I am a Shopaholic...

... well, you could of guessed that one. 

Decided to recuperate a personal tradition and check out a couple of DVDs for a Friday afternoon extravaganza of laughs and evasion, liberally salted with popcorn. Boy did I miss watching films without ad interruptions!

I've logged on as the credits of "Confessions of a Shopaholic" scroll up my TV screen. I feel so identified it is ridiculous.  Not with the adorable goofiness of Isla Fisher's character (she is the perfect match for Sasha Baron Cohen - her comic timing is impecable) - but because of how she feels about shopping and all things fashion. Must point out I have never read the novels, partly from a fear of... well, yes, identifying with the main character. And not only because I've wanted to be a fashion journalist since teenhood.

Unlike Becky, I don't live in NY, don't shop at Prada, not even the sales (OK, I own to having two pieces of Balenciaga by Ghesquière picked up over the past 4 years at sales - Prada just doesn't do it for me) or have ever had such a wonderfully colourful wardrobe. Neither have I had the good fortune to come across a Hugh Dancy lookalike, with an equally impeccable accent, who is impressed by my talent as a writer and my lovely character. But I have, for the most part chosen to shop, travel and give gifts over saving, through out my adult life. 

The result is a wardrobe that covers all possible needs and occasions, mostly from high street mainstays like Zara, Mango and Top Shop and mostly in varying shades of black, blue, nude and white and beige - and a bank account that too often dips into the red. Ahhh! There, I admit to it. Yes, I'm a shopaholic!!!!

In remission. I haven't shopped for clothes since July. I have also significantly cut back on beauty buys - except for replacements of basics ofcourse! And magazines. Am even trying to cut back on gifts... The idea of literally freezing the credit card feels oddly appealing at the moment too as a symbolically drastic but not unretractable gesture (the other option: cancelling it and cutting it up makes me break into a sweat). Promise to do all that once my work situation has stablized and I no longer need it for end of the month emergencies. 

Wednesday I browsed through Zara and H&M - hadn't been in since the sales and had a couple of hours "to burn". I am happy to report that not only did I not shop, I didn't even try anything on. Can I be gaining a bit of self control?! Hoping this is one of the good things to come out of the financial and labour crisis for me: that I finally do take charge of my spending habits. 

I've promised myself to avoid shopping for clothes and accessories for myself atleast until 2010. Anyone else made this sort of self-promise lately? Would love to hear your strategies to reach financial equilibrium. All tips welcome.

Flash back - the list

As I continue going through the different areas of my flat, cleaning out and up, I am bringing together books, articles and other things related to this blog. One of these is a list that has been stuck to my fridge for a few years. Its 20 recommendations on how to be "greener". Maybe some of you have seen it? 

Reading through it again, I realize how much of this has become second nature. And also how much I still have not done. Would love to know your thought. So, herewith, a translation of the list:

1. Before buying anything, ask yourself: "do I really need it ?"

2. Don't systematically switch on the hot water. Only use it when it is really neccesary.

3. Before throwing something away ask yourself if it can be recycled or reused.

4. Avoid canned drinks - the cans cost more than the actual drink and barely any are recycled. Make sure you recycle yours.

5. Always opt for machines you can connect to the electric grid to charge rather than those that need batteries. And make sure you take batteries to their specific disposal points.

6. Unplug all electric appliances when you are not using them. That includes your TV, DVD, etc, as they continue to leech electricity when in stand by mode, especially if you use the remote control to put it on stand by.

7. Avoid buying small electric devices that do exactly what you can do with your hands:  can openers, etc. If you need to buy any new appliance (TV, fridge, washing machine...) be sure to check its green credentials: low consumption, recyclable or recycled materials. And take good care of them to keep them efficient and make them last longer. 

8. Whenever possible go for lower voltage and eco friendly bulbs. They may cost more, but they also last alot longer, making it an intelligent long term investment, as they use up to 5 times less energy and last up to 8 times longer than conventional bulbls. Think about that! Fluorescent and halogen lamps also last longer and need less energy.

9. Avoid aerosoles. They contain CFCs, that cause the destruction of the ozone layer, along with many other gases that contribute to the green house effect. 

10. Most cleaning products are highly polluting. Try to use soap, bicarbonate soda, vinager and lemon instead. Between them, they can clean and disinfect almost anything.  Its cheaper too. (But if you still hanker for "remedies in a bottle" there are now some very good green, biodegradable products on offer. And yes, most include these home remedies in their formulations...)

