Showing posts with label Fa fa fa fa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fa fa fa fa. Show all posts
Friday, September 18, 2015
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Sunday, October 20, 2013
More Stuff About Shoes and Noses
Yup: Britten Sinfonia night again. The launch of their new season and I took my usual seat, front and centre, from which vantage point I - as per - took notes for all you shoe fetishists out there.
Nothing quite so outrageously "fuck me" as Alina Ibragimova's shoes from last time around, but this evening's prize went to Jacquie Shave for imprisoning her feet and calves with what I can only describe as a stiletto heeled, gladiator sandal-themed creation that had somehow got pimped by a bondage shop.
Sexiest feet of the night, however, went to Clare Finnimore - principal viola - in black ballet pumps, for constantly twining her feet and ankles around one another and her chair legs in a surprisingly erotic manner. Of course, the fact that she's adorably cute didn't hinder the effect; nor even that she was wearing what appeared to be short clown trousers and a baby-doll nightie in black-on-black stripes.
As usual, the Sinfonia's women took the "black formal" theme and undermined it every which way they could, from Caroline Dearnley - principal cello - in a mountain of lace layers that would have made Stevie Nicks grind her teeth in a jealous rage, to Miranda Dale - 2nd. violin - clad clingingly in a beautiful empire line black velvet gown with a wide satin band under the bust and a diamanté brooch front and centre. With her hair up in strict 20's style she looked glam and gorgeous.
The only non-black item on display was a crimson silk Nehru-collared blouson, wrapped around the increasingly rotund figure of star oboist Nicholas Daniel as he strutted his stuff like a somewhat chubbier Mick Jagger and monstered the fiendishly virtuosic insanity of Nicholas Maw's "Little Concert for Oboe".
Oh, and a mention too for Jacqueline Shave's bonkers mane of red-blonde hair that has now grown bigger than she is and had its own little private party during the gig.
Anyhoo … enough fashion notes, other than to say that the women of the Britten Sinfonia sport a wonderful and exceedingly attractive collection of noses; something I'd not noticed until this evening. I mean, I'd noticed that they had noses, but not that they were so darned attractive … er.
As for the music?
The Sinfonia are renowned for their consistently wonderful programming and this evening gave us a premiere from Chicago-based Brit Anna Clyne (one of whose pieces launched this year's Last Night of the Proms), the Maw oboe piece, Mozart, Haydn and Stravinsky in a delightful mash-up.
This is the band of course, who regular readers might recall recently made gloriously melodic music from - among other things - items of furniture, glass and water, and whose leader has just returned from a free-improvisation concert in a cave on the remote Faroe Islands and is currently working on a piece for violin and the sounds made by Antarctic ice recorded underwater. Which is one of many reasons I love them: they are refreshingly, deliberately and deliciously "different."
They kicked off with Stravinsky's Three Pieces for String Quartet, with Jackie, Miranda, Clare and Caroline putting on their own little fashion show and hitting the tricky Stravinsky pieces with verve and not a little wit. A real grin-inducer.
Next up came Anna Clyne's "Within Her Arms," a beautiful and elegiac string piece that built and ebbed like waves and was both unashamedly gorgeous and very modern; you could tell that her heart lies in electro-acoustic tape pieces even though the stage was filled with lush acoustic strings only. Lovely.
A short coughie break while the piano was wheeled onto the stage and then the dashing Dejan Lazić delighted us with Mozart's Piano Concerto No.12 in A Major (K414) with a small chamber orchestra in support. He has affected a Lisztian dangly forelock and delights in hunkering down with his nose almost against the keyboard, Bill Evans style for the fast passages and then throwing his head and arms back at the end of each thrilling run so that the floppy forelock flies back in a graceful arc. All very Romantic and Byronesque. His piano playing wasn't bad either. Bravos all round at the end.
Interval. Drinkies. Chatties.
The pink glasses and crimson torso of Nick Daniel launched us into the Nicholas Maw piece, with horns and woodwind added to the strings. A beautiful melodic line transferred piece by piece from the strings to the oboe before a fiendishly fast, serial-based and almost free-jazz recitativo and a boffo, grandstanding final movement that saw him exchanging rock-star poses with Jacqueline Shave. Fully deserved encores.
Last up: Haydn. While we wouldn't normally expect such "popular" classical composers as Mozza and Haydn from the Brittens, they choose the more non-traditional of traditional pieces and the finale was Haydn's wilfully bizarre, six movement, 60th Symphony: "il Distratto."
