Golly I'm just such a busy globe trotter that keeping this up is getting tricky. ('This' being informing the world wide web of my galevants, jaunts and adventures in a way that attempts to make me sound vaguely cooler than I actually am).
I got backm from Chamonix today, where I was staying at a friend's house with my group of girls. I know, I'm so Made In Chelsea, me. You'll be hearing all about the glam Chamonix high life after I catch up on NYC. I'm getting more out of a sync than Youtube on my almost antique pc. But, if I'm honest, I am liking the sound of my globe trotting ways in above sentence. My life is actually nothing like how that makes it sound, sadly. Case in point: the family (plus sister's boyfriend) is decamping to Devon tomorrow (talk about packing stress. Fastest turn around I have ever had to do. It was not jolly I have to say) to live in scruffy squalour for five days. We shall return to discover my fate on (whisper it) Dooms Day aka Results Day. Scary shit right there.
We've been going to the same place for my entire life, with various bits of extended family, and I think I do, and will, always carry a cardigan with me because of that place.It holds lots of very fond memories for me and I will always love it. We go to a teeny tiny little place on the sea called Torcross, near Salcombe and we always eat copious amounts of Devon ice cream and cornish pasties which, although consumed in the wrong county, are nonetheless delicious and turn blue whilst hardily swimming in the freezing sea and determindly sit on the beach in gale forces and drink lots of tea and get wet feet and walk along the sea wall.
That's what my summer holidays are normally like; none of this New York/Harper's nonsense which I've taken to like a duck to water.
So, to recap; I'm BACK (again) but hopefully will stick around a bit longer this time because Torcross is like civilisation in a sort of way and so hopefully I should be able to access the internet and so be able to catch up on eveything. the next installment of New York involves open top buses and sushi. Be excited my friends.
Also, photos will be going up, so take a look - at past posts too!
Hang in there folks, we will totes resync, just stay with me.
Showing posts with label harper's bazaar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label harper's bazaar. Show all posts
Friday, 10 August 2012
Saturday, 4 August 2012
An Apology (But Blame The Parents)
Firstly, sorry for getting all behind and suddenly dropping off a cliff (in metaphorical blog terms, rather than actual death and tragedy rebel Without A Cause terms). My family arrived and I have suddenly turned into acting tourguide so everything got a bit hectic. So, as ever, you can blame the parents. Just like in Rebel Without a Cause! omg the connections are just coming in so thick and fast; you'll just never guess what we did last night. Actually, I'm afraid you'll have to wait to find out because if I start at the end and then just hop about in time for a bit until I have said everything there is to say about my last days in NY, it might get a bit confusing, and although you're all bright and can definitely cope, I never fully understood Doctor Who so I would get totally lost and feel like I'm floating in a very disorganised and unstructured mess and start repeating things. Which would clearly be awful because a) I can't deal with that amount of chaos (my need for routine again, can definitely blame the parents for that one) and would get all anxious and b) anyone who is using valuable time to read my partly nonsensical ramblings on New York would definitely not appreciate repetition and it would be highly dull and c) catching up might actually take, like, four weeks anyway because I have done so much and there is so much to talk about and so much to catch up on that repetition would make it take, like, four months. And no one wants that. Aaaaand in four months time who knows what I'll be doing or where I'll be and I will probably want to be focusing on that. So to recap; no jumping about in time, Doctor Who style.
So. Where were we??
Oh yes, that was it.
I'd been given my new silk romper and was uber excited to trry it on.
After the designer had left I got back to work, doing some planning for the min Editorial Awards Harper's are entering, getting together all the hard copies and electronic copies that were needed for each category and entry.
I did more of my sad 'last time' rituals. Whenever I go anywhere I get really attached to it and have to, like, say goodbye to my toilet.
