don't shoot me, i'm only the photographer (it's so zen)

Okay, so far, not doing so well with my contest to come up with a faux phrase to set loose in the blogosphere, altho I do like Sid's new colour name: electric shock therapy blue. Instead, I've been accused of falsifying the truth, and giving myself airs. Someone who goes by the name Anonymous has accused me of NOT coining the phrase Underwear as Outerwear, on the basis that he or she has 'heard that expression countless of times and honestly doubt you had the slightest influence on it.'

It stung a bit, to wake & get a not so nice message, but as Mr. Dot pointed out, it's an occupational hazard and I should basically pull my socks up. And it's not like I'm posting shots of myself every day, which I personally feel is far braver, and opens oneself to all sorts of scrutiny, insults, and worse. In fact, to show just how brave I can be: here I am. Rip me to shreds, girls!



Just to set the record straight: I'm not claiming to have started that underwear as outerwear trend. I'm just the messenger here. I simply happened to notice, since starting this blog last spring, that some cool looks were springing out of exposing one's undergarments to the elements. I could have sworn that phrase 'underwear as outerwear' came out of my little old head, as I don't recall seeing it elsewhere. If anyone can show me an example of it having been written prior to my first post, go ahead: make my day!

It's not like I get royalties each times it's used.



Anyway: this is Diandre (top shot), a lovely woman from Korea who lives in London and shoots for a private Korean subscription only blog. She was going round shooting people @ fashion week, and at the same time, people were shooting her cause she's so stylish & gorgeous. Self included. And she asked to shoot me. But I can't see the shots she took, as they're on the private Korean site (if at all).



I contorted my feet for the shot to show off my lovely handmade tights, by Jun the sleek geek, who was one of my early blog friends (she hasn't posted since August, I don't know why: she's young, and perhaps school and life took over). She had custom made these tights & posted them in the most wonderful packaging, and I was saving them for a special occasion, but wore them this day to LFW. Alas, when I went to hand wash them that night, I discovered she had drawn my name in Chinese in non-indelible ink, and they ran like tears down the drain. I've saved them, and cherish Diandre's shots, as this is all that's left of their once perfectness. It's so Zen.

Oh, credit where credit is due:
sequin motorcycle jacket: Topshop. black skirt: model's own. tee: the Gap. pompom ballet flats: Topshop
handmade chinese calligraphy tights: jun, the sleek geek

on friendship, ice cream, topshop, leopard prints, and jacket envy

Liz and her friend Annalisa, in Primrose Hill, eating ice cream on a sunny Sunday.

The pattern on Liz's leopardesque print top looks like it's part of Barbara Hulanicki's fabulous line @ Topshop, but today when I was in the shop on Ken High Street, all I saw was it as a skirt (shown here). Annalisa's footless tights might be Topshop, too. There's an interesting spin on the theme, with roses at the online shop.

Speaking of Topshop, I've seen such a beautiful, feminine spin on the motorcycle jacket, first on Stephanie's great blog, Style Odyssey, and a few other places, and today, on Karla from her closet. Which led me to thinking of all the generous spirited women out there, supporting me and welcoming me into this blog alternative universe, and all the new friendships that have been forming - some, with people in foreign lands that I haven't met (yet), and real friendships formed simply through streetshooting. 

Yet something else is stirring in me which I hadn't noticed before I started this blog, and it's not pretty: I'm feeling envy. Jacket envy. I want that jacket! I can see so many ways I'd wear it. With neutrals and white cigarette jeans, like Karla, or over floaty nude and pink dresses.. I've noticed on blogs that people will say 'I'm jealous of your shoes' and I'd think, hang on! You're a person! How can you be jealous of a pair of shoes? But now I've got Jacket Envy, and I've got it bad, and it's not funny anymore.

p.s. later that day... SORRY ITEM OUT OF STOCK
Yes, that's what it says. It still hasn't sunk in, but it sounds like, I'm screwed. You snooze, you loose, it's so true. It took me a while to find this because when I googled 'Topshop, motorcycle jacket, sequins', my own blog came up 2nd, but I finally found it: and it's out of stock! Which means.. how does this work exactly, Jacket Envy? Do I now resent anyone who has the jacket? DOES THAT INCLUDE KARLA, who's just been so nice to me, a total stranger? I'm new to this fashion envy concept. Well, thank god for eBay. What goes around, comes around, I always say.