lifestyle leader: February 2010

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Prunings LIV

(Ryan Thompson, Glacial Erratic I, 2009. More on glacial erratics. Source.)

1) On Urban Omnibus is an interview of the organizers of Foodprint NYC, Nicola Twilley and Sarah Rich. Says Twilley, “[F]ood is an incredibly powerful tool for connecting seemingly disparate issues. It is a magical lens that allows you to see the landscape in a different way.”

2) Metropolis on landscape architect Jacques Wirtz's garden in Schoten, Belgium.

3) Spillway on Kieran Timberlake's winning design for the new U.S. Embassy in London.

4) The public comment period on the National Mall Plan is open until March 18, 2010. We knew that the National Mall is the most contested territory in the Western Hemisphere, if not the entire world (which would include Jerusalem), but we were dumbstruck to learn just how many government entities have jurisdiction over the lands and roads within and adjacent to the plan area. In addition to the competing interests of a bewilderingly heterogeneous citizenry, planners have to do deal with the following agencies: the National Park Service, the Architect of the Capitol, the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, the Department of Agriculture, the General Services Administration, the District of Columbia, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the D.C. Historic Preservation Office.

5) The Pop-Up City on a floating park for Amsterdam.

Mapping Development

at 7:00 AM

David Ricardo was an early proponent of the idea of comparative advantage. Roughly stated, comparative advantage suggests that when a particular economy has an advantage at producing a certain type of good, relative to other goods, it should focus on that good and then trade the surplus to other economies for whatever else it needs.

It helps to think of this at the individual level: a farmer is better off producing one item really well (say, coffee) and selling that item in the market to buy other goods (like clothing), than trying to do everything independently. This also advantages clothing-makers who aren't good at growing coffee by allowing them to focus on doing what they do best. Everyone will be better off if the coffee farmer specializes in coffee. And so it is with countries, says Ricardo.

The trouble is, the concept of comparative advantage isn't very dynamic. There are many reasons why an economy would not want to produce just one good and have to buy everything else (price volatility, poverty, etc). But one cannot simply turn coffee farmers into commercial jet engineers very easily. For resource-rich countries looking to diversify their workforce, the question of how to move up the value-added chain is vital.

Insert the authors of the Product Space. Over at their website, these clever folks have tried to math out the links between different types of goods. The research is based on the notion of proximity, or "that the ability of a country to produce a product depends on its ability to produce other ones. For example, a country with the ability to export apples will probably have most of the conditions suitable to export pears. They would certainly have the soil and the climate, together with the appropriate packing technologies, frigorific trucks and containers. They would also have the human capital, particularly the agronomists that could easily learn the pear business. However, when we consider a different business such as mining, textiles or appliance manufacture, all or most of the capabilities developed for the apple business render useless."

That seems pretty straight-forward, but here's where it gets cool: they try to map out these linkages, and break it down by country. Go ahead, have a look. You'll notice that some goods are linked closely to others, while others are off on their own.

It's too bad they haven't mapped out the United Arab Emirates yet, because they could really use a glance at one of these things. They might then realize that oil production is not in any way linked to "indoor ski hill in the desert." But I doubt it.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Happy Chinese New Year!

at 8:54 AM

Today my Auntie and Uncle held a Chinese New Year party, with an abundance of food, people, and yummy tea. I actually ate an absurd amount of noodles, they were so good!
I love this dress, I got it a few years ago and was so glad it fit, since authentic mandarin dresses usually don't so I buy the 50s american made ones whatever change I get.

1930s accessories giveaway!

at 8:51 AM

Thank you everyone for all your support, interest, and comments, I wish I could give each and every one of you a little gift to show my appreciation, but I think the closest I can get to is a few giveaways, so you have a better chance of winning something!

The first is a set of 1930s accessories, with a little black straw topper, tiny purse, and rhinestone brooch (I don't think the brooch is from the 30s, but it completed the look). The 1930s suit is for sale here, but all you have to do to win the accessories is leave a comment on this post! The giveaway will last for 24 hours, then there will be a 1940s set giveaway, and then a 1950s giveaway. So if these things don't strike your fancy stay tuned! This giveaway will be open until about 6:30 pacific time on Wednesday the 17th. Good Luck!

1950s accessories giveaway!

at 8:49 AM

Last but not least this week is a set of 1950s accessories, with a robins egg blue purse, white flower pin, and straw hat with pink satin ribbon. If you like the dress you can buy it here. All you need to do to enter is comment on this post, open to international readers! The giveaway will close around 8:00 tomorrow, Friday the 19th, pacific time.

Up next is a 1940s set, with hat, flowers, and little clutch. If you like the dress you can buy it here. All you need to do to enter is comment on this post, it is open to international readers, and will close around 7:30 pacific time tomorrow the 18th. Don't worry if you think you're too late to enter, I'll close comments when time comes to pick a winner ;)

Spring topper.

at 8:45 AM

I've been waiting for a nice day to wear this hat, it's on of my favorites, but then again, all my 30s toppers are. Rain is back on it's way so I figured I'd better wear it before it's too late. The structure is very simple, but what makes this hat is the dripping flowers and veil. It's dramatic in the softest and most feminine of ways :)

Hop Skip and a Jump,

at 7:50 AM

This week has been a blur of work and sleep.. Back from Paris which was fabulous!! Seeing all the fashion trends for winter 2010/2011 was great and the fashion shows where as entertaining as always!! I managed a quick half day of shopping in between working and managed to take a few photos of the fashion show, apologies for the delay to load they are pretty big images!

