Re-wind: Sometime in January our founder and Chief Executive Amy “The Road” Thompson was invited to a screening in the Houses of Parliamet. Of course, being The Road as she is, Amy was unable to attend; she was suffering from an unavoidable bout of “being in Australia”. Of course being a good Chief, she passed the opportuity along to someone who’d jump at the chance: me.

Have you heard of Miss Representation? Have you seen the hashtags #Missrepresentation, #missrep, #notbuyingit? Miss Representation is an American film by an American actress and filmmaker about how women are represented – in film, in politics, in advertising – in motion picture culture. It explores how professional women have been treated by their industries and their audiences. It asks American youths about the messages they’ve understood regarding “what women can be”, what they can do, and how this impacts upon girls, boys, men and women.

I should have taken a packed snack; always take a packed snack

Re-wind redux: I spent the train journey down to London from Warwickshire reading; consequently I spent most of the train journey down sending my boyfriend text messages about the increasingly annoying descriptions of the hero’s wife and ex-girlfriend. A hot woman who eats eagerly with big mouthfuls? How perfectly imperfect-feminine can you get?

So you can see, I am a person already receptive to a documentary about the representation of The Female. Perhaps you’re unconvinced – here is a trailer.

Public transport made a mockery of me and I arrived half an hour late. Sitting on a underground train that was both above ground and stationary I wondered (worried) if they let you into Parliament buildings if you haven’t polished your shoes. As it turns out they do; but you have to leave your hipflask with Security. There had been wine, pre-screening, but I arrived to empty glasses. This is fair enough.

It was engrossing.

With an absence of greeters and its twin of free chairs I settled myself on what may have been an umbrella stand if it wasn’t a bin – and I watched and listened with a hungry head.

It didn't matter where you sat because the thing was the WATCHING.

What I keep thinking about is how.. nice? Condoleezza Rice seemed. What it took me a double-take to realise was that the lady behind the film was the blonde in the white flared trouser suit.

Miss Representation borrows the phrase “you can’t be what you can’t see” – it also refutes it, because exceptional people will always exist and one single-minded woman will always find her way into a man’s world. The documentary (and the panel afterwards – more later) address this and how it doesn’t make the state of things acceptable – it doesn’t hold the words as black and white objectivity. It’s the spirit, not the letter. But what surprised me a little was that the film reminded me that it’s not only about seeing yourself or the you that you want to be: diversity and wide reflection (“representation”) are needed because seeing other people is important.

If I look at a woman and not even consciously think “Republican Beauty Queen, probably pro-business and anti-abortion” when I have never met a Republican or a Beauty Queen – and I can be surprised that this image is the surface of a woman bold and “liberal” enough to produce an egalitarian feminist documentary that assigns responsibility to both beauty and political industries – there needs to be greater depth of representation. I appreciate that this is anecdata and this is my own failing, but it’s a failing that’s taken from the world of “American blondes” that I’ve been offered.

Have you seen "A League of their Own"?

I have seen Rice stand next to George Bush and behind microphones, and I have seen her represent various political agendas. I am aware that she bears some responsibility for war. I have heard people talk about her and call her Condi, and talk about her race and her gender and her politics. I had never seen her represent herself.

I felt strange and guilty as I sketched the room. I was reducing this crowd of aware, clever mostly-women to pictures of the backs of their heads – just images of hairstyles. But then, this is a film about representation and images of women only harm if they’re reductivist. When so many drawn girls are made to offer you their drawn bodies, perhaps making lines form their sisters taking notes and demonstrably thinking.. is perfectly in line with the evening.

And I mean, there was some good hair about

I was not the only one documenting.

The film ended and I got my not-tearful stoic face back on. I sat there on my bin for a bit, unsure if things were over or if there might be more refreshments (it is expensive to buy water on the move). What luck! There was about to be a short panel discussion – with drinks to follow! I moved to sit on a table now that people were moving around and looking at me. A snap decision that led to a decent view of the panel; lucky because excuse my capslock MALORIE BLACKMAN WAS ON IT.

