Cosy Camel

Cactus Encounter

This photo shoot took place at my house and it’s really a mix of things I love : pink, colourful paintings, my collection of cactus (which with orchids, are the only plants that I’m only able to look after !), and a beautiful “dioresque” skirt. Xxx S.D.

skirt : H&M (shop here ) | black shirt : Cos | necklace : Topshop | shoes : Zara

cyber monday

drawings by AudeD on the inside of home recycled envelops

Sweat Free

In the 1985 Ron Howard movie 'Cocoon" a group of elderly adults discovers that a nearby swimming pool has the power to imbue them with new strength, embracing energy and more youthful sense of well being. While the cause of their new lease on life turns out to be from an other planet, it does not take alien technology to reap the benefits of your neighbourhood pool.

Even without the aid of mysterious otherworldly cocoons, regular swimming can offer everyone a wide range of health benefits. To my surprise it took me very little to convince Sophie that a proper dive in a pool would decrease anxiety, enhance her muscle toning and flexibility and it is sweat-free. She could not wait to try it herself... (AD)

wool dress by Diane Von Furstenberg 

Posture Trend

drawings by AudeD on the inside of home recycled envelops

Egg Tantrum

I like to be slightly incomfortable in my clothes, I enjoy the feel of fitted garments. You can't walk the same way wearing a pencil skirt and heels than jeans and sneakers : the steps are much more shorter and the body is not holding the same way ... And that's exactly the idea ... To feel a bit restricted gives an "allure", and to feel at ease and natural in restricting clothes is the epitome of

"style".

Karl Lagerfeld is probably one of the best example with his very high collar white shirt, which give him a royal head posture !!

But nowadays the trend is more to be comfortable in your own clothes, to be cool ... Obviously the clothes we wear have to be in adequation with our lifestyle . Xxx S.D.

jumper : Monoprix (current) | flared skirt : H&M (shop here ) | shoes : Louboutin | necklace : Zara

Retro Nods

drawings by AudeD on the inside of home recycled envelops

Tea for Two

Sophie and I have fallen through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures, fourteen month ago. 

People have often qualified this photographic work as nonsense genre. Maybe nonsense isn't as beautiful or as meaningful as other genres, but it certainly is fun. 

The analogy with Lewis Carroll's best seller book Alice in Wonderland easily comes to mind. The literary nonsense defined by Wim Tiggs as 'a genre of narrative literature which balances a multiplicity of meaning with a simultaneous absence of meaning...' the balance being 'affected by playing with the rules of language, logic, representation, or a combination of these' does appeal to me greatly. 

Literary or photography nonsense should be regarded as a wonderful journey in an alternative reality where common sense references are challenged for the purpose of producing humorous situations. (A.D)

silk blouse : L.K.Bennett | skirt : H&M | feather belt : H&M | shoes : Louboutin

Coat of Mail

drawings by AudeD on the inside of home recycled envelops

Pink Lolly

  'Five metres' was the distance from my car to this pavement.

It took five minutes for Aude to push and hold me like a toy on wheels, five minutes of laugh and shame (for my part).

  Roller skating is not my thing (it’s an understatement !) and really I couldn’t end up to the Chelsea and Westminster hospital …(I used to have a membership there with my boys …)

 So sitting was the best option for me really but as I’m brave I did try an attempt to rise my leg. Although I can run with high heels, I can’t even walk with roller skates !!! that’s a pity because those “vintagy” ones are really cute. Xxx S.D.

mohair jumper : H&M | jeans skirt : Top Shop | necklace : Zara | clutch : DVF

Feminine Trousers

drawings by Aude D on the inside of home recycled envelops

Urban Deer

Ladies and gentlemen welcome on board this flight 2512. Will you please fasten your seatbelt as we are about to take off for our annual two month journey to Christmas eve. Is this the reason I have been witnessing a sudden pattern of interest for images of deer on Pinterest, Instagram, blogs? Are we preparing for the arrival of the reindeer and its red hooded bearded friend? 

Or is it a subliminal message from the BASC's subscribers that it is time to put on their Hunter boots and jump in their Land Rover ? If so, does this time of the year not coincide with the deer breeding season? 

