THE item of the season

OK, I admit it. The sales have begun, so when I went down into town to pick up my mail, last Wednesday, I thought I'd go have a look. Because it was early, the weather was nice and I wanted to be in a crowd, or atleast on a busy street, full of life and bussle. Also I just didn't want to be underground all the way back home.

So I went into Mango. It was buzzing! A queue almost as long as the store of women with several items in their hands. NOT the kind vista that usually tempts me to shop.

Because I had no intention of shopping, just browsing, this didn't deter me. So I walked around, checking the discounts - clue #1 about how the S/S 2010 season had gone in retail: Mostly 60 and 70% off which is far from the norm in Spain for the first week of sales. Proof of just how bad the season has been for everyone.

Despite the queue at the cashiers, there was no queue to try things on. Clue #2 to this season: more people than usual came in before the sales, tried things on, and prepared their wish list for the sales. Like that they didn't have to "waste their time" trying on come the sale.

Picked up a few items I hadn't seen before and try them on. Including a design from the last Mango talent competition winner - just because I was curious about the cut, and it wasn't very clear what it'd look like.

So now I have a camera...

Yesterday I hopped on a bus, all excited. The sun was burning down on me, but, behind my silk patterned hat, I really didn't mind. I was on my way to the post office, to pick up my new digital camera!!!!

Its so small and light, and its a beautiful bright red! I am so excited!!! Its going to be fun taking it around with me. Now I just have to get hold of a memory card -I have one somewhere among the things I've been able to move in with me but haven't found it yet.

Now, you must wonder how I got hold of this, considering my "minimum consumption" mantra of late. Well, by eating yogurts.

Yup. You read right.

Yogurts.

Just had to sign up and sign in all the codes of every yogurt I ate / drank. And, with alot of help from my parents, I managed to accumulate enough points to get this little beauty by Samsung. Now we continue with the intent of surprising my nephew with something fun when he comes. Just hope we get the points we need before its all sold out!

Eye opener

Now I think I've already mentioned that one of my favourite natural and ecological beauty brands is Greek brand Korres. But I don't think I've mentioned any specific products. Well I am now.

Because since I began using their Mastiha & Jojoba eye cream about three months ago its managed to make my eyes look young and worry free, even as the rest of me continues to show the signs of restless nights, anxiety and, well, yes, age. The crows feet are kept at bay and the black circles water down to a more attractive Twilight kind of smokey gray. Its one of those things that keeps my spirits up day after day.

So sometimes beauty can come in a pot ;-)

Too much packaging

Can someone please explain to me why a glue stick comes packed in a B5 size moulded plastic envelope, that also includes a B5 sized piece of cardboard with more or less the same instructions that already figure on the glue stick's plastic coating?

It seems crazy to me that a product that costs me 2.50 € - by the way WHEN did glue sticks become so expensive?! - has soo much added, and useless, packaging to its name. This small example makes me wonder when we became OK with so much needless waste of materials. Before taking it to the check out counter I looked over all the other products around - pens, rulers, post its... all came with this kind of XL packaging. Only the notebooks seemed completely packaging free, or just covered in film plastic. Now, this is just an idea but - can't they start reducing the amount of packaging around stationary? Why does the packaging of a pen have to be 5x bigger than the pen itself?

It doesn't make sense to have all that extra weight or for it to take up all that extra space. Just think about shopping for a new school year! You get home with all the products in your check list and end up recycling bag fulls of packaging that it all came in. Not good.

One by one

Remember how I said I'd be "taking on" my sample sizes? Well, I'm hard at work on it, and, one by one, reducing the amount of tubes, bottles and other things in my new bathroom. All end up in the recycling bin.

Before the move I had finished off a few The Body Shop products in order to go leave the bottles in their recycling programme. Well it turns out they've stopped that programme now, because most of their clients now recycle daily and so they feel there is no more need to stimulate that action. Which is great news, because it means that people have really incorporated recycling into their everyday life.

Better leave you now, got to go take a bubble bath, exfoliate and try a new perfume. Ahhh! The joys of sampling the good life...

Job title: Ethical Living Correspondent

Just saw this job title in an article about The Observer's Ethical Awards 2010. It belongs to Lucy Siegle, The Observer's Ethical Living Correspondent. Sounds good doesn't it? I imagine this woman dealing with all kinds of stories from the viewpoint of sustainability, good production practices, respect for human and civil rights... exciting stuff!! Ispiring job title. Would love to earn that kind of a title for myself.

A house of one's own

Last week, in the midst of running about doing paperwork and getting used to new bus and tube routes and their time tables, suddenly I had an hour with nothing to do. As I was in my old hood I decided to use that hour to go see an exhibition at the Fundación Canal (www.fundacioncanal.com) about contemporary sustainable architecture. Going to see it was the best idea I had all week!

The vision of twelve architects and studios involved was terribly stimulating and filled me with optimism for the future. Its not only that great minds are going "back to basics" and returning to ancient knowledge about using the natural flow of air, instead of airconditioning, to stabilize temperatures (something I've done in all my aircondition-free apartments to great success). Its that they are looking at old techniques in new ways. Think of the Roman's excellent use of hot water to heat their houses via an underground system, and transpose that to the 21st century with all its technological advances.

From the breathtaking garden covered buildings imagined by Emilio Ambasz, to Mario Cucinella's waterfront living complex 100K, their proposals sweep aside so much of what we see around us, after these decades of mindless building. Of all those on display I have only actually visited one of them. Barajas's Terminal 4, as created by Antonio Lamela. But maybe the most seductive from a purely sensual perspective is Richard Rodger's undulating wooden ceilings for the Wales National Assembly in Cardiff. Hair raising.

In another order of things is Norman Foster's (or should I say Sir Norman's?) work. Beginning with the Free University in Berlin. The sinewy contours of the library are an open invitation to study. From the looks of it, its cozy, almost womblike, and full of light. And then there is the scale, the sheer ambition of his Abu Dhabi project: Masdar City. Wonder what that CO2 free city will really end up looking like and how its inhabitants will interact with it.

