[ TOMMY TON DOES NYFW, AGAIN ] SS'13 Street Style at NYFW

 

 

 

The weather may be cooling over here, but across the pond in New York it seems the fashion pack are still very much in summer mode. That, and the fact this past week the city has been host to the SS'13 runway shows. Once again, superstar street style hound Tommy Ton has captured the style crowd at their best, snapping models, editors and bloggers in all their printastic, texture-loving summer outfit glory as they cavorted around the innumerable fashion week venues, during one half of New York's most exciting events of the year. 

Want to see more of Tommy Ton? See his SS'12 NYFW shots here, or visit his super duper blog at jackandjll.com

All photos: style.com

[ TOMMY TON'S TOP TROPICS 2011] Exotic Street Style

While the AW 2012/13 shows get into full swing over in Europe and the US and we await those wintery tones which are sure to fill our screens over the next few weeks, some of us 'southern hemisphere'rs' are striving to hold on to the last days of summer. So, in celebration of the best season of all (and to get some of you lot over there excited for the pending sun) I'm giving you a little bit of inspiration in the form of top street style photographer Tommy Ton's most colour-popping, ethnic infused, exotic-hued snaps from the last fashion week season.  Enjoy!

All images sourced from Style.com

View more street style by Tommy Ton at jakandjil.com

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[ INDRA JATRA ] Bhaktapur, Nepal

 

Whilst meandering around the beautiful red brick streets of Bhaktapur the other day, I came across masses of these costume clad girls. Adorned head to toe in brightly coloured fabrics: red and gold patterned metallic silks, luminous pink veils, marigold-yellow headbands and sashes, and copious amounts of dangling silver jewellery, it must be time for the Indra Jatra Festival. 

One of the most important festivals in the Newar calender, the eight day Indra Jatra takes place in and around the Kathmandu Valley in early to mid September, marking the end of the rainy season. Giving thanks to Lord Indra, the God of Rain and the King of Heaven processions and dances are performed, one of the most important being that of the procession of the Royal Kumari Devi, a preadolescent 'living goddess' who is taken around Kathmandu's Durbar square to give thanks to the rain god and to bless the President of Nepal.

So, with the plethora of pomp and traditional dress on display, obviously I couldn't help but take some snaps. If you like what you see and fancy a look at some more traditional Nepalese dress, take a look at my earlier post on Dhaka Topi hats!

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[ TEA COSY OR HAT? ] Patan, Nepal

India was all about the women, Nepal is, most definitely, all about the men. They are of the cheerfully obliging variety and will happily pose for you, grinning mischievously as you snap away. Not only is this a great asset to my budding global photographic collection but its a great way of showing all of you the particulars of Nepalese traditional dress!

Shirts, trousers, waistcoats and flip flops - all very standard and obviously a practicality- but what's that on their heads? Is it a tea cosy? Is it a tea cosy worn as a hat? Actually its just a hat, a dhaka topi to be precise. Dhaka referring to the type of traditional, handwoven fabric and topi, referring to the lightly worn, top creased, brimless hat. This evidently popular item of Nepalese national dress is worn with much pride throughout the country on a daily basis, unlike the rest of the outfit, the daura suruwal or labeda suruwal (essentially a long tunic over trousers) which is reserved for special ceremonial occasions. So there you have it, an ethnic style 101 from the streets of Patan.

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[ MUST READS ] Culture to Catwalk by Kristin Knox

I've been eagerly awaiting the release of this book for over a year and I'm excited to announce its now finally here: Culture to Catwalk - How World Cultures Influence Fashion by American born, London resident and fashion blogger Kristin Knox. 

I had the honor of meeting Kristin herself last July at my Central Saint Martins degree exhibition in Soho. Having based my own degree project - TRIBE Magazine - on the concept of the traditional inspiring the modern, you could say we had a common interest. After spying Kristin snapping away at pages of my mag, we got to chatting about her project in progress and our shared enthusiasm for ethnic style. 

Released this month by Bloomsbury, Culture to Catwalk looks at both traditional dress and street style around the world and considers its influence on contemporary fashion today. Featuring interviews from some of the industries most esteemed and innovative designers such as Hussein Chalayan and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, it's going straight to the top of my must read recommendations for ethnic style lovers and, of course, Wandering Threads fans!

Click below to see a clip of the books launch at Liberty London.

Kristin is also author of award winning blog The Clothes Whisperer and fashion consultant to some of fashions greatest brands. To find out more about Kristin click here to visit her blog.

Culture to Catwalk is now on sale at all leading bookshops. Click here to purchase it online at Waterstones.com

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[ JAPANESE FANCY ] Taj Mahal, Agra

Once referred to by Rabindranath Tagore as 'a teardrop on the face of eternity', iconic in its white marble purity, you think of India, you think of the Taj Mahal. You think back to all those stunning images of the pristine white Taj set against a background of sapphire blue sky and you sigh with appreciation for its beauty, longing to set eyes upon this wondrous sight just once in your lifetime. You wake up at 5.30am, ready to see the sunrise behind the Taj, a moment shared with but a few other early risers. You jump eagerly out of bed, look out the window....and yes you guessed it, its raining! 

So that was my experience of the Taj, as you can probably guess I was pretty peeved having bused it all the way out to Agra. Typical. Here's a tip: don't visit India in the monsoon season! However, every down has its ups, and I found mine at the front of the Taj in the shape of two very pretty Japanese girls who had thought it only right to dress for the occasion. Check out their coordinating printed saris! Later I saw one of their male companions walk past in a very regal looking Indian costume. 

Click below to see more images from inside the Taj and around.

[HAPPY HAMPI ] Day 1: The Gypsies

Having arrived in Hampi, Karnataka after another sleepless overnight bus (which I have to admit was more like riding a 7 hour roller coaster), I am happy to report my love for India has once again returned (spending 2 months in a pollution-ridden city being hauled around by con men rickshaw drivers will dampen the spirits of any well traveled foreigner). After a day-long bicycle ride around the sites bewitching yet somewhat forsaken landscape of Tomb Raider style temples, giant boulders and towering palm groves, I happened upon some rather interesting figures. It seems the gypsies have arrived in Hampi in all their mirror-worked, embroidered and bell-jangling glory. For these ladies, less definitely is not more.