herve's angels

This is Rachel, trying on Jourdan Dunn's Herve Leger asymmetrical dress that she donated to Topshop's recent Dress Me Up charity event. She had stopped in with her lovely friend Amanda (Rachel works 'in the air' - air travel - which is fitting, given her wings in this shot, from a feather cape on a coat stand.)

One shoulder dresses are all the rage on & off the catwalk, it seems. I'm not excited about them all - to me, it depends on the dress - but something about these colours.. I'm just such a Herve girl!



We had been talking about body image, and the recent thing with the Kate Moss quote. While I know I'm not fat, still, had to tell them the story of how the first time I came to the Dress Me Up thing to shoot, the Topshop girls had said why don't I try something on? I chose the teeniest tiniest frock of them all (i.e. this dress). I mean, what was I thinking, trying to squeeze myself into a dress worn by the 2008 model of the year?



I was in the dressing room with Denise outside offering to help, while I was inside trying to zip the thing up, scared I'd rip it. As I zipped up, the dress was somehow squeezing my flesh up. So basically, under my arm pit was hanging this Alien like creature that had previously been my torso. It scared the shit out of me and I just did this quick self portrait, semi zipped. Besides, I was swearing with fear & afraid I was going to stink up the dress. Not that I've got a bad self image, but my arms look huge to me, what was once my B cup breasts are gone, and my stomach is now sticking out more than my butt. Now, in hindsight, I regret not zipping it all the way up, as apparently, once it's on, all those problems magically go away. But I was too freaked out at the time.



HOWEVER, I do love how this fits Rachel. It's funny how at first, she was all self critical, too, about the parts she thinks are all wrong, but after a while, she started to have fun. That's the thing about wearing a real Herve Leger: at first, it's a shock, it's scary, but then, you start to think: hey, I'm not all that bad, after all.

nini's friend natasha's theory of recession fashionista economics

Mr. Dot is getting antsy.

He wants to go to the Tate Modern (my husband has recently decided to become a conceptual artist and damn, he's good. And I'm pleased as punch because I always thought I'd end up marrying an artist). And loathe as I am to knock Mystery Girl down a post position, that is the nature of a blog, and I want to get these Shopping Tips to you because it's 11 a.m., Greenwich Mean Time, which Means that those of you in the greater London metropolitan area might be waking up, lounging around drinking your coffee & considering what you'll do today.

I have two seemingly opposite, but connected suggestions.



First: head to Topshop, Oxford Circus, lower ground floor, for the last day of the Dress Me Up charity event. I've talked this to death, if you're new to my blog, the links are on the top of my sidebar ('spotlight on'). This is Patricia, one of the delightful coordinators of the event, who you'll probably see there, in Kate Moss's Lanvin dress & Topshop booties.



Second option: in Camden Lock, in the outside part in a spot called Middle Lane (it's tricky: it's not on google map, but if you go to the market, you'll find it) is a wonderful small stall run by a guy named Derek, I believe. I wanted to photograph him as well as his clothes, but he said 'You don't need a photo of me'.




He's lovely. And his clothes are inspired, original, and... well, you just have to see them. I've seen something similar in Spitalfields Market, but each of these is one of a kind and really considering the original garment. It's like seeing a Couture collection, crammed into a little outdoor stall. These are bespoke garments, hand tailored, made with respect and whimsy from quality men's clothing. For women. And at prices ranging from £40 to £55, tops, he's practically giving it away for free.

He doesn't have a website yet, just an email address: bohema@london.com, and a simple paper tag that says 'Bohema: reuse recycle'. And, because everything is connected, he reminds me of a Joni Mitchell song (just click below) and uncannily, the wonderful Photodiarist just posted something on this very idea: one image, and far less words.



I was up all night thinking about things I've read recently on Nini's blog, on recession fashionista economics, and on Jordan's ('throwaway fashion: trends into trash?'. And it's true what he said: expensive designer clothes ARE better in every way, and as I've known from the few items I've owned, or from even trying them on - as you can do today @ Topshop, and even wear one to a party - there is something indescribable about wearing designer goods, like this Herve Leger dress donated by Jourdan Dunn. Granted, a few steps from the Dress Me Up dressing room, Topshop are selling a similar concept at very affordable prices, but without Leger conceiving the idea, where would the cheaper imitations come from?



Which is why we MUST keep our designers alive. Luella's plight is a wake up call, and now Christian Lacroix.. but we all need to re-think the way we consume and discard.

