remote viewer

white hipsters

2012-02-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

i think this is awesome. and i agree, even though i am a white hipster living in pilsen. and i don't really intend to leave. and i think it's all kinds of racist and haterific. but i still like it.

T-nyfw

2012-02-13T23:01:00.000-08:00

you know who else is at NYFW, besides 'shua?

TAVI!

looking rad

and she's carrying a purse by Vlieger & Vandam. my store carries those.

surprised TSA let her get on the plane with that. thought they had no sense of humor...

no yoga

2012-02-13T15:07:00.000-08:00

http://crowthepainter.tumblr.com/

jacket: lanvin for h&m

dress: silence & noise

dual masters of disguise

2012-02-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

this post will be updated when the rest of the pictures from saturday night are uploaded to glitterguts. you've got to see our skirts! kyra and i hit two very different events, changed outfits in the car, and got hugs at both parties - thanks lab rat and sarah! doing makeup was fun, and spectating was sweet-natured. goth ravers dance like hippies!

getting ready...

for Nocturna: New Loves and Broken Hearts Ball at bottom lounge

rag and bone jacket, vintage sweater, concrete playground skirt, antique kid gloves

she's very light

and Queerer Park Valentine's Masquerade at beauty bar

safe sex, kids!

...and live-tweeting!

EricLabRat Eric lab Rat

@piranhalanna @kyratermini = dual masters of disguise

12 Feb Favorite Retweet Reply

piranhalanna alannapiranha

costume change w @KyraTermini for Whitney Houston power hour at beauty bar. convincingly queer. team @GlitterGutsy in effect.

12 Feb

piranhalanna alannapiranha

undercover adventurists w @KyraTermini as Goths, at a Goth Rave. awkward! hey @GlitterGutsy can i get a photo assist?

12 Feb

kyra and i also used the traditional photobooth to make a 4-cell version of Snow White:

1. walking in the woods, lonely

2. tempted by a delicious apple [product]

3. succumb!

4. victory to evil queen. prince charming does not exist!

model otter

2012-02-10T23:51:00.000-08:00

here are three images that have gone up on shua's tumblr. he's flying to NYC tomorrow, so we won't be collab-ing on monday, but he'll get to be in the big city for FASHION WEEK. envious! hope he takes a lot of pictures!

vintage cape, shredded stockings, all-black chucks

F21 skirt, sheer h&m sweater, hasbeens lace-up boots

zac posen dress in lake-blue silk, gold gucci peep-toe heels

sometimes i remind 'shua to take a photo first, just in case i can't hold the pose for a long time. this way, he also has something to which he can refer for details, or in need of a complete do-over. you know, posterity.

palmistry and face paint

2012-02-10T00:31:00.000-08:00

the glitterguts dance punk circus was awesome. i'm super-proud of eric and sarah for organizing all the performances and vendors, especially at such a major venue. everyone came out in clown-goth-weirdo regalia and spirits were high. once again, remote viewer project scored excellent real estate, and money was made. (vintage clothes make more money, but you have the expense of having paid for the clothes at some point, whereas requesting donations for a service has virtually no overhead. cheiromancy is as much a performance as anything intuitive.)

going blue, photo credit to kyra

hanging with sarah -- ms. glitterguts!

cass and shua

kyra and cassandra painted faces, also asking only a donation. there may have been a pro bono aspect to their labors, but the kids were lining up. i heard requests for "sith lord" and "david bowie," as well as "tiger." dave, below, got done up with clown brows. 'shua came along for the ride, sketching anyone who sat down for two minutes. to create an ambience, i brought along tord boontje lamps, tinsel, and an estrella i found in mexico.

dave

not dorky enough to go vulcan

these are a few pictures from the crazy slew up on glitterguts website. if you go there, you can see all the burlesque clowns, punk tacos, and riverboat bandleaders. for some reason, half the bodies in attendance wore rabbit ears.

the outfit was glittery oxfords, striped stockings, sequined upson downes shorts, black tank, flood-damaged jacket from morphine generation, vintage bralette, several pounds of vintage jewelry, and a sweet lilac wig, crowned with beads and silk flowers. and then i stole Shua's aviators.

with eric lab rat -- mr. glitterguts himself! <3

besides from looking really COOL, it turns out i'm pretty decent at palmistry. patrons gave me high-fives, hugged me, and told me previous chirologists had given them the same readings. it's a really strange feeling to tell a complete stranger about themselves, based only on the lines in their left and right hands. it was useful to look at the left hand (the subconscious) first, and then compare that to the right hand (the conscious). despite everything that symmetry intends for the human body, the formations are really different, and you can use that to account for some of the disparity between emotion and action. it is something that i definitely want to study more -- i felt myself getting better at it over the evening, even going so far as to give Advice. whoa.

i'm sort of hoping that lab rat doesn't book any major events for march, because there are other projects to which i'd like to devote my energy. at the same time, it's unlikely that i'd accomplish anything as engaging without the fire he sets under me. it's a major privilege to be one of his buddies -- and be able to share the opportunity with my own posse.

dress rehearsal

2012-02-02T23:28:00.000-08:00

today, 'Shua and i had only a few hours for fashism. we spent some of that time eating a delicious salad he made, (aguacate!) and baked sweet potato fries. our next watercolor session will be monday. in the meantime, maybe he will reveal some of his finished works on his blog.

