"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."
- Mark Twain

in 1906, photo by A.F. Bradley

Hail Britannia!

Perhaps it's the influence of the recent London Summer Olympics?  But I've been bitten by Britannia... and I'm smitten.

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postalheritage.org.uk

One of my besties worked at the games, and periodically emailed interesting tidbits about both the Olympics & London itself.  Here's a stunning photo she sent of Beach Volleyball at Horse Guards Parade:

Diane Wild

My whole family did in fact assemble to watch the Closing Ceremonies to catch the spectacle & some of our fave musicians (Annie Lennox for my sis and I, The Who for my Dad.)  I dug the Union Jack stage, the fireworks, the British taxis and the brilliant 3D puzzle of John Lennon's face, too -

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- amazing production value from designer Es Devlin (see below).

Or maybe it's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the recent scandalous antics of Prince Harry, or looking at hundreds of pretty photos of charming Northern Ireland...

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 from another buddy's trip to the UK, that have permeated my thoughts...

Charlene Mayerle

Charlene Mayerle

Charlene Mayerle
...Either way, it seems like the fates are conspiring to insert Great Britain into my consciousness.

So because I've caught the fever for the flavour, here are a few random selections from my current Brit obsessions (because I already raved about Banksy here.) :

1.)  Es Devlin - Costume/Stage/Production Designer, Creative Director

Eamonn McCabe

This talented lady from Kent (along with her team) is the brains behind the Summer Olympic Closing Ceremonies that I mentioned above.

"One of the key factors in crafting extraordinary shows is time to rehearse in detail.  In this case, we will be setting up in 17 hours, with no rehearsal in the stadium prior to the performance in front of a billion TV viewers..."
-Es Devlin

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Since 1996, Ms. Devlin has been winning awards for costume/stage/production design for some of the most reputable opera, ballet, and theatre houses in the world and their productions of Faust, Carmen, Salome, Don Giovanni, and MacBeth, to name a few.

'Faust' for Semperoper Dresden - Es Devlin

'Batman Live', London - Es Devlin

Not to mention a few dazzling stage productions for some li'l ol' pop stars like Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Muse, The Pet Shop Boys, Mika, Imogen Heap, Goldfrapp, Shakira and Jay-Z.
No big deal.

Lady Gaga 'Monster Ball' Tour - Es Devlin

set design for Take That 'Progress' tour via telegraph.co.uk

Mika show at Parc des Princes, Paris - Es Devlin

See Es Devlin's impressive oeuvre here.

2.)  Sherlock - Masterpiece Theatre miniseries, BBC One

This update on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective adventures treads the line between past & present brilliantly...  I was hooked right from the start with the great title sequence.  The combination of modern references (smartphone technology and the Afghan war) mixed with traditional (overcoats and boardinghouses and beautifully crumbling architecture) makes my pulse race.

As well, the characters are interesting and actually developed, with Benedict Cumberbatch (Atonement, The Other Boleyn Girl) giving a virtuoso performance as Holmes - fascinating not only for his keen powers of deduction, but for his complete disregard for being liked, or fitting into society.  It's a kick to live vicariously through him for an hour and a half.

Straight man Watson as played by Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Love Actually), is a little different in this interpretation, more damaged than ditzy.  And best of all, the writing (by Mark Gatiss & Steven Moffat) rocks.  The reason this show has the edge on another good Brit detective series, Luther, (despite my fangirling of the delectable Idris Elba) is that the crime/violence aspect is perfectly tempered with dry humour.  I like mystery and suspense, but I don't like the all-out negativity and suffocating bleakness that so often accompany gratuitous CSI-type procedurals.  With Sherlock the tone can veer into creepy or macabre, but will have me laughing out loud a moment later.

©BBC

My Dad introduced me to the whole Holmes & Watson phenomenon by getting me to read The Hound of the Baskervilles the summer after fourth grade, so it was cool to see their interpretation of that particular storyline.  Another favorite episode is: A Scandal in Belgravia (an update of A Scandal in Bohemia).  I suppose I enjoyed it because it combines a lot of the elements I like - international espionage/intrigue, fashion, decor; the introduction of a smart female character; and most unlikely of all (for Sherlock's character, anyway), love - all with a cheeky sense of humour that never gets too camp.