11. House fragrances don't tend to eliminate bad smells, they just add to the mix. Choose carefully for those that do eliminate smells, and add pleasanter smells with natural options such as incense and soya candles.  

12. Your fridge's ideal temperature is between 3 and 5º C. Place it as far away from the oven, stove and heating system as you can. Make sure you always close it well and never leave it open while you come and go.

13. To save water, instal a double charge system in your WC. Opt to shower instead of taking baths and never leave the tap on while you wash your face or your teeth. Same goes for cleaning the dishes. Tap shut!

14. Use both the washing machine and the dishwasher only when they are fully loaded. And try to stick with low temperature programmes. They get the job done and save on energy.

15. Avoid processed food: its got too many additives and preservatives apart from being wrapped in way to much plastic, cardboard and styrofoam. Opt for fresh produce from your region that is season apropriate. 

16.Keep food in tupper ware or recycle glass pots, instead of using aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Remember to cook with the pots covered (less energy used, and gets cooked faster), and keep your pots and pans in proportion with the quantity of food you are making.

17. Do not print out everything. Think before you use paper and recycle, recycle, recycle.  Also buy recycled paper.

18. Do not over heat or over cool your home or your office. Make sure all your spaces are well insulated, keep the thermostat down to 19º C in winter, and 25º C in summer.  You'll avoid colds, save money and limit pollution to boot!

19. If you have medicines in your cabinet that have long passed they're expiry date, take them to your pharmacy to get rid of them responsably. 

20. Avoid all forms of PVC and plastic containers. 

When I get back from rehabilitation Pilates I will let you in on how well I fair in respecting this list. Would love to know what you do or not and if you can recommend any additions to this list.

Ciao for now!

Optical illusion

Perspective is a funny thing. For what feels like weeks, I have been limited to working from my sofa. Today I have "repossessed" my work desk. There's scarcely a meter and a half between both pieces of furniture (what did you expect? This is a small flat ;-) and yet it feels like I am viewing a totally different living space. It helps that the instead of facing my TV I now look up and see my beautiful plants (or "urban jungle" as part of my family has knicknamed my ever expanding interior garden), and, behind them, the recently cleaned up flat buildings across from me. That might sound claustrophobic, but given that there is a school playground in between its actually quite airy.

Anyway, all this to tell you, my friends, that I am very glad to be surging along on the path to full recovery, and with it to actually beginning to post all those thoughts I have jotted down (I am still very much a pen and paper girl) but haven't had the energy or the time to comment with you yet. But before I go off on another tangent, let me just say; Check out Vogue USA's "Salad Days" cover story!! where Sally Singer talks of "her quest for a greener life" with great sense of humour. In it she explains her struggles as an "uberfashionista" trying to turn "uberecological" - which means, basically, that there now officially exists an international movement of fashionistas (Sally Singer and friends) and would be fashionistas (me!) trying to reconciliate the one with the other. It is nice to see that we all stumble along but continue to battle both with our inner weaknesses and commitment averse politicians and industrial tycoons who are forever postponing the green reforms they have promised and signed treaties about. Vital reforms that this planet and ALL its inhabitants, not just humans, need to survive. 

Weekend fun

Recently I have been able to begin ticking off a few things on my "Autumn To Do List". It began with a week long clean out of book shelves and seasonal wardrobe changing (more on that tomorrow). 

This weekend it was time to transplant a few potted plants. The other day, my friend Sam helped me choose and bring home what I like to call an intelligent pot, the kind that regulates the water intake of the plant. Today, I got down and dirty and had lots of fun in the process. Also signed up for a gardening class next Saturday. Think its time to become a bit more serious about this hobby. The more I toy around with the idea of home grown herbs, the more I feel like the idea. When I'm feeling really ambitious I dream of growing tomatoes and other vegetables. Fruits are mostly out of the picture though - the terrace is too small for them.  And then of course there is the work of Patrick Blanc and his amazing vertical gardens, like the one on the wall of the Caixa Forum here in Madrid. His passion for plants, for creating ecosystems that are both sustainable and beautiful, is truelly an inspiration. I love the idea of a city alive with vegetation. 

