Maison Martin Margiela RTW SS09 (Paris)

It's already Day 3 now of the ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2009 collections showing in Paris & we've come now to have high expectations of the hundred or so designers which are showing there...But I have to say, how is this ready-to-wear? Sure, Paris is the one of the most influential fashion capitals in the world, but talk about practicality in a ready-to-wear collection! - Then again, I guess that I have acted quite hypocritically in accusing such impracticality, seeing as the focus of my attention has been placed incorrectly on the models faces, as opposed to the clothes themselves. The garments themselves are actually quite wearable (considering their limitations/freedoms earned in upholding the house's reputation) & play interestingly with shape and texture.

But I guess the verdict of the collection is, more importantly, for you to decide...& so now, I leave you with a couple of shots from their collection (and yes, more admittedly, the weirder ones that freaked me out just a tad)...

OK, I think I've contradicted myself here in saying that the clothes are quite practical, but you have to admit that it's pretty cool.

OMGosh it's like her head's exploded into a ball of hair...perhaps after prematurely seeking hair-loss treatment in preparation for the assault of the HSC (lol, Hurley Who)

I think I'm seeing double...Is this a tribute to our long lost English Area of Study?

xx,
~ Louis Tiffon

Silver Screen Insults

I came across this article recently - The Best Insults from the Silver Screen.

While you can't capture every single insulting moment in the history of film, I reckon these ones are a good pick of the bunch:

“I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal, food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.” - John Cleese as a French soldier in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (very Mrs K)

Chris Dewey: You're reading a comic book.
House: And you're calling attention to your bosom by wearing a low-cut top. Oh, I'm sorry; I thought we were having a "State the Obvious" contest. I'm competitive by nature. - Hugh Laurie’s scathing and contemptuous Dr. Gregory House in the Histories episode of House M.D.

“A chat with you and somehow death loses its sting.” - The skeezy Rowan Atkinson in '80s classic, The Black Adder

“To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people! I've known sheep who could outwit you. I've worn dresses with higher IQs…” - Jamie Lee Curtis, in A Fish Called Wanda

“When I first saw you, I thought you were handsome. Then, of course, you spoke." - Helen Hunt as blunt Carol Connelly in As Good As It Gets

“The details of your incompetence do not interest me.“ - Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada


And finally, perhaps the most famous:

“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn." - Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind

For all you Gone With the Wind fans, here is the clip:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ7z6hpO57c


Hope we're all having great holidays,

~ Hurley Who?

Random street art

Hello everyone!

I found these photos surfing the net one day - they're called Street Interventions by a guy who calls himself Filthyluker. Wierd name, funny art.

What do we suppose Filthyluker is trying to say? Or does art need no purpose?!

~ Hurley Who?

PS. How beautiful is the weather...?!

PPS. A special mention to a friend (who shall be named sh-izzle) who has a violin exam. Also a mention to Disco Read who has a bass exam soon... Good luck!

quote of the day

"I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing." - Marsha Doble

[disco.read]

Bags vs. Shoes?

Apparently there are two types of women: those who love shoes, or those who love bags…but I think the contrary. The quintessence of the world of fashion involves the fusion of both bags and shoes as musts or must-haves to complement and/or make a statement with an outfit. Hence I can draw the conclusion that both are interrelated – i.e. one must complement the other (or contrast in the extremes). But then again, the inessentiality of certain types of bags gives rise to the argument that shoes are more practical, but in counterargument, the impracticality of several shoes gives rise to the argument that bags in certain cases, would be more practical…So as I close my rant, I leave you with some pictures of weird shoes and bags that I have found, courtesy of google images and wikipedia.

It is a funny thing that us humans invent so many useless things (whilst comparing them relative to one another), but even more fascinating that our human race can continue to perpetually do so without losing interest in such elements of oddness, quirkiness, or even the concept of ‘new fashionableness’ – and that is what I find most interesting about fashion.

~Louis Tiffon

My little erratic post

Hello everyone!

Being dormant for the past week or so, (blame that on exams) I have finally burrowed out of a mass of paper, books and pens. Sorry if I sound a little erratic but I have two totally unrelated things I want to mention. (this is going to be a funny post)

Firstly - the dissolution of the NSW Government.

One thing - who saw that coming? I certainly didn't. I knew SS Iemma was a sinking ship from the start, but I didn't think it would go down better than the Titanic.

