GARETH PUGH (pre-christmas crazed purchase)

SO, I went a little crazy before Christmas and I couldn't help myself at SEVEN's sale. I bought a Gareth Pugh dress. Its a rather simple silouhette, and rather simple concept- skin tight turtle neck sweater dress with an invisible zipper down the back and on the wrists, but it has a much deeper styling message. The complex black and white Aztec print parells back to Gareth's signature print as well as his overall theme of the constant battle between light and dark. And it especially reminds me of Gareth Pugh's SS09 collection, which is, in my opinion, his best collection to date. Styling this dress is quite fun as it takes control of any outfit. Excuse the boring backdrop; I was visiting my mother for Christmas.
I just put my two tone tight ,black Jeffrey Campbell platforms, and Bernard Wilhelm for Linda Farrow sunnies for a simple contrast.

I paired it with an old Urban Outfitters jacket, a blouse that I had to make for a final (in a really interesting pixelating print), my two tone tights ( the dress just looks soooo good with those tights), and my old cowboy boots

I paired it with a vintage darted puffer that my friend gave me, a Grai cardigan, more two tone tights, and Prada platforms

And this outfit consists of some cheesy fabric worn as an oversized scarf/ sash, an animal print skirt that I made, (do I even need to mention the tights?), and Irregular Choice platforms.

Crafty

I guess I really am just that cheap, put I've been making my jewelry lately or having it made for me. I just think that the jewelry has gotten so boring (minus PYT, Disci Mori, and some other lovelies) and I just have no motivation or will to spend large amounts of money on jewelry (I would much rather buy clothes). I know I know " a diamond is forever" but a diamond doesn't add too much to an outfit besides status and predicitibility.
The first necklace that has been on heavy heavy heavy rotation in my closet, is a triangle, plastic tube structure necklace that my boyfriend made,which he calls the Limon Tri's necklace. Its the first of its kind, and its more of a trial necklace than anything( he is now making metal versions, which I am still begging and pleading to get one). It brightens any outfit adding structure, its sort of like a supermodel- it could endure a burlap sack and still look fabulous. I normally just throw it over my H&M coat for an embellishment effect, and it looks wonderful layered into my chaotic messes of outfits. Here I put it with my tire track print Jeremy Scott shirt because it compliments the geometry and chaos. (Also with my Christmas present Fox headband, Banana Republic sweater, Richard Chai for Target Tank, and Mary Meyer drop crotch {deliciousness})


The second necklace is really a set of necklaces set a-turning my OBSESSION with ruffs. They were really just projects for fashion school. My crazy Textiles teacher thought it would be a great idea to make her students learn how to make felt ( a horribly tacky-tastic fabric that is made by taking raw wool and visciously agitating it with water, heat, soap, a plastic tube and some netting- its what people get upset about when they wash their precious wool jackets in the washer) After countless hours "getting at it" with the wool I made spent more countless hours making this ruff. It should be heavily noted that ruff making is not fun, and is a rather pedantic activity requiring concentration and a willingness to sacrifice fingers to needle stabs. The ruff is navy, creme, and black and is quite fun to wear. A ruff wearing beginner, I like to start simple with just my Gareth Pugh dress and Bernard Wilhelm for Linda Farrow sunglasses just to make sure its not costume central. Ruffs are quite lovely on and if high enough up, can frame the face nicely. The other ruff inspired piece is a scarf/breastpiece that was a LCD (light color and design) project. We had to choose a painting/sculpture and make a scarf out it. I chose a piece my Damien Hirst with a lamb suspended in formeldahyde- the clear fabric represents the glass, the leather and grosgrain white and black represent the lamb as well as the rawness and disturbing quality of the piece, and the white linen triangles represent the hard lines of the white container. It has such great volume that I just want it to be a stand out piece. My Jeremy Scott shirt does no wrong.



The final necklace is an antler that I picked up at Evolution of New York ( this is a really amazing nature store, it has a real intense taxidermy collection on the second floor, its just a little pricy). I just tied three nylon bonded thick thread (its thread that is used for leather, I recycled it from the ruff scarf above) around it. When I put it with my fox tail, it has a raw nature effect is quite nice. I paired it with my House of Holland color changing dress, Erik Hart vest, American Apparel stirrup tights, and Jeffrey Campbell Pumps.

