Harlem homage

Yesterday I went to see Precious, which I had thought I'd need several boxes of tissues to get through. It turned out not to be such a tearjerker, although the subject matter (black, obese, impoverished teenage girl in Harlem, pregnant with her second child by her father and abused by her mother, struggles to learn to read and get out of her situation) certainly is not something to giggle about. That, combined with the film's setting of 1987 Harlem meant that I certainly did not expect to be coming away from it with many styling tips as I'm not really into the whole hip hop scene (which I think Harlem is about? I know NOTHING about Harlem!). But some of the girls in Precious' 'alternative school' had some really mean style. I couldn't find many shots of Xosha Roquemore, who plays Joann, but she has some crazy huge glasses and also wears leather pants which somehow look really NOW in one scene, and a twinset sort of thing in a scene where she's visiting Precious in hospital... this is the only close up shot I could find, it's not the best but at least you can see the glasses, which I am coveting, even though I doubt I'd have the attitude or hair necessary to pull them off. This shot is from DrJays.com .. hope it's OK for me to use it (am really confused about whether it's OK to use pics from other sites, but everyone else seems to do it!) .. looks like Xosha could be one to watch for styling tips...

Also, if I could have any accent in the world, it would have to be Jamaican... another of Precious' classmates Rhonda (Chyna Layne) really rocks!! If I could work out how to do it I would have a sound gadgetty thing playing her explanation of what 'unrelenting' means... I could just listen to that and admire her Josephine Baker hairdo all day.
Which reminds me, I also loved the character of Tia Dalma in Pirates of the Caribbean for the same reason - that insanely cool accent and turn of phrase. Plus, she has an excellent house in a scary river that is full of second hand crap (although the animal bones etc aren't really so appealing). Even if I somehow managed to learn (?) to speak Jamaican English though, it wouldn't exactly work unless I also got the killer dreads and serious confidence thing happening.

Technologically challenged

As you may have guessed by now, technology is not my strong point, which is why I still haven't worked out much beyond how to put pictures and hyperlinks up on this blog. I have grander plans for it, such as a lovely heading with leaves and stuff to make it look really wild, seeing as it's meant to be a style WILDERNESS, and maybe things that sparkle or flash at you when you open the page, because that would make it look like I know what I'm doing, but those things aren't achievable at the moment so it will have to just be old-school text and the occasional crappy photo for now. Yes, it's like living in the 1800s or something, practically.
Speaking of which, I just finished watching Our Mutual Friend on DVD, a BBC production (of course!) of the Charles Dickens novel which I have not actually read, but it's on my list. As usual with most dramas set in the Victorian era, I loved it, it had all the usual Dickensian ingredients such as wayward fathers, devoted daughters, money-hungry social climbers and heart-of-gold-but-disadvantaged-people who end up being rewarded for their good deeds, and mistaken identities were mixed in there too. Plus some amazing costumes, naturally. Nothing at all like the crap reality TV which is practically all that is on offer these days.
There were also the usual tiny details which in Victorian times would have been taken for granted but these days are simply perplexing, the main one being that some guy had got rich by building dust heaps. "What on earth would you use a dust heap for?" is what I was thinking, scheming of ways to rid my room of its dust and at the same time get rich, until it was made clear that the dust was collected from people's fireplaces (ie, the ash) and it was then used to make bricks, or something crazy like that. But because there must have been other rubbish mixed in with it, there were people climbing all over the mounds of dust, scavenging stuff, finding jewellery and other things of value which they then sold. If you're into finding out all about this level of recycling and much more, such as the fact that there was an actual profession that described people who searched corpses washed up in the Thames for valuables.. they were known as mudlarks.. then you might like to watch/read What the Victorians Did For Us (I've got the book but haven't seen the series) or get your hands on What Jane Austen ate and Charles Dickens knew. Which sort of sounds like all Jane Austen did was sit around stuffing herself, while Dickens got to hang out and look all knowledgeable, but we all know that Jane Austen was actually quite busy writing excellent books which I imagine would have required a fair amount of energy. So even if she was a bit of a pig, all her flab would have burnt off while she wrote Pride and Prejudice, etc. I suppose that means if I do this blog for long enough I won't have to go to a personal trainer or run 10km 3 times per week, as I will burn off all my calories just by tapping a keyboard. Tap, tap, tap. That should take care of a few bars of chocolate. No wonder I'm exhausted.

