A brilliantly, honest and relatable post that makes you feel instantly better about the Shit days. Great blog.
Times Like These
Everyone has at least one experience in their life they will never forget. One they wish they could relive every perfect minute of all over again.
Seeing the Foo Fighters live at the National Bowl in 2011 with my husband is categorically, absolutely up there as one of those experiences. We were just married; sharing the brief UK leg of our honeymoon with 65,000 people - a great big, loud rock 'n' roll beginning to married life.
That July day, the sun shone illustriously on the amphitheatrical Bowl. The crowd was so vast that as your eye travelled to take it all in, the sea of people seemed to never end. Beer bottles decorated the parched grass and blood-red Che Guevara flags wafted in the light, cooling breeze. Makeshift hats made from newspapers shielded heads from the glorious glare of the sun and made people giggle at the sight.
The Foos played an iconic, electrifying set made up of their finest material - the thrashing rock of Bridge Burning, startling anthemic belters like All My Life and euphoric acoustic versions of classics like Times Like These. You know, the ones that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand upright as you experience the raw emotion and elation of having your favourite track sung live.
As the long, hot day gave way to the night the sky turned an inky violet colour, illuminated by the dazzling stage lights that even outshone the moon. We danced, laughed, got a bit choked up and sang our hearts out into the cool evening air. If I close my eyes, I can still see the swelling of the people, hear the opening guitars of Everlong and the faint echoes of the crowd are amplified. My stomach still does a little flip, like it did that night.
It was monumental, and when the last of the guitars played and the crowd dispersed there with a distinct feeling that a little piece of music history had been written. It was a moment in time, our moment. One to tell the children and the grandchildren in years to come. A day when you felt ridiculously happy, exuberant and alive.
If everything could ever feel this real forever.
Sadly, some of the details of that amazing gig are just beginning to fade with time and age but the imprint remains clearly and beautifully on my mind.
Foo Fighters are releasing their eighth studio album in the Autumn of 2014 and the band have teased that UK tour dates may be announced.
Just you try to stop me.
Coachella - Early festival fashion forecast
The desert dust may have settled, but with UK festival season warming up nicely on the sidelines … I still have Coachella on my mind
Coachella, the Valley Music and Arts festival held annually in the Colorado desert, informs my festival fashion choices.
Paying close attention to what the cool girls and boys are wearing at Coachella is the equivalent of an early fashion forecast - the heads up for what's on the style horizon, something to chew over for a few weeks and inspiration for your own custom-built festival wardrobe.
Jazz FM's Love Supreme Festival is first up on my summer festival programme. Described by The Guardian as 'the British jazz world’s Glastonbury', Love Supreme combines a class jazz, funk, soul, fusion and blues bill with a modern, green field boutique experience and top class DJs. This year's line up includes De La Soul, Gregory Porter, Soul II Soul and Incognito and if last year's inaugural festival is anything to go by then my confident prediction is that it will be epic. Cannot. Wait.
Festivals have many awesome components. Essentially, amazing live music you can dance to without abandon, singing in cheery unison with the crowd. Cold beer and cider in plastic cups that goes down just a little too easily. Quite good food, especially with veggie and street food options. Mates you know and love and new weekend mates you make.
For me, without question though, Festivals are about FASHION. A fantastic platform to express yourself and experiment with new looks - after all, it's a festival, not work, and you have sartorial free rein. For the past few years I have meticulously researched, planned and plotted my festival outfits, accessories and makeup weeks in advance. Sometimes, it's worked. Other times, I've looked like a plonker and I'll spare you the photos. But, it's intrinsic and I take influence from a variety of sources: Kate Moss, Stevie Nicks, Grace Potter, Kate Bosworth and Solange to name a few.
Here's what I learnt from Coachella this year...
1. Denim cut offs and white look good together, especially with a print belt. Probably best for the beginning of the day though, and take a stylish layer for warmth and spillage-cover up later on when the sun goes down. We do not live in the desert and we'll have a beer rather than a water, thanks.
