Today was a gorgeous late summer day, with a deliciously cool hint of fall. I wanted to wear a bike-friendly steampunk ensemble today, so that's what I've assembled here. In other news, I've finally received my master's degree in clinical social work. After I finish uploading these pics you know I'm going to celebrate!
my vintage cap, which is wrapped with a leather belt and pinned with a kilt pin, was thrifted.
the round glasses were thrifted also.
my cowrie shell choker was bought years and years ago at the african festival.
my jacket and bag were thrifted and my brooch was thrifted and modified by yours truly.
my amulet ring was purchased at the israel museum in jerusalem, and my udjat ring was purchased at the field museum here in chicago.
my skirt has a great story: i owned this back in 2006, but sold it maybe a year or so later, only to regret selling it later on (hate when that happens!) Back in June I saw it in Buffalo Exchange and simply had to buy it back again.
you can barely see it but i have a coin chain going across the bustle; that was thrifted.
my knee-high half-socks are from H & M. I caught them on deep discount and bought every pair they had; that's my style!
my vintage tasseled wingtips were purchased at maxwell street market last year, I think.
aug29
Saturday, August 29, 2009
achievement
I've done it. I've finally received my MA in Clinical Social Work. It was hard work but I rose to the challenge. No matter what happens in my life, nothing can take this experience away from me. I'm grateful to see this day, and I'm looking forward to my career in the helping profession.
aug25
Where did all of my money go?
usual black shades from knee deep.
vintage Chinese jacket and mary jane slippers from the thrift.
white tee from H & M.
black leggings from Gap.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
restored mural at 56th
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
aug14
giant parasol hat from buffalo exchange, pierced with my hatpin from a random store.
vintage sunglasses by thrift.
aluminum machete earrings purchased at the ghana fest a few weeks ago.
vintage poppy print dress and striped bag by thrift.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Eyes of Eagles
This is a Mardi Gras Indian costume. the Mardi Gras Indians (not necessarily native American) are known for blending native American, African and European influences in their fabulous costumes for Mardi Gras. This is the kind of stuff I love about being a multiracial American :o)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
atari video music
atari video music
Originally uploaded by bijouxdejais
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Oldies with Soul
I'm an oldies person, and have pretty much always been one. Funk, soul, stank, blues, whatever you want to call it...I love the blues cadence, it just gets in my bones when I hear it. So much of the music from the 40s and 50s has that kind of soul in spades. I can see why blues and early rock and roll threatened some people in those days..not everyone can take it!
aug5
Bleh. It's hot. (But I liked my outfit!)
standard shades from knee deep.
silver curlicue earrings from valarie's collection.
ruffled pinstripe blouse and corset skirt by retroscope, but purchased from different sources. i have a white rose clipped there.
various jewelry, some gifted, some thrifted.
thrifted striped bag, lacy leggings and canvas x-strap slippers.
aug4
Light steam for a sunny summer day, the warmest so far.
I always browse the shops on State Street when I'm downtown. Today I picked up the cutest ruffled hoodie dress.... I almost never pay retail price but I knew this was my only chance to buy it. And I do not regret it! (At least not yet :oP)
my vintage straw hat was thrifted a while ago, it's a bit scrunched but i like it like that.
my striped headscarf is an neighbor giveaway from years ago.
my vintage sunglasses were thrifted, but i swapped between these and some foldup wayfarers throughout the day (i keep two pair in my purse because i can never find them when i need them!)
my wood and brass ring earrings are from last year's african festival.
my cuff watch was a gift, and my silver studded cuff and golden wooden bangle were both thrifted.
my lacy cutsew, striped bag, cotton skirt and mephisto walking sandals are all thrifted.
the vest was a neighbor giveaway, and i replaced the buttons with a random assortment of vintage buttons (sadly the bottom one popped off :oP)
my vintage porcelain cameo was purchased at the flea market this past weekend.
