Emma Watson – a style icon in the making?

The decision to write this post came suddenly. Honestly, I was busy writing a long post on a very different topic, and then I saw this.

This pic from a cover shoot for November issue of ELLE UK just stopped me in my tracks. I simply had do (write) something about it. So here’s it is.

First of all I’d like to point out that I’m no model idolizer or even admirer. I guess I never believed that posing for photographs requires an exceptional talent and to admire people I require them to be exceptional at something. Like any fashion blogger I naturally do have my favorites, for instance Kate Moss and Freja Beha Erichsen, but I mostly like them for their personal style and the image they embody – that cool, confident, rock-n-roll, no-nonsense look.

Generally I tend to think of models as girls who were kind of spoilt by too much money and too much attention too early, and working in the kind of business that requires but little brainwork. I know there are exceptions, but most models I ever heard speak weren’t great at expressing themselves and I still remember reading an interview in Russian Vogue with a Russian model – then just breaking out, now a major superstar – and how plain stupid she sounded. That’s off topic however, I’m not here to discuss model intelligence. What I meant to say is that I just added another to a my very select list of favorite models. Not so much models really, but girls who, I believe, will have an impact on style and lifestyle of theur generation. I have been watching with interest Emma Watson’s photo shoots for the last year or so, and this most recent bunny-eared image was the final drop. I give up, I’m conquered!

Of course my judgment here may well be influenced by the fact that I know Emma to be much more than just a model. I did see all of the Harry Potter movies, though I wouldn’t call myself a full-blown fan (I’ve seriously enjoyed the last several books of the series however), and I’ve watched her grow. Her acting improved with age and every new film, and soon we'll see her first grownup performance in “One Week With Marilyn.” Plus Emma is well known to be a brainiac and very dedicated scholar – much like her famous character, and her intelligent interviews serve as evidence.

However Emma’s turn as a model have gotten serious just recently. One day she was just that cute clumsy teen from HP, and suddenly she was in the Burberry campaign. And then, to everyone’s surprise, she reinvented her style image in one blow by chopping off those pretty princess locks. Her brand new sexy-meets- tomboy look, along with many photo shoots that followed – much more daring and versatile than before, suddenly turned her into a valid presence in the fashion world.

Since then with every next shoot Emma seems to grow and become more and more convincingly model-like. I really tend to avoid loud and flash like “icon,” but if 2010’s were to have one, I’d rather it was someone smart, talented and multi-faceted like Emma. Anyway, just have a look at the images from various shoots in ELLE, VOGUE, i-D Magazine, CLASH, SEVENTEEN and others, and tell me she’s not the one to watch. And very closely too!

Fall must-have list

Apparently the hardest part of the moving (see previous post) is over and I’m currently somewhat caught in between two lives – the one I had in Greece and the one I will have in this new place where I’m headed in less than two weeks. Having given up my flat in Athens I’m now chilling out at a hospitable home of my friends, with my bags stashed in every corner of the room. In the meantime September came to an end but I still made but a few (very few) seasonal purchases. What can you do, moving sometimes involves unexpected expenses plus I already have too much to ship and carry with me as it is, so it only makes sense to do all the shopping in the new place. Also, I’m moving into a very different climate and wardrobe will have to be adjusted accordingly. Either way I have a pretty good idea regarding the things I certainly cannot do without this season – some of them I already own, others are to be obtained “ as soon as.”

1. Leather biker jacket

Looks like the studded black leather jacket which I got two years ago at Zara was a very smart investment indeed. Surely I wouldn’t mind having this one from Balmain as well, but, apart from being unaffordable to me, it’s also a bit too flashy while mine suits any occasion and goes with everything.

2. Mustard Yellow

Completely in love with mustard yellow this fall. And since I don’t own a single piece in this color yet, I need a splash of this in my life ASAP! A sweater or a cardigan for starters, probably tights too and maybe even a bag.

3. Leather pants

A definite must-have for a sleek rock-chick look that's so IN this season and has been a favorite of mine for years. Of course a pair of genuine leather pants of good quality (any other kind would inevitably stretch in all the wrong places and fast) would be pricy, but lucky for me H&M made a perfect alternative this fall - pants/treggings of faux leather with black elastane stripes running down the outer sides of legs. I wasted no time in getting my pair – I sense that H&M would quickly run out of them, at least in the popular sizes.