I took some photos of my view but I doubt it will do it justice. Standing there, on the 25th floor of Hearst Tower, overlooking the Manhattan skyline on my last day, I felt suddenly empowered. I had been shit scared two weeks ago, and yet here I was, alive. In fact, more than alive; I had totally owned it. The whole experience had been incredible and I had done it and, I think, done it well. I gave myself a pat on the back (in my head. I had, thus far, managed to keep my total insanity hidden from view of the Harper's office and appeared quite sane. I did not intend to ruin that at the last moment).
Amazingly, a hurricane was predicted for that afternoon. Lisa was, she informed me, terrified. hurricanes are not regular occurrences in New York City and I too was not looking forward to that. I'd felt that I was actually inside the eye of the storm whilst the thunder had raged and the lightening struck on Monday (twenty five floors is high up) so I'm imagining that a hurricane at that height would have been scarier. There was mass hysteria. Hurricane-alert was a new fave excuse to do no work.
My last task at Harper's was back with the archives. Me and the archives became bessies. I had another huge list from a woman called Hanna of issues I needed to pull and helped her sort them and take them to her office on the 18th floor. I also made friends with an intern shadowing a scary looking lady in blood red shoes. Typical me to achieve that on the last day.
Then, saving the best till last, Lisa took me on a massive tour of the Harper's office. We saw the production team and the art department and the stylists and the make up artists and the beauty department and the birth place of all the features and a tall beautiful girl with short dark hair cropped close to her face who looked like Audrey Hepburn and was wearing zebra print trousers being photographed. We saw girls pulling out clothes from rails of choice and lying them on the floor to piece together outfits, a feature on denim and diamonds (big next season: you heard it here first folks), hundreds of hats, a wall dedicated to Manolo's, an entire section of floor space devoted to the red soles of Louboutin, belts, gloves, even some fur coats and a cupboard for beauty products bigger than my kitchen. Lisa also got the heads of each department to explain to me what they do and how they do it and show me what they were working on, which was so interesting and quite exciting. I loved seeing the ideas for a feature based on the statues on fifth avenue take shape and develop, and it's so cool to think that it will appear as a fully fledged feature in a few months time, but that I've already seen it. I'm in the know, me, what can I say. I also saw how much putting together the magazine is like piecing together a puzzle. My head hurt a little bit afterwards. But ohh it was so exciting, I loved it!! I felt so like I was actually a part of the magazine and I was all like, ooh I think I can see myself here, in this environment, as a career. Certainly, the features and editorial is something I would love to do, although I am aware that I'll have to do soooo much work to be able to do anything like that.
I do think it's unfair the way the fashion magazine industry is portrayed; it's run by smart, intelligent individuals who have to work hard and think hard. It's not about matching a bag to a coat and it's not run by shallow people obsessed with clothes and being thin and it isn't like 'The Devil Wears Prada'. *Rant over* Ahem. Sorry about that, I'll sit back down now...
My tour ended at 4.45 on the dot and I was suddenly like waaaa this means I'm leaving for the last time! I wouldn't tell Lisa I'd see her tomorrow and I'd never hurtle down the 25 floors so fast that my tummy flipped again. It was all very emosh. No really.
Lisa gave me a card and an absurdly heavy wrapped present and a hug, which was sweet. I logged off and shut down my jazzy Mac a final time and, taking a quick snap of the huge 'Bazaar' emblazoned on the imposing glass door of the equally imposing office in which I had just spent two weeks, left Hearst Tower.
I couldn't believe it was all over and that I had actually done that and that it had gone so horribly fast. I'm an emotional wreck (trust me, that is not exaggeration) so it will come as no surprise to those who know me that, as I headed for my daily post work frappe, I had tears emptying themselves down my cheek. They were neither happy tears nor sad tears, just a complete well-of-emotion-tears.
Always good to be in touch with your emotions, I find.
Yes that includes when watching the Pampers ad. You can probably blame the parents for that too, actually.
So. Where were we??
Oh yes, that was it.
I'd been given my new silk romper and was uber excited to trry it on.