On a much more personal scale, I'd choose one of David Kirkland's proposals for my own. His Headlands House is rich in curves and unexpected volumes that are flooded with natural light. It looks welcoming and well thought out for everyday living. And I really enjoy the "home spun" angle he has added by counting on local materials and craftsmen for its different components. If I could choose that would definitely be the kind of home I'd like to call my own.

Madrid in Love

Now, as you've probably noticed, this blog is not really about shopping, or even the best fashion tips. But I do have to make an exception with a pop up store I visited with a friend of mine this Monday. It was only open for a long weekend, starting Friday, but by the time we got there it was almost entirely sold out. Did I mention it was an interior decoration store? And that most pieces where pretty big?

But the selection was so delicious, that I wasn't too surprised to see "VENDIDO" clearly marked on about 90% of the labels. The mood was romantic and feminine, without being cloying. Rural vintage in a luminous, Aix-en-Provence kind of way which made you forget the roaring traffic just outside the door and almost smell the lavander fields and hear the humming of the bees and the crickets.

Needless to say, I too, fell in love.

The well chosen selection of pieces made of natural woods and the patina of time drew me in like a jar of honey does Winnie Pooh. Suddenly I was in a light filled home, with a glorious garden full of colourful flowers, sitting at a potter's wheel (there actually was one on display) and humming to myself while creating the type of ceramics that would make a Japanese "living treasure" of a master proud.

Few shops have that transporting effect.

So bravo to the group of friends who mounted this!!! And PLEASE!!! keep doing it every so often until I get back on my feet (financially speaking) so I too, can add the red word to one of your labels and take a little bit of that magic home with me.

Good question

This question, cut out from an article in a magazine, way back in the day, is the fashion equivalent to Hamlet's "To be or not to be. That, is the question."

Found it again as I organize my things in my new room and thought it was a good starting point for a post (and a pause). Think that, more often than not, we dress to combine both "blending in" and "standing out". The whole "office appropriate" or "occasion appropriate" debate is all about finding the right balance between these, or, if you prefer, "standing out" for all the right reasons, as opposed to all the wrong reasons.

The "blending in" you do to show conformity, to express that you belong to a certain group or entity, so that others can identify you as "one of them". Sometimes you don't really "belong" but are desperately trying to fit in - queue the superabundance of logos, it bags, "must have" mobiles, and a long etc. of parafernalia marketed as the ultimate key to finally get passed that unforgiving velvet rope that limits the access to VIPdom (whatever your idea of VIPdom may be).

So where does the individuality of the "standing out" come in? Well, let me make a flashback to the angsty teenage comedy that was "16 candles"... that's where the "standing out" comes in. Because most people have, at some point or other in their lives, felt like an ugly duckling. And at some point they have decided that instead of feeling bad about it or letting others use that difference as a hurtful weapon, they would turn the tables and use that difference as a way of vindicating that yes, they were different and extremely proud of being so. That they had no desire or need to be cookie cutter "in"...

All that simplification of "in" and "out" never really sat well with me. Call me a relativist if you will, but I always saw those supposed boundries as shifting sands that where best ignored. Not that I have never been hyperaware and worried sick about the messages my wardrobe, look, choice of accessories or brands might be conveying. Unfortunately such insecurities raise their ugly heads more often than I'd like (especially when trying to decide what to wear to my first Milan and Paris fashion week without busting my budget back in 2004/5!) That really was a nightmare!!! Becoming hyperconcious of all that an outfit can signal, especially among fashion cognoscenti, was enough to leave anyone feeling inappropriate, insecure, fat, ugly and totally out of it.

Those days are luckily in the past and today I am more levelheaded about it. Its not that I manage to strike the right balance everytime, but that I have become more forgiving. The day / the mood / the body / the wardrobe options at hand ... it is what it is and there are so many more important things to worry about.

Always be respectful of what you will be doing / where you will be going / who you will be seeing, and you should be fine. But please, also, remember to always enjoy dressing up and the greatest secret of them all: feel comfortable in what you wear. For, if you do that, you will stand out and shine for all the right reasons.

¡Ponte las pilas!

Just had to use the Spanish expression “put your batteries on” is a close enough translation, but what it really means is “get your act together”!!

Watching Kiss FM – and among the news they've given (yes, this music video station works like traditional radio stations and gives you a recap of the news every hour on the hour) there is one that has really surprised me. Apparently here in Spain we only recycle 18% of the batteries we use!!! That seems plain weird. Can it be that outside Madrid its not that easy to do it? Because here in the capital there really is no excuse. You have “clean points” everywhere – bus stops, street advertising, newspaper stores and even electronic stores. They've made it so easy to recycle – how can it be we aren't doing it? Can it be that people just don't realize how toxic, and therefore life threatening, the contents of batteries are?

(Also written during the movers' lunch break).

Back to basics

Most of what I've brought with me to my parents' home is clothes. So I have developed a strategy to deal with the excess. Going to organize my wardrobe with a view to pairing it down naturally. What do I mean by this, you ask? Well, let me try to explain.

Going to look at each piece and gauge at what stage of life it is at present. Those clothes (and accessories) which are nearing “retirement” will be given pride of place. The intention of it being that I'll “finish them off” all the sooner and so will reduce the volume of clothes in an intelligent manner.

Case in point: of the 16 pairs of jeans I own, there will be 2 or 3 on very frequent rotation. Those 2 or 3 being those that are in worst shape. Same with the flat sandals that I love using come summer. There are about 3 pairs that are already 5 years old and are growing increasingly thin. Those will be the ones I try to get the most wear out of when the temperature rises. Meanwhile, I am working hard on two pairs of textile ballerinas with nonrenewable soles. I'm wondering which will come first – the hole in the sole or the one caused by the thumbs wanting to cut loose?

Ofcourse, all this process must involve creating covetable stylings too! Otherwise it simply wouldn't be ecocheek or fun ;-) So watch this space for further developments in this area.

