Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself.

And this dress.

In these and the following I'm wearing it with a hat but other than that, I just don't know what to do with myself (dun dun).

Sorry.  I don't know why I'm not deleting that sentence.

Okay - I'm on an all black white and grey kick, which is heavily influenced by the dress code at my new job (Black, black, and more black).  I bought this dress along with another at That Place because a)um, it's black and b) It's so comfortable.  I swear, it's like not wearing clothes.  I kind of feel cold and uncomfortable and I'm in my jammies as I write this.

I'm just not entirely sure what to do with it.  I'm getting a wee bit bored with my chains and I just don't have enough to really toughen this up.  I tried this metallic-bra-and-belt thing (but didn't take pictures - dammit!) but it didn't seem like enough.

I dunno.  It's the perfect dress that is incomplete.  Or am I just over-thinking this, and the dress is fine on its own (I'm just too over-accessorized to see it).

*sigh*

I don't know what else to do.

Metal Karaoke.

I sang this:

(the girl part) and various other songs. 'Twas a fun night all in all.  I felt mildly powerful ordering my drinks (which I managed to not overdo. woot).

Continuing explorations in metal and metallic-themed objects.  I did the "wrapachainaroundyourwrist" again, and this time squeezed an old watch that doesn't work anymore into it.  The chain, that used to be "gold" and is now faded, looked kinda good with the gold and silver watch.  Marina likes.  She may do again.

Also, I have a pair of boots that I was going to give to Goodwill but now I think I may keep and (at the risk of sounding kind of trendy and annoying) Stud them.  But I saw these shoes where the heel had 3 bolts in it (don't know the designer or else - trust me - I'd display them here and mail you the napkins later) so maybe I'll use those?  I don't know.  There tends to be a 3 month gestation period between the idea and the actual "doing-it-myself"

ALSO; some idiot decided to dispose of this poster (on my birthday, sweetola).  They also had a Don Quixote poster but I'm more of a Dostoevsky gal myself.

this reminds me; I need a new book.  any suggestions?  I'm on a non-fiction kick, and I just finished THISBOOK.

It's my birthday.

I'm gonna party like it's my Birthday.

(but I will not sip Bacardi like it's my birthday)

And you know I don't give a _____ because it is my birthday.

img via fotodecadent, I think.

Wahoo.  I ordered my very first legal drink today.  I wore a lot of necklaces over black pants a black shirt and a pinstriped shirtdress, and opted for bare wrists and two belts as their replacement.  I kind of wanted to do a photo of this, but thought that it would be far more entertaining for you too the "karaoke" version of all this.

The picture is because 19 feels a wee little slightly different.  I think it may be the fact that I'm now allowed to meander into a bar/club and not stare nervously at the bouncer.  Just the ability to do so is a little "bahahaha-I-made-it-I-beat-the-system" and opens the door to a real change I guess. 

The little extra bit of responsibility throws something at me that feels a little like a shaved head.

Plus, I cleaned out my closet yesterday night so I'd have a real true fresh change come today.

That's what I wanted to say - I made a bit of a change.  I've seen the change when I get bored an peruse my own archives, and I saw it yesterday when I donated a bunch of clutter to Goodwill, and I saw it today when it finally hit me that I am 19 and that it's actually not that old at all.

Blow.

When I was young, my dad's then-girlfriend would change the channel the second 6:30 hit every Sunday - no matter what - to watch Fashion Television.  I sat and watched along with her, waiting for a glimpse of Isabella Blow, simply because I found her to be the most interesting person featured on the show.  She would have been 50 today, it's her b-day. 

psomgitsnowedtoday.

Adding Fuel To The Fire

My hands are stiff because it's already below freezing and I can't find my gloves. Ow.

Also: I don't know what happened to my post about the shoes, but Roxanne: In response to your comment,  I have had a hard time preventing the zipper from undoing itself and slipping on to my foot.

