Swede Nothings

I have an awesome job right now.

Here's my boss, Amanda Ericsson, dressed up as a panda:

The guy is her boyf (sorry fellas)/bandmate--they're called "Panda Project."

Needless to say, I think she's amazing.

I work remotely (she's in Sweden) so we email. She wrote this to me when I had some questions about the kind of design that Dreamandawake, the company, does. We remake old dresses, and here Amanda breaks down how and why and her really interesting perspective on design:

In general old dresses are a bit too heavy for today’s user and they are covering too much of the body. [So we generally "reduce" them].

What I don’t like with some redesign is that many times it is overdone and too much combinations have been done! The dresses are very beautiful as it is but just need a push in the right direction to be more comfortable for today. I really see no reason to cut and combine too much just for the sake of “redesign” cause this is also a waste of time in a way and a waste in a beauty that is already there….

Maybe it is a bit “Scandinavian design” over this way of thinking….

French seem to like lots of lace and lots of add-on-layers while Swedes like it to be clean and let the shapes and details speak for themselves….

(Here's where it gets really good--LD.)

What I like with the dresses is the feminity inside the fabrics and how they touch the skin and follow movements. It is about comfort.

Also the fact that you may wear nothing underneath (except maybe knickers) make them “sexy“ in their own secret/transparent way (also with heels they become more “fashion” directly).

I also like the way they, combined with sneakers or boots, will make the wearer look dresses but at the same time not over-dressed….

Well that’s just some of my thoughts!

Neat, huh--my first primary-source interview with a designer, here on the blog! Such an interesting perspective on fashion. I think she's right, it is really Scandinavian... as a nerdy designer and an overthinker I tend to also overdo and things can easily get fussy. I appreciate the argument for the value of simplicity and a kind of "honesty" from these existing garments... and I appreciate the opportunity to practice this philosophy! This job is great.

Plus I work from home so I can do it in my underwear.

Dreamandawake's website

Dreamandawake's Tumblr

My "what I'm doing/thinking at Dreamandawake" Tumblr, drm&awk

It's times like this I wish this fucker was a tumblr.

Via Facebook, from some of my dear friends' recent trip to Wisconsin or something.

I secretly don't like the name of this blog. Thinking I'll change it to its (new[ish]) top-level domain: LAURENDDDDD BLOGS. You know. Because of "brand."

EDIT: DONE AND DONE. Consider this post a requiem for "Bomb Squad."

I'm working on a post, btw. Still. Again.

Too long for Twitter, basically.

Abs, Christ imagery.

My favorite activity from last week: watching Smallville on DVD with Jackie and yelling "DUDE HE JUST SUPERMANNED THAT HO" anytime Clark Kent did anything. Anything at all.

Anyway, I'm probably going to write about the upcoming Lady Gaga + Kanye tour soon, so look out for that.

This is Why I'm Smart

"Oh, what am I doing? Oh, you know... just, wearing glasses, thinking about numbers.... smart girl stuff."

I often feel like the consummate math nerd in my studio (I must note, being the consummate math nerd among a group of really right-brained women doesn't take much.) I'm pretty obsessive with my patterning while most of the other girls tend to "drape," or as I like to call it, "oh my god how do you know you're not going to mess up?!?!"

But boy did I feel like a technical genius when I caught myself noting this brilliant equation on one of my patterns today:

18 = 39

Yeah, I have the exquisite technical stylings of, say, an Issey Miyake.

On My Poker Face, and How He Can't Read It

Don't be fooled by my skinny jeans and design school enrollment. I'm not a music snob.

I used to be. In high school I was all "I'm so upset about Elliot Smith's death that all I can do is listen to whatever Pitchfork tells me to! Wah!" But these days, I'm pretty much the antithesis of a music snob. I'm anti-snob. Here's a flowchart that pretty much lays out my taste:

So... that gives you an idea about the taste level and commitment involved here.

The problem: I can't tell whether music is good. I guess I never really could, and I used to just let the Holy Spirit of Indie Rock guide me. But these days, the closest thing I have to a guiding spirit is 106 and Park. (Exception--my DJ friends who throw mixtapes my direction. See below.)

But when I hear music that might have some shot at legitimacy (see: a song that DOESN'T refer to a specific brand of alcohol), I can't tell in the slightest whether it's actually a good thing. In most cases I find the "cool, heard it on All Songs Considered" stuff boring--once one grows accustomed to music that's genetically engineered to be catchy and lovable, it's hard to go back. But occasionally something strikes my fancy, and I get all excited about telling someone about it, because they're tired of hearing me talk about how much I love "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" and maybe they will think I'm cool for liking something with guitars. But the way it plays out, it's like I'm a housecat. All, "LOOK I BROUGHT YOU THIS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WILL LOVE IT" and whatever music-literate friend is all, "Man, why is there a dead chipmunk on my porch."

