What is essential is invisible to the eye

We’re all busy focusing on non-OWL stuff right now so, as you can see, things are slowing down around here for the moment.

Now quick, look at these pictures before I make a terrible slowing down/speed bump segue:

It’s either a hat or a very full snake, depending on your sensibilities. This one’s definitely a hat:

Both were found on the streets of North Fitzroy, where the hipsters look greasy at you if you hold a table at Sugardough too long. Sorry.

See you ’round!

:: Kate ::

“Walk Party”

Am listening” to RRR and contrarily typing… according to the music, I should be walking. This directive comes from Spod, a maker of music and the guy behind a simple but curious idea… a fitness program of sorts, composed of nine twenty-minute original ‘fantasy/exercise podcast/mixes’, to be released weekly. This premiere mix is by Spod himself; guest artists will be producing their own inspirational (?) mixes for coming weeks. Apparently Spod adheres to the ‘twenty minutes, just three times a week’ theory that I recognise from late-night television.

I’m not sure I want to listen to Spod’s music thrice; parts of it are cool and there are some very amusing voice samples; there goes a helpful pointer to the halfway mark, there goes an ‘electronic motivation segment’ … hmm, it’s getting a wee bit annoying but it still beats the flimsy 90’s pop tracks that my Sunday morning New Body instructor insists upon, punctuated by her occasional tiny, “whoo”.

Anyway, taking or leaving Spod, I am feeling very grateful to RRR at the moment for keeping me entertained through long hours of work and will put my money where my mouth is during their sponsorship drive, which I think starts next week.

:: Lee ::

Beat the GFC?

Yes, even the arse end of the earth, aka Australia, is experiencing the effects of the GFC. Those hard-up can now get a three-course lunch at the Parkview in Fitzroy North for not much more than a daily train ticket from Frankston to Melbs. It’s fair to say that many people are feeling less inclined to splash their cash, but there are still lots of free things to do… or ways of splash your cash in less abundant amounts. Exhibit A:

Yes, it’s this weekend. And Exhibit B, also this weekend:

Not to mention Exhibit C:

And lastly, Exhibit D (but watch out for the queues):

:: Arwen ::

I see your hanky…

… and I raise it with, er, another hanky. Technically, I realise ‘raising’ implies going one better, which one could argue I have failed to do. Perhaps I’m just adding to the general hanky theme. The one photographed beautifully above (thanks, P) is another Sally Scott one (thanks, Manabu) that I’ve already crumpled by wearing as a neckerchief. I love the pink and red together. Now if only Third Drawer Down did hankies as well… wait, they do.

:: Arwen ::

That most useful and most shamefully forgotten object, the handkerchief

The fine art of gift-giving:  to find something that the giftee will love, but would never have bought for themselves. The delightful and talented Manabu (an aforementioned friend of O.W.L.) is an incredibly generous and considerate gift-giver. Last weekend he arrived from Japan with a bagful of gifts, including one for yours truly – the gorgeous embroidered Sally Scott handkerchief pictured above.

Being rather fond of disposable paper products for my nasal hygiene, I would never have dreamt of buying myself a handkerchief, but this beautiful example has forced me  to re-consider other, non-nasal, hanky uses. The Handkerchief Society has a helpful list of occasions where one might have need for such a thing, including (among others): fainting, tying one’s belongings to a stick before running away from home as a child, surrendering, opening a door while working as a private detective, and rendering someone unconscious with ether. Handy!

:: Kate ::

{ Previously on O.W.L. : Sally Scott and Manabu }

Papier Labo

Papier Labo – perhaps the world’s coolest paper and stationery shop. You’ll drool, you’ll weep, you’ll wish you didn’t have a stationery fetish. Unless of course, you don’t have a stationery fetish, in which case Papier Labo may not be for you. Given that it is also in Shibuya, Tokyo, you’ll only have to worry about said stationery fetish if you’re in Japan. (Kate and Reuben, look out…) They sell all those things that you don’t need but want, like tiny useless notepads, cool pens, strange-shaped envelopes, letter openers and buckets more.

The photo above is approximately what the store looks like, but the shot above was actually of the Papier Labo temporary ‘kiosk’ at the Spiral Market in Aoyama – another place best avoided by stationery fetishists.

:: Arwen ::

Speaking of necks, and other body parts

This is an old one, but I’d like to share a wonderful 1967 short film by Danish director Jørgen Leth.

Not a lot to say really, except that I found it beautiful and strangely touching. And inspiring in a retro kind of way. And of course, I thought some of you may like the boots…

:: Reuben ::

Op-art necklaces, and lunch

The guy who runs the lunch deli on the floor below where I work takes a strange interest in my accessories – to the extent that he won’t  serve me my soup  & salad without first checking out my brooch/necklace/earrings and remarking delightedly on it to the decidedly less interested lunch ladies (yes, lunch ladies – it’s just like a school canteen). The occasional un-accessorised outfit gets a severe tut-tut.

After the Design Market the other week I ventured downstairs, hungry and with just a little trepidation, wearing my beloved new necklace by Thomas Seymour. Success! Mick liked it, and I got my lunch.

Yes, it’s flat. I’m a sucker for a good optical illusion, particularly one rendered in steel – and so is Mick, evidently. You can contact Mr Seymour via his site to get one of these or another of his gorgeous geometric designs, or hold on to your horses until local stockists get wind of his talent.

NB: Honourable etched-jewellery mentions also go to  Nervous System and pseudorepublik.

:: Kate ::

Jonesing

What better to do on a Sunday than read? Just finished Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey, an Australian writer, and thought it was worth posting the cover because you don’t often see this style on Australian books. It feels much more like a UK cover, Rob Ryan being a potential reference point, but this is a bit less cute and a little edgier. It’s an engaging read, too – for those of you who want to gain a deeper appreciation of the book (or just perv on the author), you can watch Craig Silvey talk about Jasper Jones online.

:: Arwen ::

Cacharel time machine

Okay, I have 60s fashion on the brain these days, but even my grandma can see that Cacharel’s most recent s/s collection is hittin’ up the Mad Men decade for inspiration, no? Look at these mini dresses! A-line coats! High-waisted skirts! Secretary fashion meets The Party, or something like that. It’s not particularly surprising, I guess, given that Eley & Kishimoto are now apparently designing for Cacharel (yep, the doctor’s waiting room is a great place to catch up on year-old fashion news) – see my various other posts on E&K’s retro looks.

It’s not a look you see much in Melbourne, as the love affair with skinny jeans continues, but there are still a few people (well, let’s be frank, girls) who wear vintage and mix a sort of 40s/50s/60s look to very cute effect, as per the following:

Courtesy of Melbourne Street Fashion

Courtesy of Street Peeper.

:: Arwen ::