Although street style reporting has undoubtedly influenced the way some people present themselves, I'm not entirely sure I agree with this article lamenting the demise of the fashion eccentrics (it did however, give me a great excuse to use a picture of my favourite Loulou de la Falaise). After all, as Fashionable Fashionistas proved some of the best-dressed people don't operate within the world of fashion. And, while the style eccentrics the article highlights aren't restricted by their age, the fakery that is pinpointed possibly is.
The Invisible Woman's response to a "Dressing the Ageing Demographic" conference was typically thought provoking, and I admire her statement that "it is with a large degree of pride that I see my generation busily reinventing middle age and extending it. Hopefully, when we get to 'old', we'll reinvent that, too."
Always fascinating on the subject of dressing the older woman is American Age Fashion. This week I especially enjoyed her response to this advert, taken from Vogue 1954, featuring a line-up of some of the United States's most famous fashion designers of the era, including Lilly Daché, Claire McCardell and Anne Fogarty, and illustrating the subtle difference between their own dress (and so many women than if you'd compare it to a photograph of couturiers of the same period).
These arbiters of taste are promoting a new model of Chrysler. And, of course, the promotion of other products through fashion continues today in many weird and wonderful ways. Here's Karl Lagerfeld promoting Paper Toy Mania, through a cut-out-and-keep model Karl, or there's Prada's inroads into literary fiction.
I'm curious to read Colin McDowell's The Anatomy of Fashion - there's an interesting interview with him on the Phaidon blog, but the book nerd in me loves all the production notes too. He's discussing the book with Justine Picardie at the V&A next week.
Another new book that looks extremely flickable is Jane & Serge: A Family Album. There's an in-depth preview on Messy Nessy Chic.
Though Princess Margaret got a look in a few weeks ago, you may have noticed a lack of too many things 'royal' round these parts. That's not to say I'm not excited by the thought of Hobbs' collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces. I mean, who could not get excited by head designer, Karen Boyd's description, "You step behind an exhibit in Kensington Palace and there are rooms stacked floor to ceiling with shelves of beautifully archived clothing." And, cheeringly, the collection is made using fabrics sourced from long-established British companies. I rather fancy this Sovereign dress. It's all rather different to my favourite new collection of the moment, Coco Fennell x Karen Mabon - I wrote about their twisted beauty queens for Domestic Sluttery this week.
British sensibilities and London life are the subject of this article in the New York Times (via Simple Village Girl). The comments are as interesting as the article itself. I also loved this feature about a piece of fiction based around my own neighbourhood in London - the photographs perfectly capture the "strange air" of Crystal Palace Park.
There's a couple of little displays I'd like to visit that have just opened: Virgin Records: 40 Years of Disruptions, and one on the little explored influence of skinhead culture on graphic design. I need to catch up though, and this weekend I'm determined to pay a visit to the ICA sub-cultures show before it closes. What else do I have planned? Well, I hope to pay my first visit to Ardingly Antiques and Collectors fair. I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed just by looking at those pictures ... Have a lovely weekend, whatever it involves.
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