So, that's that. I'm all about owning my shit these days, so here's me saying I AM NOT COOL WITH REGARDS TO MUSIC. And I'm fine with it. Just nobody tell my high school friends or they'll stone me to death with wadded-up concert tees (the Fleet Foxes ones hurt extra bad).

This blog post dedicated to Positronic! and The Dreamforce, DJ friends who do their best to give me points of reference for what is cool.

One thing I know is so, so cool? "Special Agent Man" by Gaznevada. FEAST YOUR EARS ON THE ITALO DISCO. I'm going to go listen to that Keri Hilson song we've got on heavy rotation around here.

Also, I totally saw a ghost one time.

I'm really not holding up my end of the "nerd girl" bargain these days. Sure, I have the eyeglasses. Sure, I'm still really obsessive about meaningless stuff. But I'm not smartin' around too much these days.

I've been talking creative work with people a little more than usual recently, and it's making me think about how little I'm thinking. My knitwear project this quarter, Space Bunnies (perhaps you've heard of it?), is driven by the lofty concept of two words that sound funny together, for the most part. There's more behind it, but I can't give you a great reason for why I chose any of it: Electronic music. Sexiness. Retrofuturism (I give up! You win, retrofuturism, you are too awesome).

A Space Bunny?

I think my work as a trend forecaster has led in part to this. "Seeing the future" can kind of be done in three ways. At one end you have "logick out the present..." and you get a really good look at the present, for the most part. At the other end is "be a genius and logick out the present," and you have the most likely prediction of the future. (You have to be a fucking genius to do this. It's why my old boss was able to afford a personal chef.) And in the middle you have the territory of fairy dust and going with your gut. Some call it "guessing"--the benefit of this tactic is that you have the chance of being right. Most trend forecasters will tell you that going with your gut is totally key, and between the consistent advice from People Who Know What They're Talking About and the instances where it's magically worked for me--I believe in it. So I do it all the time now when I do fashion work. Why sex and space and rabbits? Because I trust myself and the universe, (Because, omg, I am totally psychic), and because seeing the future matters in fashion.

I think being an amazing fashion designer is this ineffable thing because sure, you need the chops to execute brilliance, but I think the things that make great fashion so great are hard to define. As I often insist, I sometimes hate fashion. I am a jaded-ass motherfucker. And yet when I see great work I just melt inside. Magic factor 1: Perfect, brilliant, inspired aesthetics. The perfect composition of a fantastic piece seems like a "you-have-it-or-you-don't" to me. If I've ever managed to achieve it, I've just happened upon it. Don't think this has happened often (ever?).

But there's this other thing that makes lovers of fashion so constantly rabid, which is fashion's relationship to time. Creating fashion that's "of the moment" is that other magic factor. As much as I understand that the overconsumption that's wrapped in with fashion sucks, I can't claim to not understand why we do this so hard and fast and over and over. Hitting the front edge of the evolution of style is fucking gold. This ever-striving towards the threshold of the present is what makes fashion exciting! It's why futurism is bullshit--it's overshooting. And reaching that threshold? That's what's ineffable. I honestly believe that it takes being "psychic". You can get close through observation... we're always told to watch HOW people are styling what already exists to see where the styles naturally want to go. And you can "do your research"--every major cultural event is supposed to blow up on the fashion map, but in my experience, it's a red herring. They said it about that Marie Antoinette film, all we got out of it was some piddly floral fluffiness from Louis Vuitton (I liked it, but it was no revolution). They're ALWAYS saying it about war, or conflict in the middle east, or the economy... and so designers design to it, but it feels dated and costumey... a nod to the recent past. It's the fashion world acknowledging sadly its own lag. But the Great Ones... they are unfettered by lag. They simply design from their wonderful, psychic hearts to create the looks that we've been longing for. The fashion at the tips of our tongues.

So... that's my defense of not thinking about it. I love the shit out of myself, but I'm still not stupid enough to claim that I have The Vision that these designers have. Nonetheless, my antennae are still the brains behind my fashion design. As I was complaining at the beginning of this post, I'm not really smart enough to do it any other way. And sometimes, I'd like to think I get lucky. I mean, I am a little bit psychic.

Portrait of the author as a young mantis.

(See, you feel around and then pray you're right.)

