turn up the contrast

AnOther Magazine SS11/Walter Pfeiffer/Karlie Kloss (fashiongonerogue)

The set design in this editorial is brilliant, the backgrounds, props & textures make for some striking shots. I love everything about the first (particularly) and final images shown. 

     The beautifully coloured, contrasting print fabrics & palm fronds. 

          Black, white & electric pink under a waft of dirty grey cigarette smoke. A bandaid.
                
               Karlie Kloss. The Chameleon.

crease me good

'A Single Man'/2009/Tom Ford

I love the mod, Mary Quant eye makeup trend of the 1960s. So bold and glamorous, it was achieved with heavily black and white lined eyes, dramatic lining of the crease and heavy lashings of mascara - or painted on lashes (or both). Prior to the mid-60's falsies craze baby powder would be applied to the lashes between coats & curls for added thickness! Lips were kept nude or 'frosty' so all focus was kept on the eyes. Widely popularised in the era by Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick, Julianne Moore is va-va-voomed in context in 'A Single Man' with the look, and it often makes a comeback in editorials and on the catwalk. A truly iconic beauty look. And it's a fun one to experiment with at home - but trust me, not if you're running short on time!

nudie of the week: aline weber

'Wet Your Lips And Make Love To The Camera' Hercules Magazine SS10/Paola Kudacki (tfs)

Ellus AW11 lookbook/Jacques Dequeker (fashionising)

'Utter Strange Sounds and Contort Your Body' iD Sep 08/Richard 

Bush/Sarah Richardson (stylist) (Citizen Chic)

Quickie: Born '89 / Santa Catarina, Brazil / 179cm / eyes: green / German ethnicity / walked in Paris on debut season

still noir

'Starring: Amber Valletta' Vogue Italia March 11/Craig McDean/Edward Enninful (stylist)/Amber Valletta (fashiongonerogue)

W 2004/Michael Thompson/Julianne Moore (tfs)

'Out Of The Past'/1947/Jacques Tourneur
(Jane Greer)

'Out Of The Past'

'Detour'/1945/Edgar G. Ulmer
(Ann Savage)

Other editorial images: 'Lady Be Good' Vogue US March 11/Steven Klein/Camilla Nickerson (stylist)/Amber Valletta (fashiongonerogue)

I love the tense dramatic mood each over-saturated shot in 'Lady Be Good' captures. Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock the editorial certainly has a haunting sense of suspense. The classic styling looks so easy & chic and could easily inspire a modern work wardrobe. Amber Valletta also plays the siren in the Vogue Italia shot, I'm feeling the retro beauty.

breakfast at tiffany's in cold blood

'Breakfast at Tiffany's'/1961/Blake Edwards

Recently while on a trip down south I read Truman Capote's 1966 book 'In Cold Blood'. The entire reason for the choice was because I have developed a small obsession with the Popular Penguin Books and first read 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' (also by Truman Capote) a while ago and absolutely loved it. Having seen the movie I remembered Audrey Hepburn as being very beautiful and vivacious, but that's it, I didn't recall much else - a bit of fluff. BUT in the novella it is the author's writing that is the star, the tight style I found to be precise, short yet very descriptive. It ties with the pace and tale so well.

(author scanned)

Back to point - I similarly loved his written style in 'In Cold Blood'. Interestingly it is considered a pioneer of the true crime genre, Capote actually spent 6 years researching the book, initially without really knowing if the case would unfold in a manner beneficial to story-telling. I found it riveting. First true crime book I've read - and I can say it did flow just like an episode of Law & Order. But not to belittle it, 'In Cold Blood' provides a very deep look into the workings of two pathological criminals & the resounding effects of a brutal tragedy.

I'll save the fascinating Mr. Capote himself for another time.

let him touch my skin

Out Magazine Nov 09/Tom Ford (fashionising)

Nicholas Hoult is a hottie. When I first started watching Skins and saw him, all grown-up with smirk in tow, I seriously (not for the first time) wished I was a late-teen again, so it was a relief when I wikipedia'd him to find out that he's only a few years younger than me :) Traces of the baby-face are visible, reminiscent of his turn in About A Boy, but man it is those blue blue eyes that draw me in. I can only best describe them through the words of Jean M. Auel, "eyes as vividly blue as a deep glacial pool, but warm".

Note: The attire in this editorial is top-notch; I love the texture, pattern & finish of the textiles. That dinner jacket... if only men still dressed this well.

Quickie: Born '89 / Wokingham, England / 189cm / eyes: blue / lives with parents / Beast in the movie X-Men: First Class 

that time of the bi-month baby...

'Aline The Always' Russh June-July 11/Benny Horne/Stevie Dance (stylist)/Aline Weber (author scanned)

Film stills: 'A Single Man'/2009/Tom Ford (Colin Firth, Nicholas Hoult)

Vintage cigarette case

I just received my June/July issue of Russh magazine yesterday featuring the gorgeous Aline Weber on the cover - whom I cannot avoid saying has a very sexy case of fripple-itis going on - only to discover she is aka Lois, the mysterious & lovely student featured in Tom Ford's 'A Single Man'. Imagine pulling up a chair in class next to this bombshell. Aline's beauty is mesmerising in the film, certainly competing with Nicholas Hoult for spunkiest actor in my eyes, and is my inspiration for this blog's virginal week.