Tag Archives: Fashion

The Devil Didn’t Wear Prada Unless Diana Vreeland Told Her To….

Before “The Devil Wears Prada”, there was Diana Vreeland at Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue…

She was truly a unforgetable character….

There is a new documentary just out about her called :  Diana Vreeland:  The Eye Has To Travel”.

And, of course, she was the inspiration for Kay Thompson’s character in “Funny Face”

An American original…..

I can only imagine what she would have had to say about “Christian Fashion Week”….

She may be gone now, but she is not forgotten.

And she has a website:  http://www.dianavreeland.com

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Christian Fashion Week

Why do I have visions of sackcloth and ashes with a cotton rope cinch belt tastefully accentuated by blue eye shadow and hobnail sandals?

Sorry, but I just can’t help being catty about this…

That’s nicer than drawing the more obvious parallels to Burkha’s and the Taliban….

But then Christianity is all about Fashion for a certain segment of the population.  It’s a Lifestyle choice and they insist on incessantly waiving it in everyone’s face.  I’m not saying that’s the case with this particular group, but….

I call the group I’m referencing the “Professional Christians” as opposed to what I view as  the true Christians- who I do deeply respect for their attempts to live their lives by Jesus’ true principles and teachings.  Just as I respect true Buddhists, Jews, Muslims and all those others among us who seek to quietly and devoutly live their lives by their personal beliefs while not imposing them on others and helping others get through life a little more graciously and safely along the way.

One of the main things that really pisses me off about these Professional Christians is that they incessantly seek ways to stand out from the mainstream and scream:  “Look at me!!! I’m better and more righteous than you!  I’m special!”

They do this so they don’t have to actually deal with the poor, the hungry and the needy, you know,  like Jesus did….

For this group, every week is Christian Fashion Week….

It’s all about them-the Professional Christian- and their alternative, self-congratulating universe with things like this ridiculous “Christian Fashion Week” being just another example.

And let’s not even talk about the sexism and paternalism this “Fashion” week implies.

And since Professional Christians hate Gays, who designs this stuff?  Without the Gay designers, you know the clothes are really crappy.

But then, most of these Professional Christians just wear their “Christianity” as their Fashion Statement.

I just don’t see Jesus doing something like this…

From Salon.com:

Welcome to Christian Fashion Week.

Backstage, separate changing areas divide the male and female models. And while, sure, there is a swimwear show, only women are allowed in the audience. Gender segregation is an event choice designed to avoid any “awkward” feelings for audience members or models, according to Jose Gomez, co-organizer of the event.

“We are trying to be sensitive to the fact that our audience may be in different places about how they feel about it,” Gomez told the Associated Press.

Adam and Eve might have donned barely a fig leaf, but modesty rules this week in Tampa. The mission behind the event is to showcase designs that “promote and respect stylish moderation instead of sexuality and excess,” according to their website. “A lot of the designers we talked with looked at the challenge as a creative challenge: How do we push the boundaries — with boundaries?” Gomez said.

Christian Fashion Week is yet another example of a Christian cottage industry, from filmmaking to fashion, trying to distance itself from secular culture. It’s also an outgrowth of an evolving conversation on Christian websites about what’s acceptable for believers to wear — particularly for Christian women. Modesty talk is ostensibly directed at males and females alike, but it is most often women who are scrutinized for clothing that reveals “too much” or “provokes” male lust.

via Welcome to Christian Fashion Week – Salon.com.

And I’ll close out these thoughts with a little info from a little book called The Bible.

I think some of these Professional Christians should pay a little more attention to the New Testament and sections like the ones below– and not just the select Old Testament parts on judging and killing others- where they seem to focus most of their emphasis now.

Matthew 6:5-6 ESV 

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-34 ESV 

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. …

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My Grown Up Christmas List

People tell me I am impossible to buy for at Christmas time, so I thought I would make it easier for them this year.

Here is my Grown Up Christmas List.  I don’t mean that smaltzy song about no more wars, no more people torn apart, etc.  I’m not that optimistic, so I’ll set my sights a little lower…

I have more than enough “stuff”, so here is what I really want….

If you can’t get it all now, I’m patient.

