Takin' care of business.

I'm in such a weird place right now, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. I'm in my last week of classes --evah-- well, maybe... I've got some MBA imaginings, but that's a long-range plan.

I did some work today on the "secret project" I've alluded to before; I have the esteemed task of directing a fashion show for dogs for a Pet Expo that's coming through town! It's a charity thing; all of the clothing is donated by manufacturers or retailers, paraded down the catwalk on canine models (who will be up for adoption), and then silent-auctioned off, with the proceeds benefiting the 30+ rescue groups in attendance.

Today, I spoke with a woman who is donating boy-and-girl pairings of clothing, to be walked down the runway in tandem. I wore the following:

Swing peacoat: Dollhouse. Dress: Vintage. Tights: Urban Outfitters. Shoes: Nine West.

Shameless plug: If you are a pet clothing retailer, manufacturer or designer, looking to gain exposure to 20,000+ people by having your dog fashions modeled by the adoring public, shoot me an email at spandexpony@gmail.com for all of the details! This goes for you too, students of fashion and hobbyists!

This week also marks the second week in my new home. No one has lived in the place for five years, so it goes to say that some things like the yard are much neglected (I'm going to, for the very first time, make a concerted effort at gardening). Other things, like this 1950's diner-style table and chairs set that we picked up for near-nothing at a garage sale, just need a little TLC to be good as new.

As you can see, the back pad of the chair still has the original yellow-marbled vinyl-- with some nasty slices through it, scotch-taped together. The chair pad has some hideous 1990's Mod-revival pattern in it. The chrome was cloudy, or downright rusty and pitted.


After an unsuccessful bout with CLR, we picked up some chrome polish from AutoZone and the chairs started to get their gleam back. The fabric was $5/yard at Jo-Ann Fabrics. 3 yards and like, 500 staples later, we got ourselves a sexy little dining table! I'd love to paint the walls spring green now.

Dinette Set: Garage-saled. Vase: thrifted. Salt&Pepper Shakers: Broadway Panhandler.

I'm not going to go all home-improvement tutorial on ya, but if you'd like any advice on how to reupholster similar chairs, I'd be more than happy to oblige!

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She's So Unusual

We're reaching the end of a fashion cycle. Everybody's wearing whatever's cool right now. I find myself starting to wonder if I can be okay with it if I wear another vintage dress or bright color. Neons, no thanks, wayfarers-- bye, high-waisted skirts, still promising, but at present, they're eliciting a bit of ennui from yours truly. What's a moody girl to do?

Below, a few people who are turning my fashion frown upside down.

lecondevetement from Wardrobe Remix

Do check out her photostream. She is like a technicolor doll, with a healthy dose of true originality and class.

verhext from Wardrobe Remix

Cape? Sweater? Dress? I love people who are daring enough to risk fashion ambiguity. She has taken her vestement and pushed it to the extreme, but at the same time taking dress back to its roots: a covering for the body; for physical protection and in the context of this photo and possibly real life, emotional protection as well.

leila-anne from Wardrobe Remix

My favorite looks take what would typically be a traditional silhouette and inject it with new colors, patterns and textures. I love the marming up of lace tights with the white shoes and hat.

Facehunter

Not a "she" as my post title attests, but I do love to see a sartorially wacky, yet self-possessed teenager (who bears a strong resemblance to a young Willy Wonka). Not one but two blazers, the first of which bears playfully pushed up sleeves, and the second of which belies its somber color with buttons all askance. The floral scarf is a stroke of genius and that hair! Gloriously kinetic.

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I've arrived!

Ah--- my first breath of Internet since we've moved in!

In between moving out of my tiny third-floor studio, while still attending school (wrapping up my final projects before I graduate) and everything else, I'm rather astonished that a pretty hardcore home decor undertaking was completed, in a couple of hours, no less:

Curly lamb coat: vintage, thrifted. Sheath: vintage, thrifted. Polka-dot tights: Target. Scarf: thrifted. Shoes: Miss Sixty. Kitchen dog: thrifted.

Here I am, about to skirt out to a presentation at school today. Behind me is the late 18th century table you may remember from this post. A friend's mentioning that the too-fragile-to-use table looked like a picture frame became a call to duty for my sweetness, and so-- the legs have been removed, and the top, mounted on the wall. I swear this picture does it no justice, because it is absolutely the finest dismantling of an antique I've ever seen!