After the designer had left I got back to work, doing some planning for the min Editorial Awards Harper's are entering, getting together all the hard copies and electronic copies that were needed for each category and entry.
I did more of my sad 'last time' rituals. Whenever I go anywhere I get really attached to it and have to, like, say goodbye to my toilet.
I took some photos of my view but I doubt it will do it justice. Standing there, on the 25th floor of Hearst Tower, overlooking the Manhattan skyline on my last day, I felt suddenly empowered. I had been shit scared two weeks ago, and yet here I was, alive. In fact, more than alive; I had totally owned it. The whole experience had been incredible and I had done it and, I think, done it well. I gave myself a pat on the back (in my head. I had, thus far, managed to keep my total insanity hidden from view of the Harper's office and appeared quite sane. I did not intend to ruin that at the last moment).
Amazingly, a hurricane was predicted for that afternoon. Lisa was, she informed me, terrified. hurricanes are not regular occurrences in New York City and I too was not looking forward to that. I'd felt that I was actually inside the eye of the storm whilst the thunder had raged and the lightening struck on Monday (twenty five floors is high up) so I'm imagining that a hurricane at that height would have been scarier. There was mass hysteria. Hurricane-alert was a new fave excuse to do no work.
My last task at Harper's was back with the archives. Me and the archives became bessies. I had another huge list from a woman called Hanna of issues I needed to pull and helped her sort them and take them to her office on the 18th floor. I also made friends with an intern shadowing a scary looking lady in blood red shoes. Typical me to achieve that on the last day.
Then, saving the best till last, Lisa took me on a massive tour of the Harper's office. We saw the production team and the art department and the stylists and the make up artists and the beauty department and the birth place of all the features and a tall beautiful girl with short dark hair cropped close to her face who looked like Audrey Hepburn and was wearing zebra print trousers being photographed. We saw girls pulling out clothes from rails of choice and lying them on the floor to piece together outfits, a feature on denim and diamonds (big next season: you heard it here first folks), hundreds of hats, a wall dedicated to Manolo's, an entire section of floor space devoted to the red soles of Louboutin, belts, gloves, even some fur coats and a cupboard for beauty products bigger than my kitchen. Lisa also got the heads of each department to explain to me what they do and how they do it and show me what they were working on, which was so interesting and quite exciting. I loved seeing the ideas for a feature based on the statues on fifth avenue take shape and develop, and it's so cool to think that it will appear as a fully fledged feature in a few months time, but that I've already seen it. I'm in the know, me, what can I say. I also saw how much putting together the magazine is like piecing together a puzzle. My head hurt a little bit afterwards. But ohh it was so exciting, I loved it!! I felt so like I was actually a part of the magazine and I was all like, ooh I think I can see myself here, in this environment, as a career. Certainly, the features and editorial is something I would love to do, although I am aware that I'll have to do soooo much work to be able to do anything like that.
I do think it's unfair the way the fashion magazine industry is portrayed; it's run by smart, intelligent individuals who have to work hard and think hard. It's not about matching a bag to a coat and it's not run by shallow people obsessed with clothes and being thin and it isn't like 'The Devil Wears Prada'. *Rant over* Ahem. Sorry about that, I'll sit back down now...
My tour ended at 4.45 on the dot and I was suddenly like waaaa this means I'm leaving for the last time! I wouldn't tell Lisa I'd see her tomorrow and I'd never hurtle down the 25 floors so fast that my tummy flipped again. It was all very emosh. No really.
Lisa gave me a card and an absurdly heavy wrapped present and a hug, which was sweet. I logged off and shut down my jazzy Mac a final time and, taking a quick snap of the huge 'Bazaar' emblazoned on the imposing glass door of the equally imposing office in which I had just spent two weeks, left Hearst Tower.
I couldn't believe it was all over and that I had actually done that and that it had gone so horribly fast. I'm an emotional wreck (trust me, that is not exaggeration) so it will come as no surprise to those who know me that, as I headed for my daily post work frappe, I had tears emptying themselves down my cheek. They were neither happy tears nor sad tears, just a complete well-of-emotion-tears.
