do you wash your denim?

I once heard a story about someone who put their denim into the freezer overnight instead of washing them. I've had people tell me to hang them in the bathroom while I have a shower to steam them. I've been told to spray them with vinegar and hang them outside. These are, of course, all methods to avoid washing your jeans for as long as possible, which is apparently better for the denim and the environment.

The debate, and yes it is a debate, about washing versus not-washing has always sat uneasily with me. I am, quite clearly, a fan of the fabric - in all its guises. But the idea of just not washing my denim seems a little odd.

I get that it's all about preserving the integrity of the fabric and I support that. Really, I do. But it's the other reason for not washing that has me sidling up to the washing machine after a half a dozen or so wears. And that is dye.

Preserving the dye in the denim is heralded as a significant reason to not wash your jeans, but there is something about an old, faded and nearly falling apart pair of jeans that appeals to me on so many levels. I want my denim to fade. I want my dark washes to smooth into pale, I want my black to border on grey. I want my torn denim to shred and almost fall apart. I want lived in denim.

A pair of jeans that are faded and a little frayed around the edges will always be my choice over slick and sparkly new. I love denim that has a history, that tells a story. I love denim that changes over time and becomes something else.

And while it would be nice for that to happen organically with time and sun exposure and enthusiastic use, the reality is that I probably won't live for a hundred years to enjoy the results; and there's a good chance my waist line won't stay the same size either. Plus I'm impatient. So I wash. Not after every wear, sometimes after three or four or even half a dozen. But I do wash. And my denim fades and frays and the tears and rips get bigger and the buttons loose their sheen and I couldn't be happier.

And you know what, I reckon there is a fair amount of integrity in lived in denim. In denim with a story. In my washed denim.

kb xx

double.......

My fascination with double denim doesn't appear to have abated. And I'm clearly not the only one that is enamoured.

Perhaps it's the way doubling up on the blue gives you that I could not care less nonchalance that is so damn hard to cultivate. Maybe it's a nod to fashions past, or a overdeveloped sense of appreciation for a fabric that has become increasingly woven (pun intended) into our culture. Maybe it's the infestation of our sartorial lives by nineties reincarnations. Maybe it's the fashion anarchists in us all pushing back against 'rules' that are basically bullshit.

The Canadian Tuxedo, as the look is so eloquently known - no really I'm a fan of the phrase - was a faux pas of the greatest kind. It was a pointer to your economic or social status, it was the domain of a select few who made their own rules. It was the bastion of pop bands who dressed in that weird matchy way - a la Destinys Child - and, of course, Britney and Justin. Until the end of the first decade in the new century, when designers like Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Chloe, Dries and Isabel Marant embraced the idea and now rocking a Canadian Tuxedo points more to your ability to navigate trends than anything else.

My own DD (just to be clear I'm not discussing my bra size here) started with my first denim shirt, which I'll admit, came about a few short years ago - probably around the time Stella and Dries got on board. In a strange twist, my dear Mother has been rocking the double blue for some time. Something that induced a overwhelming amount of sartorial induced shame in my adolescence. Now I'm like a freaking poster child (adult) for double denim in all its guises. These days if I'm not wearing denim in some duplicated way I'm probably naked.

kb xx

his and her no more.......

I think I might need help.*

Over the past few weeks I’ve bought three new shirts. A blue denim, a black acid wash denim and a red and blue tartan in case you were wondering, and they all came from the menswear department.

What started as a bit of sartorial expression, an over-sized shirt here, some slouchy pants there, has morphed into a outright infatuation. And now I barely give lady-land a cursory glance before pawing through the racks of button up shirts and trousers searching for my new favourite.

It’s even infiltrated what I thought was the untouchable domain of shoes. I want man shoes. I want loafers and brogues and chunky sneakers. We’ve conquered the shirts and the pants, so shoes is the next logical step right?

Where once I stared at the likes of Nicholas Kirkwood and Brain Attwood, (often with a little drool dripping down my chin - hey I’m only human), now I’m more likely to spend my spare time at Mr Porter, with my eyes firmly fixated on the likes of John Lobb. Have you see these patent leather slippers??. Or Armando Cabral. Oh those brushed suede tasselled loafers.

