The Suit

The Gentlewoman

Charlie May

My Chameleon

Lifestyle

Lucense by In Fiore

I recently have been working in a posh part of London, the journey by train and tube often leaves me feeling very shattered with people pressed against each other, pushing and rushing, this is not comfortable at all.

I have been trying to stay in tune with myself by adopting a Vata diet (Ayruveda) and to eat more healthily.
Time will tell if this works but I almost instantly feel better eating fresh fruit, wholesome food & salads than say burger and chips.

My skin has suffered too with growing eyebags and lifeless skin.  I was browsing The Coveteur and came across Yasmin Sewell ( a girl crush of mine!) and her obsession with In Fiore products.  I hope to try Lucense very soon: "LUCENSE Illuminating Floral Extract 
A complex serum of luminosity-boosting florals and herbs to bring your complexion to full radiant bloom. "

Drama

I am the most happiest when sitting in a theatre.

Therefore I hope to take part in theatre by volunteering to teach young people as part of an outreach programme and then hopefully explore further.

Ayurveda - The Science of Life

This excerpt is from http://www.chopra.com/our-services/ayurveda

"Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. Although suppressed during years of foreign occupation, Ayurveda has been enjoying a major resurgence in both its native land and throughout the world. Tibetan medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine both have their roots in Ayurveda. Early Greek medicine also embraced many concepts originally described in the classical ayurvedic medical texts dating back thousands of years.

More than a mere system of treating illness, Ayurveda is a science of life (Ayur = life,Veda = science or knowledge). It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vital while realizing their full human potential. Providing guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, diet, behavior and the proper use of our senses, Ayurveda reminds us that health is the balanced and dynamic integration between our environment, body, mind, and spirit.

Recognizing that human beings are part of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure. Known in Sanskrit as Vata (Wind), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth), these primary forces are responsible for the characteristics of our mind and body. Each of us has a unique proportion of these three forces that shapes our nature. If Vata is dominant in our system, we tend to be thin, light, enthusiastic, energetic, and changeable. If Pitta predominates in our nature, we tend to be intense, intelligent, and goal-oriented and we have a strong appetite for life. When Kapha prevails, we tend to be easy-going, methodical, and nurturing. Although each of us has all three forces, most people have one or two elements that predominate.

For each element, there is a balanced and imbalance expression. When Vata is balanced, a person is lively and creative, but when there is too much movement in the system, a person tends to experience anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation, and difficulty focusing. When Pitta is functioning in a balanced manner, a person is warm, friendly, disciplined, a good leader, and a good speaker. When Pitta is out of balance, a person tends to be compulsive and irritable and may suffer from indigestion or an inflammatory condition. When Kapha is balanced, a person is sweet, supportive, and stable but when Kapha is out of balance, a person may experience sluggishness, weight gain, and sinus congestion.
An important goal of Ayurveda is to identify a person’s ideal state of balance, determine where they are out of balance, and offer interventions using diet, herbs, aromatherapy, massage treatments, music, and meditation to reestablish balance."

Five minutes with Noor Fares, jewellery designer

Noor Fares, image from Noorfares.com

1 What does jewellery mean to you?

To me, a piece of jewellery is a very special object that holds a deeper meaning.

2 How do you find inspiration for your jewellery designs?

I am inspired by my travel and by talismans, symbols and antique jewellery

Pyramid Pendant by Noor Fares

3 How do you approach design, is it structured or spontaneous?

I am very spontaneous by nature and at the beginning my design process was intuitive but I have developed my ideas into a more structure and methodical way. I also do lots of research to support my ideas.

Merkaba dress earrings by Noor Fares

4 Do you have a favourite piece of jewellery?

My grandmother’s wedding band, which is a very thin hexagon pavéd with diamonds, it is so under stated and elegant.

5 Can you provide some advice for anyone interested in designing and making jewellery.

It is very important to me to research as much as you can in order to further your ideas and to generate new ones.