My Birthday is in October…

  1. That I win the Powerball lottery.  I’m not greedy, but it would be nice if the Jackpot was more than$50MM.
  2. For there to be a retro revival among today’s youth making Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, Lena Horne, Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman and Steve McQueen Role Models again.
  3. For all religious Colleges and Universities to go out of business so their “students” would have to deal with the real world and a diversity of opinions and backgrounds while getting a real education.
  4. A return to the concepts of personal honor, responsibility and dignity.
  5. Manners.  Good manners…..
  6. The understanding that it is preferable to look and act like Ladies and Gentlemen rather than Goths, Pimps, Bigots, Braggards, Thugs, Slackards, Bikers and ‘Ho’s…
  7. That Occupy Wall Street comes roaring back to life in the Spring and is the major force in the 2012 elections.
  8. The abolition of all MBA programs and a renewed focus on Liberal Arts Educations that teach people to think, not manipulate numbers for personal gain.
  9. A decent nation-wide passenger train service so we can avoid our horrible airlines.
  10. That Virgin Atlantic airways takes over the entire US Airline industry and shows them how to do it right.
  11. The understanding that some countries do some things better than we do and that it’s okay to learn from that…
  12. The return of the Preppie Look that was so popular in my youth. We really did look cute….
  13. Laws mandating technology that Telephones and mobile devices will shut down while a motor vehicle engine is running or the person is in a Theatre or Concert Hall.
  14. For people to finally realize and accept that Marriage is, in actuality, only a legal contract between two people, regardless of their sex, that conveys certain public and private protections and obligations and that has nothing to do with religion.  Therefore, it’s not any one else’s goddamn business but those two people so contracted.
  15. If we can’t legalize Gay Marriage, let’s criminalize Straight Divorce.  I’m not above revenge….
  16. That people realize there is no longer any such thing as a Country Club, fiscally responsible, socially liberal Republican.
  17. That someone can logically explain to me why people who think they are such good Christians and moral arbitrators will vote for a  man who abandoned his first wife in the hospital for his mistress, then had an affair on wife number 2, said mistress,  with the latest Mrs Gingrich, but still claims to support a “no adultery” pledge.
  18. Someone to prove to me that Mitt Romney is real and isn’t just a big robotic Ken Doll- made in China, of course.
  19. For all the Crocs factories to go out of business and all existing crocs to spontaneously combust.
  20. Public funding of all US Elections and the abolition of private and corporate donations to political candidates.
  21. A Constitutional amendment that Corporations are not People and that Money is not Free Speech.
  22. The instant revocation of the tax exempt status of any religious institution of any kind that dabbles in politics by telling people how to vote.
  23. For people to realize, once and for all that it was deregulation and primarily the policies of the George W Bush Administration that ruined our economy and caused the deficit.
  24. That some of the Wall Street “leaders” who helped cause the economic crash actually be held accountable and go to jail.
  25. That people realize we have to invest in the future to grow out of the deficit.
  26. While we are at it, that people finally realize George W Bush and Dick Cheney are War Criminals and they are prosecuted as such.
  27. Fox News goes bankrupt and shuts down.
  28. Legislation that states “opinion” journalism must be so identified on TV with a border of flashing red lights and tap dancing pigs so people will know the difference between reporting and propaganda.
  29. Legislation that all company profits, over a certain percent,  must be reinvested in growing the company and creating jobs, not just sat upon or used for Executive Salaries.
  30. All Corporate lobbying expenditures must be matched equally with taxes -paid dollar to dollar, no loopholes.
  31. Legislation that no company employee may make  salary more than X percentage more than the lowest paid employee.
  32. Permanent incarceration, in solitary confinement, of anyone named Khardashian.
  33. The Cancellation of “Jersey Shore”.
  34. A committee, headed by and with veto power held by me, to be created to determine who is an actual “Star” and who is just trash after some cash.
  35. If the GOP wants people to pee in a cup for a check, then all politicians should do the same.
  36. An IQ test and threshold to run for Public Office.
  37. That all my friends from the past years, who meant so much to me, would join Facebook so I could find them and be in touch again.
  38. That people would exercise some control over how many silly pet pictures with captions they post on Facebook.  An occasional one is  cute, but too many, especially as we grow older,  makes one fear they are becoming pet hoarders or otherwise demented.
  39. That everyone had a full length mirror in their home and looked at it long, hard and critically before going out in public.
  40. Effective Mass transportation in all cities with more than 50,000 people.
  41. Renewed focus on planning, creating, saving and building for the future instead of shopping for useless crap to own now.
  42. Renewed focus on the concept of Quality over Quantity.
  43. Legislation prohibiting any more Broadway Musicals based on relatively recent movies.
  44. That television shows must be at least as long as the total air time of their commercials.
  45. Regular, heavily discounted airline fares between all US  airports and London and Paris.
  46. Requirements that all school districts fund Senior and Junior High School Cultural Exchange Learning trips abroad for all students.  You may raise my taxes for this….
  47. For people in the South to realize the Republican Party is using you and not working for your interests….
  48. For the Tea Party People to finally admit they are just bigots who hate President Obama because he is Black….
  49. That 2012 brings us an election resulting in a Democratic President, Senate and House.  At least, something positive might get done…
  50. That the Tea Party is dead and gone.
  51. For people not to argue about the “War on Christmas” or what holidays and traditions should be recognized, but to just shut up and enjoy a season of good will and sharing time-and cocktails- with friends.
  52. Respect that we share many Holidays and Traditions in December- and at other times-with many people who may not believe as we do- and that’s okay.

If you do celebrate Christmas, I ask you to take this time to think  not just about Jesus’s birth but about his life and what he stood for- helping the poor, feeding the hungry, loving your neighbor- and see how you can emulate these Christian behaviors throughout the coming year.

Let’s try to keep this in mind instead of judging and trying to force your beliefs on others throughout the year….

That’s my job.