This piece of gonzo weirdness is chock full of jokes and the band were obviously having a ball … exchanged smiles of delight, fiercely furrowed brows and alarmed glances gave the impression that they were flying by the seats of their collective pants, but as ever they were fantastically tight and together. Fiddlers' elbows got a serious seeing-to in the hilariously over the top speed-freak fourth and sixth movements. Inevitably a few folk got caught out after the false climax of the fourth movement and burst into spontaneous applause, much to the giggling delight of orchestra and audience alike.
A gleeful, helter-skelter show-stopper of a finale that blew the roof off and made us cheer and clap until our arms dropped off and then stamp our feet.
This is only the opener in a fabulous season. Next Britten Sinf gig in four weeks' time. Expect hyperbole and fashion notes.
Toodle pip!
Nothing quite so outrageously "fuck me" as Alina Ibragimova's shoes from last time around, but this evening's prize went to Jacquie Shave for imprisoning her feet and calves with what I can only describe as a stiletto heeled, gladiator sandal-themed creation that had somehow got pimped by a bondage shop.
Sexiest feet of the night, however, went to Clare Finnimore - principal viola - in black ballet pumps, for constantly twining her feet and ankles around one another and her chair legs in a surprisingly erotic manner. Of course, the fact that she's adorably cute didn't hinder the effect; nor even that she was wearing what appeared to be short clown trousers and a baby-doll nightie in black-on-black stripes.
As usual, the Sinfonia's women took the "black formal" theme and undermined it every which way they could, from Caroline Dearnley - principal cello - in a mountain of lace layers that would have made Stevie Nicks grind her teeth in a jealous rage, to Miranda Dale - 2nd. violin - clad clingingly in a beautiful empire line black velvet gown with a wide satin band under the bust and a diamanté brooch front and centre. With her hair up in strict 20's style she looked glam and gorgeous.
The only non-black item on display was a crimson silk Nehru-collared blouson, wrapped around the increasingly rotund figure of star oboist Nicholas Daniel as he strutted his stuff like a somewhat chubbier Mick Jagger and monstered the fiendishly virtuosic insanity of Nicholas Maw's "Little Concert for Oboe".
Oh, and a mention too for Jacqueline Shave's bonkers mane of red-blonde hair that has now grown bigger than she is and had its own little private party during the gig.
Anyhoo … enough fashion notes, other than to say that the women of the Britten Sinfonia sport a wonderful and exceedingly attractive collection of noses; something I'd not noticed until this evening. I mean, I'd noticed that they had noses, but not that they were so darned attractive … er.
As for the music?
The Sinfonia are renowned for their consistently wonderful programming and this evening gave us a premiere from Chicago-based Brit Anna Clyne (one of whose pieces launched this year's Last Night of the Proms), the Maw oboe piece, Mozart, Haydn and Stravinsky in a delightful mash-up.
This is the band of course, who regular readers might recall recently made gloriously melodic music from - among other things - items of furniture, glass and water, and whose leader has just returned from a free-improvisation concert in a cave on the remote Faroe Islands and is currently working on a piece for violin and the sounds made by Antarctic ice recorded underwater. Which is one of many reasons I love them: they are refreshingly, deliberately and deliciously "different."
They kicked off with Stravinsky's Three Pieces for String Quartet, with Jackie, Miranda, Clare and Caroline putting on their own little fashion show and hitting the tricky Stravinsky pieces with verve and not a little wit. A real grin-inducer.
Next up came Anna Clyne's "Within Her Arms," a beautiful and elegiac string piece that built and ebbed like waves and was both unashamedly gorgeous and very modern; you could tell that her heart lies in electro-acoustic tape pieces even though the stage was filled with lush acoustic strings only. Lovely.
A short coughie break while the piano was wheeled onto the stage and then the dashing Dejan Lazić delighted us with Mozart's Piano Concerto No.12 in A Major (K414) with a small chamber orchestra in support. He has affected a Lisztian dangly forelock and delights in hunkering down with his nose almost against the keyboard, Bill Evans style for the fast passages and then throwing his head and arms back at the end of each thrilling run so that the floppy forelock flies back in a graceful arc. All very Romantic and Byronesque. His piano playing wasn't bad either. Bravos all round at the end.
Interval. Drinkies. Chatties.