Thank you Noor for this interview

The silk shirt

From & Other Stories

Recently I have fallen for silk shirts. This may be a bad thing as silk gets ruined pretty quickly.

It seems like there has been a mini explosion by mid priced retailers selling silk shirts. Uniqlo has launched a silk range in several colours at £39.90 and I came across this dark yellow one in & Other Stories in Regents Street in London today. Zara UK is due to launch a black silk shirt very soon at £39.99 . Hooray for silk shirts!  Previously linked to high end retailers, this classic item of clothing is within reach to women like me.

I have been looking for this dark yellow/mustard colour for a long time.  I have brown skin and feel this is a perfect colour for my skin tone (£55.00 from & Other Stories).

When buying silk shirts be wary of sizes, Uniqlo S is almost like a M for someone who is a size 8, this may not bother you if you like a loose fit, think Chloe style.

The one from & Other Stories which I came across and tried on as size EUR 34, linked as size XS on the website size guide was a little loose on me and I'm UK size 8. Normally I look at size S.

Also when buying online the colour on the website may not be faithful to the colour in reality. So it may be best to shop in person.

Long may this revolution continue.....

On simplicity

Dress by Balenciaga image credit www.balenciaga.com

Simplicity in clothing to me is all about creating a frame so the focus is on you more than the item of clothing itself. Take the above image for example, were your eyes initially drawn to the woman or the actual dress?

Business and corporate attire tend to be simple for this reason.  Recently I have become drawn to simple clothing, essentially I am crazy about prints but there is something refreshing and focused about white and cream clothing.

Estelle Dévé Apogee ring set image credits www.estelledeve.com

If I remember correctly I think Lara Bohinc, the jewellery designer once said that as jewellery isn't essential, and is more of a decorative gesture it can reveal more about us than clothing.  Recently I have become a little obsessed with jewellery, not the fine jewellery genre or the bling genre but jewllery that is all about organic, sculptural forms and laden with meaning and interpretations.

Therefore my current wardrobe of choice are simple classic outfits with jewellery that I love.

I'm planning on learning more about jewellery around the world and the history of jewellery and shall share my discoveries on this blog.

What about you are you a fan of simplicity or like me a little conflicted and in love with prints?  What is your interpretation of jewellery?

                                             

Aesop register- Interview with Penny Martin by Tony Marcus

Penny Martin

Grown weary of magazine coverlines shouting at you to “wear this, do that, be her”? Then take a leaf through the pages of the title that, for the past two years, has quietly been sharing everything the modern, informed woman wants to know. TONY MARCUS meets the editor who pulls it all together.

Penny Martin, the editor-in-chief of the magazine The Gentlewoman, works from a charming office in Bloomsbury, central London – a basement with old floorboards and a fireplace. The room is small, tidy and feels like a refuge from the whirl of the world. And this is appropriate because The Gentlewoman lives at a distance from other fashion and women’s magazines.

Penny does not present as a “fashion person”. She is not a walking advert for any particular label. Her clothes are not attention seeking. She is 39 and looks like she could be a publisher (of books) or an academic; for several years she was chair of Fashion Imagery at the University of the Arts, London.

“I do not look like a normal woman’s fashion magazine editor. I’m at the shows at the moment [we meet during London Fashion Week]. I’m probably the only woman wearing flat shoes on the front row. There is a paradigm for how I should look and behave, but I’d like to be the one who hasn’t got a reputation for being mean. I don’t think that is necessary.”

The Gentlewoman does not do “nasty”. Their fashion shoots are discrete and romantic. There are no models with legs in the air clutching handbags. They do not pretend that fashion belongs to a cruel, dark and pinched world.

Since its launch issue of Spring and Summer 2010, The Gentlewoman has been the world’s most discreet women’s fashion magazine. They do not do snobbery. And they do not do prurient or lascivious. They have been supported with advertising from Chanel, Prada, Céline, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Dolce and Lauren. They print 89,000 copies of each issue and have a global reach (Penny’s sister found a copy in Tasmania).

