La Femme

arizona and aymeline

2012-01-26T09:17:00.002-05:00

We're back from Australia and straight into the midst of University applications. It is difficult for me to ignore Paris fashion week, but in February I'll be done with applications and able to enjoy images of the collections. I couldn't resist posting these two from Dior though! On the flight from Sydney to Singapore, I watched L'amour Fou - these exquisite dresses remind me of the early part of YSL's career, when he was assistant to Monsieur Dior.

Photos via L'express.fr

on the road

2011-11-27T23:38:00.001-05:00

In two weeks we're heading to Australia to explore Sydney and Melbourne, rock climb, and visit family in Adelaide. I haven't been back for a couple of years, and A has never been, so it's the perfect way to close a crazy year. Before leaving, both of us have a small mountain of schoolwork to get through, so I'm signing off here... Have a wonderful holiday/New Year, and I'll see you in 2012!

Photo: Twelve Apostles, Melbourne

purple galaxies

2011-11-15T19:09:00.001-05:00

Eugenia skirt - Rag & Bone

Dear Golden

The Milky Way, seen from the Himalayas

that beret

2011-11-14T18:58:00.000-05:00

Theadora Van Runkle, the self-taught costume designer who created Faye Dunaway's iconic look in Bonnie and Clyde, has passed away. There are two great obits over at the NYTimes and the Guardian. My favourite part of both is Edith Head's advice to Van Runkle, while she was shopping nervously for fabrics:

"She said, 'What are you doing?' " Ms. Van Runkle recalled.

"I said, 'It's the '30s and they're escaping from a bank robbery.' "

"She said: 'Oh darling, do everything in chiffon. You'll have no problems.' "

(Source)

Much as I adore Ms. Head, I'm glad her advice was not taken.

The originals - Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow

Photos: 1, 2

fairest of them all

2011-11-12T14:54:00.003-05:00

Speaking of Charlize, the new Snow White trailer is out, and it looks promising. I preferred the evil Queen to Snow White in the original, and probably will here too, but a Snow White in armour is an idea I can get behind. Also, the braids on both women are stunning. The costume, hair and makeup people must have had a lot of fun with this.

The shapeshifting into crows reminds me of Madonna's video for Frozen, a personal highlight of 1998 for the moodiness, mehndi, and gothic Olivier Theysken's designs...

golden glamour

2011-11-08T00:37:00.003-05:00

My heart skipped a few beats when I first watched the new J'adore Dior film. This woman is perfection (the other three aren't bad either)...

Who knew Charlize, Grace, Marlene and Marliyn would go so well with Beth Ditto? Inspired on all fronts.

expectant dressing

2011-11-07T20:15:00.008-05:00

Most of my friends are a few years older than I am, a fact I never paid attention to until hitting 24 this spring and noticing that all of a sudden, increasing numbers of my 27-30 year old friends, as well as acquaintances and relatives, are pregnant. And contrary to the stereotype of pregnant women in shapeless comfort clothing, I'm struck by how beautiful many of them look, in large part due to the increased options for elegant maternity clothing out there (and of course, the ability to put it all together into a chic, comfortable look). Joanna posted about new maternity line Hatch today, and I'm reposting here - the idea is that these pieces can be worn before, during and after pregnancy. Aren't they gorgeous?

ink happy

2011-11-07T19:53:00.002-05:00

One of my earliest memories, from when I was 3 or 4, is of the Marimekko sheets on my parents' bed. The pattern was made up of small flowers spaced sparingly around a white background- a thick green ink stroke for the stem, and blobs of red, blue or yellow for the bloom (I recently came across a vintage tin with the same pattern on etsy). The mattress was about eye level, and I remember staring at the flowers and wondering if my younger, finger paint obsessed brother had put them there. Later on, I started shopping at Finnish import stores in Northern Ontario, where there is a large Finn community, and you could find all kinds of Marimekko prints and products than weren't readily available in the cities we lived in. Today, our apartment is full of Marimekko, from pillows to tea towels. It's a wonder my boyfriend doesn't go crazy from all the colour.

Clearly, however, I'm not alone. This year is Marimekko's 60th anniversary. A beautiful new flagship store just opened in NYC, along with several other stores worldwide. The big, bright retro prints are still my favourite, but the more recent clean and minimal designs are also addictive. Lumimarja is my print of 2011.

The signature printed shift dresses aren't really my style, but this new knitwear line is fantastic...

I badly want to go snowshoeing in the Tasapaino trousers:

More at the Guardian and Marimekko blog.
Photos: 1, 2, 3.

purling for penguins

2011-10-18T14:41:00.006-04:00

To the knitters out there, a worthy (and adorable) project:

The oil spill in New Zealand has soaked parts of the native blue penguin population, and rescuers are in need of little sweaters to protect the bird's feathers and prevent them from ingesting the toxic oil. Exact instructions for the size of sweater, as well as where to send them can be found here and here.

via Etsy, photo: Lela Nargi

les femmes de sargent

2011-10-17T11:26:00.014-04:00

Last week I was reading an article about Tilda Swinton, and thinking how extraordinary it must be to see your great-grandmother painted by John Singer Sargent, as Elizabeth Swinton was in 1897. Sargent's Madame X is one of my favourite paintings and I try to go see it whenever I'm in NYC...

The same day, I was scrolling through The Sartorialist, and saw this photo he took in the Jardin de Tuileries a few days ago:

As he says, she looks as though she has just stepped out of a Sargent painting. Supremely elegant. Her time traveller style reminds me of another Sarto picture from early spring. This latest one is my muse for November I think.

Photos: Met Museum, Sartorialist

a little paris on a thursday

2011-04-21T16:35:00.011-04:00

NY Times interview with my favourite Parisienne, Inès de la Fressange.

Also, artist Juliana Santacruz Herrera has been performing pothole interventions in Paris by filling them with brightly coloured braids of yarn. This kind of urban artwork always makes me happy.

Reminds me of a bike I saw in NYC a few weeks ago:

In general blog news, I'm just four days away from the end of term and will be back online after my last exam. By the way, are you doing anything for the Royal Wedding? I'll be in Canada, but have a little champagne and breakfast spread planned for 5 am. So very excited... I can't wait to see the dress. Sarah Burton/McQueen is probably the last designer I would have guessed Middleton to pick (if the rumours are true), but whoever she chose, I am looking forward to seeing the resulting creation.

Have a fun, chocolate egg filled weekend...

pothole art via honestly... wtf

spring

2011-03-21T13:32:00.004-04:00

It starts today. Even though it is wet and grey outside now, the end is in sight. I hope the sun is out and flowers are blooming wherever you are. I can't wait for spring dresses...

(photo of our table - tulips are my favourite)

guernica

2011-03-19T17:17:00.008-04:00

Guernica on leather. Her blue hair and fish patterned top provide an amazing contrast and remind me of Picasso's (much earlier) blue period.

Photo: The Sartorialist - London

très animal

2011-03-07T13:41:00.003-05:00

Frankie Rayder and Liv Tyler at the Givenchy AfterShow Party in Paris yesterday.

photos: wireimage

tango lesson

2011-03-07T00:33:00.003-05:00

I'm looking forward to seeing the full version of Time Doesn't Stand Still, a short dance film directed by Asa Mader starring Benjamin Millepied (choreographer of this as well as Black Swan) and Léa Seydoux. Despite being visually different, TDSS reminds me of Wong Kar-Wai's 2046 with its sexually charged atmosphere, minimal dialogue and carefully selected and painfully covetable wardrobe (in this case, constructed from Ralph Lauren's spring collection and house archives by stylist Aleksandra Woroniecka). Trailer below...

more at RL and Behind Ballet

time traveller

2011-03-02T18:54:00.009-05:00

My muse for March.

(click to enlarge)

Photo: The Sartorialist - London

serenely sci-fi

2011-03-01T19:20:00.004-05:00

Very few people could pull off a dress from the Givenchy spring couture collection, but thankfully Cate Blanchett can and did so at the Oscars. The pearl beading on this dress is spectacular- I so badly want to touch it and see what it feels like. The colour combination is perfect against CB's pale skin.

The back... usually my favourite part of a dress.

I can't decide which version I like more.

images: wireimage/style.com

wind and water

2011-02-27T17:15:00.003-05:00

Last week we went to the Dominican Republic to unwind for a few days in between exams and work projects. A. kitesurfed and I read and walked on the endless beach. The water was warm and the mojitos lovely. We stayed on the North shore where it was pretty quiet unless the wind was strong, and then tens of Israelis, Italians and Britons would appear with their gear, and the sky would be dotted with kites. Back in Toronto now - New York next week.

traveller's diet

2011-02-17T03:14:00.007-05:00

So very good...

Star pastries, Turkish doner, Cognac - Karlsruhe

schwarzwald

2011-02-17T01:11:00.006-05:00

In and around the Black Forest...

Traditional Black Forest cake - very rich and soaked in cherry schnapps.

Kloster St. Peter auf dem Schwarzwald. Huge abbey church cut into the hills high up in the Forest and decorated in elaborate Baroque style during the 18th c. It must have been quite a production to get the building materials up there.

Whiskey, the blue eyed horse

Schloss/castle ruins. They date from the 12th c. and were inhabited until at least the 17th c. Burned to the ground by Napoleon's army. Haunting and empty in winter.

