style_marauders

very eighties vinyl.

2008-11-06T10:28:00.002-05:00

goodmorning sunshine,
why dont you all participate in my new mag?
if you like acid wash, vinyl bras and chocolate tea- or not, send your cool stuff to chris_petres@hotmail.com.

fred has moved.

2008-11-02T14:35:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! Check out my new blog at

www.ohfred.blogspot.com

thanks!

BISOU

fréd

Fur Aint Dead

2008-09-06T11:08:00.000-04:00

Need I say more?

-Emmy

let's waste time chasing cars

2008-09-01T17:21:00.002-04:00

Project Runway! Woooooot. This week the designers had to create pieces using car materials (i.e. seatbelts) and *drum roll* ..... KEITH IS GONE! Oh, judges, you have finally seen the light. Keith was so tiresome with his generic designs and "There's no style in Utah" aesthetic. My favourite design was created by Leanne, and is seen below.

originality is the spice of life

2008-08-25T17:31:00.003-04:00

I just finished writing an article for the school newspaper about a festival that I go to every summer. The festival is called Ingenuity, and it takes place in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, every July. I thought I would share this article with you, readers, and beg and plead for your feedback :D

ORIGINALITY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE

ingenuity (n.): the quality of being cleverly inventive or resourceful; inventiveness. This is certainly an apt description of the Ingenuity Festival, held for four days each July in Playhouse Square, a neighborhood in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The Ingenuity Festival’s goal is to combine art and technology in a meaningful way, while encouraging the ingenuity of technology in our society. This is done through all sorts of artistic outlets: dance, visual art, music, theatre, etc.
Conceived in 2005 by James Levin, the idea was to showcase Cleveland’s strength as a centre of technological commerce and an art-loving community by combining the two. The various venues throughout the festival take place on the street, in alleys, in parking lots, and in old, empty buildings. These spaces are ideal environments for the innovative work that inspires festival-goers, as they are sparse and allow for the utmost creativity.
In 2006, MorrisonDance, a contemporary dance company based in Cleveland, collaborated with NASA and performed a piece with minimal music and live photographs of space projected on the wall of an empty warehouse. In 2007, Grandmaster Flash was the main event of the festival. He performed at the festival to celebrate his induction to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and the peformance was certainly one to be remembered. This year, Lisa K. Lock, a pioneer of contemporary ballet, performed a duet in an alley. This came as a surprise as she typically performs solos, so seeing her dance with a partner was quite a treat. (Last year, she performed a piece on some old-school playground monkey bars entitled “Suspended Vision.”)
This year, though it was shorter in time than past years, was certainly one to be remembered. The performances were incredible, the art exhibits were touching and thought-provoking, and there was certainly no shortage of interesting people to watch. Ingenuity Fest has become an exciting adventure which I look forward to each summer. For more information, visit http://www.ingenuitycleveland.com/.

Easels were set up in the streets with canvas and paint for festival-goers to create art.

Inspiration...

2008-08-22T21:22:00.005-04:00

just posting some Friday night inspiration.

currently listening to: You Only Live Once - The Strokes

currently doing: sharing my thoughts, with my lovely readers.

current nail varnish: Covergirl glitter topcoat, in Pink Twinkle

ciao lambs.

-Emmy

oh, olympics

2008-08-22T12:29:00.003-04:00

What are people's thoughts on the Olympics? How do you feel about them being in Beijing? Are you watching them? Comment on this post with your thoughts; I'm curious to hear your opinions on this rather controversial sporting event!

America's favourite athlete, Mr. Michael Phelps

Nastia Liukin

an essay on nancy drew.

2008-08-18T20:55:00.001-04:00

Growing up, every child has their own personal idols, ranging everywhere from Superman to Barbie to the mighty Power Rangers. The iconic teenage girl sleuth Nancy Drew is one of these prominent figures in the eyes of many young girls. Her stories tell of adventure and mystery, yet they also seem to find a place in there somewhere to reflect the lady-like and proper nature of Miss Drew. Nancy is a paradox, but a paradox that often gets unnoticed. The Nancy Drew stories satisfy two standards, adventure and domesticity, and present them from both sides without once betraying the suspicion that they might contradict each other.

The first thing that we can notice about Nancy is her preference in the colour of everything around her, as Bobbie Ann Mason points out. Mason notes that Nancy owns a blue car, wears blue clothes, and even the cover of the original novels of her stories were bright royal blue. Our society has tagged the colour blue with a strong masculine undertone. A baby boy is given blue rattles, blue toy trucks, and blue blankets. This tells us something about Nancy’s personality; she has an incredibly adventurous attitude, fearlessly encountering life-threatening situations. In The Clue of the Broken Locket, we see an example of this:

“Bess was concerned. ‘Why, Nancy, you might have slipped off that roof and been killed!’ Nancy grinned. ‘I guess I’m a tough old sleuth,’ she answerd.”

Nancy is, like she said, “a tough old sleuth,” and she can do more than hold her own in a society that is dominated by men; she excels in it with her superior intellect and keen observational powers. As Mason writes, “Nancy manages the impossible feat of being wholesomely ‘feminine’ – while also proving herself strong, resourceful, and bold, the most independent of the girl sleuths.” The reader of a Nancy Drew book never gets to forget the sweetness of our lady-like heroine who wears her blue primly and elegantly.

During the 1930s and 1940s, the time period which the original series of Nancy Drew books were written, Nancy's activities were not always the socially accepted activities of sixteen to eighteen year old girls. So when Miss Drew pulled off stunts like the previously mentioned roof incident on page two, it was shocking to read that a girl of her age would go climbing on a roof and endanger her life in such a way. Then she turns around and acts out the wholesomely feminine expectations of the time with ease, as shown in The Clue in the Jewel Box:

"As the girls sipped their tea and ate delicious, frosted cakes, their hostess spoke rather sadly of present daily life in her native land so changed from the past.”

This prim aura that Miss Drew possesses is conveyed to readers many times throughout the series of adventures, and the reader usually doesn't even think twice about excepting this aspect of her character. On the other hand, when Nancy endangers her life almost intentionally, the reader is shocked at first, but then goes on to except the behavior as it is presented and get caught up in the suspense that inevitably follows.

