ONE MORE THING

BANANA PRINT SWIMSUIT

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http://www.bimbaylola.com/shoponline/product.php?id_product=12049&id_category=982&sav=1

BIBLE

CHLOE SEVIGNY

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http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chloe-Sevigny/dp/0847845109

pájaro tucán

I included the Bimba & Lola Toucan shirt (with which I am totally obsessed) in my previous post but have fallen so in love with the motif that I wanted to share some additional images. The toucan is of course largely associated with the Guinness brand and so Bimba & Lola's decision to adopt such an iconic image is arguably bold. This however is what I love about the brand: they have taken what is, lets face it, an incredibly 'unsexy' design concept and made it contemporary and wearable yet it is still distinct; as is the Bimba & Lola way. Clearly, they haven't looked to the Guinness brand and brazenly fostered their quirky motif; rather their designs seem to be the result of what is a charcacteristically youthful (their design team are all under 30) and even subconscious awareness of popular culture and thus of what their audience, of what the Bimba Girl really wants...

BIMBO Y LOLA TOUCAN PRINT SCARF http://www.bimbaylola.com/shoponline/product.php?id_product=12251&id_category=932

Bimba Y Lola

Of late, I have become utterly obsessed with Spanish brand Bimba & Lola. Their idiosyncratic aesthetic charms with its playful yet feminine designs and creative director Roman Lata says the Bimba girl is similarly hard to resist: "She's well-cultured, she loves reading and travelling," said Lata. "She exists for herself and isn't swayed by others; she's very sociable, but is happy to be by herself; she's intelligent and doesn't want to be defined by what she wears. She understands fashion, and has good taste. She's pretty special." I have included some of my favourite looks from the S/S 15 catalogue below- adiós.

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