Always good to be in touch with your emotions, I find.
Yes that includes when watching the Pampers ad. You can probably blame the parents for that too, actually.
Thursday, 26 July 2012
Wise Words and Inspiration from Valentino
I went print crazy today and wore my low back Aztec print vest with my silk and fringed purple baroque swirl kimono and white city shorts. I love a good bit of print and colour clashing.
I have also been inspired by Harper's to get more red in my wardrobe. And like, actually wear it too. Valentino said that 'red is the colour that never fades into the background' and I think that it's time I stop fading into the background and started standing out a bit more. No one's ever going to fall in love with me if they can't even see me.
This inspiration came about because a recent Harper's image was needed for a banner on the website, so it needed to work horizontally. It was my task to set about finding this image, which was lovely because I got to trawl through the well section - the bit with all the beautiful pictures and fashion shoots - of all the magazines. I found a couple which I thought might work and Lisa and I then went through them and picked out our favourites. It took me nearly all day which, seeing as how I'm the girl who takes several old copies of Vogue and Harper's and Elle babysitting with me so that I can spend hours tearing out photos and images and ads to stick on my wall, it was pretty much a perfect day.
The final choice that they chose from the two pictures we sent them was of a girl standing in the desert in a scarlet chiffon gown that was caught spectacularly in the wind. I guess Valentino knows his stuff...
Failing the red tactic, I might just go about shouting. Here, as soon as I open my mouth I get more attractive. A man serving me coffee today told me I have a 'beautiful accent'.
Then, finally, when all else has proved useless, I'll dare to stare. Several people I know swear by it.
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Harper's Fashion Inspiration
To start off the new week I wore an electric blue calf length pleated skirt, which I felt banished any Monday Morning Blues anyone else in the office might have been feeling after their long week end, with a white crochet vest. I thought it was v cool.
I spent the day doing various bits of admin and I'm also spending a lot of time sorting out the archives, so am totally immersed in vintage Harper's, which is also v cool and total fashion inspiration: I am so feeling some drop waist beaded flapper dresses with a feather head band right now.
I always love a good bit of vintage clothes shopping, but am feeling really fired up for a hunt now! I know there are some vintage/second hand clothes markets in the East Village on week ends; I might have to get down there next Saturday and take several hours to trawl through their goodies. Vintage New York is definitely something my wardrobe needs...
I do think that London girls have an edgier, more individual style than all the well tuned out New Yorkers I've seen. Maybe in Brooklyn and Williamsburg, where everything is renowned for being slightly more daring and bold, this isn't so much the case, but here in Manhattan the style is very cool, very fashionable, very in; very safe. Vintage, hand made or customised isn't something you see a lot of.
Maybe that was why my Chanel inspired black and white dogtooth jacket, with my addition of sewn on fur collar, received some serious admiration.
And I know that the jacket sounds ridiculous in this heat, but seriously, with this air con, a fur coat is needed.
Damn. I missed a trick there.
Friday, 20 July 2012
Very Funny.
Yesterday was a really good day. I was kept thoroughly busy at Harper's, and spent a while going through huge leather bound books that looked like they belonged on Harry Potter's back to school reading list full of archived Harper's Bazaar editions. They went all the way back to the 1800s, with beautifully illustrated floor length gowns, right up to The Fab 5 of the 1990s. I loved pouring over the old ads and covers, all such great inspiration for some of the vintage clothes shopping we're hoping to hunt out!
As I was leaving Lisa told me that she has the day off today, so I do too! That means a whole extra day to explore NYC woohoo. The only problem is my outfit schedule will suffer... which outfit will be got rid of?? Ohh the stress.
