COVER (UP) STORY

Was there any point, sartorially speaking, in the fight for the right to bare all? Yes, the mini skirt was a liberating force in the swinging 60s. Yes, it was once radical stuff to brazenly wear an itty bitty bikini in defiance of the beach police. And I'm sure it's all very revolutionary to crop one's top high above one's navel. But the question is: does it look nice?

I watched the fab Hitchcock flick To Catch a Thief the other evening. Grace Kellly looked smashing in scene after scene in her summer holiday garb. Of course it helps that she's so damn beautiful (that woman could've worn Gladwrap and looked swell) but there's no denying the fashion power behind her beach looks.

What looks smarter? Kelly's skin-tight black pedal pushers, black halter and half-open white cheesecloth over-skirt, or a string bikini and boardies? I know I'd rather stroll about St Tropez in a sherbet lemon beach dress and matching turban than a scrap of flouro Lycra and thongs. But then I'm old fashioned. Don't mind a mini skirt though...

TALKING TO...CARA STRICKER, PHOTOGRAPHER

Whether she's shooting models back stage (see above) or creating a carefully considered fashion wonderland for an editorial, Cara Stricker's pictures are always unexpected and fresh. I love working with her because she's super chilled out and always gets her shot. Models love working with her too.

When did you first pick up a camera, and what did you shoot?
"Before the camera came the photo album. I used to make albums from boxes and boxes filled with my parents' old photographs. I spent afternoons looking through them, putting stories together, putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and trying to wrap my head around a whole life of theirs which I'll never really know."
Who's work inspires you and why?
"Nick Knight, Guy Bourdin, photography book table books.
I love:
* Nick Knight’s twisted presentation of beauty, revealing the insides of himself and the model on his canvas.
* Guy Bourdin’s raw voyeuristic exploration of his muse in his films.
* The mesh of all types of photographers of the same subject material in a coffee table book. You can find your next favourite eye."
Which models are you loving right now?
"Abbey Lee Kershaw"

What do you love about taking pictures?
"When I shoot on film, it is so final; to capture that moment you must really put yourself in the moment. One such time was when I was shooting with twins, Kate and Sophie. We had an hour to shoot a story on black and white film. It was the moment when the film came back [that it all made sense], with a story that was edited and developed perfectly within a couple hours. Everything just fell into place."
Where is the craziest place you've convinced your team to shoot?
"In an excavation, 20 metres deep, down in the dirt, surrounded by houses. The cops caught us five minutes after climbing the fence."

What's on your i-pod?
"Bill Withers, Lou Reed, Abba, Fleetwood Mac, The Velvet Underground, French things, Yeah Yeah Yeahs."
Why do you love crop tops?
"I had an operation recently next to my belly button, and realised that my tum tum 'aint so bad after all'.

What shoes are you wearing right now?
"Connies"
Magazines you can't live without?
"Purple"
Secret location...
"Bundeena, NSW."
Fashion is fabulous because...
"It’s forever changing"
Fashion is frustrating because...
"It’s forever changing"

SPOOKY DISCO

So I was painting our new Sydney shop on Oxford Street today when I nipped out to get a coffee when I spied the new Robbie Ingham window dedicated to Halston. It looked fabulous with a capital F, exactly the sort of thing that Bianca Jagger would choose to wear atop her white horse where she nightclubbing today, all deliciously draped and faintly nostalgic and very definitely naughty, but nice too.

Don't know if Robbie Ingham is carrying the silver metallic jersey story but if they are I am so buying this insane tiered jumpsuit. If it were a dress it would be cute, but it's PANTS - too clever. And the draping! It looks like a glint-y and frivolous little ghost, no? My pick for a supernatural disco moment. (Have never actually considered disco for the afterlife before, but it's rather an appealing idea.)

These pics are from Net-A-Porter. Don't be spooked now...

Museworthy: Doris Zinkheisen, 1898 - 1991

When I found out that Doris was still with us in the early 90s, I cursed that I was too busy being a school girl to notice. Can you imagine anything more fabulous than interviewing Doris? I can't.

