Absolutely Nothing To Talk About : Amy Molyneaux from PPQ
Posted: August 31, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing To Talk About 1 CommentAmy Molyneaux is the Creative Director / Owner of fashion label PPQ which was formed in London in 1992.
I’ve been a devoted fan and wearer of all things PPQ for a very long time and couldn’t live without a single item. They are without a doubt my favourite British label.
ANTW talks to Amy Molyneaux about all kinds of Absolutely Nothing….
Amy Molyneaux
Absolutely Nothing To Read
Bring on The Empty Horses by David Niven. He’s such a brilliant writer. And for someone to have been to war and then be so gracious with the Hollywood fraternity, makes me smile.
Post Office by Charles Bukowski also managed to inspire me and get me back to reading after a spate of boredom.
Absolutely Nothing To Watch
I love BBC 4 documentaries. Especially ones about the Circus and Submarines.
Absolutely Nothing To See
Cinderella performed by The Royal Ballet at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Absolutely Nothing To Smile About
My fantastic PPQ team
Absolutely Nothing To Wear
Knickers from Agent Provocateur. I also always carry a black cashmere cardigan in my bag wherever I go. It’s my wardrobe staple.
Absolutely Nothing To Buy
Condiments from Waitrose. They sell the best in town.
Absolutely Nothing To Listen To
Absolutely Nothing To Whisper About
Falke Body Wear – the polo necks and tights are an all-in-one must for the cold weather.
PPQ AW 2011
Absolutely Nothing To Watch : Lanvin AW11/12
Posted: August 30, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing To Watch Leave a commentI know I know I know, it’s everywhere and we’ve all seen it a million times but I DON’T CARE. These things are made to be shared and I for one, can’t stop watching…..
A wonderful week doing Absolutely Nothing
Posted: August 28, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing Leave a commentI think this might just have been one of my favourite weeks of Absolutely Nothing. It’s quality not quantity after all…..she says hopefully.
We launched Absolutely Nothing To Talk About, our new mid-week Q&A, and this week Lisa Ispani from Tallulah and Hope gave us wise words and stylish secrets about all sorts of Absolutely Nothing.
We’ve also had some hilarious cartoons from Zebedee Helm which has cheered us along and I’ve once again delved in to my sometimes blurry fashion consciousness to share a few things I’ve loved and pondered.
I hope you’ve enjoyed it all and if you want a weekly roundup delivered straight to your inbox every Monday morning, just click on the Weekly Subscription tab on the homepage.
Absolutely Nothing To Buzz About : A sweet little love story by Micki Myers
Absolutely Nothing To Wear : Fashion Copycats, flattering or infuriating? by Mel Moss
Absolutely Nothing To Talk About : Lisa Ispani from Tallulah and Hope by Mel Moss
Hair Cuts : Is grey the new black? by Mel Moss with cartoon by Zebedee Helm
Absolutely Nothing To Wear : A crash course in Capes by Mel Moss
Blackbird Types by Zebedee Helm
Absolutely Nothing To Wear : A crash course in Capes
Posted: August 27, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing To Wear Leave a commentSeeing as I have a tiny bit of an addiction to the caped variety of cover-up, I’ve been having a little look online to see what’s there. So just in case you too have a penchant for ponchos, I thought it was only fair to share.
There are literally HUNDREDS more if you have the time to spend looking online or, better still, actually go out and look in real life shops. These are just a few of my personal picks from some of my most trusted web based retailers. I strongly recommend looking through Ebay too – I found 2 of my all time favourite capes on there for a fraction of the retail price.
1. Cream Poncho, ROKIT, £60
Burberry Brit Duffle Cape £595, NET-A-PORTER
3. Sonia Rykiel Cape, £500, NET-A-PORTER
4. Cape, ROKIT, £65
5. Reversible Cape by Ganni, £100, ASOS
6. Contrast Trim Cape, £16 (originally £80), ASOS
7. Circle Cape Poncho, black or navy, £160, Tallulah and Hope
8. And I know this isn’t strictly a cape but I love it all the same.
Sherlock Cape Mac, £180, by Dressmonster from ASOS
Hair Cuts : Is Grey the New Black?
Posted: August 25, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing To Wear 1 CommentI’m going grey. They’ve started catching the light when I look in the mirror and I’m not sure I like it. I always said it wouldn’t bother me when it happened but it turns out I was wrong, I’m not sure I’m ready for silvery locks quite yet.