You guys. Quality panel.

Now it’s clear that the other panel members (Susie Orbach, Colleen Harris, Lynne Featherstone, Jo Swinson (of whom this is a poor likeness, but I could not have been further away from her and she kept moving!)),  have done work and formed sentences that make me want to shake their hands for repeated hours – as an adult. But Malorie Blackman taught wee-me about racism and organ transplants and girls being good at maths, as well as how to set a decent password. Once I formed a romantic attachment to a boy because he had a superficial identifier that was the same as one of her characters’. I sort of wanted to go and tell her about that.

All four panel members had good, intelligent, encouraging and thoughtful things to say. They went into intersectionality and race, which the film didn’t take too much time on; a criticism I’d heard from Meggan and Maddy, two women who work to increase the visibility of ladies and further minorities in the comic book fandom that I share with them.

Susie Orbach’s words impressed me the most when she said that the definition of success isn’t something we should take for granted. Being kept out of apparent power or away from the spotlight doesn’t mean that women aren’t living influential lives. I don’t remember her exact words – no dictaphone – but the impression left was a reminder that being subject to sexism or any other form of institutionalised oppression doesn’t take your dimension from you. Don’t believe that you are, less of a person, less rounded, with less ability or sentience or emotion. Don’t believe that others are, just because you don’t see them represented as field leaders or protagonists.

Of course, this cuts both ways – don’t believe that a well-written woman character can’t be subject to a sexist plot, for example. Who? Elementary.

I’d like to have spoken more with Orbach about that point – I think that there’s something enormous in what she’s saying like it was the key to all empathy and justice amongst humans. But after the panel had finished everyone was talking in twos and threes, and I was thinking about ridig the underground alone at night, and no drinks were happening to me after all. I gave in to my human weakness. I left. I ticked the “yes I would attend an annual conference on female representation” option on a paper I foud on someone else’s chair, but I left.

On the way home, I thought about who everyone else might have been, and what they were wearing.

Mystery women

Fashion wasn’t approached by the documentary narrative at all. Which is funny, or maybe not – within the world of style blogging, there is representation of Miss/Ms/Mrs galore. I’m a lady, Amy’s a lady, the majority of our readership (that means you) are ladies or girls or not-yet-a-woman-s.. There are a lot of us, in general. But even within our own virtual Themiscyra there are struggles and imbalances – there’s not a fat acceptance movement for nothig, racism isn’t over and it’s easier to become “successful” if you adhere (or don’t obviously divert from) a handful of basic modes of femininity. We struggle to give everyone a fair chance on our own turf – is that because of how we’re trained to think by outside influences, or do we put up with those because we want to be able to police be-a-girl amongst ourselves? Is it possible to change our scene without attempting to change the mainstream, or do we have to look to the bigger picture before we can dare to hope for a fashiony idyll?

With arguments about who “requires” models to have thirty-five inch hips being passed back and forth before court and with the waning thinner of the blogger/magazine divide, I think #missrep’s on the money with it’s final advice –

Demand help. And as far as you are able, be the change.

Extra links:

Jo Swinson interview: http://www.parliamentaryradio.co.uk/newsrelease.html

One critique on lack of intersectionality within the film: http://acidforblood.net/2011/12/miss-representation-thoughts/

Further ciriticism and discussion: http://www.feminisms.org/3922/miss-representation-a-critical-review/

A review from Indiewire: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/review_miss_representation_exposes_an_ugly_truth_that_needs_to_be_seen

Screening details in Edinburgh: http://www.missrepresentation.org/screenings/filmhouse-edinburgh/

Find out about hosting a screening: http://www.missrepresentation.org/screenings/#host

Miss Representation at IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1784538/

The Bloomsbury Group, so named for their location in London, were a group of artists, writers and thinkers in the early part of the twentieth century. Notable members included Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell, E.M. Forster, John Maynard Keynes and Lytton Strachey. They would discuss all manner of topics and they were all strong supporters of the arts. Their work has been greatly influencial in many areas from literature to economics.

