Sunday, 3 April 2011

Smuggling a small bird there sir?

What with it being Vivienne Westwood's birthday today, I cast my mind back over her previous collections, her transition from the rebellious, idolised woman she was back in the day, to a designer that not all of us adore. Following my previous sentence, I'd probably have you believing I'm one of the anti-Viv brigade, but I will just clarify that, in actual fact, I have a lot of respect for Westwood, and am constantly intrigued by her weird and yet wonderful ideas.

On my way through the 70's, past Let It Rock, Sex, over time to Seditionaries, World's End and Nostalgia of Mud, I remembered all the things that have kept Westwood pinned in my interests, but it was when I reached 2010 that my wandering imagination had a party.




Vivienne Westwood designed some silk speedos.

Working at a sports centre, I often find myself face-to-face with men in these (less than flattering) items, and I always wonder quite what can possibly be used as a selling point?! Is it that your whole package is on show, or that any wearer instantly gains the natural awkward walk of a 7 year old in P.E? I won't lie, I think the model at this particular runway show, styled it out well, but I'm more likely to sprout wings and fly than have the pleasure of seeing this bod at my place of work.

But what I would say is the best part of this mental wonder, is the amount of alternative phrases I have heard for these particular items. You could be at the beach in your banana hammock, at home in your miffies, or rocking out in (my personal favourite) your budgie smugglers!

Happy Birthday VW.