So, what do I do? Do I attempt a self colour when the children are in bed – I have one I bought in France which came recommended – or do I make a day of it. I’m thinking this might be something worth making an occasion of. It could be my perfect reason to escape for an entire day and sit in a chair, alone, quietly.
I’ve never had my hair coloured and I’m terrified of making a huge mistake. I may well end up with something much worse than my current combination of dark brown with a hint of silver.
For now I shall remain grey and confused and enjoy this cartoon instead.
Haircut Strip by Zebedee Helm
A Wonderful Week of Absolutely Nothing To Wear : subscribe right here
Posted: August 24, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing Leave a commentEvery Sunday we do a roundup of all the previous weeks’ posts on Absolutely Nothing To Wear.
If you would like to receive an email version of this post straight to your inbox on a Monday morning, just fill out the form below and we’ll add you to the list.
Absolutely Nothing To Talk About : Lisa Ispani from Tallulah and Hope
Posted: August 24, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing To Talk About 1 CommentEvery Wednesday ANTW will be having a mid-week chat with someone we think knows an awful lot, about Absolutely Nothing…..
Lisa Ispani is the co-founder of Tallulah and Hope who make the most fabulous modern beachwear and are an ANTW fashion favourite.
Absolutely Nothing To Wear…..
Tallulah and Hope Hero kaftan because you can literally throw it on and you’re good to go. I stretch wearing one into Autumn by layering over a long-sleeved American Apparel top and jeans.
Merchant Archive in West London is my absolute favourite vintage boutique. Sophie the owner has an exquisite eye and also stocks contemporary pieces and accessories. I bought my Karen Walker sunglasses there which I wore rampantly on holiday.
T&H Hero kaftan and Karen Walker sunglasses both pictured above
Absolutely Nothing To Read…..
Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh is the story of an incredibly inspiring entrepreneur who took Zappos.com to making over a billion dollars in gross sales over just 10 years.
Absolutely Nothing To Do…..
I recently visited therapist Marlene Munoz , who came highly recommended. I had a Chi Rejuvenation Facial which combines classic French facial massage techniques with the ancient Chinese therapy, acupressure, all designed specifically to rejuvenate the face. It was so enjoyable and the next day I was asked for ID in Waitrose (honestly) when I was buying alcohol – I’m 36!
Absolutely Nothing To Listen To……
The Bronx (a hardcore American rock band from LA) released a ‘Mariachi’ album El Bronx under their alter ego Mariachi El Bronx
it’s amazing and joyful I cannot stop listening it!
Absolutely Nothing To Eat…..
The Bread Pudding with Caramel ice-cream from Canteen, I just can’t say no!
Absolutely Nothing To Buy…..
Anything from Sonia Rykiel
Absolutely Nothing To See…..
Tracy Emin’s Love is What You Want retrospective exhibition at the Hayward Gallery. I love her, her art and her style!
Absolutely Nothing To Smile About…..
Zoe, my business partner and the other half of Tallulah & Hope, laugh all the time! You need to keep a sense of humour when you’re starting a business to help counteract the stress.
I am also loving the HBO series ‘Bored to Death’ . Ted Danson is a revelation in it, the show is very very funny, a must watch.
Fashion copycats – flattering or infuriating?
Posted: August 23, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing To Wear 1 CommentThey say that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but I’m not sure the same applies when we’re talking about fashion and more so when we’re talking about fashion amongst friends.
I’ve always had a bit of a problem with wearing the same things as other people. I will do everything I can to remain as individual as possible, which is why although I love clothes and catwalks, I try not to follow trends to the very last letter. I’ve worked with my fair share of high street and luxury brands and when part of the press office, you are expected to practice what you preach – that is wear the wares you’re peddling. When you’re working in luxury this is just fine. I have absolutely no problem at all with that. Apart from when your “employer” sends bloomers down the runway – that didn’t make for an easy season. But when you’re working for, lets say the more commercial brands, the chances of you showing up for work wearing the exact same dress as 50% of your colleagues, is horribly high.
There were way too many times I found myself queuing up in the work cafeteria for my tuna salad sandwich – there are already far too many things wrong with that sentence – only to see my very outfit being worn by all kinds of chattering colleagues. Didn’t like that at all. It made me want to run home and change, or rush for the sample cupboard, or just leave the building altogether.