Sigh. 

Maybe it’s the boxy over-sized unisex silhouettes that have stomped down the runways these past few seasons, see Celine, Comme des Garcons, Stella McCartney, Yohji Yamamoto, Loewe - need I go on?

Where once the wearing of menswear may have been a subversive bucking of trends for us women-folk, it’s now made it’s way front and centre and shopping in man land just ain’t no real thing anymore.

Maybe, just maybe, the rules that previously bound us to our respective sexes and the garments assigned to them have become so blurred, thanks in part to those illustrious designers above no doubt, that we don’t have to divide our fashion between his and hers anymore.

Maybe that’s why I’m digging all that shiny patent leather and brushed suede on my feet.

Is this the real democratisation of fashion?

What do you think?

kb xx

*I'm kidding. Seriously.

hanging by a chain.......

 Shirt: Vintage Wrangler / Jeans: Dotti / Sunglasses and Chains: ASOS

Accessories have, for me, always been ornamental. Extras, toppings, things that don't offer much more then something sparkly or shiny or nice to look at. And most days I struggle to do much more then wear a watch and the earrings that are seemingly melded to my ears. And even then, once I start tapping away at this keyboard I'm at right now, the watch gets booted and I'm down to the earrings.

I know Coco said we should always take one thing off before leaving the house, she was clearly opposed to the over accessorising movement, (I'm looking at you arm party), but surely my non ornamental look is taking it a bit too far. If I have to take one thing off, I'd be likely heading out sans pants.   

But I think I've finally found an accessory that meets both the aforementioned criteria, shiny and nice to look at, and somehow gets around my apparent aversion.

Sunglasses chains. Or as I like to call them, Nana chains. Cause, you know, my Nan wears them. I'm hooked, another pair are on their way to me now. And I'm scoping out optometrists to score a clear plastic pair. Which reads so much weirder then it sounds in my head.

At first I tried to pass off my chains as a kind of retro throwback, but then it dawned on me why I've been able to jump that hurdle of aversion and embrace the chains. They're useful. Yes, they serve a purpose. More then any arm party or knuckle ring ever could.

Accessories with purpose, that is my kind of fashion.

xx

higher and higher baby.......

Shirt: Cotton On (Mens) / Jeans: Vintage Lee / Shoes: Wittner / Sunglasses: ASOS

I've never been a huge fan of high waisted anything. Putting emphasis on my ass and the lower half of my abdomen (which rises and falls throughout the course of the day in opposition to the sun, am I right ladies?) just never melded with my preconceived ideas of radness.

But like all great and wonderful things, it only takes one.

While on a thrifting adventure in search of old school mens denim to customise the hell out of I happened to stumble upon these high waisted Lee jeans, circa no idea, and now I'm hooked.

If I told you that I'd been wearing them basically every day for the past week, would you believe me? Surely those crease marks can attest to my infatuation? Thank god the internet is not equipped with a sense of smell just yet.

Coincidentally the two other pairs of denim I scored that fateful day are also high waisted.

So now the questions is, does this mark the end of my slung at the hip denim phase? Am I all about the Mum jeans, ass emphasis and FUPA?

Perhaps all that Man Repeller reading has finally sunk in.

Hell if I know. But if you find any vintage high waisted Lee denim, preferably from man land, can you please let me know. Seriously. Not kidding.

xx

going hawaiian.......

Ok, real talk. I'm having a moment with hawaiian shirts right now. In my mind, every single look I conjure could be made infinitely better with the inclusion of a brightly coloured shirt. A shirt featuring, among other things, palm trees and blue skies and flowers; lots and lots of flowers.

This streetstyle shot of Yasmin Sewell, while fabulous, only serves to legitmise my current infatuation. Though in the interests of complete transparency, I must admit this shot is from a few seasons ago. Using fashion insiders to prop up our seemingly nonsensical sartorial desires is nothing new. But trawling through the archives to find some hawaiian evidence to solidify my argument borders on ridiculous surely?

