Life | Cracking up

Nonono, this is not me cracking up, this is me hissing through gritted teeth: 'Coooome on, take the bloody picture, pleeaase!'… Because the crackle nail varnish is chipping away as we speak. As you can see, I waited too long, and it's not perfect anymore, but I'm still quite enamoured with the idea of crackle art on my fingers… What about you – crackle-di-do – yes or no?

The lovely Isabel from Walk of Fashion is featuring me as 'Girl of the Blogosphere'. So, if you always wanted to know why I'm thinking maxi skirts are a difficult fashion choice, just hop over here.

boots: givenchy, skirt: malene birger (dress worn as skirt), belt: 2nd hand, sweater: uniqlo; nail varnish: next

Life | Lost in Next Land

As the girl with the habitual tomatoes on her eyes I stumbled through the Next event from dresses to shoes wondering where my Take 10 pals could be. Since the place was eerily empty and I nothing but bored I had my nails done (crackle. love it, will show you... but am sure you know it already. everyone did, but me), consumed several drinks at the bar and even more mini cream scones and wondered if I should go shopping – until suddenly the room filled up with girls laden with goodie bags and in full knowledge of the up-and-coming, super-exciting collaboration for autumn.

Still ignorant, but one denim shirt, a striped t-shirt, many calories and a cushion (!?) richer (no, I'm absolutely not beneath begging for freebies) the summary is: 'twas lovely to meet some fellow bloggers, and if it wasn't just my blurry vision and the great space design Next's autumn/winter designs look rather promising.

Big Thanks to Next for inviting me to their press day at Victoria House, London.

London | Oh-Yohji



Sitting at home and brooding's not going to get me anywhere, I thought, so I took 'my sorry ass' (to say it in a certain spinster prince's words) to the V&A to see the Yohji Yamamoto exhibition, where - standing in front of the clothes (which you are allowed to touch and cuddle, gently) I must have looked slightly dazed - because the woman standing next to me nodded understandingly: 'It's beautiful, isn't it?' 'Yeap. I think I just had heart palpitations' I breathed. And it is absolutely beautiful. It's like layers upon layers of creative genius... The understanding and dissolving of Asian traditional dressing, the understanding and dissolving of tailoring, the transcendence of women's and men's wear leads to something phenomenally simple and at the same time complex and mind-blowing. Taking photos wasn't allowed, so I sneakily had to take one through the door.
Anyway, if you are in London, do not miss this exhibition. Plus, the cafés and the garden in the V&A are always a joy (and a great place for people watching).

Yohji Yamamoto in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London runs until July, 8th 2011.

Life | White, No Stripes

While brooding over the questions if a) I'm too old to start a knitting empire and b) I've exceeded my expiry date on the internet (the fact that I'm getting slightly bored of seeing my face on the www seems quite a strong indicator, accompanied by J continously whispering into my ear: 'Just close the bloody thing down.' Aye, me thinks he just craves for more attention), I'm filling out a questionnaire asking to describe my personal style - Stuck between the 70s and early 90s, maybe? Because... I'm a minimal girl, yesss! I wear my mum's old white denim skirt and styling to me means putting on a pair of shoes and a jacket (and if I'm feeling extremely experimental a piece of jewellery, but nothing too loud, god-forbid). But this will all change soon because in a few days I'm starting a Styling course at Central St Martins – and if I then still have nothing to say I might really just admit that the 'Best Before' date is over.

