JUST A GIRL

I don't even know where to start with the perfection of this shoot.

Those eyebrows; that skin; the asymmetric eyeliner (hello new weekend go-to); the wet-look hair; the gorgeous single earring; that bustier jumpsuit.

Beautiful. Simple. Perfection.

I want in.

Photography: Jeremy Choh

Stylist: Freddie Fredericks

H&M: Ania Milczarczyk

Model: Daphne Velghe

More gorgeousness after the jump.

HOW DO YOU PROTEST?

Everyone seems to be marching at the moment. Protesting for their own rights and for the rights of others. They are brilliant, impassioned and brave individuals who are coming together to make a difference.

It's truly, amazingly powerful to see.

But, what happens if I don't really want to march? If I don't want to be vocally active in my protest?
Does that make me any less of a feminist, any less entitled to hold an opinion? Or does that mean I can't call myself a feminist at all?

BE AWARE

Power.

The exchange of it.

The need for it.

The feeling of possessing it.

A woman's need for power: a power over men; a power over themselves.

Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre depicts a woman's ultimate search for power.

Hedda believes that the cure for her boredom is to feel more powerful.

But, in reality, acquiring an illusion of power just results in Hedda feeling more powerless.

There are endless power struggles taking place across the world, some downright crazy (see: Trump), some worrying (see: Brexit) and others just totally unknown.

2017 looks set to be a rather challenging, unsettling but also exciting year. 

Change isn't always a bad thing, and nor is a transference of power. 

But, as the unimitable and downright awe-inspiring Meryl Streep advised us all in her speech at the Golden Globes, power needs to be used with caution, by all those who find themselves in posession of it.

So let's be more like Meryl.
Be aware of your power and those you use it around.
Be aware of those exerting their own power around you.

Be aware.

There's a resolution for you.

Pic is one of the beautiful sculptures in the gardens at the Musée Rodin, Paris

THE VIEW FROM ABOVE

Sometimes a different perspective on reality offers nothing but despair at every turn.

Last weeks terrifyingly shocking US election result feels like one of those moments, where every which way you look, it seems as though the world has gone mad.

Like, actually mad this time.

But sometimes, just sometimes, a different perspective can reveal a beauty that you couldn't originally make out.

I haven't found this perspective yet on this election; I'm struggling to see it. I'm struggling to get my head around this decision, as are millions of people around the world.

But it's happened, and so we have to be pragmatic and maybe take a look at it from a alternative perspective.

For now I'm just enjoying the beautiful birds eye photos taken by Loes Heerink of street vendors in Hanoi. 

They are amazing and made even more so by the fact that you'd never appreciate the daily work of these vendors unless you were looking at them from above, from a fresh, new persepctive.

So thank you for this beautiful little series Loes.

And here's to looking at things from a different perspective. 

Or at least trying to.

Vendors from Above

by Loes Heerink

More mesmerising shots after the jump.

THE TALE OF THOMAS BURBERRY

This video is poetry in motion.

Beautifully shot, with beautiful people and beautiful clothes, I felt like it was just the trailer to an even greater epic shimmering on the horizon. (*Spoiler* not confirmed, just wishful thinking).

The tale of Thomas Burberry is one that I wasn't familiar with, but then again I wasn't that familiar with the story of the house itself.

I didn't know that it was Thomas who started his own brand at the age of 21; who pioneered the mac material gabardine; and that it was Thomas who dressed British explorer Ernest Shackleton? 

In fact it's Burberry who have dressed more incredible people than arguably any other brand. From a Royal Warrant as Tailors, to the soldiers of both the First and Second World Wars, to Betty Kirby Green (played by the gorgeous Lily James in the above video), Burberry has kitted out the best of them.

Basically Thomas Burberry was really quite amazing. And this video is too.

The Tale of Thomas Burberry

Directed by Asif Kapadia

Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Sienna Miller, Dominic West and Lily James

BORROWED FROM THE BOYS

As it gets colder and colder, my ability to dress myself in nice and interesting attire disappears, replaced with a desire to wear layer upon layer of cashmere and thermal underwear.