Nancy is also mature well beyond her eighteen years, even for the 1930s. She has only a shred of childishness in her body, and it only shows itself occasionally. Readers respect Nancy's seriousness. She rarely loses her cool, and when it does happen, she regains control quickly and easily. Even if she is locked in a room full of spiders, she still acts calmly, unlike almost any stereotypically frightened girl. Instead of getting the "creeps", she logically proceeds to find an exit, showing that at all times she possesses infinite amounts of courage and calmness.

Not only is Nancy perfect, but she possesses the ideal qualities of each age and sex: child, teenager, adult, girl, and boy. She has made her stride into adulthood, shown by her incredibly high maturity level and ability to handle most situations calmly and effectively. She passes into male territory smoothly with her amazing boldness and fearless attitude, but she never gives up the conveniences that she has because she is female. According to Mason:

“Nancy's adolescent readers may not know whether to shave their legs and giggle to attract boys they are discovering, or to join the boys' games and emulate them to win their approval, but Nancy does both.”

Her child comes out in the occasional giggles that she lets slip every once in a while, usually while she is giddy with relief after a particularly difficult case. Though it is also not often revealed, her teenage side does come forward occasionally, but usually only in the presence of her eternally faithful boyfriend, Ned. In The Secret of the Golden Pavilion, she expresses a rare concern about danger directed toward her boyfriend:

“Ned, down on one knee like a football lineman about to charge his opponents, lunged. His shoulder thudded against the masonry. ‘Oh, Ned,’ Nancy whispered, ‘You'll break a bone.’”

These few occurrences put her in better perspective and contribute a touch of realism to her character by showing her acting her actual age. There are some things in these stories that are subtly more appealing than the car chases, kidnappings and burglaries that tend to take place on in adventurous aspect of the stories. Nancy is constantly at some elegant function, meeting elegant people or hosting a tea party for her friends. In defense of her tea-party scene, Nancy exploits her feminine wiles to the fullest, relying heavily on her instincts, intuition and charm. She knows she has them and therefore uses them to her full advantage. If she didn't, then she wouldn't be utilizing all of her given powers. These powers are displayed well in The Secret in the Old Attic:

"’Are you sick?’ he asked in a coarse, heavy voice. Nancy did not want to answer questions. To avoid them she pretended to faint. The act was well timed, for the man, frightened, immediately rushed into the hall for help. The young detective smiled.”

Nancy is fully aware of the usefulness of her feminine cunning, therefore makes herself an even stronger sleuth by using it properly. She is not a completely "'male-imagined woman' made up of 'man-made layers;'" she is domestic only to serve the needs of herself and those that she cares about. At the beginning of most of the stories, the reader is told of Nancy's domestic responsibilities:

"Since the death of her mother many years before, Nancy had managed the household. On the whole she had engineered everything so skillfully that father little dreamed of the heavy responsibility which rested upon her shoulders.”

This lays out an image of Miss Drew that instantly conveys her as domicile. Then the story begins, and the reader discovers that she can be everything but that if she so desires, and switch back at a moments notice.

From the young girls who first read about her initial adventures to those that started with the newer Nancy Drew Files series, she was the super girl of almost every generation of young readers, extinguishing the competition with ease. Nancy Drew, in her entirety, is the picture of what most women long to be, and what most young girls want to be "when they grow-up." She is both adventure and domesticity. In the role of the girl sleuth, Nancy escapes time and enjoys the best of all worlds. At the youthful age of eighteen, she gets to be an adult without sacrificing her right to an adventure. With all of this, she still maintains her gracious, tactful, charming and wholly unspoiled personality characteristic of the socially excepted women of the time. Nancy is a product of the women's rights movement of the early 1900s, when women were still thought of as in the supportive role of men, but they were beginning to do things by themselves and standing up for what they believe in. Thus developed the popularity of a character like Nancy Drew that is bold, strong, resourceful, independent, and not afraid of anything.

Anyone Remember This?

2008-08-18T18:33:00.000-04:00

One of Gwyneth's loveliest covers...

Gotta run, I'm swamped with things to do, I just wanted to shareee.

Ciao lambs.

-Emmy

i don't do drugs. i am drugs.

2008-08-15T14:21:00.002-04:00

Salvador Dali is awesome. End of story.

Emmy's Been Gone For A While...

2008-08-11T01:06:00.002-04:00

...but I'm baaaaccckkkk.

and I bought Chloe with me, and a list of my current obsessions.

1. Marie Antoinette's jewels

2. my homemade pasta salad

3. Pucci wellies

4. Rihanna's everchanging nail colors

5. homemade cocktail rings.

So...lately I've been a bit busy to post, I've been working on my independent film, that I am writing, along with my sister, and its super time consuming...so, I'm gonna try and take breaks and do some posts, and come back with some really good things for you guys.

ALSO, I'll be updating MY personal blog: www.voguelover.blogspot.com as much as I can, as well.

Now...I am not using Style Marauders as a stepping stone for my blog, I am simply using my other blog as my normal outlet, and contributing to Style Marauders.

So...I've gotta go.

Hope you all missed me.

Love you like a coldsore.

-Emmy

Ciao Bella

2008-08-08T10:42:00.004-04:00

Em here to bring you all things bright and beautiful. I'm a new contributor to this publication and I will be writing about art and culture. Few things you should know about me:

o1. My name is Emmy, but I'm not THE Style Marauders Emmy. I'm a random other Emmy.
o2. I'm a culture fiend. And not just popular American culture. (Although I am an expert on the 1980s.) I'm into culture of every sort, and am considering anthropology as a college major.
o3. When it comes to art, I'm primarily a surrealist. Huge fan of Salvador Dali.
o4. Neon is my middle name.

Arrivederci*
Emmy.

Don't take things for granted. Or you'll soon forget.

2008-08-03T22:53:00.003-04:00

I find that I often have a hard time remembering the things I took for granted.

Just a thought.

BISOU

Fréd

Nothing That You Are...

2008-08-02T01:33:00.002-04:00

By Mandy Moore...You MUST listen to it.

That song is amazing...I've been listening to it for a while now...and its beautiful. It's such a good thing to hear Mandy Moore's voice that way.

I just wanted to leave a few words, letting you all know...I haven't vanished. Nor have I run off with my 32 year old boyfriend, to make babies and live a life of hippie-ness...though...that would be lovely.

Everyone should take pictures like that...

