Street fashion

great style ...elder chic in Ballard.

Fashion Magazines

pencil drawing inspired by a vintage ad

I was a fashion magazine junkie. I have a huge collection of old Vogues, Elles, Bazaar (local and international) and sold tons at the sell off during the summer of 2009.

I did keep some favorite pages, ads, design ideas, great photographs and articles on specific designers and history. I can recall the Helmut Newtons of the 70s and 80s -the hard core looks that sold punk attitude and the bold glut of glitz. The cool effects of the 90s prints as tech altered photos were degraded and otherwise played with are also keepers.

I don't know if I am bored now, jaded or what? But lately the fashion pages in all the mainstream fashion media have been occupied by dull.

Are we tired of fashion designed for the $ which can't really satisfy the heart for the art of fashion and so photographers are like 'whatever' and it shows in the shoot? Is it all so throw away minded that we feel less inclined to be great because why bother? This is sad.

I really don't know what it's all about, do you?

Vested Interests

Vests are interesting. They were added to British fashionable attire in 1666 as a smote to the French fashion industry and were copied from the Persians. Design and art were always crossing borders, as ideas grow when fed. This idea was good as it added an extra layer for warmth.

Now I am playing with old oversized jackets that are too boxy for todays oversize and turning some into vests eliminates the hassle of sleeve resizing.

I am thinking this a great way to be suited up with billowy sleeved shirts. I have finished the vest but want to wait and reveal the whole ensemble ....so in the meantime a meanswear look of the late 40s.

Migrant People

Mushrooms grow out from their mycellum web

-an ever expanding circle -migrant populations are natural

Reading the book, Illegal People by David Bacon (2008) for class at TESC is an eye opener. I have been nibbling on the economic theories and practices for awhile now, over 10 years. When Zootsuit started to wither gracefully on the vine despite a brisk business, i knew there was more going on than the 'obvious' media addressed. My costs could not compete with overseas sweatshop prices and i wanted real answers. I wanted to know how this was good for 'us?'

Books at that time were all about DO What You Love the Money Will Follow and the like. However when I tracked the money paths in the books, they were sketchy and unrealistic for most entrepreneurs. Sole proprietors are ok but are the first to feel the crunch of the no buffer zone that aids big business. Another long story....later.

Anyway, Zootsuit was closed, a victim of the outsourcers rush towards cheap labor as EPA and minimum wage "obstructions" in the USA were barriers to 'economic growth'' At the same time government subsidies allowed for big businesses to go global actually working against the American public and small business as never before. I knew what i saw and i read the price drop propaganda and saw WTO stomp on protest, so i went back to school to understand what i was really up against and to change my career path.

Well, as in the Species on the Verge (of Extinction) from the fashionRIP Project, the phoenix is stretchiing her wings. She is bolder and braver than i ever thought possible and she has feathers sprouting daily. She is the archetype feminine and won't let the children stand in the muck of industrial decay or leave them to fix it (shame on us!!)...also she hates a mess and wow if this isn't clean up time, what is?

Economics is the motherlode so that is where this phoenix needs to concentrate. Move over Wall Street, momma has issues with your gambling problem.