The pink glasses and crimson torso of Nick Daniel launched us into the Nicholas Maw piece, with horns and woodwind added to the strings. A beautiful melodic line transferred piece by piece from the strings to the oboe before a fiendishly fast, serial-based and almost free-jazz recitativo and a boffo, grandstanding final movement that saw him exchanging rock-star poses with Jacqueline Shave. Fully deserved encores.
Last up: Haydn. While we wouldn't normally expect such "popular" classical composers as Mozza and Haydn from the Brittens, they choose the more non-traditional of traditional pieces and the finale was Haydn's wilfully bizarre, six movement, 60th Symphony: "il Distratto."
This piece of gonzo weirdness is chock full of jokes and the band were obviously having a ball … exchanged smiles of delight, fiercely furrowed brows and alarmed glances gave the impression that they were flying by the seats of their collective pants, but as ever they were fantastically tight and together. Fiddlers' elbows got a serious seeing-to in the hilariously over the top speed-freak fourth and sixth movements. Inevitably a few folk got caught out after the false climax of the fourth movement and burst into spontaneous applause, much to the giggling delight of orchestra and audience alike.
A gleeful, helter-skelter show-stopper of a finale that blew the roof off and made us cheer and clap until our arms dropped off and then stamp our feet.
This is only the opener in a fabulous season. Next Britten Sinf gig in four weeks' time. Expect hyperbole and fashion notes.
Toodle pip!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Monday, December 31, 2012
WTF Monday - Fa-fa-fa-fa …
Discovered last week in a Westminster menswear store.
I am SO going to wear this down the gym.
Friday, December 07, 2012
Fa - Fa - Fa - Fa -
Ooooh, bop.
Doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh,
Fa - fa - fa- fa - Fashion …
We are the goon squad and we're coming to town (beep beep).
Mister Bowie was always a master lyricist.
And Old Dive is always a sucker for a good outfit.
Found this lady crossing Piccadilly and simply couldn't resist the "Gosh! Love your outfit. May I take a photo?" which invariably results in some nicely thrown poses.
My back is still seriously crocked this morning, but I have to struggle in to the office to get a tender issue out, dammit. Not the sort of thing I can trust to anyone else.
Painkillers and swearing ahoy!
Have a painless Friday, dress well and be careful of your back.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
… And A Thing of Booty
Damn! I'm appalled by my own crassness.
I really didn't think myself capable of such a crap title,
but there it is.
I hang my head in shame.
Hee hee hee …
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Hostess Trolley
or is that just me?
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Cars and Girls, Part (Whatever, I Lost Count)
We've had so many gloriously sunny Goodwoods it was inevitable that we'd hit a rainy one eventually.
Even though most of the gels kept their beautiful dresses hidden under coats this year, some were brave enough to flaunt the frocks.
Here's a selection:
Here's a selection:
Now laydees … go look in your wardrobes. If what you see looks nothing like this then throw it all out and go kit yourself out in something gorgeous.
Both of these outfits are fantastic. What the hell is wrong with women today? Just LOOK at these two!
Go on, girls: glam up! You know it makes sense.
Both of these outfits are fantastic. What the hell is wrong with women today? Just LOOK at these two!
Go on, girls: glam up! You know it makes sense.
Va-Va-Voom!
It's not compulsory (unfortunately) to doll up as an air hostess and put in a tongue stud …
… unless you want to of course; I certainly won't complain.
And I'll refrain from commenting on the fortuitously positioned sign - I'm too much of a gentleman … ahem.
It's not compulsory (unfortunately) to doll up as an air hostess and put in a tongue stud …
… unless you want to of course; I certainly won't complain.
And I'll refrain from commenting on the fortuitously positioned sign - I'm too much of a gentleman … ahem.
All cab drivers should look as good as Goodwood regulars the Glamcab girls.
Chim-chiminee, chim-chiminee, chim-chim-cheree, etc.
Please don't sue me if you find yourself singing that all day.
Please don't sue me if you find yourself singing that all day.
The rain put a few frowns on the faces of the Race Queens as they made their way out to the track.
But honestly, who can frown for long when you look that good?
Even the journalists got into the spirit of things; witness this Press-in-a-Dress.
Favourite hair-do of the weekend goes to this chirpy lassie. Wonderful!
As for the women who spurned the opportunity to look glamourous …
Let this be a lesson to you all!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Goodwood 2010 - All Cozzied Up
It was indeed spiffy weather for the world's biggest and best fancy dress party.
