Grace - Update!

Apologies for being a bit off radar recently - work has been horribly frantic and I can see Christmas looming on the horizon.  Amazing Grace will be doing a book signing of her much-awaited memoir at Browns on Thursday November 22. THAT'S THIS THURSDAY PEOPLE!

The event marks the launch of Grace: A Memoir  - the US Vogue creative director's personal (and refreshingly candid), take on her rise to the top (talked about here) - from her childhood in Anglesey and her first encounters with British Vogue in the Fifties, to her appointment at the US edition in 1995. Revealing highlights include stories about her now-legendary contemporaries, including Anna Wintour, Norman Parkinson and David Bailey.

Coddington will greet fans at Browns' South Molton Street store, London, between 12.30pm and 2.30pm on Thursday November 22. See you there!X

"They could be pretty bitchy, those fashion-mad French girls"

Any regular readers of this blog will know that I ADORE Grace Coddington. My love affair with her started when she stole the limelight off Anna Wintour in The September Issue and I've been mildly obsessed ever since. Her memoir is being released by Random House in November. I'm hoping to grab a copy when I'm in New York at the end of next week. Simply entitled Grace, as well as being full of fabulous anecdotes, stories, gossip and advice, it also shows Coddington’s great talent for illustration (see here and here for previous posts on fashion illustration - I love it!).  

She is well-known for sketching looks as they come down the runway from her front-row perch during fashion week, but her drawings also take on a distinctly personal, and often humorous, tone. From childhood memories to her first day on the job as both a model and fashion editor to her big loves (including, of course, her cats), these remarkable, hand-drawn pictures reveal yet another dimension to an already famously fascinating woman.

Below is a small extract from Grace to give you a taste, Happy Friday!

I was astonished by how fashion could change so fast in a few days. You would go to the South of France one weekend and denim was in. The next weekend when you returned, everything was about little English florals. I used to get so worried that I hadn’t got it right. Catherine Deneuve and her sister Françoise Dorléac were the only ones I ever saw actually wearing the hard-edged space-age clothes of Courrèges and Paco Rabanne and looking completely at ease and relaxed. Except perhaps the evening when Catherine was sitting enjoying herself with Bailey, Albert, and me in the club Régine’s and the waiter spilled an entire bottle of red wine over her new white sculpted Courrèges couture shift that must have cost thousands of francs.

If you went to L’Esquinade wearing the wrong thing, it was critical. You would be laughed at. They could be pretty bitchy, those fashion-mad French girls. I would never dare talk back to them. For me, the French were always so superior in matters of style. England was cool but never chic. 

How to Accessorise with Grace

As I have departed our rainy shores for ten days in Biarritz, I fully expect to come back to proper Autumn.  The rain had arrived and there was a cool nip in the air but the season hadn't properly 'landed' yet. I can't fib..as much as I am a bit of a sun-worshipper..Autumn and Winter are my favourite seasons. The crunchy leaves, the dark, carb-loading on things like hot buttered toast and pies, the wonderful coats, tights after the horror of having to remain vaguely bronzed and fuzz free for seemingly weeks on end, the list in endless.

However now we've got our classic wardrobes built up (a little bit anyway) and maybe a nice piece of outerwear to throw over everything, you're probably, unless you're more fortunate than me, broke.  The cupboard is bare, my pockets are empty, my bank account is hollow so how to make merry until the next pay cheque? By adding a few relatively, cheapo touches here and there to update your outfit. Also am welcome and open to suggestions!

I've interspersed this post with images styled by the fabulous Grace Coddington who I am a huuuge admirer of.  The very first picture (above) is of Grace photographed by Lord Lichfield in 1964 working a double helping of 'fantasy fur' and the rest, even though they're from past editions, illustrate this season's trends superbly and can inspire us to get creative with our styling.

The fantasy fur tippet
Last winter we had the snood, but the new neck wear has to be faux fur – shaggy pelts (both faux and real..though I'm not sure I'm so up for that unless it's vintage) dominated the catwalks. If you don’t want to purchase a new coat, a demure fur tippet will update last year’s design. Tame wild fur with silks and pretty prints: drape over a green parka and romantic slip dress, or throw over the shoulders of a slouchy knit and maxi skirt to get the Dries Van Noten look.Oh and according to Mr Karl Lagerfield, it's not 'fake' fur, it's fantasy fur.  Really.

I like this one from ASOS.

 The skinny belt
If this is the season of the waist, then now is the belt’s time to shine. Thinner and plainer and with a stricter colour palette (tan, brown or black), a belt should be worn on the slimmest part of the waist, preferably over a grandad cardigan or knitted jumper. The belt should be buckled, with the loose end knotted through. A cheaper alternative is to tie a ribbon in a bow at the waist.I've never been much of one for belts but spotted a gorgeous skinny leopard print one in Urban Outfitters..I may succumb..

The decorative pin
Jewellery takes a back seat as brooches jazz up outfits while also fulfilling a practical purpose. Buttons have been put out of work as brooches and safety pins hold coats and cardigans – and even skirts and dresses – together. This is an easy one to do at home. Just add a giant safety pin to chunky knits or fasten your coat with one.Or get a wee bit more creative and take a trip to V V Rouleaux to find things to add to your giant safety pin!

From US Vogue (July) featuring Euan McGregor & Natalia Vodianova as a not so perfect 50s/60s Mad Men-esque couple

The ladylike bag
Classic should be your mantra when selecting arm candy, and Céline’s boxy leather shoulder bag is the pinnacle of this look. A structured style adds sophistication to even the scruffiest outfit – look to Mad Men’s Betty Draper for inspiration or the shoot below. Opt for muted colours such as brown, khaki, olive, cream and oxblood for an investment purchase, or a bright pop of tangerine for fun. Clean lines, a simple fastening and a practical handle or strap are essential. Carry it in your hand or tuck it under your arm and accessorise with a swingy ponytail.

I rather like this dress too...

The country cap
From the ubiquitous baker boy to the flattering flat cap, hats embrace the English eccentric trend (there were even Avengers-style bowlers on the Hermès catwalk). Best worn with either modish Sixties’ styles such as graphic prints and minis (see Miu Miu), or a duffel coat and rosy cheeks, this outdoors favourite is cool enough to have an urban edge.

The wide headband
Big, dishevelled hair is a hit for autumn – see Giles, Prada and Chanel. Backcombed bed-hair looks brilliant contrasted with a homespun-looking, knitted headband, or wide Alice band – tease hair into a messy bun or beehive before adding. Wear with an elegant knit and pencil skirt for pure sex appeal.

I have to confess that this selection of pictures does not show a wide headband but DO show dishevelled hair perfectly and is also one of my favourite shoots by Grace for US Vogue in December 2009 starring Andrew Garfield and Lily Cole as Hansel and Gretel with Lady Gaga as wicked witch!

Finally a small selection of random Grace pictures to finish this off, even though it's glum outside, beautiful pictures always cheer me up. x