Orange trousers, travels and Temper Trap.

Yes, I confess, I bought a pair of orange trousers today. Controversial and just a tad ridiculous I realise. I have, however, been looking for a pair of trousers that range outside the normal blue/black/grey/beige/khaki spectrum. As many colours as that is, they're not the world's most exciting trousers. I was specifically, if somewhat passively, looking for a pair of red trousers, which are something of a sartorial dichotomy. Or so I'm told. I've always thought that, provided one didn't wear them with a blue blazer and call oneself 'The Captain' (thank you How I Met Your Mother for that), they probably were ok. So, when wandering past H&M today in Windsor, what did I spy, but what I thought were a pair of red trousers. It didn't take much for me to not-quite-run into the shop and head straight to the menswear section to find these illusive trousers. Upon picking them up, I discovered, to my (initial) horror that they were orange. Yes, bright orange. Now, having shown them to the guys I was with and had the retorts 'I think they're hideous, but they are very you' and 'Yes, they are very you' any sane person might decide against it. I appear not to have listened to my sanity and went ahead and bought them. Here they are:

Now, there is a certain logic to my buying them, twisted though it may be. 1. I wanted, as I said before, a pair of trousers of more interesting colour and 2. I'm going away for six and a bit months to hot countries where bright colours are very much de rigeur, in contrast to grey, rainy Britain (much as I love it, it's not the most interesting palate of colours) where such things are greeted with disdain and disbelief. So, there is, as I said, a logic to it, after a fashion...

I have also just read this article on the Telegraph website: http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8296752/Meet-Bill-Cunningham-the-original-street-style-photographer.html which shines a light on a man I had heard of, vaguely, but really knew nothing about. So, sartorialites, street style photography goes way, way back beyond him. Albeit in a rather less well known and rather less well publicised guise. It sounds like a fascinating documentary and I will be sure to catch it when possible.

Musically, I have been on a bit of a Guns 'N' Roses kick recently, listening to most of Appetite for Destruction and both the Use Your Illusion albums on my journey back from London today. If you either don't know or like Guns 'N' Roses, then more fool you. There's a reason that Appetite for Destruction has gone platinum 18 times. Not to mention VH1 naming Welcome to the Jungle the greatest rock song ever. Also, I want to bring to your attention the Temper Trap's album 'Conditions'. While you may not know the name of the band or indeed the name of the album, you will certainly know their first single from it; Sweet Disposition. Used on a multitude of adverts and trailers, it is an instantly recognisable song that has permeated the subconscious of the public, whether they know it or not. Go on, listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxKjOOR9sPU and tell me you don't know it. My point, however, is that the rest of the album is of a similar calibre and definitely merits further listening. The instrumental Drum Song is brilliant, while the song Science of Fear, pops into my head, unwarranted, at regular intervals. In other words, get it!

Now to the subject of the impending transformation of this blog and my impending departure. This Sunday I leave on the aforementioned 6 and a bit months' travels. So, expect lots of photos of sickeningly white beaches, sunny skies, beautiful sunsets and me and my friends making general tits of ourselves while on the other side of the world. Naturally I will endeavour to keep you posted on anything that I find of stylistic/musical interest, but rather predictably my travels will be my main focus. I'm sure you wont begrudge me that.

Two summers on the trot... It's going to be incredible!

Joe