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Red Thursday



COS red funnel neck sweater

Black Friday may be all anyone can talk about this week, but I’m over it already. I’m all about, er, Red Thursday.

To counter the unflattering November light, I’ve got my eye on this rustic red Babaà no61 jumper with its cropped balletic proportions (below) or the COS Campbell’s Soup red funnel neck jumper* (US link here*, above) – suitably slouchy to accommodate a HeatTech layer – or three.

Babaa no61 jumper

Speaking of which, Uniqlo’s HeatTech socks are amazing. I have these* in cream, but the chilli red are calling out as a gentle ‘pop of colour’ – sorry Nicky Haslam – against winter white knits and denim (ideally with a derby, brogue or Paraboot*).

Staying in? I love these brand new Ultra Soft alpaca bed socks from Pairs Scotland in red (a gift) – perfect pairing with tan shearling Birks*.

NOW CLICK BELOW TO SHOP THE POST (I MAY EARN A COMMISSION ON THE BASKET VALUE OF ITEMS BOUGHT*)…

WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGES: COS, Babaà
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here

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CLICK HERE to buy my book, The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman
CLICK HERE to buy my beauty book, Face Values: The New Beauty Rituals and Skincare

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Last night



Hanif Kureishi Substack

Last night I went to the Substack Writers’ Party, invited as a plus one by my friend Katie.

It was held at Reference Point, the reference-library-slash-bookshop-slash-bar near Somerset House. It was super busy and quite network-y but also, fun. Best of all, we got chatting to Carlo Kureishi, the screenwriter son of writer Hanif Kureishi. Carlo is also known as the guy who types up the Substacks dictated by his dad, since his dad endured a freak accident a year ago that resulted in him unable to use his hands or any other limbs and obviously unable to write.

Hanif Kureishi is the writer famous for books and films including The Buddha of Suburbia and My Beautiful Laundrette, but his writing on Substack is possibly more astonishing and thought-provoking. According to Carlo, “dad” speaks his prose to Carlo, who types it verbatim onto the computer, the words, sentences and paragraphs coming out fast, furious and fully formed. They then make minor tweaks together, then Carlo presses Publish.

I find this process fascinating. As a slow writer who writes in longhand, editing as I go, I cannot fathom how someone just verbally dictates extremely high quality, raw (in feeling) yet refined (in language and ideas), philosophically provocative and often very funny posts, off the cuff while mostly bed-bound recovering from a shocking accident. Perhaps in the absence of normal everyday activity, the mind, imagination and memory are hyper-sharpened to compensate…? (Plus, clearly he’s not a best-selling writer for nothing.)

Carlo also talked about Kureishi’s friend Salman Rushdie who flew to visit him, having experienced his own life-changing injuries after being stabbed on stage at an event last year. While our conversation was tinged with a ‘there but for the grace of god’ seriousness, it was mixed with an appreciation for humanity and for the reader community bonded by empathy and shared experience.

You can read The Kureishi Chronicles Substack here.

And as it fits the sentiment, this feels like a good time to wish my U.S readers a Happy Thanksgiving!

WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGE: Via The Kureishi Chronicles
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here

CLICK HERE to get Disneyrollergirl blog posts straight to your inbox once a week
CLICK HERE to buy my book, The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman
CLICK HERE to buy my beauty book, Face Values: The New Beauty Rituals and Skincare Secrets

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Quote of the day: Caroline Coon



The Slits 1977 by Caroline Coon

“Some people disparage us looking back; they call it nostalgia. But from my point of view, it is ever necessary to remember and never forget authentic excitement and creative energy, especially in times of political crisis and despair. Today, in yet another moment of political crisis and despair, it is good to remember that challenging the status quo is possible and people can make their voices heard. And although at the time such insurgency is often dismissed, contrary to what the establishment would wish, positive creativity counts. It does make a mark. It matters and it changes society.”
Artist and activist, Caroline Coon

I can’t wait to see Nothing to Lose. The Punk Photographs of Caroline Coon, Caroline Coon’s selling exhibition at the Centre for British Photography, which opened last Thursday and is only on until 17th December. I’ve been researching women and punk for the last couple of months and Caroline was one of the leading female protagonists of the early UK punk movement. As well as photographing the scene, she was a journalist, The Clash manager, human rights activist and an incredible painter.

Do read the rest of her address here and check out the exhibition here. All profits from photography sales will go to support the gallery’s work with grants, open calls, workshops and other public projects.

WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGE: The Slits, 1977 by Caroline Coon
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here

CLICK HERE to get Disneyrollergirl blog posts straight to your inbox once a week
CLICK HERE to buy my book, The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman
CLICK HERE to buy my beauty book, Face Values: The New Beauty Rituals and Skincare Secrets

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Follow a stylist



Suzanne Koller T Magazine Keizo Kitajima

Influencers, schminfluencers! If you want styling ideas, better to follow the stylists.

Compared to photographers, the best in the biz are still fairly elusive on Instagram (where are you, Joe McKenna?!) but once you locate them, they’re worth checking in with. They tend to repeat their tricks across the brands and publications they work for, so it’s easy to see all their ideas and influences in one place.

For starters, I follow Brian Molloy (he styles The Row, TOD’S and newly trendy Tory Burch shows), Suzanne Koller (of Self Service and M Le Magazine Du Monde fame, and she just did that Carven show), Jane How (the reason COS* campaigns look so good) and Jodie Barnes (Hermès, Fantastic Man and Studio Nicholson fabulosity)…

Drop your faves in the comments…

Suzanne Koller Senta Simond Self Service
Suzanne Koller Kaia Gerber
Suzanne Koller Stef Mitchell Self Service
Brian Molloy styling for M Magazine - photo by Karim Sadli
Brian Molloy The Row
Brian Molloy Tory Burch aw23
Brian Molloy TOD'S ss24

Jane How Daniel Jackson COS
Jane How Daniel Jackson COS
Mark Kean Jodie Barnes Fantastic Man
Mark Kean Jodie Barnes Fantastic Man

WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGES: Suzanne Koller for T Magazine by Keizo Kitajima; Suzanne Koller x 3; Brian Molloy for M Magazine by Karim Sadli; Brian Molloy for The Row; Brian Molloy for Tory Burch AW23; Brian Molloy for TOD’S SS24; Jane How for COS x 2 by Daniel Jackson; Jodie Barnes by Mark Kean for Fantastic Man
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here

CLICK HERE to get Disneyrollergirl blog posts straight to your inbox once a week
CLICK HERE to buy my book, The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman
CLICK HERE to buy my beauty book, Face Values: The New Beauty Rituals and Skincare Secrets

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