4. Long-sleeve shirts

Certainly shirts never go out of fashion, but with the whole androgyny trend now growing stronger every day, they really took center stage. To such an extent that even I, who never seemed to like myself in shirts before, gave in and added a denim number to my wardrobe still back in spring, and most recently a semi-silk champagne colored shirt that I snatched at Zara’s summer sale.

5. Kohl & Eyeliner

Sixties look is making a major comeback right now and what says “sixities” better than generously lined eyes and super long eyelashes? I’ve been an eyeliner fan for a while now, and with black kohl and black feltpen-eyeliner lying ready in my makeup bag, I’m anxious to experiment with even bolder lines this fall – at least for my evening look.

6. Lace boots

When moving to Greece I didn’t bother bringing more than a single pair of boots with me – it may have been a bit of an oversight, but I was already paying a lot for extra kilos in my luggage, and shoes are the heaviest part of the whole thing. So now that I’m going to live in a climate where boots are not just a fashion statement but also a necessity, I’m simply lusting over a pair of boots such as these. It’s practically urgent!

7. Boyfriend Jeans

I’ve been wearing ONLY skinny jeans for the past few years, always feeling that any other kind of pants made me look big. Well, I think now I’m finally ready to try on a grungier look, inspired by fall collections of Paul Smith and DSquared. Plus boyfriend jeans are a key element for cool urban layering that I’m so into this season.

8. Dramatic nail polish

The trend for bright, statement nails is clearly here to stay, however the neon shades that were so hot last spring/summer are now giving way to darker, deeper, more dramatic colors. Which means it’s time to expand my nail polish collection. Black appears to be the hit of the season, but I find it way too goth – dark blue, green and red is the way to go for me.

Lifestyle notes: Emma, Beyonce, Bridesmaids and more

I just realized that I’ve only done one single post during the past week and I’m honestly ashamed. One post a week will hardly push the blog forward and make it grow as I want it too. The fact that I started actively going to the gym is barely an excuse – the lack of self-organization is real enemy here. On another note I found that to keep more organized with the blog I need to do more regular weekly features – yeah, that’s the former weekly newspaper lifestyle section editor speaks in me.

So I give you the Notes (likely the new regular feature) – things that inspired strong (relatively at least) impressions in me over the past week and which also generally influence lifestyle, pop culture and … well … fashion.

Emma Watson showed up a the premiere of her latest movie (the one that has no need to be named) with new hair – and I personally think it’s adorable.

She sure rocked the pixie crop but I guess I really prefer longer haircuts on women. Plus, when you have very little hair on your head you have to really plan your accessories and makeup around it at all times since you have no gorgeous locks to hide behind. Again, I believe Emma was totally pulling it off, but the same can’t be said for at least a part of all those celebrities who caught the “short” fever along with Emma (and in some cases – because of her). Anyway, her new “almost bob” provides great hair inspiration as well as a style tip for those trying to grow out the hair after a pixie crop.

Beyonce has released her newest album “Year of 4” and though I’m not gonna hear but a few hits form it as usual (I’m not really a mainstream pop fan), I really loved this new video for the single “Best Thing I Never Had.” Visuals are simply gorgeous and the lyrics are very fitting too – I’m pretty sure every girl has a man she could dedicated this to. 

“True Blood” is back on and after seeing two episodes of the fourth season I have to say that my hopes of improvement after season 3 were in vain.

I know plenty of fans still love it as it is, but I initially fell for Blood’s “sex, drugs & rock’n’roll” feel and the original take on vampires – the first two seasons clearly stated that while vampires are surely a menace to society, humans with their double standards, intolerance and thirst for blood (different from that of vampires, but no less damaging) are the True danger onto themselves. However, starting the third season the population of various creatures in the story suddenly increased – werewolves, shape shifters, some sorta panther people and even fairies (seriously, fairies??) joined the monsters’ ball. Man, I miss the time when we had no idea why Sookie was a mind-reader and plus that was the only mystery that remained within the show. And now – what we have a small redneck town populated by so many creatures that there is hardly any room left for people. Also any semblance of a central plot is gone – story just keeps on jumping from one thing to another, getting less and less convincing. Anyways, Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) is our only hope – he’s the only one who still keeps his cool when even Lafayette has lost his edge after getting involved with the stupid witch cult.

This week I went to see “Bridesmaids” which has just now come out in Greece.

