11.10.11

in abundance, galore







The day I met Paulina, from Russia, I was just leaving the V&A. It feels like another lifetime ago, but it was just maybe two weeks - maybe less - during that glorious heat wave. One of those perfect, blissful, cinematic days, and I was alone so I could write. I had to plan to be alone. But I wasn't alone: I was just surrounded by all these happy beings. I want to show you what it was like, but I'll save that for another post.

This one is all about the girl in the white lace go go boots.



Just as I was leaving, at the entrance to the courtyard, I saw her boots first. They're white cotton stiff but soft looking crochet'd lace. The shape felt so iconically Sixties: Go Go boots. That's a shape and silhouette I haven't seen much of - it's almost like Uggs have temporarily ruined the shape for us - but it just looks so great with bare legs or, in winter, tights and short sixties shaped dresses.



Paulina told me she got them in China - Beijing - really cheap, and she doesn't know the brand. I've looked online and can't find them anywhere. We were both going in opposite directions and I didn't even ask where she got her dress, and I know most of you are thinking only in terms of jumpers, coats, warm layers, but right after this, I saw the Marc Jacobs/Louis Vuitton Paris show, or rather, I should say, when I was visiting my good friend Barbara Clapham, who is 98, and she told me about the 'all white show' I then looked it up. It so captured my imagination and is everything I"m obsessed with at the moment: I love that large scale lace motif, in interior design, in everything. It's probably my favourite show that I haven't seen.

What's yours?



I've just discovered, (thank you, wikipedia), that the term 'go-go boots' is derived from the French expression à gogo, meaning "in abundance, galore",[1] which is in turn derived from the ancient French word la gogue for "joy, happiness". Which brings this post, shot in London, of a girl from Russia, with boots from Beijing, full circle to Paris, where an American recently did a catwalk show. With an abundance of happiness, and joy.

And there's not more that you can say, really, can you?

9 comments:

Matthew Spade said...

in abundance galore, how funny is that! you don't see many of these really do you.

sorry it's taken me so long to reply, not excuses just bad manners. so sorry. anyways, lets plod on:

Re: architecture chap, it's a subject that i a really interested in. the majority of the public just look forward or down on their daily outings but i urge people to take a moment out of the busy routine and look up. the history is all around us, if you know where to look for it.

Re: holiday. it's really interesting that you like my photographs on more than one level, i mean i just take pics of what i like, what inspires me (or will hopefully may do in a future project) or just things that seems totally different to what i'm used to. i'm all for family photos and for me they go hand in hand with all the other crazy shiz that's out there. it's very flattering that you are comparing me to this lecturer/photographer. it would be really great if you could think of his name somewhere down the line. I would like to see what you meant. i wonder what it is that draws me too thinks like that though. attack on the senses i reckon, touch, smell and sight. works for me.

can't wait for my next holiday now, would love to do a road trip in america

Lauren said...

Nicely captured, but OMG, how does she keep them so clean?

The Styleseer
http://styleseer.blogspot.com

jill said...

That's what I was thinking (Lauren): they were SO white! I wonder if they're washable. Or if they're so cheap you can just buy them in bulk, like paper doilies.

Mat Buckets: thank you! It's driving me crazy, the professor and photographer's name. I've seen his work in museums here - the Tate, etc - and all I can think of is my (very cool) high school teacher, Mr. Link. It wasn't Mr. Link, but that's what's blocking my memory. I'm not giving up tho!

I am so working on my husband to consider a road trip across America. i last went, with my family, when I was 14. My dad was a professor and taught in workshops in California, I think, and Salt Lake City (where I was born). They bought this beautiful new camper (trailer - caravan to you guys) and we stayed in campsites all across America. I didn't want to go - I wanted to hang out with my friends and do a 'teen tour' like they were - but it was the best summer. Great memories.

Serea said...

Boots are so unique, but a little dificult to use in my Country, it rains a lot.
Love your photos!!

O D Y S S E Y said...

i don't know what to say about those boots, but paulina looks radiant in patterns and orange!

i commented back to your questions on my blog, here's what i wrote:
yes, i take all my own photos.
i did this post because i like this tea...
it's what the w hotel served my friends and me after spa treatments.

i really hope you get to do that road trip, J. it's been ages since we did one when it didn't involve a big move! so much to discover and see on cross-country road trips. :)

Style At Every Age said...

I can't imagine they would stay that white if I was wearing them! I love her outfit she looks so cute!

The Foolish Aesthete said...

Everything about her is à gogo. Love the circumnavigation of the globe in one joyous, Russian lady. xxx

cocktail dresses said...

The beautiful shoes are awesome...
But i wonder why they are not dirty.
how you can keep then so white while wearing them on road?

Jardzy said...

We had them boots high trend last year in Turkey. This year I looked to have them but no.