You might recognise this girl: it's Hedvig, my beautiful friend. I didn't take this shot: wasn't there. It was at Norwegian Constitution Day, 17th May, and her equally gorgeous sister, had flown into London. They invited me to a celebration south of the Thames. I wish I could have gone.
Today is a Bank Holiday Monday in Britain, and I don't have a clue what today is for. Does anyone? Can't figure it out. No one seems to want to say: perhaps it's a secret. If you'd like a hilariously confusing explanation, try this.
Back home, in the States, today is Memorial Day, which feels always quite sacred. Warm childhood memories: BBQs, the pools opening.. summer officially begins today. Some of my family at my parents' beach home now, and they've visited my father's grave, at a beautiful, vast Veteran's Memorial Cemetery nearby.
Today is the day we honour the brave men and women who protected our home land, so we could be free.
Hedvig is wearing my Ray Bans, and - I know this because she showed me the dress when she bought it - dress by H&M. They have won my recent sidebar poll by a landslide (43% to Topshop's 29% and Zara's 27%). I was surprised, as when I started street shooting last spring, it seemed everything everyone wore was Topshop. Lately, it's H&M. (Speaking of Zara, what do we think about the whole Le Blog de Betty Zaragate Scandal?)
I have my theories for the shift, but I'm curious: have you noticed that, too? Is H&M the high street brand that's captured your imagination lately? If so, why? Anyone know what H&M stands for? Perhaps it's hearts and minds. What's that saying? 'If you get their hearts, their minds will follow?' Or is it the other way round?
. . . . . .
p.s. Thank you these comments are so helpful! Please check if you have a moment, someone kindly explained the story behind H&M.. it is such a treat to come home and see this.
Oh, Jackie, it's funny, Hedvig mentioned it, too:
"y cardigan is last year from H&M, I think I used it almost every day last summer, it's silk and fantastic quality, bag from Chanel, my best investment ever I think?
The shoes are from Chloe, only used twice, I digged them out of my wardrobe, bought them like 3-4 years ago but they felt so quickly out of date with that chunky heel. You know the day we all went to Yautcha, Jackie was wearing similar heels from Chloe and I was inspired to dig out my own, had forgotten I had them and now I'm thrilled, it's just like as if I just got a new pair of Chloe heels, haha."
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18 comments:
I love her dress! I wasn't too keen on H&M for a while but now I'm really into it again! I've got alot of my summer wardrobe from there.
http://observationsthroughthelookingglass.blogspot.com/
I feel the same way, suddenly this season I'm drawn to it, like a moth to a flame: but I don't know why!! It's weird.
haha, jill you crack me up. i love this post and definitely wish i was hanging out in america with family on this memorial day weekend. at least i'll get to spend july 4th in sweden bbqing with friends and swimming in the lake... that is seriously something to look forward to.
h&m stands for Hennes & Mauritz - it's Swedish. is it names maybe? i'm not too sure. i think topshop has gotten a bit pricey... i'm not willing to spend 60quid for a dress from topshop. it just seems wrong. or a top for 45? that just seems to much to me if it's from topshop.... and the thing is it's not that cheap anymore. i think that's part of what's caused it to loose it's appeal (for me at least)... and you know, these things tend to ebb and flow... h&m (and for me zara at the moment) is just jiving with people. their garden collection & fashion against aids initiatives just seemed spot on too... fashion and mood wise. ok ok, back to work.... oh, and was thinking post exam cupcake on thursday maybe? hedvig said she wanted to meet up. i might be a zombie, but might be nice anyway?
xx
The Zara scandal is "scandaleux" as they would say in France, but then again it is not like they are going to loose customers over it (sadly).
Talking of H&M I found the other day a picture of the first ever H&M shop, and oh boy have they comme a long way from the first tiny tiny Hennez & Moritz :)
I am also finding loads of people wearing H&M at the moment, such great stuff at bargain prices.
You can translate Hennes & Mauritz to "Hers and Mauritz'". When they opened (in the sixties I think, my mum once told me she used to buy H&M by mail order when she was in her teens and her twenties) they were probably called just Mauritz (after the owner?) and only sold mens wear. When they started to do womens wear as well they added Hennes to the name. In Norway we acctually just call it Hennes, but in Sweden they call it HM. Weird...
In Romania we don't have H&M or Topshop so I'm a big fan of H&M! For me it was always the best brand that I can afford! Great clothing and versatile. And the new collection from H&M is amazing!
Love it!
- Adele
MOLTOCURIOSA.COM ♥
Aha, she resurrected her chloe shoes. We had a conversation after she saw mine, about her being put off by their chunky heel and decided that she would bring em' back sometime.
She look great.
xx
Happy Mamorial Day Dot!!! :)
I love this post!!! Quite informational actually!
Oddly, today isn't a bank holiday in the BVI. Maybe it's a newer one and Government hasn't gotten the message yet. Because the BVI recognizes UK, as well as their own, bank holidays...which makes employees happy, but leaves business owners and vacationers frustrated ("What, another public holiday??") Most of them, we have no idea what they are or what they mean. St. Ursula's Day remains a mystery.
As for H&M, I haven't a clue. I've still never even seen one of their stores.
Helvid is so pretty!
What a great dress! :)
The bank holiday used to be to celebrate whit-sunday (or white sunday) i.e. when the holy spirit went into the disciples and they then had the courage to go out and preach to the people.
Knew the catholic education was good for something :)
and H&M all the way, cost is definatly part of it! Plus Jane Shepherdson leaving brought topshop down.
she's a stunner!
These comments are amazing! I am learning so much from this post. I'm going to put some of this back into the post.. no, that would take too long.. hmm. Well hopefully people read the comments.
Thank you all!!!!! xo
Thank you for once again for including me in your post Jill, waving my flag proudly in the wind and close to my heart. Today is your day to celebrate, happy Memorial Day everyone!
When it comes to H&M versus Topshop, for me there's no doubt, I agree with Jen, Topshop is overpriced for what you get, though from time to time they shine a little, and I always fine gorgeous shoes there, H&M is not there yet but a little bird told me that the shoes for autumn collection's gonna be amazing....xx
I actually used to work for H&M and just did a report, and a presentation on the business for Uni. They are a swedish comapny, and in terms of their sales, england is like a drop in the ocean, they actually make most of their revenue in Sweden, and other european countries. H&M started up COS to create a higher standard and price bracket to break in to the middle market
and in terms of global domination they are second in the world behind indetix, who own Zara, and massimo dutti.
some interesting back grounds here,
from a boys perspective(well mine) zara mens is really poor on a whole and topman's main collection is aimed at a younger audience(i'm 24) than topshops. topmans core customer is 17-23 whiles topshops is crazy at like 17-45. h and m is a nice middle ground i think, for boys the trend collections is great but their regular stuff isn't amazingly made.
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