Nathan Rees looks too eager beaver in my opinion. Too fresh-faced. I'm not sure he's got experience and ability to turn NSW around. There are so many issues facing him - budget deficit, hospitals, transport, electricity... The list goes on. Can he save our flailing public system?

What are your thoughts? Maybe I'm just a cynic?

Secondly - The Sartorialist

Okay so Louis Tiffon has set a pretty high standard on this blog when it comes to fashion and beauty. I'm not going to match that, but I have been wanting to mention another (very famous) blogger and he so happens to blog about fashion.

Check out The Sartorialist. It's by fashion photographer Scott Schuman. He takes photos of well-dressed people across the world (Milan, anyone?) and posts them. It's great to see some real people in great outfits. (also good for inspiration)

I love the photos of the men's clothing more than the women - it's not everyday you see very-put-together outfits on men. My point:

Love his pants.

Only Asians pull off shorts like that. Also check out his fierce Louis Vuitton organiser. (tribute to Louis Tiffon)

Man-jewellrey: yay or nay?

Like his hair, it's such a contrast to the rest of this outfit.

The Sartorialist called this "the last looks of Summer"

If only Sydney-siders were as stylish...

- Hurley Who?

Fashion Trend Forecast SS09 (Pret-a-porter): The Maximalist (+ The Season that Was)

With just a week of new 2009 Spring/Summer Ready-to-wear shows airing in New York, we are already seeing a transition from the more minimalist styles and darker colours of winter to the wonderful erratic plays with textures and tone (haha I think I am three-quarters maximalist/a quarter minimalist myself). This season, it’s probably going to be all about dressing it up – with statement pieces, whether it’d be in your jewellery, heels or bags.

The transition from minimalism to maximalism has not been just a sudden ‘wave’, storming into the fashion industry, but rather, indications from the past season did show that the ‘maximalist’ would inevitably come eventually…So let’s look (at some of my favourite pieces) from the season that was.

The pieces:

Rue Du Mail - Embellished trapeze dress (£1,310.64)

Bill Blass – Flamenco backless blouse (£1,557)

3.1 Philip Lim – Fan Pleat Dress (£455.31)

Marchesa – Beaded Chiffon Gown (£4,312)

Fendi – Petal-trimmed Dress (£1,804)

When I say about playing the maximalist, I’m talking about experimentation. As hard and disastrous as it may sound, it sounds like the runways looks (especially off NY) are finally giving more freedom to us, the consumers, in relaxing the structural and thematic elements of specific shapes and silhouettes that have appeared on runways for years…In other words, they’re finally making some of their clothes more adaptable to a wide range of different styles, cutting them so that average builds would actually be flattered and also so that the clothes remain (what I call) easy to wear.

BUT when I say that we might be going maximalist, it means that you’re going to have to mix & mash it up a little – however crazy it might seem at first. So, the best way to do it (without stuffing it up) would probably have to going with a statement bag and/or statement shoes. For example:

· Grey is totally the new thing at the moment – layer it up with a plain grey tank, drape a large scarf around your neck and wear some worn-out/stone-washed or otherwise pair of black or grey denim skinnies

· For those with a more hour-glass figure (or with extremely wide-hips, like moi) go for layering more structural details like collars/lapels & ruffles around the neck – just make sure you define your waist & don’t turn into a puff-ball.

· Get a textured jacket – maybe not fully patent, but maybe faux leather (layer with more luxurious fabrics like jersey/silk) or even crotcheted

The easiest way to probably work this trend is by simply by mixing up different pieces of jewellery, layering scarves & just chucking in a textured hand bag (my personal fave would probably have to be a black, patent, faux snake-skinned tote).

In contrast to this maximalistic effect with busy textures and tone, the colours on the runway have started to lighten up. Although the colours of SS09 have lightened-up a little, we’re still seeing that metallic trend come through – however, this time, without the patent, but rather, a more muted, softer feel. In particular, pastels and ‘softer’ colours are in – especially in layers with monochromatic colour schemes.

So to sum it up, the outlook for SS09 at the moment seems quite adventurous with the wooing of the maximalist on the runway…

~Louis Tiffon

John Smithiam #1: Golden Ratio

Having just completed a chemistry exam and feeling especially nerdy, i thought i'd post one of the curious bits of trivia garnered from maths tutorials with JS.