Apathy Please.

I'm really into Visbol De Arce's SS09 collection. There's a certain air of non human- which I have been somewhat thinking about as the SS09 season approaches. The non-human sensibility is a really quite interesting thought. Its as if the clothes take away the empathetic qualities of the wearer from the viewer persepective, which is an exciting aesthetic to have. The passion/ theatrics/ drama is over in my book; I'm interested in apathy. The face masks play a large role in this, and hopefully the mask isn't simply a showpiece because it would add interesting depth to all outfits. It channels MMM's sci fi shade's idea but in a more intense and effective way of mystery. The sharp points of the collection (my favorites being the points in the shoulder and in pointed accents here and there, such as on the edge of a sleeve) also compliment the masks as well as the uneasy feeling. My absolute favorite thing is the puffed shoulder leotard. It would look fantastic alone with some tights and serious platforms, or it would look fantastic with hot shorts or some sort of dress that could ease around the shoulders. Its on my spring wish list. You can purchase some of their stuff, but not yet their SS09 collection yet at Styleserver.

Fur Scraps

I'm pretty neutral when it comes to fur. I don't really care either way. I'm not a crazy fanatic against it, but I'm not a crazy fanatic for it. It is a pleasant thing to have around though, because it adds variety in texture and themes to an outfit. I have a few fur coats but I like the idea of wearing the scraps of fur. I recently went on a fox tail hunt, which has about the same difficulty level as trying to hunt a live fox in Manhattan. I somehow weaseled my way in to a work room where I found a big fat box of fur scraps that no one cared to have. Aside from getting verbally harrassed by the manager for wasting her time (when I was going to buy the unwanted fur), I found some beautiful tails. In New Mexico, I bought a dyed rabbit pelt from a tourist junk store, and to top it off my boyfriend sent me a random bit of boars skin. The fur scraps almost dig into a Native American and as my boyfriend would say a "Mad Max" feel.
Boar Skin used as a supersized belt, Jeremy Scott crop top, Rogan for Target Leopard Print Dress, Vivienne Westwood Socks, Irregular Choice platforms, Vintage necklaces from Texas



White Rabbit Pelt hooked onto belt, Jovovich Hawk for Target billowy dress, 3.1 Philip Lim tank, vintage necklace, vintage belt, vintage Stuart Weitzman oxfords


Fox Tail pinned to belt and skirt, JC de Castelbajac smiley shirt, vintage plaid skirt, American Apparel tights, vintage lace up booties

Victory Platforms

My mother said that if Obama won, I could get these Irregular Choice platforms that I've had my eye on for a while. And thank Jesus he did. The sculptural heel gives me just the right dosage of Prada/Miu Miu sculptural cartoonism that I have been nonstop thinking about. Go ahead and give me the looks of gloom, I purchased them at Urban Outfitters. They will work for Winter with a thick sock and leggings to pull in a grunge/trash look for the cold cold days of winter- Kaylee Tankus Silver leggings, Vivienne Westwood socks (turned inside out)

And a blue transparent sock for warmer days to contrast with the orange tones.- Vivienne Westwood socks (not turned inside out)

And while I'm on the subject (a few days later)..

KTZ and Dreamburger are a perfect match.

My Girl Crush

I've liked Crystal Castles for a while now. I went to their concert in Denton, Texas back in February and I saw the duo in New York a few days ago and I have sort of fell in love with Alice Glass and her style. It's not super crazy cool or anything, but its the effortlessness paired with the contrast of her high intensity music that is really appealing. Her performance style of creeping and crawling across the stage and giving the creepiest of stares when the strobe is going is enough inspiration.


