Shock Value

When something shocks you is it a good thing? It's good if you have hiccups I suppose and then it shocks them away. But if you don't have the hiccups and if it's just a downright shock then what? A nasty surprise you wish you could unsee? Or something which makes you stop and think and consider something new?

#sexsells seems to be a new trend, but how far do you agree with it? We've seen the steamy Calvin Klein and Emporio Armani ads with the beautiful Beckhams, with Megan Fox, with Rihanna and because they're promoting underwear we say it's fine, it's hot. However, look at the Tom Ford fragrance ads, the Diesel #sexsells campaign, the nude covers of Love Magazine, the Abercrombie and Fitch "Back to School" adverts.

Is it necessary? Do companies need to use the shock value of nudity and raw sex to sell their products? Are they just using the human body to sell their brand? What does this say about their company and brand ethos?  On the other hand, what does this say about me? And about the fact that I am shocked by them and feel uncomfortable when I'm faced with a pair of DD's and a perfume bottle squashed between them? My (male) friend thinks that if everyone just embraced this as a form of advertising then the controversy would disappear. We all know what our bodies look like, but is it just gratuitous to put it on a billboard?

Sex may sell, but who to? The above Lynx and Tom Ford ads are aimed at men. Is it right that they are using our bodies, women's bodies, to objectify and sell a product? This is the kind of advertising that should be X-Rated, what kind of ideas does it give us?

Putting the medias idea of a "perfect" woman's body in the spotlight can only serve to make the "normal" women feel worse about themselves surely? It's hard enough for a woman to feel good about herself without fashion brands promoting an unrealistic body which has been photoshopped to perfection. Are 12 year old girls going to look at one of Mr Ford's adverts and aspire to be the woman in the photo? Look at the "Back to School" campaign and think that's what they have to do? Will they think that is what a man wants? Don't get me wrong, I am a known wannabe-housewife and am no feminist, but surely this is slightly too far? Women should be treasured, appreciated and viewed as partners by men, not faceless, void "perfect" bodies. Who knows. There are two sides to every argument and I have no idea which one is right, but I do know that this method of advertising is not for me.

My London To-Do List

With the end of Uni approaching and GFW in the near future, it can only mean one thing...a trip to London! Whilst I do intend to make the most of Graduate Fashion Week (sort of), it is boldly apparent to me that my work will blend into the background and be glanced over. Alas, such is life.

So, instead I will be staying with my best friend in Putney waving the biggest To-Do List I have ever made. Oh yes, the London To-Do List! I must walk The Royal Mile (chat to Kate Middleton if at all possible, wave to The Queen and compliment her on the Jubilee), go to St James' Park and feed the squirrels, MUST see a show (any show, I'm not fussy), however, the two things which are really calling to me are the V&A Museum and the Design Museum.

The V&A is showing Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950 and I cannot wait to get lost in the beauty of that fashion. Meanwhile, my shoe-icon, Mr Louboutin will be showing twenty years of design and inspiration, from pumps to wedges to artful stillettoes, I will be in shoe heaven!

As well as this, I am highly excited to have been invited to visit LN-CC (Late Night Chameleon Club), a unique concept store in London stocking designers such as Peter Pilotto, Dries Van Noten, Jil Sander and supplier of my all-time-favourite fragrance (Amarige) Givenchy. The store itself is said to be unbelievable in its design and atmosphere, I asbolutely cannot wait to visit!

I shall keep you all posted!

Starbucks

"What can I get you?"
"Skinny latte to go please."
"Can I take your name..?"

Why? Why do you need my name? To write on a cup so I can take an Instagram photo of it? No. We are not American. We are not friendly at 9am. We are British. We are private, we are polite, we are in a rush. Always. We do not have time to stop for a chat on our way to work, on our way to University, on our daily errands. So why have Starbucks launched a new campaign which is going to slow us down in attempt to be our friend?
The traditional image of an American is lively, friendly, chatty, outgoing. The traditional image of a Brit is closed, well-mannered, modest. And we like it that way! Is this a result of global domination from Starbucks? Do they want to turn us all into happy-go-lucky-let's-chat-over-coffee morning people? If we wanted to be like this we would. Through a process of elimination, Starbucks have taken over the coffee market to such an extent that now they are our go-to place for our caffeine fix, we're in so deep we can't get out.
I heard a hilarious story on Radio 4 last week, about a crowded Starbucks in Central London, when the barista asked for a business man's name, said man looked up from his Blackberry in shock, and then burst out laughing as someone from the back hissed "Don't tell him, Pike!"
But what do they expect?

Amarige, Givenchy

How you'll read this depends on the kind of perfume girl you are. Are you a lover of perfumes with ten bottles open at a time? Or are you faithful to one, signature scent? I have done both, now settling to be the latter. I have now been with my perfume, Amarige by Givenchy, for nearly six years. And I have absolutely no intention of leaving.
You see, I used to want everything. I wanted to smell like flowers, I wanted to smell seductive, I wanted to smell expensive. I flitted between Chanel, Dior, The Body Shop, Calvin Klein, you name it I tried it.  It all changed one evening at my Nana and Papa's house. Now, I am like my Nana in more ways than one, the woman has five bedrooms filled with clothes from every era she's lived in, from nipped in waists to shift dresses, platforms to stillettoes, fur coats to trench coats, she's got the lot. And the best thing about her "collecting"? She loves to share. It was this evening that she presented me with the little glass bottle, filled with an inexplicably gold liquid, simple as you like. A little pearly top. Amarige stamped in clear, unfussy font across the bottle. And my Nana said "It's about time you got a signature scent, it's more womanly." Was it?! I didn't want to be tied down! I wanted to get out there, to explore, to smell fashionable and play at perfume counters!
Regardless, I took the bottle and thanked her, thinking it could be my "handbag perfume".
The next morning, I spritzed it onto my neck and wrists. And was shocked by how much I felt attracted to it. Deep, sensuous, feminine and fresh all at the same time, the scent filled me and warmed me. Dashing out to college, my Mum commented "that's a lovely smell" as I rushed out the door. That day, I received five compliments on my new scent, which lasted all morning and afternoon.
Six years on and I still can't get enough of it. Friends say they know I'm near when they smell Amarige, my Dad says it reminds him of me when he borrows my car which is full of the scent. I feel now that Amarige is a part of me, a natural addition to my body which I couldn't be without. The feeling which comes with dismissing the constant "would you like to try the new Calvin Klein fragrance?" in Fenwicks in indescribable, it's happy, it's content.
"No thanks, I'm taken."

"Givenchy Amarige is the symbol of femininity. Radiating and bursting with happiness, a zest for life and generosity. The Amarige woman is radiant and open-minded; her heart-felt joy is evident from her spontaneous, charming smile. The voluptuous bottle is the embodiment of femininity.

Inspired by the Amarige woman it contains a cheerful, tender and sensual flower bouquet."