The World of Tomorrow
Here's another good one...so many of these little gags are still essentially true!
jul29
Today's outfit felt pretty and elegant to me, so I wanted to be sure to capture it. It was a fantastic day today weather-wise, not too hot and not too cool.
In other news, I've been reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows like a madwoman the last few days; I have to return it to the library. Damn, it's so sad! I haven't finished it so please don't spoil the ending for me.
my green pashmina, which is worn here as a headwrap, came from a bijoux terner in atlantic city about 3 years ago.
the large white rose pinned to it was thrifted. i'm eventually going to be using it in a project but until then...
my vintage glass bead necklace was thrifted at some point....
my ruffled blouse, eyelet dress, striped bag and shoes are all secondhand as well.
Do Yourself a Favor, Don't Come Out at Night
An old fave from back in the day; makes me want to badly attempt doing the robot ;o)
jul22
my flower corsage headband is from forever 21, but i added more flowers with clips from H & M.
my ebony wood earrings were purchased last year at a shop in kensington market in toronto.
my red zip blouse was thrifted years ago, i still love it :o) i've pinned a bow to the collar center.
my vintage swatch was thrifted.
my black and white pinstripe skirt with flower embroidery was thrifted this week!
my wraparound socks also came from forever 21; i'm so glad i bought two pairs of these.
my red leather flats by clarks (wow, unbelievably comfortable) were also thrifted this week.
jul20
Last time I wore this hat I forgot the hatpin. This time I remembered and the view was much better. I'm looking at this mural, which has now been beautifully restored.
the straw parasol hat was a trade from buffalo exchange.
my favorite superdark sunglasses came from knee deep.
i made the moonstone pendant from a bead i bought near maxwell street market
the slashed tee was thrifted and modified by me.
the waist cincher was purchased online.
the kente print bag was thrifted last year.
my vintage casio was thrifted a while ago...
the silver thumb ring i found recently in my robe pocket!
the gray raver-type skirt was given to me by my friend jill, and here i've folded up the bottom and anchored it over my knees with the elastic. (sounds complicated but really it isn't)
underskirt was thrifted...
and my very comfy merrell slides were thrifted this spring.
Tintin
But among the many books I read then and have read since, Hergé's Tintin series rests comfortably among my favorites. Yes, I know he wrote that racist episode "Tintin au Congo", but it never got in the way of my enjoyment of his books. Tintin was like Indiana Jones, but more innocent and prepubescent. His adventures made me determined to see the world and have some adventures of my own. But I always wondered who financed him. Maybe some sugar daddy somewhere in Thailand...
If I recall correctly, the animated version of Tintin aired in the US on HBO, or some other premium cable channel...
jul15
I have no explanation for the goofy face. It is what it is. :oD
Anyway...I really like wearing black and white, it feels so clean. Something about a restricted color palette is (counterintuitively) rather liberating. I feel comfortable in black; maybe it's because I grew up in the 90s?
the vintage straw dobbs hat was thrifted last weekend.
my superdark sunglasses came from knee deep in pilsen.
my silver hoop earrings came from (now defunct) steve and barry's...i only ever shopped there that one time i bought them.
my white and silver blouse was thrifted.
the black tiered skirt was from crossroads trading.
my old trusty ironman watch was thrifted a good while ago.
my vintage embroidered slipdress was thrifted.
the melissa plastic dreams flats also came from crossroads a month or so ago.
Jero
I've been an enka fan for years; it reminds me of smooth jazz, or adult R & B, but the delivery has distinctly Japanese cadences. The lyrics can be highly dramatic, and who can't relate to drama?