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Wall Street Crashes, London Burns

As always, fascinating thoughts from Frank Rich…

And I saw the McQueen show at the Metropolitan Museum in New York in June  and I was amazed at the crowds.  People waited hours to get in.  I’m a member of the Met so I skipped the lines and that’s the only reason I saw it.  I don’t do lines of more than a reasonable duration…It was fascinating and totally theatrical, but I could not understand why so many people were fascinated.

Now I know.  It was a sign of the end approaching…

And, I always knew “The Phantom of the Opera” would lead to the downfall of civilization…

Frank Rich in New York Magazine (Emphasis is mine) :

I think I’m moving from anger to dread, too. We pay attention to the market because it feels like a sport (scored in clear-cut numbers) and because one way or the other we know we will be affected by it, whether we own shares or not. I am completely unprescient about the market — though no less so than, say, S&P, Geithner, Bernanke, Greenspan, and all the others who failed to see the last crash and/or this one coming — but last Thursday, the morning just before the big drop began, I had a premonition. (And I am not by and large superstitious.) I was catching up (at the last minute) with the McQueen extravaganza at the Met. That same morning the Times had a front-page story about the rebound in luxury retailing. Once I entered the McQueen show, I was struck by how the installation, with its smoke and mirrors and S&M touches, looked like a cross between Phantom of the Opera**  and the orgy scene in Eyes Wide Shut** . Whatever else the McQueen show was about, it’s about decadence — and about luxury goods beyond the reach of 99.9 percent of the throngs gawking at them. Something about the discrepancy between the opulence and the masses thronging barricades to get in gave me a premonition that a crash was on its way. Maybe it’s because I associate the crash of 1987 with the opening of Phantom on Broadway in early 1988. Conspicuous over-the-top decadence in America always seems to lead to a bad end.

via Wall Street Crashes, London Burns: Frank Rich and Adam Moss Discuss Downgrades, Riots, and the Portents of McQueen — Daily Intel.

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The Gap Fires Chief Designer

Gap needs to realize they need to stop selling low quality crap.

I used to shop there but stopped as the prices went up and the quality went down.

It’s typical of the new American Fashion Business Paradigm:  Make poor quality junk and sell it at designer prices….during a recession.

Somehow, I don’t think the designer is totally to blame….

From the Guardian:

For the best part of two decades, it was almost impossible to walk down any street without seeing a Gap logo hoodie or baseball cap. The logo was a powerful symbol of the strength of the US fashion store, which dominated the high street with its simple, clean-cut, college style.

But the brand has fallen out of favour, and with sales dropping at an alarming rate, Gap has admitted that the decline had reached crisis point and announced the immediate dismissal of its chief designer, Patrick Robinson.

via Gap sacks Patrick Robinson as chief designer | Life and style | The Guardian.

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JCrew at Center of Gay Politics Again With Gay Couple ‘Happy Together’ in May Catalog – ABC News

Another reason for me to love J Crew….

I already have a closet full of their clothes…

This just makes me want to buy more to show my support!

Or at least use that as an excuse…

In any event, Thanks, J Crew!

J. Crew surprised consumers again with a May 2011 catalog that features its employees as models, including a gay designer with his boyfriend, who are described as “Happy Together.”

The preppie clothing giant was quiet on its presentation of the same-sex couple — “Our designer Somsack and his boyfriend, Micah” — but gay advocates applaud what they say is a strong message.

“Nothing is unintentional in this kind of marketing,” said Cathy Renna of Renna Communications, which serves the LGBT community. “Bravo to J. Crew.”

“It’s a giant step forward,” she said. “As an activist, it’s great to see a diversity of images and to see gay families represented in more regular media.”

via JCrew at Center of Gay Politics Again With Gay Couple ‘Happy Together’ in May Catalog – ABC News.

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Chapter 53: Easter: Or How I Became a Fashion Victim | My Southern Gothic Life

New post up on my other blog, MySouthernGothicLife.com….

Here is a brief excerpt and a link to the full post:

I come from a very presentational family. Easter always brought out the best and worst of that trait.

To give you a perspective, my mother was a Cheerleader.  My sister was a dancer and a Majorette.  My niece is following in their footsteps as a Cheerleader and dancer.  I come from a long line of people who stood out in 30 degree temperatures in a sequined swimsuit in front of hundreds of people.

Makes you kind of understand why I always tried for-with varying degrees of success- a more quiet, classically elegant personae –at least until my third drink.  I couldn’t compete in their arena nor did I want to…

MORE:   Chapter 53: Easter: Or How I Became a Fashion Victim | My Southern Gothic Life.

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Clinton Kelly: How to be Fabulous

I love Clinton Kelly and Stacey English of “What Not to Wear” fame…

I especially like what Clinton has to say here…

It’s all stuff I’ve said a hundred times that used to be common knowledge…

Before we became a society of Slack Jawed Idiots…

The stuff he says you need to be fabulous used to be the stuff you had to have to be a normal, well turned out person…

It wasn’t fabulous, it was mainstream knowledge and behavior….

One question:  Why don’t I have his career?

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