I think one of the necessary conditions for a real fascination with and passion for travelling is a tendency to slightly misunderstand the place before you actually travel there. Maybe ‘romanticise’ the destination is a nicer way of putting it. Whenever I’m going on a trip I know I always expect, or hope, that the streets will be filled with everything I imaginatively associate with the place. In my mind’s eye Sweden is solely populated by athletic blondes with blue eyes like marbles and the skies in the South of France are only ever azure blue with sunflowers permanently in bloom! Of course, in reality places ar emuch more ‘imperfect’ or maybe just more varied and unexpected. And most often that’s even better. It’s just much harder to envisage and it’s the imaginary simplicity of a place composed of cliches that seduces us into packing another suitcase, boarding another plane and getting excited about another trip.
I spent a very happy week once in Istanbul with my boyfriend and two friends, and while there were almost enough fez’s, free mugs of apple tea, embroidered slippers and carpet sellers eager to haggle, we also discovered a city filled with exciting places to eat and go out that was vibrant and modern with an increasingly interesting art scene.
It was that side to Turkey that I was reminded of by this recent shot from Vogue Turkey.
And yet there’s also something about the eclecticism of her look that is also reminiscent of the classic Turkish notion of Cornucopia- over flowing, colourful abundance, that seems summed up by this fabulous necklace.
Spring Summer 2010- Mawi Dynamite Collection-Triple Bauble Necklace- £473