Top of the Kandel Mountain. The white beyond the trees is cloud. It took a long time to get up there but was well worth the trip.

freiburg

2011-02-14T10:32:00.014-05:00

This trip to Germany was mainly about meeting extended family, with a couple of day long adventures to explore on our own. Andre is from the southwest part of Germany, so close to the French border that you can drive over for lunch. The Black Forest was the highlight of the trip for me. We stayed for a few days at a little B&B at the base of the Kandel Mountain (1250 meters - one of the higher peaks in the forest), and went all the way to the top one day, which was magical and eerie. The forest was dark and enormous, with thick mist that seemed to change colour depending on our altitude. It was a shock to finally emerge at the top and hit sunlight again. I could easily imagine fairy tales coming out of that place.

To keep things simple, I used my iPhone 3G as my camera. Also to keep things simple, I allowed my Canadian cold weather judgement to be clouded and only brought one pair of leather boots (plus a backup pair of 5 inch stilettos- for stylish snowshoeing?). Apparently the boots would have been fine most years, but with the snowstorms in Germany, it meant very wet and frozen femme feet. Next time I'm bringing heavy duty yeti boots. As for the stilettos, well, they were a source of amusement at least...

Freiburg is centered around the Munster (cathedral) and surrounded by the Black Forest. The older parts were overwhelmingly Catholic, but it is also a university town with a lot of students, making for an interesting mix of medieval and modern.

The Munster is famous for its Gothic spire, however that was covered up for restoration during our visit. The statuary and grotesque water spouts were a lot of fun to hunt out though.

The Farmer's Market set up around the Munster was wonderful. It ran most days, starting in the early morning and going to about 1 pm. I was too busy tasting honey and admiring the wild "cuckoo" type clocks to take many photos, but if you can get there, I recommend it. Some of the best street food I've had since India.

One of the many medieval alleyways...

Tree decorations left over from Xmas. The trees I saw on the streets and in people's homes were sparsely decorated, with a theme of either red or white balls paired with straw or paper stars, or plain trees with candle lights on the branches.

Maneki neko waving at passerby... this shop was right beside the residence of Erasmus, where Marie Antoinette reportedly stayed one night on her bridal journey to meet Louis XVI. I had just finished an essay on Erasmus before the trip, so it was surreal to pass by his house while ambling around the streets.

The ochre building on the right is the Augustinermuseum (main art gallery in Freiburg). It is mostly filled with Catholic artifacts, but the top floor has beautiful 19th and 20th century paintings of Black Forest culture.

weeping blood, 14th c. wood statue

stained glass boar, c. 1520s

unknown courtier, early 15th c. painting

My favourite place in Freiburg after the farmer's market was this tree strewn with red stars. Andre thought is was hilarious that every day we'd go walking and wind up at this tree. There is a gorgeous old hotel founded in the 12th century on one side of it (next picture), and some fun shops on the other. But the main attraction for me was the tree...

Oldest hotel in Freiburg. It was founded sometime in the 12th c. I love the gold boar.

Many of the businesses have an animal or object symbolic of their profession tiled into the ground by their door. Cloth cutters have scissors, shoemakers have a boot, bakers have pretzels etc. I was told that the pebbles used in these designs (and throughout the streets of Freiburg) are from the Rhine and a particular style of the region.

New Years pretzels being wrapped up- very delicious with beer.

View of the Martinstor, one of the original gates that marks the wall of the old city.

My first New Years Eve with bottle rockets and champagne in the street!

More to come...

v day

2011-02-14T09:38:00.001-05:00

Hope it's a good one xo

Graffiti from Kensington Market, Toronto

tgif

2011-02-11T12:01:00.003-05:00

Germany photos going up after work today. Please come back soon!

photo from Freiburg, taken with my iPhone

neues jahr

2011-01-10T09:27:00.000-05:00

Back from Germany... will post some pictures this week. Apart from airport insanity, it was a wonderful trip. Wishing you a very happy 2011!

1: Revellers with bottle rockets in Freiburg

2: Ginormous new year's pretzels

Photos taken with my iPhone

soon to be free

2010-11-24T18:37:00.009-05:00

I've been working hard lately, writing an endless stream of papers, and studying for finals. At last there is just one paper left, and following exams I am flying to Germany to decompress with my boyfriend in the Black Forest. On the off chance you are familiar with Freiburg, or small towns in Bavaria, please send me advice on places to visit! I've never been to the region and look forward to exploring.

Once this hump of schoolwork is done, I plan to update more often. In the meantime, here are a few images of Jeanne Lanvin's personal library in Paris. I don't think I've ever swooned so deeply at the contents of a room before in my life.

Images from The Selby

breakfast in bed

2010-11-08T14:45:00.002-05:00

My guy is usually up and off to work at 5:30 am, so it was a most delightful and unexpected treat to wake up to the smell of breakfast wafting from the kitchen. He found out his morning was cancelled while on the highway and raced back to make it before I woke up.

As evidenced by the picture, we're having a love affair with honeycomb at the moment- on toast in the morning and paired with apples or sharp cheese at night. Do you like to eat honeycomb?

On to more fashionable Monday delights... Lauren from Dear Golden has posted Part I of her extensive holiday dress preview (just the blacks). It's difficult to pick a favourite. 1 and 2 in the top row are lovely - accent bows on vintage dresses always look so stylish to me. The long one with gold cording in the eighth row is very elegant though. That's probably my pick. What about you? Any favourites? I hope a green dress preview is in the works...

(breakfast photo taken with my iPhone)

glamourous dryad

2010-11-06T14:38:00.008-04:00

I love braided hairstyles and am always excited to come across ideas I haven't seen before. The thick braid in this Swedish bride's hair reminds me of a fairy tale or mythical painting, while her dress and makeup recall the classic glamour of the '30s...

Dreamy dress is by Isabel Marant, of course. See more photos here.

hope is the thing with feathers

2010-11-05T15:20:00.007-04:00

An exquisitely draped vintage evening gown to cap off the week... this is a Charles James design from 1936. I find that patterns often detract from the sophistication of sculptural gowns, making them look busy or sporty, but to me the large feathers printed onto the silk here complement James' design beautifully. What do you think?

Photo from 13bees, via my new favourite book.

Title from Emily Dickinson's poem.

hello

2010-11-04T16:05:00.003-04:00

Life seemed to swirl up quickly in February, pulling me with it and finally depositing me, happily, to the desk I now sit at. The last eight months have been pretty wonderful, if insanely busy. There has been a lot of moving around, work, school, and a couple stellar road trips. I know from the years I've kept this blog that it is a challenge for me to live fully and post frequently at the same time, but I'm going to give this another shot. Let's see how it goes...

If you've been here before, thanks for visiting again (and for your thoughtful comments and emails). If you're a new reader, welcome!

I hope you are all happy, healthy and investing in at least one amazing wardrobe item for the cold weather...

x Adeleine

mourning the enfant terrible

2010-02-11T14:44:00.017-05:00

I'm reeling.

It is difficult to picture the fashion world without Lee Alexander McQueen. I'd like to imagine him having tea right now with his mother and Isabella Blow, in some fantastic, hat filled afterlife.

Best wishes to his family.

Three of many favourites:
Shalom's spray painted ballgown, Kate's angelic hologram, and Deconstruction.

my kingdom for a horse

2010-02-06T14:51:00.008-05:00

I went to see a Ryerson Theatre School production of Richard III last night and was completely blown away. It's a modern telling, directed by Canadian dramaturge Ruth Madoc-Jones, who mentions in the program notes that she was influenced by "A Clockwork Orange, The Godfather movies, and an 80s high fashion, high power ethos". It works. I was up half the night thinking about what the 2000 version of Hamlet (Ethan Hawke/Julia Stiles) would have been like in her hands.

Costumes and staging were done with inspired style by Patrick Du Wors. As a lifelong costume fanatic, I'm pretty merciless with wardrobe criticism, but there is nothing I can say about this neo-gothic extravaganza except 'go see it'. Wear something by Rick Owens or Helmut Lang perhaps to get in the mood. I haven't even gotten to the acting yet. Jonathan Sousa leads in the title role, but it's a cast of 19 people, all of whom performed brilliantly. If television roles were given to actors of similar talent (excluding certain shows on HBO and Showtime...), I might actually buy a tv.

The only criticism I have is that this play has been shamefully underpublicized. I'm badgering the marketing people with letters because it drives me crazy that so much work has gone into a production so few people are coming out to. If you're in Toronto, I highly recommend making time for Richard III before it closes on Feb. 11th. I'm going again on Monday - hope to see you there...

8 pm - 11:15 pm at the Ryerson Theatre (43 Gerrard St., College subway). $18 regular, $14 students (cash only).

wishful thinking

2010-01-27T16:23:00.005-05:00

It is most uninviting outside today, and I'm feeling an acute desire to trade the howling wind for warm ocean surf. This image from the late '60s by Southern photographer William Eggleston reflects my current headspace pretty accurately. His ability to capture banal moments in such ways that they become beautiful is inspiring to me. Read an interview with Harmony Korine here. His work is currently on exhibit in London and NY (Chicago next month) if you are in the mood for a colourful and eye-opening afternoon out.

turned to glass

2010-01-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

Chanel hdq, as seen by the quietly provocative Lina Scheynius.

side saddle, tea and dancing

2010-01-26T11:31:00.027-05:00

The Victorian and Edwardian periods hold a particular fascination for me in terms of style and hair adornment. I have whole binders detailing the course of fashion from c. 1870 to 1914, and the first costume I attempted to recreate was the "s wim" dress from Titanic:

(La Femme, Adelaide Hills, age 13)

I've been trying to do the grey suit from Moulin Rouge every since. So, it isn't suprising that I adored yesterday's Dior haute couture show. Adore may not be a strong enough word, but superlatives grow tiresome for the lesser obsessed, so I'll just post some photos, starting with the riding habits.

