IsabelleOC

Ballgowns at the V&A

Isabelle — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:33:48 +0000

You know when you’re a child and your brain seems pretty empty? It’s only really got your phone number and your best friend’s phone number memorised, it’s pretty much an empty vessel ripe for filling. I used to read and read every fashion history book I could get my hands on, all the historical sections in encyclopedia, slowly squeezing the phone numbers for room in my tiny brain.

There used to be a dress in the V&A I called the ‘couch dress’, it was red, heavily embroidered, and about five feet wide, it filled my empty brain with complete wonder. I’d go and visit the fashion section after school pretty regularly and inhale all the craftsmanship and detailing, storing images of these exciting historical pieces. The couch dress isn’t on display at the moment, but there was a whole host of amazing dresses to awaken my inner nine year old with their Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 exhibition.

It traces the history of balls and ballgowns from the tradition-heavy days of Hardy Amies, debutante balls and old-school couture to present-day red-carpet frocks with designs by Mary Katrantzou, Erdem and Giles to name a few. The V&A have really pulled out the stops with this one, the floor level display has exaggerated cutouts of mirrors, chandeliers and dressing tables to remind you of the grand settings these balls took place in. They have also made the most of the architecture of the room with projected images of the gowns on the ceiling. You then go up a Cinderella-does-minimalism staircase to the contemporary section, which is decorated with giant pearl necklaces and chandeliers. It’s a great chance to see some incredible dresses up close and personal, I was doing a lot of the ‘taking it all in’ kind of staring and breathing when you just get into a trance state of absorption. My inner nine-year old was really chuffed.

From left: Gareth Pugh (created especially for the exhibition), Craig Lawrence, Christopher Kane and the dress Beyoncé wore for Barack Obama inauguration event
Christian Dior shoes from the 50s
Craig Lawrence knitted foil dress
Upstairs at the exhibition
The Ladies Gazette Of Fashion

Embroidered coral dress by Balenciaga

Gratuitous shot of a couch dress from the permanent collection

Bicester’s ChicBuzz Q&A

Isabelle — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:16:51 +0000

My feet at the Designers’ Collective pop-up

Recently I went to Bicester Village for the launch of their ChicBuzz magazine and app. On the day I participated in a livetweet session where the Rebecca Tay, ChicBuzz ed fielded all manner of style-related Qs to me to answer. Here’s an expanded version of my answers from the day, enjoy!

What do you think sets your city’s style apart from all the others?
London is my hometown so I’m a bit biased, but I love the eccentricity and devil may care DIY attitude to fashion. Experimentation isn’t frowned upon like it can be in other cities (Paris I’m looking at YOU). I like the English sense of anti-establishment which has always meant exciting things for fashion over here.

Diane Kruger, what a babe

Who are your style icons?
She’s not really under the radar or anything, but I’m totally, totally, obsessed with Diane Kruger, she doesn’t really follow trends but her style is always a winner. For a celeb she really knows how to skirt the line between A-list polish and staying to to her own style. I also love really natural women, people full of character like Chloe Sevigny and Charlotte Gainsbourg, both those women have perfected the art of simple, dressed-down style.

S’all about the jeans

How would you describe your personal style? Any signature items?
I think my look comes from having not really worn a school uniform, a latent dose of French BCBG style and being obsessed with charity shops; so there’s a lot of grey v-neck jumpers and pleated skirts as well as ridiculous old-lady dresses and vintage tees. Day to day I like to mix classic pieces with something silly like tie dye tights or a vintage jumper.

We recently launched our Art of the Detail accessories campaign. What is your go-to accessory?
My go-to accessories are cuffs, watches and bracelets, they’re great for adding a finishing touch to your outfit, but it’s not too fussy or girly. A statement watch is my fave, timekeeping and accessorising in one handy item! I’m single-handedly trying to bring back the reflective cycling slap bands as a strong wrist accessory for 2012.

