TAVI'S UNITED STATES OF WHATEVER

This weather is pissing me off. Like, what a really mundane thing to say, right? Duh... I can't imagine ANYONE out there is loving the constant blanket of ominous grey cloud hanging over us, broken only by persistent bouts of boke-worthy torrential rain - the kind that makes you PROPER soaked in seconds. NICE.

There's only been one or two nice days in months and frankly I'm SICK of it, which is KIND OF weird since I've always considered myself much more of a winter person - scarves, coats, gloves, jumpers, roaring fires, frosty windows, porridge, Christmas... YUP - but part of the fun of winter is the contrast between it and other actual seasons. Where's the fun in sliding miserably into a sodden Autumn without the dramatic changing of the seasons that makes my heart so happy? Nowhere, that's where. SOB. Get me out of this climate before I develop that SAD disease for real.

ANYWAY, this gorgeous editorial of Tavi (my ultimate love) for Oyster magazine has helped to relieve some of my weather woes this morning. Don't ask me why, it's not like she's prancing around in a bikini at the beach (as IF) but something about it screams summer at me. But in a kind of subtle way. Yeah, that makes sense...

I love the pastel tones, the leafy suburban setting hinting at something a bit menacing (no?) and the way the light and shadow hit her face. Utter babe.

I also LOVE the way she's looking down in almost every shot. Sometimes, as much as I adore Tavi, she can come across a bit precocious and all-knowing, too old for her years (she's only 16). But in these shots she looks sort of coy and self-conscious. I know at 16 I had some serious eye-contact issues and I feel like I can see that awkward teenage, angsty embarrassment in her here. Which is cool. Also enjoying how she's clearly styled herself and it's GENIUS as ever, and that she's kind of gone a bit heavy on the makeup as most 16-year-olds are liable to do.

But yeah, SUMMER. It reminds me of SUMMER. And believe me, it's nice to be reminded and I bundle myself up in jeans and jumpers and frantically search for my umbrella. IN AUGUST. Boke.



ROY LICHTENSTEIN: A RETROSPECITVE

Next month the Art Institute of Chicago will premier a new and extensive exhibition of Roy Lichtenstein's work featuring over 130 pieces of art including his iconic Pop Art comic strip paintings, sculptures, nudes and later abstract expressionist work.

"Lichtenstein is an artist whose work is widely known, reproduced, copied, and parodied—he is an artist that we seem to know well but in fact the true diversity and complexity of his oeuvre is little understood."

Although he's often unjustly overshadowed by Andy Warhol as the premier Pop Artist of the 60s and early 70s, I've actually always preferred Lichtenstein's classic Pop Romance artwork to Warhol's soup cans or Marilyns. As art (which, as a rule I know nothing about) I find it more accessible, easier to get my head around and infinitely more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Call me ignorant but there you go!

 Some of my favourites include his most famous work:

Remember when Marlena from Self Constructed Freak went as Crying Girl for halloween? Pretty much the best idea ever!

I have this on a mug. It's my favourite mug. #stopsayingmug

Not everyone's cup of tea I'm sure, but I'm a sucker for primary colours, bold lines and a love story.

I feel kind of stupid admitting I didn't really know there was much more to Lichtenstein than that, but it turns out that from the mid 70s to early 90s he experimented with more abstract, expressionist work which I'm now also loving. Especially that last one... Muchos Picasso-y, non?

Love. The exhibition will be moving around America before coming to the Tate Modern early next year. If you live around London definitely check it out. I'd love to go!

As a wee side note, here's a quick swatch at Australian designer Josh Goot's SS10 collection which reminds me of a classic Roy Lichtenstein...

Jazzy.