vintage radness w/ miumiu heels

proenza schouler s/s2010 w aldo strappies

vintage ...and a wig

our soundtrack this evening was sufjan stevens, (the age of adz and the bqe) the beatles, (white album) the "dark was the night" compilation and my brightest diamond.

i'll put up some crappy photos of his paintings at my next opportunity.

doing this project makes me feel like i need more shoes. ha. lord.

dance punk circus

2012-02-01T12:22:00.000-08:00

eric's been at it again.. not that he ever stops being at it. that dude is busy. i could not do what he does, not without an adderall drip. which sounds terrifying. this saturday is the:

just thinking about it has stressed me out more than it should. lab rat suggested i actually do prognosticating (palmistry, tea leaf reading, graphology) so i will be getting into full regalia and calling on Intuition. selling vintage clothes and paperbacks would be fun, but requires so much more set-up and attention. on the other hand (pun?) do midwesterners go in for fortune-telling? i have never paid to get my palm read, and the only tarot reader i've had was my friend amanda. probably a skill i should add to my arsenal, but then what about mastering the crystal ball, too?

http://glitterguts.com/blog/lets-get-silly-get-ready-for-the-glitterguts-dance-punk-circus

kyra will also be working the Dance Punk Circus, painting faces. she's going to do mine first. i'm thinking 'blue.'

i'll be meeting up with eric lab rat later today to do some who-riding and hit up Vogue fabrics.

tweed ladies

2012-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

mara and i were in synch again today, both rocking tweed jackets. i guess a customer said to mara, while i was at lunch, that her pants looked like cows. (ooh! so not polite!) i think she looks great -- not glam or sexy, but eclectic and chic.

my look isn't anything remarkable, but all the elements are ...nicer: cashmere-blend jacket*, rag and bone button-down, current/elliott cords. the necklace belongs to the store -- it's concrete and gold, by hadas shaham. i can't afford it, but it's superb.

*oh gosh, it's juicy couture, but you don't have to tell anyone that. it's well-made, okay? and it was on clearance.

fashion eagle

2012-01-23T23:37:00.000-08:00

starting before 11a, today was spent styling and sketching. i pulled outfits, played with my hair and makeup, held poses. 'shua worked the floor, ran down his lead, and stretched his watercolors.

kyra stopped by around 2 to drink tea and document our progress. these are some of her shots.

(sorry, my apartment doesn't belong on the Selby.)

zac posen dress, gucci heels

lisa fonssagrives shout-out!

vintage cape, cons, tattered stockings

noah snapped my rings w his sweet instamax

hard pose. no yoga

we warmed up with pencils, but moved onto watercolors. here's a sneak peek!

at the beginning of our session, i could only hold a shape, even a simple one, for about 12 minutes. as the day wore on, i lengthened my endurance to nearly 45 minutes. heels didn't pose a problem. (pun!)

i intend to use the photographs to try my own hand at fashion illustration. nothing i do would come out as proficient and accurate as 'Shua's renderings, but looking cartoony is alright.

around 8p, we broke to order italian and catch up on the latest in couture. one thing we might do in tandem, next time, is work in parallel on runway journalism. we also spent some time discussing richard haines.

really good day. totally looking forward to the next collaboration.

creature feature 2

2012-01-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

introducing noah, a well-dressed young man, and my roommate:

pendleton sweater, gift az --> ng
leather satchel, gift rp --> ng

curls get the girls

start the new year right, note the tie bar

noah's style has come a long way in the last two years, but there was a spark early on. he's always had an eye for color and fresh kicks. touchable hair has long been part of the scheme. above all, it's his sense of humor and game attitude that make noah a true class act.

hot dog

twice the plaid, twice the pleasure

a couple years ago, i sent noah a gift subscription to GQ, sensing that he was looking for a little guidance in the outfit arena. since i was across the country, we couldn't properly hunt for pieces to incorporate into his wardrobe, or discuss lapel widths and pattern-mixing. probably the biggest change that has come about since 2009 is improved fit and tailoring. there are more cardigans and ties involved.

time out chicago thought we were stars
his hair hasn't gone funky, that is my coonskin cap

noah's hair has also benefitted, thanks to his stylist/stylish girlfriend rita

this post is in no way the last time you will see noah. i expect his sartorial evolution to continue -- it's sort of become a group project. i always keep him in mind when i'm out shopping. my handsome, superfun guy friend makes for good arm candy, and he can cut a rug. sometimes noah is my cameraman, and sometimes he helps me decide which shoes work. sometimes he even shares his pizza with me.

style otter and fashion eagle

2012-01-21T23:06:00.000-08:00

my friend 'Shua and i are discussing a blog collaboration where the focus Really Is fashion illustration,. i'll be the model and stylist and he will draw me.

i know it sounds really vain, but it was his idea, because he wants to practice drawing more from a live figure and he likes how i dress, and my enthusiasm is in the right place.

here are two preliminary sketches, ones that you might recognize from two of last year's entries:

i think there will definitely be some challenges to this project -- for example, coming up with a name for our joint blog -- and i also want to contribute drawings. time itself might be the hardest thing to come by, since we live far apart from each other and work conflicting schedules and there's so much to get distracted by in chicago. however, it's a really appealing idea. my vanity is way into it. it's also great to talk about illustration and fashion with somebody who geeks over it like i do.

