26.4.10

the complete is more than the sum of its pieces



I am typing this with my left hand in hot pink and my right hand in bright orange.

This is a colour combination I've been wearing since... oh at least 1998, when I first went to Spain. Once it gets warm, and my skin gets tan, chances are one of my feet will have pink toenails, and the other, orange.

These are my friends, Maria and Izzy. They are gorgeous girls, and really, really nice. And smart. And polite. And creative. And they just happened to be wearing pink and orange recently (yes, this is recently: the weather here is daft: daffs and snorkel coats, no wonder the British talk about the weather so much: it's just so freaking unpredictable). And don't even get me started on the Ash Cloud!

I do a bit of screenwriting from time to time, and that whole concept would never pass the first draft. I keep thinking 'how would I explain this to someone from another planet?' or, someone who just woke from a coma. I almost wish I could FIND someone who was in a coma all last week, just so I could tell them how a volcano in Iceland - that no one could see - could so majorly screw everything up.



I was also thinking about colour (I think about colour a lot) and how I love these colours together more than I like each colour separately. Like with yellow: I just like it more mixed with a lot of neutrals, and some pink.. I think of the colours at a bullfight: the brown of the bull, the unique ochre of the sand, the hot pinks and yellows and oranges of the picadors and matador.. and some black. Or, in this case, the unexpected twist of navy.



So, curious, I looked into that quote: the sum of the parts. ("The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.") Actually, it's a rough translation of the Greek, which is: "The complete is more than the sum of its pieces." Which is so wacky, I'm going to leave it there.

Thank you for coming here and visiting, for your lovely comments, for doing the most amazing thing and posting Emily's photo in the American Apparel riding pants.. I am just blown away by your support. I've just started a facebook club, please join it (sorry, LIKE it ; ) you've been dotted. I'm hoping it can become a more democratic way to see the amazing style icons round the world. Please contribute: your own images, or friends whose style you like.



Oh Izzy is moving home this week, so I'm posting this to make her smile. Thankfully, she's still based in London (they sound French but they're actually Bavarian/Hungarian: they're pretty global, those two). I love her spirit, not to mention, her style. And oh, did I mention? She's also a brilliant writer (brains + beauty ONCE AGAIN). Check out her blog: the Princess Diaries.

7 comments:

the style crusader said...

oh i absolutely adore this post for so many reasons. i love the orange and pink combo... i was wondering what had inspired your nail combination today! these photos really are so great. the girls have such simple but chic style. yes, love everything about the whole series of shots.. the colours, the flowers, the style, and your very generous and thoughtful spirit as conveyed through your appreciation of people spreading the word on the polka dot club. which, i also love! xx

Anonymous said...

You've really captured spring. Its an english spring, splashes of colour whilst still trying to stay warm. and the wonderful array of daffodils or buttercups I'm not sure which, letting you now summer will be here sson.

Anonymous said...

oh so adorable those two really! loving the bright pink nails as well! always glad to help out! hehe

wonderful community to have been so warmly invited in! thank YOU! ;)

Unknown said...

love your work - I've been a reader for a while but never commented. Keep it up! it is a joy to come home and read every night

Olivia Isabella. said...

Pink and orange is just such a summery combination! Especially in somewhere like Miami, not so much England... England summer reminds me more of bight green and blue...
http://unionolivia.blogspot.com/

jill said...

It's funny you said that, Olivia, it's generally true: people come back from mediterranean holidays, for example, and start doing up their homes like Villas and - big surprise - it just feels wrong in the light. (btw: anyone reading this, walk don't run to Olivia's and Some Style's blogs - and of course adorngirl and the stylecrusader, who you probably know already).

Alida, I didn't see a blog for you to reply to, so I'll reply here: thank you, for your support, and your first comment. I'm sure everyone who blogs knows this feeling: sometimes you think, it's a beautiful day, why am I inside working on this, does anyone care? To know you do, that you come home to read it every night.. now, if I feel lazy one day.. I'll know I have a commitment to you. I actually feel quite teary about this.

Okay, enough from me!!! (adorngirl: I think thought they were daffodils but you might be right: they may be buttercups. They were at the Gloucester Road entrance to Kensington Gardens: a sea of them!!)

Have a lovely day everyone, and thank you.

The Photodiarist said...

Great colors - Orange and Pink. And the photos are beautiful too.