To Constantly Conquer Fears

Back to my list of goals this year, I want to jump off the Soweto Water Towers. I have been scared of heights as long as I can remember however recently I've been questioning whether it's heights I'm afraid of, or vertigo. You see, when I'm sitting on a plane waiting for it to take off I'm incredibly nervous and worried about what might go wrong; when I'm sitting on a plane that has reached altitude and the seat belt light switches off  I become as comfortable as one can in a small cramped seat and happily watched the in flight entertainment.

I have no psychology training or degree, what I do know of the subject comes from watching television drama's and medically themed shows which are probably highly misinformed on the subject. So this little self diagnosis may be far from the truth but I think my fear of sustaining a life changing injury from a low lying height far out weighs the fear of death, causing the anxiety. If I die, it is out of my control and nothing can be changed. If I am maimed, can't use certain appendages or live with life-long chronic pain; what will I let myself become? This is the fear that needs to be conquered not once, but regularly. It will have to the start with riotously painted cool towers in Soweto.

A Fashion Holiday: Bally in The Alps

I've been looking through a few Spring 2012 campaigns and it has made me want to take to take off and explore; so lets start off on a sight-seeing picnic in Switzerland! Dressed in Bally and patting goats on the head, with delicate high heels on our feet.

Saint Bernards and Miranda Kerr, after this we'll have fondue and enjoy some Swiss chocolate before touring a cuckoo clock studio. 

À tout à l'heure

Rock'n' Roll Kitty Cats

Enough with this seriousness, here are some kittens on Rock 'n' roll album covers to lighten your mood, created by Alfa Martini.

More of this brilliance can be seen at The Kitten Covers on Tumblr

It's been a while....

I have been a very bad blogger, my last post was the 19th December which is a month tomorrow, the shame. With a very sheepish expression I have decided that I will post my goals for the year over the next few days to get myself back into things. 

1. Parlez-vous français ?  

To learn French... There! I have said it and by broadcasting this to the world if I can not speak basic (like level two or three on a scale of five) French by the end of this year, I will be ashamed of myself! But I can't take it back now! Ha Ha Ha! *in a very nasal tone* 

This is a lovely little song which reminds me of riding around in a fantastic party bus looking at the beautiful cobbled (but at the time sleet covered) streets of Paris. It can still bring through a bought of nostalgia at times.  

Au revoir! à bientôt!

"Why Save the Best Dishes for the Guests?"

I stumbled upon not one, but two beautiful Lanvin Pre-Fall campaigns and Alber Elbasz just keeps the good stuff coming. All his collections are incredible and innovative but I'm naturally a winter shopper, so of course it was these that I ended up leaning towards. It only seems right to show the most recent 2012 images first.

Very pretty and clever! An oversized contemporary shape in the form of a coat here, sumptious fabric used in blouses and ruffled cocktail dresses, a jumbo cameo dotted around and a leather dress with elbow length gloves for good measure, some lacy detail on a nude number- a lot of boxes ticked. Wonderful moody lighting too, basically I want to be a Lavin girl by the time I get home from work today.

These are from last season but still very elegant clothes and striking images; Elbaz's vision was one of glamor, he wanted to fulfill the needs of women who want to dress up everyday. Like Elbaz said "Why save the best doshes for the guests?". What could be more glamorous than wearing a silk pussy bow blouse while wolves circle your floaty skirt? In a Parisian workshop no less? Well, nothing. 

But something that did get me thinking was how all the animals worked with the models? A polar bear in Paris, at a shoot for a pre-fall collection making it pre-pre-fall weather which is technically summer. I think not 

Until you see this shot! Not so much fun spinning in circles around taxidermied  specimens or having a dead parrot perched on your finger? I liked it a lot better when the panther's and lynx were prowling around the lovely ladies. 

Allez, à tout à l'heure!

Be Your Fairytale

Promise I will love you well...

I was on the verge of asking myself if true love does exist, but this Monday was my parents Thirtieth Wedding Anniversary. They are by no means the media's idea of a perfect couple but they have stuck to it through thick and thin, trust me there has been a lot of thin- presuming "thin" is the bad part in that phrase. But my brother and I could not have grown up in more a loving and supportive home; we have both said to each other that we would like to raise our respective children as similarly as possible to our upbringing one day.

So here's to the couples who fight to make up, the men who give the silent treatment only to say they would like that cup of coffee, women who really do want you to guess what you've done wrong, husbands who aren't romantic often- but bowl you over when they are and the everyday rituals that make unbearable days so much better. 

That's the fairytale.

Animated Comparision

Recently (okay, it was four weeks ago) my Marie Claire colleague Candice changed her hair colour from strawberry blonde to a deeper red. When I saw her the following day she had styled herself with a big- no huge- black bow in her hair which promoted me comment that she looked just like Disney princess Ariel. Apparently a lot of of people thought so, I'd like to know if you all agree. 

And while we're on the subject, when I watched Tangled and saw baby Rapunzel I gasped because she looks like I imagine my favourite, Miss Ash Jash looking as sweet toddling child. It's the flowing blonde locks and wide set green eyes that convince me.

And me? Well I think if anyone, I'm not a Disney princess but rather like Agnes from Despicable Me. Here is a younger version of myself at my first birthday, I think I may have three strands of hair sticking out of the oversized hair tie? 

And if you have ever seen me with my faithful hound, I'm sure you'd agree that I do at all resemble this picture of Agnes.