People Watching

I adore people watching. Sitting in the window (or even better on the balcony/patio) of a cafe and taking in the sights and bustle of a warm afternoon is one of my favourite pastimes. Intrigue is found in the snippets of conversation that I overhear, the fashion inspirations I collect and the stories I draw up in my mind (or discuss with my companion) about who a person is and why they're doing what they're doing. I rarely interact with the public through my employment, and am not particularly outgoing or a networker, so people watching forms a large part of my engagement with broader society.

My love of people watching has gone virtual. We're talking the best kind of people watching - watching people with the most fantastic fashion sense as they go about their day in the most cosmopolitan cities across the globe. I am referring to the world of The Sartorialist and Garance Dore. This man (American) and this woman (French) each offer street side snapshots of very fashionable people (some too avant garde for my taste admittedly). Though many are actual fashion shoots, not just coincidental happenings, these blogs offer truth to the classic Coco Chanel comment - "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

Some favourite selections from these blogs that inspire me and inform my views on fashion:

This cream wool dress with black leggings, as taken by Garance Dore, makes me think about new uses for the clothes that already hangs in my closet - the best sort of inspiration - the inspiration to wear clothing you already own in a new way or for a new purpose.

This woman, in Moscow as taken by The Sartorialist, reflects my opinions on great work wear - lots of black, a pop of colour and a garnish of chunky jewelry.

More great photos can be found by selecting either of the blog's names.