Doris was one of two starry sisters (her sister Anna was a painter) who cut up 1920s society with their vibrancy and talent. Dorothy, with her shining helmet of ebony hair and Vogue-worthy profile, was a friend of Noel Coward, a costume designer who worked her magic on the 1936 film Show Boat, as well as an artist in her own right - her super stylized paintings of socialites, ballet dancers and race meets are some of my all-time favourites. She looked startlingly chic in fringed Chinoiserie peonies, as you can see in this swish self-portrait.

COULD YOU BE OUR NEW GIRL (OR BOY) FRIDAY?

I am looking for an assistant with a passion for fashion.
The right person will be smart and willing to learn and grow with us.
The job will include everything from production and orders to assisting on shoots, general admin and helping out in the shop.

Non cat lovers will be considered, but only those with really, really nice shoes.

Applicants, please email clare@mrpress.com

Meowzer

Do you know what my cat, Mamma, just said to me?

"Meow-wow, this vintage lace blanket is the purrfect addition to your bed, which I lie on all day when you go to work."

Bitch. Wish I loll about in bed all day.

SOME DAY MY PRINTS WILL COME...

When I worked at Vogue, the woefully cliched headline was the copy editors' constant lament. Story about prints? "Prints Charming!" of course. Spa reviews? "Paradise Found!" Feeling like shit? "50 Ways to Glamorise Your Life!" should help. Florals are back? "Flower Power!", and on it goes.

And yet the more creative headers rarely got through. Cleo Glyde once called a yo-yo dieting story "Blow Up Doll". Genius. Needless to say that was not what ran in the magazine. No-one ever let me call a piece "Chic Happens", but the travel editor did once sneak "You Hoe, Girl!" onto a gardening page. And once upon a time there was a watch feature called "Wrist Action". I tell no lies. I guess we were tired that deadline.

Anyway, the upshot is that I can't look at a floral without inwardly cheering "Bloomtown!"; when I spy a new silhouette I'm desperate to slap "Trend Report!" in a red box on it; I'm a sucker for "The Belts, Bags and Shoes You Want Now!", and yes sometimes I actually say "New Season, New You!" Six years of indoctrination will do that to a girl...

So when the all round marvellous Madeleine came by my store yesterday to help me tape up yet more boxes of soap for David Jones, it wasn't just her generosity of spirit that cheered me (hello, it was Sunday) but the artfully blurred print on her 1950s cotton sateen pencil skirted frock. In magenta, cornflower blue and shades of iris that print, let's face it, was PRINTS CHARMING! One, at least, of 50 WAYS TO GET HAPPY!

The thing about cliches is they are cliches because they are true. If you ask me, there's nothing more charming than a splashy floral.

FABULOUS FORTIES

No, not fabulous at 40, not for a while yet, thank you very much. Fabulous FORTIES, as in roaring. I just watched the BBC dramatisation of Mary Wesley's The Chamomile Lawn (there's nothing like a costume drama to buck a girl up). Anyway, its absolutely hysterical, more than a little eye-brow raising (menage a trois with twins! Slap hands Polly), but maily fabulous fashion inspiration for hats, turbans, veils and floral adornments.

I've been searching for hours and can't find a still of Calypso in her high-crowned, black felt pseudo turban but heck I want one. In lieu, herewith some decade specific inspiration for your races headwear this season - all of the moment except the first, which is Galliano. Just add red lips.

P.S. Considering changing name to Calypso.

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

And I love it.

You know what they say, you can take the girl out of Yorkshire, but you can't tek the Yorkshire out of the lass...

Now clearly sunshine and the glinting turquoise waters of the Harbour are all well and good but show me a bikini and a fabulous little black wool jacket and ask me to pick and, well, hello! You know the answer. Bring on the new season! Bring on smooching with red wine and chocolate in front of open fires in the mountains. Bring on boots. Oh, and bring on our super new collection hitting stores in the next two weeks.

Photographs by Liz Ham for Mrs. Press Winter 2010