How To Gatecrash A Fashion Show

Those of you who read Friday’s little cake post will already know what this is about: A couple of days ago, I accompanied my friend Maria to an event that took place at a fancy local hotel. One of Maria’s clients, José Luis Pinto from 05estudio (a local architecture and interior design company), was hosting a presentation for a bunch of millionaire Chinese investors.

The part I was looking forward to most eagerly (besides being tossed some tasty morsels of food and drowned in delicious Spanish wine), was a catwalk extravaganza courtesy of Presumidas, a fashion label created by two Spanish designers, Andrea Palau and Laura Richarte, both of them obsessed with the flouncy feminine flair of the 50’s.

Although I couldn’t wait for the strutting to start, I wondered whether the overseas business barons might think a parade of swishy skirts a tad superfluous… but, as it turned out, I needn’t have worried. Pictures speak louder than words, or however the saying goes…

(Note: I was poorly positioned against the light, so the quality of the images isn’t great. I altered some of them to detract from the graininess)

“Must get a shot of that for the wife…”

Some things are really hard to argue with…

Those two ladies in red are the designers, Laura and Andrea

What every spring wardrobe needs – a pair of frilly flowery knickers 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK… so my future as a fashion photographer may be forever doomed after this, but it sure was fantastic fun 🙂

What’s With The Sailor Suits…?

There can be no doubt: Communion season is just around the corner. For several weeks, the shops in Spain have been displaying a selection of breathtaking outfits:

If it’s trashy enough, Toledo has it!

I shall not got on about the dresses… though I could (hell, I wore one of these frightful contraptions myself at the tender age of 9!). What struck me were the sailor suits. Only a few months ago, I was watching a popular Spanish TV series set in the 70’s, and the communion boys were strapped into these garments, ready for their first crunch of the sacred wafer. (Though you’re most definitely not allowed to crunch them!). It would seem that the naval theme has not suffered a decline in popularity since then, at least here in Spain.

Rummaging around in my own childhood memories, I don’t recall seeing these when I was shunted through this most Catholic of rituals. My male peers, as far as I remember, just wore ‘normal’ monkey-sized dark suits.

My initial guess was that Bavaria not having a proud (or any kind of) naval tradition may have played a role in the absence of sailor suits, but then, I suddenly remembered that I was in possession of my granddad’s First Communion picture! Here it is:

My Granddad! And the collar most definitely smacks of seafarer’s style, don’t you think? Gotta love the short trousers 😉 This picture must have been taken around 1940. His family was dirt poor, so these enormous shoes were most likely borrowed from a grown-up relative.

I’d love to hear from my readers… are sailor suits (still) popular as formal wear for boys where you live? I’ve just been googling around a bit, and I discovered that Japanese school uniforms frequently feature this style.

Enough about clothes, let’s finish off with some food:

I know I’ve posted these magnificent bread flowers once before, but look instead at the advertisement behind: Communion cake! I never got one of those, and I’d be sure to remember, believe me…! I’d have traded my insipid white dress for a succulent cake in a flash!

On the other hand… that cake does look a bit dull and prissy for my taste… (and, at the same time, strangely phallic). (Sour grapes, me…? Nevah!)

In any case, I’ve no real reason for retrospective cake envy, as my birthday cakes  were quite something… here’s the evidence, in case you missed that mouthwatering post with all the bad hair:

70’s/80’s Flashbacks: My Love Affair With Cakes

Key West Palm Frond Hats

The perfect Saturday post 🙂

Colourful Cádiz

Cádiz is a truly beautiful Andalusia city in southwestern Spain. It enjoys a stunning setting as it’s a peninsula, so there’s sea on virtually all sides. As you’ll probably have gathered from recent posts, we went there for a little day trip last weekend, as it’s only an hour’s (and a bit) drive from Algeciras, where Maria and I were staying.

Cádiz Cathedral

King of his castle 🙂

Bathing Beauty…

Sightseeing bus

I usually finish off with food, but we’ve already had that in a previous post, and so, for a change, the last word goes to fashion. Rather unwise fashion (in my opinion), though colourful it is…

WHO, I ask you, in their right mind, would wear something as hideous as this?? And on WHAT occasion? I’m totally baffled…

See-through plastic lace-ups, anyone…?