the clothes 2011

Christmas is now approaching at top speed and if you're not feeling the holiday spirit yet, here are some vintage postcards (from around the world) to put you in the mood. Which have you the money and inclination can be purchased here.

I remember first seeing a cape in a small knick-knack shop back when my family lived in North Carolina (I was about to be a freshman in high school). Sure, I had seen capes before on Superman, Mighty Mouse, and other superheroes, but here was a cape in a discreet tweed made for every day wear. I didn't buy it that day and never returned to that store, but the image of the cape has haunted me since (I like to test how bad I would like something by leaving it for a couple of days and seeing if I think of it while I am away, unfortunately sometimes you go back and the object of your desire is gone). With all the capes that sauntered down the runway this past season, I decided it was time to start my hunt anew. Unfortunately, being the broke college student I am, but having taste beyond my means this meant scouring eBay for several weeks (and get outbid again and again). But then this cape appeared. It was colorful, it was magical, and it was cheap! Throw in the reversible aspect and the fact that no one else desired it, and I was sold. I am now the proud possessor of a cape, all I need now is an appropriate super hero name to compliment it.

Tagged by Dramatis Personae, so here are my 8 random facts:

1. I don't like hot drinks, it really doesn't matter what flavor you give me--I've tried them all. There's just something so unpleasant about swallowing a mild to hot liquid and feeling the icky, warmth slink down your throat and into your gut. Ick.

2. Some of you might have guessed this from my pictures, but I danced when I was little. I did ballet from around age 5 to 13 and wore pointe shoes towards the end of that time.

3. My first "fashion" moment happened at perhaps one of the least fashionable moments. I had always liked clothes, but it hadn't translated to fashion until this moment: my family had just moved to Hawaii and we were living in an empty military with rented "aloha" furniture and I couldn't fall asleep and so was up late--messy hair, random reject pajamas and scrubbed face. I was flipped through the channels and suddenly Style was on and they were showing a live runway of Christian Lacroix. Something just clicked inside me; fashion+art+color=love. Christian Lacroix is to this day my favorite designer.

4. I adore white chocolate--given the chance to eat dark, milk, or any sort of candy bar I will inevitably choose a bar of solid white chocolate with additions.

5. I like to have everything scheduled far in advance, I will tell people I can't come to things if they spring it on my last minute, because without my schedules I can become a nervous wreck. One of my friends is similar to me and we often argue with our "spontaneous" friends that free time and spontaneity can be scheduled (ex: Friday morning breakfast 0700 hours, class 0800 hours, 0900-1000 free time, 1030 group meeting, see? easy-peasy).

6. I enjoy vocabulary and learning new words or trying to use unusual ones in day to day dialogue. I just find language fascinating and so full of potential.

7. I'm almost blushing to admit to this one (maybe I should just say I blush easily as a random fact...) I have never dated. This means: I have never been on a date, taken to a dance, or had a boyfriend. And yes, ladies and gentlemen I am 20 years old (21 in less than 2 months). I have been asked by some people, but I never was interested enough in the person to try it...

8. I am outwardly a cynic (precocious was a common term thrown around about me when I was younger), but I think deep-down I am a romantic. I believe there are things as soul mates and destiny--I just don't think everyone has a soul mate and destiny isn't always great and wonderful things. Ha! That's the cynical side for you.

9. I hate exercise and don't tend to do it, but I love playing ping-pong. My family used to have a table and there are tables at my school, but I can hardly ever find anyone to play with!

Now I would like to know more about:

-Ranna of Only Shallow

-Fritha Louise of The Fish Tank

-The Iron Chic

-Camilla of Glam&Tonic

-Indi of The Fashion Rookies' Jar

-Katie Rosemary the Sugarplum Ragdoll

-Lillian of Paper Chandelier

-Ana of Snazzy Fashion

And in conclusion, pictures of what I'm wearing to day, I had to dress "business casual" for a final presentation. Now I'm off to dine on homemade crepes baked by my lovely sister.

I'm in the process of packing and leaving my dorm today (finally!) so I thought I would post very quickly before I shut-down my computer and pack it up. I have to clear out half of my room because currently I am alone in a double room so my space might be invaded next semester by a stranger. I really hope this is not the case, I'll move to a single room (it is what I requested) as long as I can be alone. I wouldn't mind rooming with any of the ladies I have lived with before, but honestly I do prefer a room to myself. I definitely think a roommate might be frustrated with my late night photo shoots, art projects that cover the floor, and the tendency my clothes have of climbing out of the closet to socialize with each other on my spare bed or dresser.

