I was lucky enough to see these guys in Central park last month and meet them afterwards. Singers Romy and Oliver were terribly sweet despite struggling with New York's then-heatwave (these kids are from Essex) and being exhausted after playing Lollapalooza. The XX make beautiful music and deserve their Mercury win. Cheers to them!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
NY Fashion Week
My favourite jocular ramblings from that droll German Karl Lagerfeld, who resurrected the house of Chanel - "Yes, some people say to me you're too skinny, but never a skinny person says that to me, only people who could lose a few pounds say that."
"I handle myself quite well. I'm kind of fascist with myself, you know. There's no discussion. There is an order. You follow it."
"Forgiveness is too easy. I can forget by indifference, but not forgive. I prefer revenge."
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Why Julia has done well
I know how boring it is to read a rant about politics if you’re not a journalist or a politician. Political apathy is widespread, but I believe the personal really is political and I feel compelled to write this. I too, am appalled by the modern day machinations of the Labor Party; obsessed with making policy decisions based on polling of swinging voters in marginal electorates; led by erroneous powerbrokers dictating the party ditch the ETS and shaft the PM. But I am even more appalled by ill-informed criticisms of Julia Gillard as a person, especially when they come from other women. I believe all Australian women, regardless of where they stand on matters of policy or party, should now be proud of Julia Gillard as our first female PM for the following reasons
- Australia has fewer women in parliament in the lower house than Afghanistan and nine other countries including Kyrgyzstan
- Australia is number 41 in the world for women’s workforce participation
- Australia ranked 20 in the 2009 World Economic Forum's global gender equality report
- Australian women still earn 15 per cent less than men for doing the same work. The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency says female CEOs earn two-thirds of the median wage of their male counterparts and that female graduates entering the workforce earn around $3000 less than male graduates
- Women hold only two per cent of the chief executive officer positions and 8.3 per cent of board directorships in the Australian Securities Exchange- listed 200 companies
- Women make up only 13 per cent of the bench of the Federal Court of Australia
- Women in full-time work earn only 84 cents in the male dollar
- OECD data on maternal employment shows Australia is in the bottom three countries for those with children under 5
The past few weeks have been torturous and the ALP needs to seriously re-evaluate its political strategies. But when Australian women are doing extremely well to become executives, managers, partners or even enter parliament - let alone become Prime Minister – I say good on Julia Gillard.
my style rules
I'm not the editor of Vogue but I do think there are certain rules which should be adhered to for good reason. Men should never use fake tan, nor pick up a blow drier or a ceramic hair straightener unless they are on Broadway or they're Johnny Depp playing Willy Wonka or the Mad Hatter. Women should also avoid fake tan and wear things that fit correctly. Tight clothes don't make you look slim, they make you look trashy. I'm also passionately against the Mary-Kate Olsen school of wearing over sized clothes to look thinner. You just look like a damn fool. Plastic high heels are ugly, as are big plastic belts to cinch in a waistline. Adhere to Coco Chanel's advice to take one thing off before you leave the house. No one needs earrings, a necklace, bracelets, a watch, a belt and a hair band all at once for god's sake. White jeans are for Swedish models. Neck tattoos are for Russian prisoners. Leather pants are for Mick Jagger.
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