Fashion fuels death threats

Vogue recently reported that Peter Jensen is at the centre of a fashion feud over his interpretation of Greenland's national costume. Following the presentation of Peter Jensen's AW09 collection the designer received a series of complaints including a death threat.

Of particular concern to the native Greenlanders is Peter Jensen's interpretation of the kamic boots. Peter Jensen told Vogue "The collection and the boots were made out of pure love and meant as a celebration from the trip which we went on in November. That I am now getting death threats is really taking this thing out of proportion."

I love the boots and was disappointed to learn that they're only available from a certain high street retailer... We have however placed our AW09 order for the clothing. I can't wait for the beaded sweater dress and the digital print Citizens of the World blazer. This blazer is just so versatile and can be interpreted in so many ways from preppy to layered and geek chic. Preorders are now open with delivery in September.

Master R's new game

Source: Levintel.com

Master R has a new game. One that he finds hilarious. It must have started when I was changing him one day and he peed on me. I must have made a big deal about it and now it's turned into a game. Now whenever I'm changing him I can see him squeezing and squeezing. When a tiny dribble emerges he giggles away. When a large fountain appears he seems quite amazed.

Little boys...

Vogue on Vogue

Vogue Editor Alexandra Shulman. Source: FBC

On Thursday I went along to the Fashion Business Club meeting “Vogue on Vogue”. Online editor Dolly Jones was interviewing Vogue magazine editor Alexandra Shulman. While I’m not a magazine junky and prefer online to magazines, I was interested in what Alexandra had to say about supporting young British designers and her perceived or obligation of role of Vogue. One interesting fact for me is that we both have the same favorite magazine, The New Yorker.

Alexandra spoke openly and candidly about her experience and was actually quite witty. Upon taking the job she had no idea or even interest in fashion. She didn’t realize that fashion was in seasons and still claims to have a more pedestrian view of fashion while her fashion staff talk about referencing great artists and events.

Dolly (not her real name by the way) asked if Alexandra felt that she fitted the fashion mold. The crowded room laughed when Alexandra said that one comment she hears continuously is that she doesn’t look like the editor of Vogue magazine. She always replies that she’s been the editor for 17 years now so this is what the editor of Vogue looks like.

She believes that fashion has become the whipping post for the celeb culture, eating disorders and other woes of the world. She said it’s just wrong and she actually enjoys the debate. Vogue was recently heavily criticized for putting Cheryl Cole on the cover. Alexandra said she enjoyed having Cheryl and believes she is a face of fashion. Besides, it was incredible for sales.

I was about to ask about Vogue’s role and obligation in the support of young designers. Alexandra said she feels a duty to support them despite the fact that they don’t give a single penny of advertising revenue. She believes that during the last recession some of the greatest trends emerged and this time is no different. She saw signs of that at the recent LFW. In reply to Dolly’s questions about how Vogue are dealing with the recession and changes in spending habits Alexandra said that Vogue has always been about an aspirational lifestyle and it will continue to present that lifestyle in a way that is not offensive.

There were a lot of questions from the audience, most just wanting to draw Alexandra’s attention to their brand. Something I should really do but it’s not my style. I do hope that Vogue can continue to support young British designers, especially in these times.
On the way home from the meeting I did pick up the latest copy of Vogue. I haven’t read it yet though. Had a delivery of New Yorkers instead!

First day of nursery school - not quite as expected

Masters R's first day of nursery school today. I was excited and couldn't wait to drop him off so he could have some interaction with other kiddies. He's always been a mummy's boy and suffers from separation anxiety. But generally he'll cry for 5-10mins and then be fine. He was in a crèche at Snowbird in January and was fine so I thought this would be the same.

It's a 50 minute walk from our current temporary apartment. (It will be about 15mins from our new house.) So I trekked over there in the cold wind utterly exhausted and with an aching back. Master R was a little apprehensive and clingy when we first got there but it was food time and all the others were eating apple so soon enough he joined them and attempted to stuff as much apple into his mouth as possible and steal other kid's apple if they weren't eating fast enough. Because he’s quite big, running around and a bit rough, he’s actually in with a class of bigger kids. They were all born around June 07 and he’s the youngest by months with a birthday in February 08.

