Edie the First

the original youthquaker xoxo

The Other Beautiful Game

The oldest known chess gang from the Isle of Lewis...

The royal court of my dreams.

 xoxo

Kate Kanzier...Shoe Pioneer

If you adore quirky shoes (like myself, the adorable Suzy Bubble, and countless others), but you don't have a ton of cash to splash on them, you must run to Kate Kanzier. Established in England in 2003, she designs gorgeous and comfortable shoes for the girl on a budget. 

She also sells handbags and sweet little clutches, perfect for a saucy Friday night out. If you can't make it to the delicious shop on Leather Lane in London, check out the recently launched website. There you'll discover for yourself that Kate has a genuine knack for designing shoes with a fierce individuality and a fierce edge. 

The site gets a 10 for being easy to navigate, as does the designer herself for delivering such affordable eye candy for our feet. xoxo

On the Go to Liberty & Co.

Yes Harrods is amazing, but (for me) a quieter and equally impressive stroll is to be found at Liberty of London. Arthur Liberty wanted the gorgeous emporium on Regent Street in the West End, to feel as if you were shopping in your own home when you went to his store. Obviously he was a youthquaker!

Approaching the gorgeous Tudor building was enough to take my breath away. Once inside I was surrounded by what I can only describe as a palace of sartorial splendor. It was like browsing beautiful works of art in a museum! I felt like Alice in couture wonderland! 

Youthquakers don't miss this one xoxo

Q&A with Genius

Though I have yet to familiarize myself with his works personally (though my insatiable appetite for art will soon take me there), I have still fallen for him. He is French writer, great thinker, and avant-garde-ist of the Belle Epoque, Marcel Proust.

He was asked a series of questions twice in his early life, once when 13, once when 20 and his answers are just as bright as the day they left his incandescent inner thoughts.

So youthquakers here are the 13 year old's answers to those questions. Here is the wonderful Proust Questionnaire. What are your thoughts? xoxo

• What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
  
  To be separated from Mama
• Where would you like to live?
  
  In the country of the Ideal, or, rather, of my ideal
• What is your idea of earthly happiness?
  
  To live in contact with those I love, with the beauties of nature, with a quantity of books and music, and to have, within easy distance, a French theater
• To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
  
  To a life deprived of the works of genius
• Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?
  
  Those of romance and poetry, those who are the expression of an ideal rather than an imitation of the real
• Who are your favorite characters in history?
  
  A mixture of Socrates, Pericles, Mahomet, Pliny the Younger and Augustin Thierry
• Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
  
  A woman of genius leading an ordinary life
• Who are your favorite heroines of fiction?
  
  Those who are more than women without ceasing to be womanly; everything that is tender, poetic, pure and in every way beautiful
• Your favorite painter?
  
  Meissonier
• Your favorite musician?
  
  Mozart
• The quality you most admire in a man?
  
  Intelligence, moral sense
• The quality you most admire in a woman?
  
  Gentleness, naturalness, intelligence
• Your favorite virtue?
  
  All virtues that are not limited to a sect: the universal virtues
• Your favorite occupation?
  
  Reading, dreaming, and writing verse
• Who would you have liked to be?
  
  Since the question does not arise, I prefer not to answer it. All the same, I should very much have liked to be Pliny the Younger.

Best Entrance Ever??

16 seconds of girl power bliss...love, love, love xoxo

The Queen of Burlesque

I'm sitting here drinking a lovely glass of sauvignon blanc and listening to the soothing and sexy sounds of David Rose and his orchestra. No doubt Dita Von Teese knows these tracks backwards and sideways and has most likely practiced her glam burlesque act to this same soundtrack. What some folks would call trashy tartiness, I call the art of an enchantress.

Dita has revived burlesque for my generation with her glamorous vintage act. Watching her is like observing a a work of art in delicate motion. An art that I myself would love to learn. It's an empowering spectacle for myself, a young woman.

Dita is not the first burlesque entertainer, nor will she be the last. Once upon a time there was Gypsy Lee Rose, Lili St. Cyr, and one of my favorites, Sally Rand who used gorgeous feather fans (works of art in themselves), and a gigantic balloon for her act. Youthquakers it is grand and simply beautiful.

I'm elated that burlesque hasn't faded into darkness. It's really a wonderful, aesthetic display, and though Von Teese shows a bit more skin than the more modest acts of the past, she remains a classy and entertaining original, sure to go down in history amongst the best.

So my music is still going, the wine still flowing and my hips are inevitably starting to sway. I am determined to unleash my inner Dita, my inner sexiness and innocence, my womanhood.