Through fashionista.com I found this article/interview with Alexander McQueen about the reasons why he wanted to do the Target collection, as well as the inspiration behind it (woooot).  I sort of see why he accepted this offer as opposed to something from H&M.  Target (or at least, my perception of Target) has a different appeal and different audience at H&M.  If you think about it, H&M has the different "departments" that range from trendy & funky, trendy & high-fashion-y, and trendy & basic.  It started off as for the "fashionistas", the ones who were far enough ahead of the curve to find the few H&Ms that had popped up in their city, and grew from there.  The perception that I have of Target is that is a lot more massive - not quite so trendy - more along the lines of "daily basics that make you look presentable and get you through life".

A very smart idea, business-wise, for Mr. McQ.  It sounds like he thought it through (read the article, it's very good).  I tip my hat to thee, and also to this:

The collection has a muted color palette of black, white, gray and tan with accents of cobalt blue and bright pink. Studs and mesh giv

e items an edge. There are studded jeans, shorts and denim jackets with asymmetrical closures, short tuxedo jackets and matching shorts, dresses in a blue and white painterly fabric, a one-shoulder dress in a gray-and-black zigzag pattern with a thick black belt, and a T-shirt with the image of Moss.........“It’s more ab

out the music scene and fashion scene in the East End area, where I live,” said the designer, adding the point of the line is not to educate people about fashion, but rather, “it’s a feeling about the time we’re living in. If you start to give the whole of America that sense of where I’m from, the undergrou

nd music scene, it’s not so much about a logo, it’s more about a feeling.”

Also, you should read the Q&A with Leila Moss.

WWD: How does it feel to be considered a muse for someone like McQueen?

L.M.: It’s sort of preposterous and delightful at the same time. I feel like I’d be a bit of an a--hole if I was really lapping it up too much, but obviously it helps you feel more justified about what you’re doing, your performances. It’s justified all of that hard work — like people have noticed your movement and the visceral quality of what you do — so, for someone to actually approach you and talk about design, it’s very cool.

I'm quite excited, and happy that Target.com ships to Canada.

Yeah, This Is Still About Clothes.

I've just been off on planet "away" for awhile.  

Here is one thing that doesn't cover everything only a snapshot.  I actually wish I had taken an outfit photo a week and a half ago when I wore the same Pink Floyd shirt 3 days in a row (I know it was gross, but in my defence - day two was laundry day and I had the decency to throw it in there for those few hours) because it would illustrate the story a bit better.

I have mentioned many a time that I dressed badly in high school.  Like, ill-fitting jeans and t-shirts, never a skirt in sight.  I also went to a hippy arts school (Rosedale Heights for the very curious) that had no auditions and no strict "major" system (so you could branch out into more than one aspect if you wanted to).  There was a very creative and cool atmosphere, especially when I first got there.  I remember being struck by the volume of manic panic-ed heads, torn clothing, and metal (there was a lot of metal).

Okay the point - their general presence made me want to be a punk.  For awhile I had this secret desire to stomp around in Docs and style my hair with wood glue though I never did because I knew that there was just no way I could pull it off;  I didn't even swear, let alone actually listen to punk rock.

  

Now, I kind of figure it was the metal and the chains.  I like the picture, the attitude that metal projects, how safe it is and makes one feel.  Slowly I seem to have integrated a lot of metal into the general rotation of jewelry 'round my neck, wrists and fingers, piling them on top of one another and wrapping them around already slightly torn sleeves.  Is this a return to my 14 year old dreams of punkdom?  Shall I go back to The Clash and Rise Against, develop a snarl and curl my lip for no particular reason?

I highly doubt it.  The reason is probably more along the lines to the trend to stud everything in sight, tearing and shredding the rest, and the influence of Ms. Lanphear and her preferences for metal cuffs that would make Wonder Woman drool.  

I kind of wish I could see whether this will just be a passing trend (for me) or I'll stick to it.  This isn't the first time I've wrapped a chain around my wrist, but how far from the last is it?  I've loved my cuffs for as long as I can remember but if bare wrists and knuckles come into vogue what will happen to my cut-out silvers and golds?

More From The Artist And His Model.

A very inspirational blogsite.

by Leslie David

"Foret"  (forest)

"Plage"  (beach)

"Zoo" (um...zoo)

OH. MY GOSH.