I stayed with him for a while and he seemed happy enough. I said goodbye and left and then waited a little while, heard that he stopped crying after less than a minute and was on my merry way. I waddled home, crashed into bed and promptly fell asleep. I woke up about 40mins later with a feeling that something was wrong. Turns out that the nursery director had called me 10mins before and I’d slept through it. The message said that I should come straight away as he “was in a great deal of distress”. Dragging on my jeans I jumped in a cab and arrived at there only to find him curled up on the playmates, snoring away with the kids running and playing around him.

Lucky I had my knitting and just sat in reception for an hour waiting for him. He woke up distressed so I took him home. Apparently he was fine until nap time and then be broke down and screamed – and yes, he really can howl! He just wouldn’t be settled and wouldn’t let anyone hold him. I’m actually dreading next week now and wondering what I can do to make it easier for him? Any suggestions?

Another mother dies needlessly

Source: Daily Mail

Today, "Mothering Sunday"*, brought news of the needless death of Jade Goody, a British celebrity. This is the needless death of yet another British mother this week, after Natasha Richardson, both mother to two boys.

Like Natasha Richardson, Jade Goody's death was preventable. She died of cervical cancer. One of the easiest to detect and easiest to treat if detected early. Jade had a positive pap test but decided to ignore it. Now she has left a husband, of a couple of weeks, and two beautiful boys, without a wife and mother. No matter what her past, it is tragic.

A number of years ago I stayed with my friend while her mother died of cervical cancer. The mother had chosen an alternative lifestyle and didn't believe in modern medicine instead treating herself with herbs and prayer, mostly prayer. The sight and smell of her dying needlessly in hospital and the turmoil it left the family in in the years after gave me a religious zeal about having regular pap tests.

Since then my mother and a very young aunt have received treatment for cervical cancer. While it's not genetic in any way, the thought of leaving my partner, beautiful boy and baby 2 will force me to endure the cold metal and discomfort of a pap test every two years, not the four recommended in the UK. That's not frequent enough. Please do it every two years. Please book yours today.

*The name has been changed from Mother's Day to Mothering Sunday after a US company bought the trademark for Mother's Day.

Children don't make you happy, says expert who doesn't have any

I read the headline and couldn't believe it! Who have they been talking to? Obviously none of the parents I know. About 4 years ago I had an overwhelming urge to have a baby. The urge physically hurt. I would beg Mr M in tears for a baby and he would say he wasn't ready (despite being together for ever!). Finally he felt we were in a position to have a baby. Then the trying started.

When it didn't happen straight away I was truly devastated. It was months of heart break when a baby didn't just materialise. Adding to this was friends bragging that they'd "fallen pregnant the first month". Shut up with your smugness! I'm sure some can relate to this. Finally when it happened I could not be happier.

The moment Master R was born was the most beautiful day of my life. A hole in my life had been filled and I was whole. I felt complete and that this was what I was born to do.

Of course not every day is a fun-filled love fest. There is days with tears of frustration and where I really have to control myself to stay calm and together. But unlike Dr Powdthavee's claims, my bursts of happiness far outweigh any drudgery of the day-to-day. What's more, I think that having number 2 in a few months is going to add to my sheer happiness.

What do you think? Are you happier?

Social scientist Dr Nattavudh Powdthavee said there was "almost zero association" between having children and happiness. He said: "In a recent study of British adults, for example, we found that parents and non-parents reported the same levels of life satisfaction."

Dr Powdthavee, from the University of York, said most parents remember milestones like a first smile, and think these rewards more than compensate them for the challenging task of raising children. But any small bursts of happiness are cancelled out by the day-to-day chores of having a family, he said in the latest issue of The Psychologist, the magazine of The British Psychological Society.

He said: "To imagine what it's like being a mother or a father we're likely to focus more on the good things about being a parent than the bad things. "This is mainly because we believe that the rare but meaningful experiences like a child's first smile, or graduating from university, or seeing them get married will give us massive and long-lasting increases in happiness.

"These boosts in wellbeing tend not to last for very long. Instead, parents spend much of their time attending to the very core processes of childcare – problems at school, cooking and laundry – which are much more frequent. "It is these small but negative experiences that are more likely to impact on our day-to-day levels of happiness and life satisfaction."

Despite his research Dr Powdthavee, 30, and his girlfriend are thinking about starting a family of their own.

Children don't make you happy, says expert who doesn't have any - Telegraph

My new mama blog

Any mothers out there check out the new blog TightKnitMamas I've started with a few of my mama friends in New York. While we're now spread out over oceans and the US, we're blogging about parenting, knitting and other random things that means a lot to us mums.