Really entertaining and quite refreshing to see a comedy about women which is not stupid, bitchy, cheese, and has nothing to do with husband/boyfriend hunting and shoe shopping. Kristen Wiig plays Annie – a cool and witty failed bakery owner who seems to have failed in most other things too, since at her age she works as a shop assistant, lives with two obnoxious roommates and has no boyfriend/husband but a complete jerk for a fuck buddy. But things take a sudden turn for the worse when Annie’s best friend Lilian gets engaged and appoints her the maid of honor. Soon Annie finds herself competing for Lilian’s friendship (clearly the only stable and valuable thing in her life) with another bridesmaid, Helen (Rose Byrne) – a trophy wife and a complete phony who doesn’t play fair. Indeed the movie gets a tad too sentimental and it’s a little too long, but still a very very worthy watch. It also got me thinking about how much bullshit people go through (and spend money on) to just get married. I mean I thought a fancy wedding party was a major hassle on its own, but all these engagement parties, showers and bachelorette trips? I know it’s all cute as hell, but it’s also phony as hell and way too much ceremony for 21 century!

And as the last note for today, I ordered books from Amazon for the first time ever.

Well, you know, I really prefer browsing at proper book stores, but here in Athens selection of books in English is really slim and the rest are all in Greek, so I can’t even get books by Ukrainian and Russian authors, or translations (from languages other than English) into Ukrainian/Russian. Anyway, my first Amazon experience was seriously disappointing – not only I paid 20 bucks only for handling and delivery of my four books (cheapest option available), estimated delivery date is … wait for it … 11 of August – after having shipped on 7 of July! WHAT the hell??? What is it going to ship by – Tom Hanks in Castaway on a makeshift raft across the ocean? I really would like an answer to that… Anyway, looks like those would be the first and last books I buy from Amazon because it’s just plain humiliating. Also I clearly need to get an e-reader to save me book hassle in the future – it may as well be Kindle, though when I think about the possible waiting time… No, I can’t even think about it right now. Too stressful.

She’s a rainbow

Dying my hair is seriously on my agenda these days – it’s right about time to refresh the color and make those outgrown contrasting roots disappear. Nothing extraordinary is planned – just my regular vivid ginger red. Still I can’t help wishing for something much more crazy – getting some rainbow colors in my hair just like all those girls here and others like them. It’s just feels so alluring and daring to make such a statement only with your hair! I’m totally lusting over the colorfully highlighted ends – like the ones on Abbey Lee Kershaw above. I know of course that my hair is weak enough as it is, and any drastic experiments may properly kill it, but maybe I could get a clip-on highlight in blue at least?

But while I’m still pondering over how far can I go about making my rainbow hair obsession a reality, I decided to enquire – who is to blame for this gorgeously mad hair trend? Well, there sure is more than one guilty party…

For starters, this girl here – Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead in “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” 2010)

Though this one came even earlier – much earlier, back in 2004. However no one, but a few punks, dared to follow the way of Clementine (Kate Winslet’s in “Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind”) at the time. Still, for me, she’ll always remain the queen of rainbow hair…

Then there is of course Katy Perry with her latest stunner wigs (great option for those who want to try the look without the risk)

And … naturally, Lady Gaga – world’s main fashion scapegoat at the moment – lots of weird stuff that people wear can be easily blamed on her. Her scull has probably seen more wigs by now then an average wig store, so no wonder she caught the color wave quite promptly.

And let’s not forget gorgeous model Charlotte Free – her candy locks must have sent many a blonde (or wannabe blonde) running to a colorist. And no wonder – she looks just so sweet, cool and simply adorable!

Also, there was this Meadham Kirchhoff’s fashion show last September – it surely helped kickstart the rainbow!

As well as this Vogue Paris editorial starring Eniko Mihalik last October…

And this – “Washed Up” editorial by Aitken Jolly for b Magazine – is just one of many recent takes on the rainbow girl.

Some brand new summer necessities

This would be a second post dedicated to my recent trip to Cyprus. But I guess it only makes sense – as any faithful fashion and lifestyle blogger I couldn’t come back from a trip to a cool place like that carrying only impressions and photographs to share. I got some new goodies as well and, coincidentally, they all happen to be pretty basic summer necessities, and, I must add, all are good bargains! 

1. Bracelets

What ManRepeller likes to call with a charming word “arm party” is now fully on around my wrist! Bracelets are not all new – some of you may notice pieces from previous posts here – but three of them are, coming from an Indian Shop full of ethnic-themed goodies in Nicosia’s old town.