So I picked out some things for her:





Surface To Air by Justice leather jacket, Rick Owens drkshdw hoodie at Oak, Orphan black jersey jodhpur at Pixie Marketand Maison Martin Margiela L'INCOGNITO sunglasses

Complex Geometries

Complex Geometries founder Clayton Evans from Montreal knows a few things about not watering down conceptualism for wearability. They use rectangular and non-organic shapes to create clothing that in turn creates new shapes and silhouttes on the human form. What I especially like about this collection is the many different ways that you manipulate each piece into your outfit. I recently purchased a Complex Geometrics dress and it has a certain layerability and yet I can wear it on its on and I don't feel like I am wearing just a simple outfit. (I.e. complex). The current collection is available at Oak for a reasonable price and if you can find something thats not sold out, on the Complex Geometries website.

Complex Geometries Dress, American Apparel tights, Justin Roper boots, Nasty Gal Vintage Sunglasses

I'm sorry if he hits you with a full can of coke

Ulrika Sandstrom AW08 Dear Catastrophe Waitress collection. Styleserver. Save a picnic blanket/ apron style/ hamburger wrapping paper skirt for me please.

Ulrika Sandstrom, a Stolkholm designer, possesses a talent for balancing intelligence and wit in her designs. If I get it, I plan to wear the Swindon ruffle skirt with some platforms and my Jeremy Scott tire tread crop top. Trashy delicious.

Taxidermy tastic.

My friend Will turned me onto Julia Deville and her collection Disce Mori (learn to die). Old news to most. I am always into the disgusting and I have a bit of a crush on Taxidermy, so when I heard that there was a jewelry collection that incorporated already dead animals, I fell in love. Sort of animal friendly? The pieces represent a sort of grotesque obsession with accepting death and the celebration of such. These pieces would go well with lots of black textured layered mess of an outfit or they would go well mixed in with lots of junk trinkets . But good luck finding these pieces as they are only sold in New Zealand, Australia, and France and most of the more conceptual pieces are on exhibition. 

Defeating the About Me Section

My terrible luck, in combination with my lack of persistence the About Me section didn't work out.  So I am going to post it now:

I am a Prattster and I am studying fashion design. I am not really into it because New York fashion is more so based on commercialism as opposed to design(this is the message I am getting from Pratt at least) I am not really into American fashion anyway because I am not at all laid back. I have a bitter case of obsessive compulsive disorder and this comes through in my eye for detail and up tightness when it comes to fashion. I sort of dread getting dressed because I spend such a long time adjusting things such as the number of buttons buttoned. I absolutely hate America's constant need to be like everyone else. Move on. I know everyone will always be in a genre. Even if you are trying hard not to be in a genre you are in a genre. But I think that everyone can have their own style in some way. Dressing in Urban Outfitters and American Apparel, head to toe everyday can get old, no? Sun tanning and bleached hair must get old too?

I used to live in Amarillo, Texas, which is this absurdly isolated small town in the Bible Belt. I can't bash it to hell completely; it gave me my style. I was so used to be being oppressed in my fashion choices (i.e. getting cackled at, and pointed at) and I found a strange group of people that helped me to stop worrying about other people in the face of self expression.

I am not going to dive into the deep end of cliches here, but since then I have had no restraints on my fashion choices. I decided to break up with Amarillo and move to Brooklyn to study fashion. I met Luxor Tavella the other day at her vintage store and she told me that I was wasting my time studying fashion in New York and that I needed to study in Denmark (with her creepily wonderful voice and dauntingly beautiful facial paintings) at least ten times. The 

wasting my time bit" has been haunting me since she said that. So Luxor, I plan to move there eventually.

My style has a dash of progressivism, western wear, darkness, brightness, Elizabethan wear, eighties technology, and a mish mash of prints.   I am constantly trying to find the balance between minimalism and the outlandish; I can never make up my mind.  So I decided to start this blog to explore the constant contrasts of outlandishism (totally not a word) and minimalism. But also to do the other fashion-y blog stuff- talk about designers, etc.

And

 OWCD is a disorder that drug companies made up (unless I am mislead by the internet, which I often am) to make money. I probably have it as does any normal human being. Similarly fashion shouldn't be about bullshitting some collection to make money. Not similarly, it should be about thinking conceptually to develop a piece of art.

Thats all.

Elizabeth.