Lights … Camera … Action!
The lovely Glamcab ladies are back again and ready to transport you.
Or even to dance for you.
I say!What stylish swimwear!
Ding dong!
The day was full to the brim with wonderful hats on beautiful weemen.
And serious hair-dos.
And fab frocks.
And even a parasol or two to keep out the sun.
And some East End folk down by the fairground.
Not forgetting some sage advice.
Even the Dad's Army crew turned up, with a splendid Captain Mainwaring looky-likey.
Breakfast of champions!Free single malt all day every day for whoever might wish to indulge.
Some picnickers brought their own furniture.
While others simply basked in a glorious day of vintage motor racing with that peculiarly English twist that we love so much.
And so we bid a sleepy farewell to this year's Goodwood costume-fest.
See you next year!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Goodwood 2009 - Fashion Parade
Well here we are again at the glorious Goodwood Revival weekend. The smell of burning rubber and hot motor oil, the roar of Merlin engines from the Spitfires overhead and … er … the best fancy dress party on the planet!
For anyone who has not been paying attention these past few years, I'll be doing the main Goodwood posts on Friday and at the weekend and shall explain a lot more about the event then, but today we'll be enjoying a little fashion parade.
This is my favourite photo from the whole weekend.
It's not just the grown-ups who have fun dressing up. These three were totally in character as street urchins and behaved like perfect cheeky little scamps.
I can just picture them larking about in the bomb-sites and ruins of postwar England. Their mum was standing off to the left and I must say she did a splendid job. The tomboy dressed as a little princess, the one-sock-up, one-sock-down look, the ties, the untucked shirts, the grime-smirched cheeks; I remember all of that from when I was a kid, clambering over the tank traps and gun-emplacements where we used to play.
Brilliant!
Anyhoo, let the fashion parade begin!
This is just typical Goodwood.
Vintage cars mixed with vintage fashions, from the 1930s to the 1960s; the decades before taste and style died screaming.
These past couple of years a lot more parents have been dressing their kids in vintage clobber, and hoorah for that! More fun for all!
I must confess, the Eva Braun look was a new one on me but she did look gorgeous.
If you're going for the German look, however, please avoid lederhosen!
It turned out to be a stinkingly hot day and an awful lot of ladies were to regret bringing fur stoles.
This was taken bright and early in the morning, however, so it was smiles all round.
Dapper, chic and - at least the girl in the middle - just a leetle bit disturbing.
These girls were off to the funfair in the 1950s Rock'n'Roll party area, ready to drink ice cream sodas and dance the day away with James Dean lookalikes (there are always lots of those).
One of this year's themes was the Swinging Sixties and Carnaby Street so there were lots of spiffy Mary Quant minidresses and a general air of Austin Powers grooviness.
Plus the more genteel look (and of course CARS)!
This outfit was impeccable, though not so good later on when the sun burned us all to a crisp.
Goodwood caters for all tastes.
If you fancy a couple of bull dykes decked out like Rosie the Rivetter, you'll find happiness here.
This lady looks like she just met the couple above and got a little startled.
Much as I love polka dots, the dress on the right here is totally fabulous.
(Click on all the pics for more detail, by the way).
And talking of fabulous, here's Phil again, this time with Dick from Lotus (you can't avoid bumping into sports car people at Goodwood).
Listen up, ladies:
THIS is how you should look.
Burn your entire crappy wardrobe, go out and buy something stylish, get your hair done like this and the world will suddenly be a much better place for us all.
Supercute!
I love this dress!
(The one on the right … duh)!
Yay for the Swinging Sixties!
Dolly birds and scooters ahoy!
Woah, Nellie!
(Shame about the bag, though. Accessorise, girls)!
Eek! Hippies!
This was part of the 1960s area and the little radio station cum discotheque was banging out great sixties music all day. It was groovy, baby!
Dancing dollybirds and a funbus for the kids. Who could ask for more?
How many students can you get in a telephone box?
Not as many as we did back in the sixties, that's for sure!
Ooh! Ooh! Katie, if I buy this will you wear it for me?
Pleeeeeease!
Butterflies, hibiscus and cheesecake glamour girls. Yowza!
Of course, if you own a vintage veehickle you can have even more fun.
Though not as much fun as the guy at the top right appears to be having. Looks like he dropped too much acid in the sixties area.
Not just vintage cars, either. There are always loads of great bikes (and great clothes, too … check out the background in these two bike shots).