P.S. The photo I've chosen to illustrate this is actually a vintage original of my own making back in the fun days of college when I'd spend hours developing photos in B&W in the dark room. Loved the mix of art and mathematics that that was. Needless to confirm that that particular white shirt is long gone. It too, was used “to death”.

Lost in a sea of boxes

A few thoughts, written up on D-day, when I was internet-deprived:

Lunch break for the movers, and thus for me too.

They still have quite a bit to do, poor fellows. The amount of cardboard and paper and tape they need to protect it all leaves me feeling rather guilty, but guess that's what a professional move entails. Will be taking all the boxes that reach my parent's home to the recycling bin (don't suppose they come to collect them themselves to reuse – too expensive a service).

Meanwhile keep looking around and wondering how I was ever able to keep so much in this flat. Must have better spacial vision than I thought. Either that, or I'm just really good at that whole idea that was the excuse for one of Ikea's catalogues a few years ago: think of your home as a cube, not a square, and have really used height to its full advantage.

The storms they promised for yesterday and today haven't materialized – yet! A real blessing. Despite that I can feel my anxiety going up and down between my heart and my throat. Know its not actually justified but can't stop it. By 5:30 am I was awake and enjoying the last splendid sunrise from my bed. That's one moment of the day in this flat I'm going to miss. Its such a lovely way to wake up, looking out onto a sea of pink and golden clouds. Puts you in the mood to make the best of the day.

Have decided that living a more sustainable lifestyle has all to do with making the most of moments like that. If you look for and enjoy the “priceless” things, you eventually feel less inclined to spend so much time on systematically consuming. You become more critical with yourself. Its a natural change in pace. Now, more than ever, stopping to smell the roses makes sense.

So that's my homework for the summer. Fully enjoying all the priceless moments that are just around the corner!

This is it!

D-day is upon me. Awaiting the movers while I survey the flat and make sure all is more or less in order while I deep breath.

Just hope this is fast and painless!

Ready for the truck

Won't be needing such a monster for my things, but I liked the irony of it being a toy truck and the imagined name "EuroLogistics". The case is, I am now actually ready for tomorrow. Everything is clean and in place. Ready to be packed.

So for what's left of today I will finish off a few straggling beauty products, take the last papers and glass down to be recycled and hand over to The Body Shop a couple more packages that I've finished, so they can reuse them. And after that a bit of socializing with friends and then dinner with my sis. A great way to celebrate tonight's Sagittarius full moon! And unwind before D-day.

Nick Nacks or is it Knick Knacks?

Whatever the spelling, the fact is, its incredible to see how many we amass. Be it mementos from trips, "free gifts" or spur of the moment purchases, there are so many bits and pieces we pick up through the years, without even making a conscious decision of collecting such things.

With less than 48 hours to go before the movers arrive I'm being as ruthless as I can in this sense. The pile of things out on the terrace (I've nick named them "the giveaways") is growing, slowly but surely with things that I've had a good think about. The operative question is:

Will I miss this if its not there when I manage to again live independently?

Its a bit harsh, but many things have not made that cut. And I think that's all for the best. Less clutter for me, my parents, and the storage space, more things that I hope will find a new home where they will be more useful.

And despite all this I still look around this flat and think... OH MY! Does living alone really require or justify all this?

Which leads to another, maybe odder reflection: It must be so stressful to have a much larger house and "feel" you have to fill all that space!

And with that thought, I leave you for today. Good night!!!

Crazy week!

The week is developing as it began - manic, stressful and sometimes downright surreal.

So thank you to all those of you that keep me sane and manage to bring a smile back to my lips every time. You know who you are!

Meanwhile, I think I'm rid of the builders for today. They must think I'm horrid, but I really don't feel comfortable with the idea of letting them come and go at will in my flat when I'm not here. Still, there's no helping it tomorrow. The "entrepreneurs' fair" is only up tomorrow and Thursday so I have to get my butt over there and try and figure out if creating a more ambitious business than simply being a freelancer is a viable option or not...

The idea I have in mind has a lot to do with sustainability, in a quaint, rather old fashion way which appeals to me. Not unveiling it until I've tweaked it to perfection though!!!

And meanwhile I need to continue trying to answer all the questions. The day to day questions, the overarching dilemmas, the recurring ones, those that you think you've answered but they keep coming back, demanding to be reconsidered...

Another 80s song...

So I dislike 80's fashion, but love '80s music. It's just one of those things.

Today's most hummed tune is Mecano's "Perdida en mi habitación" - for the simple reason that I am stuck in my flat due to the pipes they're changing. As I write there are two lovely, very educated and discreet workers hard at it among my piles of things, set out, ready to be placed in boxes.

Again, I have had to use my inhaler, and have asked them if they wouldn't mind closing the doors and opening the windows instead while they work, to minimize the amount of dust, sulphur, etc that reaches my lungs and avoid it covering all the things laid out in the main room, awaiting to find their way into boxes. The thing is, I need to get out and do a few things outside that have to do with the move, etc. So feeling totally "lost in my room" and stuck as I can't do any of the things pending inside the flat because of the dust and the company, nor can I go out to do what I have to do outside. Talk about bad timing.

All for upgrading pipes to avoid precious water seeping out, getting lost and spoiling other things in the process. It makes sense from a practical and sustainable point of view. But...Why couldn't these pipes wait until next week?

Oh, and need I add the water is cut and will be cut today, tomorrow and Wednesday? And that the elevator is out of order? What a send off, huh? Total caos, indeed!

Its a cool, cool summer...

Remember that Bananarama song - "Its a cruel, cruel summer..."? Well, I'm not sure if I changed the chorus because I didn't like the original or simply because, being young and innocent (I've checked - its from 1983 when I could still count my age with just my two hands!) I really thought they were saying "cool" and not "cruel". Whatever the reason, it's stuck.