Arriving in Madrid after London, one of the things I missed the most, and still miss, is the greenery. True, Madrid has the Retiro and the Casa de Campo and thanks to them a very large extension of greenery. But you have to make a point to go to them. There are few squares and smaller parks in the different districts of the capital, unlike London where communal garden squares are quite numerous. I'm not comparing both cities, each has its charm... but I do miss the gardens of London.  Lucky for me then that a few years ago they opened a small garden of the Canal Isabel II just a block away from my house. I often go there for walks and work outs. 

Which is why I hope the example of what New York is doing with the High Line - an original project which combines ecology and beauty that is converting the rails of High Line that is no longer in use into a garden that is both a new lung for the city and a great new open place for citizens to enjoy - will stimulate other cities to create similar projects where nature is brought back into the gray, cement heavy, city centers. Likewise, some of the ideas presented to Sarkozy for his plans to restructure the "greater Paris" region are important meditations on the future of city scapes the world over. In my own small way I wish to contribute to that shift, from cities choked by cement and smoke to ones that breath fresher air thanks to greener streets. 

The cast of "Numb3rs" do some cool hunting...

As I dozed off last night my mind wondered off on a tangent... And I began to dream about Charlie, the mathematical genius in the CBS series "Numb3rs" (in Spain its on La Sexta) putting his mind to create a mathematical system to predict fashion trends. I know, completely crazy, but hey! it was a dream.

The funniest thing was that Charlie was a bit befuddled when he had to talk to "classic" coolhunters. He couldn't understand how such an industry had been built on hunches and odd bits of data that have very little to do with statistics.  And so he set about building a more analytical and exact system, while wondering why an industry that is supposedly so hell bent on individuality, creativity and "being different" is simultaneously so in need of conforming to trends... Unfortunately I did not get to see the end of the episode, because my alarm clock went off, so I can't share with you what his new, improved system for making trend predicitions. But hey, maybe this story line will make it to the screenwriters that actually do work on the series, and they can create an appropriate, mathematically driven, theory.

Shopping instructions

Last week I surfed into www.hm.com. I wanted to check out the Jimmy Choo collection, due out on Nov. 14th. What I found was a video and a set of instructions on how the first day of sale would be. It sounded very civilized, with numbers given out according to how early you arrived. A cross between waiting in line to get front row at a rock concert and going to the butcher. I thought it odd, but considering the hullaballoo at some of the other launches (Viktor & Rolf and Comme des Garçons come to mind) I assumed it was a pretty good call. Just wondered how shopping mad fashionistas would try to get around the system. 

And then today I checked in again to see the images of the full collection. And I understood why all the fuss (namely, not being allowed to buy more than 5 pieces per person, all different, etc, etc...) The collection is ABSOLUTELY DROOL WORTHY!!! The prices are high for H&M - I'd say even higher than COS. And yet I found myself downloading images and the price list of the whole collection. Have to decide which five items I would want to buy... I already have #1 on my list - and no, the bag that illustrates this post is NOT my #1 but if you know me you'll probably guess it - but the other four.... Ofcourse, in all probability, if I do make it in time to get my number in line, get in, and find what I want, I'll only buy #1. But I suspect #1 will be very, very, very in demand this season. 

Plus, isn't all this strategizing half the fun of Recession Era High Street Shopping? Hunting down "just the right" piece, at "just the right" price and being able to then combine it with all that already hangs from my closet. That is the essence of smart shopping today. Getting the pieces that will become the corner stones of your wardrobe over the next few years. The markers of your style. Not some passing fad. 

Say bye bye to Window Shopping and hello to Virtual Window Shopping. It can be  done at any time of day or night from the comfort of your sofa (or office desk - though I don't really recommend it - the guilt kills the fun). And the dent to your credit due to instant gratification extras is minimal. Want a coffee? You get one from the kitchen - no need to pop into Starbucks or Vips. Saves you from getting tempted by that sexy white chocolate cookie and its milk chocolate sister. When you do decide, after much meditation, to buy online, there is the wait, the anticipation and finally, the arrival of the package. And the pleasure of touching, getting a feel for and then trying on that which you imagined. All happens over a space of days, even weeks (online sales demand you develop inner peace and patience). Like in the good old days, but different. All facilitated through the web.

