B-B-B-British Invasion!

Para mí, el estilo siempre tiene nacionalidad, es algo así como un fenómeno cultural que queda intrínseco en quienes nacen en cierto territorio. Por ejemplo, en todas las revistas de moda, alguna vez al menos, encontraremos un pequeño homenaje al estilo de las francesas, siempre elegantes hasta para sacar el bote de la basura, o el estilo italiano, más relajado pero igualmente sexy y femenino. El estilo inglés, por otra parte, tiende a ser más ambiguo, y por lo general poca gente se refiere a él como una generalidad, sino que muchas veces nos suscribimos solo a periodos específicos, como la moda Mod o Punk. Pero hay mucho más allá de los clichés. Existen un montón de secretos que consolidan el estilo inglés, uno de mis favoritos. Por eso les quiero presentar, queridas lectoras, esta pequeña joya de la literatura de moda. Se trata de la guía de estilo escrita por la editora, diseñadora y personalidad de la moda, Luella Bartley.

 
"You know when a Miss E has gone the wrong way- she finds herself aspiring to a glossy, Barbie-doll-like perfection and, sadly, casts away her creativity and individuality. These unwitting victims are often younger Miss E’s, who have, bafflingly, got the idea that dressing like a stripper is empowering, and that polishing their sexual allure is the route to a rewarding existence. It goes hand-in-hand with that vacant look of doll-like perfection and believing that simply aiming to become someone’s glamorous girlfriend is a credible career choice (if you’re going to aspire to be someone’s girlfriend, then at least make it a prime minister- great potential for an ironic frump look- rather than a dull footballer). Being glamorous and hanging on to someone’s arm is far less of a success than being cool, independent and creative. Too many young 

Miss Englands are picking the wrong icons to follow- a clue to the right ones, I believe, is the Birds chapter- the right ones are subversive and original women, like Poly Styrene or Kate Bush. The wrong ones include the recent squadrons of fake-boobed, fake-tanned, fake-haired failed glamour pusses. This isn’t just refering to the parody that is Katie Price, but to the likes of, Kylie and all those who care more about their gloss than their originality. It’s not to them we should look for inspiration, and it isn’t to the goody-goody, hyper conventional, perfect-cup-cake-making domestic goddesses. Neither offers the path to female enlightenment."

“Simply to be desired- thats not a high enough aspiration…English style has always been about expressing one’s intelligence, charm and views through one’s choice of image. Style can be a clever, succinct way of expressing who you are and who you want to be- and the result might show you to be the complex creature that you are. If what you’re saying it just ‘be my boyfriend’ then you’re not saying much. Looking sexy should always come second to looking interesting- to look interesting is to look beautiful. Clothes should be about expressing your feelings- not trying to inspire a certain feeling in men. Thats not how it’s done in our green and pleasantly sceptred isle- we are far too rebellious, far too individual in spirit, to settle for such a pitifully mundane approach to dressing.”