Cream Fiat 500

This is turning into a car entusiast's site. Apologies for that but can't help myself when I see a beauty...This was a particularly unusual sighting as the Cinquecentos tended to come in primary colours, mostly red, and I sure have never seen one in pastel. Lovely though!!

Moments and Whatnauts: Girls

Promised a long time ago to focus more on music and my favourite ditties of the moment.

Well, here's my latest discovery, an infuriatingly catchy tune from '75. Now Boogie!

Mercedes 280SL Automatic 1969(?)

I still remember the moment when, while moseying along the cobbled side streets of New York's West Village, this vision, this apparition in cherry red and tan leather seats materialised before my eyes out of the haze of a hot summer morning. It was a Mercedes 280SL with its top down and it was love at first sight. (Can't vouch for it being mutual.) The single most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my short life...And this love affair with the 280SL has persisted ever since...which is peculiar as I have never sat behind the wheel of an automobile!

SHE'S A BEAUT!

The Wartime Gents

Keep seeing these chaps on their jaunty velocipedes (Brooks saddles - naturellement!) always decked out in tweed or '40s workmans garb and brogues finished off with a flat cap. My guess is they're office managers at Staples, non?...

Now That's What I Call a Beard Part 47

Photo: Raf Dienert

A luxorious beard, as sported by artist and overall good egg David Harkins. Is it any wonder that he is also a sometime top end facion model?!!

http://www.davidharkins.co.uk

Upholstery Fabric

Photo: Raf Dienert

Once in awhile one is fortunate enough to get caught up in someone's gail force of a personality as happened when this lass crash-banged into my orbit at my favourite boozer. I'd been admiring her getup for some time when I finally put a feeling of intimidation aside and approached her. Her energy matched the craziness of her outfit which seemed to be something off the back of granny's settee. She was mad as a hatter and that's a good thing!

Where to start?! Obviously, that cape/poncho/thing is the first piece anyone will notice. What incredible design and colours! Can't decide if it's '50-60s inspired or something more tribal - which the necklace and plastic bangles on her wrist seem to point toward...The shoes are also fittingly quirky...but it's the hair that completes this super original look. Princess Leia meets Boney M circa 1977. A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!

Absolutely no doubt in my mind that she will be one of the top contenders for Style Icon of 2010! Formidable! (Fr)

(I'm waiting for better pictures of her, so watch this space!)

Blue Wall

Photo: Raf Dienert

This was taken by one of my army of contract snappers (sic), Rafael Dienert. Nice one, Raf!

Rice Sack Shoulder Bag

Photo: Raf Dienert

Colour co-ordination taken almost too far... Please observe the trainers and the colours of the bag. Madness, but works perfectly for me. A very cool bag it is too

(What a poser in the background!)

The Appropriated Country Gent Look

A contemporary take on the tired country squire look. Loving the breeches with the football socks and adidas trainers

Another Stylish Japanese Man

Fuchsia Cords

How strange! Bright cords back to back...Last week in mustard, today in purplish pink. A lovely colour, this, but it sure requires cojones to leave the house in. The face clearly betrays the cheekiness that's essential to carry off this look. Also loved the jacket made of thickish but soft jersey.

Yellow and Pink!

This chap just could not understand why I'd be so interested in him which made him even more extraordinary to me...

Lately I've been thinking a lot about what makes us "like" something and dislike others...Is it merely a matter of taste or the cultural influence of our peers, the media, or our aspirations? Or is it perhaps that our senses are triggered by an earlier memory so embedded in our brains that we are no longer able to pinpoint that formative experience, be it a building that we connected with, a bunch of flowers we spotted at a Vienna basement window, or the colour of our mother's petticoat, which all form a value system that becomes a guide to help us make instantaneous decisions later on in life.

So, the scarf and the trousers made me think today, why indeed do I like this unusual combination? After much brain racking, an image flickered back into memory. Maurizio Nichetti. Ratataplan. A favorite director and film of my childhood. One of the supporting characters amongst the cavalcade of funny men was a young woman with a penchant for fuchsia overalls and yellow T-shirts. Now I don't remember much else from this movie but somehow that outfit captured my imagination and hence my passion for primary colours!...Or is it that simple?

Anyway, let us enjoy a bit of colour amongst our bankers' dull greys and pinstripes

(Note also the purple jumper!)

Argyle Socks

LOVE this look!

The Reconditioned Workman's Jacket

Forget the exact date this jacket originated from but it sure felt like at least a century old. The colourful buttons (my current obsession), the patches and threads are all part of the recent reconditioning. Accordingly, the garment cost a pretty penny...