So, what made me remember that song? The fact that blue skies and high temperatures are finally here - summer is in the air! realizing that, while checking through Kipling's S/S 2010 lookbook made me feel all summer fun. And creative.

Hence these two cut and paste "cool summer" inspiration boards - all with images from the catalogues. Have to hand it to the Belgian brand - they know what they are doing. Cool models, cool textures (both for the leather and the non-leather collections) and very functional and fun designs with all the whistle and stops any modern girl needs (phone and pen pockets, keyring holder,... and the coolest mascot ever - loved it as a kid because it reminded me of Monchichi, and love its 21st century incarnation as a minimalist "toy").

I've got a few things from this brand and can testify that they are as well thought out within as they are cool to look out on the outside. Also, the textiles they use are very resistant, even as they are light and easy to clean. Prints and colours are definitely one of Kipling's strong points.

They took their name from the great adventurer and writer, something I learned only recently, though I suspect that as a kid in Brussels I probably heard the story. The current designer is creating a more mature set of collections while staying true to Kipling's 23 years of history. Its great to see my teenage faves coexist with designs that I want today. Keep up the good work, Kipling!!!

Why does style take up so much space?!

A good day's work. Haven't left the flat all day. Never stopped for over 10 minutes, except for lunch. A bagful more of articles read and ready to recycle, almost all the no longer needed things out on the terrace (hope they'll soon be considered "previously loved" - don't you just love that expression?) ... placing clothes I will be taking to my parents place inside those 2 pieces of furniture that will be coming with me, too, according to the suggestion of the moving expert. Also washing home things up, ready to be stored for a while.

Yet, despite it all, I feel there should be alot more I could do. Or rather "do without".

Wish I could be more like a buddhist monk, who wants nothing and needs nothing. But I can't do the change over so easily. Can't live without all those clothes that I've been selecting over the years. I've finetuned, ofcourse, but only by about 10%. All the other 90% I simply can't give away.

Why?

Well, firstly because it fits and its all in mint condition. But essentially because all those things were and remain things that speak to me. Its a selection that suits me: physically, mentally and even, emotionally. They definitely hold an aesthetic appeal. Also, they make me feel good when I wear them. Not necessarily because they make me look sexy - that's not my style - but because they stimulate my creativity, and make me feel both confident and comfortable. How can one become so emotionally attached to clothes?

The sheer amount of space it all takes up (clothes + accessories) is rather overwhelming. I was aware of this already, ofcourse. This flat has its fair share of cupboards and still I ended up having to get a mobile clothes stand for some of it. True, I don't actually store away part of my wardrobe when the seasons change - atleast that's how I reasoned it to myself.

But now that I'm thinking of taking all of this into someone else's home.... it feels like an invasion!!! My poor parents! Let's just hope there's enough space down in the basement storage for most of it. The pile up won't look quite so vintage chic as the one's in this image, but atleast it will be out of the way.

PS - I do have a plan to get a pristinely new digital camera soon so hopefully, within a bit, you'll be seen original pics on this blog, and NOT just original scans ;-)

Fosco's proposition

"Practical. Modern. Comfortable. Functional. But most of all ecological and innovative". Is it a bird? Is it a airplain? NO!!! It's... a contraption made of reusable elastics to help you carry the box of your new pair of shoes without needing a bag. Cool!!!

Spanish highstreet shoe brand Fosco has just launched their new "no bag needed" ecoconcious non-packaging. In the process, they seem to have also redesigned their boxes (ofcourse, now you're going to be seeing them walking down the street! Smart move).

Its clear that they have given the change alot of thought. According to the press release that landed in my in box, the whole idea began last summer, when the company decided to challenge students the Elisava School of design in Barcelona to think up a new and ecological packaging that could be used in all of its 57 stores. So the change in the design of the box is not only cosmetic, its also a question of adjusting the size of those lovely new boxes to use only the amount of cardboard necessary, and then there are the dyes, all waterbased and poison free.

This project proves that even small changes can have big rewards, and that being ecological need not limit aesthetic beauty (in fact this packaging is miles cooler than any that this chain has had so far) or require an increase in cost production (OK, they haven't included economic data in the press release, but one assumes that, during this crisis, had this change meant a huge investment they would have put it on hold).

I only have one question about it all... how exactly can you resuse those elastics? What can you do with them apart from carrying a shoe box? Transform them into a belt? Maybe a headband? Ideas welcome!

Drifting... Countdown day 7

There is something slightly destablizing about "dismounting" your home while still living in it. I find myself mindlessly opening the cupboards where certain things usually were but that have migrated to a box in preparation for D-day, and then wondering how I could be so dumb not to remember.

This just goes to show how attached we get to our habits. Which is probably the best thing about moving. It forces you to reevaluate so much! Habits, ways of using your time, even the way you think about life! And that's always a good exercise.

So yes, changing homes may well be one of the top 5 most stressful things in life, but some of that stress is of the good kind. Because it forces you to shake out of it, to look at yourself and your life from a fresh perspective. And hopefully all this soul searching will help you reconnect with yourself: your hopes, desires, and priorities, but also to be able to examine your fears and inadequacies in a new light. All part of a very important learning process that should never stop.

So here's to finding oneself, adrift among a truckload's worth of memories and experience!

Pianoman symphony

Pottering about the house today, further finetuning the papers to store / take / recycle, moving clothes from the cupboards into pieces of luggage and the two commodes that will be accompanying me to my parents' place. Listening to the everyday noises that have become the background music to my life for most of the recent past. The pianoman relentlessly and brilliantly practicing up on the 8th floor, and the children playing and screaming during their class breaks at the school that's just in front of the flat. The occassional drill from a nearby building work (building work has become a permanent fixture in this neighbourhood since c. 2005), the screech of cars as they race into and out of the quiet street while occassionally honking for added emphasis about how urgent their business is.

I'm actually going to miss that odd symphony of life, just because its become familiar, especially over the last year when I've spent so much time at home. And I still don't know who of my two suspects actually is "the pianoman". Maybe its just as well. Some mysteries are best left unsolved...