I'm Sorry

I'm feeling much better today. So I have no excuse for more dumping. But PLZZZ how could I resist these! LADY ROBOT SPACE DISCO PERFECT. By Louboutin.Thanks, Snobette. Sorry everyone.

Wallow: Not actually a palindrome

I'm wallowing. Someone very dear to me just left the country for six months. I promised myself I wouldn't wallow publicly on twitter or GBOT, but nobody reads this thing anyway, so I'm wallowing here. Besides, I need to do something with myself besides wandering the house in runny mascara and boys boxer shorts. My roommates are around and I feel like they would find that upsetting. So, blog, here I am in runny mascara and boys boxer shorts, Oberon in hand, heart open. Here's some cool shit.

1: AAAAAAAHHH
This would have spoken to me so much more deeply back in my "ick" phase, which is when I discovered it, but I was holding onto it for a special occasion. I'm at least temporarily back in my dark and spooky place (been wearing black like it's going out of style [it NEVER WILL, get it??!?!?]). Isn't she creepy? I like how barely-female she is, as a funny little androgyne myself.

2: Scandi Candi: Menswear Ed.

Found this on ACL (don't look at it or I'll get jealous, I want it to be all mine) and was taken aback by its hot crispy crispness. I'm having a love affair with menswear, the more classic-er and american-er the better. This is Swedish (see: # of umlauts in brand name). Proving those blond, pale bastards are better at EVERYTHING. Incl. being hot. Go home, blonde exchange student I saw at the bar last weekend! TOO PRETTY!

3: Nike Gets Real But Looks Hot Doing ItThis is why Nike is so legit . These boots are created with a completely absurd amount of technology to be super comfortable (instantly! no breaking in necessary!), tough as HELL and mega ergonomic in more complicated terms than I can even fathom in my current state of distress. The problem statement: "Develop a 21st century boot to meet the needs of this century’s first-response teams and high-speed operators – aka elite level athletes in need of elite level performance innovation." And what they cook up? IS TOTALLY HOT. I'd wear these in a second. And feel elite doing it.

4: HELL-O ON WHEELS
Twitter friend dukerayburn put it best the one time on twitter I can't find when he said that Gen Y will never tire of neon until they tire of seeking attention like crazy monsters. Hence, I love these bicycles.

Soon I want to do another "serious post" where I actually talk about a thing instead of just hotness-dumping. Because Mockitecture referred to the last one as "your one good post" at the bar Friday. Sigh... Mockitecture. Every time. It might be about muses. We'll see.

In Which I Get Owned

Click the tweet OR THIS SENTENCE to read the article.

Uuugh, of COURSE it has been done before. Way to have a super obvious idea, Lauren. Way to not know anything about design. Way to go.

Here, look at these hats, everyone. This is what I'm good at. Making you look at a thing. And procrastinating (see: watercolor brush i am currently holding in my teeth, with a half-finished sketch 2 ft away).

I LIKE THE ONES IN THE BACK WITH THE BOW.By Ganryu for Comme Des Garçons. (Typing with accent marks: another competency).

Ugh.

CONCEPT WORK

CONCEPTS I WILL NOT BE USING FOR KNITWEAR THIS QUARTER:

1. Awesome Future Babes (of the past!)

REASON WHY NOT: I already explored retrofuturism in a previous project, in which I hate on it mercilessly. This could be another "Lauren sometimes wears Crocs" debacle (NEVER IN PUBLIC, PEOPLE). And also my last project was about lady robots. I can't just do lady robot projects over and over, as much as I'd kind of like to.

2. American Indians

REASON WHY NOT: Possibly xenophobic. But the draw to work with animal parts again is strong. Here again is demonstrated the fact that I just never let shit go once I fall in love with it.

3. Donkeys

REASON WHY NOT: Saving it for thesis, obviously.

4. Space Pegasus

REASON WHY NOT: Not really anywhere to go with this. Also, it is closely (enough) related to #1 and 3. Also, it might be necessary to save it for thesis too, in case I want to expand to "awesome things that are not horses but are almost horses." Oh, plus I already twittered about it so it's WAY tired.



Possible ideas still in the running:

1. Space Disco

REASON WHY I STILL PROBABLY WON'T DO IT: I love you, space disco music. But music doesn't look like something. Except maybe retrofuturism. See above.

2. Blood, Guts, Violence, Etc. (aka, "Ick")

REASON WHY I STILL PROBABLY WON'T DO IT: This was my hobbyhorse for most of the past three months. But I'm feeling much better now. Getting more sunlight.