Remember this Vogue editorial with Natalia Vodianova? Sigh.

A 21st century Gibson girl. I have just now died and gone to heaven.

Galliano finished with ballgowns. A little over the top perhaps, but I'll take my swoons where I can get them. His colour palette is inspired. Some of the gowns featured rich combinations of seafoam and petrol, pink and wine, olive, mocha, raspberry...

...and of course I loved the snoods. The streets need more snoods. Check out Casey's blog for some classy 40s snood action.

Dita even smiled. A rare sight on camera. Barring Anna's head shake, I think this may be the test of a collection. Bravo!

photos: wireimage

blue valentine

2010-01-25T11:22:00.028-05:00

Forget the red. Let's have more of this please.

(Alexis Mabille Haute Couture, Paris, today)

Isn't the colour blocked hair amazing? I've sworn off hair dye for at least a month, but am sorely tempted to try this out in blue.

This collection brings to mind Grace Coddington's ill fated and reshot editorial in The September Issue. The grey shades of winter leave me numb. I'd love to see extreme colour contrasts on the streets come spring...

Photos: wireimage

la belle personne

2010-01-23T18:00:00.013-05:00

Saw this while up North. The bluish grey palette of the film reflected the wintry environment I was watching it in to eerie effect, probably contributing to the impression it made on me. LBP is based on La Princesse de Clèves, published in 1678 by Madame de Lafayette (definitely someone I would want at my dream dinner party). I adored the English translation in school and was irritated when Nicolas Sarkozy started bashing it, although perhaps I should be grateful as the book has gained popularity since then, as well as inspiring this visually gorgeous adaptation.

Je recommande.

*Likely to induce severe cravings for A.P.C.

New York Times review here.

Photos from google and screencaps from here.

she's no lola

2010-01-22T01:41:00.009-05:00

...but she'll do. First photo of the decade, taken with the less crazed of my 2 cats. This one puts up with my travelling so long as I am a willing human chariot at home. As you can see, one of my new year's resolutions is to wear glasses more often. I'm blind as a baby badger without some kind of lenses, but am abstaining from contacts both to justify the expense of my beloved Persols and because contacts are a bother on the road. 23 days and counting. Let's see how I do...

(Another resolution is to cook more often. I'm doing better on the glasses front, but this creation of my mom's is delicious and pretty easy - spinach linguine with rapini and sauteed shrimp).

paging miss smilla

2010-01-21T18:43:00.044-05:00

I went to Northwestern Ontario for the holidays, to visit my mom and go dog sledding. Unfortunately, the weather was wrong and we couldn't take the dogs out, so I spent a lot of time reading Stieg Larsson and photographing snow.

Motel, xmas morning.

Perrier and pulla galore as the grocery stores were closed. Went to meet my mom at the hospital cafeteria for the employee's free xmas dinner. It was quite funny with everyone in their scrubs and caps, popping in to down turkey and coffee before getting back to work.

Sami style bonnets, made by an elderly Finn lady in the country and sold at Liisa Karkkainen's endlessly intriguing fish shop. Last visit, we left with whole smoked fish, curry piirakka, sauna soap, and a recycled Finn rag rug. It's one of those places. But back to the bonnets- I have a couple of these at home and was so happy to see one modelled over at Hel-Looks last week. Lapp hats are an untapped trend. Grace Coddington could do amazing things with them. I need to start a facebook appreciation group or something...

This is mojakka, a traditional Finnish-Canadian recipe and my favourite winter food. It looks like an ordinary stew, but a combination of turnip and allspice berries gives it a distinct flavour. Tastes divine when it's 40 below outside.

Drove down to Northern Minnesota around New Year's and caught an interview with the mesmerizing Patti Smith soon after clearing the border. American public radio is like that. Every time I cross into the US, there are a few kilometres of knob turning and crackling static, and then a voice makes itself heard and I end up learning about echidnas or Audrey Hepburn or some other unexpected topic. On this program, she discussed the filming of Dream of Life.

The ice was relatively solid at night...

...and broke into a million pieces by morning. I woke at 6 am to a terrific crashing outside my window- the sound of each wave coming in. It was very grey and cold. I half expected witches to come swooping down on cloud-pine branches.

Driving home.

Motel, p.m.

la cascade de chapeaux

2010-01-17T23:41:00.016-05:00

It's been a very long time since I updated this blog. To all the people who have checked in and emailed, thank you. I couldn't have more lovely readers.

2010 is shaping up to be a good year with several exciting projects already on the go, so I hope to be online more often.

Happy hatting,

x Adeleine

* Gratuitous use of hat imagery. Hats, and more particularly fascinators, have played a large role in my crafty exploits recently, but I'll write about that later. These were made by a great lady in Edinburgh.

april in edinburgh

2009-04-09T00:11:00.006-04:00

Hello again... After a winter-long working hibernation in Canada, me and my boots are back on the road. I'll be defrosting in Devon tomorrow, before making my way up to Scotland next week. Check back soon for updates.

on nine tree hill

2008-11-19T20:41:00.016-05:00

I felt like Phileas Fogg returning to Canada this past week, as what would normally have been a 7 hr flight from England turned into a 50 hr shuffle through 4 countries, innumerable airport queues and even more security checks. We spent so long at Schiphol after KLM cancelled its flights that the words "Achtung Bitte" are seared into my brain and keep announcing themselves in a robotic female airport voice at unexpected moments.

That said, I had a wonderful time away and so can hardly complain. The main purpose of this trip was to see family (and indulge in those strangely exotic, quintessentially British jaffa cakes), but I was also able to go on a graffiti trek in Stokes Croft, do some intensive corset hunting in Bristol and Bath, and drift around Portishead listening to Portishead. Also visited a 13th century abbey (which, being a history nut, was exciting enough before learning that Alan Rickman had been filming there), danced around Bath's beautiful Assembly Rooms with a waltz on my iPod, and went to sing-along Mamma Mia at a tiny theatre in Devon.

Here are some photos, beginning with Stokes Croft.

A glimpse at Maggie Taylor's visions of Alice in Wonderland- it was difficult to take photos, so do check her website for more images.

To and from the Bristol library.

Roaming Bath, I noticed this red mannequin/sculpture, oddly positioned by a top window, sporting a matching red suit and sling.

Later, I saw this little stone dog sitting alone near the top of a building. An adorable gargoyle- I wonder who commissioned him?

A chandelier from the Octagon at the Assembly Rooms in Bath. The four doors spaced around the walls lead to the grand tea, card and ballrooms, as well as the Costume Museum. If you come early, the rooms are completely empty. With good music and a little imagination, it's easy to be transported back to the 18th century.

The Costume Museum is downstairs. I was amazed by this court dress the first time I saw it on an earlier trip to Bath. The lady who wore it stood about as high as my waist and the panniers are so wide, I can't imagine her being able to move. French silk, 1760s.

I was reading about Catherine the Great's coronation dress the other day, which is quite similar in appearance, but she was taller, so perhaps those panniers were easier to manage.

Sack back dress from the 1760s made of blue brocaded silk.

Evening dress from 1804. Muslin embroidered with glass beads.

Day dress of purple striped taffeta. It consists of a separate bodice and skirt, common from the 1850s through the end of the Victorian period, as the sewing machine enabled people to make complex garments in component parts. The purple is still bright because the dress was coloured with chemical dye, invented in 1856.

Silk evening dress from the 1880s. I wish it was a more dramatic colour, particularly with that neckline. I never understand peach.

Corsets from the 1880s and 1890s.

Opulent bodices by Worth.

Mini in the medieval village of Lacock. The 1995 Pride and Prejudice was filmed here, which I didn't know until I was walking along a dirt shoulder on the "High Street" and realized I had watched Lizzy Bennet pass by an identical row of buildings.

Lattice window where Henry Fox Talbot made the oldest surviving photographic negative (1835). Photography was strictly verboten elsewhere in the house, but he had an amazing collection of books, ranging in every possible subject, including one ancient looking volume simply titled "Bubbles", which I was very curious about.

More photos are on flickr.

up and away

2008-10-30T19:37:00.009-04:00

Hallo - I'm getting on a plane to Amsterdam in an hour and hope to update from England soon. If I'm not around a computer, then I'll see you in two weeks... x

cloud nine

2008-10-27T12:10:00.020-04:00

I spent most of Toronto Fashion Week at the library, immersed in history research, but I did emerge briefly to take in the dreamfest that was Renata Morales.

For spring 09, the Mexican born, Montreal based designer was heavily influenced by Japan, a place that seems to be the current obsession of every designer/artist/travelling blogger I've encountered this fall... I can hardly wait to visit Tokyo this winter.

