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.