For anyone who’s ever plucked up the courage and taken part in a bit of street photography themselves, you’ll know that it’s ruddy nerve-wrecking, stopping a super stylish person in the street and asking them if you can take their picture.

Sometimes you get that look that tells you, in no uncertain terms, that this person is way too used to people checking them out and they’re not too fussed about adhering to social niceties with little-old-you. These moments are often closely followed by an encounter with an all together nicer human being. One who is just plain chuffed to meet you and happy that you like their outfit.

But hey, Scott’s a pro and who wouldn’t want their photo taken by him. This incredibly cool short documentary from Intel takes us behind the lense to meet the man behind the camera. It really is very interesting to see him in action and I love that his eye roams from both the trendy young things to the builder, in his big builder’s boots!

Trendy Young Thing on The Street in China Town - image courtesy of The Sartorialist

Builder in his Big Builder's Boots on East 13th Street., New York

I know I’ve been missing in action for quite some time and for the purposes of this post I’d like to pretend that it’s because I’ve been working on developing my photography skills. That line of argument might work if the pictures I’m about to show you were any good but as is often the way with the art of LOMOgraphy – photos don’t always turn out as intended – but them’s the breaks!

My good friend bought me a Holga recently and I’ve been using it plenty but have only just got my first roll developed so thought I’d share them here.

When I say we arrived in Ile de Re on our own volition, I speak the truth dear reader. With our own two feet via an early morning taxi to St Pancras, a Eurostar across the Channel, a high-speed rail down to La Rochelle, and a coach-ride over a bridge to our Island destination. From the bus stop it was a bit of a trek with our bags to our new home for the week, which was a rather delightful and rather secluded little campsite in the forest. If I wanted to I could quite safely claim, that we were actually a couple of eco-warriors turning our backs on the modern low-cost airline style getaway – but I’m afraid that wasn’t our initial intention (though that was quite a nice bonus!).

Camping is certainly one way to feel as if you’re living in a country rather than holidaying there. And I feel that after only a week we really got a taste of what it would be like to be a resident of Ile de Re…pretty relaxing for starters and oh so quiet. Now I get to the fashion bit, as while I’m running away with myself, this is not a travel blog. While I was there I did my darndest to keep up appearances and try to embody that French je ne sais quoi. Whether I succeeded or not, I have no idea, but I certainly wore an awful of a lot of Breton stripes!

Earlier this year Debenhams announced that according to an annual survey conducted by ASHE (Annual Survey of  Hours and Earnings) British parents regularly spend up to a week’s wages updating their children’s wardrobes. Celebrity ‘mini mes’ such as little Suri Cruise, whose wardrobe is rumoured to be worth more than $3 million, are being blamed for parents’ obsession with trend-led children’s clothing.

Cute as she may be, Suri Cruise's heels and mini skirt combo not only sexualise the four-year old but may lead to future back problems, ingrowing toenails and various joint deformities - and is that a bleedin' Starbuck's cup in her hand to top it all off?!?

I hardly think we can blame a four-year old for our own childish obsessions. Apart from sexualising our children by forcing them in to heels and too short or too skimpy clothing, we’re failing to teach them the worth of things. At the risk of sounding like a proper old biddy, time was, you longed to buy your own clothes after years of being subjected to wearing your older brother’s cast-offs. Photos of my childhood have me looking like a child of the 70′s as we were given clothes from cousins 10 years our seniors. Despite my complaints as I approached my teenage years, I was able to buy my own clothes if I wanted to save my pocket-money instead of spending it on chips and battered sausages after school. So it was my mother and father’s good sense that taught me to sacrifice my love of greasy food if I wanted a new dress for the year 8 disco. And it’s a blessing that I can now afford to buy both!

That's me in the middle wearing flat t-bar shoes, grey socks teamed with stripey long sleeve tee and grey woollen dungarees - perfect for running around, face painting and generally being mischievous!

Apart from all that I just wouldn’t waste my money buying nice clothes for my kids (if and when I get some of my own)! They’ll only get them dirty or grow out of them in a week. I imagine I’ll follow my mother’s example and buy my future offspring clothes that are ten times too big and sit back and wait for them to never actually grow in to them. It’s the only decent thing to do.

