La Dolce Vita

Italy- my favourite place in the world. Host to some of the most beautiful sites and scenery, full of gorgeous people with amazing style and home of some of the best art, culture and fashion. Lets not even get started on the coffee, ice cream and pasta...

I've been lucky enough to spend time in a number of Italian destinations, from Florence, to Venice and Capri- but what i've seen that remains a constant in all these places is the importance of family, which i love. And which is why i am currently obsessing over Dolce and Gabbana's spring/summer 2012 advertising campaign.

In the images fashion design pair D&G celebrate Italian cinema (which has been a constant inspiration for their collections) and Italy's film icons like Sofia Loren, who, as they've said "personify seduction and comfort at the same time". The shots are meant to appear as stills from a film set in southern Italy, some even featuring real life Italian actors.

Aren't the photos great?! I love the stunning women in those dresses, the wonderfully dressed children, and the presence of the grandparents- the warm colouring and sepia tones just make the images even more dreamy and cinematic. Can my future family be like this please? One of my distant hopes is actually to escape to Portofino, make wine for a living and sail a boat on the shores- i now just need to find an Italian husband. Hmm...

Going Wild

This post is not about my crazy party lifestyle* but instead the fabulous Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition i went to at the Natural History Museum yesterday.

The show really was wonderful, it was great reading the photographers stories that went with their entries, it really made the images seem a lot more personal and it was amazing seeing what individuals go through to capture really special photos. From spending days on freezing cold terrain to nearly being attacked by huge animals, some of the tales proved that nature photography is on a whole other level! Being interested in photography myself the show even made me thinking about using some new techniques...

Within the exhibition there was a photojournalism award which went to Daniel Beltra for his photo series The Price of Oil. The colour and patterns seen in the images are beautiful, despite the fact they portray the terrible BP oil spill that occurred in Louisiana in 2010. However what i find most interesting is Beltra's reasoning behind the appearance of the photos: "Photographs of disasters are often harsh. This set of images wouldn't look out of place in an art gallery, where families could look at them and discuss them. It's a route to understanding that doesn't depend on shock. I think it helps get the message to a wider audience, because if the image is aesthetically appealing, people are more likely to stop and read the caption."

Migaloo, the only all white humpback whale in the world. I loved the photos of him in the show and how he seemed a gorgeous turquoise colour underneath the ocean waves.

The "Wildscape" photos blew my mind, they really conveyed how as a photographer you're sometimes exposed to once in a lifetime, other-worldly scenes. I've always wanted to see the Northern Lights, and the glow of the light and the stars in this image just made me want to go even more!

I also really liked Martin Cooper's take on wildlife in urban surroundings, this silhouette of a coyote against railway tracks is just stunning.

And this photo of a hippo just really made me laugh for some reason, i was genuinely cracking up in the middle of the exhibition. I can't believe they've been named as the most dangerous animal in the world...

Overall i would highly recommend going to see this photo show- even if you're not specifically interested by photography, there's always an engaging image to see and in general the exhibition showcases a lot of creative talent. And plus, the Museum is always a fun day out! Walking through the other rooms almost made me want to give up my journalism career dreams and try and be something cool like a geologist/palaeontologist. But somehow i don't think i'll get very far with just a B in Biology GCSE and no qualification what so ever in Geography...

Until next time! xxx

*I don't actually have a party lifestyle. I drink a lot of tea and quote Shakespeare plays.

Fashion things which have been inspiring me

As with much of the teenage youth of today i am blog obsessed, here are some looks which i have been pondering and admiring (but not imitating, because i have no money) recently... oh and excuse my very vague and unoriginal post title :/

Umm where can i get my hands on a great sheer python print shirt like this? Love it

This isn't something that i would exactly wear myself, but i really like how Shala Monroque has pulled this outfit together. When i first saw these car emblazoned skirts from Prada's spring/summer 2012 collection i really wasn't a fan and all i could think was "who is actually going to wear that?!". But here Shala just looks so wonderful and unique with the clean white shirt, fur and those gorgeous crystal earrings.

