advent season: day fifteen: girl crushes of 2009

To me, 2009 was the year of the ordinary girl.

Call it what you will; a backlash against celebrity, a craving for humbler icons and a more back to basics approach, or simply the power of the internet turning the attention onto the everyday woman. The point is, this year was for me less about aspiring to look like an Olsen and more about wanting a simpler and more rewarding lifestyle. The rise of photo blogs has had us interested in interiors; organic portraits of the way people really live trumping over-styled editorials.

Candid photographs sprung up across the internet documenting groups of friends and their everyday style, able to remind us of the beauty of minimal make up and jeans and tees as well as a classic vintage party dress.

In an age where magazines are dictated by their advertisers, blogs (from personal style to street style) have posed a refreshing alternative, and with that individual style has stepped back into the spotlight. As a result, this year my list of 'style inspirers' has grown, with women who, without blogs would never have made it onto my radar. By no means are they all penniless creatives- some are OSCAR winners- but they are all stylish women who come from a range of backgrounds, financial situations and all in all build a realistic image of the different types of women of the world.

So these are the women that have inspired me this year, and in some way have influenced my style (be it sense of style or lifestyle) in their own varying ways.



stay tuned for more girl crushes of 2009..