2. Any type of scuffed boot - be it Cowboy or Chunky Lace Up - is great and guaranteed mud / water / stamped-on-foot proof. However, utilitarian practical flats, chunky 'fuglies' and sliders have emerged as a covetable alternative. If it's good enough for my other favourite Kate then I'm willing to give it a try.
3. Tartan is not going anywhere soon and Jared Leto wears it well, casually pared with ombre hair and clash-print trousers. Gingham is summer's alternative to tartan and looks particularly good in sugary shades of lilac and pink or vibrant red. A roughed up battered leather jacket and boots will help it avoid looking too saccharine or that you're off to see the wizard.
4. 90s-cool is showing no signs of abating which is music to my ears. Chokers and vintage T-shirts make interesting additions to your festival wardrobe. See Francis Bean looking effortlessly cool circa 1993.
5. Fringed leather whether in jacket or bag form looks great with shorts, dresses and bared legs. Reference: Poppy Delevingne at her envy-inducing hen do at Coachella (oh to be part of the #Popchella crew) or my favourite Kate in her Kate Moss x Topshop version.
6. Coordinated top and bottom sets provide a great alternative to the trusted festival dress or playsuit. It is a look I have coveted for months and is fun and stylish. What Would Beyonce Do? She'd wear a matching top and bottom set from Topshop Boutique, of course.
7. Let your inner tomboy loose in understated sports chic. Possibly my favourite look to emerge from this year's Coachella and channelled effortlessly by Zoe Kravitz. It looks chic, understated and insouciant. You: 'oh, this old thing?' Reality: spending hours deciding exactly which shade, length and fit of tank dress will work with those boots. They'll never know.
8. Kimono coats made an appearance. Floaty, fringed and printed they look great with denim or clashed with a print. Helpfully, they can be squished into a bag and popped on later when it gets a bit nippy. I'm still partial to a slogan sweatshirt but may just dabble on one of the festival nights to mix things up a bit.
9. White lace looks pretty lovely, and accessorised with simple jewellery is uncomplicated but still striking. Same rules apply, keep it interesting with sliders (see 2), leather (see 5.) and plenty of jewellery.
10. Never ever underestimate the power of a great dress. Especially one with an unusual print, that covers you up tastefully but still makes heads turn. Vintage is always a winner as there's less chance of outfit clash.
So, ladies, the fashion forecast is looking very fine indeed at this stage.
Coachella provides a great source of inspiration, a covetable look-book and a chance to see what the cool Californians are wearing. Now it's time to turn what you've seen on its head...English-style.
Good luck with your research.
Jazz FM's Love Supreme Festival takes place from 4-6 July 2014 at Glynde Place in Sussex.
Website
An Udder-ly Good Festival
If you've been down on London’s South Bank recently you may have noticed something rather odd just near the London Eye. A whopping great inflatable upside-down purple cow has landed in Jubilee Gardens.
This, however, is not a random landing. Ladies and gentlemen, please meet Udderbelly. The inflated bovine is in fact a 400-seat venue (also present at the Edinburgh Festival) which has returned to host one of London’s most loved and varied festivals, showcasing the best in music, comedy, circus, theatre and family shows to name a few.
The 6th consecutive year of the cow promises us a jam-packed programme of top acts including Beardyman: One Album Per Hour and Four Screws Loose In Screwtopia! You can check out a full programme of events here.
Tonight, me and the girls are off to see Luisa Omielan and find the answer to that very important question - What Would Beyonce do?! . I was gutted to miss out on Luisa's Soho Theatre run last year so I'm looking forward to having a great big Udder-belly laugh later as she compares her life to the fabulous Queen Bey with hilarious effect.
'So fresh, so original, so funny, prepare for a full on rearrangement of your insides'
Vogue
Udderbelly is also a great place to graze with organic food and a wide range of ciders and the like available pre-and post-show. Flop into a deck chair, grab a cold beer and take in the sights and sounds including some spectacular views of London.