This shoot featuring the gorgeous Toni Garrn and shot by the incredible Matthew Brookes proves that actually, layering is key. And it can be really rather sexy. 

A slouchy hoodie underneath an oversized blazer.

A huge bomber worn with a straight legged trouser.

It appears there are ways of beating the cold in a non-bag-lady, I'm so basic, kinda way.

I also enjoy the fact that, even though this is a shoot for a men's mag, the model's sexiness is subtle and understated, hidden beneath men's clothing rather than overtly, nakedly revealed to the male readers.

She looks beautifully undone, something I'm currently trying to master.

For now though, I'll keep my ten year old beanie and thermal undies I guess.

GQ Germany November 2016

Model: Toni Garrn

Photographer: Matthew Brookes

Stylist: Manuela Hainz

A DARK INFATUATION

Emma Cline's debut novel was one of those books that I read more words about before it was even released, than there are words in the novel itself.

So much hype - how to live up to that sort of pressure?!

Thankfully Cline did not falter and also did not seem all that bothered by the attention.

And "The Girls" is a masterclass in modern fiction. 

It astounds and it captivates. 

But actually at times, it makes you feel quite uncomfortable, more so for the fact that you're not sure why you feel uncomfortable.

The raw portrayal of each character and the frank description of each harrowing moment, combine to form a fiction that reads like a poignantly truthful diary.

One girl's account of her summer holidays is I guess how you'd strip it back to its barest bones.

But it's so so much more than that. Trust me.

If you're after a brilliantly powerful read, check out my review over on Riddle.

The Girls by Emma Cline

CARE TO OVERSHARE?

So in my regular travels on tube, I've noticed that the personal grooming that takes place there has got out of control. We are now oversharing to the max.

And I for one, am not a fan. At all.

Has this come along with our tendency to document every aspect of our life, including even the most unsavoury of our actions?

Power to women, freedom of expression and all that but I mean seriously?! Can't you just wait, or do it in a loo somewhere? Every second doorway in central London houses a cafe with a free loo that will undoubtably have a mirror you can use while you're at it.

I can't imagine my granny daring to do anything to do with her toilet anywhere other than her home. It would be unspeakable.

So here goes. The real pits of human behaviour. Seen most days on the central line.

STOP BEING BASIC

In the daily stress of getting myself dressed when my eyes are still too tired to be fully open, I long for a matching trouser suit.

Gone are my longings for 501s and Stan Smiths. Gone are those feelings of angst every time I remember that white tee I didn't buy.

For now I'm done with being basic.

Kind of.

But a trouser suit is so chic, so easy and so darn cool, especially with a punchy red lip. And it covers all manner of working uniform requirements. 

Go for a muted shade if your boss is a little on the strict side.

Or choose an incredible print like this gorgeous gal above and rock that suit jacket with nothing but your skimpiest lace underneath.

For today however, I'll pull on jeans and a tee because, well, you know, I'm still a basic bitch at heart.

Oh and I haven't had time to go shopping.

Pic WeThePeopleStyle (who by the way has the most incredible site)

SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED

Why hello there and I'm terribly sorry for my absence of late. I've started a 9-5 job, been on a holiday, been busy exploring London and now, recently, started looking for a new house...

WHICH IS COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE!!

Why, fellow residents of London, do you all have to be moving just when I want to, as well?

I mean really, that's so selfish of you.

Anyway I've been getting some serious house inspo from the likes of Pinterest, Refinery29 and Dezeen...and all I can think of is how I might just buy a van, pack up my shit, leave it at my parents house and run away with my toothbrush and a clean pair of pants.

Or, living in this pretty perfect tiny house could be another possibility...

See more of this idyllic place after the jump.

A CENTRAL LONDON SANCTUARY

There's nothing worse than Monday morning blues.

That is until you've just got back from a week's holiday...and you have post-holiday and Monday morning blues...then it's really bad.

But every teeny tiny cloud has a silver lining.