It's like inventing the lightbulb, right? I'm figuring out what I'm NOT doing in search of what I WILL do.

It's here.

Knitwear quarter is upon us over at the DAAP College of Pretty Pretty Dresses. About to spend the next three months locked in a dark room with a bunch of beautiful women (and Bobby) operating noisy machinery. WHO WANTS A SWEATER?

img: "Phat Knits" by Bauke Knotterus. They're furniture made of giant knits.

Best Kind of Boyfriend, Obvs.

Nerd Boyfriend is simple and perfect. I can't place my finger on why it's so perfect.
But it might have to do with its incorporation of my chief loves (men, classic style, men).

It's put together by a woman with a real-life nerd boyfriend, Adam Lisagor AKA Lonely Sandwich (follow the dude on twitter, f'realsies. he is the REASON twitter exists [besides diddy]). Good on ya, lady. Sorry I don't know your name.

EDIT: as Mr. Sandwich has so graciously informed me, her name is Roxana. Also: she is so pretty!

Ha-ha.

I'm all about the yuks.

I love things that are funny. Most people do and everything, but I'd like to think I have a leeeetle bit of comedy fan bona fides... I mean, I own comedy records. And one time Chris Hardwick pulled my hairband off my head. (Oh, sorry, did that name hit your toe when I dropped it? HE USED TO HOST SHIPMATES, PEOPLE.) And I like trying to be funny. Sometimes in public! Point is, I actually really care about humor.

I also love design. I could fight with myself or anyone else all day long about fashion... I really struggle with it and what it is and what it means, and I am never really sure if it's the right "thing" for me. But really, I have a heart for it. I really do love beautiful fashion. Unlike most things in life, fashion design is something I feel I can really take seriously and appreciate with my heart.

But in most cases I get way more excited about totally stupid fashion. Most of my "oh my god I must have it" purchases have been SUPER DUMB. See: Necklace with blinged-out "LOL," tank top with pictures of bodybuilders, racoon tail (as I always insist when I mention it: yes, it's real. You can touch it if you want). Last night I wore a crop top that says "Los Angeles" in brushstroke-y neon letters on it. It draped nicely (it was huge) but it was mostly a joke.
The WHYs: first off, beauty is something to cherish... but fashion gets taken pretty fucking seriously for what it is. Often for the wrong reasons. Fashion is a thing, but there are one bajillion things in the world that are so much more important. Fashion needs a piss-take every now and again.

But here's what I really feel. Lookit this:Oh, I'm sorry, what's that, Alessa tank top from Colette?
Oh, you're COVERED IN REALISTIC DRAWINGS OF FISH?

Homg, people, my heart is sure to burst. This, this is what I live for.

You know what it is? It's like coincidence. On one of my recent GBOTs I expounded on the beauty of coincidence when I made some correct predictions. There are some things one encounters in life that are so unlikely to happen that when they DO happen, it blows out your worldview to a place where you can believe in anything. It's magic. This fancy tank top with pictures of trout on it is one of those things. How is this real?

"How is this real?" is the magic phrase. When I have to ask, "How is this real?," a special place has been reached. A place where things aren't what they're supposed to be. A place outside of normal life, a place we see through the cracks when the monotony of order breaks down. A place not bound by expectations and fear.

And I think legitimately wonderful design can take us to this place, too. But damn, the fish shirt is so much funnier. And I love things that are funny.

I wish I had a way to wrap this in better, but I can't talk about the relationship between humor and design without mentioning Mockitecture. I don't understand what mockitecture is. I don't ever understand what the hell those gentlemen (Matt Shaw and some dude not named Norton) are talking about, thanks to my general dearth of knowledge re: architecture. Oh, plus they are crazy. But the boys use the word "funny" a lot, and every time I see it my heart swells. And while I think the spirit of what they do veers into mockery (go figure) because it's funny, I cannot believe that Mockitecture isn't ruled by wonder. I mean, the Longaberger HQ is SHAPED LIKE A BASKET. HOW IS THIS REAL?

Mockitecture, I have no idea what you're talking about but you fill me with inspiration.

Oh, totally wack, awesome fashion? I'm calling it Smashion, in honor of this blog's totally shitty original name and because it's the first thing I could think of, and because it alllmost gets at the idea of fashion that is beautifully fucked up.

Total Destruction to Your Mind

Swamp Dogg - Total Destruction to Your Mind

I need new shoes. More than that, I want new shoes. And my dream shoes go a little something like this:
From High Snobette :
Snobette is entitled to her own non-violent opinions. But I am totally feeling violent these days, and somebody else out there has got to be feeling it too, because all the awesome shoes these days look like they are totally down with helping you perpetrate some total destruction. They're bondage-inspired and loaded with metal and tall as shit. I love them so much.