In terms of a fashion influence theirs is certainly a style that we see shades of today in many catwalk collections. It is a style often referenced again and again by many a designer. The bohemian style that the Bloomsbury Group championed left behind much of the fuss and frills of early twentieth century dressing. It was a more carefree attitude to style, loose floral dresses and layers of knits. The mix of texture and layering is something widely recognised today, this was its conception.

There is an attitude associated with the style that is often lost these days and only the most truly bohemian among us can pull it off. It is a nonchalance about the way one is dressed. An attitude of throwing together a seemingly random combination of items to create something artistic and eclectic. It is an effortless romance surrounding the act of dressing that many of us wish to achieve.

Although perhaps on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group, Vita Sackville-West remains a great influencer of fashion, being a forbearer of androgynous style. Vita Sackville-West was not shy about expressing her sexuality, although married both her and her husband openly had affairs with members of the same sex. Her most infamous affair was with Virginia Woolf, she later became the subject for Woolf’s novel, Orlando.

All catwalk images Style.com

As an avid gardener Sackville-West dressed for the occasion with breeches and wide brim hats. Forsaking the frills and straight laced dressing of the time, Sackville-West adopted many male influences in her outfits. In many ways she may be credited as the pioneer of androgynous dressing, her rather masculine features rather suited this style but once again it is all in the attitude.

Today we see influences of this style referenced time and time again. In bold floral prints, heavy tweed jackets, beautiful felt hats, masculine shoes and soft, draping layers. Everyone from Marc Jacobs to Anna Sui to Wunderkind have referenced the Bloomsbury Group’s bohemian style in their collections, from the cut of a dress, the length of a hemline or a vintage style print.

These styles quickly filter down to the high street and have become so much a part of our everyday style that we hardly even notice the origins anymore. If you have ever cooed over a perfect tea dress or longed for effortless layering it would appear that you have been bitten by the Bloomsbury bug.

Ellie Saab, Rocksana llincic

Topshop’s garnet-red dresses have tapped into one of the biggest Autumn/Winter 2011 fashion trends – jewel colours. Dark red was seen everywhere from Elie Saab to Roksana Ilincic on the AW11 runways. These high-street cuties will see you through a host of winter weddings all the way to the festive season. Accessory-wise, wear with similar jewel tones such as emerald or sapphire for the ultimate impact.

Topshop Claret Dress (£46), Rare at Topshop Buckle Dress (£45)

Here in the UK we have a rich history of developing new and exciting styles. Over the decades these changes have often been closely related to both social and class factors. While we like to pretend that class isn’t as important as it used to be, this is not the case. If anything it is just as important, changing and adapting to a modern environment but still ever present. It is also a huge factor in shaping the way we dress and what we think of the way others dress, whether we realise it or not.

The class and social changes that have occurred in the last century have brought with them many significant sartorial movements that continue to have importance today. From Teddy Boys, to Mods, to Punks, to New Romantics to name but a few. These movements where a reaction to something and as well as having their own soundtrack and certain pivotal characters from Mary Quant to Vivienne Westwood. These movements came with a very specific uniform. When we look back we can identify the era based on shape, style and significant items and it is these features which show up on today’s catwalks again and again.

Today we take parts of these styles and mix them together in an attempt to create something new. More than ever designers and retailers look to the past to inspire new ideas or perhaps to convey a message in a new collection. Maybe the original meaning is lost or diluted somewhat but that doesn’t mean that the rich tapestry that created them in the first place is any less important. Old styles take on new importance and new meaning, sometimes for a whole different set of people.

It is important to understand where these styles come from. The social context, people who were significant to the movement and even the heritage of certain items. To fully partake in british style one must understand the history and context before they can properly wear it. For us brits it is all about the irony and the clever twist and while we often do this intuitively, knowledge is the key to understanding not just our own style but to appreciate other styles too.

