Fashion: Claire Forster goes gothic
The Angry Young Man on the Pop Industry
Welcome to the Dark Side!
Mothers, lock up your sons, because the femme fatale is back!
With the introduction of the autumn/winter collections, I was delighted to wish the gypsy farewell and say “well hellooo” to a hell raiser of a look. Think Chrisse Hynde meets Gwen Stefani. Think gothic, vampy, sexy, rock ‘n’ roll, just remember that black is still the ace of spades and sexier than ever. With the likes of Tom Fords creations storming the catwalks at YSL Rive Gauche, the fashion world couldn’t help sit up and take note. But if you are like me you are on a student budget, which won’t quite stretch to the sexy Chanel trews and belt combo, there are plenty of high street alternatives. Top Shop, Oasis and H&M are all going ‘Goth’ proving that it is possible for the high street to effectively assimilate catwalk ‘high fashion’. However, there is no need to go the whole shebang. A great pair of second skin jeans, a black sultry top and a hint of leather and you will most definitely be on your way. I’ll be polishing this look with a pair of killer vertiginous heels. The boys’ll come a runnin’!
The great thing about this look is that its extremely wearable and can work for everyone. However, if this lot still hasn't convinced you, then I’ll remind you that black can disguise those lumps and bumps we all want to hide, and lets face it, who doesn't want thinner thighs and a Kylie bum? Yep, thought that would sell it! So, as we near the end of my first article, it only leaves me to say one last thing to you. Succumb to the dark side, grab your Kohl and get ready to smoulder ‘cos it ain’t ever been so hot in the shade.
Hope its been as good for you as it has been for me! For any questions or comments, contact me on: muttsnutsfashion@hotmail.com
Mutt's Nuts Fashion writer Claire Forster is a gothic, vampy, sexy and rock ‘n’ roll chick
What I hate this month: The Manufactured Pop Industry
These people are are going to last as long as it takes Gareth Gates to squeeze out a sentence (about two hours). But what concerns me is the cultural implications that lie behind this regurgitated pants. With Pop Idol, the Will Young that was finally victorious did not improve throughout the show (maybe he did, I didn’t follow it that closely) despite having the so-called wisdom of such pop gods as Pete Waterman and Simon Cowell. He auditioned singing other peoples songs and subsequently, Will became an Idol singing other peoples songs. What message does this send out to young people with the gift of music in their soul? “Hey son, you’re going to be big someday, maybe even as big as Will!”
What should be promoted as a growing, diverse society that we should feel proud to live in are creativity, expression and flair. Music is a beautiful form of mediated art, just as the cinema is and should therefore be treated as one. The music that these artists produce should be as unique as their personalities. We have had a great amount of quality in all generic forms of music in the 20th century (I could name many, but I will leave that to you because we all have different tastes). Do we want this line of diversity and individuality that we have seen to dissolve into a production line of autonomous, straight-edge puppets? Nah.
So what should we do? Get cross, draw a picture, go to the pub (hmm...by Jove he’s got it!) or write a semi-provoking column about anger and frustration. Nah, don’t do none of them, just e-mail me and talk about it, let it go, release the energy my friends.
Gareth Williams IS the Angry Young Man.
gp-william@uwe.ac.uk