2. French Vogue

A proper Summer issue, as it covers both June and July. I have actually considered the other two latest Vogues (July issues) – namely British and American, but really, they were just way too thin and mostly filled with photographs that I’ve already seen online, therefore it didn’t seem like a good investment. In general I like the more provocative, somewhat arty and alternative approach of the Vogue Paris plus I can use it as reading material to improve my French – hence, added educational value! But there is an extra incentive to buy this issue – it’s totally dedicated to Greece. Vogue sure is romanticizing the Greek experience quite a lot – it’s mostly “movie Greece” that the magazine is describing, still if it manages to attract some extra tourists to Greece – way to go! Plus there are also quite realistic articles, such as those profiling a number of fashionably successful young Greek nationals. 

3. Sunnies

To be honest, these are not exactly my dream sunnies, but they were the best I could get when I desperately needed a pair. The story is simply this: my cheap sunglasses, which shape and color nonetheless was perfect for me, broke – a tiny screw went loose, and a part simply came off. I decided it was a sign for me to get that perfect pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers that I craved so much. But even though I found a store that sold them at a nice discount (!), there was nothing at all for me there. All the Wayfarer pairs that looked great from the first glance turned out to be strangely bent to the front in the glasses part – an absolutely unflattering design for my face. It was way too hot and I was too exhausted to walk all over town looking for new sunnies, so I ended up grabbing this very cheap pair at Stradivarius. After all I couldn’t stand all that sun without any sunglasses and I had still two more days in Cyprus and planning to go to the seaside the next day! So these little pair was my savior, and while I’m still on the lookout for my perfect sunnies, those will not be left and forgotten – after all they are undeniably cute. 

4. The Dress

What’s funny is that I actually came to Cyprus planning to buy a jumpsuit! I had an eye on the red, retro-styled one from Topshop (which they have in Cyprus unlike Greece), but as all other things I’ve spotted on Topshop website, it was completely absent from its two stores I visited in Nicosia. And then I came upon this dress at Zara – I actually posted in once on the blog, and have searched all Zaras in Athens for it, but it was nowhere to be found! And here I went into Zara shop in Nicosia, not really expecting to find anything I haven’t seen before, and there it was! It’s light, inexpensive and original – the outfit post starring it to follow sometime soon!

5. Rum

Now, I don’t want to sound like some sorta alcoholic, but really, a nice refreshing summer cocktail to unwind in the end of the day – it must be allowed (or at least I hope so). Indeed, a Mojito or a Margarita would be even better, but Cuba Libre is so much easier to make! That’s why we got just the thing for it at the Cyprus Duty Free – sugarcane Havana Club. Makes great drinks, I tell ya. Cheers!

My summer wishlist: the TOP 5

Don't know about you, but for me, summer is always the time of freedom, energy, fun and making lots of plans, even if half of them fall through. Perhaps it has a little something to do with being able to wear my favorite mini shorts and tees, letting my skin breath and thus feeling light and pretty at all times. Either way, I've realized that lately I've been gorging over a number of things, which may or may not materialize this summer - but it would be really nice if they do.

1. VESPA

To be honest when I first came to Athens two years ago and had to get on the motorbike with my husband to go downtown - I was petrified! I've never been on one before, moreover, I've never been on one in such crazy traffic, and every time we passed through a particularly narrow spot between two cars, I'd just close my eyes in fear. But as time went by I started feeling completely relaxed on a bike, moreover, I've realized that due to the very narrow roads in Athens, always packed with cars, and since there are no paths for bicycles, BIKES and SCOOTERS are the best way to get around. For a while now I've been gorging over a Vespa, just like the one below - classic red. The problem is that buying a Vespa won't be enough. I also need a special scooter lisence. Also, such a shiny and pretty vehicle would easily attract thieves, who would at the very least break off rear view windows and other small parts - yeah, people do that here. And yet, I want it sooo bad!

2. JEFFREY CAMPBELLS

Recently I've fallen fully and completely in love with JEFFREY CAMPBELL shoes. They are simply too gorgeous. The white cutout wedges (bottom right) are my biggest shoe crush at the moment! The problem is they are kinda out of my price range, or, rather, I can't really spend 150-200 Euros on something like a pair of shoes without a very well paid job to back it up and the latter is missing at the moment. But things change and sometimes very quickly. The time will come when Jeffrey Campbells and my feet will finally meet!