I usually do not like to follow the herd... but it is not a bad idea to flash some light on a new phenomenon. While Londoners have become used to wildlife animals like birds and foxes living in our residential areas and sharing the city, a surprising new species are coming to visit in ever increasing number. Urban deer are becoming a regular feature in the city, as whole herds come into residential streets under cove of darkness each night to take advantage of the capital's green spaces. Now, if you are not a night owl, you can always maximise you chance to encounter this proud and majestic mammal in the wilds of the vast Richmond Park which is the largest Royal Park in London and home to more than 630 deer. (A.D)

coat : H&M (shop here) | skinny jeans : Citizens of Humanity | shoes : M&S (shop here) | bow shirt : Uniqlo (shop here) | necklace : Van Cleef&Arpels | bag : Dior

Courteous Meeting

I have quite a few addictions…shoes, bags, jewellery… but the worst of them is for coats.

Every aspects of coats interest me : their shape, colour, fabric, the era (vintage…),the utility of them…

Usually I see a coat and visualise a look around it. You can be really playful with them, you can belt it to create a feminine silhouette, add an accessory (a brooch for exemple), or by adding a fur collar, and even by changing the buttons it will transform the simplest coat.

And you don’t need to feel restricted in the search fo the perfect coat : you can try charity shops (where I found the one I’m wearing on the picture, a bargain !!), second-hand shops, even flea markets.

Cos coats are really amazing as well for the quality of their fabric and their interesting shape.

Winter is going to be long…so have a nice treasure hunt ! Xxx S.D.

coat : charity shop | skinny leather trousers : H&M (shop here ) | shoes : Zara | belt : Hobbs | necklace : Zara

Sulky Unsentimental

drawings by Aude D on the inside of home recycled envelops

Galeophobia or Selachophobia

Bump Bump … Bump Bump… Bumpumpumpumpumpum…there you are, a couple of notes and you conjure up images of the ominous tail fin protruding out of the water, wide open bloody mouth with razor sharp teeth and cold emotionless eyes. 

Everyone of my generation is still afraid of the John Williams epic theme of Jaws. It still petrifies me whenever I get in the sea : I experience a shortens of breath that triggers a rapid breathing, my mouth dries out, follows an inability to articulate a shout and an excessive sweating. And I am pretty sure it has ruined the sea for generations of potential swimmers, snorkelers, divers and surfers. 

How could you not fear the shadow of the deemed scary Great White shark and its often seven raws of replacement teeth, who often goes through more than 30,000 teeth in a lifetime? Well the answer is simple (in theory...) if you meet a mindless eating machine face to face in the open water, just remind him that you do not taste nor look like a seal. If the creature of the devil does not seem to agree then, kindly suggest that, maybe, it should go to Specsavers! (A.D)

jeans shirt : H&M | skirt : H&M | shoes : Zara

Cat Show

drawings by Aude D on the inside of home recycled envelops

Medusa & Brutus

   

    Last winter, at Sainsbury’s, a man approached me with a big smile and told me :” Cruella Deville ?!”, it took me 5 seconds to move from my grocery list concentration to a brief introspective look…and I laughed….I was wearing a long black fur coat with a white collar and my usual natural white lock of hair. Then he replied :”you need a dalmatian now !!! ‘ ,”of course ! but I’m more into cats myself…”.

    For this post, we took for inspiration another famous evil woman , Madame Medusa , from the  film 'The Rescuers', with her two cherished crocodiles “Brutus and Nero”, it’s one of the scariest Walt Disney ever. And why so many evil and cruel woman in so many of Walt Disney movies and fairy tales ??

    Anyway, I still love fur coats (vintage !), still have a white lock of hair, like walking a crocodile but I promise you I’m just a little and inoffensive mouse ! xxx S.D.

dress : H&M (shop here) | shoes : Zara (shop here) | belt : H&M (shop similar here) | necklace : H&M (current in shops) | bag : lady Dior

Flammable Cocktail

drawings by Aude D on the inside of recycled envelops