Which is why I'm lumping these two posts together: because each fashion option is embracing the idea of valuing that which already exists. If that makes any sense. It's all about being wabi sabi. Which I shall talk about, I promise, another time. Mr. Dot is getting antsy, and it's time to go see some art.

dress me up in versace

The more I post on street style shots - and let's face it, that IS what this blog is mainly about - the more I'm pushing the Topshop Dress Me Up event down the queue. So please click here (or scroll down) to see the original post, and spread the word. And of course: if you click here you can read all about it on Topshop's site, and see each dress & who donated it.



Top, yellow Versace dress, donated by America Ferrara, and below, some more decorations from the Dress Me Up thing, which really is just a small little world of its own, within the giant store, set up like a fantasy dressing room from the theatre. A little bit of warm yellowy sunshine, between two posts of grey. There will be more posts on this event over the next few days (you can try on, and book, til 6th December, on the lower ground floor of the Topshop Oxford Circus branch). I did promise you the shots of me squeezing myself into Jourdan Dunn's gorgeous asymmetrical Herve Leger number, and I'm nothing if not a woman of my word.

you can dress me up, but can you take me out

Actually... yes!

Topshop are doing something that I think is just so inspiring an idea, that I contacted them and asked if I could come shoot it. And, bless their cotton socks, they let me. Yesterday morning, in advance of the public, how cool is that.







The campaign is called DRESS ME UP, and it's for charity. Two, in fact: Help the Aged, and Age Concern. And considering some of my best friends are in their 70s, 80s, even 90s, and considering I'm not getting any younger myself, this is a cause close to my heart.



The idea is: some of the most stylish celebrities & style icons on the planet - Kate Moss, obviously, but also Olivia Palermo, Dita Von Teese, Scarlett Johanson, Peaches Geldorf, Nicola Roberts (with a bespoke dress from the Girls' Aloud tour, shown above & below), are all donating their gorgeous party dresses for the charities Help the Aged, and Age Concern. And, for just £40, you can wear THEIR dresses to your party, from 7th til 23rd December.




On the lower ground floor of Topshop's flagship Oxford Circus store, they've set up the most brilliant fantasy 'backstage dressing room' - just ONE girl can try on at a time - and then bookers will book you in for 48 hours. (In between, the dress will be dry cleaned, and the next girl gets to wear it). Isn't it the most lovely idea? I'm getting teary just typing this! Then, in January, the dresses will be auctioned off, so you'll get a chance to keep it.




Anyway, the longer I take to put this post together, the less your chance is of getting the dress you want for the dates you want, as I gather I'm not the only source reporting this, and word is already out. So I'll just get these shots up & try not to be precious about my favourite dress or shot - as I can always post more!




This is Zoe, Topshop's own vivacious blogger, trying on Alison Goldfrapp's custom made dress for a tour.



And these are Zoe's cool shoes ; )

This was such a fun experience for me, and the lovely young woman I met (Denise, seen in the mirror, below) is so nice, that I"m planning to come back Monday and see her again and shoot some of the public trying things on, so maybe I'll find you & shoot you.



But in the meantime, please don't wait on my account, as I'd hate to see you miss out on the dress you want on the night you want. I mean: can you imagine chatting up that guy in Sales you've always wanted to, in the same dress that, say, Kate wore the night she met Jamie? I do believe that clothes have an energy - we all have our 'lucky' pulling dress (& I"d love to hear what YOURS is).




Better get this up before it's too late. And soon as I do, I'm calling Barbara, who's 96, and then Dennis, and Major Bobby.. and Doreen, who I shall post about very soon. And in the next installment, I promise to shot dressing room shots of me trying to squeeze myself into a size minus 2 Herve Leger number that belongs to a certain supermodel! Not a pretty sight, I assure you.

DRESS ME UP is only at the Topshop flagship Oxford Circus location, on the LOWER GROUND FLOOR. It started yesterday at 1:00 and will run til 6th December. Check with the store for opening hours. It's hard to describe how adorable this little 'dressing room' is, but I'll be posting more shots to give you an idea.

For further info, go to Dress Me Up: Topshop.

local colour: girl in the cafe

In Camden: a girl in a cafe with a pink knitted cap, and a self portrait in my chocolate brown faux fur jacket from a great charity shop on Portobello Road. Now running out the door to Topshop for a great event to help the aged (some of my best friends are aged, and I'm fast heading in that direction!). It runs from today til the 6th December, in the flagship Oxford Circus Topshop store: it's called DRESS ME UP & when I get back, I'll explain all about it, girls!