What are your top three favourite trends for spring/summer 2012? What’s on your wishlist?
My three favourite trends for this season are patterned trousers, pastels worn with metallics and sporty style. I’m on the hunt for a pair of luxe brocade trousers or shorts and a tweedy, bouclé jacket, but as is always the case with these things I’m so fussy that I’m still looking!

£9.99 at Decathlon (not really)

What is your favourite fashion capital?
London is my fave fashion capital, but Paris during Fashion Week is just next level fashion skills, it feels like the most glamourous place in the world during the catwalk months. I can’t leave out New York, the vintage shopping is incredible and the energy of the city is great. They also seem to have far more small labels thriving over there, it’s something that London should have more of.

Images: Diane Kruger: 1, 2, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Chloe Sevigny Erin Heatherton by Enrique Badulescu for Elle Russia from Fashion Gone Rogue

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Sunday Sundries: Tentatively Spring

Isabelle — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:56:06 +0000

So it’s Spring now yeah? I’ve finally taken all my summer clothes out of hiding which means there’s no going back. This week has been mostly a flurry of press days and a bit of productivity lull, blame the bank holiday and generally comatose weather.

Made a very rare trip out west (Portobello) to catch up with some friends, love the treat of getting a train halfway and cycling the rest although ploughing through toddlers, tourists and Tfl bike noobs in Hyde Park was a bit dicey. We went to the Uxbridge Arms which is one of my favourite pubs in Notting Hill Gate. Quiet, old-timey, down a side-street, full of trinkets: what more could you possibly want from a pub?

It must be Spring because this weekend marked the first lido swim of the year at Brockwell Park. Swim is maybe an exaggeration, it was a freezing dip where I managed about 10 lengths and my fingers turned purple. Definitely worth doing though.

These fried courgettes looked and tasted like they came from heaven, dreamy.

Nothing like some anchovies on a sunny day.

I generally think colour-coding books is a bit naff, but love this wall at the Boden press day.

Me and my trusty Raleigh Omega in Portobello, ILU! Just out of shot was a group of #lads ganging up on their friend, bullying style. Nice.

Vintage stall at Goose Green fair in East Dulwich. Just out of shot: about ten million babies.

No wetsuits for me at the lido, just a cossie and a cap with a chinstrap.

PS If you love nicey picture gubbins get thee to my Instagram, I’m @histabule and it’s generally filled with this kind of nonsense, as well as lots of pictures of my Sports Direct mug.

Recipe: Huevos Rancheros

Isabelle — Sun, 13 May 2012 11:46:41 +0000

I went to bed on Friday dreaming of a breakfast of eggs poached in tomatoes and dripping with yoghurt and readers, that is what I got. Wandering downstairs I found my flatmate frying off onions and peppers, she turned to me and said: “do you fancy huevos rancheros?” Do I?!

Like with my chicken liver chilli, this isn’t a mega-authentic super-researched Mexican dish, but rather something we’ve cobbled together and perfected over many mornings. A proper huevos usually has fried eggs, but poaching them in the tomato sauce lets them absorb all the flavours. The mix of spicy tomato sauce, eggs, and cheese make it the perfect kind of hangover food. I also like to add yoghurt, avocado and coriander to freshen it all up a bit and lighten up the dish.

The best huevos I’ve ever had was at La Pequena in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. They do theirs with refried beans, it’s that little bit of extra sustenance which makes it perfect if you’re ever going to Brooklyn Flea. As I was just in my garden I made do with a bit of defrosted leftover chilli from last week which was excellent.

We’ve got some dried chipotle chillis in the cupoboard, so we soaked one and chucked it in finly minced, along with the water. It adds smokiness but if you don’t have dried chipotles you can chuck in a bit more smoky paprika. The beauty of this dish is you can usually make it with whatever’s in the corner shop, perfect for those bleary-eyed mornings. I like to grate cheese over the tortilla to form a semi-waterproof membrane for the sauce therefore avoiding any sogginess, but you can just, you know, eat it.