The Gentlewoman may succeed where 1990s “alternative glossies” such as Nova and Frank failed. Penny says she loved reading Frank, but feels that the magazine failed because its backers were too corporate, looking at “untapped markets”. The Gentlewoman is more personal, she says. And published by the same company that producesFantastic Man magazine – a title sold in small, beautiful shops that sell art and architecture books. This niche or boutique publishing is closer to the heart of an A.P.C. than something dreamed up by EMAP or IPC, which published Frank and Nova. 

But to fashion. Penny says The Gentlewoman is more about “good taste” than following trends (although they are “aware” of trends). The editorial seems more interested in “dress” than “fashion”. Like Jean Muir, who took fashion as a verb – “to fashion” beautiful clothes.

“We are interested in clothes, but we don’t do the didactic ‘You must be in this’ kind of voice. I don’t enjoy magazines that speak to me that way. The Gentlewoman takes a sartorial view of fashion. It’s a magazine about women. It’s not really a magazine about what they buy or what they wear.”

The Gentlewoman plays down labels. And shopping. The bulk of the magazine is long-form interviews (all with women). Some have been well timed – they did Adele just before she cracked the US and Phoebe Philo as she was bringing out her break-out autumn/winter 2010 collection. There is substance, too, though.

“Are we political? I think we are a little bit. Clearly my generation are paranoid about being called a feminist. I meet young women and realise they haven’t had the benefit of being around second-wave feminist women who take certain equalities for granted. I want to present a positive view of women that are emitting those [feminist] messages.”

Penny used to work at Nick Knight’s SHOWstudio.com (she was editor-in-chief). She worked on a PhD about women’s magazines – about Vogue, Thatcherism and the representation of the working woman. She is married and lives in Ealing – a “land of sheds”. But this suburban place with local shops gives her “space to think”.

She comes from Scotland originally. Teenage years deep in youth culture with a huge record collection. Her mother was responsible for the art curriculum in Scotland. Her father a musician.

Her loves? Cinema. Bukowski. And… “The best thing ever would be to be back with my parents and in an argument about pretty much anything with my stepfather. I love other people’s ideas. Long, ponderous, earnest, antagonistic discussion is my favourite thing. Probably.”

www.thegentlewoman.com

Image is courtesy of Liz Collins.

Reproduced from:  http://www.aesop.com/uk/stories/pennymartin/

The Gentlewoman

Issue 1 2010

The Business of Fashion- Webby award nomination

Imran Amed of The Business of Fashion (BoF) posted a week in review on 12th April 2013. I have only just caught up and he mentioned my insight regarding my view on the brand Maiyet and expansion. Thanks Imran. 

 BoF has been nominated for the Webby award which is fantastic news! Fashion I believe is serious business and deserves recognition Click here to find out more and to vote:  http://pv.webbyawards.com/nominees/web/general-website/blog-business

 

Here is part of the article:

"...the buzziest news of the week was our nomination for a prestigious Webby Award in the business blog category, alongside globally recognised digital heavyweights Mashable, Business Insider, The Atlantic Business and All Things Digital. According to our internal statistics, more than 2500 of you clicked on bit.ly.com/VoteBoF to show your support in the public vote, helping us surge into second place position with 33 percent of the vote, just behind Mashable, a site that gets 20 million unique visitors per month. In recent days, we have maintained our second place position, but our share of overall votes has dropped back a bit to 23 percent. In order to help us win what is truly a ‘David and Goliath’ battle of the business blogs, please click and vote to show that the fashion industry means business. It takes 2 minutes and with your support we can win this thing! Elsewhere this week, we published a story on Maiyet, a brand which, in only 18 months, has managed to beautifully fuse a distinct luxury sensibility with ethical credentials. It remains to be seen whether the business can be scaled, however. As Polly pointed out in the comments on the piece, not every brand needs to grow into a behemoth, but healthy businesses do need to expand. At BoF, we’re very interested to see where this one goes."