The chiffon dresses that dominated Morales' collection were painstakingly swirled, ruched and braided, often descending into skirts of origami-like pleats, putting me in mind of Sophia Kokosalaki's work. The colours ranged in soft pastels for the most part, with one or two black and red versions in between. The floatiness of the pale dresses was grounded by black leather ankle boots and theatrical floral headpieces (purchased, apparently from a dollar store and spray painted - something I must try).

Also included were long, flowing gowns and caftans in homage to pop artist Yoshitomo Nara, which featured muted, glimmering sequins and his popular "evil child" faces. The most inspiring part of the collection for me was a series of drop waisted chiffon dresses, printed in large scale with images Morales had taken on her travels. Buildings in Belgrade and Japanese sakura blossoms worked particularly well.

See the rest here.

photos: wire image

belle babushka

2008-10-20T20:54:00.003-04:00

from facehunter

timo ja jopsu

2008-10-18T11:16:00.014-04:00

Last May, I saw the above photo on Hel Looks and meant to comment on this couple's inspired Japanese-cum-Finnish style. Happily, Jasmine from Pike/Pine spotted them in Helsinki last week. Check out Jopsu's sock, shoe, rolled up pant detail:

spike watch

2008-10-18T09:45:00.025-04:00

Posh Spice wore my coveted Rodarte heels in London last night. They don't really work for me in that pink-gold metallic though.

(unless, perhaps, they were paired with funky socks like Jopsu's)

I'm still torn between the curved spikeys from spring 08 (below) and their re-interpreted design for fall... what do you think? Or are they a little too "Medieval torture chamber" for your taste?

photos: style, dlisted, Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images, Tommy

deep breaths ladies

2008-10-17T21:54:00.022-04:00

I'm writing a long and scary paper on Ancient plagues at the moment, but in case you have a more exciting weekend lined up, here is a little shoe porn to get your Saturday on fashionable track.

Photos are by Tommy, fellow Torontonian, and extreme style hunter.

Any favourites? My boot brain automatically yearns for Stella McCartney's sculptural wedges, while the fashion beast within rages for the Rodarte spikeys.

Back to buboes. Have a fun weekend.

the return of rochas

2008-10-08T20:48:00.016-04:00

When P&G closed the fashion side of Rochas in '06, I was heartbroken. The blow was softened somewhat after creative director Olivier Theyskens began designing for Nina Ricci, but it still seemed a shame for the house to be shut down on account of inspired demicouture that did not sell well in the ready-to-wear market. Fortunately, P&G has just licensed Rochas to Italian clothing manufacturer Gibo, and a collection is due in March '09.

Any guesses as to who the new creative director will be? Theyskens is a hard act to follow.

Source: WSJ

in with the breeze on sunday evening

2008-10-05T23:29:00.014-04:00

Listening to M83's America and recovering from a long drive back. Posts for New York and Montreal should be up on Friday.

It was a fun, rain-soaked whirlwind...

Update 13/10: Hmm. Cooking for Canadian Thanksgiving swallowed up the past few days. I'll update on travels this week.

noir ce soir

2008-09-20T00:58:00.030-04:00

Fashion historian Valerie Steele was in Toronto Thursday night to debut her latest book, Gothic: Dark Glamour (the accompanying exhibit at FIT is top on my list to see in New York next week). Here are a few photos from the event.

Fashion illustrator Danielle Meder

...whom I was happy to finally meet.

And Carolyn Rohaly, who writes Rags and Mags with Danielle.

Ms. Steele briefly traced the history of "gothic" in fashion, beginning with Medieval manuscripts and morbid etchings from plague torn Europe, through Victorian mourning attire and Elsa Schiaparelli's surreal skeleton dress, up to the present, with darkly imagined designs from Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester, Olivier Theyskens, Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy, and Rodarte (swooon), among others. She also mentioned gothic subcultures, including industrial, Victorian, and cyber goths, as well as Japanese horror Lolitas.

One of the striking flower bouquets... I liked that the roses were just on the edge of going off. It seemed to reflect the theme of decay and death frequently attributed to gothic style, and by extension to fashion in general. "One must forgive Fashion everything, because it dies so young" - Jean Cocteau

Beautiful Lavinia and Annisa.

Adriana's cyber goth boots - her work is featured in the exhibit.

Her friend looked stunning with neon hair.

The book is not yet available, but here is a peek at the images inside...

With Nathalie Atkinson, style editor for the National Post.

And Ms. Steele.

I wait with baited breath to report on the exhibit next week!

2nd last photo with Nathalie Atkinson by S. Ramos for WireImage.

something wicked this way comes

2008-09-19T00:38:00.009-04:00

Had a wonderful time at Valerie Steele's glamourously gothic book launch this evening. Update to follow this weekend...

stars stealing the night away

2008-09-10T17:31:00.001-04:00

Hello all. Hope you've been having a gorgeous summer...

I had a feeling these past few months would be pivotal for me, but didn't anticipate quite how much would be going on. Life has been getting steadily busier with the onset of fall (yay! hello boots), so I'm going to commit one evening a week to blogging and see how it goes from there.

Over the summer I received a number of emails which have made me realize (or re-realize) how genuinely cool so many of you readers are. Thank you - your words are greatly appreciated.

x Adeleine

batfemme

2008-07-22T17:51:00.017-04:00

The Magda Berliner dress at left seems to take its cue from YSL's 1970 design currently on display in Montreal (below). I'm not sure if I prefer the look of ribs or hipbones exposed through windows of black lace, but the latter makes me curious about what sort of undergarments would be possible. The ensemble at right I very much wanted to wear to Batman: The Dark Knight last Friday.

Update: The YSL dress above in a photograph by Jeanloup Sieff.

fashion changes, style remains

2008-07-12T01:22:00.047-04:00

For those who can't make it to Montreal to see the Yves Saint Laurent "Love" retrospective, here is a peek at the creations on display there until September 28 (photography is strictly forbidden, but luckily everything from fabric swatches to feather coats have been documented in the hefty exhibit program)...

"All my dresses originate with a gesture. A dress that does not reflect or does not make one think of a gesture is not right. Once the gesture in question has been found, then one can choose the colour, the final shape, the fabrics, but not before". - YSL

Cocktail dress, 1964. Made to order for Grace Kelly.

Daytime ensemble, 1962. Made to order for the Duchess of Windsor.

Wedding gown, 1988.

"The naked body of a woman, whom I have to dress without curbing the freedom of her natural movements... my profession is the loving dialogue of this naked woman with all the magic spells of the wrapping of my fabrics" - YSL

A beautifully cut back is my favourite feature in a dress. This design from 1970 exposes the back in the shape of a lyre, appearing through a window of lace mesh.

Cocktail dress, 1966. Skirt-suit, 1967. Made for Françoise Giroud.Silk coat with embroidered lips, 1971. For Marisa Berenson.

Evening gown with embroidered hearts, 1980.

"Belle de Jour" dress. Worn by Catherine Deneuve in the 1967 film.

"A woman is only attractive in pants if she wears them with all her femininity. Not like a George Sand. Pants are coquettish, an additional charm, not a sign of equality or enfranchisement. Liberty and equality are not achieved by wearing breeches- they are a state of mind". - YSL

Tuxedo (without jacket), 1999.

Evening ensemble, 1973. Made to order for Lauren Bacall, Betty Catroux, Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Giroud. Tuxedo, 1991.

Tuxedo, 1968.
"On each street corner in Marrakech, you encounter groups that are impressive in their intensity, their relief. Men and women, where pink, blue, green, and violet caftans mingle. These groups look as if they have been drawn and painted, that are reminiscent of sketches by Delacroix, and it is suprising to say that they are, in fact, merely an improvisation on life." - YSL

Evening ensemble, 1988. Made to order for Nan Kempner.

Evening ensembles, 1989.

Evening ensemble, 1991. In tribute to Leon Bakst.

"I am very alone. I exercise my imagination on the lands that I do not know. I hate traveling. For example, if I read a book about India, with photographs, or about Egypt, where I have never been, my imagination runs wild. That is how I take my most wonderful trips." - YSL

"Bambara" dress, 1967.

Cocktail ensemble, 1977. Toreador costume, 1979.

Evening gown, 1979. This reminds me of the showstopping pink and black dress Anjelica Huston wore in Prizzi's Honour.

Day ensemble, 2000.

Ensembles from the Russian collection, 1976.

Evening gowns, 1986 and 1991.

"Red is the basis for makeup, it is the lips, the nails. Red is a noble colour, a colour of precious stones - the ruby - and it is a dangerous colour; sometimes you have to play with danger. Red is religious, and it is blood, and it is royal, it is phedra, and a multitude of heroines. Red light and red combat, red is combat between life and death." - YSL

Evening gown, 1987. Geometric patterned dresses, 1969 and 1979.
Mondrian cocktail dresses, 1965 and 1966.

Bust and waist sculpture gowns, 1969.Bridal gown, 1970.
Evening gown, 1988. In tribute to Georges Braque.
Evening ensembles, 1980. In tribute to Apollinaire and Aragon.

Evening gowns, 1998 and 2001.

Animal themed evening ensembles, 1964 and 1990.

Laetitia's bridal "gown", 1999.

Storage vaults I'd like to get lost in for a while...