Ingredients for Huevos Rancheros (serves 3-4)

Sauce:
Diced onion
Diced red pepper
Two tins of tomatoes
Smoked paprika
Three finger chillies, sliced, seeds in.
Dried chipotle, soaked in water and finely sliced
Four eggs

To accompany:
Tortillas
Yoghurt and sumac
Sliced avocado
Coriander
Grated cheese
Jalapeno peppers

Fry off the onions and then the peppers, once they are slightly browned chuck in the tomatoes and all your seasonings. Cook down until you get a medium-consistency sauce, you want there to be enough liquid to poach the eggs in. Crack four eggs into the sauce and cook with the lid on until the whites are cooked through and the yolk is still a bit trembly.

Serve on warmed, folded tortilla bread with your choice of accompaniments. Goes well with coffee or it’s more that kind of morning, a beer.

Love Hulahooping

Isabelle — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:06:40 +0000

As someone who used to pretend to wheeze like an asthma during PE and often used the ‘my mum wont let me wear tampons’ (as if, lol) excuse for swimming lessons, I never really thought I’d end up as a sporty type. Over the last few years though I’ve figured that doing exercise is the only thing that chills me out, helps me sleep and stops me from going mentile.

I never buy into all this ‘Jan detox’ rubbish, that is literally the worst time to give up any comforts, keep on boozing and eating till Feb I say. Springtime is a far better time to get outside and one of my favourite non-boring ways to get some exercise in is to do some hulahooping. I’m not really down with team sports unless it’s on telly and I like stuff that I can just do on a whim. It’s good for your posture and as someone who spends most of their time like one of these two guys I need it. Poor blogged out little guys!

I can do a few tricks but they’re mostly weird made-up ones like the lunge-to-kneel, I’m no Goa trance baby. Fancy giving it a go? I just bought mine from eBay, it’s not a fancy magnetic one (although Kat says they’re great), just the blue and silver one in the pic above. You do need something that’s big enough and heavy enough to build momentum so check the size before you buy. You can do it outside, inside, wherever and it’s really easy to learn, just look at some You Tube tutorials. I pick mine up while my kettle’s boiling. Rachael’s awesome timeless FML playlist is brilliant hooping music, I also made a playlist specifically for hooping so check out my Hoops Upside Your Head playlist.

Rachael’s FML Playlist > clicky!
Hoops Upside Your Head Playlist> clicky!

We All Scream For Sunscreen

Isabelle — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:07:10 +0000

Apart from ridiculous April it’s been quite a dry winter, I haven’t really stopped cycling except for when it snowed for about a week. I suddenly had a realisation of ‘omfg I’m not wearing sunscreen’ about a month ago, all that face, outside, it’s not good for the old wrinkles. I’m even contemplating wearing gloves so I don’t get granny claws. Enough about my ageing paranoia… I got myself well and truly sunscreened to the maximum and these are my pick of the bunch.

Clinique’s City Block is one of the first proper sunscreens I ever used, it’s a great all-rounder and the 25SPF is high enough for daily use without looking chalky and weird. If you’ve never bought a facial sunscreen before you can’t go wrong with this one. Aveeno’s Positively Radiant Moisturiser is only factor 15, but I think if you don’t spend too much time outdoors, i.e. from tube to office kind of thing then that’s really all you need. It’s got some nice ‘glowy’ stuff so even if you’re not getting a tan you look a little more radiant.

On Rachael’s recommendation Alpha-H’s SPF 50 Daily Essential Moisturiser is what I wear when I’m out on my bike, I’m usually screwing my face up anyway while I ride so I don’t need any help from the sun thankyouverymuch. It’s got vits E which gets double thumbs up, and it is pretty sheer despite the high factor.

