Today, I came across the term “achingly cool” three times. The first time, it was applied to these striped shoes. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before, but like “effortlessly chic” I think it’s a description that label’s the user an idiot.
Why “achingly?” It never hurts me when something is cool. Is it supposed to connote yearning? Do you yearn so much to own these shoes that it causes an ache?
What about “traumatizingly cool?” Or “gut-wrenchingly cool?” I don’t like these fucking adverbs! Make them go away! I was looking for a photo of the grotesquely stylish Daphne Guinness wearing her spiked Gareth Pugh outfit when I found it at Grazia. Sure enough, she was described as achingly cool.
This photo makes me want to kill someone. It is everything I hate about hipster fashion and the cult of celebrity. This woman could wrap herself in toilet paper and everyone would fall over screaming in envy. Ten years ago she was just a normal billionaire’s wife. She is the Lady Gaga of socialites.
There must be someone else in the public eye who is more insanely rad than Daphne! Whose style do you admire, and what term would best describe it?
@ alicia: absolutely with you on the wonderful iris apfel, and i like catherine baba too.
Laura does have a point, although it is offensively expressed; Daphne Guinness is not “just another billionaire’s wife.” She has plenty of both cash and eccentricity cred all on her own.
I really love that Gareth Pugh thing, but it’s stupidly ridiculous actually worn like real clothing. I suppose Daphne figures herself a 21st century Marchesa Casati though… “My existence IS my art, darling. Revel in me!” It’s probably too much to hope for that she will also end as a raving nutter bankrupted by her extravagance.
Kathleen Hanna or Kate Pierson are probably my femme-y fashion icons, as they are heart-wrenchingly badass. Also Debbie Harry. It’s nice to have music fashion icons because they’re people who actually DID something while “killing it” in fashion, which I think is a standard that mostly applies to men who are “expected” to be doing something active. I don’t know why we’re expected to admire ladies who just stand around in their underwear -billion dollar spiked as they may be- and think they’re awesome. It seems so “male gaze” and passive and boooring.
Daphne has become a bit dull, really. As in, she’s the go-to person to wear the things no-one else will wear. Except for Lady Gaga. And I much prefer Gaga, at least she does something other than just wear strange clothes.
I do love Gareth Pugh though, for being so wonderfully weird.
I agree with TheBadKate, Daphne Guinness isn’t just some daft posh rich woman- and her money gets put to a fair bit of good use, she financed an Oscar-winning short film a couple of years ago and she’s gone on the record to say that her recent acquisition of Isabella Blow’s wardrobe was done with the approval of Ms Blow’s family and friends, with a mind to keeping it all in one place so it could maybe go on public view at some later point in time. That Engman person, however- I followed the link and she is either really that vile (“the world’s most expensive perfume”?) or well and truly taking the piss (“the world’s most expensive perfume”).
For the most part, I don’t mind other people’s fashion statements- but “irony” in fashion needs to DIE and fast, I’m sick and tired of “irony” being used as an excuse for everything stupid that some young chump says or does, in an effort to make themselves seem clever/cool when they are neither.
As for people whose style I admire- I’d have to say Susie Bubble, words are not enough to describe how awesome she is at putting outfits together (which don’t need a DSLR camera to capture their coolness- check her early archive if you don’t believe me). And someone’s going to get sick of me saying this, but I have an insane girl-crush on Yama from Tokyo Bopper (google her if you feel like it, I haven’t the words to describe her non-ironic brilliance at dressing herself).
Among more mainstream types, I admire Iris Apfel and Betty Catroux, and also the model Iekeliene Stange and actress Clémence Poésy – the last partly because of the Harry Potter connection and partly because she’s not a total front-row whore, she’s admitted to being sick of fashion making a fuss over her and I find that quite refreshing. And yes to Tilda too- she has style, but she’s so far from being the usual fashion sheep that one can’t help but love her. I get the feeling that what the rest of the world thinks is weird, seems perfectly normal to her- it’s very hard not to admire that.
Gareth Pugh must be very pleased to sell his impossible creations. It is good to see couture living outside the catwalk and museums, except when it’s crippling and that is too often the case with Daphne. Her style is questionable, there is no much effort put in it, she buys couture dress and smacks it on, that’s it. All her effort goes in standing up and walking straight, OK, she supports some young designer with her eccentric cash and sits in various fashion juries. Anna Della Russo is a tad bit more accomplished, but she wears ready-to-wear as well. How very deary…
It’s still just a tabloid style. I love Franca Sozzani’s soft waves and angularity, she has style even naked(boobs covered Sister!), I guess. Her blog is good too.