-Emmy

Decades in Photographs

2008-07-29T18:01:00.002-04:00

My favorite thing to do is look through Time Magazines book filled with photographs that have graced the magazine throughout the decades and it makes me smile knowing that even through all these years, Time has been able to create a visual timeline that defined generations.

All photographs are from http://www.timelifepictures.com/

Venus and Adonis

2008-07-24T21:05:00.001-04:00

Venus and Adonis, painted by Titan in around 1555

Venus’ nudity shouldn’t be overlooked as it depicts her as a goddess and Adonis’ attire suggests that he is of mortal blood. Her body is draped over Adonis as means to restrain him from going out to hunt (which can be inferred with the dogs) and while Venus is desperate to keep Adonis with her, his face seems reassuring.

This painting speaks out on the power of love and the dedication towards the other person that accompanies such emotion. A moving piece of art allows people to relate to the objects within the context of the canvas. The portrayal of Venus can be connected to the families whose loved ones are fighting overseas in war. This attempt to keep them safe by pleading them to stay is acknowledged, but doesn’t keep them from fulfilling what they believe is an obligation.

-Dara the Dandy

Fall

2008-07-18T23:16:00.003-04:00

It's weird, but I'm starting to remind myself of my mum.

We both like navy blue, and these pictures made fall become my new favourite season, just like her.

BISOU

fréd

i was not creative enough to come up with a post title.

2008-07-15T18:41:00.001-04:00

be a loser

its fine

i do it all the time

BISOU

Fréd

studio 203, i miss you.

2008-07-11T15:27:00.012-04:00

back in may i went to art all state at the worcester art musuem, where a whole bunch of crazy art students were selected to be part of this two day extravangza. we were divided into studios and told to make huge room-sized installments

needless to say, it was one of the best experiences of my life, and i was so lucky to be a part of it. so here are a few pictures from the most amazing weekend ever.

Miss Mary Match Match Match

2008-07-11T11:30:00.004-04:00

To match is to conform.

To mismatch is to transcend.

BISOU

Fréd

If I Were To Smoke A Cig...

2008-07-10T05:55:00.002-04:00

I'd do it like this...

Those Marni glasses make me swoon. Only on her though...my face isn't quite small enough.

Haaa.

Ciao.

-Emmy

Vogue Italia: Jourdan Dunn

2008-07-08T18:42:00.002-04:00

This is like her first big cover. I'm super happy to see more dark, beautiful faces breaking into the industry. A notoriously light-raced industry.

GO JOURDAN!

What do you think?

-Emmy

Independence Day.

2008-07-05T10:11:00.003-04:00

BISOU
fréd

Louis V.

2008-07-03T20:02:00.002-04:00

This is so weird.
I'm sitting here arranging my music into various playlists on my laptop. I'm in my sister's room, on her chair. And sitting on her desk is a Louis V. It's a smallish bowler shape bag that my aunt gave her because she didn't want it anymore. And though it's just a bag, it gives me a lot to think about. For one, I am not really into "labels". Like Lee used to say, wearing a brand name across your "nugga nuggas" is just plain stupid. I do agree. I hate the coach purses with the C's all over them, and those stupid tees from those stupid stores with stupid phrases on them. "Blonde's do it better"...wow thanks for informing me. Of course, this post is about something different than just hating on Abercrombie, and American Eagle, and Hollister, because honestly, anyone could/would post something like that. This is specific to the Louis V that is still sitting on my sister's desk.

I don't know what to think of it. Half of me hates it, because of the little camel colored "LV"s dancing around the dark brown leather. It's just so...OOH LOOK AT ME AND HOW RICH I AM! This half of me insists that bags like this one belongs to the half of the fashionistas who use fashion for status, instead of enjoying it for it's art. "Your body is a canvas!", that half keeps reminding me. And it is true, well at least in my opinion, that your body IS a canvas, and that the clothes you put on your back is the art that you are making. (Putting outfits together, I believe, is an art in itself). Now, why cloud your precious canvas with something that takes command of the outfit you just put together. The labels, they stick out like the awkward pink sweater your grandmother made you for saint patrick's day last year. (One of those sweaters that will completely engulf you, and take total control of what you look like). It's the same with labels. They take control. They take credit for your creativity by insisting that they are partly responsible for whatever outfit you came up with. Why? Why would you ever wear something with..a label?

But at the same time, the other half is telling me that if worn with the right pieces of clothing (a very streamlined outfit comes to mind: dark dark dark skinny jeans, black pumps, a white ruffle-y shirt, and a very streamlined jacket paired off with some vogue-esque sunglasses) would actually look okay. It might even look classy, and sophisticated. And every girl wants to look classy and sophisticated. As much as I hate to admit this, it seems to me that this print is a classic. It seems like its been around forever, and will continue to be around. So is it so wrong?

My feelings are mixed.

BISOU
fréd

Omahyra Mota

2008-07-02T15:50:00.005-04:00

Mota has modeled for designers such as Bill Blass, Alexander McQueen, Cynthia Steffe, Fendi, Nina Ricci, Sean John, Baby Phat, Heatherette, Jean Paul Gaultier, Roca Wear, Samantha Treacy, and Jay McCarroll. Also, she was flown in especially by Gwen Stefani for L.A.M.B.'s show during New York's 2005 Fashion Week.
She has also worked with Terry Richardson. She is known for modeling both men's and women's clothing.
Mota was voted one of People magazine's 50 most beautiful people in 2001.

She's one of the best models, ever. Yet, she's quite underappreciated. Original, raw, and beautiful.

Do you concur?

-Emmy

Sundance Polaroids...

2008-07-02T14:56:00.004-04:00

...pose all shmancy, let's dance in the sun.

...if you were gonna take a polaroid at Sundance, what sort of pose would you do?

Let me know.

-Emmy

Carine Roitfeld

2008-07-02T04:34:00.003-04:00

Anna Wintour who?

Seriously, not only is SHE better than Anna. French Vogue, is better than American Vogue. Do you concur?

-Emmy

Balenciaga Dress Paris 1950

2008-07-02T04:04:00.003-04:00

Drink it up, baby.

-Emmy

This Frock Is Made For Jumping...

2008-07-02T04:02:00.000-04:00

Seriously.

ciao.

-Emmy

Refusing To Hate Mischa Barton

2008-07-02T03:50:00.002-04:00

Seriously. I actually...in a twisted way...love her. not so twisted, really.

People seem to always bash her. bahhh.

