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Showing posts with label John Waters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Waters. Show all posts

Beat it, creep!

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Lately I've been intrigued by the 1950s greaser girl aesthetic in which women were just starting to appropriate what had been traditionally masculine elements as part of their outfits. I've made similar moodboards in the past, however, without the mugshots these *bad girl vibes* are less explicit. The female characters in John Waters movies who dress feminine but are either tough or trashy or both have also been a source of inspiration. Shot outs to Wanda Woodward for having the most bomb hair throughout Cry-Baby! The commonality across the broad spectrum of fashions which emerged during this decade was impeccably styled hair. I'm in desperate need for a change with my own do' but I'm a little stuck for ideas. Ultimately the most influential factor will be how my haircut will affect later outfit posts and how I express personal style, but for now I am content to be stuck in this informative period. Hair dye is also a possibility in terms of a personal transformation, hence all the photos of Tavi hanging out with cool older girls.

1 & 2- Dorothy Bradley (left), photographed for LIFE magazine by Martha Holmes. 3- unknown. 4- Tessa for The Pulp Zine. 5- Tavi Gevinson. 6 & 7- unknown. 8, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22- Sixteen and Spring via Style Rookie. 10- North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills street in the 1950s. 12- Photo by Joseph Sterling, Stephen Daiter Gallery. 13- unknown. 15- via vintagedressups.17 & 19- unknowns.

Adam Selman Fall 2015

Monday, June 8, 2015




At a time when I so badly needed some kind of guidance from a cool, older sister-type figure I rediscovered the Adam Selman Fall 2015 collection and everything was right with the world. Although I had not yet resolved my conflict, or faced my inner demons but in my mind I had conceptualized the kind of person I had to become in order to achieve these goals. Cool, disaffected and confident hiding behind a pair of razor sharp sunglasses and preferably sporting a killer hairstyle. For the last few years I have believed that what we wear is a reflection of what we feel like that day and I needed to adopt a kind of armor. If I needed to act like a bitch I wanted to surround myself with plenty of strong women, the kind who intimidate men. Adam Selman's collection, largely inspired by some of John Water's iconic characters retains some aspects of original thoughts. It is interesting as it is not the regurgitation of a preexisting troupe but blends certain elements, some heavily borrowed and expresses these ideas for a consumer market.  





Rather than opting for sharp winged eyeliner, red lipstick and leather motorcycle jackets which seemed the most intuitive marriage for this aesthetic Selman offered a myriad of different textures and patterns. Tiny bows decorated 1950s inspired cardigans which were countered by his stunning range of sunglasses and lace bustiers with capri pants. Different collars as well as neckerchiefs were also used as a vehicle for experimentation and deviation from an old troupe. From the outset I felt critical that this collection didn't live up to my expectations, but on closer inspection and having these standards challenged I realised that the collection had transcended these expectations. These pieces feel a little costume-y to begin with but they really are beautiful and wearable pieces. I can see myself lounging around in one of those ribbed, long sleeved dresses on the couch. From these backstage photos we can also see that these pieces can be dressed up or down, depending on whether you have mastered creating the perfect beehive. Messy goops of hair gel smeared across the forehead and creating a side-swept fringe are also deemed acceptable within this context. 


The girl gang aesthetic is as strong as ever- which I why I wanted to show these backstage photos first rather than the front on shots from the runway. These images are so much more powerful rather than seeing each outfit in isolation. On a personal level, I'm most comfortable when I get to take photos by myself in my frontward of my outfit but having the opportunity to hang out with a bunch of cool, like-minded girls is far better. I feel nervous to begin with but it's actually so good to talk with other women who are creatives and this collection reminds me so much of that. Rather than seeing other women as competitors this magical group of beings have banded together in order to support one another. These photos in particular focus on the emotion as well as relationships of each outfit with respect to one another and the kind of closeness the fashion industry can create (in an idealized way). However, parallels exist between the various fashion bloggers and editors who hang out at fashion week and accompany one another to the next show. 




Photography via Dazed Digital

lady love

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Lately I've been fascinated with ladylike style extended beyond the stereotype of tall, thin women. This latest obsession has been largely inspired by these images from my Tumblr dashboard, but seeing connections between my online muses. An excessive, almost satirical use of pink is common amongst all of these photos but I have tried to include various body types and represent women of colour as well. This because I believe all forms of media should embrace diversity rather than pageantry of an idealistic notion. I am more conscious when I create a moodboard or photoset that is a whitewash of female models and excludes others. Feelings of exclusion are something I am trying to protect my readers from, while creating the same dreamy aesthetic I have cultivated over several years. It feels like a constant struggle to balance the two but I know in many ways it should not. This then makes me angry that popular culture and media could have formed in a number of ways, but we're stuck with what we have, but in many ways it is substandard and insufficient. 

1- Kailey Flyte. 2- Lady Gaga wearing a Juan Vidal sweater and Anya Callendo hat (instagram). 3 & 4- Laura Du Vé (femmeplastic), inspired by punk-puke. 5 & 6- Vivian Fu: May, 2014, San Francisco. 7 & 8- "In the bathroom" by Chiara Baragatti. 9- Divine (as Dawn Davenport) in John Waters’ Female Trouble, 1974.

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