Because here's the thing, my growing love of the flamboyant shirts came before the inspirational streetstyle shot. This one brewed in my grey matter and filtered from the top down, until I found myself searching for 'hawaiian shirt' in eBay, ASOS, Topshop, Google and every other search engine I could find.

Which got me wondering. With our sartorial choices seemingly so influenced by the magazines we read, the blogs we follow and the racks of garments in those fast fashion stores we all frequent, is there any room left in our overflowing minds to dream up something different? 

And when you do actually get that dream happening, how do you translate that to a look, especially when your dream just ain't on trend?

I, of course, resorted to the fertile grounds of both eBay and op shops to create this mix of print and denim. Sometimes you just can't leave your fate to the fashion gods of New York, London, Paris and Milan. Sometimes you have to take control of that shit yourself. 

Because fash-un isn't found only inside the minimalist glass doors of Zara or the online powerhouses of Net-A-Porter. It's found in my vintage hawaiian shirt (score) and my vintage customised Levi's (double score) and, you know, it's found in the sky and stuff like Coco said.

xx

how i'd wear: the leather tee.......

Is there anything that encapsulates both a too cool for school nonchalance and a slightly scary sexiness like leather? Or more to the point, the leather tee? Perhaps the most modern of iterations, the leather tee takes what is a wardrobe staple and turns it into a wardrobe hero.

Hence today's rendering of How I'd Wear features this most wondrous example of the leather tee courtesy of a Mr Lim. This 3.1 Phillip Lim tee is quite close to being perfect, in my own humble opinion.

Take it's slightly slouchy fit, that's a nod to menswear in my book and anything that nods in the general direction of the boys department is a winner. It features slightly elongated sleeves which I appreciate because of the inherent versatility hence provided. It's a summer leather and a winter leather, see?

And it's got that quilted thing happening. Quilted leather. Surely any more words after those last two are simply unnecessary.

But the questions remains, how would I wear said tee. Well like this of course.

/ Dress: Dolce & Gabbana / Shoes: Nike / Sunglasses: Illesteva / 

/ Bag: Cambridge Satchel Company /

Does it get more nineties then floral and layers? With Nike's? No, I didn't think so either. The juxtaposition of the floral and leather is a well worn one, but when it works it works. The Nike's, while keeping us grounded in 1998, also bring a little sports-luxe to the ensemble, and combined with the mirrored sunnglasses ensure we look inspired by the nineties and not transported directly from the nineties.

 / Ring: Lanvin / Shorts: Kenzo / Shoes: ASOS / 

/ Clutch: Mcq by Alexander McQueen / Sunglasses: Quay /

It's the cool look. As if I could resist, just like I can't resist those Lanvin rings and necklaces that are starting to drop. I mean surely if you're wearing it, it must be true. Aside from being cool, you could also make a case for referring to it as Gold......ilocks maybe? Goldie, goldfinger, goldmember - too far right. And sure while the gold makes a case for itself here, the main focus is those Kenzo shorts with the outside pockets. Am I right?

/ Shoes: Sophia Webster / Denim Jacket: R13 / Tote: Reason /

/ Jeans: Joe's Jeans / Sunglasses: ASOS /

Leather and denim. It's match made in heaven. And then you have double denim and leather, and there simply aren't enough words in the English language to describe the brilliance of that. Instead, let's talk about those shoes. Sophia Webster has the great knack of being able to create shoes that are at once ridiculous and covetable, my favourite kind. These ones might be from last season, but I'm still coveting.

Thoughts??

xx

converse and my maturing mind........

Converse again? Really?

Yes, really.

Torn up jeans again? Really?

Yes, really.

Since finally investing in some sweet white Converse a few weeks ago, I have to say they’ve taken centre stage round here. I’m finding myself reaching for them again and again, they’re simple, they go with everything and they’re comfortable.