For more photos, and better resolution, please click here.

noir

2008-07-01T23:38:00.000-04:00

Givenchy, Marni & Dries, from indomitable style seeker Garance.

into the abyss

2008-06-30T16:55:00.024-04:00

Kazakh model Ruslana Korshunova fell to her death from a NY apartment this weekend. She would have been 21 on Wednesday.

It is difficult to keep track of all the models who appear from Eastern Europe each year, but Ruslana has stuck in my mind since I first saw her in this Mario Sorrenti editorial due to her name (I'm a fan of Pushkin's poems), and knee length rapunzel hair. The print version of her Nina Ricci fragrance ad (below) is currently pasted on a billboard across from my work. I think of her every day as I pass it.

My heart goes out to her because of her suffering, and to the people who were close to her, loved her and will miss her.

assemblage des chapeaux

2008-06-22T12:14:00.007-04:00

Another hat display idea, this one from Kris Van Assche at last year's Pitti Uomo fair. My apartment is too small to make this work, but I like the look of hats floating above the ancient Medici stables.

via simply olive

walk this way

2008-06-14T19:41:00.007-04:00

Desperately needing a historical fashion hit before work, I stopped by Sonia Bata's shoe museum to see a few treasures from her archives. Here are the highlights...

The first time I saw a pair of chopines was on Catherine McCormack in her portrayal of 16th century courtesan Veronica Franco (a film which, along with La Reine Margot, occupied pretty much all of my 11th year) . Well preserved fashions from before the 1700s are so rare that I had never hoped to see a pair of chopines with original embellishments intact, but I lucked into this silk and velvet pair from 1580-1620. I particularly like the studs decorating the base.

Chopines were very popular in Venice and Spain during the Renaissance, but it is difficult to get a glimpse of them in paintings because legs and feet were forbidden from sight. The women wearing them simply look very tall - for example, this Genoese Noblewoman is wearing chopines. A “scandalous” engraving with moveable skirt from a 16th century fashion book gives a better idea of what chopines looked like in a regular ensemble:

Some chopines were highly impractical, reaching heights of over twenty inches (at which point, similar to Chinese women who underwent footbinding, an attendant was required to help them move), but others were lower, and patrician women (as well as the “cortigiana onesta”, or intellectual courtesans) spent hours learning to walk and dance in them gracefully.

Next, slap-soled shoes belonging to Frances Walsingham, lady in waiting to Elizabeth I, and daughter of her spymaster, Francis Walsingham. Though the shoes belong to a Canadian collector, they are considered so important to British history that they have to be returned to England soon.

In 17th century Europe, tulips were an exotic, luxury item that indicated high status. Variegated tulips (the kind embroidered here) were the most valuable, with a single bulb costing more than the average person made in 5 years. These mules would have been worn by a young, very rich fashionista.

Silk, embroidered shoes from the mid 1700s - England and France.

Printed leather was all the rage for women's footwear at the end of the 18th century. This pair was made in London in the 1790s- without seeing the label, I would never have guessed that they were so old! I like the polka dots and ribbon detail.

Ornate kilm silk flats with silk tassels. England, c. 1860.

Black satin boots with a "Louis heel", embroidered with typically fashionable Victorian subjects – botanicals and peacocks. Designed by Meliès, c. 1880-1885.

Pink silk shoes with straight soles owned by the first wife of Count Walewski (Napoleon's son). They were made by famed French cordonnier Melnotte in 1830.

Shoes with ribbon appliqué worn by Queen Victoria in 1840.

I love Adelaides. As a devout bootist, I like to imagine that my name is derived from this grandmother of the go-go. Adelaides were brought into fashion to preserve the modesty of ladies whose crinolines were jostled and swayed up to reveal a bit of leg. This beautifully embellished pair, however, was meant to attract attention. France, c. 1855.

More photos can be found on my flickr.

mascarpone millinery

2008-06-05T15:37:00.010-04:00

This is not a food blog (though I enjoy my meals as much as my boots), but I wished to share with you my little egg of tiramisu.

I think it would make a good hat (of the fantastic, sculptural variety that upper class Brits wear to special events). A lady could cheer for her racing horse and snack on mascarpone cream at the same time.

campaign trail

2008-06-05T14:58:00.003-04:00

Laetitia Casta, my lifelong favourite model, was photographed for Louis Vuitton at Pont Neuf earlier this week. Eva Herzigova is the face of LV's fall campaign, so I wonder what the photos are for?...

Laetitia was also at YSL's funeral today in Paris.

photos via fash

what's up pussycat?

2008-06-04T16:51:00.003-04:00

Street fashion is going feline.

(from top left, stockholm, munich, mexico)

mad hattress

2008-06-03T20:55:00.017-04:00

Interior decorating, vintage enthusiast style.

I'm trying to find a way to display my vintage hats, purses, shoe buckles etc without creating clutter in a very small apartment, or frightening away male visitors (albeit the majority of them are gay men who are more likely to borrow the accessories for a night out).

When my [straight] uncle stopped by the apartment for the first time, he stood speechless in the main room, staring around in thinly disguised horror at the pink, silk, chandelieriness of it all, finally uttering: "holy chick house". At the time, I took it as a compliment, but now I'm working on creating some contrast - Demeulemeester biker boots balancing out 1940s floral headpiece, urban graffiti interspersed with Millais's Pre-Raphaelites, pink curtains making way for Indian fabrics and so on. Off to IKEA for storage ideas this weekend. I'll post photos if my mission is successful.

P.S. Chanced upon this stellar feather hat worn in a magazine last fall (there is a shop in Toronto that lends out vintage pieces to movies and magazine shoots). I dream of finding that beautiful Galliano suit Ana is wearing next...

wings of concrete

2008-06-02T13:51:00.014-04:00

Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above
Enjoy such liberty.

- Richard Lovelace, 1642

Angel graffiti in St. James Town, Toronto.

adieu, yves

2008-06-01T20:34:00.000-04:00

1936 - 2008

midnight at the museum

2008-05-31T19:02:00.000-04:00

Haven't seen the movie, but I have seen The Horse Fair painting that SJP and Chris Noth pose in front of for the Sex and the City Vogue shoot. This dress by Narciso Rodriguez steals the show for me. Not since Roland Mouret's fall 05 collection has wool been so erotic.

Have you seen the movie? - what did you think?

fringe factor

2008-05-27T14:06:00.029-04:00

Lately, I've been inspired by fringe. I love the flossy feel of it, and in particular, I love to dance in it (many hours have been spent watching 1920s film footage and practising Charleston-esque moves!) In the past, I considered fringe to be reserved for cowboys on Appaloosa horses, as well as the women in my family who wear lovingly custom-designed chaps and jackets on their motorcycles. As with any type of decoration, I still think that fringe is most attractive in moderation (unless you're dancing to smoking hot jazz, when more is definitely more), but I hope to see a touch of show girl on the streets this summer. If you're looking for DIY inspiration, Svenja Specht's spring collection for Reality Studio was influenced by a trip to Morocco, and features fringed accessories (the head decorations above are my favourite). If you really want to make people's eyes pop, you may be interested in the Roxy tights by bebaroque - with the lauding of Susie Bubble and Queen Michelle, I'm sure to see some fringed legs in the UK this fall.

A little gratuitous fringe action to get you in the mood...

(pink tights photo by Saga)

meretrix mehndi

2008-05-18T20:23:00.012-04:00

Setting- Paying for newspapers at a market stand.

Guy: Hey, I like your mehndi.

Me: Thanks.

Guy: I tried it once. On my back.

Me: Cool.

Guy: It reminds me of what's-her-name... um... you know. Red hair. In the bible. Jesus's girlfriend.

Me: Mary Magdalene?

Guy: Yeah! You look like her.

dust thou art...

2008-05-14T23:14:00.024-04:00

April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee
With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade,
And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten,
And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.
Bin gar keine Russin, stamm' aus Litauen, echt deutsch.
And when we were children, staying at the archduke's,
My cousin's, he took me out on a sled,
And I was frightened. He said, Marie,
Marie, hold on tight. And down we went.
In the mountains, there you feel free.
I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter.

What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow
Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,
You cannot say, or guess, for you know only
A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
And the dry stone no sound of water. Only
There is shadow under this red rock,
(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

>> I noticed this poem taped to the side of a telephone pole while exploring Portland. Below T.S. Eliot's memorable lines was a date for a fashion show. On the other side of the card, a pale young woman posed in a tattered white dress. Above her was the word "dust".

Curious, I did some research but couldn't find anything online. Later, I discovered Seaplane, an independent design collective founded and run by Kathryn Towers and Holly Stalder, which reps 40+ designers in the Portland area. It turns out that Dust is the brainchild of Julia Blackburn, who says she is interested in creating a story through "highly textual meditations rendered in fabric". The garments in her spring collection have a deconstructed feel, many with exposed seams and ripped edges. Each piece is handmade and features unique details in the form of found objects.

In keeping with my current lust for rough edges (1, 2), this dress caught my attention... I want to wear it with long green earrings and stack heeled boots, laced up to the knee.

There is no website for Dust yet, but samples of Blackburn's work are up on flickr. I am looking forward to seeing what direction her designs take for the colder months.

vancouver + seattle + portland

2008-05-08T02:36:00.061-04:00

Walking around Vancouver is one of my favourite things in the world. The closeness of the mountains and ocean, as well as the abundance of cherry blossom trees (and sushi bars) make me feel like I'm in a Japanese dream world. Sometimes, when the streets are quiet, I half expect a geisha to appear.