Now I know this wasn’t copycat dressing, it was all purely coincidental and not really terribly surprising bearing in mind we all worked for the same brand. What I’m curious about are those instances when you find something you love and then someone – most often this someone is very near and dear – goes out and buys the EXACT SAME THING. Do you applaud them for having your impeccable taste or berate them for not having a taste of their own?
Obviously this hasn’t happened to me. It happened to a friend who actually goes shopping, leaves the house and sees people. I don’t care who buys my ASOS t-shirt because, chances are, I won’t be bumping in to them in the village shop. But if I do…..well I’d probably just invite them round for a cup of tea. Like fashion minds are rare to find when living in the sticks.
Photograph courtesy of Pierre Cardin SS11 : for the simple reason, it’s just too good not to use.
Two whole weeks doing Absolutely Nothing
Posted: August 21, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentA packed fortnightly roundup of the very best bits from Absolutely Nothing To Wear.
And we now have a little ANTW shop which is in its very very early stages but promises to have all kinds of lovely things to buy over the coming weeks. Just click on the SHOP tab on the homepage.
Absolutely Nothing To Wear : Shoes Glorious Shoes by Mel Moss
Absolutely Nothing To Write About : A Term Of Endearment by Mel Moss
Absolutely Nothing To Smile About : I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside by Micki Myers
Absolutely Nothing To Wear / See / Do : The Wilderness Festival by Mel Moss
Absolutely Nothing To Eat : Fabulous Figs by Mel Moss
Absolutely Nothing To Wear : Too Old For Mickey Mouse? by Mel Moss
Absolutely Nothing To Wear : When It Rains It Pours by Mel Moss
Absolutely Nothing To Smile About : Cowpats by Zebedee Helm
Absolutely Nothing To Smile About : Bottlebanks by Zebedee Helm
Absolutely Nothing To Wear : ASOS, uh oh by Mel Moss
Quality Street cartoon by Zebedee Helm
Absolutely Nothing To Buzz About : a sweet little love story from Micki Myers
Posted: August 21, 2011 Filed under: Absolutely Nothing To Smile About Leave a commentI love honey. I love my Honey. I love both of them; the exquisite golden substance unique to nature produced by the humble honey bee and my sweetheart, whose pet name seems to embody all that is good and unique in nature wrapped up in his lovely person.
The two are connected in more ways than one, however. Back when I met my Honey I was busy making honey. As a member of the Nature Department at summer camp, I was partly responsible for maintaining the hives. We had 20,000 bees (give or take) housed in a couple of those beautiful wooden hives parked at the edge of some meadows in Ohio. Every now and then we’d take brave campers out to see them, armed with nothing but a tin smoker stuffed with pine needles and set alight; you could pull a lever to emit a puff of white smoke that would temporarily subdue the bees into docile fuzzies. After removing the lid, you could lift up a frame heavy with thousands of busy writhing bodies, and sweep some off with your hand to reveal the oozing maze of honeycomb underneath.
It was a big hit, not least because the kids could go back to their scaredy friends and boast of having stuck their hands into a seething hive. No bees were crushed, and no kids were stung, but I was when my summer romance with the future Mr. Honey fizzled out.
At the end of the season we harvested the honey, squeezing it out of the combs and straining it off into small jars which were given to all of the staff. It was the very last of that honey to be handed out; after a hundred years or so the camp closed down after that season in 1988. Generations of Cincinnati residents had spent their summers there; it was a place where you could see graffiti your grandparents had etched into the wooden walls of whitewashed cabins, and many marriages were made of folks who had met as campers or counselors.
I doubt that any of that honey still exists … apart from the single unopened jar my Honey nursed all that time, and which now sits on my mantelpiece. To anyone else it probably looks like a jar of tar, inexplicable as an ornament — but to me it is the most wonderful love token ever. Over time the honey has thickened and darkened to become incredibly dense; he tried shining a military-grade 250-lumen light through it to no avail. I like to think that jar contains the magic that brought us back together so improbably 23 years later. It’s not every day that you are given a jar of honey you yourself made a lifetime ago. But then again I am all a-buzz with love, so don’t mind me.
Absolutely Nothing To Wear 