Anyway, saving that difficult decision for later, I hurried home to tell my other half (who has become increasingly like my actual other half; she texted me to inform me that she was at the shop and was there anything I wanted? Marital Bliss right there) and she too has the day off which was obviously all very exciting and we celebrated by deciding what peanut butter confectionary to buy. SERIOUSLY, they are obsessed. Literally, obsessed. You can buy anything, ANYTHING, with peanut butter in it. Peanut butter pretzels. Peanut butter snickers. Peanut butter M&Ms. Peanut butter frozen yoghurt. You name it, you can get it. And then oh lord, the actual peanut butter! 'Blizzard Peanut Butter', being peanut butter with white chocolate. I know!! Insanity. Anyway, mild digression there, we were obviously thrilled by this extra day to see more of NYC together and promptly started making plans. We also decided to go to the Comedy Club just off Times Square for which we had been persuaded to buy tickets. So, last night, we ventured into the, sometimes awkward, land of stand up comedy.
It was in this slightly dingy room, but we'd been assured that all the cool kids hung out in places like this, if not, indeed this actuwwwal room, so we felt at home.
We were actually quite surprised by how good it was. Some of it got a bit repetitive (I could chant along with the couple in front of me every time they were asked how long they've been married. 24 years, anniversary just gawn. Why did every comedien feel this piece of information was necessary to their routine?? Maybe it's our British sense of humour getting in the way) and nearly all centred somewhat on being fat (they were all very fat I guess). But it was really very funny (a phrase on an ad that we have heard constantly. I hate to say 'private joke' but Rain would totally understand).
We then wandered back through Times Square, getting several funny looks as we posed for photos on the other side of the street from each other, and my Kanye West tops drew several comments (it is a great top, what can I say).
Our final call of the evening being Tasti D.Lite frozen yoghurt. I spent hours dithering over which flavour to have. Dither dither. My choice? You guessed it. Peanut butter. It was delicious.
As I was leaving Lisa told me that she has the day off today, so I do too! That means a whole extra day to explore NYC woohoo. The only problem is my outfit schedule will suffer... which outfit will be got rid of?? Ohh the stress.
Anyway, saving that difficult decision for later, I hurried home to tell my other half (who has become increasingly like my actual other half; she texted me to inform me that she was at the shop and was there anything I wanted? Marital Bliss right there) and she too has the day off which was obviously all very exciting and we celebrated by deciding what peanut butter confectionary to buy. SERIOUSLY, they are obsessed. Literally, obsessed. You can buy anything, ANYTHING, with peanut butter in it. Peanut butter pretzels. Peanut butter snickers. Peanut butter M&Ms. Peanut butter frozen yoghurt. You name it, you can get it. And then oh lord, the actual peanut butter! 'Blizzard Peanut Butter', being peanut butter with white chocolate. I know!! Insanity. Anyway, mild digression there, we were obviously thrilled by this extra day to see more of NYC together and promptly started making plans. We also decided to go to the Comedy Club just off Times Square for which we had been persuaded to buy tickets. So, last night, we ventured into the, sometimes awkward, land of stand up comedy.
It was in this slightly dingy room, but we'd been assured that all the cool kids hung out in places like this, if not, indeed this actuwwwal room, so we felt at home.
We were actually quite surprised by how good it was. Some of it got a bit repetitive (I could chant along with the couple in front of me every time they were asked how long they've been married. 24 years, anniversary just gawn. Why did every comedien feel this piece of information was necessary to their routine?? Maybe it's our British sense of humour getting in the way) and nearly all centred somewhat on being fat (they were all very fat I guess). But it was really very funny (a phrase on an ad that we have heard constantly. I hate to say 'private joke' but Rain would totally understand).
We then wandered back through Times Square, getting several funny looks as we posed for photos on the other side of the street from each other, and my Kanye West tops drew several comments (it is a great top, what can I say).
Our final call of the evening being Tasti D.Lite frozen yoghurt. I spent hours dithering over which flavour to have. Dither dither. My choice? You guessed it. Peanut butter. It was delicious.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
First Day
omgomgomg it was amazing!!