Tickets are selling out fast. Meander down to banks of the River Thames to catch this welcome addition to London’s skyline and take in some fantastic festival action – it is tremendous fun.
Moo runs the world? (Girls).
Sorry.
Udderbelly Festival
Jubilee Gardens
London SE1
From 10 April 2014 to 13 July 2014
Website
FACEBOOK, CAN WE TALK?
One month ago today I started my own personal social experiment. Admittedly not world-changing, I took a break from Facebook, leaving only my Material Whirl FB page active. I did it for the sake of my health and sanity and so I could write more.
So, today my FB holiday is over and I'm back on familiar soil. I've had a good time to think things over and need to have a serious chat with the big bad boy in blue.
On reflection, it's been a funny old month.
Days 1 - 4
I pressed 'Post' on 'FACEBOOK, I AM BREAKING UP WITH YOU. (FOR A BIT)', updated my status, logged off and flopped back in my chair with a deep exhalation of breath. It felt like I had been in a riotous house party with chatty people filling every room and excessively loud music - and then telling everyone to GET OUT NOW and slamming the door shut and leaning against it. Silence.
One hour in, I was itchy and attempted to persuade my husband, Alex, to let me peek at my FB page on his iPhone. 'No' said Alex. 'Please?' I said casually. 'No' said Alex firmly. 'It's only one look and it's you looking, not me!' I said in a slightly high-pitched voice. 'No' he said and calmly left the room.
To satisfy my compulsion, I tweeted a photo of my Crystal Palace FC mug to celebrate Palace's brilliant win over Everton. It felt half-arsed.
Waking up on Day 1 was weird. I looked out of the window instead of my iPad. I would love to fib and say I read my book on the commute to work, but I didn't. I just stared vacantly out of the window with severe brain freeze and suspected FB detox headache.
I considered the FB-free Easter weekend ahead, jam-packed with fun plans and wondered how difficult it would be not to broadcast these plans exclusively-as-they-happened. I then asked myself truthfully whether to 'share' was in fact to 'show off a bit'. Myself said this was a bit true.
While Alex was in the shower on Day 4, I grabbed his iPhone and momentarily looked at my FB page via his account, just to see if anyone had commented on my final post, keeping one eye on the door. I felt dirty. I would like to apologise to Alex for being a sneaky pants as he learns of this moment of weakness for the first time.
Days 5 - 12
Driving my car with Kisstory blaring from the radio on Day 5, and overwhelmed by the sheer nostalgia of hearing Usher, Eve and Nelly feat. Nynsc (Girlfriend - tune!) and feeling 23 again, I felt an urge to share my love of old skool R'n'B with the FB world. Then I remembered that I had no data left, and also that I was driving and therefore this would be illegal. Thus, rescued from temptation by an inadequate mobile phone tariff.
On Day 9, I had a great Saturday sesh at the gym and was pleased that I couldn't post a status about working out - dull, boring and let's face it, a teeny bit smug. Instead, on the train home I peered under my sunglasses at the Newsfeed on the girl's phone next to me. It satisfied my craving, despite not having the foggiest idea who she, or any of her mates, were. (Great news about John's new job though!).
Epic social events took place that previously would have been giddily shared on FB. Like a great big boozy lunch in Putney with the gang on Day 11, the perfect opportunity to Check In, take bucket loads of photos, tag like mad. Instead I sat back, enjoyed five brilliant FB-free hours and got pickled without telling everyone about it and incessantly checking for likes and seeing affirmation. Even when my friend left with a Mini Mushroom Wireless Bluetooth speaker stuck to his head and played music to our fellow pub goers as we exited. Instead I tweeted thanks to the pub and got a lovely reply back.
Day 12, disaster. I am notified that my tweets are automatically set up to show on FB and have filled up my page - gah! Despite my best efforts I worry people would assume I had fallen off the wagon. I hadn't, honestly, I was still stone cold FB-sober.