I love the texture and colour in her jumper that she's paired with a basic black skirt and heels. Definitely my kind of style... and those killer legs!

This is probably still the best seasonal/party wear outfit i've seen, i actually LOVE it. I'm a big fan of neutral colours like creams, so this paired with the feathers and jewels and nude heels is just so darn pretty! And the red lips pull it all together, perfect.

Image 1 found on Tumblr, the rest credit goes to the amazing street style blog of Vanessa Jackman

Ohh Florence...

Currently totally in love with Florence + The Machine's cover of "Take Care", the title track from Drake's new album that features Rihanna.

I was immediately in love when i heard the original, which samples Gill Scott Heron and was produced by Jamie XX, the man who's one half of the mercury award winning, alternative duo The XX.

Performing it for the Radio One live lounge, I think Florence does an excellent job at handling the rapping parts of the song, that amazing voice of hers brings a whole new meaning to the lyrics.

Also, if you haven't already heard more of his material, listen to Jamie XX's remixes of these tracks by Adele and Jack Penate. Love the beats he brings to the ordinarily pop/indie tunes...

Winter Winds

Just thought i'd share my winter buys that i've purchased recently! And since i am not yet a famous blogger or have any sort of assistant to take cool photos of me actually wearing these items, i'm afraid it's a case of copy and paste...

I've seen these Topshop boots on quite a few people and instantly loved them- i know they are in fact just black with a zip, but once they're worn in they look gorgeous. And although with my already 5"10 frame i look taller, i took the plunge and bought them. You know those things which you just can't stop thinking about until you actually own them? Yeah that was the case with these boots...

I bought this American Apparel "fisherman" style pullover whilst i worked the rummage sale at just a snip of £25 instead of the usual £66. It's proved to become one of those wardrobe basics that looks great with a lot of things, especially with a collared shirt underneath. I keep wearing it...in fact i'm wearing it right now.

And whilst bloggers world wide rejoice that winter fashion has arrived once again, i cry inside. You should know that i really don't like winter, and i really don't like coats. However this wonderful coat from Urban Outfitters has changed my former opinions- the subtle brown almost maroon colour, leather lapel and oversized style make it pretty much perfect! Hopefully it will keep me warm and toasty :)

images courtesy of Topshop, American Apparel and Urban Outfitters

Remembering

Move him into the sun -
Gently its touch awoke him once,
At home, whispering of fields unsown.
Always it woke him, even in France,
Until this morning and this snow.
If anything might rouse him now
The kind old sun will know.

Think how it wakes the seeds, -
Woke, once, the clays of a cold star.
Are limbs, so dear-achieved, are sides,
Full-nerved, - still warm, - too hard to stir?
Was it for this the clay grew tall?
- O what made fatuous sunbeams toil
To break earth's sleep at all?

Futility by Wilfred Owen

Man Repelling

Leandra Medine from the blog The Man Repeller talks through her wardrobe. I love her and her blog, it's so fun to read through and she has such great style. One of my favourite things about her as a blogger is that it seems she really enjoys fashion and playing around with it, plus her writing style is so light hearted, honest and hilarious. I also love the fact she has designer vintage items from her great grandmother and keeps shoes in the Hamptons, that's so fabulous.

I really hope one day i can have a career or hobby or whatever that i'm as excited and passionate about.

And also that i have the opportunity to say PARRRTTY IN THE BAACK and do a cool dance (skip to 1:00 of the video to have some clue as to what im referring to).

Finding Love

Just a quick post today, but i am going to discuss an extremely important issue:

I can't decide whether i like Rihanna's new video for her song We Found Love or not.