'Shua, of course, has his own website already, which is worth checking out: joshcrow

limes

2012-01-20T14:27:00.000-08:00

saw this simple 3.1 phillip lim dress in a couple luxury web stores. it was deeply discounted, but not in my size. it was in his f/w2011 runway, but shown so oversized as to be bufu -- and i love me some slouchiness in proportion play.

now i'm hunting it on ebay, even though i'm a little like "i could sew that." i could also make some alterations, like not include the weird framing detail on the shoulders. however, i like that the material is wool crepe and that color is wonderful. could i find that at vogue, or at the funky fabric closeout place near my house?

other appreciable aspects: body-skimming, not tight. leggy in the front. asymmetrical, but not to the extent that it will look dated. clean. a little flirty and nerdy.

if i don't win it with my fairly conservative bid, i will have to make it myself, or perhaps several versions, if i can figure out a good pattern.

his girl thursday

2012-01-20T00:25:00.000-08:00

for going out tonight with mr. lab rat. the lineup:

1. honky tonk for barbeque and live music

2. noizeriot

3. beauty bar

4. dusty grooves

looking a little manly, despite my marcelled waves. feeling a little aggro.

the booth at BB takes cards. genius.

lemons

2012-01-19T16:48:00.000-08:00

this jacket gave me love at first sight. i had to go back to H&M twice more before i committed to it -- because that is a lot of color -- but i think it's super fun. the cut is very clean, which balances the vibrant hue.

color-blocking is the natural route. i feel this will work with black or white, as per my usual dress, but i've been craving brights, since the city has become so bleak. the first look, with fuschia suede loafers, was the test run. when i actually went out for sushi and drinks, i did blue leather vintage pumps. they seemed to work, in terms of a visual rhyme.

part of the night was spent with my lime knit cap, but mostly i let the iridescent jeweled barrette sparkle. seamed trousers are Maison Martin Margiela. a little brown eyeliner only. no one accused me of man-repelling.

my favorite lamon. at innertown.

team ACK!

2012-01-08T16:27:00.000-08:00

the turnout for the Underground Dollar Store was really good. some of my favorite people came by to show support. including:

my mom

lamon

dave

janet

alex

doers and makers and shopgirls, team ACK
(da boda dem be wearing scarves they got from me!)

thanks glitterguts for putting on such a keen event! don't know about all the other vendors, but i earned over twice what i would have made in a regular day of work, and in only a handful of hours. plus my closet can breathe a little. vintage and contemporary clothing sold well, as did jewelry and accessories. (embroidered handkerchiefs did not move at all. in this season. go figure.) cassandra brought small crafts, jewelry, and a variety of phenomenally fresh scones. (srsly, she had were repeat customers.) kyra had second-hand clothes, some housewares, and prints. i would certainly do this again, and i hope everyone involved feels the same way.

needlepoint

2012-01-05T15:57:00.000-08:00

what i'm working on for the glitterguts 4th anniversary Underground Dollar Store. there will be things for sale besides these, like vintage clothing and paperback novels, plus whatever kyra and cassandra contribute.

handkerchiefs embroidered with the word "blow." cheeky? in cursive, a range of colors. i'm only charging $3 per, which is hardly more than they cost at nordstrom rack, plain. i am not paying myself for time, because i consider this play and practice.

not for sale. an example of what i could do. this one is custom for my bestie, eric lab rat.

he is mr. glitterguts. eric gets a lot of the credit for the fun that happens in my life.

also custom, for my friend nathan. i would like to do more monograms and designs. plotting a harmonious arrangement takes more time than the actual execution. i would probably just charge $5 if i was doing an on-site embroidery order, because who knows how well it would turn out.

the underground dollar store

2012-01-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

this is an event i'm doing this coming weekend!

kyra and cassandra are also working this event, but because the flyer was made so early on, their names aren't on it. i wouldn't even want my name on it, and not so prominently for sure, because that's a lot of pressure. there aren't any that say "remote viewer project." sigh.

i will be selling vintage clothes, books, tiny paintings, embroidery, zines, stationery and baked goods. just like a bougie shop! hope it all goes well, since i gave up a day of work to do this.

stupidmas day

2011-12-25T22:38:00.000-08:00

parallels and perpendiculars

2011-12-23T01:10:00.000-08:00

wearing this to bluebird for my roommate's 30th birthday... and then whirlyball.

no way i'm playing.

dress and sweater both urban outfitters, but sourced for next-to-nothing at their expansive, only-location-in-the-US outlet. it's in chicago, on clark and fullerton. pretty sweet.

forcefield against your charm

2011-11-28T22:45:00.000-08:00

that quote has nothing to do with my drawing. i think.

"it took years to rebuild my brains forcefield against your charm and i feel ike u seal team 6'd ur way in again and caught my common sense sleeping on post"

once in a great while, TFLN is amazing.

usually, it's just a bad influence.

hipster girlfriends

2011-11-27T22:12:00.001-08:00

this hipster paper doll is pretty stupid, and rather limited, but i just put together some chicks that look like me and some of the girls in my life. are you deserving of the pejorative smackdown if your paper doll is a decent approximation? i'd have made more of my friends, but there are no black, asian, or hispanic options.

it's kind of cute. whatever.

moi

cassandra

janet

kyra

rita

is it hipster because the illustration style is scott pilgrim-ish?

november daisy chain

2011-11-26T23:09:00.000-08:00

outfits for yesterday, (second from left, the white flowers sweater as featured previously, worn with a collared shirt and gray cords) and the past few days besides. yesterday was a post-thanksgiving hang at my friend matt's house. we played "horse," (a nerdy spelling game) debated gentrification, and then i commandeered the music situation and loaded it with old funk and reggae.

