Quote of the day: Nile Rodgers



Nile-Rodgers-Chic

“Your jeans would wear out in the crotch area – and we’re wearing very low rise, low waisted jeans – so you’d put the patches right where you want the girls to look. It was all stratgetically done. It was all done so that a girl would walk into a room and couldn’t help but look there. In retrospect, I now know that is what I was doing. At the time you’d say, “No, I’m just mending these jeans because they’re torn or they’re ripped.” But somehow they were always torn and ripped in the exact right place.”

Nile Rodgers on the mating rituals of 70s fashion, GQ

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Personalised jeans? this way please…



MIH-monogrammed-jeans

More on the denim personalisation front. Last weekend I spent a happy hour at Selfridges playing with denim swatches, buttons, rivets and zips to build my own version of 3×1 boyfriend jeans. The New York-based denim brand owned by Scott Morrison (founder of Paper, Denim Cloth and Earnest Sewn) sells its RTW jeans at Selfridges’ Denim Studio (which you can read all about here), but for three days only was also offering its custom service to London denim heads.

I chose my favourite cut of jeans, then configured the best denim, thread colour, pocket style, rivets, buttons and zips to make them up in. It was a truly indulgent experience. (My jeans should arrive in three weeks from the 3×1 denim factory in New York). [UPDATE: This way for the finished article.]

Not quite as intensive but still a fun self-branding service is the monogramming that’s being offered by MIH jeans and Mother Jeans. Both use traditional hand monogramming to stitch initials onto a new pair of jeans.

For your monogrammed Mother denim, head to Selfridges Oxford Street’s Denim Studio this weekend only, where you chosen Mother jeans will be embroidered free of charge while you wait (roughly 30-40 minutes depending what you have done). For your MIH Hawthorne & Heaney embroidered jeans, order the ones you want online and follow the instructions. Your monogrammed jeans should be delivered in two weeks.

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Buy it now: AW13 first drop



As is the rule, the hottest British weather is accompanied by fresh in-store deliveries of, well, knits, boots, scarves and socks. So here are my picks of the new autumn collections that you could wear now, after sundown should you so wish (although ideally not all at once). My vote goes to the Carven sweater and Matthew Miller ‘Born To Fail’ men’s top – especially teamed with J.W. Anderson’s ample skirt. Plus a bit of equestrian detail (on the Village England bag – new label alert!) is always welcome for the summer-autumn switchover…

Village-EnglandMatthew-Miller-menswearElyona Wolf Badger
Burberry Carven-aw13APC-socks
JWA Moda OperandiTabitha-simmons-aw13River-Island-Ring

ABOVE LEFT TO RIGHT:
TOP: Village England bag, £165; Matthew Miller men’s top, £195; Elyona ear cuff, £133
MIDDLE: Burberry scarf, £295; Carven jumper, £320; APC socks, £25
BOTTOM: J.W. Anderson skirt, €755; Tabitha Simmons boots, £815; River Island ring, £15

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How to use a Clarisonic



Clarisonic-Plus

Last week I had my first hands-on demo of the infamous Clarisonic to launch its new counter in House Of Fraser on Oxford Street. Alas, 15 minutes before my appointment, I found the store temporarily closed due to a power failure, so the expected chi-chi demonstration became a potted history with Daniel Sandler on the pavement until the doors reopened and we set to.

Make-up artist Daniel Sandler discovered the Clarisonic on a trip to the States a few years ago and helped to spread the word on his return to the UK. The Clarisonic then became something of a cult, nay a phenomenon, which has now spawned quite a few imitations. But they’re not exactly the same. Clarisonic’s famous oscillating technology has been patented, meaning none of the copies are an exact match. Whereas the competitors tend to have rotating brushes, these have brushes that gently vibrate back and forth to break down oil and dirt. This means that if used properly, it shouldn’t stimulate acne or aggravate sensitive skin. According to my demonstrator, while you may experience a breakout the first time, this is just the result of deep pore cleaning, much like a post-facial breakout, but subsequent cleanses should be fine.

Here’s what else I learnt:

*You don’t need to scrub or apply pressure, just gently move the brush in circular motions guided by the timer. There are also special brush heads for delicate or sensitive skin.

*You do need to clean and dry the brush head each time you use it. You can use it in the shower but don’t store it in there wet attracting mould (ew).

*Don’t use an oil or cream cleanser. If you wear a lot of heavy makeup, Daniel recommends double cleansing, so use your rich oil or cream cleanser to remove makeup first, then use a water-based cleanser with the Clarisonic.

*Men love the Clarisonic too. It has a brush attachment that lifts the beard to prepare for a closer shave and guys with ultra short hair can even use it on their heads.

*You can also use the Clarisonic Plus on the body, even dry for circulation-boosting dry body brushing. And it’s apparently very effective in reducing those icky upper arm bumps (otherwise known as keratosis pilaris).

At £125-£179, the Clarisonic clearly isn’t cheap. But it’s a tool that dermatologists (its original customers) and make-up artists swear by for prepping the skin to help absorb products more efficiently.  Effectively, I guess that also means your expensive creams,  serums and make-up will perform better so you’ll need to use less. In that sense,  it’s really not a bad investment.

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