©BBC

While this Grace Adler played by Lara Pulver (True Blood, Spooks) is a little too ruthless & amoral for my preference (a blackmailing dominatrix?, aligning with Moriarty?), there's no questioning the heat in this crackling pairing of Holmes & Adler.  Much more so than in the recent Guy Ritchie film.  (Or maybe I'm just not sure they should be played by Americans?)  Anyway, it's great fun.  Easily one of the best shows on TV.  Fingers crossed that Masterpiece will follow through with plans to start shooting the third series in early 2013.

3.) The Union Jack itself

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The British flag is simply fun to decorate with.  The Union Jack motif is just so rock n' roll as art, or on rugs, pillows or throws...

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  The options are endless, whether you prefer subtle:

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or not-so-subtle:

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Personally, I prefer something in between:

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via housetohome.co.uk

via housetohome.co.uk

A little dash of it is even fun in fashion:

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Like with this retro looking leather Love Moschino 'So British' clutch, or...

designerhandbags.me.uk

...this canvas & leather Barbour 'Union Jack Dryfly' bag.

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I'm somewhat partial to this 'original Brit boot' welly from Hunter, myself.  It's perfect for downtown, or strolling across the soggy hills and moors...

Charlene Mayerle

Well, ta for now, I'm off to check out Downton Abbey.  ;)

"Half the fun of travel is the aesthetic of lostness." 
- Ray Bradbury

Fashion Moment: 2012 Summer Olympics Kit

I love the Olympics!  I love that they bring us together on an international scale, and the values of excellence, tradition, character, and inclusion that they promote.  In fact one of my besties is in London right now working for OBS in Communications.

I love getting updates from her, and I love cheering for the athletes from my country (and some favorites from other countries.)  I enjoyed watching Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremonies, but while we were watching (and as patriotic as I am), I have to confess I was a little disappointed with Canada's official uniform design...

CNW Group/Hudson's Bay Co.

There's nothing particularly wrong with them... They're not embarrassing, they include our national colours (unlike Germany's "blue is for boys, pink is for girls" approach, or Italy's black and white approach), they're clean and modern, and ever-so-slightly jaunty (the touch of tartan, the rolled cuffs), but they're just... underwhelming.  

Jorge Silva/Reuters

It's true that as Canadians, we are kind of known for being unassuming and unpretentious, but minus the "Canada" banner on the chest (and the lack of subtlety there is a little clunky), this looks like a generic person walking down the street!  I'm not sure it really transmits the message: "I'm an elite achiever, here to compete on the world stage." 

All I want is a little personality, creativity, or gender differentiation... Yes, we're polite, but hopefully not that boring!  We just hosted a fantastic set of Games in Vancouver 2010, haven't we earned the right to a little swag? 

That started me thinking about the 2012 London Summer Olympics from a sartorial perspective, and here are my random conclusions. 

Of course fashion is tangential to the experience of the games, but when you have the chance to say something about your country's heritage, pride, and identity in the most-viewed international forum, wouldn't you want to communicate something good?!

Here are a couple of other Winners of 'The Kitten' for Snooze-worthy Get-ups:

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Ireland does the same boring unisex schtick as Canada.  And those pants don't look like they're really fitting well on anybody.

Lars Baron/Getty

Greece has a little better tailoring, but I still feel like they're there to sell me a used car.

But the real surprise in the boring category is...

Stefano Rellandini/Reuters

...Italy!  As one of the world leaders in fashion, this result is truly a shocker!  I'm not sure why they are applauding here, since the venerable Giorgio Armani has spent all this time designing kit exactly like what I regularly see at my local Y?  So bland, and there's absolutely no trace of Italy's red, white & green.  Donatella Versace & Roberto Cavalli are probably chuckling into their espressos.

