DELIGHT or SMITE? (June)

You know the drill by now, right? DELIGHT or SMITE? is a hot-or-not list for the HERE & NOW! Here’s the list for June…

DELIGHT

Wearing coloured stockings or leggings underneath ripped jeans — Robin, possibly the coolest boy in London, does it (pink leggings under blue jeans) & he looks fantastic!

Big honking sparkly cocktail rings. (I like this in Heliotrope & Fuschia & this in PINK!, by Tarina Tarantino.)

Consciously choosing to support companies/businesses/individuals with a strong moral code; doing your research, thinking before you buy.

Thick American-style peanut butter with lots of SUGAR! & my new favourite, lavender-flavoured fudge. So delicious. Here is a recipe.

Arturo Elena, a Spanish fashion illustrator. You can see a whole lot of examples of his artwork here. I love the proportions, they’re so dramatic, & I especially love all those regal-looking women with sleek, black-lacquered bob haircuts. Glorious.

Candy colours. To me, they are always in style, regardless of the season. Musk lolly pink, electric food-colouring blue, shiny lime green, lemon sherbet yellow, soft lilac & rich purple, cherry red… I advocate buying small things in these colours, like purses, pill boxes, stilettos, nailpolish, pens, scarves, neckties & typewriters. They are always endearing & mood elevating, beautiful in action (when you’re wearing or using them) & equally glorious in repose (a scarf knotted around a post on your bed or a violet pair of shoes by the door).

Angelyne. A true Hollywood phenomenon, Angelyne buys billboards advertising herself & is known for her catch-cry, “Barbie wishes she was me”. There’s even an Angelyne sightings page, started eleven years ago! I love it.

Being a greenie: skipping the plastic lid on that takeaway coffee (or bringing your own travelling mug!), taking your own shopping bags to the supermarket, recycling, riding a bike or taking public transport, not littering!

Rino Nakasone. She’s one of Gwen Stefani’s “Harajuku Girls” (), but the girl can dance. For sure.

For cold weather: hats with ear-flaps, thick wool stockings with boots or mary janes, blush, a signature umbrella, v-neck cashmere sweaters & scarf which smells like perfume. Pick a style icon — maybe Edith Bouvier Beale or Jude Law?

For hot weather: sparkly shoes, short dresses worn with cardigans, big sunglasses (always always always), long skinny-fit vintage t-shirts, exposed legs for everyone & a successful dabbling in tennis chic. Pick a style icon — maybe Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis or David Bowie in his Thin White Duke era?

New York City — yesterday, today & tomorrow. My favourite place to be. Where else can you get two hot dogs & a drink for $2.75, 24 hours a day? (This has been on my mind since yesterday, when I paid $5.80 for the worst “New York”-style hot dog of my life.) Last year, my boyfriend & I arrived in NYC on the 12th of September, & after dropping our stuff at the Hotel Chelsea ( !), we walked up towards Times Square. The clock clicked over, & as it became my birthday, I gaped at the neon lights, got high off the crowd, & was sung to by the employees of Coldstone Creamery. Best birthday ever. EVER!

Music which gives you goosebumps.

SMITE

Insecurity preventing you from doing anything, whether that’s going for a promotion at work, talking to that girl you like or going into the Chanel boutique.

Anyone who tries to make you feel as if fashion is frivolous & unimportant. Even if you think it’s the most shallow thing in the world, my darling, you still have to get dressed!

Energy vampires. You know those people who leave you feeling drained & exhausted after any amount of socialising? Yup, them. Good news though — if you stop socialising with them, they’ll stop doing it!

Television. Lame-o-rama! While sometimes I long for cable (& the ability to watch MTV & E! whenever I want), I know that ultimately it would just be bad for my mental health. If you really MUST get your fix of America’s Next Top Model (I don’t blame you), just watch it online. No advertisements, & you can watch it at your leisure! Mindlessly flicking through hundreds of channels is totally soul-crushing.

“Watching television is like taking black spray paint to your third eye.” — Bill Hicks

Unstable ex-lovers! Yecchhh! Say no more, say no more!

Having to think of a list of bad things & being unable to come up with any! Or maybe this should be in the DELIGHT list?!

What’s on your DELIGHT or SMITE? radar?