No time for my own pictures right now so here is an editorial to remind you to not let others put you in a box--or bubble:

This post by Mode et Utopie, has set my little mind a-whirling. Not really on the subject of the actual post, but on one of the lines "(non-Western) woman’s sexual assertiveness, her modesty and social freedom."
The truth is as a Christian (at a Christian university) and a feminist (and no that is not an oxymoron) these are issues I struggle with daily. Christian faith is splintered into so many different units and on my campus nearly every week it seems there is some ongoing discussion on modesty (and pacifism, ethical jobs for Christians, multiculturalism, should Christians ever be rich, missions, forgiveness, etc). My campus is by and far modest and although this has not happened to me, some ladies I know have been approached by men and informed that their short skirts were "inappropriate" and causing them to "stumble" (giving the men sexual urges they were apparently not in control of). The most frustrating thing to me is that the rules of modesty are written by men for women. If we dress modestly for them, then they are defining the social rules, they are controlling our sexuality and defining us as sexual objects--rather than as sexual beings. What sort of social freedom do we have when men are still allowed to define how we dress, talk, or where we work?
A large problem to arises from the fact that men will complain of girls sunbathing on campus while playing football shirtless on the nearby lawn. Why is a man the only one visually turned on by the naked form? Women have sexual urges as well, and eyes in their heads. Or maybe it is merely the women have the self-control to look away or control their urges; if this is the case then we are animalizing men, instead of respecting them enough to expect they show self-restraint.
This might be an issue largely caused by living on a college campus--I often point out to boys who are concerned about women dressing modestly that they should leave our school and see how women are in the real world and stop expecting us to coddle them from it--but I am curious to hear some of you weigh-in. Have any of you ever encountered or struggled with this issue? Maybe a jealous boyfriend wanted you to change the way you dressed once you started dating? We dress men (layering out matching socks and such) can we really blame them for trying to dress us? And for that last question, I still say no man shall dress me unless he is a very talented designer...
And what I am wearing (modesty in tact):

I just experienced the "midnight scream." Every night during finals week at exactly (I wish) midnight there is a scream heard around campus, followed by another and another. Basically everyone hangs out of their windows, or stops walking around to scream in unison (ah the unity that despair brings). Only lately the midnight scream has started early and extended far past the regular 60 seconds of abandon. In addition some students are adding their car horns to the cacophony. I'm all for the midnight scream, it's a beautiful tradition (maybe "beautiful" isn't the best choice of descriptive), but really--can we stop after a full minute and resist the car horns? Please?

Does anyone else's campus do this (or did it if you are out of college)?

In honor of the season I bring you the pictures of scientist Wilson Alwyn Bentley born in 1865 he is the first known photographer of snowflakes, which earned him the nickname "Snowflake" (it's that a marvelous nickname, wouldn't you like to be remembered by one of your great loves, like Sally "Cupcake" Moore or Elisabeth "Coral" Smith?). He tried drawing snowflakes first at around age 15, but they melted too quickly, so he mastered a techinque of capturing them on black velvet and photographing them (and isn't that such a lovely technique, to be a chill falling crystal who's fall is broken on a bed of midnight, lush velvet?). Bentley poetically described snowflakes as "tiny miracles of beauty" and snow crystals as "ice flowers." All poetic and artistic parts aside he was the first American to record raindrop sizes and was one of the first cloud physicists.
Some of his beautiful images (these are actual snowflakes, not representations).



I find it equally tragic and fitting that he died of pneumonia in 1931.

I'm too swamped with final exams right now to type (or even think straight). Here's what I've been wearing lately. One day when I had a lot to carry--I busted out my favorite bags.

And today as I meander through studying and contemplating running away from life and responsibilities. Where is a band of gyspies and vagabonds when you need them?

This post is extremely random. I find certain insects extremely lovely or interesting. For example the orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) is probably the coolest insect on this planet:

Sort of reminds me of the futuristic florals we saw at Balenciaga Spring 2008.

Which makes me wonder about what is futuristic and how it will use/abandon the organic and natural? Are we really moving towards space/cold metal/etc or are we unknowingly advancing toward greater communion/inspiration from nature? Is the future in space or here right on Earth?

These are other pictures I took this weekend, it's really the same outfit a before, just at the end of the day. I really liked the light and perspectives that I got though.

What I wore to my father's birthday party and pictures I took before the people actually arrived.

I've been very busy this weekend, if you couldn't tell. Yesterday was my father's 50th birthday so I have been home celebrating that with the family. I won't be able to add pictures of my outfit and such until I get back to school later tonight, so here are some etsy paper cut-outs I have been obsessing over. I can't wait until I get a sharp implement and some paper to try to make one of these myself!

From seller Nickolya these lovely pop-ups can be purchased here.

For some reason I wanted to wear some blues and greens all together--I have no idea where the impulse came from. Either way, this is the outfit I came up with. The pictures were a bit rushed, so I'm not exactly happy with my posing/facial expressions in these!

It's been awhile since I did a subversive art post and one of my friends was using colored dye on campus to turn snow in art, so it has been on my mind. So, today I bring you Streetsy. Streetsy is basically the "facehunter" of street art. For those of you not familiar with facehunter, I will explain. Streetsy is set up by a photographer with the design to compile as many street art pictures as possible into one cohesive archive. What this translates to is about 7 new pictures of street art every day. Very inspiring to say the least. I happen to be a big fan of street art, I look at pictures online all the time, snap my own when I can (and create my own stencils and subversify my campus when I have the time...).