Globe Corner Blogs

It is sunny and almost warm outside, and I have decided that it is time to come out of winter hibernation mode.  I am also adjusting to a new pair of glasses and here all the far-sighted readers out there will feel for me, because the world became so wobbly and curvy that I feel like Alice in Wonderland. I cannot even read anything while my brain is learning to automatically turn curves into straight lines. But even this temporary impairment cannot dim my curiosity, so here I come with a list of hidden eye candy.

These are books that are not meant to be read, they are meant to be adored and looked through many times. I am writing about alternative, strange and very curious fashion photography book gems packed between our guides and maps. Tweaking a well-known expression, I would say that nothing tells you more about a country than it’s street food and street fashion.

The fact is, cuisine travels just as people do.  You can find many amazing Chinese restaurants in New York, but when you are in Beijing, a snack picked up on the go may give a much stronger sense of the place than sitting in a carefully designed and stylish lounge. The same rule works for personal style.

How much do we know about, for example, Syrian fashion? I really knew almost nothing until I stumbled upon The Secret Life Of Syrian Lingerie and was paralyzed–in a good sense. It is little known that the most bizarre lingerie happens to be made in Syria. To me it gave an impression of a Rio de Janeiro carnival preparation in full swing, rather than something that has evolved from tradition. It’s all about imagination. Really, besides feathers and iron-on tropical bird patches, who would ever think about adorning lingerie with cellphone charms? I am telling you, it is all about style, and just so worth getting familiar with!

The next infinitely strange and absolutely amazing find is the The Tokyo Look Book. A copy of that one relocated to my house the moment I spotted it on the shelf. The bravery of those people, teens and adults who, literally, dare to be different, is very impressive and actually denies a lot of cliches connected with Japanese culture. The looks are always inventive and carefully thought through, be it an elegant high-end outfit or an over-the -top alternative costume. I will skip diving into a boring pop-culture lecture about how Japanese visual “kei” (Japanese for “style” ) is subtly but steadily influencing the world fashion industry. I will just say that the amount of inspiration and information from this great find is immense. The Tokyo Look Book is definitely a lot of fun.

The last two books that will suck you in are about the most unusual but still natural looks. The Tribal Fashion Natural Decoration and Faces of Africa are two absolutely striking picture books about decorating yourself with all that nature has to offer. I never knew that using leaves and plant dyes can result in such stunning outfits and accessories, and that there is so much more to jewelry than the beads and metals that we are used to. Amazing books and rare finds.

So, come take a look at these hidden treasures and get inspired with tons of new ideas for spring!

Read more: Africa, Art & Architecture, Book Reviews, Hidden Treasures, Japan, News, Photo books, Picture Books, Syria, World Culture, World Fashion


Nastia was born in Russia, and probably that's the reason why she is so inexplicably attracted to the coldest parts of the world, such as Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Alaska and Canada. The more it snows out there - the better. Although would she be even thinking about all that cold if she hadn't first enjoyed Turkey, Bulgaria and Ukraine?

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