Personal style

"The world of jewellery can be challenging, polarised between branded mass-market fashion pieces and the colourful, frequently vulgar glitz of the rich and famous. The more interesting scene lies somewhere in between, and that's where you will find the likes of Estelle Dévé."

Because magazine

Image from www.estelledeve.com campaign - explosions in the sky

With life and the passing of time, perceptions, life happenings and different paths tint and colour our lifestyle and aspirations. I have personally taken a more simplified approach to style choosing to reject mass consumerism and to focus on  sustainability, quality and craftsmanship.

A few of the ways I shall do this are:
1- seek independent designers for unique style and to support emerging talent or boutiques in villages .An adventure for me away from lazy Internet and high street shopping and to curb wasteful spending.
2- choose ethical brands where possible and find out more about where products and produce are from.
3- choose quality over quantity for items which I can wear until I'm old and to give away as mini treasures (sentimental) to family or charity when I am gone.

Dreams of dawn and dusk

Acne blouse degrad Cherry

Dusky pinks are the colours of my dreams.

Interview: Amanda Gerbasi, founder and designer at KATTRI

KATTRI is a jewellery brand which creates timeless pieces. Amanda Gerbasi is the founder and designer.

Amanda Gerbasi founded KATTRI after inspirations from her family and friends. Her great grandmother left Spain in 1900 to start a new life with her family in Brazil, she started designing and selling jewellery and was the first working woman in her family. Amanda's studies include Modern Languages, European studies as well as Architecture. She worked with friends from new womenswear label Isolda where she was inspired to venture into her passion for design.

Amanda sources rough gems from Minas Gerais (which translates as "General Mines") state in the heart of Brazil. KATTRI's foremost interest is aesthetics and all the gemstones used are conflict free, sourced and cut in Brazil.

1) What inspired you to create your current collection based on mathematical shapes and ideas?

 I am fascinated by the minimalism concept, where the simplest and fewest elements are used to create maximum impact and where empty spaces are equally important as "filled" or full ones.  So I started playing around with basic geometric shapes such as a circle and a rectangle.

The fact that KATTRI's pieces are designed on a 3D CAD software (for greater precision after my initial pencil sketches) also helps to visualise the exact geometric shapes that are being used to create such pieces. The names of the pieces usually come from the most prominent geometric shape used in their design. 

Another very important factor for me is that by giving these pieces such names I'm not attaching any specific meaning to them. In this way, the KATTRI customer is completely free to give their piece absolutely any meaning they want. It's completely up to them.

Hyperbola earring by KATTRI

2) How did you find and choose your conflict free supplier(s) and how easy is it to find such suppliers generally?

Well, I am lucky to come from a country that is one of the world's largest suppliers of gemstones.  Although there are still many social problems in Brazil the minerals sourced there are not used for funding any undemocratic activity or internal wars, and there is no child labour also. Using gemstones widely available in Brazil is my way of making sure I am not contributing to any such activities. 

I don't know how easy it would be to find such suppliers in African or Asian countries.  Also, my current gemstone supplier prides itself in having the highest professional ethics by giving its customers full disclosure of the origin and treatments of their gems.  

3)Do you have a favourite piece from your collection?

 My favourite pieces is the Quadrant ring.  This ring was the first piece I ever designed and the very positive feedback I got from it gave me confidence in my designing skills, so that I could develop a whole collection based on it.

The Quadrant ring by KATTRI

4)What advice would you give to aspiring jewellery designers?

 That's hard but I believe that besides an appealing product in today's market branding it's really important.  This is something that we work very hard on and there's always room for improvement! And of course, you have to really believe in yourself and not give up as it will probably be a tough (but rewarding!) ride.

Quadrant earring by KATTRI

Thanks for the interview Amanda.
To discover more visit:  http://kattri.com/

Image sources: KATTRI

IT LYST ~ what would you wear to a modern Gatsby party?

“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

If you have read The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald you may have imagined yourself at one of the parties there. I sometimes think about what a modern Gatsby party would be like and what I would ponder over choosing to wear if I was in such a circle!



Yves Saint Laurent
Open Blazer Jacket
Androgynous chic for an partially anonymous look.

