Havaianas

Now, I’m not sure about Nina’s version of historical events, but thongs (not g-strings, but footwear) have been around in Oz for a very long time. Half-joking referred to as “Australian safety boots”, they’ve been part of the national dress for as long as anyone can remember. The ubiquitous rubber versions have been able to be purchased from supermarkets, shoe shops and servos since the 1960s at least.

The first thongs-as-we-know-them are thought to have come from New Zealand in the 1950s (not Brazil in the 1970s) and they called them “jandals”.

And even then, I’m pretty sure the Japanese had zōri a fair few years before that.

That said, I loves me Havs. I practically live in them all summer. They are soft and pretty and no-fuss. Definite must-haves. Pun intended.

Gloves

I have a love-hate relationship with gloves. As you might have guessed, I like my clothing not just to fit, but be fit for purpose. Gloves are meant to protect your fingers and hands, but I get easily frustrated with them when they get in the way of finding my keys, swiping my bus pass, or applying my lip balm. I also can’t write or type very well with them on, and I certainly can’t operate my mobile phone while wearing them.

Fingerless gloves would seem to be the way to go then, but the tips of the fingers are the most vulnerable to cold, so to me it kind of defeats the purpose. The only fingerless gloves I’ve seen which look good are the sort which cover the entire forearm, sometimes extending past the elbows. They’re kind of funky, and definitely fun, stopping where they should continue and continuing where they should stop.

Fine leather gloves? Still not fine enough.

Polyproplylene gloves, like those which can line skiing gloves? Yes, these are OK, and even have a little grip, but they snag like crazy on just about everything, including nails. They’re definitely more inner wear than outer wear.

Knitted wool gloves are certainly too thick. Mittens are warm and easy to remove quickly, but score -10000 for manual dexterity.

I love gloves, but hate how clumsy they make me. They are why I like pockets in just about everything! Pockets can hold everything from lip balms to ticket stubs to hands.

Gloves – yes, OK. Pockets – essential.

Gentleman's Hat

Nina likes fedoras, trilbys, etc. She probably looks great in them!

I look OK in hats, but I usually look better in women’s hats. Maybe they’re not as “cool”, but they look better on me. I’m not sure what that says about my face, my hair or the shape of my head, but there it is.

Whatever shape of head, however, hats are not just optional accessories.

When you live in a country which is riddled with skin cancer, where sunscreen is worn every day and the mantra of “Slip, slop, slap” is drummed into children’s heads before they even start school, hats are not just fashion items, they’re survival items. We don’t have to be outdoors-types, either. In summer, just 10 minutes sun exposure can get you burning. In outdoors stores, hats and other clothing come with UPF ratings. I have a couple of hats with UPF 40, and they are essential for any outdoors activity between 10am and 5pm. I don’t know what the UPF rating is for the woven trilbys which have been all the rage this year, but I can’t imagine it would be much.

If you live in a cold country, then proper hats are just as important for keeping you warm and protecting your ears from biting cold. I’m not sure a trilby would do well in a Scandinavian winter.

So, while a gentleman’s hat does not get into my One Hundred, hats in general do. Hats, like scarves, can finish a casual outfit, hide a bad hair day and provide portable, personal shade. Hats are essential items for everyone!

Fur

Oh, dear me. I am not going to start the whole fur debate. Any rabid pro- or anti-fur responses will be deleted, OK? There is more than enough discussion on other sites such as PETA regarding animal cruelty, eco concerns, ethics, synthetic fibres vs natural, etc, etc, so I’ll leave it at that.

Anyway, I love faux fur, and the faux-er the better! As Nina points out, Prada’s 2007 “Fake Classic” faux furs were just perfect. Even Lagerfeld at Chanel has gone faux for Fall/Winter 2010/2011.

Prada Goes Wonderfully Faux

Unfortunately, I live in a warm climate, so the opportunities for such wonderful furriness are sadly limited. I still do have a screaming-faux coat that I am looking forward to wearing next winter, but that’s about it.

I also think that the traditional big, heavy fur coats overwhelm the wearer. You don’t think, “Wow, look at her,”, you think, “Wow, look at that.”

Who wants to be a “that”?

A Couple of Thats.

A little carefully-placed furriness in the form of a hat or collar or trim can go much further than a hulking great lump of it, and Nina’s “Closet Obsession” of fur stoles is testament to that. She answers the problem of stylish and warm outer-wear for evening with the luxurious flourish of a stole, and I think that is genius.

It’s genius slightly undone, however, by her inclusion of Gwyneth Paltrow in The Royal Tenenbaums as a “Great Moment in Fur”. She might as well have listed Natassja Kinsky in The Hotel New Hampshire.

Fishnets

I try to like fishnets, but somehow I’m not yet convinced. I love that they’re strong both physically and stylishly. But, maybe I’m not finding them warm enough and or not quite “neat” enough for me. Maybe my legs are too chunky? Maybe they just take some getting used to? Maybe I should try layering them? Am I worried they’re too slutty and random people will start trying to shove money down my front? Am I worried that my legs are too hairy and will look like weasels caught in nets? Am I convinced that no matter what I do, Tim Curry will always look better in them than I ever can? Am I concerned that they’ll get snagged on something and I’ll end up unravelling somehow and leave a taut, telltale thread behind me in the CBD?

Nina lists them as part of her One Hundred because a hint of fishnet danger is OK, but a full leg of it is “tawdry”. Google “fishnets” and you’ll get a mixed bag of angling and porn sites. Not very encouraging associations. I guess it’s a bit like Animal Print – there are ways to do it right. Nina suggests trying nude fishnet, and always going for fine meshes.

They’re not yet part of my One Hundred, but perhaps they could be! I guess I’ll know after next winter.

Exotic Skin Bag

I like different textures, but reptilian patterns or embossing have never been my faves. I prefer brocade or embroidery or other interesting finishes like velvets or pleated silks or heavy weaves. It’s not due to any reptile phobia – I’ve held snakes and patted baby crocs and touched turtle fins no worries (turtles are cute!) – but there’s something a little icky to me about obvious “skin” accessories. They’re bold and exotic-looking, certainly, and they can boldly proclaim, “Look! I killed this and then cut its skin off and made it into a purse! Yay!”

I came across some eel skin clutches in my recent clutch search, and there was something about them which made my own skin crawl just the tiniest bit. Even the faux stuff doesn’t appeal to me, and there’s faux-croc everywhere you turn at the moment. If you like it, now is the time to grab as much of it as you can.

What’s wierd, is that for some reason fake fur doesn’t give me the same reaction. I don’t know why. I’m contradictory, I know!

I’ll stick with “exotic texture”, I think.