Thanks girls for the confident push xoxo

And here are some words from the Teese herself....

"I`ve been called anti-feminist before and it makes me really mad. I don`t do my job for men, I do it because I love the make-up, the costumes and the history of showgirls."

"When things get you down, make the best of your own life rather than worrying about what everyone else thinks."

"When sexuality, style, humor and playfulness all come together, along with a bit of innocence, well, that’s when a burlesque show becomes great."

"I advocate glamour. Every day. Every minute."

"It`s not about seducing men, it"s about embracing womanhood."

"I love it when you can go about your daily business with the knowledge that you have a little secret of your own on underneath."

"Basically, I'm the girl that your mother warned you about."

Enough said Dita....and now,

Sally Rand takes over below..brilliant and a half

Couture, Couture, and sooo much more

So I am a total 'list' girl, which is one of the reasons I have so many notebooks skewed about. That's me....the girl who is forever making lists. But one of my favorites (ok who am I kidding?), my absolute favorite is one that is constantly being revised.. a little addition here, a bit of subtraction there. It is as follows youthquakers, in no particular order...





a) Manimal moccasins...gorgeous






b) a Missoni knit...love Fall 2009









c) Hunter of Scotland wellies.... right above are the Jimmy Choo Hunters. Gorg but totally unavailable.







d) Two stunners from Marc by Marc Jacobs fall 2009. In love for sure.






e) Agent Provocateur beauties to bring out my inner Von Teese






f) I would make this dress really shine with green accessories and a few other tweaks.






g) And last but certainly not least, the Chanel classic flap. No bag is more worth it.



...My list now takes a slight left turn. Below is a list of my great loves and it's my plan to collect one piece (or more please!) from each of them...so here goes my checklist...


-vivienne westwood
-chanel
-marc jacobs
-toki and nabi
-ossie clark vintage
-diane von f.
-miu miu
-commes des garcon
-rochas
-chloe
-stella mc.
-balenciaga
-rodarte
-alexander mcqueen

..once i've racked up a few from my list i'll have a party. who will be invited you may wonder? here's a sneak peek of the glittering guest list....

-my lovely, loving threads (and accessories)

-a soundtrack of my personal favorite songs to boogie to

-a full length mirror

-a champagne glass

-a bottle of ice cold Belle Epoque

-an insanely ecstatic me!!

...we all have our lists i suppose. i have ones for books, films, etc. i just can't help myself. if you don't have one why not indulge yourself a little. there's no rush to complete it so let the games begin and start thinking one up. xoxo

Portobello Heaven

I May Never See This Again Folks

I fancy framing pieces that normally wouldn't be framed. I've never in my life heard or seen the following words together, so as soon as I saw it I had to cut it out. It seemed to be the only thing staring at me from the Guardian on that Sunday morning. It's definitely a framer. xoxo


If only I could Chanel sale, if only I could....

Card Games, Champagne, and Inglorious Basterds

Well Quentin's newest flick has not turned out to be the mess that many critics have flagged it as, but actually the wildest fun I'm sure to have in the cinema all year..and maybe all of next year too. No it's not perfect (must it be?), but it's a mad film ripe with comedic cleverness, a sharp script, and brilliant acting, (though it may not be Mr. Pitt's best work, enjoyed him anyway).

Mr. T has (in my book), proved that he is an original director (yes I know about the other film of the same title), who's camera is capable of elegance and power. Anyone who says they 'hated it' is entitled to their opinion (I suppose), but really how could you haters hate this free for all? And what's more, how could anyone say that Q's lost it? The author of that comment is the one who's done just that!

On to other things, there is a scene that has been wrongly accused of going on for too long (it's called suspense critics!), where we first meet Diane Kruger's character in a dodgy basement watering hole. There, a card game is played and so I'd like to make a very quick note about it. Can I play this at my next party please?! It looks like so much fun I am not afraid to say, (though I may be alone in that thought). Who am I? Kafka, King Kong, Wintour, Peter Pan??? I love it.



And now I intend to ramble on about a little obsession of mine that (to my surprise and utter delight), makes a guest appearance in the aforementioned scene. Yes youthquakers, it is a champagne bottle. The most beautiful my eyes have ever seen, wrapped delicately in an arabesque design of anemones.

I noticed it first on various telly sitcoms and dramas and fell for it the very first time it appeared to me, (yes it was love at first sight). It was then that i found it necessary to unveil the necessaries.. what? who? when? why? It was wonderful to see her again, this time as a splendid supporting actress in Quentin's film.

