Saturday, January 30, 2010

Long Hot Summer

Sometimes the heat on the street can just
get too much..


but I really love summer.
Growing up in Sydney I remember running
under the sprinkler to cool down ,
weekend camping trips to kangaroo valley
and body surfing for hours on end.

With the whole global warming thing,
those uninterrupted hot summers might have
been, well, interrupted a little; but the promise of
summer remains.
There is a feeling in the air.
The freedom of throwing on a t-shirt and
shooting out the door, no heavy , inhibiting coats
and the like.
The longer daylight hours and cool
evening breezes as you head out for a drink
on a cafe terrace.
The Australian open , Havianas and
frozen yoghurt.
Reruns of strange shows on TV and BBQs.
Ahhhhhh.
Summer bliss is still alive and well and on
street near you.




Hairspray




Hair creeping skyward faster than an A380!
Marge Simpson, Amy Winehouse, Beyonce
John Waters ( Hairspray), any and every
drag queen ever, Pam Anne and of course
Diana Ross and the Supremes, all new the
merits of creating a voluminous up do.
A place to hide things, create the illusion
of height, make an entrance, channel that
retro diva within and elude to that 60's -
glamour that air hostesses, girl pop groups
and even the everyday Stepford wife teased
into new heights.
So raise the roof girls (or boys ) out there,
and be inspired by some of these looks
from the street.

There's a Bear in There


You can't go past the lovable bear for
inspiration. Street artists have been
teddyfiing our walls lately. Maybe in the
hopes we will come over all cuddly and
warm with fuzziness.
I really didn't say much there at all did I?
But I am jet-lagged and it is time to go to
bed with my bear. Goodnight!


Friday, January 29, 2010

I LOVE...



I LOVE...all the variations on
I LOVE slogans. I will keep my eye out for
more so keep posted!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Post


The mailman will never be bored again if
we all had funky mailboxes like these.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Turbans




One of the most memorable experiences I
have had was one about ten years ago in
New Delhi.
I was staying in a small horrid backpacker
hotel in the old city.
I heard the sound of a procession coming
into the small narrow street at dusk.
Poking my head out of the small
non-air conditioned room into the muggy,
Indian night air, I saw a sea of multi-
coloured turbans. A Sikh festive occasion
had brought all of it's devotees out in all
their celebratory glory.
Hot pinks, deep vermilion, canary yellow,
lime, and vivid indigo all vying for
head space as they celebrated with
exuberance.


Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Teeny, Tiny Sculptures part 2




Here are some more shots of those iconic
little public sculptures (see post 15.12.09
...'Storybook Street')
Sydneysiders will recognise a mini replica
of the entrance to fun park; Lunar Park,
a landmark by the harbour shores of Sydney .

The top image is Bib and Bub...who later
evolved into 'Snugglepot and Cuddlepie'
(my favourite story as a child) by May Gibbs.

Not sure who the tall skinny bloke is...
any body know?

Monday, January 25, 2010

Cool Kids



Check out the amazingly cool energy of
these kids. I think their creativity and
self expression is inspiring.
We should all try and have the fresh outlook
that children have.
Let's paint with bright colours and
design with no preconceptions.
It is only as we over-think things as we get
older that our palettes get all murky (as
acknowledged in one of my favourite films;
'Six Degrees of Separation'
Kids have a way of just not complicating
things.
It's great to see the future is in good hands
with these lot!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

What's up Top?


I have noticed some really great t-shirts
and and tops out there for guys. (see
yesterdays post on the white tee)
My favourite is this tie died green and black
one above and the hyper-coloured tie died
one held by the guy in glad wrap below.

There are so many really cool options out
there without playing it safe with a label
emblazoned on your chest..(unless you find
a really great old school vintage number)
stick to original tees like these, or unbranded
basics in colours that suit you
and hang with a little room ,in the best cotton.


Saturday, January 23, 2010

White Tees

Reinvention is the way fashion evolves.
The basic of all basics, the white tee has
just gone through this process.
Longer, voluminous, and lower in the neck.
It is all about the shape of things..broad on
top and narrow below.
Look out for the roomy white tee revolution.



Friday, January 22, 2010

Grey but never Gloomy






Grey is actually my favourite colour when
it comes to clothing.
Colour is great, but there is something
really comforting about slipping on a
grey tee.
I also love the grey of polished concrete
and marble. Sculpture and architecture
created from these materials has a strength
and simplicity, letting the line and
structure speak for itself ,and also
improving with age as it is textured by
the weather.
And then there is the salt and Pepper
thing some folk have going on with there hair.
It is so elegant in my opinion, and even
some women really suit naturally grey hair.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Bangs!


Yesterday I posted 'The Buzz Cut' and
today it is all about the fringe.
There are some real edgy heads happening
out there.
In fact, not since the 80's has hair been so
much like a 'Flock of Seagulls' taking off
from an 'Echo Beach'...( Sorry! )
It is the reemergence of the big bang that
is getting second glances on the street.
Here are some looks I love.


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Buzz Cut



Are you ready to get..

Buzzed ?
Monks have always done it. So have
marines and soldiers.
Sinead O'conner's , 'Nothing
Compares to You' video was just a close-up
of her face, head shaved and tears rolling.
Skinheads may have lent the cut some infamy,
and coming after the Hippy movement and
the 70's, where hair was all, well, everywhere,
shaving your head was seen as the ultimate
act of rebellion, and, highly subversive.
Now days, a shaved head is not so shocking
or laden with meaning. It is however freeing,
low maintenance, enhances great features and
can look great with a tux, a tee or a dress
for that matter.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Sea in the city..






Some Cities are built by the sea. It is
reflected in the street art of that city as
shown in the examples here. I especially
love the giant whale and sea life murals
of well known street artist Wyland.
He has painted over 100 of these dramatic
marinescapes , these ones dotting the
coast of Honolulu.
The amazingly intricate and fragile
looking glass sculpture by American
artist Dale Chihuly, (above), in the entrance
foyer of the Victoria and Albert Museum,
London, is an example of bringing
the sea into a city that is inland, proving
that most city dwellers still want to feel
connected to the ocean and its savage beauty.