Last week one of my new favourite bloggers, Gab from Look Sharp, Sconnie, (seriously if you haven’t already, check her out, girl can write!) posted about the possibility of our sartorial choices becoming more simplified as we get older. Hitting the, (mental), speed bump that was my twenty seventh birthday last month it struck me while reading Gab’s post that I was in fact closer to the end of the supposed experimental twenties than I was to the beginning.

I wondered as I approach that seemingly terrifying milestone, thirty(!!), would my supposed young and carefree nature melt away and be replaced with a mature mind that bought basics like candy and skimmed right over the torn up denim and mens tees that seem so prevalent in my life now. See above.

Or does the fact that I've finally purchased these go with everything Converse mean that this slow metamorphosis is already taking place? Next to go the torn up denim?

I’ve always though of myself as a little experimental. Perhaps not in the way of the inimitable ADR or Susie Bubble, but in my own way, tucked away in my own corner of the world. And I have a wardrobe full of ‘statement’ pieces that can attest to that. Sequined blazers, lace shorts, gold high waisted skirts, yes, tick and check. And while these little style experiments may not have always worked they have helped to hone what I guess is a sense of style that is all mine. 

But, outside the crazy twenties, would I actually get fed up with the world that I spend so much time engrossed in?

Would I really do away with those neon pink peep toes booties?

Would my beloved and decadent family jewels suddenly be irrelevant amongst a wardrobe full of black and white?

For me style is an evolutionary concept, not a static one. So the chances of me hitting thirty and locking in a set of sartorial preferences and holding solid from that point on are probably comparable to the chances of me going to space. That would be slim to none. Which means the answers to all my own rhetorical questions are no, maybe when I'm ninety five and never.

That said I’m certainly not about to try and predict the future, I’m short a crystal ball for one thing. And there is always the possibility that I'll decide to become an avant garde hippy and wear Comme des Garcons and Isabel Marant exclusively. Either way, I do hope that mens threads and torn up denim never stop being a part of my life regardless of which side of thirty, or forty, or fifty I fall.

Thoughts??

xx

how i'd wear: white chunky heel......

After featuring these white Wittner babes in last weeks Currently Crushing they kept popping into my mind in a few different ensembles so I figured that meant they were destined for a little How I'd Wear action. 

Frankly I've never been a huge fan of white shoes, if a bride wasn't wearing them I always found them cheap and nasty, wow that really sounds harsh! But somehow over the past few months they seem to have crept into my good books and I now find myself a huge fan. Ahh the fickle nature of fashion, it's why we keep coming back, just never know what she's going to throw at us next.

This particular white babe, who goes by the name Ralex, is ticking quite a few boxes making her so hot right now. Chunky heel, yep and at a comfortable 8.5cm too, check. Single sole, see the revolt against platforms, check. Those ever so perfectly placed straps in a creamy white finish, check. Oh and did I mention the velcro strap, no? Well if you weren't sold before surely you are now!

Anyway enough of this chat, I put my Stylist hat on and this is what I came up with.

/ Pant: Etro / Shirt: BLK DNM / Bag: ASOS / Sunglasses: Quay Eyewear / Necklace: ASOS /

I'm calling this look Grunge meets South of France Beach, that makes sense right? Yellow stretch crepe flared pants with gold jewellery and a denim shirt, because how can I do anything without a denim shirt?  

/ Skirt: Topshop / Dress: Forever New / Jacket: Mango / Clutch: Acne /

Skirts over dresses, it's layering at it's best. Even better when you pair a paisley-esque printed shift with a bright tube skirt. Topshop believes this skirt is red, I say orange, either way it works. The linen blazer keeps things cool, literally. Added that Acne clutch again, because I'm just a little obsessed with it.

 / Bustier: Balmain / Shorts: Topshop / Anorak: Forever New /

/ Sunglasses: Quay Eyewear / Cuff: Edie Borgo /

And now for my favourite. Stamp print high waisted shorts and a Balmain leather bustier, now that is a winning combination. It's an easy way for those stomach conscious ones among us to rock the crop top look, of course eye catching print on the bottom is not absolutely necessery but comes highly reccomended.

Thoughts??

xx