Avengers

Initially, this blog was born as a space to talk about clothing in shows and movies I loved. To talk inspiration from a myriad of varied sources. I had just gotten into blogs but could find no one squeeing about the clothes in Buffy or Heathers. Sure, there were articles floating around here and there but rarely were they in-depth or thematic. Just the odd, unsatisfying, pieces on "outfits inspired by x" which, admittedly, is what I'm about to do. But, not to toot my own horn, I feel I'm doing it better and less half-arsed than a lot of those existing pieces.

Point is, as much as I'm inspired by the catwalk and seasons and street style, so, too, am I inspired by lots of other elements of culture and pop culture. Especially the shows and manga and books and movies I love.

I began reading comic books when I was around ten. Marvel was my entry-point to this world, something I shared with a particularly close cousin and a few friends in primary school. I loved Spiderman (such a sarcastic bastard, I love it), the X-Men (esp Gambit and Rogue) and Daredevil (I'm a sucker for an underdog) most of all but dabbled in others. As I got older, I maintained my soft spot for superheroes and, in recent years, my inner child has been running around in dizzy joy. Marvel is producing content like no ones's business and, best of all, Joss Whedon and others behind my beloved Buffy amongst other favourite shows and movies, are at the helm.

Which finally brings me to the point of this post, in honour of the soon-to-be-released Avengers: Age of Ultron, I've decided to style three outfits inspired by three of the characters from the movie and talk a bit about the basics of their aesthetics.

Scarlet Witch is one of the coolest characters in the entire Marvel Universe. Not only does she have mutant abilities, but actual supernatural powers as well. 

Like, she's legit a witch. 

It remains to be seen how her character will be interpreted in the film and which of her mythologies and versions will be used or if she will be entirely reinvented but images from the movie show us how she'll dress. 

They're clearly playing up the troubled young woman thing rather than going for her traditional costumes which would be a bit....cough....risqué for the movies. Red hasn't been overly implemented and she's got a punky grungey thing going on. My styling is more dramatic than that of the film, I've gone for lots of her signature red but in a few tones to stop it from becoming flat. The sharp lines and sexy cut-out detail of the crop top give a nod to her costume but the leather pants and boots make it tougher and more believable. I mean, could you really fight in what amounts to a swimsuit? 

I couldn't resist the cape, though highly dramatic. It could be easily swapped out for a long, flowy trench but I wanted to have some length and movement to her outfit to emphasise her witchiness.

Inglot

On Wednesday evening, Inglot hosted an event for bloggers in their South Anne Street store. They were not only giving us a lesson on contouring with their products but also tempting us with discounts and new launches and showcasing their new make-up cases - three lines that offers sturdy, beautiful cases for both the professional and the make-up enthusiast who would like to store and transport their make-up more securely.

The leather pieces from the Safari collection are particularly gorgeous and remind me of vintage suitcases though the Diamond range with it's hard, metallic plastic exteriors are probably better suited to being dragged around our rainy little island. While the Classic range is probably the sleekest and most professional-looking.

I had been in the shop a few times before but having it to ourselves gave me the time to peruse at my leisure. And, boy, was I impressed! Talk about colour selection! The girls in the shop are super-lovely and helpful and knowledgeable about the products. And, best of all, they're cruelty free and their polishes are four-free.

The price-range is fairly reasonable too, considering the quality of the product. A quality which I found to be particularly evidenced in their blushes. They remind me a little of Nars blushes but with a wider range of shades and I couldn't help myself but grab a gorgeous neon peach (shade 125) that blends into the most natural, prettiest hue on the skin.

I actually managed to find a few things that had been on my wishlist on the night, including a grey nail polish (shade 364) - which I've been after for a while. That it was just the right shade (not too dark, not too light) and four-free made it seem like kismet - so, of course, I couldn't leave it behind! I was also gifted a gorgeous iridescent shade (319) which reminds me of Chanel's Peridot from a few seasons back.

And I got a shadow (26) in the subtle gold shade I was looking for after spying a similar colour on Lily James in the new Cinderella movie. Other gifts included a blue mascara and shimmery face powder that I never would have chosen for myself but am actually rather enamoured with.

You could really wile away hours in the store - or have a browse online. Currently, there's ten percent off all online purchases so get on over there if you're interested.