Jero, keep doing what you're doing. I might be getting up there on stage with you someday!
jul13
It was a picture perfect summer day, no complaints here!
the straw beret was an awesome find while thrifting with my grandmother this weekend .
same old round silver sunglasses. i saw them in forever 21 today and thought about getting a second pair :oP
pocketwatch necklace purchased online.
the lacoste polo blouse was thrifted.
the silver bangles are from here and there...
my vintage mood ring came from maxwell street.
the kente cloth print bag was thrifted last summer. i pinned a black rose on it.
the bib front skirt was also thrifted this past weekend, and underneath it is a petticoat which i thrifted a few months ago.
the vintage huarache wedges were thrifted a few years ago.
jul8
Today I felt like wearing aristo, but didn't want to be too fussy. Lately I've been reading the 6th Harry Potter book, something I'd put off for years but have finally gotten around to, so I'm thinking I was inspired by that.
the black headdress was purchased secondhand from egl_comm_sales.
the vintage freshwater pearl chandelier hoop earrings were thrifted.
the black ruffly bolero is from forever 21, it's one of my favorite new items.
the jersey bustier with neck ties was thrifted last week.
i can't remember where the leather cuff is from...
the leather bag and the miniskirt (which i only ever wear as an overskirt) were both thrifted.
the pleat ruffled skirt was also thrifted, and so was the white petticoat underneath it.
my vintage studded flat boots came from a church rummage sale
Happy 4th
^Oh noes at 0:28! :oP
^What a tearjerker!
Both of these are so jingoistic, but of course I didn't know that as a child. These are the stories we tell ourselves...this is our mythology.
^This song sums up my feelings about Independence Day. Remember how many sacrifices have been made to create the country we know today; it's our duty to ensure, preserve and extend liberty to ALL.
jul1
It was unseasonably cool on Wednesday, hence the jacket and boots. I kind of like it between 55 and 75 degrees; you can wear whatever you want in that kind of weather.
silk batik scarf purchased years ago from the now-defunct ragstock downtown.
flower clips from H & M clipped to the bow in back.
an assortment of earrings, some made by me, others thrifted.
utility jacket from a junky junky thrift store.
green victorian-style blouse thrifted from my favorite spot.
extra extra large shirred/ruffled skirt, thrifted and modified to fit me. more fabric means more skirt!
white victorian style boots from a rummage sale this spring.
i'm also wearing an eel-skin bag which is hidden on my other side; that was thrifted as well.
jun27
A steampunk look for the weekend. Relatively overwrought, but that's the idea :oD
i made the flower headdress myself.
the ubiquitous round sunglasses were thrifted, got several comments on these today.
the copper chain earrings i made myself.
the brass collars were all thrifted, and the massive charm between them came from the peabody museum at harvard.
the tee was thrifted.
the sandalwood brisee fan came from maxwell street flea market.
brass bangles, thrifted.
vintage dooney & burke AWL bag was thrifted, it's nice and beat up.
the corset belt was thrifted.
the antique wristwatch was a gift from rob, nice!
the overskirt was thrifted in concord a few weekends ago, i draped it victorian style into an apron and bustle with some safety pins.
the ikat skirt was thrifted a few years ago.
the brocade slippers were thrifted.
jun26
At the 57th Street Beach. The water's off limits due to bacteria levels. Damn pollution.
this is my green parasol, twin sister of the red parasol...this came from maxwell street as well.
my blue bandeau is from the art institute and it has the names of various artists all over it. i thrifted it. (it's tied in a nice big bow at the top.)
blue liz claiborne sunglasses were thrifted last year. there was a red pair also but i didn't get it; i didn't want to be greedy :o)
blue camisole from a giveaway box.
vintage wrap skirt thrifted this spring...the print appears to be a tropical island village.
black cotton petticoat thrifted a while ago, which i wear often but is rarely seen.
Thoughts of a Black Steampunk; or, Why Am I Awake?
The Intersection of Race and Steampunk: Colonialism’s After-Effects & Other Stories, from a Steampunk of Colour’s Perspective [Essay]
and of course I snapped it up like an antique pocketwatch...race? plus steampunk? i'm there all day.I wanted to share the comment I left on this article, since it was so long and articulate it'd be a shame to let it linger at the bottom of someone else's blog...