(P.S. The illustration is actually Blind Eye Score by Percy Aldridge Grainger - his work can be found at th University of Melbourne, to which he donated it. I chose it because it seems so free, so spontaneous and yet is so appealing to the senses)

Count down to Boxing day

Today we set the date. On the 28th of this month, all my things will be put into boxes of different shapes and size, ready to embark on a new adventure.

So I have scarcely one more week to organize, clasify, bid farewell, recycle... and amidst all this mess, today they are digging out a hole in the wall of what is (still) my kitchen, to change the pipes. If I was already suffering from dust overload, right now, with all the dust from the rubble I have been forced to use my inhaler - something I really don't like having to do. But its either that or running out of the flat, and I can't really do that while the workers are in here.

And thus, the count down begins... 8...

Bauched manicures...

Colourful manicures have always appealed to me, and they have become one of my signatures. Even during the minimalists '90s I ran wild with colours, glitter and even the occasional attempt at a vibrantly contrasting french manicure. (Note to self: French manicures are not your thing, darling - too complicated to perform ). The whole process feels creative and liberating - a pinch of wild colour in an otherwise rather neutral look.

The problem lies in the execution. Though I love home manicures and the idea of actually stopping my hands from doing anything during a couple of hours every week, it turns out timing is still elusive. So more often than not the manicure ends up less than perfect. And its not just about not being able to "colour inside the lines". Its mostly about the surface being marked by a fingerprint because I decided to pour myself a glass of water, or some silly thing like that.

Last night's attempt was just such an example. Luckily the opaque Yves Klein like blue I chose seems to hide a multitude of sins rather well.

There are few easier and cheaper ways of improving your mood and giving yourself a little fashion lift than with a colourful mani-pedi. Plus, you know that in a few days, you'll be able to change it all and "try on" a new personality in a really risk free way. And if it cracks? No biggy either, you just get out the Cutex and clean the slate. Ah... the pleasures of grooming - more ephemeral and yet just as rewarding as a day of shopping!

That is unless you live in the US. Have you noticed how, according to US fashion magazines, every woman in the nation seems to spend enormous chunks of their budget and time going for weekly mani-pedis, "brush outs", exfoliations, spray on tans - the works! - always at some expert spa? Doing all this at home seems the exception, rather than the norm... Am I the only one who thinks this is weird and unnecessary?

No offense to the pros, I know its their livelihood, but I just couldn't find the time to do all I do at home in one weekly multitasking beautifying session if I actually had to book appointments, get there, wait, etc. I think I've had two professional mani-pedis in all my life, one a freebie (ofcourse), another a gift from my sis. I thoroughly enjoyed both pampering sessions but didn't suddenly feel the urge to transform this into a habit. A perfect manicure would be great, but for now I'll stick to my homegrown attempts to get it right while watching my favourite TV series.

Suspension of disbelief

You know how, in say an action hero movie or a great fantasy novel you accept you are entering into a parallel universe where things that are not possible in this world are perfectly normal (flying up into the stratosphere to "cool down", being posessed by a ring, kissing a frog into a prince)? Well fashion magazine reading also requires a certain level of suspension of disbelief.

Most notably, you must forget about this world's salaries and treat real money as lightheartedly as you do Monopoly money. Assume that you can really only be "chic" if you are rail thin and spend thousands each season on the same "key designer items" every other woman in your circle and beyond is suppose to be aching to place in their black hole of a closet (after all, it must accomodate the proceeds of endless shopping trips). In this particular fantasy world, the wardrobe does not open onto a perpetually frozen winter landscape, but rather onto a collection of high fashion that is being patiently curated by its owner with an eye to a future donation to her local museum. An enduring legacy that will remind the generations to come of just how incredibly chic and wonderful she was.

But here's the problem. We're not all Nan Kempner. And, even more importantly, we don't even necessarily WANT to be like Nan Kempner.

Now, this is a fairly obvious distinction. Right?

Well, I've always thought so, but beginning in about 2001 I began to notice, as I wrote up the price tags of the items selected and photographed in the magazines, that were skyrocketing beyond the stratosphere like Superman himself, that many within the fashion industry seemed to believe that this "absolutely fabulous" parallel universe was, in fact, reality itself. It was like the fashion crowd closed ranks and glued itself onto the jet setting superrich and could see no further than their rhinoplasties.

And then the big crisis arrived and, now hedgefund fortuneless, the fashion industry went into shock. Like with Spain's government, it went through a long denial phase, when instead of analyzing its own actions it bemoaned the lack of respect for their work. But then, for F/W 2009- 10, the fashion crowd got wind of a new, exiting trend: cutting back the prices to size. And, what do you know? It turns out that a cotton twill cargo pant can be just as chic, wearable and, yes, even just as covetable if its price tag is 295 €, or even a highstreet friendly 29, 95 € than if its over 1.000 € (sorry Christophe Decarnin). And if its already waiting inside your narnian wardrobe - even better!!!

Confesional fashion stories

Today I'm plowing through a folder full of what I like to call "confesional fashion stories". Lately these have been my favourite sort of fashion articles. What you may ask am I referring to? Well those stories in which both professional and non professional writers or journalists tell of their own fashion related obsessions / "deficiencies" / adventures / likes and dislikes. What I find fascinating is how they open a window into someone else's psyche through their relationship with something so apparently innocuous as their clothing and shopping habits and manias...

There is, however, something I hadn't really paid much attention to until reading so many in quick succession. They all name / shop at very high end designer boutiques, for clothes who's price tags easily go into the thousands. Some quite gleefully confess that some of these pieces were paid for with maxed out credit cards while bills lay unpaid over the freezer. This gives me pause to think.

Is it generally assumed that the current generations of working women with independent salaries are capable of leading highly rewarding professional and personal lifes but totally incapable of balancing their own books?? Or is that only a problem for those of us, (yes, I include myself, though I swear I've never spent anywhere close to a thousand euros on any piece of clothing, or even over any single seasonal wardrobe shift!!!) with a fashion sweet tooth?