No, she can't act. but...does she have style? Yes.

Oh. She inspires my attire.

-Emmy

lifting my face to the breaking day

2008-06-29T14:16:00.002-04:00

oh i'm just trying to do my best

i'm not afraid of life, i'm afraid of death

build my love in the things i say

you've gotta lift your face to the breaking day

(Voxtrot - Blood Red Blood)

2008-06-29T01:45:00.002-04:00

So, despite Dion's rather horrid sense of head wear throughout the movie, I still think that Clueless is one of the best films ever produced. Like, for me this rivals The Godfather, Scarface, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, if they were all melted together into one movie and instead of a bunch of Italian mobsters, Latin American drug dealers, and hobbits, there were very pretty, very spoiled, very shallow (or are they?) valley girls all over the place. Who says you can't dress up in an outfit consisting entirely of yellow plaid? Not I. [Actually, I should probably confess that after watching this movie too many times recently, I am developing a rather dangerous obsession with all things plaid. Shirts, skirts, you name it. It's fabulously tacky and I adore every minute of it.] I appreciate Cher's, Dion's, and Ty's bold sense of fun and the way they seem to say "fuck it, I want to wear lingerie to school in order to entice that brutally hot new guy, who will soon turn out to be gay but is nevertheless completely precious". Honestly, in all fairness, and because I love this movie too much to just complain about the 90s fashion, for every truly hideous crop top, there is an equally gorgeous Calvin Klein slip dress. Oh, and Paul Rudd. Yum. Wait. Was I getting somewhere? Oh yeah. The girls of Clueless know that fashion is about fun and freedom of expression and, ok, sometimes making that cutie in debate class think about you naked. But only sometimes. So for the most part, I say fuck it. Don your yellow plaid and plastic hats. I'll still think you're a total betty.

Zoe Kravitz...

2008-06-27T13:41:00.001-04:00

she makes my heart smile.

amazinglicious.

-Emmy

Vogue Germany June 2008: Anja Rubik

2008-06-27T13:13:00.002-04:00

Now that is an impressive cover! This is what a Vogue cover should look like! Not...with a stiff Nicole Kidman, and a spread inside, that has been done so many times before. Ugh...American Vogue...what to do with American Vogue.

Enjoy, lambs.

-Emmy

black and white.

2008-06-26T19:03:00.005-04:00

just thinking about how much i wish there were more movies like these, to sit in a movie theater and watch clark gable swoop in on a black and white screen and fall in love with some lonely or trouble girl. we have movies now, movies i love and watch again and again. but these are...deeper. classics? fantasies? seeing them just fills people with power. not movies, but life as what we all wish life could be. i guess thats why i love them.

You know what I discovered today.

2008-06-25T16:26:00.002-04:00

Every syllable that passes my lips is hollow. I speak empty words. My sentences, formed with the aid of pretty language, mean nothing.

I am one fat, beautiful lie.
And so is the World.

Wouldn't you agree?

Bug Eyed Beauty

2008-06-25T16:18:00.003-04:00

My friends make fun of the sunglasses I wear because they take over my whole face.
But maybe I like it that way.

BISOU
Fréd

2008-06-25T01:01:00.002-04:00

I think Cintia Dicker is absolutely beautiful. I mean, gorgeous. And you know why?
Freckles.
I adore freckles. On everyone. I think they're so stunning. Why do some people not like them? Why do girls try to hide them? Embrace the freckles. Embrace what makes you unique, because what makes you unique makes you beautiful. Flaws are only flaws until we can reconcile internally that our freckles or strong nose or mole or huge curly head of hair is a bad thing. But to me, flaws are lovely. Flaws are imperfect, and that's what makes them powerful. I will always choose the person who is flawed, damaged, unconventional, and slightly askew. I will always choose the person who isn't quite what you had expected. I will always choose originality over normalcy.
And I will always, always, always love freckles.

Beauty.

2008-06-24T20:59:00.003-04:00

Am I the only one who thinks this is when a girl looks most beautiful? What's wrong with going against the grain?

Beauty isn't about being a slave to femininity. It's about having an aura. It's about displaying confidence. It's about feeling right in what you wear and what you have. Beauty isn't dressing how you are supposed to dress. It's about wearing what you want and knowing that you look great in it.

So, have fun with fashion. You are beautiful.

Emmy...

2008-06-24T11:41:00.003-04:00

That's my name, darlings. Don't forget it. I'm one of the new style marauders, and I'm super excited to be a part of this team and put out some great posts for you guys to read.

Right now, I'll just be doing an inspiration post, but when I start to get into the groove of things I shall post not only inspiration, but I shall also post street style snapshots, fashion icons, and whatever else tickles your fancy.

Okay, so...BE INSPIRED my lambs.

Hope this tickles your fancy...in a nonsexual way. Ha.

-Emmy

Pop surrealism

2008-06-23T12:53:00.004-04:00

art [ahrt] –noun
1. the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

Given that the term “art” is so vague, it gives me the liberty to write about any form of expression with meaning and depth. Currently in Los Angeles, there is a growing art movement known as “Lowbrow Art” or “Pop Surrealism”. Sparked in the 1970’s, it is only in recent times has any one fully acknowledged this movement. Most of these works seem to have origins in street art and other Southern California subcultures and have expanded beyond the canvas. Artists, such as Kathie Olivias and Gary Baseman, are releasing toys to correspond with their paintings.

Camille Rose Garcia Gary Baseman Jeff Soto

Most Lowbrow artists combine both child and adult worlds. Paintings with round, playful characters that live in a dark environment comment on how these two worlds, child and adult, aren’t truly separate at all. They intertwine with each other and contribute to deepen our perspectives of the world.

-Dara the Dandy

allons-y a la musica

2008-06-22T15:15:00.001-04:00

Bill Cunningham told me about how young men's pants are dropping down as the stock market goes down.

Just like women's hemlines went down after the stock market crash of 1929. He says it all in the "multimedia presentation", stating that today's falling pants is the opposite of back then's falling hemlines. I think that was one of the first things he said. Both of them are falling, yet, one situation causes dress to be more conservative, while the other causes dress to be less conservative. To me, those falling skirt/dress hemlines seem to be saying that the nonsense of the 1920's is over, and it's time to get serious again. While dropping pants? I'm not sure what that says or implies about things, especially in relation to the economy.