"I am a woman of color and I consider myself part of the steampunk movement, though my interest in it lies more in its broader possibilities for social change than its visual aesthetic (though I like aspects of that as well). The idea of taking influence from the past, gleaning the best practices and incorporating them into the present is highly relevant today. We know our current culture (Western capitalist culture) is unsustainable, and we need to come up with sound alternatives rather urgently. The steady growth in popularity of steampunk, in my view, signals a broad shift in focus from a myopic view of history to a much wider one, taking influence from varying cultures and points of history. This is what we need to be doing, frankly. We need to evolve, and steampunk offers a prospective avenue for doing so. Plenty of people are doing this in their own way; that’s the punk aspect of it.
Maybe the Victorian era is so compelling as a source of inspiration because it was the beginning of the way of life we know today: an almost worshipful adoration of the latest technology, a sense of unlimited expansion and growth, increasing globalization, raging capitalism, and so forth. It makes sense now to look back at this era and at this culture in particular because it was the epicenter of late 19th and early 20th century modernity. The sun never set on Victoria’s empire, right?
Today we have the luxuries of even better technology, better communication, better living standards, and much more. But we’ve also largely traded away the values of artisanship, sense of decorum and emphasis on natural beauty so associated with that time. Capturing those things via steampunk is not so much about nostalgia, but about taking best cultural values and practices and leaving the rest in the past.
I’m involved in steampunk because I wish to shape it. I want it to be inclusive so I’m including myself, and anyone else who wants in. I want to be part of the process of creating something new out of something old and forgotten, which in my view is what steampunk is about, at its core.
As you see I can go on and on about this all night but I wanted to share some of my thoughts about this topic, since it’s rather close to me."
Polyvore sets
Lolita in Translation
I'm a little sad that I've been given only a few seconds to talk, and that there is no mention whatsoever of aristocrat style, which is what I'm wearing there. But then again, the fewer words, the better, when it comes to the Internet...and especially since I'm relatively new on the lolita/aristo fashion scene. The other young ladies in the documentary, to my great delight, all sound like intelligent and interesting people. I hope this documentary will serve to break some stereotypes about lolita and provide some useful information to those interested.
Sistergoth?
Labels are a funny thing. They can tell you where a thing belongs, what's in it, where it came from and what its purpose is. But when it comes to applying labels to individuals, all those properties become murkier. I identify with and "get" a lot of what is considered goth, and wouldn't mind slapping that label onto my forehead if it only applied to what I like about it. But there are some aspects of goth culture I reject, dislike, find backwards or puzzling, and I don't want to be associated with it or be expected to represent it. Of course, in the end I will do what I always do, which is pick and choose the things I want to incorporate into myself. But knowing which side of the goth label I'm on can help me identify other people who might be similar to me. And everyone wants to have someone to relate to.
On another note, there is the issue of ethnicity. Obviously, I'm not white. Of course I'm cool hanging with my pale(r)-faced sistren and brethren; I'm just curious to find more information about goths of color. I'm certain they exist. But googling "black goths" is pure lulz...it makes no sense whatsoever to even search for that. Just thinking about it makes me laugh...
jun17
I really liked today's outfit. I wore a bundle of leaves in my hair today; someone asked if I was some sort of Christmas tree. Uh, yeah. Move along....ignorance wastes my time!
anyway...
the leaf bundles I made myself.
the pearl earrings were a graduation gift from my grandmother.
the jacket is from a dusty-ass thrift store on the south side. it's too snug, just like all of my jackets :oP
the black glasses are my faves from knee deep.
the dress is vintage, and appears to be homemade.
the silver slippers are vintage aigner, but modded by me with abalone cabochons.
jun10
I wanted a ladylike look today, and to take advantage of the weather to wear my new boots. they're ankle boots and they are amazingly comfortable. Earlier I was wearing an ascot around my neck, but it got warm and I lost it.
the vintage black straw hat has a white flower at the back, i thrifted it.
the earrings are wings; i thrifted these in new hampshire two weekends ago
i'm wearing an earchain; i made it. you can see it better here
my blouse, such as it is, was thrifted.
my gray vintage gloves were also thrifted.