Sunday Sundries: Car Boot Bank Holiday

Isabelle — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:38:28 +0000

My love for football comes and goes, I’m a completely fairweather fan but support Arsenal like my grandfather and my uncles. This Saturday was ripe for a trip up to North London to hang out with fellow fashion gooners, no pics unfortunately, football-watching is not the most photogenic of acitivities.

Chiswick car boot sale is a gem, I’ve been going since my early teens and even ended up at school there for a bit. ‘It ain’t what it used to be’ is the lament of the season charity shopper and car booter, but really Chiswick is still pretty good. There’s an amazing woman there who buys up secondhand in Canada for vintage stores over here, she sells her surplus dirt cheap and whenever she makes the car boot I end up losing about an hour on her stall. She also is a therapist and hypnotist and travels the world, such a hero.

Haul consisted of a leather skirt, some nice vintage-y summer dresses, skeezy boots (pictured below) and some mind-blowing sandals. It’s been too long, baby.

Grim concrete and neon make such a pleasing combo, I’d much rather see Hayward gallery-style lighting than a cheesy community art mural sprucing up a high rise.
Best late-night snack, fried courgettes with garlic and herbs on goats cheese and honey toast.
My eyes just soak this kind of stuff up, I get into a weird trance while my brain archives all the images.
Pierce obviously isn’t a horse, so what then? A llama?
Old tins! Just what I didn’t know I always needed.
Love these boots, they’re a bit sleazy, but love them.
Car boot mirrorcam came in so handy we even let the woman in the middle have a go. Who needs mirrors?
Car booting is hungry work, I polished this off and more. Down the hatch.

Recipe: Chicken Liver Chilli

Isabelle — Sat, 05 May 2012 08:40:43 +0000

When I get a bit stressed out I start to make big batches of food to freeze. Cooking itself really relaxes me, all that chopping is pretty meditative and I love messing about in the spice cupboard. I don’t know if in a past life I was brought up when there was a war on (would explain my love for Glenn Miller, hoarding and thriftiness) but there’s something inherently reassuring about having stocks of wholesome food in the cupboard or freezer.

This chilli isn’t a deeply authentic Mexican dish, it’s more like a gussied-up version of something your mum might make. I use finely chopped chicken liver to give it depth and creaminess, there’s a ton of veg in it too so it’s fairly healthy. If you’ve never used chicken livers before this is a really good recipe to start, I’m a liver lover but even if you’re not so keen you’ll still love this. I’d usually use brown rice making it even healthier but we were out hence the white rice in the pic. The quantities I give should make about 10-12 portions depending on your appetite.

Chicken Liver Chilli – Ingredients
700gr minced beef
225gr chicken liver
6 cloves of garlic, minced
4 shallots, chopped finely
2 red onions, chopped finely
2 lg handfuls of mushrooms, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
4 carrots, cut into small quarters
3 peppers, chopped
3 tins of toms
1/2 tube of puree
3 chilli peppers, minced
mixed herbs
cumin seeds
chilli powder
smoked paprika
stock cube
some red wine if you have it
90% caocao solids chocolate
s&p

To serve:
coriander
avocado
yoghurt
grated cheese

Chuck your garlic, onions and shallots in the pan and fry gently with the cumin seeds. If you can add a little toasted sesame oil at this stage do, it helps with the earthiness. Add the mince, brown slightly and then add the chopped liver and stir until cooked. At this point put in the mushrooms and let them absorb the juices, then you want to add the celery and carrot. The carrot needs to be finely chopped so it all sort of starts to melt together.

Chuck in all the spices and herbs and seasoning (apart from wine and choc) at this point, but you’ll need to keep tasting throughout the cooking process to check the toms aren’t too acidic and it’s spicy enough. If you can be bothered it’s really nice to flame your peppers over a gas burner until the skin goes black, this adds a nice bit of smokiness. Rub the charred skin off and chop into chunks, chuck in with the puree and when they’ve fried off a bit add in the tomatoes and wine.

