style – The Cultural Exposé

Photos: Afropunk London at Alexandra Palace

Matilda — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 07:30:53 +0000

AFROPUNK LONDON. It came, saw and it truly conquered, not least in part to the stylish people who came out to SLAY, the solid musical line-up (Grace Jones…WOW) and the positive vibes all day long. Was it perfect? Not at all (Ally Pally is a mission for starters and the indoor setup? Meh.) but the highlights definitely outweighed the shortcomings, and so I don’t doubt 2017 is gonna be a smash. Here’s a few of my snaps from the day:

Did you make it to Afropunk London? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

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Functional fashion: the gloss white helmet from Electra

Matilda — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 18:00:14 +0000

Someone stole my bike helmet. How, you ask? Well, I accidentally left my helmet somewhere – and at that ‘somewhere’, I learned that the helmet was put into the lost and found. Brilliant! I called up lost and found a few days later to collect my helmet and I was told it was collected by someone the day before. That someone wasn’t me. And there we have it – a stolen helmet.

But hurrah for swings and roundabouts. Electra happened to get in touch recently to let me know their range of helmets had finally launched in the UK. I’ve given one a whirl, so here’s my thoughts on the gloss white helmet from Electra:

The style

Hailing from the US, Electra does a set of very cool, very quirky, multi-purpose helmets, but the gloss white ticks all the boxes for me. It’s easy to clean, lightweight and a great one for visibility. The helmet also has gray straps with reflective stitching (another point for high-vis), as well as a detachable visor. I’d be lying if I said I loved the little peak (and it’s pretty convenient that it’s gone walkies – I never use it). Another feature I wasn’t bowled over by was the Fidlock magnetic buckle.But once you get the hang of it, it locks quickly and is very secure.

The fit

It’s pretty comfy, thanks to squishy, washable padding and an easy-to-adjust fit retention system. Sometimes I wish it could fit a tiny bit tighter in the back, but that’s a minor qualm. I also would’ve liked a smaller helmet shape. The medium is the right size for my head, but it’s a bit bulkier than say, the Bern range of skater-style helmets.

Ventilation

Pals have warned me about these types of helmets – apparently they’re not great in hot weather due to the lack of air holes. But I’ve been using it on some fairly hot days and I haven’t had any problems.

Price

They’re currently retailing for £49.00 which, I’m sure you’ll agree, ain’t bad for a bike helmet. Especially if you’re looking for top quality headgear that’s as fun as it is serious about protecting your head.

To find where Electra Helmets are stocked in London visit: locator.electrabike.com

Or check ’em out at Triton Cycles.

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Functional fashion: those dope socks from Stance

Matilda — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 13:00:43 +0000

Until recently, I’ve always been a plain black socks girl. No stripes. No ribbing. No subtle trim of colour or polka dots. Just safe, easy and simple black. But that started to change after I went to the launch of a friend’s book Socks: The Rule Book. Although it’s aimed at sartorial man, it did get me wondering why I’ve never considered giving my wardrobe a bit of pizzazz where my socks were concerned.

Guess who’s just launched a book and exhibition celebrating the weird and wonderfully sartorial world of socks…? #style #culture #london

A photo posted by Matilda (@megerecooper) on Mar 3, 2016 at 11:12am PST

I left the party with a goodie bag, and in it, a pair of woolley, argyle socks in bright orange. I’ve wore them once – and doubt I’ll wear them again. That’s just too much, too soon. But coincidentally, another sartorial friend (Fred Butler) just put me in touch with a PR who was putting on this fitness event I couldn’t attend. Turns out one of the PR’s other clients is the mighty Stance – official sock providers of the NBA and makers of all kinds of bold and beautiful stockings that look amazing on your feet. They’re the folks who designed those brilliant Biggie socks, so with a philosophy for cutting edge style, it’s no wonder trendies like Willow Smith and Rihanna are ambassadors.

A photo posted by Matilda (@megerecooper) on Mar 22, 2016 at 1:04am PDT

They’ve also got a lovely performance range for sporty women and I’ve been sent a batch to try, which includes:

Night Run – a bold low-cut, breathable sock that offers arch support (yes!) and a reinforced heel and toe for durability. These will be my new running socks, for sure.

The Fitness Crew – I wore these under my leggings yesterday and wish I hadn’t. They need to be flaunted! I love the style of these mid-rise athletic socks (very arty); they’re also super breathable and provide arch support and extra padding on the feet.

The Pro Crew – These socks are HOT. I love the graffiti / 90s era design – and they’re also good for moisture control and cushioning.

Are you a fan of Stance socks? Or are you all about that trusty,plain black? Let me know in the comments!

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In photos: Tokyo fashion and style

Matilda — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 08:20:05 +0000

On my recent holiday to Tokyo I couldn’t help but notice how stylish Japanese people (and dogs!) were, often in their own unique way. Here’s some of my favourite sightings (all pics shot on a Canon 5D Mark 1 with a 24-105mm lens):

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Cycling chic: the new cap collection from onenine9teen

Matilda — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 08:30:56 +0000

I know some of the most talented people – like Ollie, who I met a few years ago through Run Dem Crew. He’s worked as a tailor on Savile Row for a few years but recently decided to branch out and create a brand that combines two of his loves: quality design and cycling. The result is a new collection of unisex cycling caps for cruising around town that are modern and luxe, made with 100% cotton or merino wool.