I thrifted the ruched/ruffled skirt years ago, I've worn it a lot in wardrobe photos.
and finally my nice suede ankle boots.
Johnny Cash: The First Modern Goth?
jun6
Since today is International Lolita Day, I thought I'd join the numbers of people worldwide marking the day with puffy skirts and such.
the black flowers for the headdress came from H & M.
the mismatched screwback pearls were thrifted and married by me.
the vintage bead necklace was also thrifted.
the polka-dot blouse was bought on sale at H & M.
the bow sleeve cardigan was thrifted but it's Tara Jarmon for Target.
the Astroboy bag was from a local gift store, purchased several years ago.
the black tiered skirt was a trade from Crossroads Trading. Underneath it I'm wearing two petticoats.
the lacy leggings were bought on sale at urban outfitters.
the lacoste mary janes were thrifted.
Memento Mori
| This afternoon while Hans climbed up and down the jungle gym at the park, I noticed a dried-up bird wing near the sandbox. Honestly, my first reaction was great interest; I live in an urban setting so my interactions with animals are few, living or dead. The forensic ornithologist in me wanted to examine the feathers, the bone structure, perhaps try to piece together how it became separated from its unfortunate former owner. Then I reacted with disgust. It's decaying, it's probably germ-ridden, it's depressing, what if he tries to eat it, I thought. I kicked some sand over it, trying to bury it without actually touching it. That failed; I'd be kicking all day before it was covered. So I gave up trying to bury it. Then I thought again. There must be a reason why I can't rid this thing from my sight, I thought. There is a message here, what is it? Memento mori, it came to me. Memento mori is a Latin phrase which means "remember that you will die." I heard this phrase for the first time many years ago, and its plain, flat matter-of-factness really struck me. The fact that I couldn't hide this dead thing, I couldn't pretend that I didn't know it was there, reminded me of this phrase. In light of the challenges I've been facing in the last couple of months, including the death of a family member, I've been thinking a lot about the simple fact of death, and the process of facing it and accepting it. So then the feeling that I always get when I want to capture something with my camera came over me. I wanted to get a shot of this wing, to remind me of this moment. I went to my bag for my camera when I realized Hans is climbing up and down on the jungle gym. Immediately my attention shifts to him. Parents understand that there's a couple of milliseconds of worry between first wondering and finally confirming the safety of one's child; not a good feeling. But even in that, I saw more insight. Memento mori reminded me that life is in front of me now, and needs my attention now. Rather than focus on the fact that someday I and you and all else living will end up broken and decaying like the bird wing, I can focus on watching my son laughing and playing at the playground. All of this happened in the span of about thirty seconds, by the way. I just wanted to get this written down since I couldn't get a picture of the wing :o) |
may21
chinese style parasol purchased at maxwell street market last sunday.
black beret from valarie's collection.
round sunglasses from my favorite thrift.
vintage dress, also from my favorite thrift.
longsleeve tee, not sure of its origin (i have several).
vintage belt from the thrift.
vintage watch from a new junk shop in my neighborhood (and i do mean junk; this place will test your patience and allergen tolerance)
vintage mood ring from maxwell street.
vintage planetary print underskirt from a massive thrift in cicero.
purple leggings from H & M, worn in my typical style
lacoste mary janes from the thrift.
may21
chinese style parasol purchased at maxwell street market last sunday.
black beret from valarie's collection.
round sunglasses from my favorite thrift.
vintage dress, also from my favorite thrift.
longsleeve tee, not sure of its origin (i have several).
vintage belt from the thrift.