For those of you who don't know, JS is a one-of-a-kind erudite (he taught us that word!) who doesn't just teach maths formulas and proofs, but also the whys and whereins of philosophy, languages, the sciences and mathematical history (yes remarkably maths didn't just turn up in Cambridge text books, fully formed and impossible), peppered with slightly self-indulgent anecdotes on men in Port Macquarie who run entire Italian restaurants by themselves. And then he ushers his students out into the world, more informed citizens than when they came in a few hours ago. Good value for a maths lesson indeed!

So... yes, here goes-


John Smithiam #1: The Golden Ratio

The Golden Ratio (1.61803399 : 1) has fascinated intellectuals of diverse interests for over 2400 years:


"Some of the greatest mathematical minds of all ages, from Pythagoras and Euclid in Ancient Greece, through the medieval Italian mathematician Leonardo of Pisa, and the Renaissance astronomer Johannes Kepler to present-day scientific figures such as Oxford physicist Roger Penrose have spent endless hours over this simple ratio and its properties.


But the fascination with the Golden Ratio is not confined just to mathematicians. Biologists, artists, musicians, historians, architects, psychologists, and even mystics have pondered and debated the basis of its ubiquity and appeal. In fact, it is probably fair to say that the Golden Ratio has inspired thinkers of all disciplines like no other number in the history of mathematics."


—Mario Livio, The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, The World's Most Astonishing Number



So how did a classroom of yr 11 3-uniters get introduced to its wonders?


We had just completed a question that asked "what dimensions should a can made from a [insert area] sheet of alumimium have, so that it has the maximum volume possible?" and the answer had been 5 x 5 x 5 cm or some other cubish answer.

Question: This got JS pondering "if the most economical shape for a can is in cube-like proportions, then why are most cans more rectangular looking?" - as you do.

Answer: Apparently a few years ago, some experiments were done where people were given a sheet of paper filled with rectangles and squares and told to pick the rectangle which was most aesthetically pleasing. And most people picked the Golden Rectangle (the one in Golden ratio). Hmm..

Research was done. It turns out that Golden rectangles are pretty special because when a square section is removed, the remainder is another golden rectangle; that is, with the same proportions as the first. Square removal can be repeated infinitely, which leads to an approximation of the golden spiral. Lots of golden things!

The neat thing about the golden spiral is that its not just some random abstract concept, but it is present in nature.
- snail shell
- sunflowers
- special crystal structure.

And the golden ratio is found in art (it was purportedly used in da Vinci's Mona Lisa)

http://www.geocities.com/jyce3/ - other weird Golden ratio applications

So yes, that is why Campbell's cans of soup come in Golden-ratio, rectangular height cans; because that's what most pleasing to the human eye. And what's pretty sells well. A sort of round about way of saying it. But still.

-- C.L --

philosophic ramble of the day

From the grand master that is Dr. Seuss:

"Be who you are and say what you feel. Because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

Everyone together now: AWWWWWW.

Today was quite a day for women in politics, with Carmel Tebbutt now Deputy Premier for NSW and Quentin Bryce (rather odd name for a woman if I may say so but anyway...) Australia's first female governor, and yet should these things really be such a milestone in our political history? Is it still so rare and unexpected to see women in power, or should am I just taking this the wrong way and should simply celebrate the fact that they have deservedly 'made it'?

Not finished with the topic: French war photographer Francoise Demulder died aged 61 today, being the first woman to receive the coveted World Press Photo award, which you can see here

And something that I read about and struck me the other day:

Imagine two years. Does that seem long to you? It may be, if you're going to sit in jail all by your lonesome for two years.

Or maybe it's not long enough. Two years isn't much time if the apocalypse came in 2010. Think of the things you wanted to do, and never could.

Einstein once said that everything is relative. Which it is. So have some perspective people.

And now...what about that chemistry exam?

[disco.read]

A useless but fun game

Studying for exams can be boring. So I try to combat the boredom by fishing out a board game and playing against myself. After my second day at home with no exams I found this awesome game called “The Worst Case Scenario Survival Card Game – Travel Edition”. You play the game by reading out a question, for example “How do you safely jump from a moving train?” or “How can you avoid being mugged while using a public telephone?”, then three options for the other person and they have to choose the right one.