And I'm here to tell you about a new central London hangout that'll solve all your summer-in-the-city woes.

Tucked away just behind Marble Arch is the haven that is Bernardi's and its accompanying bar, the Dog House. With a duck egg blue awning and tables littering the pavement, you could be forgiven for thinking that you were miles away from central London.

No mean feat when you have the end of Oxford Street just around the corner.

If you're on the look-out for a momentary but delicious escape, check out the rest of my review.

Bernardi's & The Dog House

62-64 Seymour Street

W1H 5BH

FANCY FREE

Today, the sun is out. And I'm going to Brighton for the day.

How could it not be a good day?!

Except for the minor detail that I just remembered it's currently the school holidays...and the sun is out...and I'm going to Brighton...

Bon chance as they say across the continent.

Enjoy your Tuesdays.

Pic of Phoebe Collings-James from IntoTheGloss (because that light and that hair though)

SHERBERT

So I started this blog way back when I had a terrible habit of saving every image and noticed too many amazing projects to store them all on my slowly dying laptop.

I'd read about this thing called blogging and some people were getting pretty famous by doing it and so I thought, well why not?

Now five years down the line, I can inform you all that I am not (yet) famous, sadly.

But I'm still posting up stuff that catches my eye.

And this sherbert coloured unsalvageable aquatics building is just incredible.

The artist Katharina Grosse and MoMA PS1 director Klaus Biesenbach devised this beautiful design as a unique send off to the building, using its bare brick walls as a blank canvas on which to project their sherbert coloured sunset.

Projects like this are even more special, I think, because the artist takes something that people walk past everyday and changes it into a piece of art, suddenly making it memorable.

Absolutely beaut. 

See more of the sugar-coated building after the jump.

TAKING IT OFF THE STREETS

So we all know how amazing street food is, right? We know how cool it is exploring the markets on a weekend, choosing a little bit to eat, musing over how delicious it is and how incredible that they made it right there.

But then you have the struggle. 

How on earth do I eat this? 

If it's something with a fork then you need both hands so then if you have a bag it's stressful. If it's some sort of sandwich/bun/pizza slice then you'll probably get it all down your front or the wind will blow your hair so it enters your mouth just as you take your first bite. 

Now I might sound like a terrible cynic but we all know that eating street food on the actual street is much more uncomfortable than the idea originally seems. 

And this is where Gyoza Bar comes in. It has taken the notion of street food, all the flavours and Japanese wonders, and put it in the comfort of a restaurant.

It's ideal.

Read the rest of my gushing review over on Riddle magazine.

Gyoza Bar

63-66 St Martin's Lane

WC2N 4JS

AU NATUREL

So with a summer looming that is looking decidedly un-summery, and my first as a fully fledged working woman (cue sassy emojis all round) I've taken to doing some serious internet wanderlust-ing.

Dreaming of travel, browsing through photos, reading every fictional story about travelling that I can get my hands on, these are the little things getting me through the smelly trips on the tube and my desire, yes genuinely, to be sunburnt.

Just because then it would mean I've seen the sun.

But this selection of beautiful natural pools are completely breathtaking. 

From a tear shaped number supposedly built by Zeus for Aphrodite to a sunken pool that has to be reached by swimming through a 40ft tunnel, these wonders are the kinds of things that a photo just can't do justice.

Like Yosemite, or my mum's Sunday roast.

You have to see it to believe it, am I right?

But for those of us chained to desks or simply not managing to escape this year, there's always Instagram.

Oh Instagram, what would I do without you?

(Now there's a love letter for another day...stay tuned)

More gorgeous examples of Mother Nature after the jump.

FRAME

FRAME has always done some of my favourite ad campaigns and their 2016 Fall/Winter campaign is no exception.

Leaning away from a focus on denim, Erik Torstensson, one of FRAME's co-founders, captures the models looking bad ass in an array of velvet, leather and outerwear. 

I also love the contrast of the two models' hair; one ethereal and glossy while the other hangs, shaggy and slightly unruly.