Future dismantlings are scheduled this weekend, for when I reupholster the chairs of a 1950's chrome dinette set. Pictures to come!

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Interlude

Somehow, this fashion week in London is by-and-large a bit disappointing. All-black collections and rampant biker influence are to me, like inviting Elton John to an NRA meeting. Luella seemed to do grunge some good, however, it all seemed a bit safe.

Great bag, love the hat-- but ladylike grunge isn't a far-fetched concept, to be sure.

I do like the prim, 60's shape with the biker/bondage attitude here. Although, the very first person who comes to mind when I see this dress is Lindsay Lohan.

I loved this look as well-- great fabric for the pants, like the velvet jacket, but this season's shows have been rife with similar looks... although, in the end I'm sure it must be difficult to fight the zeitgeist.

Absolutely gorgeous blood-red patent, and I adore the combination with the dark teal leggings and furry brown pompoms.

Now, one show that truly blew my mind was up-and-comer Mary Katrantzou. Her collection was small, but tight, sticking to a theme of incredible, figure-creating patterns on simple sheath dresses.

I think that this dress's pattern would make a lovely perfume bottle.

Beautiful colors-- the jewel tones give the otherwise video-gamey graphics a "heritaged" appeal.

Regal. Where do I sign up?

I won't have much time to check up on the rest of the shows this week, or for anything else extracurricular, really-- I have several huge projects that need to be summed up this week, as well as a secret big project I'm working on, as well as MOVING! My goodness, how I'll keep my head is beyond me. Updates to come!

"Check ya later,wink!" I really do not belong in photos. Cropped peacoat: Dollhouse. Scarf: NYC street vendor. Tshirt: Target. Jeans: Target. Boots: Gift-- thanks Wendy!

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Eye on the Prize

There has always been nostalgia, and people interested in antiques and vintage clothing. Before 10 years ago or so, these people (referring to the habitual vintage wearers) tended to be extreme counter-consumerists. Now, vintage is relatively de rigeur. Everybody craves the throw-back ish; vinyl, boomboxes, Wayfarers; even new things are sold by calling them "retro" or "vintage".

Rainy Days - by spandexpony on Polyvore.com

Doing my future-looking-to duty for the universe via Polyvore. Not a vintage item in sight. Except for the 1960's Dior Shades. Rats! I'm incorrigible!

I read in Newsweek yesterday that the economy has fallen to 1998 levels. I began to wonder if our collective, heightened nostalgia may be a factor in our backwards slide-- like, "The Secret"-style self-fulfilling prophecy. I feel as though far fewer people anticipate the "wonders of the future"; instead we wait around until Apple announces the next generation of iPhone.

There's no clear trajectory of the future for people to hang their hopes and imaginations on, so we find comfort down memory lane. Are we at the top and have nowhere to go but back down? Or are we on a plateau-- unwittingly gearing up to climb a face so sheer we can't even begin to imagine the peak?

Ponder, if you dare, then revel in the reverse with my favorite video today, "Typical", by MuteMath.



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Om nom nom, pretty, om nom...

Matthew Williamson. Why have I not heard of you? Thank you for refusing to go all post-apocalyptic, black and grey on us, because I have certainly seen enough of that this week! Let's just... soak in the spangly fantasticness, yes?

My Spirograph just called to say she loves you.

Like Pendleton blanket coat, Bonnie Cashin-ified. What an orange.

Oh man, I hate Zebra Stripes. Well, the Mermaid brought them to the party. Oh well, I guess they're probably cool then.

The pattern reminds me of the time I broke a friend's parents' glass TV cabinet, and it shattered in a bazillion pieces. After the uh... initial freak-out, we decided to paint the pieces of glass and glue them to her windowsill. All kinds of hell were paid that day, but her parents did rather admire the end result.

This dress reminds me of one we did for our final project last quarter. It also makes me excited to shun minimalism this fall. For reals. It's going down.

Don't care for the boots, but velvet plus fur looks ridiculously, sumptuously cozy.

Oh my freaking wow. I wonder if it would be possible to make a ruff like this out of the blue-colored strands for sale at the hair store? Without looking like a whole lot of weave just fell out of your head?

Did I mention my thing for colored fur? This outfit screams Tricia of Bits and Bobbins fame to me.