GREEN GODDESS - Spring's alternative LBD

Inspired by Spring and nostalgic about real Summer days, I went on a treasure hunt to find green things. A scarf, a clutch-bag, but particularly a dress. Green has more mystique than the LBD. Its magic reminds us of mythical creatures like fairies and nymphs. This is a cautionary tale about a beautiful green dress.

A few years ago I had an olive halterneck dress. We rarely parted company. Like a steady boyfriend it accompanied me to exhibition openings, poetry slams, barbecues. Only my jeans have boasted that level of versatility. We all have that one item that makes us feel comfortable, vivacious and is effortlessly appropriate for any occasion. This was such an item.

One day it ended up in the charity bag. I had gotten more than my pound-per-wear out of it. It was time to move on. The end of an era. Yet it was a decision that filled me with immediate regret.

"The Woman in Green."

Two weeks ago I went hunting for a similar dress. I tried every vintage shop. Then the high street. De Nada. The moment you decide to seek out an item that specific, you will find nothing matching your criteria. Its a law of the retail universe.

Disheartened, I popped into my favourite charity shop to console myself with a book and there it was. The original dress, brand new with the tag on it. In my size. In better condition than my first one. Oh and it was £4. Call it a fluke but I call it synchronicity. A call to return to that woman I'd lost contact with. A great visual reminder of that woman in green.

Oh and one last word about culling your wardrobe. Tread carefully. Make sure that the discarded item is definitely surplus to requirement. You might not be so lucky to find it again.

STREET DANCE - The allure of the ballet

10 years ago I was never without my leather ballet pumps. However in recent years their reputation has faltered. Just like skinny jeans and biker jackets, they became trite, hackneyed versions of their former selves. Poor fabric and cut aside, the high street can ruin a garment by over-production alone. No names mentioned. Women everywhere gave them a wide birth in favour of brogues and loafers. But there are many reasons why the lowly ballerina never really went away.

"Dancing in the street."

1. For me, ballet slippers represent optimism. They indicate the possibility of warmer, dryer weather. But not so much that the toes need to come out.

2. Their popularity also boils down to wearability. They bend to our feet's every whim allowing us to navigate the pavement effortlessly.

3. In terms of Spring footwear they are still a very stylish shoe. They look sleek where other flats look frumpy.

4. Versatility. They can can be worn both casually and formally, making them a staple and a classic.

The trick is to go for quality over quantity. A good pair can last for years. So save the Wellingtons for Glastonbury and release your inner ballerina.

BOYS ON FILM - Male style tribes

This week I have been observing men in the media.  In my voyeurism, I have noticed that these guys are not as arbitrarily thrown together as they would have us believe . Style is how they speak to the world about who they are. Each man has their own ethos no matter how subtle. These are the ones that resonate with me most. 
  

Boy from Bohemia. 
Flat caps, sheepskin, retro sportswear, earthy, autumnal, 70s shades. Trade marks of modern, conscious hip hop artist such as Common, Mos Def, Maxwell (circa 1996) and Bilal. However before the 90s neo soul movement. Before record labels handed RnB a guitar and a dashiki. Before tie-dye went loco, there was one misunderstood unknown by the name of Romeo Blue aka Mr Lenny Kravitz. Inspired by the likes of Hendrix and Lennon, he would dress like his musical influences. Few understood his vintage leather jackets and bell bottoms, especially in the 1980s. Yet, as Kravitz continued to do his own thing both musically and aesthetically, he gradually became one of the coolest men in pop rock. He has since swopped the dreads for a fro, eventually cutting it low. But the original elements remain the same.

The Muse
Ryan Gosling gets a category all by himself. I have no idea how he dresses off screen, but he has to be one of the best styled men on set. That is to say his characters have great wardrobes. The iconic jacket in Drive. The biker jacket he wore in Blue Valentine. Straddling both the indie and commercial market, Gossers, you've come a long way from The Notebook.

"Boys will be boys."

Retrospective innovators
The buyers for Primark can be both satirical and on point. Most recently it was a De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising t-shirt. A welcome break from the hackneyed Guevara, Hendrix or Scarface tees.

Some men have a natural ability to look past the cliches. Enter Pharell Williams and Lupe Fiasco. These guys possess both a love for old school hip hop and a flare for the avant-garde. They'd gladly wear a pair of Converse All Stars with a NASA space suit. They play with iconic pieces to create an altogether new semantic.

The classic
Think Robert Redford's post-preppy college, post-military Hubble in The Way We Were. George Peppard in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Steve McQueen in Bullit. Paul Newman in Torn Curtain. These were the pioneers.

Next post, put on your dancing shoes.