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.

Moving house, moving countries

Yep, this is really happening. I’ve been in Greece only for a year and already have to move on. Whatchagonnado… Unfortunately the Greek job market situation is currently very unfavorable (to put it mildly), especially for young professionals who wish to earn their worth and be able grow, let alone the ones who barely speak any Greek (like myself) while actually dealing in the language business. What can I say, Greek isn’t easy and while I could surely learn to speak it tolerably, I certainly could never write in it, thus my job options as a writer here would always be limited. Anyway, new country – new start and I have a really good feeling about this one. As for what particular place I’m talking about, let me tell you when I get there;)

In the meantime I’m facing a pretty difficult task of moving house. I’ve done it once before (when I left for Greece), but then I was leaving my very own apartment, which means I could leave behind whatever I couldn’t take with me. The current situation is quite the opposite.

It’s most amazing how much stuff gets accumulated in the apartment after just one year! Especially if two people are contributing. And the necessity to remove all of that out of the apartment without simply tossing it in the trash is honestly overwhelming. First of all I need to sell my sofa, bed, fridge and washing machine. To be honest I find it decidedly annoying that Greeks only want to rent empty apartments, instead of furnished ones, which makes the moving so much tougher. By now I’m ready to shout from the window: “Guys, buy my stuff already!” because I kinda have to move out in two weeks… Another big task, besides selling, is sending all the remaining stuff (which no way can fit in plane luggage) over to where I’m headed. That’s why I spent today hunting down empty carton boxes next to supermarkets in the area – to pack up everything and get an accurate estimate of the shipment cost. But from the info I’ve collected already it sure isn’t going to be cheap either way. And finally I need to pass all the stuff that’s too inexpensive to actually sell as used items (like an iron, a blender and other kitchen stuff) into good hands.

Speaking of “good hands,” I’ve got two issues of British Vogue (December 2010 and March 2011) and three of French Vogue (March, July and August 2011) and also a bunch of Empires, and I as much as I love them, I just can’t afford adding some heavy magazines to my big pile of stuff. So, if any of you Athens girls and boys wishes to claim them, let me know! It’s an unconditional giveaway!

In the meantime I’ll continue daily digging myself out of the mess that my apartment is now, and sorting things in bags and boxes and dealing with other issues … and sleeping on the couch as if I’m just crashing here temporarily – that’s what it feels like these days anyway.

And one last thing. Permit me Athens girls and boys to ask you a favor. In case you’re looking to buy a washing machine, a bed or a sofa, or in case you know someone who does, be so kind as to check out the links  below. I’m sure we could come up with some mutually beneficial bargains. And, naturally, I would highly appreciate any advice in this matter. Help the poor foreigner, please!

http://www.xe.gr/epipla/kanapedes-salonioy-trapezarias%7Cad-5681166.html

http://www.xe.gr/spiti-kipos/plyntiria-royxon%7Cad-5680972.html

http://www.xe.gr/epipla/krevatia%7Cad-5882881.html

Coolest style choice for autumn: Tough urban gal

First of all, hello all, I’m back! I know I was absent for quite some time, well over a month in fact, so that the whole blog grew lonely and desolate, and virtually covered in dust. Well, let say I took a long summer break and now I’m back with fresh ideas, ready to make something new and cool with the the Lifestyle Geek. And what better way there is to return to blogging and revive your fashion inspiration than going through fall/winter fashion collections! After all it’s September, which means time for style changes and fashion experiments.

Actually here in Athens it’s still very summery – 30 degrees during day on average – so I’m stuck wearing summer clothes for some time longer. But I surely know what I’d love to be wearing once summer’s over or once I move to a very different climate (more on that in the next post). My top style of choice for this season is Tough Urban Gal – or at least that’s how I chose to call her. Her various interpretations can be found in the fall/winter 2011-12 collections of numerous designers who celebrate the boyish unisex look this season, mixing masculinity with powerful sex appeal and glamour. Now I’ve got all the inspiration I need to unleash my inner tomboy – not that it was ever well hidden for that matter, but it’s been awhile since being one was so very fashionable. 

Paul SmithThose are some of my favorite catwalk looks – college boy after a sex change or something like it. Sleek layering, great shoes and messed up hair – love it.

ChanelThis season Chanel’s classy girls are boldly invading the gentlemen territory – surely the label’s namesake lady herself would be delighted with this fashionable emancipation.

Diesel Black Gold

Dsquared2

The first time I saw this collection back in spring, I thought the ladies looked like they just walked off the set of “True Grit” – the Coens’ latest western epic. Of course it was not customary for girls to dress like that in those wild west times – luckily now we do whatever we want! 

Dolce & Gabbana

Balmain

Along with Dolce & Gabbana, Balmain offers a very glamorous take on the Tough Urban Chic. And more messed up hairdos which add the perfect final touch to the free-spirited look.

DKNY

Aquascutum

Orange, rust and mustard yellow reign in the color palette this fall and since they are also my own favorites (also warm colors always look good on me), I will be more than happy to include more items in those colors to my autumn style set.

Heat & sales

This week in Athens has been really hot – and when I say hot, I mean HOT! it was the first such heat this summer, and I’m really finding it hard to handle. In this kind if weather you really NEED to be somewhere by the seaside, where there is at least some breeze to refresh you and you can jump into the water to cool off as often as you want. But sitting inside the apartment, constantly perspiring, unwilling to move and unable to think and really focus on anything – that’s quite a test. It’s like being mildly tired – but all the time. That’s also the reason why I haven’t written any proper posts for a while, and I do have ideas – but damn, realizing them feels like too much energy.

But what do you do at a time like that (apart from showering every now and then, drinking copious amounts of water and being a total couch sloth)? Stalk the internet sales of course! That sure doesn’t require much brainwork – though turning off your head completely would neither do, cause you may easily overspend.

The real dilemma of sales for me is, however, that they kind of force you to shop (no matter what your financial situation is at the moment) – since if you don’t, you will feel guilty for missing out on all those great deals later. Also, during sales, I get easily seduced by things I wouldn’t normally consider buying – if they weren’t so cheap that is. So trying hard to stop myself from purchasing yet another pair of shorts (because I don’t yet own that particular style) or some kinda cute bag, I came up with the following shortlist.

On ASOS I “saved for later” those two pairs of ankle booties – I’ve wanted boots like that since February, and while I almost never buy clothes ahead of the season, the “saver” factor here is crucial. So now all I need is decide between Blink Western Boots (left) and Rocketdog Rancher Boots. Any thoughts?

I also think of adding this really cool top to the order:

With ASOS I really need to hurry – there is an extra 10% discount available that runs out this weekend!

I have also put away a few cute items at Topshop:

The dress and jumpsuit are incredibly sexy (adore), and the earrings and crochet shorts are so hippy chic. Also, since at Topshop you need to pay for delivery – 6 pounds for Greece (unless the order is 75 pounds or more, and I’m shopping “cheap deals” here)

Ah the sales, you really drive me crazy. On another note, despite all this heat, I will still go now and try to have a nice workout at the gym. Luckily it’s just a five minute walk away and air-conditioning is on in there. Since I’m seriously hoping to get away to the beach for a week or two (namely, to the island of Samos) – a bikini body is an order.

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.