Sustainable Living Festival Slow Fashion show

Melbourne has its fair share of fashion events, but the ones I'm most interested in supporting are the ones which tie in with my love of "do-gooding and looking decent while doing it". That is, doing something positive for the world without digging around and getting grotty nails while trying to plant zillions of trees on a riverbank somewhere to soak up the carbon that was emitted in actually getting to the riverbank. This weekend I helped out at the Slow Fashion Show , jumping on the bandwagon at the last minute to dress and style the models as I was overseas during the planning stage.
I took some photos but they are nothing to get excited about (in comparison to all the other photos on my blog, which provide reason to wave your hands in the air like you just don't care and make sounds like WOOT!) so just check out the pictures on the Slow Fashion site, which will hopefully be up soon. As I was helping backstage, I didn't actually get to see the show, but there was a lot of stuff that would probably save the world if everyone would wear it instead of buying new things from [insert bad unethical un-ecofriendly chainstore name here]. Things like recycled and reclaimed gear, Fair Trade and other ethical and sustainable clothing, stuff from op shops and stuff made from organic materials. The jewellery was all provided by a man who recycles old cutlery, so the models were wearing rings made from fork tines, pendants from cake servers, earrings made from bowls of spoons, etc. He sells at the Rose Street Market and Camberwell Market, if you're interested in purchasing his work.

While I prefer to use my cutlery to eat (especially if I'm eating cakes, delicious cakes... not these ones though), I think my wardrobe definitely rates as sustainable. I usually shop at op shops, to the point that it's not only a treat for me to go into a normal clothes/shoe shop, it's also slightly scary... "FORTY DOLLARS FOR A TSHIRT??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? AGGGH!!!"
...
which leads me to WHY I LOVE OP SHOPS.
Well, probably nothing new here as it's become cool to shop at op shops and everyone does it, because they know that it's cheaper (usually) than buying stuff new, plus you get to support a charity like the Salvation Army or St Vincent de Paul Society, and they tend to do good stuff to help people. Also, if op shops did not exist, people would have to be very organised and put out the crap they didn't want on the right hard rubbish day (which is a topic for another post.. mmm hard rubbish day), or if they were really eco-conscious they could host clothes swapping parties or just give their old stuff to random people... anyway the point is that op shops do exist and prevent amazing crap from going to landfill and emitting methane and other yukky things in the process of decomposing, in addition to all the good stuff that op shops do for disadvantaged people, animals etc. But that's not really why I shop there. I love having stuff that no one else has, and often, it's the very fact that someone has worn/used something that makes it special (and makes some of my friends run a mile yelling something like DO YOU KNOW WHERE THAT'S BEEN???). It's also the element of surprise and the feeling of anticipation that I get when I enter an op shop as I never know what I will find. 1950s photo albums (complete with captions, but alas, no photos) alongside balls of wool next to designer heels and a clothes brush in the shape of a doll, for example. Not exactly the sort of mix you'd get at your local Kmart, well, not any of the Kmarts I know (if your local Kmart is like this, please let me know IMMEDIATELY and I will move there).
Anyway I will get around to putting up some pictures of excellent op shop finds soon, hopefully... and in the future I will even have my own house where I can have my purchases on display all the time, because the stuff I buy at op shops makes me happy, and then I'd never have to leave the house to find happiness cos I would already be happy, except I'd probably still leave to do some op shopping once in a while and buy cat food, because of course I would be living with at least one cat to help me make dresses.

And I'd buy food for me too, but not scallops, because I'm allergic to them, and not low-fat cheese, cos what's the point of eating cheese if it's low-fat?
What was I saying?

