bilo the monkey: so wrong yet so right

I'm assuming you're like me: most likely you're female (apart from Mat, of Buckets and Spades, but that's another story: he's a rare bird who's interested in fashion, among many other things, but also has a beautiful girlfriend: perhaps the world's only true metrosexual man). But also chances are, you're great at multi-tasking. So while fashion isn't by any means the only thing I'm interested in, I've realised that - having done my blog now for two years - that I've actually got an interesting anthropological body of work. I can actually chart trends.

For example: while going thru my archives to compile my study of my friend Natayla, as one of my style icons, I realised that on the same day I shot her in her Bilo the Monkey tee shirt - June 2010 - we also ran into Hayley, a teenager with great style who has also become a kind of muse on my blog (when I run into her: we're also facebook friends). She's also got great personal style. But what I realised was: on the same day, both chose to wear print tee shirts with bold animal print jackets over them. And in hindsight: that feels very spring 2010.

I mean: I've still seen animal prints, in interesting variations, for A/W 2011 - frankly, I'm amazed the trend has lasted this long.







Right now, as the Times Sunday Style accurately portrayed from the guests at the recent Royal Wedding, it feels like the jungle creatures have gone into hiding, and it's all about either a range of muted pastels: the 'nude' concept extended into the whole spectrum, from a creamy pale yellow to blue-grey tints to pinks, or when it's bright and bold, it's solid.

It's too soon to tell, but that's my observation at the moment. I'll be street shooting over the next few days & I don't like to generalise - no, that's a lie. I LOVE to generalise. But more to the point: I'm curious if you've noticed this, too.

Are animal prints an endangered species? Or have they just gone into hibernation?