Photo by Adam Corbett

I’m wearing the black cotton cap, but to check out the other styles visit onenine9teen.com.

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Quirky pop-up We Built This City returns to Carnaby Street

Matilda — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 08:30:48 +0000

I stumbled across We Built This City a few months ago. It was a Friday evening and I found myself in that awkward position of needing to kill a bit of time, but couldn’t be bothered to drag myself to the nearest Starbucks for an extra hot chai latte and the wi-fi. So I strolled along Carnaby Street, popping briefly into Monki for a pair of new earrings, and eventually found myself gravitating toward’s WBTC’s chaotic graphic display, all the more intriguing because of the bold, creative references to London:

Just discovered this wonderful, alternative souvenir store on Carnaby Street. Seriously funky fresh.

A photo posted by Matilda (@megerecooper) on Aug 28, 2015 at 10:35am PDT

It didn’t even dawn on me that the pop-up, which sells city-inspired gifts and souvenirs from over 300 home-grown designers and artists, wasn’t a permanent shop – so I was pleased to hear that it’s recently returned for the festive season.

Along with their usual fun stuff, they’ve now set up a Christmas shop offering cards, decorations and a Christmas jumper printing service in collaboration with London design duo RUDE (they’re ace) – and if you’re feeling creative, you can sign up to one of their creative workshops that include jewellery-making, the art of wrapping and even how to make a Christmas piñata.

How cute are these? We Built This City staff rock the Christmas jumpers you can design yourself

The shop is currently open and can be found at 56 Carnaby Street, but for more details, visit www.webuilt-thiscity.com

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Cycling in style: those leggings trousers from UNIQLO

Matilda — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:00:52 +0000

I don’t know what would become of me if I never discovered UNIQLO’s leggings trousers. Dramatic, but true. I’m at that age where the body shape has decided to do its own thing depending on what I eat or drink (You enjoy that burger? Here’s a side of body fat to go with that), so if the jeggings aren’t well made, they’re not going to last very long.

Now that the weather’s changed, I realised I needed some quality pants for the winter season (especially for my cycling commute to work or wherever), and as always, the LT’s never disappoint. I picked up a pair in black from the High Street Kensington branch of UNIQLO last week and I’ve practically worn them every other day. They’re the stretchiest, comfiest, prettiest hybrid bottoms that 1) make my riding romps around London that little bit sweeter, thanks to the spandex 2) help me avoid the whole top and leggings look, which is quite the faux pas when you’re packing runners thighs like mine and 3) are friendly on the pocket: they’re only £14.90 in various colours. The only thing I needed to watch with these are the sizings. Vanity insisted I was a Small or a Medium, but a 30-32″ waist is in fact a Large. I tried not to take it personally.

For more details, visit the UNIQLO website.

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Running in style: the Beats By Dre Powerbeats 2 Wireless earphones

Matilda — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 09:13:21 +0000

Last night I went to Tobacco Dock to join runners from across London (and in fact, the world) for the very first Beats 1 Run, a casual 5k taking place in four cities at the same time, powered by a live Beats 1 Radio show – salute Samantha Ronson! – and a complimentary set of the Beats By Dre Powerbeats 2 Wireless earphones. You can imagine, I was pretty delighted – and not only because I’ve needed wireless headphones for the absolute longest and these bad boys delivered on quality and style last night. It was the fact that my earphones came in lime green and gray, perfectly matching my Karrimor RP14 running pack I’ll be using religiously next month when I start training for Tokyo Marathon. Did I mention I got a ballot place? The race is on 28th February, which means winter training, which means I’ll need all sorts of motivation, including matchy-matchy running gear. So thanks Beats By Dre!

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The new Chanel exhibition is now open at the Saatchi Gallery

Matilda — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 11:15:24 +0000

I’ve been waiting WEEKS for this! The MADEMOISELLE PRIVÉ exhibition has finally arrived in London to present the wonderful world of Chanel. Set over three floors, the show will give visitors the chance to explore the history and cultural impact of the French fashion house, all at the helm of Karl Lagerfeld and the original Coco Chanel. This includes an exploration of the Haute Couture, the bling, the iconography and even that infamous scent, CHANEL N°5. There’s daily workshops too – and if you’re lucky enough to snag a free ticket (they’re released every morning and have so far gone in a flash) you’ll learn about the artisan trades of embroidery, flower creation and perfumery. Check out a film of the exhibition’s preview below:

The exhibition runs until 1st November, so for the latest news and workshop bookings, visit MADEMOISELLEPRIVE.CHANEL.COM

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Louis Vuitton Series 3 exhibition arrives in style

Matilda — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 11:30:53 +0000

Louis Vuitton’s Series 3 exhibition presents the brand’s Fall 2015 collection (helmed by Nicolas Ghesquière) through artistic displays and the fashion photography of legends Juergen Teller and Bruce Weber. Housed at 150 The Strand, it’s free and open to the public from 21st September until 18th October. Book your guided visit here: http://vuitton.lv/1hxkMny

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