1. black wool mini-dress, paired with dark gray tights and mulitmedia miu miu courts. worn to Girl and the Goat.

3. gray cardi, collared shirt, wool shorts, and sheer blue stockings, worn with garters and beater boots. worn to the CAN.TV taping of the Nick and Nora variety show.

4. blue velvet tube dress over gray silk-blend turtleneck and gray thigh-high stockings. black rubber melissas with open toes and tortoiseshell bows were involved. worn to the garfield park conservatory.

okay okay, i know that drawing is impossible to see, especially since i got lazy and the girls turned into stick figures. snapshots!

mara was wearing pale purple hose - cross-genertional twinzies photo-op

even with the fern room closed for repairs, one of the best spots in chicago

stems

2011-11-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

an outfit that is mostly uninteresting unless you're the one happening to have on bright, Bright green thigh-hghs. the sheerness of the shirtdress doesn't really read in the photo. that is where great lighting comes in, or fashion illustration gains its communicative powers.

egon schiele was the jump-off point. the cons are a nod both to victorian lace-up boots and to the punk-grunge girls i love, who wear seamed stockings with their chucks or docs.

adopt me, please

2011-11-14T20:45:00.001-08:00

tavi, the mulleavy sisters, miranda july, and kirsten dunst: a solid dys/functional sisterhood

(buddying-up at the 2011 MoCA gala)

lightness and weight

2011-11-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

Men who pursue a multitude of women fit neatly into two categories. Some seek their own subjective and unchanging dream of a woman in all women. Others are prompted by a desire to posses the endless variety of the objective female world.

The obsession of the former is lyrical: what they seek in women is themselves, their ideal, and since an ideal is by definition something that can never be found, they are disappointed again and again. The disappointment that propels them from woman to woman gives their inconstancy a kind of romantic excuse, so that many sentimental women are touched by their unbridled philandering.

The obsession of the latter is epic, and women see nothing the least bit touching in it: the man projects no subjective ideal on women, and since everything interests him, nothing can disappoint him. This inability to be disappointed has something scandalous about it. The obsession of the epic womanizer strikes people as lacking in redemption (and redemption by disappointment).

Because the lyrical womanizer always runs after the same type of woman, we even fail to notice when he exchanges one mistress for another. His friends perpetually cause misunderstandings by mixing up his lovers and calling them by the same name.

In pursuit of knowledge, epic womanizers...turn away from conventional feminine beauty, of which they quickly tire, and inevitably end up as curiousity collectors. They are aware of this and a little ashamed of it, and to avoid causing their friends embarassment, they refrain from appearing in public with their mistresses.

-kundera

washed up

2011-11-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

i really want these hasbeens combat boots but i cannot afford them, even with an insider discount.

amortizing isn't the issue; i simply don't have enough money.

my everyday boots are so bruised up... because i wear them almost every day, and neglect the rest of my collection. it makes me sad, on a couple levels.

miranda

2011-11-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

miranda july is on a forecasting kick of late. as part of her promotions for her newest film "The Future," she is doing some light prognosticating. a lady after my own heart!

this is the fortune i received after a little meditation and a spin of the wheel:

actually, that really describes the kind of day i am having. haven't gotten out of bed yet! and it's super-gray and blowsy beyond my window.

find out what's (vaguely) in store for you at http://thefuturethefuture.com/oracle.php

opened like a peony

2011-11-02T23:44:00.000-07:00

A Friend Killed in the War

by Anthony Hecht

Night, the fat serpent, slipped among the plants,

Intent upon the apples of his eyes;

A heavy bandoleer hung like a prize

Around his neck, and tropical red ants

Mounted his body, and he heard advance,

Little by little, the thin female cries

Of mortar shells. He thought of Paradise.

Such is the vision that extremity grants.

In the clean brightness of magnesium

Flares, there were seven angels by a tree.

Their hair flashed diamonds, and they made him doubt

They were not really from Elysium.

And his flesh opened like a peony,

Red at the heart, white petals furling out.

halloweekend day 3

2011-10-31T20:11:00.001-07:00

my own version of belle du jour.

halloweekend day 2

2011-10-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

going to lamon's birthday party, and then...

a werewolf bar mitzvah.

my yarmulke isn't going to fit.

halloweekend day 1

2011-10-29T02:09:00.000-07:00

thea and kyra (as mf doom!)

tselaine (fox) rita and sam

my last-minute argus costume

jody's farm

2011-10-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

probably my last visit for a while. for any family member, really. hopefully, before another two years pass, i'll get a cousin to do a sojourn. it's so beautiful.

chocolate, going up the mountain

zoe, jumping a creek. overdoing it much?

heading back towards the farm

crow

2011-10-27T22:55:00.000-07:00

if i had my act a little more together, i could build this for my halloween costume. but i won't. no idea what i'll be, but there are a bunch of parties this year. i don't really feel the need to impress anyone.

white flowers

2011-10-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

so this is me being not-classy. can i say ghetto? as a shopgirl, i'm always irked by 'customers' that take pictures of the products on display. people don't shoot items and then buy them. it's not that i stand to lose pay, but they're essentially taking the idea, even if they can't display it on their bodies or shelves.

my irritation notwithstanding, i've been taking pictures in fitting rooms since long before camera-phones. total hypocrisy. i was a teenager, trying on lela rose* or giambattista valli at filene's basement. (r.i.p. filene's) great dresses that have been lost to time, or ebay.

anyway, here i am at h&m, trying on their "conscious collection." that means they're using organic cotton and recycled polyester, with a nod to sustainability. the pieces were romantically embroidered and largely white. the sweater with the long-stemmed flowers, and the leaves climbing the sleeve; i fell in love with it. i went back and bought it the next day.

because my income is basically nil, i couldn't also buy this frock, which had great details in 360°. it's a little too bohemian for what i'm doing right now, anyway.

