10.7.11

the girl in the yellow skirt



I don't know what caught my eye first, that day: the composition of the chair and the dance it made with its own shadow, or the girl in the yellow skirt, reading a book.



Probably the girl: it was an absolutely glorious day, coming out into the sunshine after the utterly spiritual experience (unexpected - it really was a last minute plan) of seeing the V&A's Fashion in Motion catwalk show, by Yohji Yamamoto. The thing for me about seeing any great art form: a transformational film, (like Terance Malack's Tree of Life, which we saw yesterday), or an art exhibit at a museum.. or, a good catwalk show, is how it makes everything after that experience feel like art. It changes the way I SEE.

A girl in a yellow skirt, for example, can become a sculpture. Sitting by a wall in a shaft of yellow sunlight.




Actually, come to think of it, she was actually the second girl in a yellow skirt I saw that afternoon. (And yes - whoever asked is that actually a plastic inflatable skirt, I believe you're right!)



I love how many overlapping stories can happen in once place. This family, coming out of the cafe, for example: there's a whole other story in that, I bet. Which keeps bringing me back to the dream like film: has anyone else seen Tree of Life yet? Did it move you as much as it did us?



The thing that struck me about this girl was how absorbed she was in her book: how oblivious to all that was going on in the huge open courtyard with the pool and fountain at the V&A. (This was the same time I shot the girl in the lace shorts - who is NIA, by the way: more about her, coming up), or the previous post, the girl in the straw hat. Even the guy next to her, who didn't seem to know her, was aware I was shooting, but she never looked up. Not once.

I guess I'll never know, but now I'm really curious: I wonder what book she was reading. What do you think? Actually.. while I'm at it, I need a new book. Any suggestions? The film of my favourite book is coming out soon, by the way: One Day, by David Nicholl.

11 comments:

Daisy said...

These are lovely shots.. she does look very into her book and so casually dressed.. it is quite perfect !

slowdownapproaching30 said...

There really isn't anything better than being totally engrossed in a good book! I actually bought One Day today...as I love to read the book before I see the movie, as it's rare that the movie is ever as good as the book!

style odyssey said...

brilliant post, and lovely girl reading.
it's been a while since i was so absorbed in a book. time to get back to it. there's a stack of books on my dresser waiting to be read.
and that was me who asked whether the yamamoto skirt was inflatable. i saw an air hole and figured it had to hold air. :)
xo

jill said...

I thought it was you, Stephanie! So much so that I almost just said 'Stephanie said..' Lisa (SlowDown) just sent you a long email, are you on a blog break? And Daisy: thank you for stopping by, and commenting.

nighty night all! xox

daisychain said...

Oh her skirt is perfect with that pink tee. A summer sorbet. x

CoryB said...

for summer i'd suggest to read 'freedom' by jonathan franzen. it's huge. and epic.

CoryB xx

http://corydeathoffashion.blogspot.com/

StyleSpy said...

Great summer reading, hilarious AND informative: The Wordy Pilgrims by Sarah Vowell. Also, I just read David McCullough's newest, The Greater Journey, and it was lovely.

Fashion Limbo said...

She looks a bit like Sofia Coppola to me :P
Great book to read: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, a novel by Marina Lewycka. Extremely funny and beautiful at the same time.

Duck said...

Nevermind the girl in the yellow skirt, who's the cute guy in glasses next to her? Got my feathers all a-flutter!

Wish I could make it to the Fashion In Motion events, they always seem to be when I'm otherwise engaged :-(

xx
Duck

jill said...

Ha, Duck, so you go for the brainy bookish type huh? This was my first FiM event - it was a last minute thing - but I hope to go to more, too. Engaged, or otherwise! ; ) xx

Limbo: thanks for the tip. I don't know it, but I LOVE the title. Funny - she does have that air of total confidence that Sophia Coppola seems to possess.

Clazzerati said...

Love these pictures, and, as you say, how totally oblivious she is to you and her surroundings. It's not often something can make me completely switch off from the world, lucky girl! x