20.6.10

the sum of the parts



During the time I took these shots last Thursday, on Oxford Street, I was on the phone with the Crusader. (More about that later, it was indeed a Crazy Day). This sweet girl was looking lost (I normally ask people if they need help with directions: it's such an easy way of doing my one good deed for the day, get it off my plate early on, then I can slack off in the Good Deed dept.)

I know it's my blog and theoretically I can post whatever I like and call it stylish - I mean, what is style anyway? It's so subjective. But I really need to get over my prejudice against the red, white and black combination. (I'm pretty sure I know where that prejudice comes from, or at least, when it started: my best friend growing up, who lived across the street, had this whole extension of the house as her bedroom as teens, and she made it all red and black. It was so.. goth).

Besides mix white into the red, and you've got ballet pink, and thus one of my favourite combinations: ballet pink with black and white. Especially if the white is cream. OR, hot pink with black and cream: yummy. And I love it if it's a sorbet, a warm, tomatoey-orangey ish tone, which this red was veering towards. It's just plain old black white and red: it's not for me. And yet, I like it on this woman.




It's such a mix mash of elements, anyway: that fabulous skirt seemingly made of a thousand cherry blossoms.. I don't think this was intentionally a matchy-matchy top to toe red white and black PLAN. My theory is that this girl was perhaps on holiday, and the day started out possibly hot, possibly not, and she needed a series of layers. At the moment I snapped these, it was suddenly getting almost too hot. And I was too close to get the whole girl in one shot, while talking on the phone, so I just kind of aimed and shot.



But I think this is a perfect example of a bunch of seemingly unrelated elements somehow coming together and working, in a way that might not work on someone else. All because - in my opinion - she seems to have more on her mind than just how she looks. That's what constantly amazes me about the women - and men, too - who blog about fashion. Get us together and after we've compared nail varnish colour and admired each others' shoes, the things we talk about are so beyond fashion. The sum of the parts is always greater than the individual parts. Or something like that.

12 comments:

styleeast said...

I love this. I think it's her skirt that makes the outfit, it's gorgeous and quite a contrast with the solid upper layers, it doesn't look planned. But what I love most about this post (and them all) is how your photos inspire a whole chain of thought and somehow end up as an affirmation of all that is good with blogging, people, the world! Utterly charming x

Anonymous said...

wow, what a beautiful skirt and style all over! love the color combo!

the style crusader said...

jill these shots are so beautiful. i love how you've put them together. did you even talk to her? most shots taken of people when the photographer hasn't asked come out really bad... blurry, chaotic, and really unappealing. but these are so beautiful. her skirt is incredible! or is it a dress? really stunning and so unique. i agree with you about the whole black, red, and white combo... sometimes it can just be really harsh and tacky. but her skirt isn' white-white so i think it works... it's a bit softer. lovely post! xx

jill said...

Hey Jenny Jen! No, I didn't talk to her because I shot the whole thing while you & I were on the phone, when you were on the bus and you couldn't get to Marble Arch (hence the first sentence in this post ; )

You've inspired me to do a post on Father's Day, by the way! I love your post.

Some Style, styleeast, thank you!! It's such a relief to know you get it. A friend once said she had never seen anything like it. Most people, when they get onto their 2nd or 3rd tangent, can't find their way back, but I'd talk and go onto a 5th or 6th tangent and, provided I was given enough slack, could usually find my way back.

Love Food said...

That dress is absolutely incredible. I think she makes the colours look very feminine and not 'goth'.
Great shots!

Lydia xxx

http://allthingsnicestyle.blogspot.com/

adrielleroyale said...

I like her purse, it's so sleek and fresh looking along with the rest of her outfit. I like the color combo too. :)

Carrott said...

You are a genius. It's amazing how you could take this pictures while on the phone. And I think just like Styleeast about the way you put your pictures and tell a story. It's just so beautiful. And I know I say this too much but that's why I love this blog, you always tell 'something else' in each post.

Cecylia said...

What great outfit! LOVE the skirt

EML said...

that skirt is so amazing and she looks so chic.
I usually don't like the black/white/red contrast. it seems so matchy- matchy (if contrasts can be matchy...ah whatever, you get it, right?) But her combination looks really good. and so do her glasses.

I wish I was in London now. Brick lane first and then go to covent garden (ben's cookies = eternal love). and just sit around and look at stylish people.

Susan said...

love the style so much!
xoxo

Being Bohemian said...

Love the photos, and the post is right on. It would seem that the combination wouldn't work, but it certainly does for her. She definitely has her own personal style.... love it

WeShop said...

That pale pink skirt is DIVINE! Love it. xx
http://www.weshopthereforeweare.co.uk/