Days 13 - 18
By Day 13 I had become fully acquainted with my Material Whirl FB page and was giving it all my loving; it felt great to avoid distraction and spend time focusing on the thing I really love. My FACEBOOK, I AM BREAKING UP WITH YOU. (FOR A BIT) post was seen by 1,548 people. Crikey.
An incident on Day 15 reminded me that FB provides an excellent platform to express disgust for the general public. A grown man next to me on the train openly picked his nose, both nostrils, while casually reading the Evening Standard, and as I disembarked he, ahem, passed wind. Loudly. Rendering me momentarily speechless, instead of grabbing my iPhone and moaning about what I'd seen / heard I had no choice but to keep that beauty to myself.
During this period, Hotmail acted as FB's nasty accomplice. It sneakily told me I was tagged in photos and mentioned in statuses and stuff. FB was pulling out all the stops to woo me back.
It nearly worked. On Day 18 I couldn't resist its charms, and peeked over Alex's shoulder to see what the Newsfeed was telling me. It told me selfies, mostly, and a Suggested Post featuring a picture of a dog laying next to a soldier in Afghanistan and rallying to 'get 90k likes!'. 'Oh, sod off' I thought and immediately switched off with no desire to poke around any further. Progress.
Days 18 - 23
On Day 18 I went out with a good friend in Shoreditch and went in 'cold' instead of looking at her FB page in advance and getting up to speed on her life. It was really refreshing to drink sparkly pink rosé while listening intently and getting all the goss there and then. It was a lovely night and I didn't even look at my iPhone when in the loo.
I wondered what Alex was up to on FB on Day 20. Often we're like ships in the night and I realised I missed his laugh-out-loud statuses and liberal swearing aimed at Sam Allardyce, David Cameron and Sky Sports.
However, I was definitely feeling lighter in the head, less irritable and more focused. I was determinedly reading 'Get Things Done' and highlighting important sections like a proper diligent student (geek) instead of having one eye on the book and the other on FB.
By Day 23, I was sleeping a bit better and not feeling FB-lagged. Twitter continued to be hilarious with things like #RuinAMovieQuote.
I hadn't thought about FB in a good few days. Not once.
Days 24 - 30
You know when you read about detoxes in magazines? It's all I FELT AWFUL AT FIRST, WITH A TERRIBLE HEADACHE AND EXHAUSTED AND THEN A FEW DAYS IN I FELT GREAT AND MY SKIN SHONE AND I'VE GIVEN UP EVERYTHING AND WILL LIVE ON CARROT JUICE FOREVER etc. Usually such annoying pretension makes me want to throw up but I can honestly say in the final stages of my FB detox I definitely felt a shift.
By Day 26, I was focused, alert, and kind of ready to take on the world. I experienced some setbacks in my personal life during this period, but it felt appropriate not to share them publicly and keep it only with family and close friends without baring my soul to the world.
It struck me on Day 28 that me and Material Whirl had become best buds with Twitter this past month. Highlights include ASOS retweeting this fashion post and a personal mention, connecting with Walthamstow's Little Free Libraries scheme and the Crystal Palace FC female mascot retweeting a fashion photo.
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On my last day, Day 30, I realised I didn't miss FB AT ALL. Not one little bit. I reflected on what I had achieved since we temporarily had a break. It's not groundbreaking, but it's a start:
- Wrote 5 blog posts and shared 15 new things on my Material Whirl FB page
- Read one book, started Everyday Sexism and bought Apple Tree Yard ready to devour
- Took up lovely yoga again and became a stretching devotee
- Felt a bit more 'on it' and focused at work, finding it easier to concentrate
- Slept better without going to bed with a jittery, full-to-the-brim mind or my iPhone in hand. My mind felt 'sharper' and I remembered important things. Like names and dates and high street fashion launches.
Summary
I'm not fully converted to a FB-free existence and I don't think Zuckerberg has spawned the devil (although the rubbish adverts and sexist stuff is still utter shit). Its concept was great (and innocent enough) but it's been adapted for our own wicked needs and thus we are partly to blame for the pernicious effect.
