Style Bubble

Barbie is not just blonde

For about the first seven years of my life, I lamented and moaned about my parents depriving me of having a Barbie doll.  Yes, I am probably one of the few girls who never actually owned one and had to get my Barbie fix whenever I went to play at friends' houses.  It wasn't until I was 14 that I got my first Barbie as a sort of inside joke and it had on a gold brocade outfit made by my friend.  However, the Barbies I grew up with and knew of from Argos catalogues had 80's t-shirts that said 'Cool' on them with Hawaiian print leggings or had hair that 'magically' changed colour in the water.  Come September at the world famous Christie's auction house however, Barbie collectors will ooh and aah over an altogether different kind of Barbie.  Ietje Raebel will be auctioning her collection of 4000 barbies collected from the early 60's to the present which will be the biggest private collection ever to be sold at auction. 

Amongst her collection are Barbies that I never thought even existed.  Roman Holiday Barbie?  Sorbonne Barbie?  These aren't Barbies that reflect 80's love for all things Malibu but rather an accurate depiction the of fashion and social circumstances when they were produced.  Dior inspired dresses, Balenciaga cuts, Pucci's palazzo pyjamas, Bob Mackie's Cher-inspired costume designs were all modelled by Barbie.  Sorbonne Barbie obviously was born out of the student rioting that was going on in 1960's France and Italy.  Judging from the Barbie website of the present, the fashion we are reflecting is a world where style are classed as 'Funky & Fab', 'Sporty & Stylin', 'Preppy & Pretty' and last but not least 'Sweet and Sparkly'.  Oh how we have regressed..... 

The sale is on 26th September at Christie's, London and will and on view on the 23rd September.  Pictures and accompanying article from the Telegraph.

Barbie Babysits 1963 // Roman Holiday Barbie 1959

Solo in the Spotlight Barbie 1960 // Sorbonne Barbie 1967

Gay Parisienne Barbie 1959 // London Tour Barbie 1966 & Poodle Parade Babie 1965 (the one that started off Ietje's collection)

The ones that got away....

Just when you think you're being a smart shopper and wait for something to go on sale, it all comes crumbling down as you discover your size is sold out.  Happens to me all the time and I never seem to learn!  I'm gutted I let these Odd & Even shoes slip away from me.  I especially wanted the fabric and leather ones with the butterfly motif The perfect conical heels, the cut out leather, gah!  It hurts just to talk about it!  I did some intensive Googling and came up with nothing about the label.  I even phoned up No-One to enquire about them but they're in the dark like me.  All they know is that's a European label which doesn't really narrow it down.  If anyone is in the know, please take pity on my shoe heart-ache case and send me some info!  This is an official cry for help. 

The L Word

If there is one word that I'd pick to sum up my personal style, (and some of you might already know this), it has to be 'layering'.  So what's that I hear is a big trend for the upcoming season?  Why, it's the L word and I couldn't be happier.  This is the first of many MANY posts dedicated to the L word during the autumn/winter season.  By the time it's over, you guys are going to be so sick of layering, you'll wanna run out in a single slip dress in the freezing cold.  When I saw this editorial entitled 'Art School Production' by Bruce Weber in the July issue of Vogue Italia, I was thinking 'Please let it get colder soon.  All these flimsy single layers are making my skin itch!'.  I see cool headgear, chunky jumpers, belted up oversized coats, long skirts and shawls worn as dresses.  The groundwork has here been laid for all the cosy outfits I will be wearing when it's 5 degrees. 

(Rest of the pics here)