TIPPING THE VELVET

I try not to lust over expensive garments (I realised the other day that the vast majority of my clothes are either sale items or from chain stores and cheap second hand shops) but this dress by Twenty Seven Names is too beautiful to resist. Crushed velvet has moved up a notch from ill-fitting shift dresses and unflattering maxis of the mid to late 90's, to structured and elegant dresses, figure-hugging pencil skirts and cropped blazers seen today.

Here is another beautifully draped Marc Jacobs number.

Oh the woes of being a poor student.

UN POCO DE MODA

I love the hispanic-inspired elements of the Proenza Schouler Resort 2011 collection. Could the baja hoodie be about to make its haute couture debut?

COLORES GUAPOS

Sylvie gave me a bunch of stuff from South America for my birthday, and I am totally in love with the beautiful vibrant colours. She got me this amazing shoulder bag that's pretty much a papoose, it's perfect for school and I feel kind of like a cool hippie. My favourite thing has to be the woollen leg warmers. They look like they might be llama wool or something and they are sooo nice and warm.

Dan wearing a baja hoodie in San Diego in the early 90's

SOLID

During her big trip around South America, Sylvie visited the relatively new Museo del Oro in Bogotá. This permanent exhibition features beautiful gold artefacts that were used by pre-Hispanic colonies from Colombia. They performed a process whereby they extorted the gold and other metals from the earth, used and symbolised it, and then returned it to the earth as an offering.



It's hard to believe these people made such beautiful things and then offered them back to the earth afterwards. Some of the pieces are incredibly dazzling and detailed.

ANIMALS

I have recently been made aware of some talented artists who use animals and nature as their subjects. There is something so regal about these gazelles photographed by Debbie Carlos, and I love her use of dim lighting and muted colours. This was actually featured on Wet Dreams and I just thought it was so brilliantly kitsch.

My friend Anne Chan gave me the website of Amy Dover, who draws striking graphite pencil portraits of animals. I find birds so beautiful - perfect for artwork.

KIDS OF '89

This is a video made by my brother Dan to mark the momentous occasion of my twenty-one-ification. I have been most asked about the pictures of me as a ten year old looking like a cheap hooker. I'd like to explain that my sister Sylvie used to sometimes enjoy dressing me and my friends up and doing our hair and make up. Not too sure what she was thinking with this get-up - we both look old enough to know better. Sweet track list:
1. Brooker T & the MGs - Green Onions
2. Split Enz - I See Red
3. The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
4. Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams
5. Jaylib - Strip Club (Instrumental)