I just loved this carousel! If id had more time i would taken a million photos, the ceiling was all hand painted and it was two tiers.. would've been a fabulous place to have a photoshoot! I also fell in love with the grey dress above with lace, it was a steal at only £900!! lol!

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Dear Valentines Day..

at 7:44 AM

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

I spent my Valentines weekend at the beach with Dave, it was late afternoon when these photos were taken but it got dark so quickly and it was freezing!! So I was so glad i had my ridiculously massive scarf with me to wrap around my head! This is one of my favourite jumpers its big, loose, soft and oh so comfy!

We spent our time walking on the beach, drinking wine, laughing, exchanging gifts, eating delicious food (all prepared by Dave)

Wearing: H&M jumper & leggings, giant scarf Primark, River Island boots, jewellery: Vintage.

How did you spend you Valentines weekend?

(Poem by E E Cummings)

Ps still time to enter my Giveaway, just have to be a follower, leave a comment below asking me to enter you. Winners will be picked this week!

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Friday, February 26, 2010

Snow White and Rose Red

at 12:43 PM

"There was once a poor widow who lived in a lonely cottage. In front of the cottage was a garden wherein stood two rose trees, one of which bore white and the other red roses. She had two children who were like the two rose trees and one was called Snow-White, and the other Rose-Red."

"Snow-White was more quiet and gentle than Rose-Red. Rose-Red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields; but Snow-White stayed more at home..."

"They often ran about the forest alone and gathered red berries, and no beasts did them any harm"

The above excerpts were taken from "Snow-White and Rose-Red" by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm (The brothers Grimm.) I have had a longheld fascination with fairytales, from childhood. I was read countless tales by my parents, before graduating to reading them myself and listening to taped versions. I have a feeling they have influenced me in countless ways, such as my love of literature and also as a rich source of inspiration. This tale was one I knew, of two young girls and their kindness to a talking bear who turns up at their house.. who then turns out to be a prince. (Obviously! What else do you expect from a fairytale?) The idea of the two polar opposite sisters inspired an idea for a shoot about six months ago. I already had a white dress, but needed to find a red one to contrast it with. Luckily I did, and here is the shoot!

The red dress was fortuitously found hanging in a charity shop. It is Laura Ashley, and I'm assuming it was a bridesmaid's dress in the eighties. Although slightly unnapealing to look at on a hanger, it has that perfect, slightly over the top fairytale/ princess feel- right down to the puffed sleeves and V shaped waistline. It reminds me of the kind of dresses I would draw when I was little! I added a little black vintage belt and red silk shoes from ebay. The pendant is from a vintage market stall.

The white vintage dress was given to me by a friend of a friend. So thanks Clara! I love it.. The detail of the fabric is beautiful, and I love the 'sixties vibe' that it exudes. I have a white top on underneath- though more for warmth. As you can probably tell from the contrast between the white dress and my red hands, it was completely freezing! The shoes are sixties too- thrifted. Slightly too small, but very loved. The ankle socks and tights throughout were christmas presents.

The first and last shots were taken in the remains of a ruined stone cottage that we found. Reminds me of the cottage mentioned in the story!

It was quite a relief to have access to the internet again today. After a web free week on holiday, I was having what seemed to be blog-withdrawal-symptoms! So it was really lovely to log on and find all your thoughtful comments on my last post, I really appreciate it.

Thanks to dad again for taking the photos (& to my family for patience in the cold while the photos were taken!)

Spring Hats and Shoes 1944

at 12:02 PM

Spring 1944 was a particularly lean time for British shoppers. The preparations for D-Day meant that most manufacturing and imports were destined for the armed forces not civilians.

Picture Post Article March 1944 Page 1. Click for bigger picture.

Picture Post Article March 1944 Page 2. Click for bigger picture.

Hats, while not rationed had become very expensive and many were price-capped (sorry) to prevent exhorbitant profits.

Jacoll Stitched Beret with maximum price stamp.

Shoes were simply very hard to come by and Ursula Bloom the Agony Aunt of several middle class womens magazines quotes a story that shoppers had to have a ticket merely to join the queue at the shoe shop!

Low wedge by Lotus with golfing fringe. March 1944. Click for bigger picture.

Rayne Courts for Marshall & Snelgrove. March 1944. Click for bigger picture.

Wooden soled shoes were promoted throughout 1943 and 1944 but were not very popular.
In the north of the country wooden soled clogs were the garb of mill girls and were a marker of social class. Mill girls wanted leather soled shoes as a signifier of betterment and the middle classes would not wear them for similar social reasons. Others said the hinged sole let in the rain and that they were difficult to wear. Some magazines had tips on how to walk in them.