*this is the gold brocade lela rose dress i tried on back in the day. the photo i took is gone, but the back had a lovely cut-out. (it wasn't a trendy detail yet.) the body in this pic belongs to stupid rachel bilson.

windy city social club

2011-10-16T01:19:00.000-07:00

went to big star for kyra's birthday. i never would have gone here of my own accord -- so yuppie -- but the tacos turned out to be decent. i tried to play 'desert island' with my kyra's friends, to very limited success.

sort of my signature look for the season. it's the easy, masculine, serge gainsbourg-inspired look that i'd wanted to achieve. i'd never accuse the man of sparkly sweater vests or russian army hats, but there's a mens' chambray shirt under this; skinny pants; he did a leather jacket. my face is appropriately boyish/weird.

at the empty bottle for windy city social club. i can pick out a lot of friends in this shot: myself, kyra, brenda, cassandra, ashley, 'shua, jake, and ray. noah is in there somewhere.

before, obv.

2011-10-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

taken october 29th

twerking for the weekend

2011-10-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

spent decent-sized chucks of thursday, friday, and saturday running around with lab rat. while engaging in his raison d'etre, he put me on the list at two parties, but we also got in some just-us quality time. we barbecued it up joy yee's in chinatown and judged people at the 18th street pilsen open studios artwalk.

cut my hair. not feeling so good about it. too long or too short, i'm not sure. not edgy or glam enough? it's kind of a long prince valiant pageboy instead of a bedhead-y shag. i think i look like ramona quimby, and i never even read those books.

on a less vapid track, my saturday and sunday largely took place at the design harvest festival, where i hustled goodies for swim cafe, my favorite spot in the city for chai, sandwiches, and soup. it was wonderful to work with karen and her team, and both days were super-sunny. (actually, i kind of got a sunburn on my face.) there were lots of beautiful babies and happy dogs. you get a shot of pride from representing a restaurant that believes in fair trade, organic, veg/vegan, and fresh-healthy options. after hours, karen let me help her bake. this was my first time working in food service, and i loved it.

belle&sebastian night at darkroom

w/ max at chromeo

white lines

2011-10-03T00:10:00.000-07:00

right now it would seem that zara, above any other "affordable" shop on michigan avenue, has their finger on the pulse of what i'm looking for in fashion. modern, sleek lines, with a decent weight to their fabric.

there seems to be a confidence to their vision, which is sadly lacking at most retailers, that try to play for every taste, but end up having no point of view. the actual designer that is probably getting bit the most right now is celine or stella mccartney. usually i wouldn't name-check either of those as my favorite designer, but in terms of what can be copied well for a low price-point.... couture details never translate well. convicted tailoring, on the other hand...

in terms of zara's tailoring, i will admit that they cut for a slim figure. i can't fit into their smallest size. several of their items were produced in one size only - M. i know they don't have garments for bigger girls.

wiggle frock

2011-09-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

i bought these two beautiful cottons at vogue fabric. there are a few yards of each, and i'd like to make dresses, even though these colors aren't typical of what i'm wearing right now. (lots of minimalist, structured black, white, and gray.)

the dress envisioned would have a modest, slim cut, which would contrast with the exciting orange and yellow wax print, or the peach and blue shibori. once in a while, in a thrift store, i come across a 1950s-cut dress in this gorgeous african textile, usually with short sleeves. when i was staying in london, my host (a jamaican-born teacher) took me with her to church, and i saw a bunch of ladies whose prim silhouettes were enhanced by knockout colors.

i haven't drawn up a pattern, but that's the next step. count on narrow sleeves, knee-length pencil skirt, with maybe a slight origami-fold bustle. wasp waist, collar-bone neckline. form follows fabric, and this isn't draping gauze or slouchy knit. suppose they should be lined, too.

another idea would be to make a dress in ...black... and use the brights for contrast paneling, like over the hips, but that seems kind of tame.

m.yeates

2011-09-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

the girl that drove me from birmingham to new orleans (and back) said she really liked my sweater, so i did this watercolor for her. i'll be sending it, as a postcard, in the mail, with a thank you note.

stems, draft 1

2011-09-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

my legs: booted, stockinged, and frocked, to be painted-in. hesitant, because i like the bare lines a lot. should there be sky in the background? treetops? should i dense-ify the outer line, poster art style?

carry-on for birmingham

2011-09-13T22:08:00.000-07:00

is pain anachronistic?