Also curious is how, starting in early 2009, the first signs of "mea culpa" appear in these stories. Before that, few show any remorse about their shopping habits. Rather there' s a subtext that makes one feel that somehow, these women see this compulsion as a loveably quirky part of their character, a la Bridget Jones. It's a part of their life that brings them joy, a certain sense of "one up manship" and sometimes even underscores a need to be loved. Maybe I'm reading way too much into them...

Those stories that tell the life story and relationship that binds the writer to a particular item ( be it inherited, gifted or self bought) are much more enjoyable than those that describe their shopping sprees and the season's prize buys. Still, they all reflect just how deeply the image we have of ourselves is linked to how we present ourselves to others through our clothing.

Which leads me to wonder: Wouldn't it be interesting to read similar stories about shopping and clothing, but written by guys? Would that even be possible?

Luxurious side effect

The most unexpected bonus of all this moving out of the flat is happening. Because I want to travel as light as possible I looked at my stash of beauty products (again, mostly freebies) and organized them according to how much product was left. Those that were still brand new or hardly used made the cut to move with me. Samples sizes, I've been dealing with, as already mentioned.

But what to do with all those exfoliators, relaxing oils, deep hidration creams, etc that were nearing their end? Well silly, use them and finish them before the move ofcourse!!! So I have been enjoying some serious home spa sessions and am feeling pampered from the tips of my perfectly pedicured toes to the last silky smooth hair on my head.

All that spring cleaning, entering into contact with all that itch inducing dust accumulated in the pages of magazines, cut outs, etc. is balanced out by soothing end of day baths and deep hidration treatments, with an extra emphasis on my hands that would otherwise now look like reptilian claws due to all the allergic reaction (unfortunately not much I can do for my nails - they're on strike and won't grow until I stop using them indiscriminately to untape boxes, rip through papers, wash things by hand before storing, etc.)

Couldn't help but illustrate my blissful bath experience with a retro-fun version of a home spa bath, courtesy of: jessicadarling.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/bubble-bath.jpg. Every night, for a half hour, I feel just as blissful as that woman and manage to forget everything but what lies within the four walls of my soon to be ex-bathroom. Proof that staying at home can be the best way to get away from all your troubles. But now, back to classifying papers!!!

Of samples and other stuff

Tiny reproductions or test tube like samples, mini versions of the original. Travel size versions and those magazine samples that you rip out absent mindly while leafing through the latest fashion... all these bits are pieces are now the focus of my "toilette" as I attempt to finish them off before the movers arrive. Its mostly fun but sometimes weird, especially when I use a perfume that really isn't me!

When in the news they mention the Diogenes syndrome (those people that accumulate trash in their homes) I think most people in first world countries suffer this syndrome up to a certain degree. We might not accumulate foul smelling trash per se, but in most homes we accumulate so much more "stuff" than we actually need or use!

When I began with this whole cleaning out project, it was as a means to keep busy during a period of time in which I was very limited as to what I could do, including attention span (physical pain does strange things to the mind) and mobility. Never would I have thought this would become such a healthy - and fun! - mental exercise. And, somewhere along the way, something strange happened. I stopped seeing this as a time filler and a bit of a sacrificial offering, and realized how liberating it was to get rid of unnecessary stuff! To find it a new owner who could make so much more out of it.

Not that I am ever going to turn into a hermit who lives off what she finds in nature. But I do think that, little by little, I will whittle down my belongings to a more rational amount. There are three things I'll probably always have alot of: books, clothes (even if there is no shopping in the near future what is currently in my cupboards can see me through many years) and, whenever I have occasion to start over, plants (they're like my pets, just that instead of making me sneeze, they help clean up the air in my home, making it easier for me to breath). Its hard to have to bid them good bye, but my friend Sam has helped find them a good new home - thanks Sam!

In the meantime I will continue finishing off those samples, one at a time. Its a tough job, but someone's got to do it! ;-)

Give, store, keep, take with you...

The man from the transport company just came and went after assessing the scope of the transfer. D-day is nigh!

What's weird is how, at first, you feel there is very little you can go without. Yet, once you begin the exercise of looking at all you have accumulated in your flat while asking yourself, "Do I really want to keep this?" "Will I be glad to get reacquainted with this after some time in storage?" "Is it worth storing at all?" You begin to recognize how much of what you have you don't actually use or need.

Because there is no junk sale tradition in Spain, I am finding alternative ways of finding new homes for the things I am "relinquishing". Today I had wonderful news confirming a friend of a friend was willing to take care of all my plants and any books left over after two other friends have taken their pick of them. Choosing which books to give away was rather easier than I thought. But, as you may expect, I've decided to keep a large majority, even if they are temporary destined to hide in storage.

With the help of my adorable doorman ( I will miss him so very much!) I have also found a new home for unwanted Ikea side tables and decades old electrical appliances. Plus a certain number of odd glasses, plates, etc in perfect user condition but that it makes no sense to store and will be of better use to others.

Despite all of this I still feel like I have way, way too much stuff!!! True, its mainly books and clothes (such a small apartment has never allowed for too many pieces of furniture) but still... WOW! How can I have accumulated so much?!

Iconic Meryl Streep

As you know, I have been getting rid of most of my magazines in preparation for a change of address. So, the other day, I read up "Vanity Fair"'s article on Meryl Streep illustrated in full by photographer and friend Bridget Lacombe's portraits of her that span over 20 years of both their lives (hence the illustration of this post - a contact set of one of those sessions).

Streep is not only an incredible actress, one of the best ever. She is also a really interesting woman with a great philosophy of life. Atleast, that's what I gather from every interview I've ever read. So I can't help but quote from this interview (p. 148 of the issue to be exact - sorry but I forgot to note down the issue's date - somewhere between Nov 2009 and Feb 2010). Here goes:

"As a mother of three girls, she knows all too well how much pressure females feel to dim their light. "As girls grow up," Streep observes, "as soon as boys come into the picture, you figure out that you have to modify that assertiveness thing in order to even be acceptable, let alone appealing, within the cohort of girls as well as boys."