We like humour in our clothes, we are a nation of self-depricators and this comes across in every seemingly random clothing combination we painstakingly construct. It is this fascination with humour and irony that makes us so interested in looking to the past. In postmodern times it is widely thought that everything has been done and nothing truly ‘new’ can be created. So why not look to the past to inspire our style, maybe by learning from the past we can create something different if not entirely new.

In these columns I will attempt to give you a style run down through the decades, from the early 20th century to modern day. Leave a comment and let me know if there is anything you would like to see included in this series and I will do my best to include it.

No, sadly, we have not yet entered the world of fashion blogging royalty, but we did have the chance to attend ‘Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live’, which had been advertised as ‘The Ultimate Girls’ Day Out’. And what a day it turned out to be.

Held in London’s Excel Exhibition Centre over the last weekend in October, ‘Next Top Model’ is a day out of fashion, beauty, catwalk shows and expert advice, topped off with endless free samples and a ‘dress-to-impress’ galore attitude of attendees.

When Set Loose With A Press Badge…

First, we took advantage of the makeovers offered by Revlon and the London College of Beauty, where I ditched my staple smoky eye look for a day and asked to be given a ‘natural’ look and Rachel C got a manicure – all for free, of course!:

Rachel Charlton, Starting A Riot…

Later on, Rachel spent time with The Only Way is Essex’s Amy Childs – who was promoting her new clothing line – chatting over champagne at the press bar. It would have been a fabulous occasion, had she not then spilt her drink over the star and got rugby-tackled out of the area by her security. Quite hilarious, if I do say so myself…

Rachel sneaks a shot of Amy over the press table, shortly before becoming 'BFFs'

The Catwalk

The winner of this year’s Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model, Jade Thompson, starred in a spectacular catwalk extravaganza in the evening, along with the other girls from the TV show, mixed in with the addition of talented (and may we say ‘oh-so-topless’) male dancers and musical performances fromLuminites and Bluey Robinson.

The show was a mix of concepts with regular costumes changes to make it feel like you were watching an entirely different show after each change altogether. Extravagant and exotically decorated lingerie was modelled alongside fairy wings and capes a lá ‘Victoria’s Secret’ and we fell in love with the luxe evening dresses to-die-for in opposing monochrome looks of ‘ice-queen’ white or ‘femme fatale’ black. The girls rocked a trashy-yet-classy look in leather and fishnets – an antithesis to the earlier display of a more floral 50’s inspired theme. They donned Perspex ‘stripper heels’ with feminine dresses and yet, it all worked.

For fashion fanatics, Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live offered a haven of catwalk shows, clothes, beauty, accessories and style activities galore. We’d be utterly thrilled to reclaim our press passes back next year, guys. Not that we’re trying to hint or anything…

Check out some more photos from our fashion day out:

BSB's Rachel Charlton and BINTM Judge Grace Woodward!

Designer Joey Bevan with his models backstage after his show

Text: Rachel Michaella Finn 
Photos: Anna Peaston, Claire Napier, Rachel Charlton-Dailey, Rachel Michaella Finn
Illustration: Claire Napier

BSB X.

The 8th of September saw fashions socialites from New York to London hit the streets, and soak up some shopping, champagne and general good times.  All of this was made possible, by Vogue who was sponsoring the night with its Fashion Big Night Out (and what a night it was).

We hit Bond Street in London, which had been closed off especially for the night.  Celebrities, fashion bloggers, photographers and everyone else with a love of fashion could be seen going from one store to the next, with a cheeky glass of bubbles in hand.  Our photographer for the night was Sophie Kutay, who captured the night perfectly with the shots below.

Gwyneth Paltrow

David Gandy and Callum Watt (from Maketh-The-Man)

Gemma Kidd

Pixie Geldof and Nick Grimshaw

Tulisa Contostavlos from N-Dubz

So did you make it down to any of the stores?  Let us know what you guys and girls got up to, and lets look forward to London Fashion Week now!

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Don’t forget to search Online Men’s Clothing at Jacamo before your next night out - their extensive range of men’s clothing, accesories and grooming items will add the perfect finish to a perfect night out.