SO THIS ISN'T A REAL POST.

I'LL DO THAT TOMORROW I SWEAR

IT'S JUST THAT TODAY WHILE ON MY BREAK FROM WORK, I BUMPED INTO LEILA MOSS FROM THE DUKE SPIRIT ON THE STREET.  AND I DIDN'T SAY "HELLO" OR "OMG I LOVE YOUR BAND" OR "OMG YOU GUYS ROCK COME BACK TO TORONTO MORE" OR EVEN "I'M FRIENDS WITH YOU ON FACEBOOK" OR MAYBE EVEN SOMETHING CLASSY LIKE "HEY, DID YOU KNOW THAT ALEXANDER MCQUEEN IS USING YOU AS HIS INSPIRATION FOR HIS LINE FOR TARGET?".

INSTEAD I WALKED BACK AND FORTH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS ACTUALLY HER.  

AND BY CHECKING THEIR WEBSITE AND CROSS-REFERENCING MY SIGHTING WITH THEIR TOUR DATES, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT WAS HER AND THAT IF I HAD ACTUALLY OPENED MY MOUTH TO SAY SOMETHING OR MAYBE, SAY, HAD MY CAMERA WITH ME, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY DESERVED TO BE WRITTEN COMPLETELY IN CAPS LOCK.

Squeeze Me, Hug Me, Love Me, Flip Me.

Frickin' Awesome.

I bought new rings today in honour of getting a new job.  Pictures of my metal flair to follow.

Yanick Dery

Yanick Dery, via the artist and his model

Cools.

To Counter Balance My Ranting

I give you the gist of what I was wearing today.  Chains and knits and whites and blues.  

Later: I deleted the ranting post.  What you are missing is:  me telling the story of the ignorant fad-politic who I almost slapped at a Starbucks and being generally annoyed at the fact that everyone I know was so in tune and aware and opinionated about someone else's election, while our own election had the lowest voter turnout in history (59% - which translates to roughly 19 million people), and then deducing that maybe my annoyance was (at least in part) due to the fact that I'm jealous of your inspirational, intelligent, articulate, and charismatic President-Elect.

Congratulations Southern Neighbours!!!!!

Design 101: Imitation = Flattery (?)

I saw the Bloc Party singles via wikipedia (because I'm that girl) and had a nasty few days where I thought I was crazy for recognizing the layout of it.  If I could find a proper photograph of the Transmission single, I could probably illustrate this better.  I remember when Bloc Party first came out it was during this whole "omg, remember Joy Division? Probably not, but they were so cool!" and they were supposed to be one of the big bands to make us young 'uns "rediscover" Joy Division.

Just an observation.   I really like the theme of these, but was curious as to how conscious the design decision was.

Wow, I'm Really Doing-It-Myself

Sometimes ideas that are born at 2am or so turn out to be good, fruitful ideas.

Like I said, I did research and found a font that was close to the design of the original YSL logo, and downloaded it.  I've been tinkering with the layout today, and came up with a few samples. Here they are, the orignal logo is up last:

I'm also toying with my actual initials.  My middle name is my mother's maiden name and the initial used is up for debate. 

Depending on whom you ask, it is either D or L (my middle name is DeLima), so I may also come up with a few more before settling on an "official" logo.

The problem I found, layout-wise, ended up being the Ms.  The letter M is symmetrical, the letters Y and L not so much.  A vertical layout (like the original) looks a little odd, but I tried to keep to the ladder-esque design, for the most part.

This project has gone so much further than my usual diy projects.  Possibly because I have time and this one is easier.

LIKE OMG HALLOWEEN.

The perfume ad idea died with my inability to find a large enough decanter/vase to act as a perfume bottle.  I tried, I swear.  I went to 3 Value Villages, 1 Goodwill, 3 Dollaramas, countless generic dollar stores, a Loblaws, Wal-Mart, Zellers and even The Bay.  Nada.

So, I'll introduce you to HipsterGal.

Saving the world, one cosmo at a time.

No lie, the best part was that some people didn't get that it was a joke.