2011-09-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

my note-to-self continues:

"...speaking pace is measured, deliberate. That Hopkins, Ryder, and Oldman play reincarnated versions of themselves - the maiden, the clergyman, the lover/warrior. The feel is earnest, but the quality of the images is... arch. Violence is immediate but not pleasurable. When Dracula lunges at the cross and it pours forth blood, it is a dark miracle that transmutes eternal ~~life~~ death."

basically, my love for this movie should bring on a bout of chagrin, but there's too much enthusiasm in me to leave room for real shame.

le bonheur est dans le pré

2011-09-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

my typical weekend rolls from wednesday to friday. after a lovely dinner party on wednesday, kyra and i took the southshore line up to my mom's farm. we needed to get out of the city and be somewhere that time passes a little differently.

i'm taking a little credit for kyra's outfit, since that's my suede jacket, and later, my red scarf.

both pairs of amazing duck boots belong to my mama. these are about three sizes too big on kyra, (and two sizes overlarge on me) but there wasn't really anything else suited to canoeing and general mucking about.

middle lake. we'd been rowing against a strong current.

big ben at dusk.

the true PYT is doing feathers for the season.

i'm glad to be back in the city, eating lunch at work, but i really look forward to visiting michigan again soon. kyra hadn't been up since my fifteenth birthday, which was too long ago. it feels wonderful to bring new guests.

to make a cave of your body

2011-09-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

i want:

no. 13

half a whisper

2011-09-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

i spent last night making up a crossword puzzle for a friend. the clues are based on some of the more unusual words they've recently used. they are a fan of cryptic crosswords, and although i've never even attempted one -- and this wouldn't qualify as such -- it was fun to think of quasi-puns and mini-riddles.

it seems to me like the puzzle would be easy to solve, but my format could be perceived as sloppy, or the wordplay inconsistent. part of my problem with poetry, when i studied it almost ten years ago, was my pretentious tendency to encode. how do you know when something is clear enough to be understood, not too muddled by your own set of allusions?

any reader is invited to attempt the crossword, despite that it is replete with personal in-references; unfortunately, my cel phone didn't get a sufficiently sharp picture of the numbering system. let me know if you want a re-drawn version.

won't know for at least a week if the principal recipient can figure it out.

the future?

2011-08-27T02:40:00.000-07:00

hmm. needs something more.

the things people say

2011-08-25T23:35:00.000-07:00

sarcastic and presumptuous.

m.i.a

2011-08-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

sorry to be only posting looks, lately. how vapid.

the scanner that i ordered turned out to be a printer, so i can't get drawings up here right now.

more poetry maybe?

august ice

2011-08-16T23:46:00.000-07:00

this vintage dress is a gift from my friend mara. it was handmade in the early sixties, and has a great fit. it's ice-blue and handmade, unlined. the style is slightly japonesque, very clean. the little poochy bit over my belly is a pocket, but i feel it suggests origami. it behaves better standing up.

at first i told mara that i wasn't sure i would wear it more than once a year, as light blue kind of looks like vom on me, but i was wrong. with red miu miu pumps and a borrowed alexis bittar orchid brooch, i felt so knockout. i really want to try other accessories with it.

mask

2011-08-14T22:36:00.000-07:00

creature feature!

2011-08-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

i mean... boy of style feature!

here is my friend dave, looking super summer crispy. he has a great, new hat, but he wasn't wearing it this day. dave is the only guy in his clique who makes any effort to present himself. he can do bold color, pattern, accessories. also, he's got great taste in old school funk, soul, and psych.

unfortunately, he cheats at scrabble.

bowties and bookworms

2011-07-31T23:05:00.000-07:00

time out's photographer snapped me at the printers ball. here i am rocking out with my pal dave!

like i said: summer means little white shoes

an excellent puerto rican band was playing salsa. my partner's name is lee, i think.

pretty much all the free books and magazines were gone before 8, but cassandra and i had a grand time cutting stamps and watching demos. (paper from pulp! hand-bound journals! type-setting!)

pierogi fest

2011-07-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

in whiting, indiana.

my awesome friend dan sullivan goes every year.

doing my best terry richardson.

not sure how many pierogi i had eaten at this point, but it was before the fried coke.

golden omen

2011-07-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

last night, leaving the damen pink line station, i found this awesome medallion. it was gleaming at the bottom of the stairs. probably the best objet trouvee i have ever got riding the el.*

i need me a mason to decipher the flip side.

*except for my green skateboard -- but that was a long, long time ago.

jane

2011-07-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

i owe you a better photograph -- and you're gonna get one! -- but i wanted to show off this find now:

checking out knee deep vintage on 18th and blue island, this dress popped out amongst all the other velvet and brocade dreams. maybe it's because i recently viewed the delightful gainsbourg: a heroic life, but this frock just purred jane birrrrkin. of course, to really get that look, i'd have to chop off half of it. it would be a shame to do so, because it really is such a piece of work.

you can't tell because this photo is the lowest of low-res, but the gown is comprised of alternating sheer strips; lace and gauze. it is just slightly too big, and it's long enough to puddle on the floor. the sleeves bell, but not too much.

it cost only $40.

charles was manning the shop, and was super-helpful and welcoming. when i mentioned that i had recently moved back to chicago, he big-upped several other vintage spots in the neighborhood.

my first icon homage: jane and the barely-there white dress

nu, should i cut my prize to mini-length? (my 'brains' might fall out!) maybe i can save the rest to reattach it when my modesty grows back.

one art

2011-07-26T23:20:00.001-07:00

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster,

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three beloved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

-- Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) a disaster.