Keep this bubbling away for a good while, I added a glug of cream just to counteract the sharp tomatoes, I also added a beef stock cube and about half a bar of 90% chocolate that I had in the cupboard.

I can’t get enough flavours and seasoning so I make lime rice to go with it. While the chilli is cooking get some rice on the boil, salt the water and chuck in one or two limes, sliced. The juice and rind will give it a nice fresh flavour, stir through some chopped coriander at the end.

Serve with soured yoghurt, grated cheese and more coriander. I like to add some sliced avocado on the side, truly this is the food of champs.

In The Studio with LF Markey pt2

Isabelle — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:03:39 +0000

Designer Louise Markey is very funny, I hope it came across in my Studio Visit last week, but she has a brilliant sense of humour, so I pestered her with more questions about Australia, abbreviations and comedy. Check out Louise’s fantastic blog, which showcases some of her crappy art collection among other things.

Charlotte Rampling, Laurie Anderson

Favourite shirt wearers?
I’m going to go with Lauren Hutton, Charlotte Rampling, Richard Gere, Meryl Streep and Laurie Anderson.

What are some of the best things about Australia?
-Aussie coffee IS amazing and the coffee culture is lovely too. Luckily I don’t miss this so much in London as there are Australian run coffee shops springing up all around my local area.
-The weather is obviously the major pull, it’s ridiculously great. They’re all whinging about how cold it is here right now and it’s 20 degrees every day with flawless blue skies. For me, the laid back vibe is also one of the greatest things.
-The pace moves so slowly that as soon as I get off the plane I’m a bit like ‘HURRY UP. TALK FASTER.’ but I get used to it after a few days and feel infinitely less stressed.
-But the BEST thing is the silliness of Australians, or perhaps just the ones I know. Like the English, it’s almost shameful to take yourself too seriously, and there is a celebration of ridiculousness here which I love.

Traditional Aussie breakfast of avo on toast

What are your favourite comedy films, or comedians if you have any?
Actually I’m only just recently getting into stand up comedy. I went to see Stuart Lee’s live show and I almost had a brain haemorrhage I was laughing so much. Favourite comedy films, as I’m in Australia now I have to mention The Castle, which is a homegrown classic and a national treasure. And also anything by Chris Lilley. Not an original answer but I do love The Big Lebowski. I love British comedy the most: The Thick of It, Smack The Pony, Peep Show to name but a few.

As I was transcribing the interview I heard Louise use my favourite abbrevs, ‘femi’ so I’m going to finish this with Louise Markey’s Top Five Fave Aussie Abbrevs:

1. Devvo = Devastated
2. Bottle’o = Bottle Shop = Off License
3. Povvo = Poverty stricken = skint
4. Damo = Damien. Pretty much any man’s name can be abbreved by adding and ‘o’ or a ‘y’ on the end
5. Derro = Derelict = Hobo

She goes on to use all the above in an example:

“I went to the bottle’o with Damo but we were too povvo to get any vino, we were totes devvo. What derro’s!”

Adding: ‘FYI, I don’t condone this kind of speech pattern, but it’s the unfortunate reality.’

LF Markey is stocked at Folk in London

Chic Buzz Magazine Launches Thursday

Isabelle — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:05:20 +0000

Chic Outlet Shopping, the company behind the much-loved Bicester Village, are leading the way yet again on the outlet front with the launch of their totes stylish Chic Buzz magazine, a beautifully designed e-zine, webmag, blogazine (sorry, I just wanted to use those words) which has a mix of fashion pieces, interviews, as well as articles for the foodies and a bit of travel. That’s right up my street then.

Make sure your internet ears are pricked up on Thursday, as I’ll be livetweeting a Q&A session from Bicester for the Chic Buzz Magazine launch. You can follow me @IsabelleOC and @TheChicBuzz ladies for some fashion musings, see you Thursday!

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