I'm probably going to do a full brand overview as I have for Isadora and Lush so keep an eye out for that. Or, at least a review of some of the items. But, so far, colour me (lots and lots of shades of) impressed.

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The Effeminate Man & Sex Appeal

Pillow-lipped young men with bright eyes trip through Renaissance painting. St John, to emphasise his youth and innocence, is depicted as so feminine that he can be mistaken for Magdalene in Dan Brown's narratives. In 17th century Holland, women are shown with hair covered and modest appearances whereas young men have luxurious curls falling around them. In the French court, men almost rival women in fashion stakes and use make-up, adorning their faces with silk patches and sporting delicate fabrics, colours and prints. Even the more sombre figure cut by the Victorian man in Britain is softened by lace collars and cuffs.

Masculine ideals of beauty shift over time and culture, as do those of women. What is seen as effeminate is defined and redefined, shunned and appropriated. And, in some cases, men have more freedom to be openly beautiful. The limitations of the male body are lesser, it is less controlled. As long as the genitals are covered, the rest is fair game.

Take us, then, to the twentieth century. After two world wars, the Western world begins to recover. Pop and rock music and its icons emerge. The hearthrob is born. He is sometimes rugged and hyper-"masculine". But sometimes he is beautiful.

As fashion and generations react, interact and reject each other, this beautiful hearthrob was born (informed and influenced by many other generations and incarnations) in retaliation to the conformist, capitalist expectations of modern society. He was a hippy. Then he was a rock star. Mick Jagger with his shimmying hips, tight clothes, sheer fabrics, frills, long hair and pout. Punks and Goths with painted nails, lined eyes, lace, skirts. Glam rock with its idols that turned women into frenzied creatures while being more made up than the women themselves. Bowie. Emos. Harry Styles.

Much as we will always have our beefcakes as cultural epitomes of masculinity and attractiveness, we will, likewise, probably always have the effeminate ideal. He is the type of man that many others don't get but that women swoon over. He wears necklines that bare collarbones and vast expanses of chest, he squeezes into dandyishly tight trousers, wears jewellery and make-up, refuses to cut his hair. He picks and chooses from male and female performances and constructs an identity that is something in between - one that allows him to be visibly sexual without the shunning a woman would attract, one that verifies virility, one that embraces that which is softer and "frivolous".

I recently discussed my fondness for these men with a friend. I voiced my opinion that there is something powerfully sexy about a man who dresses and behaves in these ways because it boasts confidence in who they are (always an attractive trait) and their own self-defined identities (an increasingly attractive trait today) and suggests an inclination to be more open-minded about issues to do with equality and society. And then there's just that raw sexuality. The sensuality of fabric and texture choices so outside the realm of most men's colourless and tired wardrobes. The visual hide-and-seek of flesh in more nuanced ways than those who relieve themselves of shirts the moment it's vaguely warm, no matter the time, place or situation. The balance between ruggedness and refinement. Think of Mr Darcy stepping out of the water in his soaked white frill-collared shirt and fitted breeches. Doki, doki, no?

I'm all for this type of dressing. For these attitudes. So, check out my styling below. Consider these things and let me know what you think!

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Buffy

The very first post I ever put up was about style in Buffy. I had just gotten into blogs and was rewatching BtVS and didn't get why I couldn't find any decent discussion of how stylish the show was. Since then, I've interviewed the costume designer for the show (!) and talked here and there about how the styling influenced my own sense of style.

Thinking about these things today, about progress, about how funny life can be and what an amazing journey this little project of passion has been, I thought I'd go back to my origins a little bit. I'm gonna go back to putting the nerd in fashion every so often and show you how to style contemporary looks modelled on the inspiration provided by icons of pop culture. I'm going to talk about the things I once wished someone else would approach. And, maybe, I'll get to squee with you guys over shared loves of amazing shows and people.

As the show ran for seven seasons, we watched Buffy's sense of style evolve majorly. She went from being a carefree teen to a well-dressed outcast, to a young woman who knew what is was like to sacrifice the person she loved most, to a college student, to someone who lost a parent, to a primary care-giver, to someone back from the dead, to a person dealing with self-loathing, to leader of an army. She grew so much over the course of the show and this was always visually echoed in what she wore.