--elizabeth bishop

summer white

2011-07-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

new shoes! ten dollar holler!

for me, summer is all about the little white shoe.

standing by the ocean's door

2011-07-21T23:57:00.000-07:00

actually, not the ocean

sleep to this

2011-07-20T23:25:00.000-07:00

parklife

2011-07-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

ether hurts

boner

me and d

eckhart swing

bp eve

2011-07-19T01:41:00.000-07:00

one of the best things about chicago is that i might run into a good friend, even when doing something as routine as exiting the damen el station.

davitt usually has inspiring style and he is a fount of great and silly ideas. one of his projects that is really neato is 'dumbest band ever.' it's about being loose and goofy and starting new bands. i really want to participate in this. it is one of my summer goals to partner with davitt on a project.

it would be nice if i had pics of the rest of my night out with lab rat. it included a fundraiser dj set at el teatro, soul night dancing at cobra lounge, and dub step at evil olive. i know all that probably sounds trashy and hedonistic, but it's important to get down!

swim brunch

2011-07-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

cassandra and i met maria at swim cafe for sunday brunch. now a new yorker, maria was my main collaborator from 3rd grade to 10th. we visit each other (she came through NoLa on tour last year) and talk a lot of trash.

we're both really into style, but the heat wave sweeping the midwest didn't skip over chicago. she had a sax gig to get to and i had bitchpork. the key to heat index fashion: jewelry. yellow rhinestones or an awesome bronze crow skull don't add to the humidity.

brunch was super-good, as is anything off swim's menu. i had peaches and cream french toast with a hemp milk mate latte. maria repped her non-brazilian half with a lox and cream cheese bagel. i do not remember what cassandra ate, but she took the above photo.

west town block party

2011-07-09T23:50:00.000-07:00

i went to this event hoping to see my bestie lamon, but there were several bonus features... such as his lovely girlfriend erika.

such as quail. a local 'pollo vivo' joint had lent the birds for a petting zoo.

i really hope someone adopted this little guy.

i didn't know my buddy eric lab rat was going to have his hustle going, but it was a treat to see him.

faux-tagged: alistair s, david r, tomorrow kings, david's roof, cheesecake sampler

candyfloss

2011-07-06T20:48:00.000-07:00

eric lab rat set the parameters for this outfit. en route to pick me up for a brunch date, and he said i should "achieve a look of unparallelled loveliness."

yeah, that's gonna happen.

still, to step in the right direction, a 60s floral blouse (birthday gift from cassandra) and an 80s skirt that i chopped up. confectionary colors but light on accessories. a more girly look than i usually go for.

here is eric, looking lovely beyond compare, in his own fashion:

(we stopped by vogue fabrics. on business.)

farmlife

2011-07-04T23:35:00.000-07:00

burro whisperer

mom's shot

ham bath

baby cousin lily

baby cousin maxine

chocolate, sarah, thomas, new-dog-no-name and mama

new things [to do] in chicago

2011-06-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

this list is a prompt from cassandra. these are my hopes for this summer back home. and seasons beyond. not in any order. not comprehensive.

freud/marcuse class
eat at alinea and schwa
watch movies at the music box
go out late-night with eric lab rat
get awkward at ex-bf-affiliated parties
habana libre
p.s. bangkok 2
joy yee's
bitchpork
block parties
be in the dumbest band w/ davitt
learn how to make music with my computer
choreograph
learn to video edit
get thea to curate an installation
propose an ASM class
get dentistry
get dance lessons
get a hairstyle
thrift
drive up to michigan with friends, family
pierogi fest w/ sully
le creperie
floriole
swim cafe
write and draw a lot (w/ friends?)
go to the shedd
hang out at the lake
spend time w/ marcel's parents
music at the gehry bandshell
season tickets to the lyric
volunteer at YCA / green project / anti-cruelty
improve my bike
learn to juggle
jungle gyms
watch sytycd and write to ilana
internship
hang out w/ lou (soup?)
maximize my mini-room
yoga?
terrariums / garfield park conservatory

thy name is irresponsibility

2011-06-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

by "thy" i mean "my." of course.

tea$$$er

thy name can't be impulse, because i thought about it, calculated, and still made a fairly reckless decision.

duck walk

2011-06-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

we are jerks because we didn't bring bread.

then we visited the singing tree.

cass storm

2011-06-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

just before it started to rain, i took cassandra on a walk to the park. the clouds had been gathering, so we ducked back into the house for umbrellas.

cassandra grips the rope. it had been one of my resolutions to climb it.

you wouldn't believe how many compliments she got on her dress.

the rain was so thick and fast. we were thoroughly soaked. i got blisters on my heel where my shoes got wet and rubbed. cassandra's boots needed a day to air.

earlier, ilana took us for my birthday brunch at the st. james cheese company. one on my selection had lavender in it. another was a parmesean. there was one called hooligan, i think. cassandra wrote it all down in her notebook.

joyeux anniversaire

2011-06-28T02:44:00.000-07:00

scenes from my last new orleans birthday

resort '12

2011-06-18T02:11:00.000-07:00

if i was buying

acne

bcbg

burberry

chloe

chris benz

givenchy

lanvin

missoni

preen

richard chai love

t by alexander wang

vionnet

vuitton

elements that interest me, to be incorporated into my summer outfits (as i am hard-pressed to find occasion for lace and and tulle during the winter months):

layers
sheer panels
boxer-length shorts
blue, yellow, sea foam, celadon, carmine, gray
volume + slim
sport details
monochrome
matte sequins
white collared shirts
mens shoes

truckbed, 2007

2011-06-09T04:03:00.000-07:00

drew myself prettier than i was, but couldn't do justice to my friend's countenance.

