The new Anne dress, recently released by Kunglers has a fabulously ornate print that makes me think of a Rorschach test for Mother Nature. Like most of Kunglers work, there is organic inspiration that has been stylized and elevated into art. This print is luscious and come in other colors as well.
Cancer touches us all. We all have friends and family who have confronted cancer and struggled to overcome. It is perhaps the reason that there is such universal support for Relay for Life and for Fashion For Life, the shopping fashion expo that raises scads of money for the American Cancer Society and their global programs for research and support in the struggle against cancer. It will be two years in July since I lost my oldest brother to cancer and I went to the ACS memorial garden to spend some time thinking about my brother and cousins who have died because while we are winning battles, the war on cancer is far from over.
I like red, white and black – or shades of gray and red. When I put this outfit together, for some reason that childhood riddle popped into my head. If for some reason, you don’t know the answer, it’s a newspaper. I wonder if the internet will make that riddle obsolete? Anyway, I am black and white and red all over with this outfit made with pieces from Peqe’s summer and Christmas collection and a sweater from Alexohol. The sweater is lovely and I love the quirky irregularity of the buttons that remind me of when I have sewn on buttons. The top is from Peqe’s Christmas release and I love it with the flared pants from Summer.
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I think I have the best ex-boyfriends a girl could possibly want. One of my favorites is Vogel, or more officially Schrottvogel Wei. I met him long ago when I was looking for a custom-made surfboard and we have been friends ever since. Since you readers have been shy about volunteering as guest stylist, I invited him to show off his style. I know he has style since I have worn his bikinis a few times on this blog. Now, don’t forget, if you want to do a guest stylist shoot, IM Gidge or me.
He suggested artilleri for the shoot as a place that would fit his somewhat Rockabilly style. It was pure kismet that there happened to be a car in front that had the same flames as his shirt. That was just too perfect to pass by. Of course, the shirt is made by artilleri’s Antonia Marat, but there aren’t cars parked in fornt with the same print as all her other shirts. Besides, those Chucks have flames, too, and they are from Akeyo.
1971 was a big mix of influences. It was the year the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie came out. The French Connection was the big movie that year, winning the Oscar. In September, the first of the presidential crimes that became known as Watergate happened when burglars broke into Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrists office to look for dirt to discredit him. The Vietnam War continued to expand although 60% of Americans opposed it. Inflation was 4% and rising in the US and nearly 9% in Britain. Gas was 40 cents a gallon and that movie ticket to see Willy Wonka cost $1.50. The average monthly rent was $150. Walt Disney opened a new theme park in Florida. Jim Morrison died. NPR made its first broadcast and the Pentagon Papers were published, proving to all of America that the Pentagon and the government lies. We might not be able to find you 1971 gas or movie prices, but if you come to the Velvet tonight you can enjoy the tunes of 1971 – including, quite probably, the iconic cover of Kris Kristofferson’s Me and Bobbie McGee by Janis Joplin and Rolling Stones Brown Sugar.
Poster art, such as this 1971 poster by Ernest Trova, had always been a big part of political movements and continued to be. I thought it might be fun to posterize my photo as an homage to the posters that are so much a part of political messaging. However, I didn't want to mess up that gorgeous mesh dress from AnE, so I am showing the pic twice.
In December, 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency opened its doors and in 1971 President Nixon gave an important environmental speech proposing the Clean Water Act and other substantive measures to improve the environment. In the late 60s, the Cuyahoga River had caught on fire. There was movement afoot and in 1971, Greenpeace was founded to wage a nonstop, global campaign for stronger environmental protections. In 1971, my sister (who was married and had children before I was even born) was living with her young family in a little suburb of Niagara Falls called Love Canal. They only lived there 3 or 4 years, but when my niece’s son was born with birth defects a few years ago, I wondered whether living the first years of her life on a toxic dump played a role. It’s something we will never know. However it is discouraging that 41 years after the first Earth Day in 1970 and 40 years after the national commitment to clean up our planet, we have people conflating local weather with global climate in order to allow industry to continue to degrade the planet and to avoid the changes in our energy use that are urgent and necessary.
Modern Gypsy has released a new collection called Forever Gypsy full of bold new looks, with rich colors, bold prints and that fabulous flair we associate with Micah Kanto. I am addicted to plaid so this dress Muerra Look 5 immediately captured my heart. It came with a red belt, but I was feeling a bit more sedate and in a vintage mood so I grabbed this old wide belt from closet. It’s from Cachet, the former brand of Lelutka designer Thora Charron. It’s also a white belt, that I tinted to match the stones bedazzling the bodice.
Oh yes, the season is upon us. That wonderful season of peace on earth, goodwill toward man (so long as he isn’t between you and the two dollar waffle iron). In Second Life, it’s the season for the Peace on Earth Hunt, advent calendars and wintry sims full of joy and generosity. Today the Peace on Earth Hunt begins with over 200 participating stores crafting delightful surprises that they have cleverly hidden in their stores. Because it’s such a massive hunt, stores were required to place the hunt item within 40m of the sign and hints are provided on the official blog, so rest assured that you can make your way through the hunt while still keeping the wonderful seasonal spirit of joy and celebration.
1965 was a strange year in fashion with the advent of bell-bottoms and granny dresses, one-shouldered sari dresses and metallic catsuits, flowing paisleys and the Mondrian dress. It was also the year of Edie Sedgwick, declared the “It Girl” by Vogue. Sedgwick was a fashion original with a free and rebellious style. She wore tights with nearly everything and added huge chandelier earrings, heavy eyeliner and a casual short moptop cut. She has an ease and freedom to her that made her captivating in photos. How perfect, then, is this Sedgwick dress from Ingenue for Collabor88.
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I showed up a few minutes late for the first day of shooting of the new reality show, The Flesh Game. Clearly they have not been in the business for long because there were no paparazzi and no step and repeat for photos to introduce us to the soon-to-be adoring public. So my fashionably thirty minutes late was not right on time as it should have been and the studio lobby was empty except for disappointed hopefuls who did not get the lucky 7th and last opening in this game.
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I may have mentioned this already, but there’s a sale at Truth District with fabulous stores selling fabulous clothes for a fabulous 50% off. You have to be a Truth District Update Group member to go to the sim and membership is L250, which the savings on two purchases will offset. I have seen many of the sales items and Gidge and I have shown some of them off. There really are some great finds – among them this fabulous off-the-shoulder dress from DCNY. I love the soft teal and the romantic print and the shoulder and arm prims hang together beautifully in most poses, so long as I don’t frantically wave my hand in class like Alex Dunphy.