Source: Lyst.com

Equipment
Reese Blouse
Summer time dreams
Source: Lyst.com

Alexander McQueen
Embellished Wing Bracelet
A flash of glamour
Source: Lyst.com

Rag & Bone
Printed Blazer
Floral sophisticated delight
Source: Lyst.com

Celine
Fall 2013 Runway Look 14
A talking point
Source: Lyst.com

Inspiration- creating your own work and following your dreams

ana kraš

by 

Lina Scheynius

Over the past year I have been inspired by people, largely women who have created their own ventures by following their heart and passions. Examples include 

Ana Kraš

Garance Dore

Yasmin Sewell and my friend

Lauren Whitworth

So how does one make the leap creating something from a blank canvas?  You already have the capabilities waiting to blossom so the key is really resources, planning, organisation and support.  

I'm hoping to create a creative venture this summer.

Estelle Dévé Nuri choker / bracelet

From http://www.anyonegirl.com/gold-estelle-deve-nuri-choker/

I grew up hating gold.  My parents are from the Indian subcontinent and there, there is a big obsession with really yellow, strong gold jewellery.Women are generally expected to adorn themselves in gold be it the real thing or costume jewellery at weddings even as guests- this is now changing though. During my younger years I rebelled and refused to wear gold costume jewellery in any form (I never received or bothered asking for the real thing as presents nor desired it- saved more than pennies there anyhow for everyone concerned!!). All I had were a few sterling silver rings, costume jewellery and silver coloured necklaces.

As they say people change...this only really happened when I came across Estelle Dévé's jewellery. She is a French jewellery designer based in Melbourne, Australia.

What I really like about  Estelle Dévé's designs are that they are unusual and elegant, organic and like mini sculptures and ornaments without being sentimental. They can be part of one's day and evening and I feel with time they will be as jewellery should be- treasured possessions and full of memories. 

français

At 13 years of age I was the top of my class in the French language, my French teacher then really admired me.  I left a secondary school to go to another one where the standards of the students were significantly higher. I fell behind with my French classes concentrating on maths and the sciences more.

 I spend part of my weekends watching Spiral on BBC iplayer  a TV drama series about a group of Parisian crimnal police, laywers and the justice system, if you are interested you can find out more here:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_(TV_series)   I'm also a fan of some French films. Watching these a part of me longs for the days spent in a classroom learning French, it's strange considering this was nearly two decades ago. Perhaps with time and life experiences we rediscover the things that are truly part of us. I'm not sure my younger self would be happy with the way I have become today?  I was pretty ambitious back then.

SOPHIE THEALLET

From:  http://modaoperandi.com/sophie-theallet/fw-2013/rtw-1336/looks accessed on 4th March 2013

Sophie Theallet creates clothes that stand alone in today’s Fashion. The only path she follows is her own, as each new collection is an evolution of the last, built around Sophie’s singular vision and mastery of craft. Her signature is a panaché of femininity and ease, sensuality and craftsmanship that is instantly recognizable. Like Sophie herself, the collections have a undeniably French accent, but also exude a freedom of spirit that transcends all borders - luxury clothing whose universal appeal lies in its unique point of view.

SOPHIE THEALLET

Caramel & Vermillion Crinkle Chiffon Dress from Moda Operandi

At 18, Sophie moved to Paris to attend the renowned fashion design school, Studio Berçot. She graduated early after winning France’s “National Young Design Award”. She was then hired by the most influential designer of this time, Jean-Paul Gaultier. She credits M. Gaultier for teaching her how to work with colors, how to develop the narrative of a collection and, most importantly, how to be fearless and to trust her own instincts.

A few years later, she moved on to Azzedine Alaïa where she would truly mature as a designer. During her 10 years as Alaïa’s right hand woman, Sophie immersed herself completely in the world of couture which allowed her to refine her considerable cutting and draping skills. She worked on the main collection as well as accessories and knitwear, traveling constantly while closely working by the side of the living Master.