I did arrive absurdly early and nervously picked at my fruit salad and iced coffee (sorry, cawwwffee) for a bit before finally plucking up the courage to scurry through the imposing Hurst Tower revolving doors and ornate collumns.
I successfuly made it through security, who issued me with a visitor badge, and then went up the 25 floors to Harper's Bazaare.
I quickly found Lisa who is literally beyond lovely and very cool. She had glitter in her hair and all down the back of her neck, and when someone pointed this out she was all just like, yeahhh I was at a party and they strated pumping out glitter and it is a bitch to get off. And I just stood quitely, in awe of her coolness.
Then she gave me a tour and it's just like I imagined it would be!! We went through a room full of shoes, and rails of clothes in colour coded order, and girls laying out outfits on the floor, and there are mood boards leaning against the glass walls so that it looks like they're part of the New York skyline, and pictures of Kate Moss from the latest issue on the desks, and the actual editor in chief Glenda Bailey having an indepth conversation about which Dior jacket to use. I just drifted through it with this absurdly big smile on my face.
I have more to say, but I need to get to work! It's just a five minute walk from our new hostel but I need to get my morning cawwffee...
Until next time
xx
I did arrive absurdly early and nervously picked at my fruit salad and iced coffee (sorry, cawwwffee) for a bit before finally plucking up the courage to scurry through the imposing Hurst Tower revolving doors and ornate collumns.
I successfuly made it through security, who issued me with a visitor badge, and then went up the 25 floors to Harper's Bazaare.
I quickly found Lisa who is literally beyond lovely and very cool. She had glitter in her hair and all down the back of her neck, and when someone pointed this out she was all just like, yeahhh I was at a party and they strated pumping out glitter and it is a bitch to get off. And I just stood quitely, in awe of her coolness.
Then she gave me a tour and it's just like I imagined it would be!! We went through a room full of shoes, and rails of clothes in colour coded order, and girls laying out outfits on the floor, and there are mood boards leaning against the glass walls so that it looks like they're part of the New York skyline, and pictures of Kate Moss from the latest issue on the desks, and the actual editor in chief Glenda Bailey having an indepth conversation about which Dior jacket to use. I just drifted through it with this absurdly big smile on my face.
I have more to say, but I need to get to work! It's just a five minute walk from our new hostel but I need to get my morning cawwffee...
Until next time
xx
Friday, 13 July 2012
Packing completed. Case open.
All packed. Only issue being I can't actually shut my case. This will have to be dealt with by my dad because there is nothing that is not entirely necessary and can be taken out.
Body beautiful is also complete. Well, as good as it's going to get at any rate (yessss that was a Princess Diaries quote. She is my idol, with her geek chic cool. Also appropriate as seeing as how Anne was also the intern in The Devil Wears Prada. Woop deffs an inspiration.) Manicure and pedicure being used as a reason why I'm incapable of doing anything: I've turned into a 'my nails my nails' girl. Don't hate. Facepack has been applied. My newly cut fringe is looking sharp. I'm totes ready to go; new york but ready for me!!
I feel a bit like a champagne bottle; all fizzy and excitable and full of possibilities.
The unknown is terrifying. But the unknown is also thrilling... Roll on saying yes to life!
Packing Commences
Packing for New York has commenced. Keeping it simple by basically just taking everything I own.
I always get terrible Packing Stress, even when I'm only going away for a night. The terror of rejecting an item of clothing which I later discover is vital to the trip and, indeed, my very happiness, is strong. Some may even say excessively so.
But I've never been to New York before, let alone for a two week intern at Harper's Bazaar; what do I take?!
This is beyond stressful.
I always get terrible Packing Stress, even when I'm only going away for a night. The terror of rejecting an item of clothing which I later discover is vital to the trip and, indeed, my very happiness, is strong. Some may even say excessively so.
But I've never been to New York before, let alone for a two week intern at Harper's Bazaar; what do I take?!
This is beyond stressful.
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