Vintage Norton. Yay!
Well, that's it for this year's fashion show (apart from a few more that might sneak in amongst the car racing posts later).
Let's take our seamed stockings and walk off into the sunset.
Stopping only to cheer on the wonderful wartime uniforms. Lots (as always) of military chic, but this one stood out. An ARP Fire Warden, complete with tin hat and fire bucket.
Fantastic!
As it's harvest time, there's not just vintage cars, bikes and planes to play with.
Though these two Land Girls seem to have had enough.
For anyone who has not been paying attention these past few years, I'll be doing the main Goodwood posts on Friday and at the weekend and shall explain a lot more about the event then, but today we'll be enjoying a little fashion parade.
This is my favourite photo from the whole weekend.It's not just the grown-ups who have fun dressing up. These three were totally in character as street urchins and behaved like perfect cheeky little scamps.
I can just picture them larking about in the bomb-sites and ruins of postwar England. Their mum was standing off to the left and I must say she did a splendid job. The tomboy dressed as a little princess, the one-sock-up, one-sock-down look, the ties, the untucked shirts, the grime-smirched cheeks; I remember all of that from when I was a kid, clambering over the tank traps and gun-emplacements where we used to play.
Brilliant!
Anyhoo, let the fashion parade begin!
This is just typical Goodwood.Vintage cars mixed with vintage fashions, from the 1930s to the 1960s; the decades before taste and style died screaming.
These past couple of years a lot more parents have been dressing their kids in vintage clobber, and hoorah for that! More fun for all!
I must confess, the Eva Braun look was a new one on me but she did look gorgeous.
If you're going for the German look, however, please avoid lederhosen!
It turned out to be a stinkingly hot day and an awful lot of ladies were to regret bringing fur stoles.This was taken bright and early in the morning, however, so it was smiles all round.
Dapper, chic and - at least the girl in the middle - just a leetle bit disturbing.
These girls were off to the funfair in the 1950s Rock'n'Roll party area, ready to drink ice cream sodas and dance the day away with James Dean lookalikes (there are always lots of those).
One of this year's themes was the Swinging Sixties and Carnaby Street so there were lots of spiffy Mary Quant minidresses and a general air of Austin Powers grooviness.
Plus the more genteel look (and of course CARS)!
This outfit was impeccable, though not so good later on when the sun burned us all to a crisp.
Goodwood caters for all tastes.If you fancy a couple of bull dykes decked out like Rosie the Rivetter, you'll find happiness here.
This lady looks like she just met the couple above and got a little startled.
Much as I love polka dots, the dress on the right here is totally fabulous.(Click on all the pics for more detail, by the way).
And talking of fabulous, here's Phil again, this time with Dick from Lotus (you can't avoid bumping into sports car people at Goodwood).
Listen up, ladies:THIS is how you should look.
Burn your entire crappy wardrobe, go out and buy something stylish, get your hair done like this and the world will suddenly be a much better place for us all.
Supercute!I love this dress!
(The one on the right … duh)!
Yay for the Swinging Sixties!Dolly birds and scooters ahoy!
Woah, Nellie!(Shame about the bag, though. Accessorise, girls)!
Eek! Hippies!This was part of the 1960s area and the little radio station cum discotheque was banging out great sixties music all day. It was groovy, baby!
Dancing dollybirds and a funbus for the kids. Who could ask for more?
How many students can you get in a telephone box?
Not as many as we did back in the sixties, that's for sure!
Ooh! Ooh! Katie, if I buy this will you wear it for me?Pleeeeeease!
Butterflies, hibiscus and cheesecake glamour girls. Yowza!
Of course, if you own a vintage veehickle you can have even more fun.Though not as much fun as the guy at the top right appears to be having. Looks like he dropped too much acid in the sixties area.
Not just vintage cars, either. There are always loads of great bikes (and great clothes, too … check out the background in these two bike shots).
Vintage Norton. Yay!
Well, that's it for this year's fashion show (apart from a few more that might sneak in amongst the car racing posts later).Let's take our seamed stockings and walk off into the sunset.
Stopping only to cheer on the wonderful wartime uniforms. Lots (as always) of military chic, but this one stood out. An ARP Fire Warden, complete with tin hat and fire bucket.Fantastic!
As it's harvest time, there's not just vintage cars, bikes and planes to play with.
Though these two Land Girls seem to have had enough.
Toodle Pip from vintage Merrie England!
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