Guiseppe Aresu/AFP/Getty

Armani might have redeemed himself slightly with the chic womens' swimsuits, but for the men... I'm not sure if the world is ready for white speedos?

And surprisingly, it gets worse before it gets better.
Here are the Winners of 'The Kitten' for Most Embarrassing:

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First up: the anti-uniform.  What's up, Liechtenstein?  You didn't even try!  Or perhaps there's a secret backstory, like, "Oh crap, the opening ceremony is today?! Quick, jump in the limo, maybe we can still make it!"  

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Estonia: At least this is unique.  But these jackets seem more suited to winter Olympics, and are sort of reminiscent of... Oscar the Grouch?

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The British team tries to be fashion-forward, but may have unfortunately drawn too much tin foil inspiration from Justin Bieber.  But hey, who needs gold medals when you can have gold armpits?

Saul Craviotto/Twitter

One poor Spanish athlete tweeted this unhappy pic of his Olympic gear.  My first thought was "Would you like fries with that?", but there might be a little dash of NASCAR in there as well.  Maybe this is what Spain gets for outsourcing their uniform design to Bosco, a Russian firm!  Was Russia getting in a little bit of sabotage to increase their competitive advantage?

Misha Japaridze/AP

Er... Nope!  Sadly, they did it to their own unlucky athletes as well.  What can I say about this vaguely 80's flashback?  It gives me sort of a queasy feeling.

I need cheering up, so here are some Winners of 'The Kitten' for Expressing Cultural Heritage:

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Jordan

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Mexico

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Tajikistan

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Marshall Island

Mike Blake/Reuters

Nigeria

Jorge Silva/Reuters

Oman

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and Turkmenistan.
Much better!  I think all of these countries did a beautiful job.

And here are my choices for Winners of 'The Kitten' for Sartorially Savvy (a.k.a. Best Dressed Contemporary):

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Well done, Belgium!  Patriotic and classy.  These uniforms look sharp individually...

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...And en masse.  I love that there are options: red skirt, black skirt, red pants...

Reuters

The United States goes collegiate in their quintessentially Ralph Lauren designs.  Nothing here is really fresh territory for him, but it's preppy and tasteful.  I like the interest provided by the scarves & hats.

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There was a brief uproar over the fact that the US uniforms were made in China, but I thought that was a bit of a red herring.  While this is an issue worth further attention, there's no way it should be a surprise to anybody!  North America has not developed or protected their textile industries, and has been outsourcing most manufacturing to Asia for years.

Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty

Belarus: looking so sharp and jaunty with those little fedoras.

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South Korea looking very nautical, which makes sense for games set in London. Again with the cute hats, and even some snazzy socks by Fila.

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Have I mentioned that I love options?  The Netherlands also did their athletes proud in Adidas.

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The pieces are traditional, and the colours are modern, but mainly these get-ups are undeniably cheerful.  And I'm digging the unique patriotic touch provided by all those tulips! 

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And finally... Jamaica's uniforms are seriously dope.  They were the brainchild of a collaboration between Cedella Marley (yeah, she's Bob's daughter) and Puma.

Mike Blake/Reuters

Again, I love that there are so many options: green, yellow and black jackets, black or yellow pants, printed or plain skirts (not to mention the cool trainers and the driving caps), but they all coordinate.

Michael Regan/Getty

The tailoring is so sharp, but actually functional.  Really wearable silhouettes, modern materials, and actually hip!  My personal fave.  I think this is probably the ultimate fusion of sporty and stylee at this set of games.  Usain Bolt is a great showman.  Wonder if he'll repeat his sprinting golds?

Oh, and lastly, here's the Winner of 'The Kitten' for Spirit:

Mike Blake/Reuters

So these umbrellas and wellies don't really celebrate the Czech Republic, but rather the rainy city of London where the games are being held.  Maybe it's a little silly (or practical, depending on your perspective!), but I like that they aren't taking themselves too seriously, and are clearly having some fun with it.  Fun is always good in my book. :)

Congrats to every athlete from every country for making it there.  I hope you get a free moment to really savour it all.