SOPHIE THEALLET

Turquoise Tulip Printed Gown from Moda Operandi

After moving to New York City, Sophie continued to work with Alaïa on a part time basis, while also freelancing for other fashion labels. In 2007, she launched her own label, Sophie Theallet, which swiftly garnered critical acclaim from the media and prestigious retailers. In 2009, her talent was ultimately recognized by the American fashion industry at its highest level when she won the coveted CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award.

Sophie Theallet’s growing clientele responds intimately to her ability to create a sense of discovery about each garment. From a simple t-shirt to a elaborately constructed evening gown, Sophie Theallet’s clothes invite the woman’s personality to come through. It is this philosophy about subtle sexiness, beauty, substance and style that continues to draw converts worldwide.

Simplicity

A year ago I never saw the big deal with simple classic clothing.  Why spend money on simple toned garments?  Answer- It's all about the cut, the quality and the the fact such pieces are timeless.  Also such pieces let the face,hair and figure be the focus of the portrait- think Audrey Hepburn style. This style creates a frame for the person. No wonder many designers wear black.

My clothing phases from my early twenties consisted of a few items from Primark, most from H&M and a few pieces from Zara and ebay. These were largely girly or frilly clothing mainly with prints. Now looking at my wardrobe I need to spend an afternoon sifting through to throw away, donate to charity and sell a few good quality items on ebay.

As with life we go through phases and I think there are times where some of our clothes are no longer part of us, like people we used to know years ago, would these people be part of your life today? Time to move on and not delude ourselves with rose tinted glasses.

                                     

Moda Operandi

Moda Operandi is a dream of a website, where one can pre order clothes and accessories from the runway - known as trunkshows. The website also has select designers who sell items too.  I came across this coat by Marc Jacobs and this pink is one of my favourite colours and is in a beautiful cut.

Rose cashmere wrap coat by Marc Jacobs

Images are from http://modaoperandi.com/marc-jacobs/fw-2013/rtw-1319/item/rose-cashmere-wrap-coat-171951

Projects

Konrad Filip (1874-1940)

Peonies in a Vase

One of my projects this spring is to study and paint peonies.  I started to a couple of years ago but abandoned this after not being true to myself by getting distracted and affected by other happenings in my life. In addition to this I want to learn portrait painting.

"This luxuriant still-life with its intense pinks contrasted with the sharply defined dark-green leaves and stems appears to float in mid-air owing to the virtual transparency of the glass vase. Filip imbues his subject-matter with great voluptuousness. In this picture Filip makes little attempt to produce a realistic botanical likeness. Instead, he is far more interested in inspiring a certain set of emotional responses in the spectator relating to the strong visual impact of the image. Filip is part of the same tradition as the Symbolist painter Odilon Redon in that the aim is not to achieve the mimetic precision of more conventional academic painters such as Fantin- Latour but instead to generate a chain of visual and sensual resonances in the spectator in much the same way that Baudelaire and Rimbaud had sought to do with their highly evocative synaesthetic poetry in the latter part of the 19th century. The painter encourages us to embark on a journey of free association where our senses are brought into play to produce a complex emotional and aesthetic response.

Filip was a Croatian painter born in 1874 in Zagreb. He studied at the Vienna Academy and also at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. For much of his life he lived and worked in Munich where he died in 1940." Source  http://www.haninafinearts.com/art/art_single.asp?artid=450

A list of things I'd like to do and achieve for the remainder of my life and in no particular order are:

1) Paint and study peonies

2) Learn to paint portraits

3) Make a film

4) Buy a place for myself with a garden

5) Visit South America

6) Visit Provence

7) Eat healthy food

8) Exercise on a regular basis- running, jogging, cycling

9) Fit yoga and pilates into my daily routine

10) Be happier with myself

11) Create a small library

12) Learn to play the guitar

13) Pass my driving test

14) Pass my professional qualification

15) Tailor my vintage dresses

16) Wear more of my vintage dresses

17) Attend sample sales to get good bargains

18) Learn flower arranging

19) Cook more

20) Plant roses and other beautiful flowers in my garden

21) Create a herb garden

22) Volunteer for youth drama club

23) Go to the theatre a few times a year

24) Read books for the non fiction book club

25) Read more poetry

26) Write a book

27) Write a play

28) Visit South East Asia

29) Relax

Konrad Filip (1874-1940)

Peonies in a Vase

miu miu

On keeping a notebook

I came across this fantastic site called http://www.brainpickings.org and wanted to share this.

