a cinderella story

Home with a cold, looking for something else, stumbled on this shot- a blast from the past. When I first started my 'street style' blog, before everyone and their cousin was shooting street style (hence me backing off - creativity DEMANDS change, all mediums stagnate if you keep churning it out), one of my earliest photos: shot with my dad's Pentax, when I'd only allow myself one or two shots. I had been in Hyde Park with a friend, walking her dog, when we met Imogen Excell: totally surreal, looking almost like a black and white cutout on such a vivid early spring day.

I remember chatting for a bit: Imogen was such a delight, we just became instantly friendly. She said when she was done with Uni she wanted to move, with her boyfriend, to London, and to work for a great vintage shop called ROKIT. We stayed in touch - became friends in the various social network ways that you do - and guess what? She's not only working with Rokit now, but, she's become their Digital Community Manager.

She's always a delight to communicate with, easy and breezy. We keep meaning to meet but we're both so busy - but, for example, she helped arrange when I had to choose my favourite London shop for a shoot for what I was told was China's largest upscale fashion magazine - their Vogue - and I chose Rokit.

And here's the freak part: she had happened to send me an invite to their Christmas party, and said if I wanted to mention to you guys, til 20th December, if you go online, and use the unique code RSSLONDON2,you'll get 15% off. And I'm only mentioning this because a)I happen to be home, like I said, with this stupid cold, missing everything I wanted to do, b)it was just a freak coincidence that I stumbled on her shot and put two and two together, and c), I've been trying to do a much more complicated post but can't wrap my thick head around it. So this is the easy way out.

Now if only to think of a title for this post. My head is so thick - hence this post being so LONG - and I've tried and dismissed 'Imogen Rocks It', 'Rokit Imogen', 'blast from the past' and half a dozen others that were even MORE naff, but really, it's a Cinderella story - kind of rags to vintage riches. And besides, I love when people get to do what they dream of doing. I love a happily ever after story.

Oh and if you want in on the party invite, email me and I'll see what I can do. And now that I think of it: I must meet up with her soon, and shoot an update. I'd love to see what she wears to work, on a daily basis: she's got such great style, don't you think?

small world

Rain: cold. Trying to nip a bug in the bud, and I went out (more about that later) only to turn around, with take away Wasabi noodle soup, while watching the One Show. And who should be on it but Chris Martin and the guys from Cold Play, talking about KIDS COMPANY and how impressed they are with them, and Camila B, and the work they're doing, and asked how they could help. And as a result, they're playing at the O2 Arena, along with Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan, etc.

OR, I've got a cheaper way to give to the Kids Company ('kids today'). Put the weekend of 10/11 December in your diary: go to Oxford/Regent Street for the West End VIP weekend: they're closing off the traffic, it's going to be absolutely MAGICAL: old fashioned Christmas, with carollers and revellers and by shopping you're donating, provided you use your Amex card.

American Express will give double rewards to cardmembers and £1 to Kids Company every time an American Express Card is used in the West End over the weekend [American Express will donate up to a maximum of £50,000 to Kids Company. Only UK Cardmembers are eligible for double rewards. For full details and terms and conditions visit westendlondon.com.]

This art, btw, is by me, adapted by a shot I took on Monday of Camila Batmanghelidjh's feet. And for your viewing pleasure, a clip from the 1964 NY World's Fair. I hope you're not taking LSD while watching this, or it will freak you right out. But I WAS THERE, and it brings me happy memories of my childhood - privileged in more ways than simply financially. Which is all the more reason why I am so blown away by what Kids Company are doing.

madi can you fetch daddy's slippers

Like with the Cutey bracelets recently, this is the other post that SHAME ON ME for not doing sooner: a lovely young woman named Ella asked if I wanted to review a pair of a new line of slippers - 'home boots' - called KUSKUS. I chose these green pair. She sent them to me - a gift, and I've been happily wearing them ever since, but did I respond in kind by telling you guys about it? NO. Why? Because I am a lazy old cow.

But I love them. They are loverly. They're not all fuzzy inside - some styles are, these aren't - but that's okay, because sometimes I wear soft socks inside. It's better, actually, because this way, they won't get all.. foot stinky. They're comfortable, they're fun, and more importantly, they remind me of Peter Pan. When I wear them, I kind of skip around the house, singing. They're my Happy Slippers.

Can't embed it, but I love this one: 'Madi, can you get daddy's slippers?'

And further to the My Fair Lady theme (leap of synapse, I know): while trying to find a clip of Rex Harrison telling Eliza to fetch his slippers, I found this: someone took the time to dub Audrey Hepburn being dubbed by Marni Hendricks, with the Julie Andrews version. Like life imitation art, this is life dubbing life dubbing life. Or something like that.





KUSKUS: slipper boots, made for home, but with leather soles so you can run outside, if you'd like. Approx. £30. Rather fetching, don't you agree?