FB has some good points - connecting families, highlighting inspirational, amazing people like Stephen Sutton and sharing happy things but overall, I feel less burdened and my head is aired out. I am more focused and driven to achieve my goals rather than be derailed or distracted by others - or disheartened when the old green-eyed monster kicked in.
My little experiment hasn't changed my life but it has been insightful. Although it would be unnecessary to delete my account, I am no longer reliant or, to be honest, that interested in it.
So, Facebook. Now that we're talking again… can we just be friends?
Purple Haze
Generally, the colour purple or any derivative of it, such as lilac or lavender, instantly makes me think of two things.
- Being at secondary school in South London when, for some inexplicable reason, green/purple was THE colour combination to covet. Pencil cases, book covers, stringy cylinder-shaped Benetton bags. Nothing escaped the discorded combo, unfortunately, and I would love to get my hands on the silly girl who started that trend - my shoulders still bare the dent of my purple Benetton bag drawstring.
- Sweet Valley Twins, specifically The Unicorn Club. Lila Fowler was the cool, beautiful and mean leader of the gang and if my memory serves me correctly, membership / initiation dictated you had to wear top-to-toe purple every day. As a bookish 11-year old and definitely more Elizabeth than Jessica, I found this fascinating but slightly scary, and hoped it would never catch on at my school due to me being translucently pale and mildly ginger.
Yet, I am really pleased to say that purple's back - and is currently being seen on all the cool girls and street stylers, fresh from the catwalks, and championed by designers and the fash pack alike.
Dusty lavender is the shade to be seen in and could well be a match for its sugary counterpart, pink. It is flattering and fresh and a refreshing alternative to monochrome and primary colour
Add florals for an injection of summer dew or my preference is to keep it subtle and simple and add neutrals to key pieces - a bomber, an embellished sweatshirt, a jacket. Shoes. Clean lines and block shades of violet and mauve to make the candied colour really pop.
Start your own Unicorn Club today.
Blurred Lines
Nope, not the name of the catchy but horribly unpleasant Robin Thicke song but a new documentary showing on BBC TWO tonight.
In Blurred Lines: The New Battle of the Sexes, Kirsty Wark investigates whether there is a new culture in society today in which men seem to think they have the freedom, and the right, to speak about, write about and portray women in a derogatory or even abusive way - and I think it is vitally important we tune in.
From early teenage I can distinctly remember my friends and I being treated differently and harassed because of our gender. Whether being hollered at out of cars by younger or much older men or being followed, the very existence of 'Lads Mags' and bare boobs in newspapers, or being groped in bars / on the street, it was humiliating and frightening.
This was before the explosion of the internet though and, absurdly, I consider myself lucky. Admittedly, I dished out my fair amount of furious words, threw drinks in faces, shouted STOP TOUCHING MY BUM NOW on the Tube to draw attention to gropers. This didn't stop the unwanted behaviour but it was empowering all the same and sent a direct message, humiliating the humiliator.
But I am deeply concerned for today's young women who are growing up in a Britain where rape and porn culture is the norm, and who seem to have something more dangerous to deal with than bum gropers.
For young women, if you 'speak out' you get publicly bullied and trolled online. If you choose to share (or worse are coerced into sharing) intimate photos with a boyfriend, images are shared around schools or colleges. Extreme sexual bullying and sexual violence is all too familiar in gang culture as highlighted by Carlene Firmin, who set up the organisation MsUnderstood in 2013 to address gender equality amongst the young, and porn is widely viewed.
It's not just younger women. Females of any age are victims online; whether bomb threats sent to campaigners who want to see female heroes on bank notes, the sexually explicit portrayal of women in pop videos or hideous 'rape' jokes.
This is casual sexism - misogyny without punitive action.