Apart from the obvious pleasures of surfing theoutnet.com, americanapparel.net, privateoutlet.es et al there are the less glamourous but maybe more important perks of internet shopping. Like being able to shop for groceries and 20 kgs of soil without having to limp out of the flat when you have been strictly instructed to stay home by your physician. This process allows you not only to shop but to create lists of favourites, special products, and any other quirks you might consider (party shopping list, first dinner date shopping list, family visit list... you catch my drift.) All this reminds me I should be doing my grocery shopping right now!

Hold this thought...

“Sometimes you feel like you have to be in the fashion world to do good fashion. Today, I think it is the opposite. You have to be local.” Mr. Johansson (ACNE)

Its been over a week since my last post. I promise to catch you up on my musings tomorrow. But tonight I just want to share a very interesting "outsider" point of view from the head of ACNE, a Swedish jeans brand that is much more than just a jeans brand. And not just because they have done a capsule collection with Alber Elbaz! His point of view is particularly interesting at the moment. 

Those in charge in the world of fashion, the designers, the top editors, the "trend setters" do seem to live in a world so far removed from the banality of everyday life that they have lost touch and sight of how even the majority of the First World live. Those towering heels, those cuts only apt for the curveless (both men and women), those delicate fabrics and detailings... yes they are beautiful - but are they practical? 

When you work in fashion it sometimes feels like the concept, nay the very word,  "practical" is dirty. Asking whether its practical (Can you actually put it on alone or do you need help? Can you sit while wearing it? Can you walk in them?) is akin to a direct insult. And yet, I still believe that good design cannot exist unless it is practical. Its a basic rule, as important as ever, whether it be in fashion, in industrial design, architecture or engineering. Creativity and practicality are not opposites. It is when they coexist in one same idea or product that true excellence is reached. The fashion intelligencia does seem to have lost track of that notion. Hopefully they will return to meditating the basics. And if not, well "outsiders" like Mr. Johansson, will.

I LOVE fashion?

I LOVE Fashion!! I really do! I've made a career out of it after all so it must be love with a capital "L" - right?! 

And yet, and yet... as I check all the collections on the net and check out all the great blogs about the people who attend those shows, work in the fashion industry or simply aspire to do either or of those things, I find that I am actually very happy to be sitting in my sofa instead of traipsing around the fashion capitals with what seems like the de rigeur accessory of the season: the impossibly high heels and platforms attached to any form of shoes. (One such example in the picture, this bootie by British designer Nicholas Kirkwood - www.nicholaskirkwood.com. It is beautiful and sculptural but I'm not sure it would survive a walk on a cobblestoned Paris street or the rush hour on any city's tube system). 

Maybe its sensory overload, maybe its the knee talking ("You thinking of wearing those shoes? You crazy woman or what?! No way am I letting you do that kind of damage to me - enough's enough!!!) But the fact is that at this moment I am quite happy to NOT indulge in what is, admittedly, one of my favourite pass times of all time - SHOPPING! And all that I am seeing about this season and the next isn't really changing that feeling. I'd rather look into my closet and make up new combinations with all the pieces I have picked up and kept over the past... oh 17 years. (That kinda gives away my age doesn't it?)

Is this some sort of midlife crisis or just a sign of the times? Not quite sure but I think its basically a combination of both, with a few other factors thrown in for further disorientation. Maybe its just that having worked in several areas of the fashion world the sense of mystery and wonder is gone.  Its not that there aren't amazing ideas and designers out there that make me drool (the Mulleavy sisters at Rodarte, Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, Dries Van Noten or Rick Owens immediately pop to mind) its that I feel that there are alot of others that don't really bring anything to the mix. I'm not quite sure that the whole system of between two to eight collections per designer per year, is very condusive to actually editing your own work and taking the time to create something different or improved. That some manage to do this year in year out is a mark of genius that is often undervalued.

Maybe I just need a sabbatical. To walk away from it all and concentrate on other things... other areas of my life - you know, those that feature in feng shui's bagua; Relationships, Friends, Family, Children / Creativity, Knowledge and Balance and Unity. Maybe I should just clean out my flat to make a fresh start of it and get the chi moving! After all I really think my Career, Fame and Wealth areas could also use a good shacking! And maybe, once I get all this done I can truelly answer the question: Do I LOVE fashion?

