Feminist trend or just Girls wanting to wear Boys clothes ?

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Check out BBC2 Dr Amanda Foremans documentary in 4 parts called 'the accent of Women' on iplayer now.
The documentary by Dr Amanda Foreman should be watched by us girls - more importantly we should get our male partners and sons to watch it too so ignorance is not bliss! There are frankly quite shocking revelations exposed in this insisive documenary about how women have been suppressed, and when successful erradicated from the history archives. Are we such a threat ? clearly yes if Amanda Foreman's findings are to be believed!
Is it just my imagination or is there a bit of a feminist movement gathering momentum? see below...

How we want to dress has always been a subliminal way of expressing how we feel. Chanel revolutionised how women saw themselves in the 1930s, her Tom Boy short hair cuts, loose not louche style was revolutionary after the oppressive Edwardian corsetry our Great grandmothers were forced to endure.Think back to the 80s and Margaret Thatcher and power dressing, Melanie Griffiths in the movie working Girl summed this period up.
One of my students last night told us in class that Sienna Miller recently in fury turned down a West End stage part because her male counterpart was being offered more money than her even though she was a bigger star...!! Shocking this is going on today. Some may say that women have never had it so good in the West today - but still there are career and pay discrepancies ! 
Are there definite rumblings of dissatifaction with the status quo ?- perhaps fashion is reflecting this mood in the cross gender dressing trend of 'his is Hers' or 'Girls wear Boys' - Ralph Lauren calls it 'Borrowed from the Boys' in the brands Fall Winter 15 catalogue...so now it is truly main stream !!

Copy - Schelay McCarter pls credit.

Miu Miu Genius perfume advertising image

I know I shouldn't be drawn to this image, but I can't help it. It a brilliant photo for the purpose of getting attention in the highly competitive pre Christmas quest to get us to buy presents for our loved ones. It is precisely that reason that this image works so well. There is the connection between the girl and kitten that  will without fail trigger empathy and an emotional resonance in us. No one can resist kittens ! Or should I say the majority of us! This photo stands out as different, I haven't seen a kitten used in advertising fashion product for years!  it is also well known that cats in any form on product promotes sales . It's main competition is Miss Dior! Will be interesting to see this Christmas campaign?  I predict we will find it irresistible not to test out this Miu Miu perfume next time we are passing it at the airport duty free or in John Lewis, Selfridges or Harvey Nichols !! .

Copy schelay Pls credit 

Bucharest - Romania style file

Bucharest is the capital of Romania not to be confused with Budapest in Hungary.

Romania has a very rich cultural past.

In the 1930s it was a vibrant, prosperous, fashionable city. Then came the march of fascism and war, the Balkan states of which Romania is one was propelled into uncertainty and chaos. The resultant Communist party post the 2nd world war set about transforming Bucharest with a massive restructuring programme based on the example seen in China and Korea at the time. This meant that vast tracts of the Historical district was bull dozed to make room for enormous and lavish municipal buildings such as the Palace of Parliament. This building post the communist era was reportedly pursued by Donald Trump as a venue for one of his Casinos.  Fortunately this was declined and the vast building, the 2nd largest in the world after the Pentagon in the US, is now used for hosting the present day Romanian Government parliamentary sessions as well as hired out for events and parties. Bucharest has all of the luxury fashion brands in its equivalent Bond Street or Seventh Avenue. There is some indication of economic revival though slow. There are some beautiful buildings based on the architecture of Paris which became very fashionable for up-and-coming emerging powers in the 1930s. It would be a perfect location for fashion shoots. 

Outside Bucharest lie the lands of Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains. The communists bulldozed 50,000 people out of their homes and rehoused them in factory apartments in the 1980s. In 1989 the regime was toppled and fortunately this rich heritage was saved from more destruction. 
Prince Charles has recognised this wonderful rich unspoilt jewel in the crown of Romania. He has a country house near the Carpathian Mountains. Not many people know the fact that Romania has the richest unspoiled area of naturally sustainable woodland and mountains in Europe, animals and Flora have been able to continue much in the same way they did thousands and thousands of years ago.

Copy and photos Schelay McCarter pls credit

Jean Pierre Braganza BFC London fashion week SS16

It was interesting to experience my first show in the new location of the Car Park in Soho. The British Fashion Council have worked very hard to set up this new venue to showcase London fashion week's sponsored new up-and-coming and established designers. The large cavernous car park arena certainly had the space and seating that was so successful at the previous more prestigious location of Somerset house.  'Whiplashed' SS16 is the third Jean Pierre Braganza show at London fashion week and it didn't disappoint. 

I really loved the way he took men's tailored classics like the tailored waistcoat and mixed with bright floral feminine flirty dresses. JPB also made sure that there were the classic easy to wear silhouettes, wide legged slacks, loose tops that are so commercially popular with in a well constructed collection. Maintaining his unique deconstructive manipulation of tailored structures, he produced very wearable pieces elevating this collection into his most sophisticated and grown up yet. 

Copy and images Schelay Mccarter Pls credit 

Lurvemagazine and fashiontent 

I am looking forward to London Fashion Week SS16

10tree a cool Canadian sustainable brand....

I discovered 10tree in Vancouver BC. On investigation 10trees is very serious about its vision to take action against the world's  rapidly depletiing forests. A recent calculation by an independent data analyst found that as it stands there are 450 trees per person on the globe. This ratio though better than expected needs to increase to keep up with the worlds increasing population. I bought 4 t shirts from 10tree , and this made me feel good because the company guarantee they will plant 10 trees per item sold. So my purchase has contributed 40 trees. The logo design is great ! the sustainable ethos of the company connects with the consumer of today. Check out  http://www.tentree.com

Ascot and Wedding season - Millinery Focus, Grainne Maher

Milliner Grainne Maher
© photograpy Schelay

© photography Schelay

© photography Schelay

© photography Schelay

It is June and that means just one thing if you are a native of the British Isles and that is the coming of Ascot and also the beginning of peak wedding season. From a purely commercial point of view this is the time of year that Milliners pull out all the stops to get orders ready for clients and customers. 
I met Milliner Grainne Maher last year at London Fashion Week. Apart from uber established and talented milliners Stephen Jones and Philip Treasy nothing hat wise really stood out for me until I saw Grainne's stylish collection.
Based in Belfast Ireland Grainne understands that a hat is seen from all angles not just from the front and that the best hats are those that have a simple timeless sculptural integrity. 
She gives you the option to add some discreet embellishment that coordinates with your outfit and is happy to make bespoke pieces. She is totally in tune with the pill box hat trend and the less is more style popularised by Kate Middleton recently.
Grainne Maher's Millinery style is innovative and modern and bound to get you noticed at Ascot, or a Wedding.

Order from her website for a bespoke service - 
House of Frazor stocks Grainnes designs in the UK.
http://www.grainnemaher.com/berets/

Copy Schelay McCarter