Last-Week Links 14 June 2013 and Links à la Mode

I don't know what took me so long, especially as I always learn so much from their posts, but I finally joined the Independent Fashion Bloggers network this week. And what a welcome: I was overjoyed to have my summer city style post picked as one of their Links à la Mode! Here are twenty more posts for you to enjoy this week, from a wide variety of fashion blogs. My normal Friday link posting will follow after you've given due reading and mulling over time to the huge array of topics raised below.

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Action/Reaction

One of the things I love the most about blogging is that there are both actions and reactions in content. Action: making, creating, styling. Reaction: commentary, reviewing, dissecting. It satisfies both the heady space fashion can sometimes occupy, as well as occupying our two little hands. This week we have a great combination of things you can do and things to think about, and heck a couple of things you can put on your summer wishlist.

Links à la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup

• Afternoon Social: The 5 Best Sites for Beauty Tutorials
• Attire Club: Dressing Up For Heavy Men
• Buy Any Means Necessary: 7 Jumpsuits To Jump For!
• Carly Tati: Interview with Adriano Goldschmied
• Chic Musings: DIY: Bohemian-inspired Metal Chain Foot Harness
• Christie Moeller: Logo Shirts, Say What?
• Cyeoms: DIY. Leather Hospital Bracelet
• Fashion Is Evolution: My Wedding DIY Party
• Fashion Moriarty: Fashion Journalism: the preserve of the elite?
• Fashion Thrill: Why is Hemp Seed Oil good for your skin
• Fashion Trends & More: 11 Thrifting Tips & Tricks
• Incognito: The State of Street Style Photography
• Kat Skull: The Cutest Bow Sandals Under $50
• Kristina J: How To Make A Tuxedo Skirt
• Last Year Girl: Vintage Tips for Summer City Style
• Olive Brown: Prada kills it again with mens AW13 campaign
• Runway to Style: The Resort 2014 Bestseller Collections
• Some Like It Lovely: Measuring Our Self Worth Through Social Media
• Style Bizarre: Get the Style of: Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones
• Voguette: Marant for H&M

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Do you enjoy the posts? Which was your favourite? I especially liked Fashion Moriarty's post on elitism in fashion journalism and Incognito's post on putting the 'style' back into street style photography. And, Olive Brown is completely correct: the new Prada mens campaign TOTALLY kills it (hello Ben Wishaw!).

One of the people mentioned in the fashion journalism post is Alexa Chung. While I know I should probably dislike her, I can't help but be fascinated by what's she's wearing and what rock star she's dating. So I'll definitely be ordering a copy of her gorgeous pink book IT when it comes out in September - even if I then have to put it into storage for twenty years before I can bear to read about "everything from her thoughts on life, love and music to her favourite looks and how to decide what to wear in the morning."

Ms Chung still has a way to go in the style stakes though - she's noticeably missing from Vogue Australia's gallery of designer muses, which includes Catherine Deneuve, Jane Birkin, Kate Moss and my beloved Loulou de la Falaise. In terms of longevity too. A couple of weeks ago, I included an image of model Carmen dell'Orefice as a teenager; now look at her rocking 82 years in the latest issue of Vogue Italia.

Sadly Esther Williams died this week, but I've enjoyed find out more about "Hollywood's Mermaid" in all the tributes to her (not to mention all the beautiful images), especially this one on The Cut. A copy of her autobiography, Million Dollar Mermaid should be winging - or should that be swimming? - its way to me in the post as I type.

Someone who didn't like swimming, I found out this week as a bit of a surprise, was Coco Chanel. She didn't bother to get a swimming pool built in her French Riviera villa La Pausa, despite its otherwise opulent style (this photograph shows her receiving guests in her bedroom). La Pausa is now for sale and this T Magazine article illustrates how this house has been shaped by its two very different female owners: first Chanel and then the American model Wendy Reve.

T Magazine also featured a behind the scenes glimpse at the Louis Vuitton ateliers which makes me very excited indeed. The ateliers are being opened to the public as part of Les Journées Particulières this coming weekend, a kind of open house for LVMH. I've been lucky enough to get tickets to Make Up For Ever and Kenzo and so am picking out my chicest outfit and heading off to Paris on Saturday. Oh la la, the excitement! I hope to also visit the haute couture show at the Hotel de Ville while I'm there, and a few vintage shops, and otherwise just have a lovely time. If you have any Paris "must do" tips, please let me know in the comments.

Finally, writing this post has been soundtracked by the new collaboration between two of my favourite souls: David Lynch and Lykke Li. Take a listen to I'm Waiting Here here (via NME).

And à bientot! Have marvellous weekends.

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