She has found it an enormous relief to outgrow those constraints. "I can't remember the last time I really worried about being appealing," she says with a snort of laughter. "I think it was really long time ago. Its freeing as an actress, but whether a director likes it or not is a different thing. I remember (director and co-star) Albert Brooks saying to me in Defending Your Life, "Could you just make it a little sweeter?" - and that's been repeated by other people in the years since then." This time here deresive snort is much louder. "But I don't listen to it."

So how does she free herself? "I don't thinks it's something anyone can tell you," Streep says. "I think you just have to get sick of hearing the accommodation in your approach to things... the way people have to get sick of drinking or drugs before they stop. As there begins to be less time ahead of you, you want to be exactly who you are, without making it easier for everyone else. I'm not sure I ever was really comfortable swanning around as a a girl, anyway.""

Now, what's not to love in this woman and her philosophy of life? I for one, wish I actually lived up to that attitude.

21st c. conundrum: Sustainable economy

In the midst of this global crisis more and more people are asking themselves, their governments, companies and experts of every ilk: what can we do to make our economy sustainable?

Its going to be the big question of this century. Just like industrialization was back in the 19th c. or getting to grips with globalization was what defined the 20th c. Its clear that the traditional liberal economic model just doesn't cut it. Double digit growth, every year? Come on, it doesn't take a genius to realize no company can keep growing like that forever. For the simple reason that the world, and all it contains, is finite. And, apparently, according to recent findings even the idea that the universe is in constant expansion is not completely correct. But I digress.

Ofcourse, I am no expert. I haven't studied economics, nor do I have an MBA under my belt, so all this is what I've gathered from "free reading", rather than from an academic course of study, which doesn't make my observations all that reliable. And my opinions are but partly formed, and undoubtably biased (though I am trying! So any good reading recommendations are welcome). But I do think we should ALL join this debate and make our voice heard.

I have a proposition on where to begin. Given how, despite all their economic majors, MBAs and PhDs , their research, data, etc., the experts at think tanks, the World Bank, the European Union, Goldman Sachs, CNN, or Standard and Poors, to name but a few, were unable to predict the real scope of the current recession, it might not be so far fetched to "go back to basics". Bring everyone into the debate and listen to the ideas of people, not just "experts".

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to stop making complicated economic models that no one - not even some experts - understand. Would it be so bad if economists began talking with words the laymen and women could understand? That would allow them to be more active in a debate that affects us all. And maybe, just maybe it could bring people from other walks of life, and their ideas, into it. Instead of trying to prove how smart they are by creating a parallel vocabulary (and accounting system!!!) that few outside the "club of the initiated" (and sometimes not even they) can comprehend. Maybe, if that happened, a man like Maddof could not get away with what he did for so long, not could Greece have "doctored" their books for so long... Just a thought, from a VERY laywoman!!!

56 pairs...

... that is the present count of shoes I have. That includes winter boots, trainers, sandals, flip flops, ballet flats, and ofcourse, many a sky high heel. All accumulated during my 13 years working in fashion. While I'm not even close to being in Imelda Marcos' league (apparently 3.000 pairs and counting), I can't help but wonder if that's too many.

Over a third of them have been freebies,or practically so because of the discount I got. Others have been hand me downs or gifts. Still, no one really needs that many. Some (mostly the sky high or gala ones) I've barely used, but the rest... well lets just say I get really good milage out of all of them. Keeping them in boxes, taking them regularly to the cobbler, and a couple of other tricks mean some old glories still look new. And, with each season change its always a pleasure to rediscover some of these old friends. This summer I'll stick to all my flats while I strengthen my leg muscles and knee, but already I dream of getting reacquainted with my cone heels come winter. So better hit the swimming pool and start exercising straight away!

Sartorial coup!

GAP does high fashion evening wear? This is the first press release in a while that has dropped into my mail box and made me stop, breath in and decide to check the info out. Look at those beautiful gowns worn by Elvis's granddaughter, and other celebs, with occasion of the MET's annual ball. Like them? Well they're part of a charity project launched by GAP in collaboration with some of the most interesting young American designers of the moment. Check out the details @ http://www.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=55873

Personally I think Patrick Robinson is doing a great job at GAP, making it fun, fresh and relevant, in both its main collections and in its more experimental projects, like the Whitney Biennal T-shirt collection or this latest one. After all, who would have thought GAP was capable of producing such breathtaking gala dresses? Sure, the pattern cutting is that of each of the designers involved, but this will help change expectations about GAP. Does this point to a new, more ambicious project from the former world's #1 clothing company? We'll have to watch out and see if it takes a leaf from the book of its main rivals, Inditex and H&M and begins to diversify and aim for a more up market / grown up costumer.

In any case, this surprise initiative is a brilliant tie in to its role as sponsor of this year's MET gala and a very good publicity stunt. And, since the proceeds go to charity, everyone wins.

The eighties are sooooo not my thing!

Here's a cut up of one of British Vogue's January 2009 spreads. Its easy to guess its inspired by Madonna c. "Like a Virgin" and Keith Harring's pop art, not to mention the obvious Sprouse reference courtesy of Marc Jacobs for LV... Anywho! The case is the 80s are still in full revival mode and I've realized that, with the exception of neutral leggings, perfecto jacket, and maybe the odd neutral jumper its REALLY not my prefered reference as far as vintage goes. I'll stick to the minimal 90s and bits and pieces of the 50s and 60s.

Wore the shoulder pads, the gold hoops, the body con silhouette (minis over biker shorts of all things!!!) the first time around and realize that they really have no space in my current wardrobe. Its nice to feel all grown up and realize that finally, this is the moment to dress like I've always wanted.

Hoarding and other compulsions...

