Friday 30 November 2012

Ninties Revival

Today would you believe I've been reminiscing over an era which brought us Absolutely Fabulous, Kate Moss, Britpop and although not as sophisticated as the eighties it was so much more fun!! Being only twenty I had eight years to enjoy this decade. If anything I'd spent my teenage years emersed in music of the time not so much fashion though so I thought I'd add some videos, pictures and ... well ... just great memories.
This doesn't cover half the amount of reasons why I love this time but, what I will say is it was easy, fun, energetic and dangerously cool!
 

Between Satire and Stereotype: Gina Dirawi

Between Satire and Stereotype: Gina Dirawi

Monday 26 November 2012

Some Loves of Mine

These are some of the things that make me happy this season. The cafe "Chez Max" a French cafe in Dublin is just incredible I recommend a visit if in the city!
Also the mural in the Italian Quarter is worth seeing too and perhaps getting photos taken as such.











Play With Purple This Season

Ok it's no secret I love purple on guys and young men don't wear it enough seriously this colour is one that can really work well for anyone.

SS12 Dolce&Gabbana really had me very satisfied.

Bill Thornade's AW12/13 collection uses purple in darker shades but makes it very easy to accesorize lighter shades and maintain an elegant formal ensemble.

Its Salvatore Ferragamo who rules the colour this season for me. My sister is getting married this winter and rather than the banal safe suit I'll be touching my look up with a shade or two inspired by this collection.
 

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Dress For Success Fate and Fashion

Today I went to the local school to see perhaps if they would like an English tutor, no rendez-vous, appointment or anything just arrived at the door looking to speak with the "directeur". Little secret is that I was extremely nervous and didn't know what to expect all I had with me was my look and my charm (it doesn't go very far in the French language due to only speaking it a couple of months) my look on the other hand was carefully thought through. All went really well and low and behold I got the job.
I dressed smart a really beautiful H&M double-breasted grey coat (yes I finally got one :)) A beautiful Tom Tailor polo neck jumper and flattering jeans. Topped off with my glasses (normally don't wear them but hell with it, I needed to look intelligent).
One should never underestimate the power of smart clothing and how the world can change to your advantage with just an extra button done-up. Here's some images of the professional-not-too-wall-street-look.



P.S. The colour purple is associated with knowledge and good intuition and grey with formal and conservative luckily both go really well together and you can make yourself more attractive to possible employers.
 

Friday 16 November 2012

Savita's Story And A Need For Change

I shudder think that I'll ever be in a situation where I was about to become a father and have the horror of losing a child via miscarriage but that was the case for one man who not only lost his child but also the woman he loved. Ireland this week has been rocked by the case of Savita Halappanavar who was denied an abortion even after being told the foetus would not survive. Sunday October 21st she entered a hospital in Galway with back pains only to be told she was miscarrying. She and her husband had requested an abortion but doctors couldn't carry this through as it abortion is illegal in Ireland. Over the next three days doctors refused their requests for a termination of her foetus to combat her own surging pain and fading health.
"Savita was really in agony. She was very upset, but she accepted she was losing the baby," her husband told The Irish Times in a telephone interview from Belgaum, southwest India. "When the consultant came on the ward rounds on Monday morning, Savita asked: 'If they could not save the baby, could they induce to end the pregnancy?' The consultant said: 'As long as there is a foetal heartbeat, we can't do anything.'"
"Again on Tuesday morning ... the consultant said it was the law, that this is a Catholic country. Savita said: "I am neither Irish nor Catholic," but they said there was nothing they could do," Praveen Halappanavar was quoted as saying.
He said his wife vomited repeatedly and collapsed in a restroom that night, but doctors wouldn't terminate the foetus because its heart was still beating.
The foetus died the following day and its remains were surgically removed. Within hours, Praveen Halappanavar said, his wife was placed under sedation in intensive care with systemic blood poisoning and he was never able to speak with her again. By Saturday, her heart, kidneys and liver had stopped working and she was pronounced dead early Sunday, Oct. 28.

31 year old Savita Halappanavar .

   2,000 people protested outside Government buildings in Dublin and Cork.

Of course this is an exceptional circumstance but one person had said to me "women have no domain over their own bodies" completely true and also I must feel for the doctors who were in the care of Savita, legislation is very unclear over termination of pregnancies in Ireland and neither patient nor doctor really have any chance to do what's best in these situations. This story really affected me as a very close friend had the very same problem this summer but not in Ireland, here, in France and I dread to think of losing my dear friend and mother of two young children because legally she can't make a choice.
Mothers have the best interest for their infants and for themselves and should really be allowed to choose what to do in such cases. Savita knew what was best for her all along yet she was powerless. My message to the Dail (Irish Governement) is do not let this catastophe be in vain change and reform law for the sake of all mothers, women, girls and husband and lets not lose one more soul.

Saturday 3 November 2012

Time for Rememberance

Today I'm going to be a little serious and show you a poem I just wrote about a very important event that occurred a relatively short time ago.

You never saw it coming, little Sasha.
Oh the games you played in Pripyat.
The silence of the day,
you left and never returned.
тиха тиха , мама (quiet, quiet mama)
все равно, не плачь(still, don't cry)
I will take care of you.
The cries didn't last long.
They were erradicated.
One by one the army fell,
the world looked on in fear.
But you little Sasha,
did not grow very tall,
did not venture very far.
Your life was taken from you, so harshly.
I dream only that you have become a shining star.

It's hard to think of Chernobyl and the damage it caused but at the same time we should never forget the brave who stayed to help and the brave who still remain there.

Friday 2 November 2012

Denis Simachev Brightens my November


Today the sun is shining and the Alpes have snow and a leaf in just about every colour is decorating my street this makes a huges difference to what I normally know November as (usually cold dark and drab colours) so I decided to introduce you guys to a very well know Russian designer Denis Simachev. This guy has one of the coolest bar/cafe's in Moscow and to those who already know of Denis' work he loves print and colour.



What I really love about Simachev is that he has branched out successfully and anybody can have a little piece of his work either at home or on the go.