Its all an interesting observation that I'll have to look into.
See it all for yourself:

http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?query=%22on%20the%20street%22&srchst=m

-Fréd

some things flare out with love, love, love.

2008-06-21T19:49:00.002-04:00

when i remember high school
when i remember franklin
when i remember friends and family
when i remember loves, past and present
whenever i remember
i want to remember
that everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.

also, if you haven't already done so, read slaughterhouse five by kurt vonnegut. immediately.

and while you're at it, listen to the mountain goats. i've been listening to "the mess inside" for about four days straight.

i wish i were kidding.

katolicki pielęgniarka

2008-06-12T14:31:00.002-04:00

Gym Class Heros

2008-06-04T23:37:00.001-04:00

Life is too fun for jeans and oxford shirts all the time.

Let loose, be silly, have fun.

-Fréd

Think like a child.

2008-05-31T07:13:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I feel that our crazy childhood ambitions make more sense than our adult ambitions. It's almost a play on the whole "experience" factor. Does experience really make you better, or worse. It's the children that are more creative, it is the children that can get over their grudges quickly. Children are simple, adults are complex. Think about this.

Don't let anything stop you, just go.

-Fréd

betseyville or bust

2008-05-27T11:34:00.008-04:00

when people talk about heroes or heroines, they are usually referring to some super human figure in tight, shiny polyester that possesses a keen ability to read human emotion and save entire cities in 3 minutes flat. and typically, fashion designers are left in the dust with their sewing machines, pins, and needles.

however, i have decided to completely disregard super heroes. they mean nothing to me. in their place i have put fashion designers, well one fashion designer in particular.

betsey johnson.

she is crazy. anyone who has seen her, or her clothes, or her typical cartwheel on the runway knows this. but who cares? certainly not me. her crazy blond locks and intense personality make her that much more enticing.

she's fashion's darling. she's what i aspire to be: crazy, with no inhibitions, and a flare for creating art in clothing.

Different

2008-05-25T19:39:00.002-04:00

"What on earth are you wearing?"
"I'm wearing what I want...why?"
"Won't you put on this nice polo shirt? Or how about this nice sweater! With some beige pants!"
"No, I don't like that. It's not me"
"But isn't that what the other kids wear? What will they think when they see you?"
"I want to be different, I don't care what other people think"

Yet, if I didn't really care what others thought, why would I push myself to dress so differently?

-Fréd

i will possess your heart

2008-05-22T21:32:00.004-04:00

with my mind. (ideas like no other)

with my body. (looks like no other)

with my soul. (love like no other)

-h. dawg

Passion goes.

2008-05-22T19:52:00.003-04:00

Boredom remains.

Or so said Coco Chanel.

This weekend, I'm going to dye my hair.
I'll go from my dark reddish-brown hair to blond or maybe even pink.

Why such a drastic change?

Because I'm bored.
I'm so bored that I feel the need to do something fabulously reckless that I will no doubt regret in the morning.

Coco understood that life is segmented.
There are some segments where we are so in love with life that we wouldn't dream of changing a thing.
But when these end, we don't feel that we have anything left.

So be it fashion, music, or art,
we create to fill the void
and open the door to the next era of passion.

just breathe.

2008-05-22T18:51:00.004-04:00

take a deep breath.

let it go.

tell yourself

you can't fix everything

if everything doesn't want to be fixed.

Turtleneck.

2008-05-21T22:10:00.002-04:00

Remember when mommy used to dress us up herself? And pick out all of our clothes?
I used to wear the dresses, and the colorful tights, and my hair was always in two little braids.
And I remember in the fall, when I would have to start pulling those turtlenecks over my head.
And I would cry "MOMMY! I CAN'T...BREATHE...WITH...THIS...TURTLE...NECK...!!"
And then I would pretend to pass out on the floor.
And Mommy would laugh, and assure me that wearing a turtleneck would not make me stop breathing.
And then I would march off to school, and play with my friends in the playground.
And we all had our colorful clothes.

Those were the times when nobody cares what you're wearing. Nobody cares how much it costs, or who the designer is.
I guess, to me, it just goes to show that fashion is more than status-defining.
Fashion is art, and the best of it, to me at least, is carefree and fun.
It contains those innocent qualities that we all once had.

Whatever, that's just what I think.

-Fréd

in loving memory

2008-05-21T22:01:00.004-04:00

COLD in the earth--and the deep snow piled above thee,

Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!

Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee,

Sever'd at last by Time's all-severing wave?

Now, when alone, do my thoughts no longer hover

Over the mountains, on that northern shore,

Resting their wings where heath and fern-leaves cover

Thy noble heart for ever, ever more?

Cold in the earth--and fifteen wild Decembers

From those brown hills have melted into spring:

Faithful, indeed, is the spirit that remembers

After such years of change and suffering!

Sweet Love of youth, forgive, if I forget thee,

While the world's tide is bearing me along;

Other desires and other hopes beset me,

Hopes which obscure, but cannot do thee wrong!

No later light has lighten'd up my heaven,

No second morn has ever shone for me;

All my life's bliss from thy dear life was given,

All my life's bliss is in the grave with thee.

But when the days of golden dreams had perish'd,

And even Despair was powerless to destroy;

Then did I learn how existence could be cherish'd,

Strengthen'd and fed without the aid of joy.

Then did I check the tears of useless passion--

Wean'd my young soul from yearning after thine;

Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten

Down to that tomb already more than mine.

And, even yet, I dare not let it languish,

Dare not indulge in memory's rapturous pain;

Once drinking deep of that divinest anguish,

How could I seek the empty world again?

Remembrance

Emily Bronte = genius.

Bethany

ticktockticktockticktock

2008-05-20T22:50:00.001-04:00

I think it's funny how time plays with us. In the end, time controls all. All sound, all movement, all emotion. Everything. But here's what I've noticed. Everything seems to have a beginnnig, climax, and then end. The longer it lasts, the more it challenges time perhaps, but Father Time will always prevail. It just seems so interesting that this format can be applied to almost everything that ever happens on this planet. THink of a piece of music. It starts out, it grows to a climax, and then it calms down again. Think of a poem. Think of a flower. It starts out as a seed, sprouts out of the ground, grows, blossoms, then shrivels up and dies.

Ooh here's a scary thought.

Think of you. Think of us. Think of everyone.