So if you’re fed up spending your hard-earned dollar on your already spoilt little mites but you haven’t any charitable family members to provide the hand-me-downs, check out the following for some affordable alternatives…

• Take a look at Oxfam’s online collection of beautiful baby clothes. You can search by price, size and condition giving you the pick of the bunch.
• Ebay has  a variety of virtual hand-me-down suppliers for both girls and boys, many of them selling the labels even Suri might lust after.
• For so called ‘vintage’ as opposed to second-hand clothes, head down to Beyond Retro in Brighton where they are currently trialling a children’s range before they start stocking them in their other stores. Rokit has a lovely selection of boys and girls clothes online but my oh my are they expensive?!
• Startrite Shoes had to get a mention to remind parents that may be inspired by Mademoiselle Cruise’s footwear that there is a far more sensible and healthy alternative. This is the one thing my mum always said we must splash out on as I have terrible feet: flat and with a low ankle bone.
• Free Range Baby is based in New Zealand but I had to mention it as they make lovely clothes out of vintage, recycled and reclaimed fabric. A worthy cause and they ship world-wide through Etsy

With the Conservatives only a wee bit in the lead we could be heading towards the first hung parliament since 1974 and possible electoral reform. As usual there has been much talk of voting with your head vs. voting with your heart so I wonder who we’ve been listening to and whether or not you’ll be wearing your true voting colors tomorrow morning.

Oh how I would love to vote for the Greenies. They are the only party with social and environmental responsibility at the heart of their agenda and if I were still living in Brighton they might just have my vote. But now I’m back in London I’m afraid it’s back to the three horse race and a vote for them in my area would be wasted.

Cleggmania has hit the nation but I wonder what real difference that will make on the day. Are people ready to vote for the long-time yellow underdog or will the fear of a Tory majority scare them off.

I’m afraid I’ll probably be wearing red on the day. Though I’m not entirely happy with Labour‘s progress over the last 13 years they have made a positive difference in my local area and I wouldn’t be seen dead wearing Tory Blue.

If you’re interested in tactical voting and how your vote could make the difference in marginal seats, check out the Mirror’s General Election Guide to Tactical Voting and save us from a Tory nightmare

I think Havering College are my overall winners on the day for holding the majority of the best pieces and a spectacular tailored menswear collection. Here’s a selection of the one’s that caught my eye…

Andel Andic

Havering College

Havering College

Amanda Wai Yin Ng

Havering College

Elizabeth Hamlyn

As for my favourite pieces, two things stood out for me and both of them came from unlikely sources. The first an absolutely stunning dress from Amy Day’s latex collection – I know it sounds awful but the models incredible legs probably did their fair share towards convincing me…

Check out dem dere legs in Amy Day's latex creation

…and the second favourite, again might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I was ready to clamber on stage and de-frock the lovely lady in these colourful Maartje de Man leggings

Maartje de Man

Starting us off is Lucie Ashworth with her couture latex and corsetry collection: Glamour  & decadence of the 1920’s, Brighton designer Charlotte Haggerty with When I Grow Up – inspired by the carousel and Sini Moilanen whose knitwear collection Tramp in Disguise is based on the first organisms of the world. Interesting stuff I’m sure you’ll agree and there will be plenty more to tickle your fancy all week, for a full line up check out the Alternative Arts website

Alternative Fashion Week

Dr Martens

Dr Martens are celebrating their 50th year this month the only way they know how – by playing on the brand’s connection with fabulous music and releasing a series of tracks representing the spirit of the people who’ve worn the iconic DM’s since their inception in April 1960.

The DM boot began as a working class footwear essential designed by a German doctor come inventor, Klaus Maertens. Along with the help of a shoe making family from Northampton, the first DM boot was put in to production. It wasn’t long before the shoe became something more than just a practical piece of footwear; it came to be adopted by every subculture and outcast of society. First it was the skinheads but soon to follow were the mods, the punks, ska heads, Goths, them funny straight-edge punks, the Grungers oh and those fabulous Britpoppers. The Dr. Marten boot is so wrapped up in musical history, particularly that of the quintessentially British variety, that 50 years on 10 new artists recording 10 iconic tracks seems like the most fitting tribute one could think of.