I'm lucky to have friends with a gorgeously located house. This is the view from my top window.

The first place I like to go after sushi and visiting is South Main St. at 21st Ave., a little district called SoMa. If you see a red wolf stencil, you're in the right place.

These few blocks are packed with everything from vintage to eco to A.P.C. I recommend Front & Company for lightly worn secondhand clothing worthy of the most discerning, cash strapped sartorialiste (the window displays, which range from corsets to wedding cakes are worth a visit alone). Smoking Lily has the best, eccentric screen prints, and Eugene Choo carries Canadian labels with a few Eurocult brands thrown in.

Sailing to Victoria:

After lunch, Hans and Frans swam over to say hello at the dock.

(they were provided with bits of fish from the marina freezer)

Sleeping seal.

There is a lot more in the way of beavers and biking in Victoria than activities for an urban bootist such as myself, but the street signs were amusing (many were named after obscure, unpronounceable English towns), and emu eggs were available for breakfast:

The trees resembled Afghan hounds:

And the sidewalks were studded with amethyst coloured stone.

Next stop Seattle.

Stayed at the Ace:

Cafés and shops open later on the West coast than I am used to (probably because it tends to be grey and rainy until noon), so I spent the mornings searching for graffiti on empty streets.

Met the lovely Jasmine from Pike/Pine on Capitol Hill and then headed north to Fremont where Impulse lives.

I've wanted to see this boutique for a long time, and it was well worth the trip, although I'll have to wait for a sale before purchasing any of the items I yearn for. As always, I am most entranced with details on clothing, so this jacket and dress by Mayle will be top on my list if that sale comes along...

Wandered into an out of this world, I-must-be-dreaming type vintage store called Private Screening near Impulse and spent over an hour going through their stock of gowns from the 1890s - 1910s (they had masses of stuff from more recent decades, but I collect items from the older periods). Everything was reasonably priced and I left with a long bias cut dress from the 1930s which I will post as soon as I've found the right slip for it.

Later, I had the great pleasure of finally meeting Ailsa of I Hate Generic. In our post-lunch quest for mojitos, we walked all the way up Queen Anne Hill (something I do not advise anyone to do in high heels!)

She also showed me the monolithic bronze of Lenin, strangely placed in the heart of Fremont.

(The statue has an interesting history)

Stopped at Pike Place Market on the drive out of town.

The fish mongers were fantastic. They shout and toss their produce around as they work. If you're young and female and get too close (ie to take a photo), they may throw squidly bits at you.

After the spectacle of flying fish came flowers - I've never seen so many blooms in my life. The stalls seemed to go on for miles, each seeming more colourful than the last.

Miss Mary Mack would have a field day at this button stall.

These decorative chili pepper bundles made me think of India, where drivers tied strings of chilis and limes to their vehicles to ward off evil spirits.

Funky sign.

A toy shop. I loved this two headed dragon with lounging cat.

Outside again.

Finn Heaven. If I lived in Seattle, I would stock up on their extensive selection of marimekko waterproof wear. However, as it rarely rains where I live, I opted to increase my collection of printed purses instead.

Glowing sea urchin lamps at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM).

The SAM shop was full of interior delights, including this set of cups that bring to mind Edgerton's milk drop coronet.

Across the street from SAM, The Forbidden Schwingdom and Chronicles of Nudia were playing. Kudos for creative titles.

The Experience Music Project, designed by Frank Gehry

Ace Hotel Portland

(the elevator)

My room. Like Hotel Fox in Copenhagen, the rooms are decorated by different artists. Each bed is kitted out with military surplus, and the room numbers are made by the suppliers of Portland's street signs. This Ace had much more character than the Seattle location.

Powell's Books, which occupies an entire city block, is one street over, and Portland's famous Voodoo Doughnut (and Wedding Chapel) is 10 minutes away. On the walk to get a morning "Dirty Snowball" doughnut, you will pass no less than four open strip clubs.

One of the highlights of Portland was Oblation Papers and Press, an exquisite letterpress print shop/paper boutique in the Pearl District. My first work experience came at my grandfather's print shop, and I've always been intrigued by the craft of old school printing. At Oblation, you can watch the staff operate centuries old presses and peruse an astonishing variety of paper products - they have everything from whimsical cards and stationery to miniature Eiffel Towers.

My walls at home are currently decorated with this paper:

Trekked up to Le Train Bleu, to see what the brick and mortar version of this favourite online boutique was like. The interior was graceful and distinctly art nouveau, however 95% of their sales are done online, so there was very little stock.

A few hours out of Portland (after scandalizing the old ladies at a truck stop Denny's with my high heeled boots- they took me for a hooker), I discovered the rather spectacular outlet malls just north of Seattle off the freeway. The Burberry store was swarming with Asian tourists, but lucky for me, the leftover shoe sizes were 11s. Happy days!

For more photos, please check my flickr.

there and back again

2008-05-04T19:21:00.011-04:00

I'm back after a rocking west coast trip and straight into night shifts to recoup my travel bank. Photos will be up in the next few days.

P.S. I had the honour of meeting Jasmine from Pike/Pine on Capitol Hill last week- click for a photo (scroll down to 3/5/08).

wild wild west

2008-04-25T15:47:00.002-04:00

I'm in Vancouver, Seattle and Portland this week. See you soon x

backless baroness

2008-04-18T01:13:00.005-04:00

From French-Spanish label BaronBaronne. The rest is over here.

the structure of spring

2008-04-17T23:35:00.012-04:00

La Garçonne (likely the first place I would go shopping upon winning the lottery) posted a short film today entitled Slate, which showcases the architectural features of dresses by H Chalayan, Heimstone and Vena Cava.

LIB reported last month that Heimstone's robe smoking was a disappointment, but I am experiencing extreme lust for Vena Cava's Ezra dress, which appears halfway through the film. Rough-edged layers just might be my theme of the year.

hit the ground running

2008-04-15T00:10:00.103-04:00

Started off flying in a tiny plane from Toronto Island to New Jersey (much more fun than the direct route- it's cheaper, includes free cappuccinos, and the flight attendants wear blue pill box hats).

Landed at Newark and spent half an hour humming "Woke Up This Morning" by A3 while passing through the N. J. Turnpike and into the Lincoln Tunnel (Sopranos fans will understand).

Upon arrival in Greenwich Village, I dump my bag in the hotel room (perhaps more aptly described as a closet + sink, but who sleeps in NY anyway?) and dash out to explore the shops around Lower Fifth Avenue and Nolita. I restrict myself to window shopping only in Soho, but one day I'll treat myself...

After completing the annual spring stock up, I settle into a cafe by the very funky Parsons New School for Design, where I meet "Jamie the Giraffe" (below), admire the Vibskovish jumpers and colourful sneakers worn by male and female students alike, and pull out my notes to do some review for imminent finals.

Next on the list is Central Park to visit the horses, followed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The blog.mode exhibit caught me by surprise- I was saving it for last, but as I turned away from an immense stone sarcophagus in the Egyptian Wing, I found myself looking at Junya Watanabe's enormous honeycomb ruff, and a set of stairs leading downward.

Halfway down the stairs, past Galliano's crocodile dress, and Rei Kawakubo's highland getup (above), stood gowns by Yohji Yamamoto and Madame Grès (red and neutral) in all their exquisite, hand pleated glory. The two silver dresses are by Yeohlee Teng and Issey Miyake, respectively.

At the bottom of the stairs, I was notified that anyone taking pictures would be escorted out, so after getting busted trying to photograph the bodice of this Worth gown, I wandered around as innocently as possible, taking quick snaps whenever the maniacally anti-camera security were occupied elsewhere. As a result, there aren't as many photos as I had hoped (the hooded Alaïa sheath for example, and the Champs Elysées gown worn by Denise Poiret were stunning in person), but at least you can get an idea of the exhibit.

One of the earliest gowns was a blue Robe à la Française c. 1765, rumoured to descend from an Austrian lady in waiting to Marie Antoinette (15 years earlier, and it might have looked like this!).

Next is my favourite of the two; a similar design from c. 1775. I can just see Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons, wearing this (minus the modest neckerchief) and taking tea with Valmont: "I've always known I was meant to dominate your sex and avenge my own..."

The simple cotton day dresses at right are from one of my favourite periods in fashion history, the 1820s - 1830s. The summer dress with bustle is from the 1870s. I can't imagine how stifled those women must have felt. A steel crinoline with bustle pads in addition to a corset must have been unbearable in hot weather.Moving away from angelic and into sinful, here are the Parisian fetish boots that were second on my Met list next to the Oyster Gown. I wish I'd found something similar in my great grandmother's keepsake trunk! (alas Finns have a very different sense of style than the French). These thigh high boots are particularly exciting to fashion historians because of their avant garde stilletoe heel. High, tapered heels weren't introduced to mainstream women's fashion until after the War.

Detail of Philip Treacy's elaborate "Chinese Garden" headdress...

I'm not sure if she wore this particular Treacy creation, but it immediately brings to mind the late, irreplaceable Isabella Blow.

Vivienne Westwood's famous platforms...

