Sailing the Adriatic

Croatia

I've never really been to a proper festival. As an avid music enthusiast, I know I should be a little bit ashamed...but spending three consecutive days in a tent being very wet and very cold (we are talking UK weather here) is just not very appealing to me. That's why this year, I thought I'd have a little bit of a taster and attend Field Day Festival, which takes place in East London's Victoria Park. With acts like SBTRKT, Django Django, Grimes and the fantastic Metronomy headlining, Field Day was the perfect first time-festivalgoer experience. A fantastic atmosphere, boozing from noon onwards and a plethora of  young, talented acts is definitely a recipe for a memorable day. 


We were extremely lucky with the weather; by the time we got there (3pm), the sun had come out,  and it was, for the large part, a very pleasant day with no rain (!). Metronomy were fantastic, although I was a bit disappointed they didn't play a bigger set. Either way, I think I am ready to take it up a notch and attend a more large-scale festival next year. Coachella is the dream... gotta make it happen!


I obviously had a major "what-to-wear" dilemma, and in an ideal world, I would've settled for denim cut off shorts and a tee, but I knew that the weather was unreliable so I thought jeans and a parka would be a safer bet. I also didn't risk bringing my SLR because I am all too aware of a musical crowd's tendency to throw half-drunken bottles of beer at each other.. Definitely a wise decision on my behalf.

Top - James Perse, Jeans - Topshop, Boots - Rag & Bone, Headband - H&M, Coat - American Apparel, Bag - Givenchy

james perse comes to notting hill

Several weeks ago, I was walking down Westbourne Grove on my way home when a black and white sign, right beside my beloved Joseph, caught my eye: JAMES PERSE -- coming soon. My incredulous excitement could hardly be contained. The last (and only) time I was in New York six years ago I had an indulgent shopping spree at Barney's that predominantly consisted of "minimalist casual cool" American labels like Rag & Bone and James Perse. Ever since, I've been hooked. However I'm clearly not the only one with an unhealthy obsession with these labels; I could never actually manage to get my hands on anything I wanted (namely basic tanks and tees) on net-a-porter or Harvey Nichols due to the fact they were ALWAYS sold out/out of stock. Hence why the opening of a flagship James Perse store a mere five minutes away from my home is oh so beyond amazing. The store itself is absolutely gorgeous and is reminiscent of a New York Soho loft-style apartment and is, to my delight, absolutely massive. I snatched up two basic v-neck tees, one white and one grey, in US size 0 (that's the other thing -- finding tees that are fit my small frame is a bit of a nightmare) and left the store a very, very happy customer. 

Jacket - The Kooples, T-shirt - James Perse, Jeans - J Brand, Shoes - Chanel, Bag - Givenchy, Necklace + Ring - Freedom for Topshop

parklife

Could it...be? A ray of sun? Does that mean I can finally ditch the jackets, coats and knitwear that I have been unwelcomely sporting for the better part of, oh, just like, six months now? I don't know, but all I know is that today I'm heading to Kensington Gardens and spending my day photosynthesising in the sun. Without a jacket.

Top - Sandro, Skirt - H&M, Bag - Chloe, Sunglasses - Ray Ban, Boots - Office, Watch - Michael Kors, Necklace - Topshop

an afternoon in hampshire

The other week I ventured out to Winchester to see a beloved friend and "attain cultural edification". Never really made it to the cathedral. Instead, we had wine. Lots and lots of wine. 

Jacket - Rick Owens, Top - H&M, Jeans - J Brand, Necklace - Topshop, Bag - Givenchy

waste not

I had been meaning to go to an exhibition at the Barbican for the longest time now. I don't know if it's the trip to Barbican itself (as a Westie, travelling to the East is usually a mission I reserve only when absolutely necessary, like balayage-ing my hair at Radio salon) that hinders me, or the fact that I usually opt for the Tate or South Bank instead, but on this horribly miserable, rainy Saturday in May I thought it was time to take man up and take the trip to see Song Dong's exhibition entitled "Waste Not".

Being the ultimate anti-hoarder that I am (I tend to sweep everything and anything that I deem useless into the trash and strive to make my home as least cluttered as humanly possible), the idea that someone would spend their lifetime collecting...stuff, seems rather unfathomable. But this installation, which gathers 10,000 everyday objects that Song's mother cultivated over a period of five decades, is strangely affecting and very sentimental.

And whilst I'd probably suffer from a stress induced fit if I lived in this overly jammed household, I felt like I could relate to Song's narrative (or, more to be more precise, his mother's narrative) because of my own ties to a Soviet past. Hazy memories of my grandmother similarly "hoarding" items the average Westerner would deem unusable re-emerge in my mind.  This exhibition put together a very vivid family portrait but it also brought back an abundance of personal memories and a deeper understanding of those who feel the need to compulsively collect.