Everything sounds better in French

I mentioned previously that I tend to get distracted extremely easily. None the more so than when shoes are involved. The purpose of my expedition to the DFO shopping centre the other day was actually to find a swimming cap and goggles, but I happened to walk past a great big shoe outlet which lured me in with its promise not only of fabulous bargains, but better hair, a supermodel figure, Prince Charming arriving on a white charger, a castle by the sea and so on. You know how a great pair of shoes tend to spark crazy daydreams?? Anyway, 40 minutes and three pairs of shoes later, I remembered what I was meant to be doing and headed off to a sporting goods outlet where I spent about two minutes purchasing unflattering but necessary goggles and a silicone swimming cap. Boring!! Reading the multilingual packaging later, though, I was happy to note that I would in fact be donning a bonnet de bain the next time I visited my local pool. Doesn't that sound so much better and conjure up images of graceful and languid laps of a warm saltwater pool surrounded by palm trees with handsome waiters on hand to deliver delicious fruitshakes and sweet little snacks? The girls in these photos certainly look like they'd fit right into that sort of environment. http://www.glamoursplash.com/2009/04/1950s-swim-cap-glamour.html
I will certainly aim to keep a calming image of handsome men, fruity beverages and palm trees in mind the next time I'm stuck behind an obese, painfully slow dog paddler who is taking up the medium lane (THAT'S WHAT THE SLOW LANE IS FOR!!!), deafened by little brats who have probably added to the liquid content of the pool in their own special way, or am being hurried along by inexplicable crowds of men in flippers who don't understand the term FAST LANE at my local chlorine-fragranced aquatic centre. After all, I won't be wearing a swimming cap. Non, non! *index finger waving in seductive and inherently French manner* From now on, it will be a bonnet de bain on MY head.

Patchy presents

Being notoriously tight, when friends get hitched I often pretend I know nothing of bridal registries and instead whip up something for them on my sewing machine using bits of kimono and other textiles left over from various projects. These gifts end up costing nothing in real money but consume hours, sometimes days of my time (hello friends who have taken up so much of my life which I can never get back, you know who you are!). This week I finally completed some cushion covers for a friend in Tokyo who got married last November, when I was ridiculously swamped with work and did not get around to sending anything, which is also my excuse for why my website is not running yet... even though it's paid for and just waiting for me to upload schtuff onto it, I have had that magical piece of equipment, a scanner, sitting unopened in my room since October, and I MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT OR THE MONEY WILL HAVE BEEN WASTED. But at least my cat enjoys rubbing her head on the box, so it's not like an expensive piece of equipment is lying idle. $300 for a cat's head scratcher, a bargain, no?
...Anyway, I bought a roll of Hmong indigo-dyed batik and some pieces of embroidery in Laos which I've cobbled together into cushion covers. I couldn't really just stitch the embroidery panels on to the backs of the batik cushion covers because the dye is still coming off the material (my fingers were blue after sewing the batik) so it has to be able to be washed separately and not dye the embroidery panels. See how there's press studs on the cushion covers? The embroidery panels just snap off. Such an innovative idea, I know. This is the sort of rocket science that occupies my mind while I'm swimming laps at my local pool. I'm sure Einstein had similar brainwaves.
While I was hunting around for glamorous pictures of myself to show the world (to no avail), I found this photo of a kimono patchwork throw that I made for another friend's wedding a few years ago while I was still living in Tokyo. I pinned it to my wall to get a photo of it before it left my hands, and now I'm getting all nostalgic about my little crappy flat where I lived for 4 years...it's hard to see in this pic but next to the patchwork is a Japanese wooden set of drawers with an assortment of flea market treasures on it. I love feeling like I'm living in an antique shop and the crazy juxtaposition of crap that would be totally worthless to anyone else. I'm living in a crazy juxtaposition of crap at the moment too, but it's not as photogenic, mainly because there's hardly a patch of floor to stand on from which to take a photo.

Staycation spending spree

It must be the fact that I normally work in a shed in an asphalt carpark in an industrial estate on a freeway leading to nowhere that has led to my sudden retail rush this week. Being a casual worker, I'm shunted between branches, and this week enjoyed something of a staycation in the office in the big smoke (well, Melbourne). I was so excited to actually be in the vicinity of civilisation (at least that's my excuse) that I bought four pairs of shoes in two days. But none of them were full price, so I spent a grand total of $120! Currently experiencing guilt as I usually only buy things that are secondhand both for financial and environmental reasons, I'm trying to convince myself that these will last longer than stuff I usually get at the op shop, although that is something only time will tell. Meanwhile I think I now have about 70 pairs of shoes, the entire collection of which probably cost less than one pair of the amazing designer footwear that enjoys luxury accommodation in Jane's purpose-built shoe cupboard (room?) on Sea of Shoes....

