Dr. Martens Love

I have been meaning to do a post on Dr. Martens for some time; not only is the company's history rich and compelling in itself, but the brand too has personal significance in many of its customers lives. As a seven year old, I remember with clarity looking down at my year two teacher's shoes: the yellow stitching and air padded soles- and being struck by their idiosyncrasy and eccentricity. Every other faculty member adhered to a uniform, namely kitten heels, flats et al. Ms Traynor was a strong adherent to the Dr Martens ethos: one which is at odds with the homogeny most characteristic of modern society.

Whilst such sartorial protestation was lost on me at 7, I now realise the impact that our clothes or more aptly, our choices with regards to our clothes, can have not only on other people's perceptions of us, but also our perception of ourselves. Dr Martens have been distinct in my life in that they serve so "many me's:" the school girl in her Mary-Janes, the 16 year old (wannabe) anarchist in her purple 1460s and the literature student in her black patent 1461s. How many other brands appeal to so much of ourselves?

Inspired originally by the standard issue army boots of World War II, Klaus Märtens improved the shoe to meet his needs post injury. By 1947, the shoe was a resounding success with housewives whom were responsible for 80% of the brand's sales. Had my love for the brand not already been deep-rooted, this fact may have come as a revelation; when one thinks of housewives in an era fast approaching the conservative 1950s, (a decade which the archetypal Dr Martens customer protested in the 70s and 80s) images of housewives sporting such nonconformist footwear does not spring to mind. And that's it, that's the thing with Dr Martens...it has been there for 70 years helping all of us to conform as nonconformists and I think we need that now, more than ever.

C

La Vie en Rose

When Edith Piaf sang about 'life in pink' I think this is what she was really talking about. I'm such a fan of nude tones-not only are they so aesthetically pleasing, they're so versatile too. This blazer is so simple teamed with a denim skirt and a white top and equally perfect with dark jeans, a biker boot and a dark lip. Heaven

image credit www.zara.com/uk/en Blazer with zips £69.99

Whistles, Je Vous Aime (Partie Deux)

A little while ago, I dedicated a post to fashion house Whistles and my love for the brand hasn't faltered since. The brand emanates class and achieves the arduous task of being clean, modern, feminine and evocative all at once; Whistles, I love You.

Whistles Cora Lace Dress http://www.whistles.com/women/clothing/dresses/cora-lace-dress.html?dwvar_cora-lace-dress_color=Pink#start=1

Katja Kremenic et Datura Collab

Fashion photographer Katja Kremenic recently collaborated with minimalist American brand, Datura and the result was this absolutely breathtaking photography; their aesthetics are beautifully matched. Kremenic, originally from Croatia and now residing in Berlin (so very, very jealous) is not consigned to fashion photography and is renowned too for her stunning portraits. See http://www.katjakremenic.com/ xx

Lauren Hutton: All American Woman

My love for Lauren Hutton was originally borne out of the modelling campaign she did for Olsen Brand The Row in 2008 and has continued to grow ever since. Born in 1943, she is revolutionary in both her adherence to her generations values and in her ability to transcend them, as seen in her lifelong campaign against patriarchy. She has appeared on the cover of Vogue 41 times and walked the runway for Calvin Klein in her fifties, despite her refusal to fill the distinctive gap between her front teeth;the antithesis to the ethereal model. As Harper's Bazaar notes in their 1973 profile on her, she "is anything but a classical beauty. Her nose flies west, her mouth flies north, she can cross her left eye at will. She made herself beautiful by learning, watching, willing—not by surgically altering her defects.” Her beauty emanates and perhaps what is most appealing about it is that it is somehow learned, rather than inherited: "whenever I came back from Africa or the Antarctic, head swelling with the beauty of it all, I found I was loving life again. You look different because of everything that has gone on inside of you ..."

Ponderings

In a society increasingly overwhelmed by graduates, the question of what we should be doing after university is fast becoming perennial. The likelihood for most soon-to-be graduates is that they have been in education nigh on twenty years, during which time they have no doubt been encouraged to ponder their future career, but to what end? I for one have flitted from dream to dream and have always been encouraged to do so, but as my graduation nears, I wonder how helpful this has really been? Have any of these proposed careers ranging from the sublime to the incredibly ridiculous (world famous ballet dancer-I’ve never tried ballet and have ankles that snap when I run for the bus) ever been considered with assiduousness? The truthful answer is, I really don’t know. In a society with which we are increasingly engaged, how do you separate those things with which you are generally interested from the very thing you wish to define yourself by? At 19, I subscribed to the ideology that I would figure it out eventually and until then working part-time, or in temporary roles, travelling the world, would be fine; in my mid twenties however, that ideology seems just that: too ideological and increasingly unrealistic. Perhaps the real problem has to do with accessibility- an array of medias create the impression that anything we want can be infiltrated. Like most graduates, the immediate reality of the ‘real world’ isn’t particularly appealing and sadly, it just doesn’t matter. In looking for roles which share even the slightest nuances with one of our many (many) interests, maybe we’ll figure it out (what to do, where to do it, why?) Just, not now.

Mr. David Collins

In July 2009, I devoted a post to the genius of David Collins, best showcased in the blue bar of the Berkeley hotel. Having sadly passed away yesterday, Collins will indubitably be remembered as the principal interior designer of his era. He is survived by three siblings, his mother and his catalogue of breathtaking art.