After cooing over it in Topshop Sarah ebayed the little camera for me. How could I ever be moody with a daughter like this?!?!

blazer: moschino cheap & chic, top: 2nd hand, belt: 2nd hand, skirt: inherited from mum, bag: anya hindmarch

DIY | Loopy

IF you were wondering where I'm hiding or what has happened to me… Lot's of work/kitten/tennis season/knitting machine has sprung on me which leaves [BIG SIGH] so little time. But here I am bringing you some sticks like a happy dog in form of new knit pieces. When I bought the 2nd hand machine from one of the Saint Martins professors I really wasn't sure if I would ever find enough time to justify the investment. 'Just do a few scarves and you've already got your money's worth.' Wise man! After fighting it out with the dresses I did turn to scarves… big looped, monochrome, light and dense, many coloured, multi-patterned (punch cards do the trick here. 1001 possibilities… I LOVE them). I still manage to limit the scarf length by habitually jamming the machine – which usually reduces me to tears ('Oh, ALL my work… totally unsaveable!!!') at which point J has to get the screwdriver and take the blasted thing apart (it's a bit like a great-aunt, this machine – old-fashioned, moody and rather delicate), and off I go again…

Big looped, light and monochrome or multi-coloured and multi-patterned… Which one do you like better?

scarves: diy, skirt: 2nd hand/diy, top: jil sander

Life | Henry

BE WARNED, but since (some of) you asked for it… here comes cutsie attack Henry*. Somehow it doesn't matter if it's a cat or a human – a new baby comes with lack of sleep and jealous siblings** and endless challenges to entertain the little one. But ohh, he's so funny. With all these mum tasks I hardly ever change out of my sweatpants anymore (except for the day when I wore the new yellow trousers to work – so out of my comfort zone!). Luckily I found the softest, cosiest grey cashmere sweater to go with the old trackies. It's cuddliness all around.



*Although for anyone suffering from Ailurophobia (yeap, I wikied this) I'm sure the first picture could trigger a lingering irrational fear of cats.

**Or in our case jealous, hissing existing cat. Lily doesn't take to him kindly. I really hope it's only a question of time… Do you have any experiences with introducing a new kitten to the house?

sweater: vince, trousers: marc aurel (vintage)

Berlin | No Wall, Lots of Bricks

Having a new baby in form of ginger Horrid Henry (no no no, he's not horrid at all, he's a 9-week-old whirlwind of activity and it's a very big question if can refrain from boring you with sweet kitty pictures) dressing up and taking photos has become a secondary matter… Which gives me the chance to go back to my recent Berlin visit. I'm quite aware that the city has become a popular weekend destination (and cheap living place) and I'd love to give you some insider tips, but having grown up in the 'old Berlin' where one couldn't get lost - no matter how drunk - because at some point you would always bump against a wall and which gave me immediate street cred with the rest of German teenagers because I lived in a dark, mysterious cold war city with no curfew, I never adapted to the new, stylish, international place Berlin has become, and still have to take out a map as soon as I cross over to what used to be the walled-off East. Which makes me pretty much a tourist myself. So at arrival friends and family have to update my dinosaur brain... Apparently the next big thing is spending your nights in a caravan B&B called Hüttenpaläste; my sister showed me The Corner (where I stroked Alaia dresses and rummaged through heaps of designer bags), and our new favourite hang-out is Jäger & Sammler in Schöneberg – which has good food and wine and is (probably to their detriment) very much off the tourist path.

pergamon museum & café, jäger & sammler; photo in 1st pic: will mcbride 'eating popcorn at the wannsee' west berlin, 1959

Style | Bananas

Since I washed the camera remote control my photographic life has become somewhat stymied which is why I confine myself to watching My So Called Life (how could I not after Tavi’s scientific examination of Rayenne's early 90s 'wild child' style?) and brooding over the wearability of yellow trousers. After having been spotted on everyone except me red became out of the question, so I overcompensated by jumping straight to my most feared hue – Tweety… Is that really a colour anyone can wear?

P.S. I had to fight very hard for the 1st picture because Sarah says I look 'mad', 'creepy' and 'lip deformed'. Oh well, just read it as my coming out of sloppy, hair-in-the-face self.

trousers: ralph lauren from yoox, t-shirt: la redoute, bag: anya hindmarch, sweater: topshop, glasses etui: diy by my sister