Out of these 108 seemingly-useless-but-will-one-day-most-likely-save-my-like cards, I chose 5 which I think will test even those with the most intellectual of brains before they roll on the floor laughing like me (which may have only happened because of exam stress). Here they are:

How do you properly survive a landslide?
A) Curl yourself into a tight ball, protecting your head
B) Wrap yourself around a tree. It will happen anyway, so you might as well do it to begin with
C) Run with the landslide and if possible, pick up a log to surf on it with
Answer (highlight): A. But C seems funner (yes I know that isn't a word)

How do you stop a car when the brakes have gone out (on the freeway)?
A) Find a large barricade, and when 10m away from it, turn the wheel hard to the left and slide into it sideways
B) Honk at other cars to get them out of the way, while simultaneously accelerating to run out of petrol
C) Find another moving car and hit it from the back. Honk at the other driver to stop
Answer: C

How do you safely approach a seal?
A) Log roll towards it
B) Lie flat, bob your head up and down and mimic seal movements as best as you can
C) Imitate a seal squeak and once it has lost interest in you, it is safe to approach
Answer: B, despite how idiotic you will look

How do you attack an alien?
A) Go for the eyes. It will be the only sensitive area you easily identify
B) Never attack an alien. Alien abductions only take place for research purposes
C) Jump up and down to distract it, then punch it in the mouth and run
Answer: A

How do you catch a bird at sea?
A) Place bait in the water, and when the bird approaches ‘stun’ it with a paddle
B) Place bait in your boat. When the bird begins to eat it, throw a towel/blanket over it
C) Use a hook and line. Float bait on the water and wait until the bird is caught in the hook
Answer: C. But A made me lol.

Rate your score!
Less than 5 – Boo
5 – Wow you’re smart, are you sure your name isn’t whitebread?

- Whitebread

The Dark Knight

Hello all,

I hope exams are going well and that we're all keeping a level-head. Perspective is the word. ("It's only preliminary... it's only preliminary...").

Just a few hours ago, I was informed by Count Lucifer that an unfinished blog I started about one month ago was saved onto EightStLaundry. To my delight, I logged on and found this blog I thought was lost due to my stupid computer freezing... again! So although this may be a little dated, here is my blog on The Dark Knight which Lucifer and I watched after a gruelling 3 hour exam as a little treat. Enjoy!!

~

As a pre-post for a friend who is yet to appear on this blog (as they currently do not have a cool blogging name like 'Hurley Who?'), I thought I'd write down some of my (and Count Lucifer's) thoughts on the new, very cool, very dark Batman movie, The Dark Knight.

Having heard all the hype about this movie, Count Lucifer and I went into the cinema with high hopes, and we were not disappointed. Crappy advertisements for the new Star Wars animated film and Hellboy II got us even more excited for a real movie. (talk about milking money out a sequel).

Although I must admit the beginning of the film did put out some false expectations (as un-named-yet-to-blog friend said, "I thought it would be a heist"), the movie slowly unfolded in pockets of action with the Batmobile, drooling at Christian Bale and the occasional (but very intense) "oh-my-god, it's the Joker" moments.

Heath Ledger ticked all the boxes. Un-named friend and I now start to get swoony when we see pictures of Christian Bale. Maggie Gyllenhaal was very good as Rachael Dawes. I haven't seen Batman Begins but I assume she made a better love interest than Katie Holmes. And Aaron Eckhart was a good foil for Batman as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Although things got a little bit crazy with him towards the end of the movie.

The raw action of the film made it very worth it. (I now want a Batmobile with a setting 'intimidate') This is not a movie you watch the DVD of. It's worth the money. (I wonder if there's an IMAX version in Australia...)

Personally, the ending was my favourite part (I won't spoilt it), it was very post-modern - ambiguous, unsatisfying. And although the movie went for 2.5 hrs, I left somewhat disappointed - I wanted more!

Count Lucifer and I ended up giving this movie 9.5 out of 10. The 0.5 was taken off for unnatural post-production effects (cough, Harvey Dent).

This was the sort of movie that stays with you for days afterwards - emotionally compelling and impacting.

So I hope all those out there who have seen The Dark Knight agree with me in some form or another, and those who have not watched it, I have one message. WATCH IT!

- Hurley Who?