Frippery and perfection hunting...

And now to fashion and frippery...one of the writers I read every week is AA Gill, who is the restaurant critic for The Sunday Times. He recently described a concept of 'Daylesford Casual' when referring to women who cultivate a certain style.

via brown dress with white dots

'Daylesford casual, studied layers of thrown-together ethnicity and minimalism over skinny leggings with ballet shoes and pony club hair.'

I somewhat self-consciously realised that what he describes is in fact my own dressing edict..the concept of 'studied layers'. I love this...he is the most scathing writer, achingly unforgiving. I understand also that Gill suffers from severe dyslexia and, consequently, all of his works are written by dictation. I find this awe-inspiring, when you consider the triumph of the English language, that it can be woven in such a way just through the power of thought; no pen and paper needed.


Anyway, back to frippery...the Daylesford reference is genius; and so to explain to non-natives of the UK, Daylesford Organic is a small but very elegant organic shop that started in the country and has now expanded to select parts of London. It symbolises the luxe, stylish side of organic food. Not the dirt and sawdust of farmer's markets but the clean, beautiful, groomed world of our consumer fascination with health and well being all wrapped up in parchment paper and gingham ribbon. 

Daylesford Chic...

via daylesford organic

It's just all so perfect isn't it?! And when I think about 'pony club hair', who springs to mind but Olivia and Catherine?

Ohh she has great hair...via middletonlove

Ohhh she has great clothes...olivia palermo via here

But deep down...the point is, whether it's clothes or hair or food, isn't this is all just indicative of this longing we all have for perfection? Luckily perfection comes in many forms and represents different things to different people, but for me this definition of a look, a lifestyle, an ethos, a style is ultimately all the same thing. I study it because I want it! I am fairly sure that doesn't make me a bad person, but it raises an interesting point. What does perfection bring? And when you get it, does the striving stop? Hmmm, answers on a postcard...