The Everyday Sexism Project exists to catalogue instances of sexism women experience on a day to day basis and provides an outlet for our frustrations and validity to a very serious problem. Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates cites some worrying statistics, including that 1 in 3 girls aged 16 to 18 have experienced unwanted sexual touching at school and Nearly 70 per cent of female university students have experienced verbal or non-verbal harassment in or around their institution.
But I think the Government has an urgent role to play and a very big job on their hands, starting with reviewing the current offering of sex education and teaching about consent. The documentary features Wark meeting three girls who are so concerned about their generation’s understanding of consent, they have launched their own campaign for it to be taught as part of the national curriculum. I applaud these young women.
Blurred Lines: The New Battle of the Sexes looks to investigate whether the age-old hostilities that we see modernised today - advertising, music videos, gaming - should be seen as misogyny, sexism or liberation.
The way I see it? The lines are not blurred, they are very clear. No is no.
We don't want it.
Blurred Lines: The New Battle of The Sexes
Thursday 8 May
Little Free Libraries E17 - Walthamstow, London
Regular readers of Material Whirl will know that I'm partial to a good book.
The ultimate role model in my eyes is the four-year old Matilda Wormwood who devoured books and used her brain to succeed in the face of adversity (despicable parents, Mrs Trunchbull). I absolutely love delicious words served on paper and any kind of bookshop. I am also part of a regular Wine Club, sorry I mean Book Club, and if I am not blogging about glorious fashion or gadding about around London town, you will most certainly find me tucked away somewhere reading a good book.
So I was very eager to learn about a project called Little Free Libraries E17 [LFL] which is coming soon to Walthamstow, London.
The idea was conceived in America but its popularity is picking up pace across the globe and coming to the Stow thanks to husband and wife team Nick and Rebecca Cheshire. After living in the US last year they thought it would be a good idea to set up a network of LFLs in E17, their previous home for many years, and share the benefits.
The concept is simple but compelling; a LFL is a little community book sharing station. Each library will be stocked with books for passersby to take away and read - it is as straightforward as that. The favour can then be redeemed as users are invited to add their own books for others to read. I love this notion; after all most book clubs will testify that the best books are those recommended by others, that surprise find, perhaps one you've overlooked assuming it is not your cup of tea and then you discover you love it.
Aesthetically they look lovely; resembling neat little house shaped boxes. What I find particularly charming is that Nick's carpenter father provided guidance and craftsmanship to make them look especially smart. Rebecca and Nick have built 12 libraries and with each LFL able to hold around 25 books, there will be 250 - 300 books set up in the network ready to share.
Each LFL will soon be decorated largely by local artists - including the muralist Emma Scutt, the cartoonist Tim Reedy and contemporary artist Julie Caves - and Emma Russell and Hannah Adamaszek, an accomplished artist who was involved in the fantastic Mural on the Marsh project last year.
LFLs undoubtedly possess good looks and great books, but there is substance as well as style. They are a great, simple way to promote literacy for young people as well as inspiring community engagement - which sounds like a cracking idea to me.
Where you can find these little charmers I hear you ask?
LFLs will be popping up at the following places:
- Several residential front gardens across Walthamstow, including Coppermill Lane, Garner Road, Brettenham Road, Ruby Road, Aubrey Road, Cleveland Park Avenue, Howard Road and near Walthamstow Marshes
- The Village Pub, 31 Orford Road
- Arts and Crusts Café, 19 Victoria Road
- Eat or Heat Community Lounge
- William Morris Bar, 807 - 811 Forest Road
- St Gabriel's Church, Havant Road
- 56 St James Café (where an extra tiny Little Free Library has been built and will be filled with children's books and decorated with a kids theme)
Luckily for Walthamstow residents and visitors, LFLs will hang around after the Trail concludes until sadly it is time to say goodbye on 15 June 2014.
So avid readers, Stow residents and visitors and anyone who fancies taking up free membership of a LFL (library card not necessary), keep your eyes peeled from 31 May 2014 as part of the E17 Art Trail.
Take a book, return a book. Engage with your local community. Make someone's day.