The Noisettes have already released their version of The Buzzcocks, Ever Fallen in Love with Someone you Shouldn’t've,  but we can still look forward to the likes of The Cinematic Orchestra and The Black Rebel Motor Cycle Club covering cult classics from The Human League, The Pogues, Neneh Cherry, Jeff Buckley and The Stone Roses. Something I’m very much looking forward to. Keep checking the Dr Marten website for new releases each month.

I’m a big fan of my DM boots and they tend to set the tone of my outfit, whether it’s 90′s indie girl or 80′s Oi! Here’s just a few of the bands and musical icons that inspire my 80′s skin girl look. Rolled up skinny jeans, fitted shirt/ v-neck jumper combo and DM’s essential – braces, shaved head and red laces not adviseable!

Jo Strummer, The Specials, Justine Frischmann of Elastica fame, Neneh Cherry, Sid & Nancy and The Sex Pistols: just a few of the musical inspirations behind Dr Martens fashion

Tagged: dr martens, jo strummer, justine frischmann, neneh cherry, oi, punk, sex pistols, sid and nancy, skinhead fashion, the buzzcocks, the noisettes, the specials ]]> http://followeroffashion.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/50-years-of-dr-martens/feed/ 1 Clare Carney oigirlinspiration http://followeroffashion.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/flights-of-fancy-my-love-of-all-things-with-wee-birds-on/ http://followeroffashion.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/flights-of-fancy-my-love-of-all-things-with-wee-birds-on/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:28:44 +0000 Clare Carney http://followeroffashion.com/?p=791 ]]> For some time now I’ve been just a wee bit obsessed with getting myself a tattoo. My ideas have changed over the years but since getting a pair of Tatty Devine Swallow Earrings from the boyf a while back I’ve been pretty much set on the idea of a bird on the inside of my wrist. I was convinced that no matter how popular them swallow tattoos already were I would always love mine. Alas those Sailor Jerry style tattoos have been done to death and can be seen on many a Suicide Girl wannabee around Brighton Town. So, I’ve finally settled myself on an altogether less loved bird, the common sparrow. This bird may be widespread in the animal kingdom but it’s less rife in the tattoo world and now that I think about “The Wee Sparrow” has been my nickname with my uncle since i was knee high to a grasshopper.

So while I mull over what exactly my sparrow is going to look like and just how I’ll feel when it’s permanently inked on my arm, I turn my attention to my love of all things ornithological. Bird prints were all over the Erdem Autumn/Winter catwalk this year and the high-street’s also been looking to the skies for inspiration. So here’s a collection of all things with wee birds on:

Erdem 2010

Erdem 2010

Erdem 2010

Vintage Swallow Print Silk Square Scarf, £15 Accessorize

Bird Print Corsage Vest , £14, New Look

Black Printed Bird Tea Dress, £38 Miss Selfridge

Karen Walker Bird Print Tie Trousers, £245 Karen Walker at ASOS

Emma Cook Heavy Silk Jersey Bird Printed T-Shirt Dress, £270 Emma Cook at ASOS

Bird Print Top, £30 Oasis

Bird-print quilted jacket, £137.20 Smythe at Outnet

Pink bird print ruffle tunic, £30 Dorothy Perkins

Bird Print Chiffon Dress, £27 Max C London at Spoiled Brat

Emmeline Pankhurst

Joan Baez

1. Emmeline Pankhurst was the first inspiration that came to mind simply because if it hadn’t been for her and the rest of the Suffragette movement, we wouldn’t even have the right to vote.

2. Not only do I love Joan Baez‘s voice and music, she’s an inspiration for me because she used her celebrity to highlight issues around the globe – and she was a genuinely informed political activist not just some spice girl posing as a UN ambassador.

Coco Chanel

Vivienne Westwood

3. Coco Chanel wasn’t just a pioneering fashion designer, she was a woman who came from modest beginnings to become one of the most influential people of the 20th century.

4. Vivienne Westwood changed the face of the British high-street with her first shop Sex and continues to play a part in the international style stakes with her constantly evolving designs.

Audrey Hepburn

Mo Mowlam

5. Audrey Hepburn has always been a style icon of mine but she wasn’t just a pretty face. Her work for impoverished children as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF made a huge impression on both her and the children she served.

6. Mo Mowlam was one politicians I felt I could trust and her work towards a peace agreement in Northern Ireland was always going to be close to my heart. Her passing away was a great loss to British Politics and perhaps Westminster might have more that just 20% female MP’s if she was still around.