anti-sart

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

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

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

from davitt

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

it is my spirit that addresses your spirit

style kin

me and elijah

fashion month digest (late, late, yeah i know)

i admit that i was really, really bored by all the fashion weeks this year. even though it should be exciting that every collection is now posted online within the hour of the live presentation, very few runways merited a worldwide audience. if i was asked to name a particular designer whose line i coveted come autumn availability, i would be hard-pressed. (you lie! chris benz and dries van noten!) past seasons have been so much richer; even spring, which usually i find dull and saccharine. still, here are some looks that stood out:

ann demeulemeester

antonio berardi

antonio marras

brood

burberry prorsum

chris benz

chris benz

clements ribiero

dolce & gabbana

dries van noten

dries van noten

givenchy

julien macdonald

marchesa

proenza schouler

rodarte

thimister

yohji yamamoto

to be a little more balanced, a little less cheeky, these are all runways of exceptional quality and rarified beauty. i watched only a few videos, and  therefore saw very little in motion. i did not attend a studio presentation, where editors are allowed to examine the dresses with their fingertips.

runway is hardly ever what is available to magazines, A-list actresses, or retailers. these shows are about concept, stagecraft, and (more often than not) cookie-cutter european models. pret-a-porter has been tweaked for mass accessibility and crystalized towards accessory sales... not to mention trotted through blogs and magazines, made more familiar by saturation.

also, some of the looks that i chose to include here were the least representational of their collections. that dolce & gabbana dress was simpler than anything else they produced this season. burberry prorsum was mad mod, but the only dress i liked was this one. (and for the same reasons as the D&G frock -- slim sleeves to the wrist! and blue besides.)

my plan was to draw and paint the outfits that i liked most, but i got lazy...and i lost my conviction. i would wear any and all of these pieces if they showed up in my store, and i'd mix the opulent jackets with skinny cords and wear my most pilly cardigan with the lace skirts. the thimister cloud formation (you wanna call it a sweater?) with denim shorts and gray thigh-highs. i pretty much would want the chris benz outfits as they were shown -- and this was a presentation rife with implausible drama.

as a hypothetical buyer, i guess you could say i was looking at legs for fall. i'm feeling good about my own. being in the south means i get to wear shorts or sheer skirts with tights. i'm looking at skimmed waits, but nothing body-con. long sleeves when applicable. handmade elements whenever available. an easy white pantsuit. draping (as ever). more than a little eccentricity and romance, always.