Some of you have already been Tweeting me about it and have asked me for a succinct explanation. This post is also one for the family who do check the blog from time to time to make sure that I'm still alive. Seeing as I've also seen my printed self up in some of the stores and on the streets too, it seems a bit odd not to acknolwedge it here. So here goes. I'm not sure what is the correct protocol for announcing things such as...
"Hey err... so I'm in the Gap's Holiday campaign!"
Oh right. That wasn't so bad. Not that I have anything to hide but it was always going to be a pleasantly bizarre announcement to make, rounding off what has been a funny old year for Style Bubble and for myself.
Actually, my parents reacted with complete nonchalance, not because they don't know what the Gap is but because in their eyes, it really is a "And so what? Did David Cameron call to congratulate you? Did The Times want to speak to you?" Things like Prime Ministers or anything to do with the government and The Times rank highly in their books.
Therefore I'm going to follow their lead and decidedly not be all squealy about it and you, as readers are also free NOT to do the coo-ing "Oh Congratulations!" thing. Instead, I'm just going to be genuinely grateful and that needs no jumpy excitement at all. In all honesty, all I did was accept the ludicrously good offer of
a) being shot by Craig McDean
b) being styled by Karl Templer
c) being in a wholesome Gap Holiday campaign whilst being an unwholesome Brit who isn't really conventionally attractive in the way that I think all Gap ads seem to convey (that's not self deprecation btw - merely truthful observation)
and
d) having Gap donate $10,000 on my behalf to my charity of choice.
The Gap Want campaign is also donating a $1 to all the collective charities for every Facebook Like on their campaign app page where you'll find me spinning lines such as "Style is like the wrapping paper of my life".
I willingly entered into cheesy territory that was marked by lines like the one above, a dose of airbrushing as well as the fake snow blown at me in the middle of a heat wave in New York. It's pleasingly cheesy though given that it is a holiday campaign, a concept that is probably better done in the US than it is here and admittedly there is a lot of giving, wanting and general goodwill that has no place to go other than slightly cheesy ville. My chosen charity was Shelter England and yes I am going to feel like the rejuvenated and made-over Ebenezer Scrooge for a good chunk of time yet because I've done this bit of philanthropy. I have some lengthy reasons for why I chose Shelter but the important thing is that I've already had word that the money is being put to good use.
For now... I'm even going to heed my *ahem* words of "Play down the crazy, dial up the cosy*..." and wrap up in the warmth of giving, sharing, wanting... and err... more giving.
*Sorry I'm never going to be able to spell it with 'z'.