Initially it's confusing because in this version, the start features what im fairly sure is the voice of model Agyness Deyn. She shares stories of the tragedy of love, heartbreak and relationships as she does in the new Doc Martens' First and Forever campaign- I'm still unsure as to whether Rihanna and the shoe brand are meant to have some sort of artistic link...

The single's lyrical refrain "we found love in a hopeless place" does relate to the hedonism theme, however i think i fail to be completely wowed by the music artist's video because i've recently seen similar creations in the form of Levi Jeans' Go Forth Campaign advert (below), which i do absolutely love. For some reason, cinematic representations of the tulmultuous, exciting aspects of youth are very popular these days.

Nevertheless, I can't deny that scenes of troubled but passionate teenage love, squat- like flats and wild nights out or muddy festival field parties in We Found Love produce some fantastic imagery. The video is stimulating to watch, and the zoom in shots of pill popping and dilating pupils particularly remind me of the editing seen in Darren Aronofsky's film Requiem for a Dream where Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans and Jennifer Connelly similarly go under the influence.

A lovely shot of Jared Leto's eye...

To sum up, undoubtedly, Rihanna's new single will be another chart hit. Sorry to be so brief but i have a shift that starts at 7am tomorrow morning- i have a temporary job as a sales assistant in American Apparel's London rummage sale. I have to prepare to deal with the masses, I'm hitting the sack, goodnight!

Drive

The getaway man. The guy that's driving the car whilst the money and masked accomplices are in the back seat. In my experience of film, this character has never really become the protagonist-he's just the man that gets the villains away from the chasing police sirens. However, director Nicolas Winding Refn's film Drive, starring Ryan Gosling proved that the figure behind the wheel could be the most interesting man of all.

Something that immediately struck me about the film was the amount of silence. Gosling's character is a man of very few words; a nod here or there, a slight smile- but throughout it somehow makes him seem capable of anything, powerful and even menacing in parts. If anything, the actor made me wish i could be the quiet, elusive brooding type. Combined with his toothpick and that scorpion emblazoned racer jacket, Gosling portrays heroic potential. Interestingly Refn sights the Grimms brothers' fairytales as an influence for the film,comparing the Driver to the hero in american folklore who saves the innocent from evil and in turn exorcises his inner demons.

What i also really liked was that the plot moved past what the trailer alludes to- the movie is not solely about a man who helps criminals escape the law, neither does it become a typical fast paced love story with Carey Mulligan's character Irene as the female interest. When shown, the explicit violence seems relevant and is not overdone so that the audience becomes desensitised to the gore and brutality.

I particularly loved how cinematic the film was, scene after scene was filled with gorgeous imagery and visuals- the movie would be appealing in still pictures as well as in motion. There is even one moment when Gosling's face is covered in blood yet somewhat disturbingly it still looks beautiful...overall, the back drop of the late night city lights of california and excellent pop soundtrack create a dark, engaging dreamy experience.

If you haven't yet seen the film, i obviously highly recommend it (step away from your dvd copy of The Notebook and go and see this instead). But if you already have, check out some of the interviews online between Refn and Gosling, like this- it seems the two have built up a close, intriguing relationship as director/actor and i am highly anticipating future collaborations and what the outcomes will be.

"Hi, the name's Pat Bateman."

This is probably not the kind of image you want to think about before you snuggle down to sleep at night, but for the past week or so Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho has been my bed time read. Many a time i have seen this photo of Christian Bale portraying the novel's protagonist Patrick Bateman, yet i have not seen the film (which was released in 2000)-i always like to read the book first.

The book is terrifying, unsettling, disturbing and depressing for a number of reasons alongside the fact it features a serial killer who goes around murdering innocent people. Set in Manhattan in the late 1980s, the city is host to some of the richest of the rich, the Wall Street bankers and financial executives who are all sickeningly obsessed with designer labels and see themselves as almost invincible. Many are completely oblivious or uncaring towards the dark, upsetting elements of the city and even their own lives; everyone is drifting hazily through the fog of consumerism and the constant need to be better so that even the most obvious problems are swallowed up.