Joan Didion an American author best known for her novels and her literary journalism

She sees the deepest value of the notebook as a reconciliation tool for the self and all of its iterations:

I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not. Otherwise they turn up unannounced and surprise us, come hammering on the mind’s door at 4 a.m. of a bad night and demand to know who deserted them, who betrayed them, who is going to make amends. We forget all too soon the things we thought we could never forget. We forget the loves and the betrayals alike, forget what we whispered and what we screamed, forget who we were.

[…]

It is a good idea, then, to keep in touch, and I suppose that keeping in touch is what notebooks are all about. And we are all on our own when it comes to keeping those lines open to ourselves: your notebook will never help me, nor mine you.

 Reproduced from www.brainpickings.org

What's in your bag?

Several years ago I was obsessed with photography and Flickr. I took part in a "What's in your bag" group and wanted to revisit this question to see how much my lifestyle has changed with time.

My bag contains on a daily basis:

A mobile phone
My Purse
A book- currently Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
A magazine- often the free Stylist distributed widely in London, Tank magazine or The Gentlewoman magazine
A moleskine purple daily diary
A small moleskine purple notebook
A small Map book of London-  I struggle to cope with maps on my phone, it takes a while to load and the blue flashing arrow is rarely accurate, I almost was late to an interview a year ago while relying on this, thankfully friendly strangers helped me when I frantically sought the obscure street in the dark evening. Tip for non-Londoners- London is a crazy place regarding streets and finding places - always travel to get to appointments super early. I find my little map book so reassuring.
Receipts
Old train tickets
A few pens
Lip balm- Neals yard and Korres wild rose
Tanin lipstick by Bite beauty
Lip brush
Small mirror
Keys

muted dreams

I have been reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and I am now currently reading Thinking Fast and slow by Daniel Kahneman.

I have been feeling in limbo and realise that I need to live in the present, life is terrible thinking about what if's and wondering why the people in your life choose to ignore you. This has been painful for me as I had previously sacrificed my personal plans (time and money) to keep in touch with friends  "past" friends

 I used to volunteer for a trust and someone there once said if everyone kept in touch with everyone nothing would get done. Such true words. Life is getting on with what you want to get done. You can't really count on others to care, help,support you or even ask how things are- I learnt the hard way.

Therefore I am putting together a bucket list for my plans for the rest of my expected life..... I may post this on this blog.....

Me-time inspiration

Magazine inspiration- Self Service

Hair

Lightning

When I was 13/14 years old I wished that I could be American.  I used to watch programmes on TV about American mathematicians and people who would risk their lives (physically and socially) taking little rest, chasing thunderstorms to capture the perfect photos of lightning and to understand lightning.  I still find this to be the most romantic of endeavors seeking things and knowledge higher than ourselves. Being passionate about science and wild serious ventures seems only possible and dare I say acceptable in the US, no other nation embraces this so fully.  The first book I really loved was Chaos by James Gleick I was then 16 years old. I'm a geek at heart. This is my excuse to save up for Prism glasses ;)

If you are into Mathematics and fancy reading some books which aren't too heavy I recommend:

The man who loved only numbers
Natures numbers
Uncle Petros and the Goldback Conjecture

Love Like Poison (Un Poison Violent) (2010)

If you like films and particularly French films then you should watch this one if you haven't already. This one is probably one of the best French films I have seen.  There is an interesting interview with the director Katell Quillévéré here:

http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/10369/1/love-like-poison-katell-quillevere

images are stills from the film from www.dazeddigital.com