My fantasy of wearing shoes like this is a little complicated. It's completely, irrevocably intertwined with this pent-up energy I've been feeling a lot these days. In these shoes, I am taller and scarier and imbued with a little more power. Capable of things. Boundary-pushing things.

The energy is coming out in my language. Doing well is "killing" now. "

"Don't worry, you'll kill."
It's not like I'm walking around ready to punch a wall (or a person). I think violence is just another way of getting at this thing that's obsessing me lately. I'm not sure I can totally put it to words, but these extreme sorts of ideas or situations or behaviors are speaking to me these days. Some days it's blood and guts, some days it's the disturbing, some days it's cannibalism. Just some kind of something to stab that needle of adrenaline into my chest. Something to... break up my form.

I'm still figuring this out. Maybe it'll be knitwear. Hell, maybe it'll be thesis. Maybe it'll just be more blog posts that are painfully un-concise. Lucky you guys.

TIGER TIGER BURNING BRIGHT,

COME TO C & D SATURDAY NIGHT.Your twitter friend and mine MisterDoctor is bringing it to the C&D in Northside on Saturday, March 14th at 11pm. The drinks are cheap and so is the company. Come out and work it out.


"Sounds pretty gay."
- Jack of Nerding Around (she'll be there!)

Dead Meat

Here's my Pecha Kucha from back in February. Sorry if I'm over-plugging it.

Really, blogger? I can't embed video? What-EVER. Just click the picture or the link up there or RIGHT HERE to go see it. It's pretty short, and I say swear words. Hopefully that's enough to convince you to watch.

Too Young To Give Up on Looking Silly

I got this problem.

Maybe you picked up on it when I was carrying on about animal masks, but I'm going through a quarter-life crisis.
The thing is: I am not getting any younger. So dressing young, crazy, or inappropriate isn't getting any easier. I need to carpe diem, as far as outfits are concerned. Especially ridiculous or trendy ones.
NOW: like I'm sayin', I'm getting kind of old (older than Rihanna, people), and so is my fashion sense. So I'm resistant to dress up like all those young guns that are still hanging on to nu-rave and wayfarers. They look like jackasses most times! And the strings they tie around their foreheads? What IS that?!?!

No no, not this. I like this! I oughta put more effort into my hair.

But here's the thing: every day I don't wear a leotard brings me closer to the day when I ABSOLUTELY cannot wear a leotard.
I should loosen the fuck up. I should have some guts. Some energy. I currently regret never being a goth in high school, and I should do something so I don't regret not dressing like a crazy when I had the chance. OF COURSE only when the situation is appropriate. Go-outs, for example. I should be dressing crazy as hell for that stuff. To distract people from my behavior.

Fuck, I'm younger than Lady Gaga. I can do whatever.

PS. Tip: suspenders are something. Get 'em before they're gauche. Trust me. When have I ever steered you wrong?

COMING SOON:

Replace "bicycle race" with "party."

Fête de Six Jours: Bacchanal 2009.

Spring Break.

Details developing.

ps. read that blog for some of the best shit you've ever read.

Monsieur Steve Likes Electro Pop

Damn, Monsieur Steve hotted up his site just in time for me to post about it. I don't listen to electro-pop, normally (just yacht rock and rap, most times), but I love it for going out and dancing. I associate daft punk, MGMT, Justice, etc. with some fond, fond memories.

Therefore I like these shirts. Also--naked ladies, so enjoy that.More shirts and pictures of breasts at monsieursteve.com

CANCELLED

This weekend, sweat is replaced with tears because The Dream Force and Sebastian B. at Clique is cancelled.

Wanna listen to me stress out about it? HERE.

I don't think I've ever mentioned GBOT here before--I got this audio project with friend Kyle and it is pretty fun! We update almost daily so check back daily, and sometimes you will be disappointed, but most times there's a new one up. TWO OF THEM, usually, because there are two of us. Me and kyle.

This is what we look like.
Click HERE to see us do a video together. THIS video.

I am getting a video camera soon so I can make videos like Kyle. Wish I had one today--this is a nice outfit! High heeled shoes and everything!

Blond on Blond

The official hotness has arrived via twitter. Be there. The blond and talented Neal and Seb are bringing the disco ball and spacey music. You provide the moves.


Poster design by the inimitable The Dream Force, who reminds you, "Pants optional, Breathable Underwear Required." Sorry, latex underroos are right out. I'm disappointed, too.