Ellis cleverly blurs the lines between violence and sex, but is also great at creating a mood and atmosphere...some pages are filled with adrenaline yet others almost have a dreamy surrealism. I felt the same way whilst reading one of the authors other works, Less Than Zero, a novel which gives a rather bleak portrayal of the "MTV generation", a wasted youth.

If all these deep literary techniques and themes fail to appeal to you, then if anything else Pat Bateman's character has some funny moments that have made me laugh out loud-but maybe i have a wierd sense of humour...

Anyway, i'm going to end this post because staring at Bale's blood spattered face of manic laughter/screaming is really creeping me out. See ya!

Boys Boys Boys

I start work experience today (I say today because it's 1:34am, God knows i should be sleeping) at the free men's weekly magazine, Shortlist. Apart from being in my usual terrified/nervous state of mind, i am also extremely excited. A career in journalism is what i'm hoping for in the long run, so being given the opportunity to spend time at a great publication like this is amazing.

What i'm particularly hoping for is being able to spend some time in the fashion department...my almost religious following of street style blogs such as The Satorialist, Street FSN and Jak and Jil has recently made me very interested in men's styling and how that translates over into female clothing too; i see men's clothes as almost simpler, re-inventions of the classics. However, suit cuts and the details of tailoring go way over my head...

But anyway, i'm looking forward to a great, informative week! I'll leave you to enjoy the image below of my favourite well dressed man, Brad Goreski.

Click Click

Photography has always been an interest of mine. Something I always struggled with in Art A Level was capturing my ideas and imagery with painting or sculpture, my thoughts never came out exactly how I had imagined them. Taking photos is a great way of just capturing the moment (as cheesy/cliché as that sounds) without having to worry about application, technique or blending...

I particularly love film, I like that the photos don't come out as clean and precise as with digital. One of the main problems I had with a photography course I completed earlier this year was it was very heavily focused on photoshop-I think with too much editing, the image moves too far past it's original appearance and mood. At the moment i'm just playing around with kodak disposables, but hopefully for christmas i'll get a proper film camera!

I took all the photos in this post, if you want to see the rest of my stuff then go here :)

Round and Round

Mad Men - The Carousel from Josip Kostic on Vimeo.

You may be wondering why I decided to call my blog The Carousel- i'm not that big a fan of the fairground ride, it was actually inspired by this scene in Mad Men, from the last episode of season 1.

I've recently become a big fan of the show- as well as being visually beautiful, all the characters are so multi faceted, and underneath the glamour of the constant whiskey on the rocks, smoking in the office and fabulous 1960s clothes, a lot of the plot lines are quite dark. I love Betty Draper (played by January Jones who is so stunning) who is the tragic, troubled housewife, and Joan (actor Christina Hendricks = drop dead goregeous) who knows how to use her sexual power as a woman in 1960s America. Set against a time where consumerist culture is rising and some of the best artists (i.e. Rothko) are breaking through, the show really has everything I love about history, art and fashion.

This scene shows Don Draper at his advertising best, making a pitch to Kodak. It's all about nostalgia...

How i ended up here

So, this is my first post on my blogpost and i'm not going to lie, i have about 3 other blogspot addresses which i have never pursued, but this time, it's different. I know what you're thinking (if you're actually taking out your sweet time to read this), me keeping up with this blog will be another empty promise and in a few months you'll type in this web address and this will still be the first and only post...

However, i've experienced alot of turmoil in the past 3 days and after various events i now have the status of...

RANDOM YOUNG PERSON ON A GAP YEAR

A levels and university have not worked out for the moment but next year i will achieve my ambition of becoming an English Literature student. Until then, bear with me.

This blog will be my ramblings most likely about fashion, music, books, art, my daily life and panicking about the possibility of becoming a homeless, jobless bum.

Enjoy!