vintage watch from a new junk shop in my neighborhood (and i do mean junk; this place will test your patience and allergen tolerance)
vintage mood ring from maxwell street.
vintage planetary print underskirt from a massive thrift in cicero.
purple leggings from H & M, worn in my typical style
lacoste mary janes from the thrift.
may19
Thank (Hugh) for the snap. (He saw me setting up my camera and kindly offered to take the photo for me.) I was so inspired by the myriad of things I saw today at the Art Institute: celadon ceramics; stained glass; egyptian masks, Japanese paintings, children's book illustrations; impressionist paintings, breathtaking tapestries, armor, masterful woodcarving...I could go on. But I won't :o)
vintage straw hat, thrifted
round sunglasses, thrifted
vintage pearl screwbacks, thrifted
vintage pearl necklace, maxwell street
vintage brooch modified by me, mawell street
black zip blouse ( i rolled up the cuffs, it was warm), thrifted
silver leather tote bag, thrifted
vintage blue gloves, thrifted
vintage timex, thrifted at this new junk shop in my 'hood
pinstripe ruffled skirt, thrifted
leggings, thrifted
knee-high half socks, H & M (i bought two pairs of these; i love the half-foot style)
vintage ferragamo pumps, thrifted
may14
Last night while redoing my red dreadlocks I got inspired, and just wrapped the loose hair around my head to make a red beehive. I just pinned it and it's stayed so far. I love the way it looks! I think false hair is more fun when you don't pretend that it's your own. My initial idea (which I may still do tonight) was to make a gray streak in the front on one side. We'll see...
chiffon scarf, thrifted
vintage clubmasters, thrifted
sterling silver curl earrings, valarie's collection
white dress shirt, empty bottle swap
My Black Hoodie (which I almost lost today, thank goodness I found it!), thrifted years and years ago
vintage watch, thrifted
bias cut skirt, thrifted and modified by me
ankle wrap footy socks, forever 21
ferragamo wedges, thrifted
Toot, Whistle, Plunk, Boom
| My siblings and I grew up in front of cartoons, and not just any cartoons. Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck and Goofy cartoons were the mainstay of our TV diet. I watch almost no television as such these days, but thank G-d for YouTube is all I have to say. |
may6
In Grant Park. Okay people, the weather is warm now. It's time to inhabit the public space. Get out there, get some fresh air and exercise, make a friend and enjoy life.
vintage straw hat, thrifted and trimmed with a feather spray i made
purple/gold paisley scarf, gift from sweetkugel
junk jewelry necklace, i made it
cashmere cardigan, found hanging on a fence last week
tunic dress, thrifted
puff sleeve t-shirt, H & M
pearl/chain ribbon belt, thrifted
vintage gold watch, neighbor giveaway
vintage beige gloves,thrifted
ruffled skirt, thrifted
starry night umbrella, gift from a boyfriend at harvard
olive green stockings, thrifted
ankle strap platforms, thrifted (i tried selling them but no one bought them, so i reclaimed them for myself)
Kanzashi
| I'm an accessory person. It's so much easier to try something new by adding an accessory than by toying with the delicate balance of one's wardrobe. Since it's springtime I've been developing a bit of an obsession with flowers--in my hair, on my lapel, in my hat...wherever I can put them! Sadly, real flowers die much too quickly, but kanzashi last forever. Kanzashi is a type of traditional Japanese craft which involves folding fabrics into "petals" with which to construct artificial flower arrangements. Etsy seller SecretLolita has some beautiful and elaborate kanzashi arrangements, so perfect for an outdoor gathering or special occasion. Hanami Gallery has a slightly different chrysanthemum style of kanzashi, but just as gorgeous. |
may2
A mini meetup gave me an opportunity to dress in the gothic aristocrat style. I pretty much assembled this all from secondhand items. I have to say, this is one of my favorite outfits I have ever worn; I loved the way I felt in it.
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