The display case opposite showcased Olivier Theysken's swirling "L'Air du Temps" gown, one of the first he designed for Nina Ricci, and Vivienne Westwood's equally impressive pink "Propaganda" dress, which is constructed from one long, unbroken piece of silk, expertly draped around a boned bodice.

The L'Air du Temps gown looks very dark, but the crinkled ruffles are actually multiple shades of grey.

Last, but certainly not least, the Pièce de Résistance for this visitor: Alexander McQueen's Oyster Dress from 2003.

Sigh... The first McQueen gown with a "mille-feuille" layered skirt I ever saw was the pale pink one below worn by Liv Tyler in 2002. I was 15 then and I'm still obsessed with it (although I prefer the rough Oyster bodice to Liv's custom satin corset).

Next stop was the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

I'd just walked in when Natalia caught my eye. Her crocheted necklace and matching sweater were made by an aunt in Poland.

The museum cafe was like a German food market.

After tea with friends visiting from England, I set off to explore...

Around 6 o'clock, I met up with a friend to check out the discount department store Century 21 down in the Financial District (I'd heard the rumours and didn't have the stomach to go alone at the end of the day!).

The rumours were correct- the store was a packed, chaotic mess with rude staff, but the stock is worth a dig. I had to pass on a gorgeous Narciso Rodriguez bodice because even the discounted price was out of budget, but I ended up with a silk/cotton Filippa K top with geometric cutouts for $100 that I'd previously passed up in Copenhagen due to its $300 price tag. My friend commented that it reminded her of Aeon Flux, which made me very happy, not because the futuristic anti-heroine appears to have inspired the fall collections, but because 3 years on, I'm still a hopeless Aeon addict.

Very hungry at this point, we cabbed up to Kenka on St. Marks Place for grilled eel and ramen noodles (we considered, but passed on the bull testicles), and stocked up at a Japanese supermarket.

A day well spent!

For more photos, please check my flickr.

i came, i saw, i oystered

2008-04-14T02:13:00.008-04:00

...and I'm still in awe.
It's been a busier weekend than I had anticipated, but please check back in the next day or two for NYC.

Update: et voila!

I'm on a rough-edged ruffle high...

(1 and 2)

new york, new york...

2008-04-09T02:31:00.009-04:00

I'm in town to visit the Oyster Dress, wander Central Park, and raid Century 21 for a good pair of boots. See you Sunday with photos x

walking on sunshine

2008-04-03T10:32:00.023-04:00

The office building outside my window says that it is 4° in Toronto- a bright, glorious heatwave compared to what it's been like these past months, and the first time I've been able to wear open toed shoes without knit stockings. Next week I'll be in NY where it is three times as warm. Time to break out the sundresses. Hurrah for spring!

The YSL Tribute sandals above were spotted leaving a Giambattista Valli show. I'm not crazy about the Tributes, simply because they seemed to be attached to every third body at Paris Fashion Week, but as for Signore Valli, I wouldn't mind having his fierce sandals in my wardrobe this summer...

A little risky in the death department (particularly if you have a ceiling fan, though I acquire more injuries from head-butting doorframes and falling down stairs), but very pretty.

P.S. They look similar to this Gucci design from 2006, don't they?
La Coquette wrote about her experiences walking on these and other killer heels for Chicago Magazine a while back...

twenty one

2008-04-02T01:08:00.007-04:00

...is better than twenty. It's only been a few hours, but I can sense that already. Casanova and Hans Christian Andersen were also born on this date. I wonder if they felt the same way?

Happy birthday to all you Aprilites x

photo: Susanna Majuri

how to chop wood in high heels

2008-04-01T23:24:00.029-04:00

These ensembles from Ulla Johnson's fall 08 collection remind me of the clothing my Finnish grandmother wore in the 1940s. A photograph ever present on my inspo board shows her perched on a rock in the middle of dense forest, wearing a simple, expertly hand sewn outfit and high heeled lace-up shoes, her lips and nails painted dark red. I still wonder how she managed to cultivate such a glamourous appearance in an isolated place where Saturday night out consisted of naked saunas and ice fishing (and still does).

I became an Ulla devotee after discovering the "sadie" cardigan last year. Can't wait to see what she comes up with for 2009...

page six

2008-03-07T16:19:00.010-05:00

If you're lucky enough to be in Australia (instead of being trapped by blizzard #40 in the Northern Hemisphere), check out The Cloth Issue of map magazine for a short q&a with me. It's also available to read online, and on flickr.

rural uttar pradesh and delhi

2008-03-06T18:59:00.029-05:00

Comfortable private transport, unlike accommodation, is inexpensive in India, and so I hired a car with a driver for four days to explore the northern rural areas of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh states, and deliver me to my final stop in Delhi. Which brings me to considering the way people travel on the roads here… I was impressed by the ingenuity and grace of women riding sidesaddle on the backs of motorcycles with babies in their arms and a second child artfully folded between father and mother. It is no news that helmets and safety precautions are only the vaguest of suggestions for drivers of all vehicles. As I people watched from the backseat of a car which was itself diving in and out of traffic with wild abandon, there were many times I just closed my eyes. Motorized pedi cabs (tuk tuks) intended to hold two adults in the back regularly hold 6 to 8 while trucks tear down the potholed roads with 30 people perched high on top of the load. India has a crazed new love affair with the car, and has produced a number of very cheap ones, most recently Tata’s Nano, which sells for about $2K. In the country, there was still room on the roads, but in Delhi, as with other cities, the roads seemed choked past capacity already, with unbearably dense air pollution, and I wonder how this country will adapt to a car revolution.

I found myself surprisingly drawn to India’s northern countryside, with its vast, flat expanses of farmlands, village paths, and huge shady trees. Here is where I came across some of the sights I found most magical. Families of wild monkeys playing by a river, a working train of a dozen camels haughtily towing massive loads, a cattle drive of hundreds of miles (led by barefoot boys) taking over roads, snake handlers, and ingenious rail thin men who ran entire shops and tailoring businesses off lovingly customized bicycles.

Cities in India were a surprise for me because I usually find many things to love in urban settings and am less in tune with countrysides. This trip, it was reversed. In cities, I found the level of harassment as a woman on the street made it difficult to discover or enjoy the beautiful aspects, and the urban overcrowding, slums and pollution for me outweighed the aesthetic pleasures. In the country, I felt relieved with the presence of open clear sky, space for people, and quiet.

On the last day in Delhi, I went to visit Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi, and spent my final hour at midnight watching the dessert wallahs ply their trade on the sidewalk. Eight hours later I flew to England and spent a gloriously peaceful two days in the quiet hills of Devon.

For more photos, please check my flickr page.

the taj mahal

2008-02-25T19:52:00.026-05:00

The Taj Mahal is an extraordinary complex of mausoleum, guest house, mosque and gardens, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. To miss the crowds, I arrived at 6 am by rickshaw as the last two miles surrounding the Taj Mahal is not open to cars. The air pollution here in Agra, as in most congested areas of India, is extreme, but cannot detract for me from the overwhelming and mystic, if also somewhat cryptic beauty of this monument of love for a lost wife.

In the 1630s, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan wanted to build a perfect memorial to his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal after she died giving birth to their 14th child. He employed twenty thousand workers, and a thousand elephants to complete the structure, which still reflects the greatest talents of Persian design.

The main focus is the white marble tomb (photography is prohibited inside) which has a spectacular marble dome. At the corners of the plinth stand four minarets, each more than 40 metres tall, and perfectly symmetrical. Because of the Islamic prohibition on the depiction of human forms, the Taj Mahal is decorated with flower and leaf motifs (inlaid with semi-precious stones), geometric patterns and Arabic calligraphy which depicts passages from the Qur'an.

The garden is meant to symbolize paradise. In contrast to the white marble of the tomb, the mosque, guest house and gatehouse are made of dark, red sandstone.

goa

2008-02-24T13:20:00.033-05:00

To travel the 300 miles from Mumbai to Goa on the Manavi Express train took 12 hours and endless tiny cups of sweet tea from the friendly circulating chai wallahs. Cockroaches crawled across my first class sleeping berth, but I didn't mind- I was too happy to be leaving Mumbai.

Entering Goa feels like stepping into such a different world that you have to pinch yourself. It is a small coastal state with just under 2 million people; the sky is clear and large, and the air is clean, with the ocean always close by on the west and a small mountain range to the east. Goa was a Portuguese colony until 1961, and local religion, customs, and way of life reflect this influence with white washed churches from the 1800s, and ubiquitous five-point star lights in every home and establishment, side by side with Hindu temples. I was especially captivated by the star lights. At night, you can see hundreds of them glowing against the darkness in every colour imaginable.

It's definitely not the '70s anymore- most of the hippies are long gone- and while Goa still has some laid back, long term beach visitors, raves with Goan trance music are happening less here than an explosion of packaged tourism and a hot real estate market, particularly for the British, Russians (there is a surprising amount of vodka and Versace), and more recently, the newly wealthy from India, seeking vacation homes. This is a place to relax on the beach, and in a delightful twist, a place where cows rule that beach.

For more photos of Goa, please check my flickr page.

mumbai

2008-02-23T14:52:00.029-05:00

A city physically smaller than Toronto, absolutely heaving with its 18 million inhabitants. Thousands of millionaires live in urbane, tropical luxury while steps away, 9 million Mumbaikers live in street slums on $2 per day- life without housing, clean water or sanitation. A frenzied hot zone with endless racing commerce, ambition and organized crime, and a steady schedule of overloaded trains packed with Indian migrants from the countryside hoping to get lucky in this overheated metropolis.

