an atheist, but I do.

Glee

I felt a little bereft when Ugly Betty/Project Runway/House/ANTM all either finished or went on hiatus at the same time, but NO LONGER! This show could have "Made for the Rabbit" as its title, and each of the three eps I've watched so far haa whizzed past far too quickly.

Spring clothes

Hurray for a way girlier season, thanks to Luella (RIP one of my favourite labels, your spirit lives on on the high street). Polka dots, florals and sugar sweet shades ahoy!

Being busy

Lots to do at the moment in terms of work and also home responsibilities, but I'm so much more productive and happy when I have lots on.

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Again, it's got Poco Rabbit written all over it (and yes, I am generally anxious about punctuality too). Even though it's out in March I'm excited already!

Down

Lack of aid getting through to Haiti

I struggle to find the words to express my sympathy, sadness and solidarity. So I'm going to donate instead. I only wish things would start moving and that every time a disaster occurs, we were't so slow to respond.

30% cut in higher education funding

Scary times. It's not like it's not been hard enough to get a job as a lecturer. I do wonder exactly who Mandelson thinks is going to teach their target of 50% university attendees.

Eyelid eczema

Bleurgh. I have this right now after wearing makeup three days on the trot (crazy, me) and now can't wear any until it's cleared. I look rubbish.

I usually do 5 Ups and 5 Downs but I think at the moment I have a lot more to be thankful for than complain about.















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Photo Tag

Emma at the fabulous Passion for Fashion blog just did this tag, and I'm tagging myself to do it as it's fun!

You have to pick the 10th picture in your Photos folder and tell the story of it. The 10th in my iPhoto is:


which I took when ambling around my garden a few years ago while my dad was gardening. It just struck me as one of the most perfect flowers I've ever seen. Last year I used this photo as the basis for a birthday card I drew for one of my best friends:


It's almost exactly a year since I drew it - and she's just had her birthday again, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARA!

And I tag everyone :)

No7 vouchers at Boots - until 31 January

Just to add - if you like the Totally Teal polish, right now Boots are doing their miraculous £5 vouchers so if you have one, it'll cost you only £1.25!

Like, totally teal.

These are my nails at the moment - No. 7 Totally Teal which I totally love! I haven't seen another shade quite like this murky teal creme. I'm not really keen on "novelty" nail colours - most of the bright and pastel shades doing the rounds at the moment clash horribly with my skintone (incidentally, there are no way near enough nail swatches for women of colour by women of colour! A nude polish for a fair skinned gal sure as hell ain't gonna be a nude for me! For me, that's OPI Tickle My France-y). Excuse the application - I wasn't really concentrating as I was watching Come Dine With Me at the time...

This was my makeup yesterday too - a bit matchy-matchy with the nails, but it was worn with a light green/aqua floral dress so I think it worked nicely to bring the colours together.



Base:
MAC Moisturecover Select concealer
Urban Decay Primer Potion

Eyes:
MAC Pigment in Teal (this is the Teal found in the 2008 Little Darlings Cool set which is a different colour to the regular pigment! it's a more powdery blue shade compared to the true teal of the regular one) over lid and bottom lashline
GOSH Let's Twist Eyeliner in Blue Grass
MAC Paint Pot in Delft as eyeliner on lashline and waterline over the GOSH liner
MAC Vanilla pigment in inner corner of eyes as highlighter and on browbone
YSL Faux Cils mascara

Face:
MAC MSF in Dark
MAC Breezy blush

Lips:
Clinique Glosswear for Lips in Mystic (this has been discontinued and although it looks berry above it is actually a lavendery purple)

Close-up of eye makeup (but not green in real life!)