As she made her entrance I was entranced once more by her charm and beauty. She (as some may be aware), is Perrier Jouet's La Belle Epoque (great name huh?). A taste will cost you a small fortune, (why I haven't yet had the pleasure to do so), but I am unable to resist for much longer. I've wondered too often if the secret kept inside of Belle is worthy of such a treasure of a bottle. It must be something sooo delicious. I demand it to be so ..for the bottle's sake of course, not my thirst. But what's more significant is that gorgeous masterpiece of a bottle.

I'd like her in my flat to tuck flowers into or to just admire the divine aura of art nouveau she was given by Galle the glassmaker, (thank you!). Looking at La Belle Epoque (without even tasting the secret), makes me so very happy, like looking at Van Gogh's 'Cafe Terrace at Night'. It takes me back to another era, (when i wasn't even thought of) and place, (France, where I've never been). That's what she does. It really is a magic bottle, one to be kept long after its' secret has been consumed. xoxo


here she is....lovely 'aint she?

Lagerfeld and Westwood: A Brief Reflection

So they say that karl l. is a crusty twat who would demand the sky to fall at his feet if he could. Don't know him, so can't say. Even if that is the case, he's brilliant and a half and always will be. I still want to sit (wide-eyed and bushy-tailed) front and center at every Chanel show and shake his leather gloved hand.


Karl my love, is that you???


And as for my dear Vivienne, my beau thinks she's inhaled a bit too much 'crazy' glue and that she's off her rocker. I shake him (very gently because he is the love of my life), and say, 'you're the crazy one for calling my Vivienne crazy, now sod off you filthy @!?@/'. Anyway now that i've gotten out my 'anger', I must say..... who else is bold enough, lovely enough to grace Jonathan Ross's set wearing curtain-esque threads? What's more, who else is amazing enough to make it look like sartorial splendour? xoxo

She could be a queen, non?

Andy Warhol... No folks... He's is not overrated

My dear darling Andy. People said you were weird, twisted, voyeuristic... I didn't know you so I can't comment on your personal character. But I can say that no you are not overrated and actually, you were a genius. You only have to step a foot (be it clad in Converse or a Louboutin 5 incher) into his Pittsburgh based museum to find the truth. For me it was my only reason for going to this city, which i found quite pale, (sorry Pitt!). Walking into the museum was like finding the brightest rainbow amongst a sea of clouds. I want to mention my absolute favorite bit, (the best and most beautiful bit), Andy's 'silver clouds'.

It was so overwhelming it made me tear up considerably. Visual art working hard for its glory and succeeding. It literally took my breath away as I watched the 'clouds' circle around me and dodged them as to not disturb their graceful movements. Throw in a rack of all the 2.55's a girl could want and it was my idea of Heaven! Perhaps that is all you have to see to know that the man was brilliant...(although you should tour the whole place). I'll never forget the day i set off on a plane to Pittsburgh for one reason and one reason only. I had dreamed of the museum for six years and it was well worth the wait. xoxo



This isn't in the Pittsburgh museum, but it's the same exhibition. I loved the Velvet Underground soundtrack (of one song), attached to the video, so here it is youthquakers.

p.s.

I will have a mini shindig and serve cocktails out of Campbell soup cans, (my ode to Andy). 

Notebooks really light my fire....Inspirationally

i adore tiny notebooks a la moleskines, etc. they fit ever so perfectly in my pockets. the more worn in they become the better. i like my t-shirts that way too. i get my kicks out of covering my little treasures in pieces that inspire me .... parisians, picasso, edie sedgwick, etc. once they're coutured it's inevitable that my pen will go mad on their crisp, blank pages. when i'm not writing up the things that sparatically pop up into my head, i'm asking the amazing people i meet (in the pub usually), to autograph my notebooks. i haven't had a bad reaction yet. besides is there any of us that would really say no to a heartfelt, 'can i have your autograph?'

well now i've aquired a new book to be 'broken in' as i just bought the latest british elle with lindsay lohan on the cover and no it wasn't for the ginger haired cover girl. included with the mag was (you guessed it), a tiny notebook. a very special tiny notebook. a most adorable and adored notebook designed by mr. john galliano himself. i have flipped for it. i also want the vivienne westwood one but they only had galliano and i am very pleased i was able to get my hands on him. and so it is my opinion that pen and paper are the best combination since peanut butter and jelly. mmm delicious xoxo

'Peace' by P. Picasso, worn in and happy

Parisians at play, torn out of the New York Times

My new toy by Galliano, courtesy of British Elle

the whole gang!