Taking a break from saying my farewells to my Vanity Fair collection, one issue at a time. Because I know all the hard work that goes into making a magazine, I find it very difficult to get rid of them. This has resulted, over the years, in an impressive volume of magazines being kept in my little apartment. A real vintage trove of Vogues, ELLEs Vanity Fairs and more...

Back in Dec. I began culling through them, realizing that hoarding all this was a compulsion. One I had to break.

Looking back through all these treasured tomes, what I find fascinating, is how they truelly do manage to record the changes in society, the passing trends but also those that grow into social movements. Even in the case of certain celebrities, how they reflect the highs and lows of both their professional and personal lives. And, because a hoarder cannot stop being a hoarder so easily, I cut out images, sometimes even full articles, that I wish to keep - for scrapbooks, for inspiration, or simply to admire the beauty of a given light or a look. Maybe, after cleaning out and organizing I'll begin to use some to get back to painting...

The secret to window shopping

Today I decided to take myself for a walk. I had a doctor's appointment and thought going and coming back by foot could be today's dose of muscle strengthening rehab. Thing is, I arrived early. My timing is totally off lately. I have to recalibrate how long it takes me to get to places - as now I am back to a decent walking rythm!!!

So - what did I do to kill time? I decided to check out some of the stores in the area. Total cost of this excursion? 0 €!!!! Sure there were some really cute things at the stores, but not only did I not feel inclined to try anything on (Converse All Stars make me lazy that way), but, as I checked out the pieces that caught my eye, I realized there is one extra benefit to finding your style. Namely, that you are NOT so easily waylaid by passing trends but are drawn, again and again, to very similar pieces. And, for me atleast, that makes it easier to resist temptation. After all, I have a good catalogue of what I own filed away in my brain. So I "browse" through it and think "I LIKE MINE BETTER!!!"

All this to say that I am happy to announce I now feel no withdrawal symptoms when checking out shops. I enjoy it, sometimes get some interesting ideas about how to style something I already have, but feel no loss at not being able to pick anything up to go. Aren't you proud? ;-)

Living the frugalista life

Funny how, once you get started on the road of "less is more" it gradually gets not only easier, but more fun to challenge yourself to go further. Suddenly, all that surrounds you and that you have taken for granted all your life takes on a new dimension. Things you felt you couldn't live without become so superfluous that you send them straight to the recycling bin or give them away. Other things, things you had ignored, suddenly grab your attention because of the creative potential they have. You learn to be selective, to think long term.

Also, you learn to make the most of the things you decide to keep. Discovering new functions for them. Lateral thinking becomes a big part of your everyday thoughts. "How can I make the most of this? I no longer need this for X but maybe it could work with Y?" And slowly you realize that you are reducing the amount of what I can only call "static" in your life. Certain aspects of your life, of your personality even, come back into focus. Its something akin to meditation, just that in my case I still need to keep my hands busy while doing it.

Having to think ahead, even designing projects which you can not set them up just yet fill you with hope, is great mental exercise. I am experimenting more with my receipts, even as I am consciously spending less on food. Similarly I am finding ways to keep busy and productive within the confines of my home. One of the best of these self appointed projects, that has given me focus, calm and entertainment through out the worst of this long and frustrating winter has been sewing up "ragmonsters" (see scanned examples above) from old clothes. I've made them for all my nephews and nieces, as Xmas gifts, and really enjoyed the process. What was most surprising though was the response: the kids loved them, and some adults even petitioned for one to call their own!!! I don't dedicate as much time to them now as I did around Xmas, but its become a great way of keeping busy on a lazy evening. Also a great way of giving a new lease of life to clothes that no longer serve their purpose because they are too threadbare to be handed over to charities.

Its a times like this that you begin to understand why some architects and designers say that you become more creative when the boundaries you work with in are very limited. And I, for one, savour the challenge.

Organic cotton - just the beginning?

Ever since I started learning about the way cotton is grown and the difference between "normal" and organic cotton, I have paid closer attention to labels. Its not like I didn't read them before. Always have, because quite honestly, my skin is a bit choosy. It likes all natural materials, tolerates Lycra and Modal, but when nylon comes into contact with it, it tends to react violently: it itches and turns red.

Still, I started paying even more attention. Have you noticed how in most big distribution labels organic cotton tends to be used exclusively for T-shirts? Anyway, T-shirts have definitely been my "way in" to eco fashion. First ones: a couple from the Product (RED) and GAP, bought the last time I was in San Francisco, years ago. They have worn in very nicely... The label above belongs to my latest buy. Found it the other day as I was cleaning out my desk. Organic cotton seems to have become ubiquitous, which should be a good thing... except... reading up on the subject, going to lectures and talking to experts I learned that even if organic cotton is better than normal cotton, it still demands wasting lots of water. So its far from being sustainable.

Not to mention the dyes, although by now most companies do the follow through and organic cotton products are then dyed with the most innocous dyes available. (And yes, in case you were wondering, that is why there tends to be a particular type of colouring that defines eco-fashion. The brighter the colour, the more likely its highly contaminating - you have been warned!)

Anyway, back to the cotton. So now there is wide spread debate in the eco textile/fashion community about whether materials derived from milk protein, bamboo, hemp or other natural sources aren't actually more sustainable, and therefore more truelly ecological than organic cotton. Over the last few years, the textile industry has been focusing on developing new "artificial and yet natural" materials - the most famous or atleast buzz worthy being Cupro - made out of tree celulose and totally recyclable.

As with everything else that has to do with being sustainable, ecoaware, etc... learning to make the right decisions when shopping for clothing is a "learn as you go" process. Which is probably why there is an increasing focus among the ecoaware to encourage second hand and vintage fashion - since the most sustainable of all options is to use all that has already been produced until it falls to shreds. This idea, enhanced through the lense of recession, is at the core of all the brands that now openly recycle their own products or use vintage finds to create new clothing - just like back in the day when our grandmothers would discuss cutting up a dress to make a skirt, or giving a much loved shirt a second lease of life by changing the collar and maybe the sleeves, too...

The whole notion of going back to the future again.