We are still growing, like the flower, like the music, like the poem. And then it seems that we'll reach our climax, and after that it is finally time to go.

Which I guess makes me a little nervous. I know this is all going to happen to me, but wouldn't it be scary to know EVERYTHING about your future self. But how do you know when you've reached the climactic point of your life? When will I know? When it's too late?

-Fréd

love is not some victory march.

2008-05-20T21:10:00.002-04:00

it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.

it's a word thrown around too often.

everyone says that.

but you don't realize how true it is.

until you've "been in it."

i love my friends.

i love the movie, v for vendetta.

i love staying up on friday nights.

i love talking for hours about nothing.

i love spending time with people who will listen.

i love people who are different.

i don't know what love means.

can you tell me?

salvad- wait, who?

2008-05-20T21:04:00.004-04:00

salvador dali. he was a famous surrealist painter, or well he still is if you're living in the art world. his twisted images have become staples in the world of surrealists. his melting clocks are forever seared into art rooms around the world. and even though his surreal paintings are beautiful, the ones i am most inspired by are his simple portraits of women in his life.

dali does a complete turn around. his dark images morph into romanticized portraits. he creates a different persona, and if you think about it, we should all be able to do the same. we should be chameleons in our style, in our views, and in our everyday lives, because if we fail to change, well how can we make the most of our lives?

curious and curiouser!

2008-05-20T19:58:00.004-04:00

tenniel was genius.

lewis carrol created alice, but tenniel iconified her with his brilliant black-and-white illustrations that captured the spirit of the curious, intelligent little girl.

-gayatri

So what?

2008-05-20T18:21:00.004-04:00

Last night my best friend dyed my hair. Prior to yesterday,
my hair was a very light brown with an auburn touch. I am
now the proud owner of an (almost) black mane. If I'm honest,
last night, I wasn't so much proud as embarrassingly dramatic.
I was close to tears and the wall very nearly felt my fists
meagre wrath.

You know that old cliché 'Everything looks better in the morning'?
It really is true. I woke up, looked in the mirror and felt ashamed
at my behaviour the previous evening. I wondered why I had had
such a change of heart and I just realised that it didn't matter.

So what if the darkness of my hair gives me a ghostly pallor?
So what if people disapprove and criticize?

Ah, and it is within the latter question that we reach our problem.
The opinions of others do matter to the majority of us. I've
now realised that last night I didn't really have the problem with
my hair -in truth it doesn't even look that bad- but what people
might think of my hair. Alas, call me a sheep - but I am fairly
confident that even the most gusty of us have felt insecurity at
one point of their lives.

I suppose the message is to do what you want and as you wish.
Live your life without conforming to fashion rules and the majority.
Inject a little diversity into life.

So what is you don't wear what the fashion magazines 'advise'
you to wear?
At least you'll stand out in a sea full of followers.

So what if your make up isn't perfect?
At least you're having fun.

So what if my hair is black?
At least I look mysterious...kind of.

By the way, I'm Laura. Nice to meet you.

Stylemarauders

2008-05-20T06:28:00.002-04:00

Like what you see? And want to be a part of it?
We are looking for new photographers, and writers.
If you feel that you can write up to the standards, give us an email at styelmarauders@gmail.com

Thanks!!

-Fréd

DRESSED TO IMPRESS

2008-05-20T01:31:00.008-04:00

Well let me start by introducing myself....i'm alyssa and i'm new to the style marauders so i'm just going to write about fashion mostly and issues around it. So lets start with the fashion issue that every teenage girl or boy has. It's almost summer time and school is almost out and you know what that means...yes summer jobs. May and June are the months that friends go out job hunting together, filling out thousands of applications hoping that at least one will call you back but what happens when you do get called back? What do you wear? They say a first impression is a lasting impression and how true it is. Even what you are wearing when you hand in the application can determine if you will get called back, sad but true. So i'm here to save those teens who stay up late going thru outfits to wear to the interview

When going for an interview it's important to show them that you are capable of being professional. But for interviews such as teenage retail stores like forever 21, wet seal, charlotte rousse, DEB, etc. it's also important to present to them that you can one, be up to date with the latest fashions and two, be a walking representation of the style the store presents. thats why its good to go with basic color clothing and then dress the outfit up with accessories to show a little bit of your personality. It's always safe to go with black skinny jeans, there's no worries of anything being revealing and black is always professional and skinny jeans are in. Shoes can also be an attention grabber, along with accessories they should stand out since your outfit will be simple, and these vintage shoes with a spice of 1920's american gangster dress shoes will certainly get a nod approval from the boss.

For stores such as hollister, abercrombie and fitch, aeropostle, gap, buckle,..etc they take pride in employees that wear thier clothing however, that doesn't mean you waltz in sporting a hollister tank and jeans with flip flops. BIG NO NOOOOOO!!!!!! just pick up some khaki's and a polo or nice blouse and you'll be fine. there not really that concerned if you are fashion forward.

Well if you have any questions or comments about what i wrote your welcomed to scream at me, either on the blog or email- chocoangel0821@juno.com

XOXO Alyssa B

homework oh homework

2008-05-15T23:17:00.001-04:00

Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!
I wish I could wash you
away in the sink.
If only a bomb
would explode you to bits.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You're giving me fits.
I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework
my teacher assigns.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You're last on my list.
I simply can't see
why you even exist.
If you just disappeared
it would tickle me pink.
Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!

-Jack Prelutsky

-Fred

some things take time

2008-05-15T01:37:00.001-04:00

but i dont want to take the time
i want you
with my body and soul and spirit
and i want you in my life
so let go
the doors open
i'm ready to let you in <<<3

photo of me
by me

new era.

2008-05-14T20:44:00.002-04:00

so i'm graduating in a little over two weeks.

scaaary shit.

i know i'm going to miss my school because i'm used to it.

i tend to take things i'm used to for granted.

but honestly, i'm so ready to take on a new town.

i've done all i could do with this town.

besides, it is so straining seeing certain people every day.

i'm so looking forward to living in my city.

Coping.

2008-05-13T23:13:00.002-04:00

I get stressed.

Easily.

But what's worse, is that most of the time, it's my fault. And I know that.

I ignore this paper, pretend like that project isn't due tomorrow, forget about homework...these aren't healthy habits.

Sometimes I wish there was a way out of it all. But there isn't.

There's no universal mechanism that can instantly erase all the stress.

