The Generation Game

Family resemblances are uncanny things. It’s magical seeing a friend’s nose or gestural tic mirrored in their mother or sister. My mother and I always laugh about this, because while, taken feature by feature, we bear absolutely NO resemblance to each other, people always insist that there’s no doubt that we are related. Apparently, we give the same sort of impression? Yeah. Doesn’t make sense to me either.

Anyway, me me me aside, photographer Frauke Theilking has taken this idea and exploded it, finding mother-daughter and father-son pairs and photographing them stripped of any encumbrances in the form of garments or the like. The results are fascinating, highlighting the strange echoes and gaps that you find between the generations.

[via]

 

 

Coveting 10.30.10

I love, love, love this blouse from Norwegian Wood‘s shop. I’m love with unusual pieces based off coat details, and so the trench-coat-like box pleat on the back of this blouse is really appealing to me. The sheer panel is also lovely. It’s a perfect spring blouse– though sadly it’s October, and out my window I can only see grey skies and rain. Stupid seasonal changes. Pah.

Also, how gorgeous is her model? New girl-crush.

[Norwegian Wood Trench blouse, $75]

Inspiration 10.29.10

Can you tell I just re-watched Blue Velvet?

David Lynch and Isabella Rossellini by Helmut Newton.

Coveting 10.13.10

Dear Gareth Pugh,

If you could just messenger me over the following looks from your new collection, that would be great. You’ve even sold me on the colour white.

Smooches!

Alex

(Seriously, I would sell my baby brother for this jacket.  Sorry Charles. I love you and all, but I’m a sucker for asymmetrical closures and interesting peplums.)

Sleek, black, vaguely armour-like. WANT.

Disco cyborg. Hate the leggings, covet the dress.

This is so cool and android-at-a-Ren-faire-y. I want to twirl around in it.

I think my other brother might have to be exchanged for this jacket. Sorry, Max. Your charms are no match for metallic drapey awesomeness.

So, Gareth, what do you think? Do we have a deal? My undying love and two brothers in exchange for your awesome clothing?

What do you mean, it doesn’t sound like you’re getting much out of it?

So cruel of you, Gareth. I thought you were better than that.

[via where you will also find awesome menswear looks which I ignored in my selfish focus on my own imaginary wardrobe.]

And inspiration to revisit the collection thanks to Gene!

 

Inspiration 9.20.10

I’m so very much in love with this page from Vogue Hommes Japan 5. I’m completely inspired by the palette, with the shades of cream and pink and red against the charcoals and other shades of gray. It’s a very painterly effect– I had to hold the screen of my laptop to make sure it was in fact a photograph and not a painting, and I’m still inclined to hedge. I love the androgyny of the model, with the almost surprising discovery that he is male despite the pinks and the sheers and the lace and his delicate arm. It’s Caravaggio with a splatter of yellow and a grey fuzzy toy stuck into the frame. Instead, just good ol’ Matthew Stone, who I want to revisit later. I’m almost tempted to go track down the magazine for the sole purpose of tearing this page out to put up on my wall. Gorgeous.

[via]

PS, because I like to overshare and you are big boys and girls who can click on something else if you don’t care: Now that I’m in Parts European, the number order for the date caused me AAAAGONY, hopeless neurotic that I am. 9.20.10 or 20.9.10? All those silly little differences that never even come close to entering one’s thoughts are now ISSUES for me. I really need a life. Anyone hiring? Pretty please?

New shoes

Sexy, sexy, sexy badass Prima wedges from Surface to Air. I got them yesterday, and immediately started planning out outfits around them. They’re infinitely wearable, both under pants and on their own with skirts. They’ve got a hint of the winkle picker about the front, but with a satisfyingly high heel and those big thick straps to give them just the right touch of sexy super-spy. I can’t wait to bring them out to play.

Coveting: Debra Baxter

Debra Baxter‘s phenomenal Crystal Brass Knuckles did the rounds of the blogs a while back, but I find myself mentally revisiting them from time to time when I look for the perfect combination of tough metal and crystal. Doesn’t hurt that they’re named “(I am going to realign your chakras motherf*****)”. It’s a crazy piece, but oddly wearable. Then again I’m notoriously magpie-esque when it comes to ridiculously large rings, so maybe don’t listen to me.

Gorgeous though her ring is, though, I also fell for some of her other pieces while perusing her website. I love her mix of materials and softnesses. I would personally kill to have the abiliity to manipulate sthones in this way. The results are beautiful, thoughtful, and a bit disconcerting.

Join (it will stop screaming if you let go of it), 2010.

Untitled (open/end), 2009

Untitled (You Light Up My Life), 2010

False Hope, 2009

Like Your Life Depends On It, 2010

Untitled (speed bag), 2007

Brass Knuckles/Tongue (Hurts so good), 2007

Dust Mask (Catching My Breath), 2009

Coveting 3.9.10

My inner Goth loves all the trappings associated with Victorian mourning. It’s the perfect combination of beautiful and macabre. The pieces contain so much romance and history. There’s infinite potential for daydreaming about a young widow, wilting in tragic despair over the death of the man she loves. Or perhaps an abused wife, secretly happy at the demise of her tormentor, but now trapped in widow’s clothes while all she wants to do is wear green and shocking red and rejoice in her new-found freedom. So many stories to wonder about and to invent.

Not to mention that perfect, squeamishly delicious frisson of sacrilege when donned nowadays. It’s so funny to divorce these pieces from all their significance and just look at them as beautiful objects. Which of course they are. Erie Basin has a beautiful selection right now, which I go to look at when I want to daydream and forget I’m poor. The 1780 Georgian Sepia Mourning Ring above would be wending its way to me right now if it didn’t cost more than a month’s rent. Sigh.

A girl can dream, though. And these creepily beautiful pieces are great fodder for dreams and general inspiration.

1880s Carved Whitby Jet Mourning Earrings.

1880s Black Cameo Ring. (Ok, this may not be a piece of mourning jewelry, but it does fit the theme nicely. And it is rather beautiful, isn’t it?)

2.21.10 Coveting

Oh, Oscar. Why must you do this to me?

Oscar de la Renta Fall 2010 RTW

Cobalt