Also discovered something akin to a GAP outlet... Brand Republic at South Wharf DFO, where I bought shoes for $10 and found out that GAP will be opening in Chadstone this July. While theoretically I don't support GAP due to their sustainability/social record, I have to admit that I did buy quite a lot at their sales when I lived in Tokyo. Some of their shoes are really comfortable and they sometimes have amazing designer collaborations, some of which were still available at the outlet - but for crazy prices. I saw a shirt that was from a collaboration something like 3 years ago, and it was still $125... I don't think it was even that much when it was just released at the GAP store in Japan!!! However ALL the shoes were only $10, which was just too cheap to resist.

The fabric the shoes are lying on is from Laos and will be transformed into a dress when I get some spare time - so I might be wearing it by the time I'm 90 or something...

Fishing for compliments

One of the main aims of this blog (yes, theoretically there is a point to it...) is to show off amazing STUFF from places that would not normally be on the radar style-wise. This is really so I can boast about the bargains I bagged at op shops out in the suburbs that all the trendy inner-city dwellers will never get to. The joy of uncovering brand new gold and silver wedge heels for $3 at a poky little op shop 15 minutes down the road (the secret location of which will die with me, so don't bother asking about it) sometimes lets me forget that I am living in a suburb that the fashion fairy forgot to wave her wand over. (Said heels will be given a fitting tribute on this blog forthwith). But apart from letting me brag about my hunting and gathering out in the sticks, this blog is also a showcase for all the fabulousness that's out there when you look for it, even in the most unlikely of places. Most of all it's fashion and accessories that I keep my eyes peeled for, but sometimes I spot other random things that are so cute/wacky/old and might be valuable in a zillion years' time that I have to have them. Of course I only buy them if they are ridiculously cheap, as I am a notorious tight-arse (one of my greatest achievements is finding a fabulous 10c necklace at a flea market. Isn't it cute, even though it's not the sort of thing I often wear. EVERYONE compliments me on it. Not like I want to brag, but even VICTORIA BECKHAM admired it... yah, so she's not exactly the person you'd go to for your styling tips, but A CELEBRITY NOTICED MY NECKLACE AND WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF COMPLIMENTING ME ON IT AND IT COST 10c!!)

Anyway, back to the point.. these finger puppets that I found in country New South Wales fit the "cute" and "wacky" categories, and were apparently made by a 93-year-old woman, so she fits the "old" category (although whether she'll be valuable in a zillion years' time is questionable). How adorable, and dare I suggest innovative, are the koala's ears, made of that chenille wool that usually makes me vomit just thinking of it. And there was a whole school of the fish to choose from... and guess what they were called... Fish Fingers.
Already having enough STUFF of my own, I decided to give these to my sister. I knew I had to buy them, so giving them to someone as a present was a great excuse, and made me look like a good person.

The why? of the Tiger

Two big events today, both of which have the colour red in common and not a lot else. Namely, Valentine's Day (irrelevant for me this year.. yet again..) and the first day of the Year of the Tiger, which is what I prefer to think about.

Not that I got any red packets stuffed with cash this year as I'm either too old or all my Asian relatives have forgotten about me. Seeing as I have something like 200 cousins on my dad's side it's hardly surprising that they might overlook one or two of us. Which reminds me of my visit to a fortune teller in Tokyo. One of my friends had raved about him, and said that he now knew that his (dead, of course) grandfather was watching over him, something like a spirit guide. Of course I wanted to know which of my ancestors was perving on me, so I went to see the fortune teller too, but he was very vague and just said they were all looking over me every now and then, which my cousin said was because there are too many of us in the family for us each to have our own individual guides. But dammit, you would think I'd be interesting enough for dead ancestors to watch more than once in a while, I mean it's not like they'd be that busy up in heaven or wherever they are? I'll just have to do something crazy that will get them hooked...

In the meantime though, high tea with my friend Avi was the best I could do.
I'm actually wearing a dress that has a lion roaring on the front of it which is sort of a reference to the whole feline theme of the day, but unfortunately that doesn't really show up so you'll have to imagine it for the moment.