The fur debate

To wear or not to wear fur? That is one of the most controversial subjects in the world of fashion. The majority of the fashion houses, from Gucci to Louis Vuitton to Ralph Lauren or the furriers from Fendi to J.Mendel, sprinkle their every collection with leather, pony skin, python, crocodile, mongolian wool, astrakhan, mink...

A minority stick to their vegan guns, like Stella McCartney, and create incredibly high tech and interesting alternatives to both fur and leather, like this winter's beautiful coats, leggings and thigh high boots, proving you can obtain the same look as leather and fur without having to directly slaughter a single animal. (see the image above, courtesy of www.style.com)

But what of the way fake fur is produced? After all, most fake fur is made from plastics, and plastics are mostly derived from petrol. The production of plastics is not exactly the most eco-friendly process either. (If you want the details, check out: www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/InformationSheets/Plastics.htm) 

My tack is that, unless you have qualms about eating meat, then its a bit weird to get all funny about leather or the skin of any other animal you'd be willing to eat (let me clarify that in my case that includes ostrich, horse - after all I was partly raised in Belgium - I haven't tried snake yet but crocodile has a very similar taste to chicken). So its a personal decision. For me the "no go" species is rabbit. It is extremely soft fur but, just like I can't think of eating its meat, I wouldn't be able to wear its fur.

And yet, I wear fur when it gets very cold. My grandmother's jackets and coats mostly. Keepsakes that I cherish, because of who they belonged to, because of how beautifully made they are, and because they are warm, comfortable and elegant. I'd never buy a modern fur. I don't need it. Today there are modern fibers that are just as effective if when it comes to stopping the ice of a winter morning from getting into your bones. 

But I will continue to use those furs from the 1940s, '50s and '60s. I love them, not only because they keep me warm, but because I feel when I wear them that my grandmother is still somehow with me. And, should I have a chance, I will definitely try to modernize a couple.  Ironically, some of the best ideas I have found for how to do that come from the recently launched "Where the Wild Things Are" fake fur collection at Opening Ceremony (www.openingceremony.us). A great childhood flashback of a selection created by movie director Spike Jones who has turned my generation's classic bed time story into a feature film that will be coming out soon (bets are on as to whether it will ever be released in Spain... watch this space!) 

The joys of natural beauty products

I have long been a fan of Aveda (www.aveda.es). Their ethos and ethics, similar in many ways to that of The Body Shop - one of my all time favourite beauty brands -  sits well with my higher self's aspirations. Ever since it opened its Marylebone High Street store in London, over a decade ago, I have often lusted for, but never actually bought any of, their all natural, eco-conscious, organic and fair trade products. As a beauty editor at a magazine, I had all my beauty needs covered by the steady flow of samples of new products, and rarely needed to go out and actually buy something. 

When they finally landed in Spain, I got very excited with the news. But despite all that, I have never been a client of Aveda's Madrid beauty salon / spa / store. Not until today, that is. I had recommended it many times, given its treatments as presents even, but never actually indulged myself. But, after a brief survey among friends and specialist beauty editors, I decided that, if I was going to take the plunge and "go red" I could trust Aveda's professionals to give me a natural looking hair colour. 

So I called up and then went for a free consultation last week, my Mac in tow, to show them a series of images of other women whose colour and cut I thought could work on me. I was surprised at how quickly the colourist understood what I wanted and started evaluating what would work on me. I have never had my hair coloured, not even highlights. Just the occassional gloss since I turned 30, and felt I should start taking care of myself, over and beyond the "basic everyday routines" of cleaning and hydrating - face, body, and hair. 

This was not a decision taken lightly. I'm the kind of person who chews on decisions until I am totally sure, or until I can no longer take something. And what convinced me about doing it at Aveda was their experience and totally natural dyes.  Must say, they've lived up to expectations!!! It has been just the therapy I needed, to balance out the physical pain I'm in. But that's another story... 

I came away with a beautiful mid-auburn and an XXL shampoo and an XXL conditioner (if you must know, Colour Conserve shampoo and Smooth Infusion conditioner). I was running out of both, perfect timing to renovate products and suit them to my new style. At 1l. each, I hope that I won't be needing to replenish until 2011 atleast! I love that they have no sulfates, because I am hoping this will mean a reduction in my recurring scalp sensitivity. Plus, its nice to know that something that makes me feel so good is also "minimum impact" when it comes to the environment. Its a great bonus!