The three looks I've put together mostly reflect her style later on in the show (mostly season six and seven) but definitely reference her Valley-girl origins. Especially the first look, entitled Patrolling? This is an homage to all the totally situation and terrain inappropriate clothing that Buffy used to wear early on - super-short skirts and heeled boots while hunting demons through cemeteries and sewers, in particular. As someone who once went on a hike in heeled boots (I know), she's kinda a girl after my own heart here. The palette and aesthetic, however, are very much of her style as an older woman. To begin with, she was very much "more is more, is more" with styling the epitome of the nineties; clashing prints, crazy accessories and plenty of flesh-baring. Later, her style became more restrained with less bright pops of colour and more subdued tones. Everything here is very neutral and simple but with some sexy twists. And totally inappropriate for patrolling but who cares? Besides, if you accessorise with a mythological weapon, you'll be fine.

Look number two is along the lines of what Buffy wore out partying with her friends in later seasons when she wasn't sneaking around with Spike or dealing with serious mental health problems. Leather is present as it was in the first look and this is a fabric choice pervasive in Buffy's wardrobe throughout the show. If you wanna dress like her, invest in leather! The top has a low enough v-neck but is oversized and in a more neutral tone and does that thing that older Buffy was so good at, balancing sex appeal with taker elements so that nothing was over-done or overly obvious. Ankle boots finish the look as the Buffster was all about a good boot.

The final look is a little like a blend of season four and seven. In both season Buffy spent plenty of time on campus, for college and then as a school counsellor at Sunnydale High. It's a little lighter, breezier, referencing her brief stint as a relatively easy-going (for her) college student and then her need to be more appoachable. As always, there are interesting details to the outfit, the multitude of colours in the jeans, the attachment to the neckline of the top, but the whole is restrained overall. Buffy was always stylish and current but never had to try too hard and very much wore the clothes rather than the other way around. Besides, she would have pretty much looked great in a burlap sack, right?

Let me know what you think of these looks! Any other BtVS fanatics out there?

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Boohoo SS15

The drizzle is persisting, disappearing for moments, hours at a time before determinedly returning once more. But there's a spot of sunshine present, hope that warmer weather isn't too far away. That sunshine comes in the form of the Boohoo SS15 preview. With prints and colour all over the place, metallic tattoos being administered by the lovely Jenny, an ice cream cart upon entry, fruity cocktails at the ready...my mood is instantly transformed. And, in spite of my layers, and regret at having forgotten my scarf, I'm suddenly very enthusiastic about shorts and crop tops and beach attire.

For women, Boohoo is offering some seriously cool workout clothing. So stylish, in fact, that is treads the line between sports luxe and actually functional clothes. For the stuff that might actually make it to the gym, there are some great printed leggings, shorts, tees and sports bras not unlike the type of pieces that sports brands are charging insane amounts for. Hit them up if you're looking to up your style stakes while exercising but don't want to spend every penny you have.

I also spotted a lot of amazing boho/seventies style items perfect for getting on that trend that's going to be so big for the up-coming season. Basically, it's festival basics sorted with fringing, crochet and light knitted pieces all over the places. And for the more serious seventies vibe, all the florals, peasant blouses, wide-legged pants and paisley that you could possibly ask for!

Another corner was occupied by tropical colours and floral printed swimsuits, cover-ups and breezy pieces just made for luxurious getaways and swanning around with giant sunglasses and a cocktail in hand. I was particularly enamoured with a flowy off-white and black two-piece suit that screamed luxury and ease. 

One rack was dedicated entirely to Nadia Aboulhosn's line for Boohoo which offers an almost entirely monochrome range of some rad pieces for women sizes 16-24. Think lots of very contemporary, sleek pieces that very much celebrate the bodies they adorn. 

And what about the boys? Well, expect some awesome accessories (I want all of the backpacks), muted tones such as rich maroons, navy and white, a sporty nineties vibe, seriously retro denim, playful details and the odd appearance of a pop of pastel shades. 

Bring on the summer!

Thanks to Boohoo for having me again, despite the fact that I always stand around eating EVERYTHING.

Keep an eye out for a Boohoo look here sooon...

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