all things must pass

Today was the most extraordinary day.



First: I've been singing this song in my head all day - All Things Must Pass - ever since I saw the Martin Scorcese documentary on the BBC last night, part one, and tonight I will watch part two. George Harrison.. what can I say. He is such a part of my childhood - when my sister wanted to play Beatles with us, as kids (the way you played Beatles was, you pretended you were their girlfriends, with Barbie Dolls). My sister always wanted to be George's girlfriend, and I was thinking how much, as George got older, he started to look like her husband today.

And then, when my brother was still just a teenager, and a young man, he used to play piano duets with George Harrison, at a mutual friend's annual Thanksgiving party.. when he would tell me about it, like it was so normal, I wanted to say 'but you were just a baby - you weren't even born - and then, you KNEW him..'

And then, today was Remembrance Sunday.



I had my camera, and I have a very different post, of photos that I took during the ceremony. But then, before we went to the Gerhard Richter show at the Tate Modern - which I can't wait to go back to, and which has transformed how I am seeing right now, and inspired me to want to make giant paintings from my photographs - and, as we turned off Kensington High Street, where we had been part of the ceremony, we came upon a church, in a square. 'Can you smell the incense?' my husband whispered, as we passed, and I was taken by the light.

By a raybeam of light, on the church.



But he was looking inside. Quietly, he signalled me over, because this was sacred. 'It's like a painting,' he said. And I took this photo.



'No, I meant here.' And we stood together, bearing witness.



And then.. and then, that's when the magic happened. The tricks of the light.



I was captivated, shooting, thinking of the sacredness of it all - life - how we had just honoured the brave men and women who had fought in wars so that we could be here today, and all the people we had loved and who we have lost, but we haven't lost them, because they are with us, in our hearts.



And that's when I turned the corner, and maybe it's because of the atmospheric conditions, and how we had such a warm fall, but - miraculously - there were roses. Growing towards the light.




My father used to remind me, when I was dwelling on something or other, that it was important to never be too busy that you didn't have time to stop, and smell the flowers. And my mother always said to me, as her mother said to her: 'You never know what tomorrow will bring,' (so be present), and 'To thine own self, be true.'



And as I stood there and inhaled the most beautiful scent of these roses, I realised that I'd never see these particular flowers again. The next time I passed this church, they would be gone. All I had - all they had - was this moment, this gift.



That's all I meant to say.

sequential: contextual

The lovely Flora, as before, being pretty in pink in a one off, original pink prom dress - made ethically, in Africa, from reclaimed Sixties chiffon. Old/new, borrowed, not blue.

Contextual, because - my theme of the day - I'm fascinated with the idea of taking something out of context. For example, these thick wool black gloves. On a snowy winters day, with boots and sleds and thick jumpers, is one thing. On Flora, in this context, it's another.

Boots are from Topshop, and you can buy this dress - but only one of you - for just under 25 quid, from the Vagabond Van on ASOS marketplace.

Lovely Saturday, all! What are you up to this weekend? xoxo

blue jeans, baby

Music to accompany this post, for your listening pleasure:





Got the volume up? Good. Okay, here's my problem, perhaps you could help.

Last summer, Jodie, of the blog 'it's rude to stare', who I've become friends with, contacted me while on holiday, to ask if I wanted to try out the RAW DENIM BAR concierge experience. She was working there for the summer. Once she went back to Uni, I started talking with Natascha about trying it out. It's a brilliant concept: you take a few minute to fill out a really fun questionaire, and based on that, they send you five pair of jeans, in what their stylists feel is best for you. You can tell them what you like, but also decide how much you want to let them choose for you, too.

Now, I'm someone who a)is pretty indecisive, b)is also, by contradiction, pretty stuck in my ways, stylistically, and c)never really got it about expensive jeans.



I mean, the last pair of jeans I bought was from Uniqlo, for £9.90! And before that, I was pretty much living in Gap skinnies. But the Raw Denim Bar focus on more of the cool, mostly American brands - the ones the celebrities wear. They're not cheap. But MAN OH MAN OH MAN: when the six pair (they threw in an extra one, with a note, that they couldn't choose just five) arrived, in these beautifully packaged white boxes with denim-like tissue paper, and I've been trying them on, and trying to make plans to meet my various stylish modelly friends, and sometimes it would rain, or we'd have to change the dates, or dental emergencies, and then some of my model friends are actually bigger sizes than me (who knew??) and now, it's time to decide. And I can't!

I've pretty much narrowed it down to the HABITUAL ASCOT TROUSER in EVANTIDE, as shown on Flora, in the top shot. They are the most fabulous, Seventies Charlie Angels type jeans (more in the next post - I can't fit it all in one). I mean, look at the detail work:



BUT.. I also felt that, for my one pair, I should try this season's bright colour trend - and I don't do red (I told them that, they listened). But I do, do blue, and they sent me these:



But then again, I could live forever in the DENIM OF VIRTUE eloquence skinnies, which fit like a glove - I mean, they feel like lounging around in a five star hotel in cashmere tights - with little zippers on the bottom, to get in and out of easier.



And - oh GOD, I think these really are the softest, the most luxurious: the RICH AND SKINNY LEGACY IN SALT AND SEA. They sent me the medium blue, and that is me to a tee: simple. Soft. Comfortable. This was my first, obvious choice.



But then.. something really weird happened. And this is why I think this concept is so unusual, so perfect. You might shop online, yeah, but usually - because you don't want to get it wrong - you go for what you know, what is safe, familiar.

I mean, I'd never have gone for the WORK CUSTOM MAMBA, in WORKBLUE. I'd normally not think that's my style: it's too.. rock and roll. But here's what's happening: that's the ones I'm most drawn to! I even wore it to the shoot at Lucie's, on Sunday.

As a result of this process, I have a feeling that's the one my heart is drawn to the most: and it's the least likely one I'd have chosen.






Which kind of knocks the equally wonderful, kind of black and blue, RESIN CATALYST IN COBALT PHOENIX, clear out of the ballpark.





Call me old fashioned, but they just don't make lyrics like this anymore: 'Jesus freaks, out in the street, handing tickets out for God. Turning back, she just laughs. The boulevard is not that bad... looking on, she sings the songs. The words she knows, the tunes she hums.'

It's not just Elton John's musical genius: I love the creative collaboration with Bernie Taupin, who has been writing his lyrics for over 30 years. In separate parts of the world, they work together, and create something quite magical. I've been playing this song, in my head and on YOuTube, in all my weeks of blue jeans indecision.

So I appeal to you know: HELP ME, please. I can't decide. Which pair of jeans should I keep? Because while Natascha has been really patient so far, it's like WEEKS now, and it was originally going to be days, and enough is enough.



Thank you to the lovely, wonderful Natascha and the rest of the team at RAW DENIM BAR for the most wonderful concierge experience. I don't want it to end. I don't want to give them back. But it's time. Please help me, if anyone is out there, listening.

I can't decide. But I can only choose one, and it's time to let go.