3. UK SUMMER FESTIVAL

I've never been to one and I'd really looove to go. And why woudn't I want to? The atmosphere is fantastic and more than half of the line-up is made up of my favorite bands almost in every case. READING & LEEDS festivals on 26-28 of August would be a really good idea. My Chemical Romance, Muse and The Strokes as well as The Vaccines, Jane's Addiction, The Kills, The Horros and many others will be there! It would be awesome...

4. RAY BAN WAYFARERS

And I mean the authentic ones - no the Chinese fakes that you can buy anywhere. Truth is I've never really spend much on sunglasses. By the time I could actually afford it, I'd already had a record of breaking or losing sunglasses. Or if I'd had the pair from the previous year by next summer, I'd usually be bored with it and wanting something new. Hence, spending much money on sunglasses was a waste. But I decided to take a chance on Ray Bans at last. First of all I believe I'm grown up and responsible enough to handle a pair of prime sunglasses without losing them or stepping on them. Secondly, my romance with WAYFARER glasses shape has been going on for two years now, and I still find them looking totally awesome on me. And thirdly, even though I'm not one of those brand-obsessed fashionistas, I still believe it wouldn't hurt to have a couple of authentic brand accessories in my wardrobe. Especially if it's something as timeless and iconic as Ray Ban Wayfarers.

5. SMARTPHONE

I'm not one of these people who buy a new iPhone every time it comes out (whether they can afford it or not) - I have much more economical and practical approach to gadgets, and paying extra 300 Euros just for Show (as in case of iPhone) is not my style. But I've had my elegantly designed clam-shell Nokia for 4 years now and it feels aged. The battery is very weak plus it has other issues and I also just need a gadget that will allow me browse the internet, check my email and use social networks among other things. After all, these functions are becoming pretty standard in phones, so why not take advantage? For the time being it's a close call between NOKIA E5 and HTC WILDFIRE. The HTC is a very decent Android-based touch phone, but Nokia's Blackberry-style keyboard is a very nice feature. As a writer I'm used to typing, and I'd prefer real buttons to touch screen.

To sum it up, I believe that at least one of the wishes will definitely come true - the phone, because I really need one. Ray Bans are also a possibility. As for the rest - I cross my fingers...

CANNES Part 2: the Movies

CANNES as usual left me with a must-see movies list. However, generally it's quite long, and is likely to get even longer - about many films shown at the fest there is very little information yet. So I give you the five Cannes films I want to see ASAP!

THE ARTIST

Without a doubt, a top number on the list. It's set in the 1920s, it's shot as a silent film, and, on top of everything else, it stars one of the biggest French screen charmers ever - Jean Dujardine, who, by the way, got BEST ACTOR for this performance! Since I'm in love with the 1920s as the fashion and lifestyle era, am a lover of silent movies and a fan of Dujardine - "The Artist" seems like a movie made especially for me. And it also has John Goodman in it - a treat!

MELANCHOLIA

In general I pretty much watch all of Lars Von Trier's films, because he's like no one else, a master-provocateur, and, considering that I often avoid the really dramatic, tragic films, it makes him something of an exception. However there are also extra reasons to see Melancholia. First is Lars Von Trier's ban from Cannes that somehow instantly made the movie 10 times more interesting - after all it's talking about its "risky" aesthetic is what got him into trouble. Second reason is that it's about a planet rushing towards the Earth threatening to put the end to its existence - sounds alluring. Third reason is Kirsten Dunst's BEST ACTRESS award. It's not the end of the list, but you get the picture.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

I'm a big fan of Woody Allen, and even though not all his films are very good, especially lately, since he's been totally repeating himself, but lots of critics did praise "Midnight in Paris" which fills me with excitement! It also has a great cast and apparently includes some time travel. In short I would love to see Woody make "passionate love" to Paris as it was described by some reviewers.

SLEEPING BEAUTY

One word: mysterious. That's the one thing I understand about this film so far. Also, Emily Browning is doing a lot of scenes here in her underwear ... and probably nude too. Judging but what's revealed in the trailer she's being hired by some pretentious lady at a mansion as something of a call girl, or maybe prostitute - only it's much more fancy, exquisite and complex than that. Let's see...

TREE OF LIFE

First off, it did win the Palme D'Ore and I usually watch the top winners. Secondly it has Sean Penn playing the son of Brad Pitt - it's one of those seriously weird things that you just have to see to believe. Overall, based on some reviews I've read, Terrence Malick's "Tree of Life" is mostly a meditation on, well, life, its origins (they say there are even dinosaurs in there!), fathers and sons etc. with breathtaking visuals and not much of a plot.