You’ve splashed out on the big TV, managed to beg, borrow and steal two couches that match each other, and finally managed to buy a shelf to hold all those DVDs stacked up to the ceiling that you’ll absolutely never watch again.
Now your living room is definitely no longer student-y (the replacing of that ripped Libertines poster with a framed artwork from Etsy nailed it), finish it off by using your coffee table as the ultimate display case to show off your new grown-up life with these books and mags.**
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100 Ideas That Changed Street Style – Josh Sims, £17.96 Amazon
Think the whole geek-chic movement harks back to the heady days of Seth Cohen? Think again. When Buddy Holly found contact lenses unbearable, he eventually settled begrudgingly for the thick-rimmed glasses now synonymous with mid-noughties hipsters. Josh Sims’ book 100 Ideas That Changed Street Style takes a look at how trends from ‘Casuals’ to ‘Raggamuffins’ have impacted the way we dress today.
(This book is currently accepting pre-orders).
Dutch fashion photographer Viviane Sassen’s CV is enough to make anyone weep with envy and includes campaigns for Stella McCartney and Carven. This photobook featuring a series of pictures that were originally shot for fashion label Our Legacy and focuses on themes such as androgyny and gesture. Basically, for the non-artistically minded of us out there, it looks LOVELY.
David Bowie Is – Edited By Victoria Broakes and Geoffrey Marsh, £21.70 Amazon
This book serves as further proof (as if it was ever needed) that the Thin White Duke is the best person that’s ever walked the planet. This handsome looking book (definitely no excuse for coffee rings on this guy) accompanied last year’s V&A exhibition on the popstar and features images of his costumes and artwork, as well as essays from those in the know on gender, Bowie’s London and his influence on the fashion world.
Huxtabook - Daniel Wilson, £22.50 Amazon
You think you’ve seen recipe books – until you've seen Huxtabook. Put together by the guys behind Huxtable restaurant in Australia’s Melbourne, the Huxtabook is less recipe book and more art piece thanks to its stunning photography. That’s not to say the recipes aren’t themselves super special. They come from ‘sea, land and earth’, and we most like the look of ‘fried duck eggs with chilli-braised ham hock and pickled okra’. We’re almost definitely never going to make it, but it deffos can’t hurt to look.
Tutti Frutti With Bompas & Parr And Friends, £12 Blink Store
Bonkers food artiste duo Sam Bompass and Harry Parr’s venture into the world of recipe books might not have produced the most practical cookbook you’ve ever delved into (unless you’ve ever needed to know how to put freeze-dried fruit into pill capsules to serves as canapés), but it’s definitely the most entertaining.
**Make Your Own Luck – Kate Moross, £20.25 Amazon
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If you haven’t heard of Kate Moross then you’ve almost definitely seen her work – or any number of the spin-offs it’s inspired. In this retrospective of her career thus far – from the early days of club night flyers and band posters to her Topshop collection and the music video she made for Jessie Ware – she also gives tips to budding graphic designers on everything from the financial whatevers of freelancing to curating your studio space.
Want an inside look at the world’s most popular members club? Eat Drink Nap features interior design tips as seen throughout their iconic clubs across the world, recipes from its kitchens, treatments from its spas you can replicate at home, and cocktail recipes from its bars. Basically, after reading it, we’re very nearly qualified to open the doors to our office and call it Soho House At The Debrief. Who’s up for a House Daiquiri?
** The Plant – Issue 5 – Banana Plant, £10 Darkroom**
Forget about Charlie Dimmock and put all notions of gardening and its topics to the back of your mind with this magazine that makes talking about plants cool. Featuring amazing photography of gardens, plants and nature (stick with us – honestly) and interviews with green-fingered individuals, this issue even comes with a guide on how to grow and care for your very own banana plant – all meticulously illustrated, of course.
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Want a magazine that looks good and feeds your brain? Girls Like Us is the magazine that features essays, poems and interviews about and with girls like erm, us, but it also manages to feature amazing photography and a super-cool design. We like. A lot.
**Lucky Peach – Street Food, £7.09 Amazon
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This quarterly magazine mainly captured our interest for focusing on one of our favourite subjects ever – food. Each issue of Lucky Peach looks at a different theme (this quarter: Street Food, previous ones include Before and After the Apocalypse, American Food) and consists of art, recipes, essays, foodie travel guides and photography. Check out the piece in this quarter’s issue on the history of ice cream van music for a fascinating read.
Follow Jess on Twitter @jess_commons
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.