Thom Browne is gonad-pumpingly stylish, from his $10 barbershop haircut to his sockless wearing of $1600 wingtips. No one else comes close in combining mod and preppy. I want to worship his beautifully defined hairy legs from a distance of no more than three feet.
Miss J’s knee aches, a jogging injury. Its not that cool, actually.
Sister Wolf – I leave this to you :http://www.bleachblack.com/?p=11349
“out of “respect” i am not going to comment”
dont let the bleach go to your brain , bitch.
bloggers everywhere crying in their clogs and floppy hats over the break up of the ever so RaD erin wasson and rvca
achingly hip is even worse
I quite liked Daphne Guiness a while ago when I thought she was an interesting Helena Bonham Carter type (fooled by the hair). Then I read about her “dedication” to “high fashion” e.g. a willingness to be confined in ridiculous corsets and wear stupidly high heels. I expect Vogue will be lauding her foot binding practises soon enough
If there is such a thing as “achingly cool,” those shoes would not be it. But I guess false Americana is pretty “in” right now…
oh my god, sea is dating RONNIE. her boyfriend is ronnie!
This is so much better than the worst tv show….
I’ve always hated people who add the termination “licious” to every word. Like “girlicious” or “sexylicious” or “fergalicious” etc etc etc… I even remember someone describing some girl’s outfit as “fiercelicious”.
At least I haven’t seen anyone use the expression “effortlessly chiclicious”.
@Theresa: HAHAHAHAHA oh my god oh my god. What’s the deal with sea and all her gay boyfriends?!
The redeeming fact I could find about Daphne – she gave (and/or raised) some money to women’s charity; as for her style – sorry Laura, you stupid cunt, the dropped crotch on the Mr. Pugh creation is pure Ewok.
That Stacy person with her “world most expensive perfume” is completely ridiculous(licious?) A swift kick in her Sheela-na-Gig would be very satisfactory.
Iris Apfel – yes, Catherine Baba – no, with all this fur, fur, fur, fur.
Thom Browne seems to have very big feet. Does it have anything to do with his stylishness?
I can only aspire to have this many “achingly cool” commenters on my blog! I have just sat here giggling at this thread for about half an hour.
You all are seriously funny mother-fuckers!
Sea’s latest tweet: “Still CONFUSED by the fact that people thinking writing/blogging should be done for free. #donteven”
Big feet means big…
look at jane’s latest blog.
told you!!!! ronnie is the new boyfriend. He used to call him friend…poor amit.
All the good ones are in the dark corner away from the cameras.
Hee hee Mark, thought so, thought so…
Layers&Swathes – They rule, don’t they?!? They are the joy of my life.
Denise – I’m so excited, I’m going straight over to look. If only I could leve my congratulations there.
well this happens all the time. these so-called pretty girls look great in anything they wear coz hey, they have the body for it and if i had their body, i’d be fab too. the same goes for some of the “style” bloggers out there who, if you really realize, have no style at all but are crazily worshipped because they have a pretty face and a body most girls would die for. but their “style” is mostly copied and unoriginal.
Though I used to be attracted, in a general way, to DG’s sensibility, I have to say that this photo brought me up short. It’s just so clear that, as a society, we’re coming to the end, lapping up our own entrails and enjoying every moment of it.
It’s terribly easy to bash Daphne Guinness and loop her into Lady Gaga territory, when her eccentric style is something that has been her trademark before Gaga had even put on her Poker Face.
I genuinely believe that DG just adores fashion and has a life (the wealth, the events) that facilitates her to dress in an over the top manner,
I love how she combines couture with flea market finds and I don’t think she’s predictable in her choices, which I adore.
It’s awfully unimaginative for you say she does it for tabloid attention, why would she? What would she achieve?
In respone to Kellie:
Issy was her friend, would you really want your late friends personal belongings to be sold off in some morbid buying frenzy?
It’s not like she’d want to keep for own use, she’s merely keeping them safe until she has a venue to exhibit them.
The items were Isabellas DNA and I think it’s much more appropiate for them to be kept together than sold off and the collection entirely diluted.
Daphne will more likely or not, set up an exhibition for people to view the collection.
You’re so right, I’m sure her mind will focus solely on profits, she’s really could do with the money after all.
Amazing website & writing skills. You my friend have TALENT!