A love letter to Blue (not the boyband)

Hey blue. Here's a song for you.

- Joni Mitchell

Preface

A while ago I was having dinner with my friend Will in a lovely pub in London and we were watching Wales winning the football. I said 'Isn't it funny that this year everything has turned out the exact opposite to how it was expected...Leicester City, Wales (at that point) on track to winning the Euros and BREXIT...what on earth is going on?!' And he said 'Grace in this ever changing world, this strange year of playing opposites, when everything has been totally unexpected and a complete surprise - there has been one thing that has stayed steady, true to course and hasn't shocked anybody and that is: in 2016 you still haven't written a blog post. Some things are a constant in our lives and never change...'

SO in the spirit of surprising people and playing opposites - Will babe, this one's for you!

*****

It all started with a conversation over another dinner  a few weeks ago where I was asked what my favourite colour was.  Without thinking I said BLUE. Then I was pressed to say why and I couldn't find the words as to why. If I had sat there explaining why and who and how - we would all have been sitting there long after closing time while I explored and bored everyone with all the references that lie within the depths of my memory palace.      

    

For me, it's seas and azure skies and eyes and it's Jodphur, it's Marrakech, it's tears and fears, it's dreams, it's the flowers on the wallpaper of my childhood bedroom, it's my great aunts Mexican rug on the end of my bed, it's fields of flax, it's the shrunken cashmere jumper my brother gave me (he insists that I stole it), it's Camel Lights, a Famous Raincoat, Joni Mitchell, Irving Berlin tunes, it's a lot of my favourite things, London plaques, boybands, Astral Cream, sweet peas and hydrangeas, Springsteen lyrics, Levi 501s, it's quite a lot of  Elton John songs, Yves Klein, Love In A Mist, a Texan tuxedo, Chefchaouen, it's Picassos Periodo Azul, Spencer Tuniks Hull Avatars, ultramarine,cobalt, forget-me-nots, twilight, bluebells, any blue will do, once in a blue moon, navy, baby, teal, true, Tiffany, Oxford, Violet, Iris, Midnight, Parker pens and Smythson boxes, breton stripes, Lapis Lazuli, Grace Kelly's dreamy chiffon dress in To Catch a Thief...

Blue with it's celestial, deep hues meaning honour, royalty, a symbol of wisdom and truth. It's oceans between countries I've never yet been to and pools I haven't swum in. It's misery, melancholy, sapphires and blueberries (the only blue food).  It's cooling from the sun but catnip to a mosquito (mosquito-nip?). It's peace, harmony, unity, trust, security, confidence, conservatism, order, cleanliness, stability, protection. It is sincere, reserved and quiet, however, it commands attention and can be bold. It's the snatches and patches in a grey city sky, it's coolness, it's peace. And in the past few weeks and months when I (and everyone around me) was grasping for something familiar, unified, comforting and lovely I had noticed that I was unconsciously gravitating towards all things blue in every shade and hue and that a theme was emerging...and you all know how much I love a theme!

Blue Scent: L'Heure Bleue by Guerlain

Having had a phase of wearing this in my early twenties I decided to revisit this glorious scent and indeed it was like revisiting that time in my life - for as we all know our senses of smell and memory are intrinsically linked. It's powdery, velvety, melancholic, romantic and mysterious and I've been told kryptonite-level powerful. L'Heure Bleue was created by Jacques Guerlain in 1912 as a reference to his favourite time of day - a blue dusk, a fleeting sensation  "The sun has set, but night has not yet fallen, It's the suspended hour. The night has not yet found it's star"  The bottle is a miniature monument to love with a hollow heart shaped stopper which alludes to the romantic pre-war years. Clearly, I am a total sucker for this kind of thing but nevertheless, it's a masterpiece of a scent.

Blue Music: Blue by Joni Mitchell

This album turned 45 this year...the album of my youth and my heart. Written by Joni Mitchell at the end of her relationship with James Taylor. For me it's a long hot summer spent with my best friend in Florence, gallivanting about in cinquecentos. It reminds me of singing 'I am a lonely painter, I live in a box of paints' at the top of my voice in a little flat off the Santa Spirito. It takes me back and yet always sounds fresh. If you've ever listened to the lyrics of Case of You it's a tower of a song on love, infidelity, infatuation and pondering forgiveness. I could write pages on my appreciation of its artistry. It is one of the best albums ever made. 

So recently I turned this on and tuned on out.

Blue Clothes - WHAT I'VE BEEN WEARING RECENTLY

Favourite Blue Harlequin  Coat - My first purchase from Lime Green Bow. 

Blue Carpet Bag from Sluiz Ibiza

Self-Portrait Powder Floral Blue Dress

This is on my shopping list. Vintage from here

Andy Pandy Thakoon Jumpsuit. Which clearly makes me so happy!

Close up on the collar of my vintage Jean Muir dress

Still my favourite. Theyskens Theory Bubble dress. 

The perfect sunglasses from Celine. I've worn these everyday since I've bought them.

Vilshenko Blue Silk Moroccan Anais dress. Total heaven.

Turquoise bracelet I bought in Florence all those years ago

Twinkle Toes - French Sole delights

D&G inspiration in Harpers Bazaar. On my wish list.
However, an unjustifiable amount of £!

The blue section of my wardrobe right now.

Birthday Blues - I think not!

Best birthday ever! The most beautiful navy blue, wild floral Olivia Von Halle silk PJs from my darling friend and my Breakfast at Tiffany's eye mask from another. I usually hate going to bed but since acquiring these beauties I can't wait for lights out. 

Always channelling this.

Blue Book: The Course of Love by Alain de Botton

I have a crush on genius Alain de Botton and have done for about 12 years. I have religiously read and re-read each of his novels. My favourite being Essays in Love followed by The Romantic Movement and Kiss and Tell. So you can imagine my delight when his new book was published...a young couple meet, get married but it's about their happily ever after, after that - which is tackled in the way that only Alain de Botton seems to manage - huge subjects, concisely documented and philosophically observed, with humour and knowing.

And how convenient that the cover should match my dress, sunglasses and handbag. Thank you Alain!

But the most beautiful blue is the one on a day like today when you can look up and see the vast dome of the endless sky. It is always the perfect backdrop for everything and never goes out of fashion. Dreamy, hopeful and all the good things. As Van Gogh once said:
  'I never get tired of the blue sky.'
Neither do I Vince! Blue skies ahead for everyone please!

Beautiful London today. No filter!

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