SAMANTHA XU FOR ID MAGAZINE

Chinese model Samantha Xu is stunning in a recent i-D shoot, no?

New obsession.

NEW YORKERS IN LOVE

Whilst perusing the New Yorker site (which I do aw the time cos I'm so cultured and that) I noticed the cute cover illustration - New Yorkers in Love - by Luci Gutiérrez.

I don't know why but there's something very Love Story about these two, no? I can't recall if Ali MacGraw actually wears a beret in Love Story (my heart and fuzzy memory says she does) but still, it's a sweet image.

The New Yorker ran a wee feature on it, including a few pictures of similar cover illustrations from the 1920s which were so cool I had to share em...

My favourite is the sailor and floozy - ooft!

Not convinced about this last one but I guess you could argue the couple in love here are the two in the foreground having A TOTAL LOL.

Anyways, d'awwwww! 20s New York, I'd like to be in you.

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.



CLAIRE DANES FOR ASOS MAGAZINE

Some of you may well have seen this editorial when the May edition of ASOS Magazine popped through your letterbox this morning but I couldn't NOT post it here since Claire is my number 1 homegurl LIKE YOU DIDN'T ALL ALREADY KNOW (I only mention her in like every second post afterall...)

I'm thrilled to see 32-year-old Claire representing what I've always considered to be a very young, teen-targeted retailer like ASOS. Clearly still on her Homeland promo run, this latest editorial shows her at her best, looking relaxed, confident and radiant, and the accompanying interview - while not exactly ground-breaking - works well as a charming introduction for younger folk unfamiliar with her general awesomeness. I wish they hadn't made her talk about TOWIE though. She's cool and relevant enough without shoe-horning that pointless quip in.

Styling wise I would have changed up that first tank top in the cover shot though, and maybe replaced it with something floral...? Not into that motif thing. But other than that the looks are spot on, especially the hair and makeup.

Love ya Claire! And loving how amazingly that video links this post to my last :)

STELLA TENNANT FOR VOGUE ITALIA

Whilst in Venice last month, I picked myself up that iconic style bible that is Vogue Italia. Not just any old Vogue Italia, but the SEPTEMBER ISSUE of Vogue Italia. How many more times can I say Vogue Italia?

Anyway, Obviously it was the best 5 Euros I've ever spent in my puff! Absolutely massive, really more like a book than a magazine, it's totally packed to the rafters with the most stunning ads, editorials and features you've ever seen. Seriously.

None more so than the cover editorial of British model Stella Tennant channelling Ethel Granger - the woman who held the record for the smallest waist in the world - shot by Steven Meisel.

More ART than anything else, the collection of photos entitled The Discipline of Fashion are disturbing at first but ultimately I found them fascinating and beautiful. Now, I can't get enough of them:

(casually planking, obviously)

The original: Ethel Granger

Wait!! DON'T FREAK OUT like I did at first... Stella's waist isn't actually THAT tiny (though it is still really small) - it was actually photoshopped later to resemble Ethel's 13-incher. Ouchies!

Have a gander at the beautiful behind-the-scenes video for the shoot if you don't believe me.

What do you guys reckon about these photos. Creepy or strangely beautiful? I would never have said I was into extreme body-modification or whatevs, but something about the discipline and sheer determination taken to create this freaky look is pretty impressive. Respect.

No?