It's about learning how to deal, how to cope. And for me.

My coping mechanism...is you.

to the hilt.

2008-05-13T21:43:00.004-04:00

I have been to 5 funerals in the past year.
5 funerals for people who have died far too young.
5 grieving families.
5 caskets to kneel next to.
5 gravesides to stand by.

Naturally, this would prompt the statement "Gosh, life is short."
But that's wrong.

Life is not short.
Life is long.
Every second, every minute, every hour, every day is long.
And each seems to fly by,
wrought with missed opportunities and unreached potential.
Life is not long.
Life is unique.
Life is rare.

Every moment of your life offers you a chance to do something great, something unexpected, something fabulous.
Be it bursting into song in the middle of the street or wearing hot pink sparkly shoelaces with blue high-tops,
the opportunities that each minute offers are irreplaceable.

As Audrey Hepburn once said, "Pick the day. Enjoy it - to the hilt."

i am a deeply superficial person.

2008-05-13T17:09:00.007-04:00

over the past week, i've become obnoxiously obsessed with andy warhol; and honestly, i'm not quite sure why. he was weird. he was crazy. he was eclectic. he was extraordinary. he was witty. he was intelligent. he was a genius.

he fascinates me, most likely because he understood the paradox in society. he understood that nothing is as it seems and that everyone longs for the chance to live in his or her fantasy world, where love affairs last forever and where there are 10 pictures of marilyn monroe on every wall.

andy warhol and his paintings are immortal; and in his honor, i hope that someday we will all have a chance to find our everlasting love affair or 10 marilyns.

its harder than it looks

2008-05-12T18:16:00.003-04:00

to take a self portrait... especially when you are a photographer but luckily i have a little remote control that takes the pictures. i needed a senior pic but i just really liked the tones, so i thout i'd share.... also i have a great quote right now too: "I was the one you always dreamed of/You were the one I tried to draw/How dare you say it's nothing to me/Baby, you're the only light I ever saw"

yahh but i am taking some more fashion-y pictasss soonish or as soon as i can get my friends to pose for me!

new york.

2008-05-11T19:05:00.003-04:00

I went to NYC for the first time yesterday.

The art was amazing.

The buildings were amazing.

The lights were amazing.

But honestly, I am so glad I have Boston to live in next year.

New York is dirty. Boston is classy.

And creepy men go into those XXX peep shows (with suitcases) in broad daylight!

And there is 8.25% sales tax.

And, when someone walks into you, they don't say excuse me. I hate that!

I had been a little bummed that I didn't get into the Brooklyn school that I applied to.
Seriously though, it was for the best.
And now I truly know that everything happens for a reason.

scraped knees and scary dreams.

2008-05-11T08:31:00.003-04:00

You know what I loved most about being a kid? The fact that almost everything in the world was the way I wanted it to be (with the exception of the occasional time out, nightmares, or scraped knees).

Growing up was fine, I guess, but the worst part about growing up, the most painful part about growing up, is discovering that things in the world are different than you thought they were when you were little.

Like when I thought it was magic how those big maps at the zoo always knew where I was, whether I was looking at the lions, or the hippos.

Like when I thought that your food went down into your stomach in big chunks so the reason why you could eat icecream after you were full was because it would melt in your stomach between the big chunks.

I guess I'm writing about all of this because I am in a transitional stage in my life, leaving my childhood behind, and growing into an adult. A cultured, sophisticated, glamourous, fancy pancy adult.

And the other day in french class, when my french teacher told us that crumpets and english muffins were the same thing I went crazy.

"What!" I gasped.

"You didn't know?"

"But...I thought crumpets were little cookie like things... crumpets and tea? anyone? anyone?"

This realized misconception was like a shocker. A slap in the face.

"Hey Fred, you're growing up! You don't have time for misconceptions and make believe anymore"

I wanted to go back. Back to the days when I would make "crumpets" out of play-doh and pretend that I was having tea in England with all my dollies.

But instead, I had to take out my french homework, and begin the lesson.

-Fréd

i'm so lame.

2008-05-09T23:08:00.004-04:00

This has by far been the craziest week of my life.

Everything has built up to it

Now the dust is finally starting to settle.

Completing things to help other people

And learning how to forgive

Make me feel so light.

[toldyouiwaslame]

let them have their tea.

2008-05-08T22:17:00.004-04:00

Don’t you wish you lived in London,

where afternoon tea was as common as skinny jeans?

-hannah

c'est pas tous les jours que...

2008-05-08T18:12:00.002-04:00

"I am the passenger and I ride and I ride

I ride through the city's backsides

I see the stars come out of the sky

Yeah, the bright and hollow sky

You know it looks so good tonight"

LOVE
lee

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blahhh

2008-05-06T22:39:00.003-04:00

Yeah.

I talk a lot. Like, all the time. Even before I could say words, I would talk, in my own baby language.
All the time.

No, I'm serious.

But the times when I tire myself out (my friends are like WHEN IS THIS?!), and when I sit and listen, it surprises me each time to see how much I learn.

Sometimes, I wish I were more of the quiet type. The type that understands the value of each word. But I still continue to blabber.

Maybe when that bug flew into my mouth during recess in 4th grade while I was talking, I should have taken the hint.

Oh well, I think I'll always be talkative little fred.
Silly, blabbering, rambling fred.

This makes no sense.
But at least I said it...

-Fréd

oh darling, darling

2008-05-06T22:12:00.003-04:00

there are so many choices

the world is immense

take a good look around

and decide what makes sense

It may sound corny, but sometimes i just get so wrapped up by the world and what I see around me.

toodles--

hannah

colourful dreams.

2008-05-06T17:49:00.003-04:00

lately the oriental feel seems to have been left behind. japenese designers seem to be going for simplicity. sleak lines and light flowing colours. there is a lack of dramatics. the photos by josh olins, like this one, bring back the clashing colours and the pattern crazziness. the bold silks and funky hats have a uniqueness about them that isn't american one bit. the overall tackiness works and becomes beautiful. there is a return to nature that still has that urban feel. anyway, i'm glad it's back.

LOVE
lee

i'm a people watcher.