New Kid on the Blog

Consider yourself warned. There will be more bad wordplays with '80s references masquerading as titles for my posts. And sometimes I might even sneak them into the posts themselves! I'm tricky that way!
Now that that little bit of housekeeping's out of the way, here's a bit about my holiday in Laos which I started posting about the other day.
Some people may be under the impression that it was all about palm trees and swanning around enjoying the sunshine, and even cocktails and moonlit nights (I did warn you about the '80s references!).

Those people would be wrong, wrong, wrong!!


There was, after all, networking to be done.

OK, so there was not a lot of networking done at this particular Yao village unless you count the network of villagers who spotted this gullible tourist with a major interest in ethnic costume coming and sent out their most authentically dressed old women to charge her a whole $2US to be bundled into an outfit that they probably keep stored in a big box labelled "gullible tourist clothes" for the purpose.

They also sold me the pair of pants that I'm wearing in the photo, which I have no idea how I will style in real life, but seeing as they are still in a box being shipped here with the other 7 kilos of .. um.. research material.. that I purchased, I don't have to lose sleep over that for a while. (And yes, it is the sort of thing I would stay awake over. I'm deep like that.)
Pretty hilarious that I actually just look like I'm spending the day hanging out with my aunties. Thanks, Asian heritage.

Even the villagers who were not dressed up to fleece tourists managed to profit from my visit. Here I am deep in business negotiations over some embroidered thingos with tassels. I have an inexplicable weakness for tassels. Practically anything could have tassels on it and it will make me stop and consider forking out however much it costs. I'm sure there's some psychological explanation for this but it probably isn't a good idea to think about it too much. Anyway, in this case, I didn't have to do too much thinking about what I could pawn to get my hands on the TASSELLED OBJECTS as each one was something like 50c. Why, oh why, did I only buy TWO of them when they were so cheap!? I must have been somewhat dazed by having just worn massive pom pom ruffs around my neck (see above pic). POM POMS are nearly as good as TASSELLED OBJECTS. Or is it the other way around... oh POM POMS and TASSELLED OBJECTS I LOVE YOU BOTH!!!!

*break for cold shower to get mind off POM POMS and TASSELLED OBJECTS*


...So actually I've never had to pawn anything to purchase exotic outfits, but I have trekked for one and a half days, gone without a shower and "slept" in freezing conditions on a mountain top with the aim of getting my hands on some heavenly handicraft. Yes, I really did that! Here's a photo to prove it. Look how high up a mountain I've trekked! Just imagine how sore my legs were! Don't I look remarkably cheerful considering? Probably because I was thinking about POM POMS. Or TASSELLED OBJECTS.





Unfortunately though, the people in the Akha village that the trek took us to didn't seem interested in flogging any of their wares, or even have anything to sell. Dammit, why did I not ask the trekking company before I signed up for three days of having to wear the same clothes!? I did get a few photos of the women's headwear though, to drool over later, and some photos of the cute kids who we read stories to
thanks to some picture books that I bought at Big Brother Mouse.
I'm the first to admit that I'm not a huge fan of children, but I AM a big fan of reading, and the kids seemed to enjoy us reading to them, probably because they don't get stories read to them very often. I suppose with no radio, TV, or internet, sweaty tourists who speak no Akha or even Lao and are making amusing animal noises and strange gestures really ARE the most entertaining thing in the village! Plus, I gave all the little girls some bangles and embroidery thread that I had bought from the Salvos, so I suppose they had to at least pretend to be interested in us for a while.

And if you've read up until here, you've done a pretty good job of pretending to be interested too.
Your reward is me signing off for now. Time for bed, with visions of pom poms dancing through my head.

Taking a break before I even begin

Starting a blog is no big deal, right? At least it used not to be. But when I started thinking about the fabulousness of certain bloggers (the amazing Tavi, the charming Lady Melbourne, the awe-inspiring Jane from Sea of Shoes, and the ever-ebullient Patty Huntington who keeps up a constant fashion patter as Frockwriter - just to name a few), the task just seemed overwhelming and I had to book myself a holiday to a semi-tropical South East Asian destination.