Although it's nearly July and hence the height of summer (supposedly) in England, winter campaigns seem to be catching my attention as I shove my feet back into my socks and throw a sweatshirt into my bag.

FRAME Fall/Winter 2016

Photographer: Erik Torstensson

Models: Steffy Argelich & Julia Hafstrom

See the rest of the campaign after the jump.

MURAKAMI

So I seem to have found myself with one of the best jobs around...writing reviews.

I absolutely love it! Not least because I get to explore new places and try things I wouldn't usually try. But I also get to write an entire piece that is just my opinion...no writing to a template or in a publication's voice. 

And those of you who know me, know I'm partial to a little opinion sharing.

I have total freedom to pass comment on what I'm experiencing, kind of like what I do on the blog...but with tighter grammar, less rambling and a whole lot more fancy adjectives.

My latest adventure was to a new sushi restaurant called Murakami which recently opened in the West End.

Now I am a huge sushi fan but unfortunately it usually manifests itself as a quick bite at Itsu or as part of a supermarket meal deal.

So it was a real treat to be able to go to a fancy restaurant, eat absolutely incredible sushi (seriously, it was unreal) and gossip away the evening.

Thanks Murakami for having me. 

And guys, go get yourselves down there.

Check out review for Riddle Magazine over here.

Pic Murakami

INTOXICATING EXPLORATION

The internet is like a black hole of never-ending crap, if we're being honest.

Many an hour has slipped by whilst trawling websites that tell me what I should be eating/drinking/sleeping in.

And god are they boring old articles. Really, they tell you nothing.

But every now and again I stumble across something or someone truly amazing. Someone that makes me want to stop wasting my life on the internet and get out there.

And Rebecca Rütten is one of those amazing people.

Her travels, her journals and her photographs are pretty much the definition of wanderlust (although that word is massively over-used, it's appropriate in this case).

From road-tripping her way through California, to exploring Eastern Europe to hanging out in Brooklyn, Rütten manages to capture the essence of the people and the place so perfectly that it makes you just want to climb into your screen to go hang out with them.

Oh and she also wrote a beautiful book "Never - Never Land" about the romance and reality of backpacking.

So I'm now thinking, fuck it. If I can't get a job any time soon, I may just pack up my shit in a rucksack and head off into the unknown.

'Cos that would be pretty darn incredible.

So thanks Rebecca for giving me a bit of motivation on this grey Thursday morning.

Rebecca is currently in Melbourne so if there are any cool cats out there who fancy a collaboration, hit her up. 

More of the amazing-ness after the jump.

DREAM WORLD

Oh to be part of the Réalisation girl gang?! 

Doesn't it look like the absolute dream?

They're the kind of girls that in my head I look like...but in reality, well I'm not quite there.

The ones that don't even try and still look like that.

They wear clothes that were designed to seduce but with such ease and nonchalance that they could be wearing jeans and a sweatshirt.

So after much stalking of their Instagram, I decided to treat myself to the Diane dress in navy, the ultimate sundress. And I mean who doesn't love a sundress?

But this one was different. 

I put it on, looped the string and tied it around my waist and instantly felt, well, amazing.

The well it fell, the hemline, the silky-ness.

I was in love.

And I felt so damn...sexy.

Which, as some of you will know, is not often (read: never) the case.

So if you're having a low moment, or you're on a massive high, invest in a piece from these girls.

Trust me on this one.

This will be one purchase that you will never regret.

Pics Réalisation Facebook

LIQUID GOLD

On a balmy, Spring-like evening (yes this was a few weeks ago now) I headed down to the newly opened Vaudeville Club to party the night away with a gaggle of girls.

We dressed to impress and descended into a basement, where we posed beneath neon signs, drank liquid gold and sang along to Blackstreet's No Diggity.

Sounds heavenly, right?!

Read all about my evening over on Riddle Magazine where I discuss the pros and cons of the VIP table and what it feels like to be part of an exclusive guest list for the first, but hopefully not the last, time.

Vaudeville Club

1-3 Trebovir Road

Pic @ivrashton