Walking the streets I found overwhelming- being face to face with clashing opposite worlds every few blocks. Real estate more expensive than Manhattan's morphs into endless communities of beggars on streets and in medieval markets; swarms of black and yellow taxis play impossible games of chicken on potholed, broken roads without street lights or signs. Time warped Victorian architecture in lush colonial gardens circa 1880 looks out at tiny street urchins, 4 or 5 years old, begging on traffic medians and racing through deadly traffic to no one's concern. Air conditioned SUVs carry the new upper middle class as their private drivers deposit them along a daily circuit of luxurious stores and expensive restaurants and armed guards keep the unwanted out of their rarefied retail world.

The air pollution is crippling, while swirling dust, filth and trash are omnipresent. Yet, almost magically, Mumbaikers are usually immaculate; dressed in pristine, styled and pressed clothing, regardless of station. Rickshaw drivers and food vendors show more pride in their appearance than most of the North American middle class.

There is fierce ambition and creative energy in this city which houses the nation’s film industry, playboy millionaires and much of its aggressive business development, but the abandonment of half of its people to the worst penury in teeming slums make this place one of the strangest, most unsettling, and sometimes odious I have visited.

For more photos and thoughts on Mumbai, please check my flickr page.

my rajasthani elephant

2008-02-11T13:20:00.004-05:00

Back in the land of snow and abundant internet access... some photos are up (encountering this beautiful and friendly elephant was one my favourite moments in India). Stories will follow as soon as I get through exams this week. Stay warm and enjoy London FW!

xx Adeleine

P.S. Happy Birthday P!

namaste

2008-01-03T06:56:00.005-05:00

...and happy new year! I'm in India for a few weeks and have many photos and stories to post, but none of the computers I've come across have image uploading capabilities (surprisingly, many "cyber cafes" in major Indian cities are little more than street stalls with a few ancient computer terminals and power blackouts a regular problem). This is frustrating as the past week has been a mad whirl of exploration that I can't wait to share with you.

oh, olga

2007-12-26T23:58:00.001-05:00

I just arrived in 43° Perth, West Australia after crossing the scorching Nullarbor Desert and swooned when I caught sight of this shot from Lanvin's spring campaign. I love how Olga's dress dances like a fabric flame across the dark foliage behind her. Strangely, this image reminds me of the vivid purple/gold sunsets I saw in the desert these last few evenings. Please go to flickr for a few photos taken while on the longest stretch of straight train track in the world.

scan via tfs

sprite on rundle street

2007-12-18T10:34:00.001-05:00

Stepped into the market in Adelaide, South Australia today to stock up on fruit and chocolate and wound up meeting Trude. (Norwegian, of course. I think I have inbuilt Scandi-radar). Most girls here are wearing shorts and tees through the drought season, but Trude opted for something more along the lines of Edwardian- bohemian. I particularly liked her coiffure and jewelled headband.

viva italia

2007-12-17T03:23:00.003-05:00

Little LF feature in Italian Glamour (Nov/Dec 07). For the rest of the article, click here.

en route

2007-12-08T16:46:00.000-05:00

My round the world trip starts today. Check back for updates soon...

PS. To see an article (with pictures) about me, Susie Bubble, Diane Pernet and a few other style addicts, flip through the Italian Glamour on newstands now. I tried to upload a scan yesterday, but to no avail. Will try again at the next stop.

PS 2. Japanese flight attendants are, without doubt, the chicest beings I have ever come across (and make me feel like an Amazonian hooligan). Even after a 14 hour shift in a sealed airplane, they could give Audrey a run for her money.

faces in the alley

2007-09-29T22:25:00.000-04:00

A few Saturdays ago, I took a stroll through the alleys south of Queen St. West in Toronto. I try to find street art in every city, and Toronto has some compelling alleys- virtual galleries of artwork showing a wide range of expression and styles. This time through, I related to the faces and characters, so I have named this tour Faces in the Alley. I hope you enjoy walking where I did. With my thanks to the talented street artists who created this world of characters...

Continue the tour here.

busy boots

2007-09-20T02:39:00.000-04:00

Hei lovely readers,

Thanks for your comments and emails. No worries, I'm not dead- just dashing around like a madwoman in miu miu heels.

A lot of exciting things have been happening over the past two months, most of which I hope to blog about soon. In the meantime, enjoy the last day of London Fashion Week and don't forget to check out the new Fly DVD... Givenchy hasn't looked this glamourous since Breakfast at Tiffany's.

les vacances finlandais

2007-08-21T15:01:00.000-04:00

I'm up north in Marimekko Land, staying with friends by a lake, and learning how Lappish bonnets are made (something I've always wanted to do, but also a practical necessity because it is freezing here!). There are saunas galore, trees as far as the eye can see, and Finnish pancakes every morning for breakfast (to get an idea of my surroundings, take a peek at the Ivana Helsinki lookbooks).

Hope you're enjoying the last days of summer and prepping for a gorgeous fall... I should be back and blogging at the end of August.

duel of the fotogs

2007-08-03T16:45:00.000-04:00

Interesting project:

Five teams of photographers and stylists are given two hours to produce three images. See the results at LVHRD, and vote for your favourites.

intermission

2007-07-31T02:22:00.000-04:00

I'm in the midst of a few projects at the moment, planning a road trip in August, learning about glove making, and spending the wee hours in alleys to hunt for new graffiti. Blogging has to take a backseat this week while I try to catch up with offline life, but there are a few things to leave you with in the meantime...

// Painting the Town Red //

Valentino's 300 dress exhibit at the Ara Pacis Museum in Rome is open, and it looks spectacular. His creations are usually too opulent for me to appreciate, but the red gowns in this collection are stunning and remind me of the famous elephant scene in Moulin Rouge. I like the way Valentino's crimson clad mannequins have been grouped around the ancient Ara Pacis monument like an ecstatic Greek chorus.

// Guerilla Gardening //

As regular visitors know, street art is a passion for me second only to boots, so I was delighted to come across the work of posterchild, a Toronto stencil artist who erects little boxes of celosias in unlikely places all over town...

// Hello, Silver //

I walk by these Casadei boots almost every day and stand (in the words of my mother) "like a stunned, alien ostrich" gazing wistfully through the glass. Luckily, they've gone on sale and if fashion fate is on my side, there will still be a size 41 knocking around.

According to Casadei's website, "the latest collection communicates a return to the future, lived in the prism of a dazzling universe populated by galactic sirens who sing the opulence of metals..."

If you're into metallic footwear, the rest of this blurb is fun to read. Either the translation didn't quite work, or the company hires wild and dreamy writers.

// Making Plans for Nina //

In the past, cruise collections have never really captured my attention, but if I was a "galactic siren" as Casadei envisions its boot wearers to be, I think that I would wear Nina Ricci all summer long. The silvery dresses, paired with blue ombre stockings are an inspired combination. At least for this alien ostrich.

// And Finally... //

Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed List is out. Any favourites?

Happy August! See you soon.

you are, i am

2007-07-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

Six months ago, I saw this clipping above a doorway in Toronto. At the time I hadn't heard of You Are Beautiful, the global project where ordinary people post stickers, notes and art bearing those three words to "create moments of positive self realization" for anyone who passes by. Keep your eyes open- whether on walls, parking meters, bus seats, or library shelves, there could be some in your neighbourhood too. The y.a.b. site has photos and details on joining in.

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. (R. W. Emerson)

snej-anna

2007-07-23T00:59:00.000-04:00

Snejana Onopka as Anna Wintour. She has the pristine poses down perfectly. This reminds me of last year's editorial (also in Paris Vogue), where Sasha Pivovarova was made up as John Galliano. I'd like to see someone try and imitate Carine...

babies in birkins...

2007-07-22T22:09:00.000-04:00

That's an idea I could get used to (my mother tells me this means I'm not ready to have children, but I think that JPG is on to something).

Ensuring that even fashion obsessed females are included in the mega marketing campaign for The Simpsons Movie, America's famous cartoon family is featured in the latest Harper's Bazaar. They are, of course, in Paris and stroll around with Bart's favourite supermodel, Linda Evangelista. The illustrations are perfectly - and hilariously - accurate in detail with regards to clothing (fall 07 rtw) and characters. Maggie in a Birkin bag steals the show for me, but Marge with her hair down, and Karl Lagerfeld in cartoon form are both worth a look.

almost back

2007-07-21T16:18:00.000-04:00

Sorry to leave you for so long. A lot of exciting things have been happening, some of which I hope to blog about soon. Perhaps you didn't notice that I was gone though, what with the new APC winter collection out, and feet like this...

...making their presence known during fashion week (the attached bodies are quite attractive too, but I'm more interested in footwear at the moment).

Planning to be back online this week. See you then.

>>In other news, a Marc Jacobs beanie hat has come into my life, and my head has never been happier. Pictures to follow.

image: geraldine

allez, vite!

2007-07-06T08:55:00.000-04:00

The shows -and Carine- are waiting.

It's that time of year again. Paris is the place to be for all you fashion addicts. Click here for a peek at the gorgeously clad attendees at Gaultier, Dior and Givenchy. Don't forget your aviators.

merci café mode