without being too nostalgic, i can recommend riding amongst bales of hay.

we could feel the rain tapping on the blue tarp.

today will always be your birthday

2011-06-06T21:16:00.000-07:00

the same as horses

2011-06-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

i just watched Women in Love, the ken russell film adaptation of the d.h. lawrence novel. at the time of its writing, the novel was banned in the UK and highly controversial for it's frank sexuality. the arguments presented by the characters sound awfully similar to ones i have had with friends platonic or romantic, and the visuals are lush. the costumes were especially noteworthy, not for their accuracy to era, but for their stylish anachronism.

almost from the first scene, i felt compelled to do screen-captures, in order to share with my friend rebecca. over the course of the movie, though, the outfit changes were increasingly inspired. the costume designer was shirley russell, and it's clear that she was influenced by contemporary street designers like biba, missoni, and ossie clark.

(this last still ins't from the movie; it's from google images. perhaps it was promotional. the sets are pretty gorgeous too.)

"And woman is the same as horses: two wills act in opposition inside her. With one will she wants to subject herself utterly. With the other she wants to bolt, and pitch her rider to perdition."

ilana's birfday photoboof

2011-06-02T02:33:00.000-07:00

at molly's, post-pravda UO-gang-hang...post-matt and naddie's dinner.

happy birthday, babycat!

spoke

2011-05-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

franklin X royal

2011-05-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

bubbe style

2011-05-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

i couldn't find a particular photo that proves it, but this look was inspired my maternal grandmother. it doesn't really follow, as her fashion heyday would have been the 40s, but there was always an element of casual americana to her style. clear silhouettes and primary colors. the skirt is 60s vintage and the sleeveless snap-front is contemporary; two of the brooches were hers. she probably would have incorporated turquoise jewelry into the outfit. she was feminine without ever being frilly, and sexy for a longer window than most.

crocodile

2011-04-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

after a while

what it's like

2011-04-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

dust up

2011-04-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

anti-sart

2011-04-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

as much as i am a followed of fashion blogs and outfit-du-jour tumblers, it really upset me when a street photographer tried to take my picture the other day. i figure they were a tourist because they didn't ask my permission beforehand, but her determination to catch my image even as i was getting on my bike and pedaling away was more pronounced than your average visitor to new orleans.

i've been stopped on the street before, but there seems to be a diplomacy between aesthetes that requires a spoken request or at least a nod of assent. sometimes credentials are offered. i've never scowled at anybody. sure, i was leaving work after a rough day, but my ensemble was fun and it's more pleasant to be obliging. it was irksome that the woman kept taking shots, turning her lens to follow me, continuously clicking, even as i threw up my arm to block my face.

part of what anyone wants (or deserves) as a subject, is compassion and courtesy. un-composed or spontaneous shots are wonderful as long as there is a sensitivity to the intent. on several occasions, my roommate's boyfriend has been accosted by camera-weilding pedestrians while he is on a cigarette break -- probably because he has a mohawk, tattoos, gauges, and a handsome profile. although he generally obliges them, it is uncomfortable to be framed as a part of the scenery, an element of the new orleans fauna. i do not necessarily want to be part of a slideshow representing lower garden district culture, either as tribute or detriment. i do not want my bike to be seen as an accessory, even though it is awesome.

strategies

2011-04-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

these are things that are not necessarily conscious when they are performed, and they are often not targeted. i tried to be analytical and remember the details of specific interactions.

heel toe

2011-04-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

this event has become one of the most popular nights in the city, especially for a monday. in such a small venue, that means there isn't actually a lot of room to dance. also, the more there are casual spectators in attendance, the smaller the percent of folks paying attention to thematic attire... at least in an over-all sense.

this week i decided to focus on footwear, as kicks are the foundation of any dancer's garb. (unless your style is very modern/primitive, and you eschew shoes.) one nice thing about photographing this sartorial element is that they reveal patterns of wear; how someone treads will scuff or stretch the leather or wear down the heel. the shape of a heel transforms the posture and the gait. footwear is a powerful signifier, conferring class, aspirations, and a sense of humor.

another nice thing about photographing feet is that you don't have to inflict a flashbulb on anyone's eyes. a third upshot is that the subject feels less self-conscious about their lower appendages.

rebecca

dj rusty lazer's rosy wingtips

LK's awesome stockings, jimmy's white jazz shoes

this girl has the Flirtiest toes

meschiya wearing shoes by re-mix

re-mixes in a different colorway

aaron

ilana in fabulous purple suede wedges and back-seamed stockings

chance

the zenith of last night was the birthday jam that happened during the second set. meschiya lake and the little big horns played the traditional song and segued into an uptempo stomper. all the most accomplished male dancers - and one very talented lady - took a turn twirling the birthday girl around the floor. it was great to see, in quick, defined succession, the styles and tricks that are particular to each partner. never have i witnessed a more wonderful birthday tradition. everyone was clapping and hooting and eating it up.

andy and the birthday girl

rebecca, ilana, and the full moon

ilana and me. i'm rapping about dolce and gabbana.

mail monday

2011-04-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

from davitt

part of a letter, destroyed in the mail, from cassandra

it is my spirit that addresses your spirit

2011-04-16T01:57:00.000-07:00

style kin

2011-04-15T02:09:00.000-07:00

me and elijah