2008-05-04T16:37:00.002-04:00

i find people so interesting. overhearing conversations on the bus or on the train feels so enlightening most of the time. the quick glimpses into other people lives is an experience that is so hard to explain. there have been so many secret glances at the human heart. I think a lot about something i read from Charles Dickens:

"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other."

maybe it's a bit far fetched but i believe that through style there are quick flashes of personality every once in a while. just the same as when one goes through an art gallery, reads poetry, or any other form of self expression, visual representations or even ones that are heard help us to understand human beings. whatever we really are.

LOVE

lee

?

2008-05-04T10:45:00.002-04:00

I think that sometimes people aren't afraid of asking "stupid questions" but rather, they are afraid of what that question will reveal about themselves.

Something to think about.

-Fréd

tweedle-dee

2008-05-01T17:52:00.006-04:00

ho hum.

recently, ive realized that im not so much interested in fashion as i thought. im more into art and culture. i cant keep up with trends at all. its the same ripped skinnies, leather jacket, worn out punk band tee, and combat boots or heels. im too lazy. and its bores me. i cant follow trends. seeing everyone with the same skirt from h&m, trying to be luella esque brings me to the doldrums.

art is so very tantalizing to my tastebuds. drawing, painting, sculpting. anything. of course fashion is an art. but so trendy. i cant stray away from my punk roots. so i stick to art. the very life of it all. its so real to my eyes.

hmm. i really want some tight leather pants. from trash and vaudeville. sure. i look innocent. dont let my little dutch boy looks fool you. and really. i want a platinum blonde mohawk. what a bad -ass thing to have.

opinions?

clothes aren't shallow, get over it.

2008-05-01T15:26:00.006-04:00

it is not sufficiently realized that fashion is not accidental and arbitrary but is founded upon a definite and psychological basis. dress, in short, is the outward and visible sign of the inner spirit which informs any given period and nationality. the comparative uniformity of dress adopted by all people who have come under the influence of modern industrialism is a case in point.

one might say that our conception of the world must deeply influence our appearance. it appears that dress, quite as much as buildings, books or pictures, can be a manifestation of man's urgent desire to express ideas and satisfy his mental needs, which transcend any consideration of physical comfort or convenience, and all considerations of sensible economy. in this way man can alter the appearance of all things, including himself, to fit closely to an ideal, which is always of dissolving parts, fluctuating in its distinctness.

the human body is the basis of all fashion. each epoch develops its own aesthetic conception of the ideal human shape. this is demonstrated most clearly by the variations in the ideal of feminine beauty. one need only compare ruben's buxom beauties with the tall, slim and elegant line preferred today.

clothes can accentuate as well as tone down certain parts of the body, so as to make the silhouette approach as nearly as possible the prevalent ideal. they can correct faults and create an illusion. characteristic examples are the medieval predilection for a slightly protuberant belly in the female form, as can be seen in many contemporary works of art, and the preference in the rococo times for an exageratedly tiny waist.

the apparent bodily proportions, too, can be strongly influenced by the composition of the attire. the most frequently ecountered tendency in the history of costume is a striving for an increase in stature. the optical illusion of an increase in height served to enhance dignity and social importance. occassionally the length of the dress of the amount of material used pointed to the social position of the wearer.

in one way or another the clothes we wear are affected by tradition even today, and historical events have played no small part in influencing fashion now as in teh past. under the guillotine of the french revolution not only heads, but wigs rolled - literally and figuratively. not to wear a wig henceforth became as obligatory as is the wearing of jeans among most youth today. clothes have a meaning; they reveal secret attitudes.

LOVE

lee

=)

2008-04-30T15:30:00.002-04:00

-Fréd

When the Rain Falls Down, Will You be Around?

2008-04-29T22:24:00.003-04:00

I'm supposed to be doing my math homework, and english, and apush, and...physics...but instead I'm back again!! Woo. So yeah, the past few days have brought some interesting weather in my area. Okay, compared to the tornados in Virginia, I guess I really have nothing to complain about. Sorry I lied. I guess what was essentially interesting was not the weather itself that I've experienced over the past couple of days, but rather the way that the weather related to my emotions. This relationship really puzzles me. Well let me just tell you about it first. Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day where I live. It was warm out, and sunny, and happy. But the whole day, I just felt tense. (The same way there is always tension when there is abnormal heat in many literary works). I felt upset, and ticked off. No, I didn't have a completely terrible day; I honestly have no clue as to what my problem was. Then Monday, and Tuesday: RAIN! And I just seem to feel better, and less easily annoyed if you will. I don't know. Maybe it's all just a coincidence, but also, people tell me that they like the rain better because it seems like the world is sympathizing with your problems, instead of making you feel like an outsider because you don't feel as sunny on the inside as blaring sun is on the outside. But maybe it reflects something else about all of us. Maybe we are happier (not in the HAPPY sense...more content, or satisfied with ourselves...think SAT vocab in context?) with ourselves when we are able to express who we really are (aka. rain–"let it all out girl"), than when we have to sit and conform to the thoughts and ideas thrust upon us, and pretend that everything is fine all of the time (aka the perfect sunny day...). After all, flowers need both sunlight and water to grow. Just like we need ideas to jump off of in order to create new ones.

Oh, it's all just a part of Mufasa, and Simba, and Nala, and Scar, and Rafiki, and Timone, and Pumba's circle of life I guess...

Like my orchestra teacher says, "There's always the tension, and then there's always the resolution".

Mmhmm.
So with that said, Let it rain world, let it rain.

-Fréd

footloose and fancy free.

2008-04-29T22:00:00.007-04:00

What is young?

Young is laughter and wonder and smiling through tears.

Young is skinned knees and broken wrists.

Young is climbing trees and dancing in the rain.

Young is the smell of crayons and grass.

Young is baby-soft curls and warm, tight hugs.

Young is bedtime stories, lullabies, a kiss goodnight.

Young is tumbling through wide, open fields.

Ashes to ashes, we all fall down

Young is fragile, yet young is invincible.

Young is being so cool without even trying.

Young is dreaming big, and never letting go.

Young is innocence; young is joy. Young is how we live.

TOODLES.

gayatri & hannah

The Watch Trick.

2008-04-28T19:16:00.003-04:00

You know what my sister told me the other day? I don't even remember what we were talking about, but it was something like "The longer you live, the shorter each day seems because you are comparing its length in time to the amount of time you've been alive". Sure, thats probably not exactly worded correctly, and it could have been more concise...but if you think about it, it seems true right? I mean, I know I'm still young, and I still have a lot of life left to live. But the five minutes that I used to have to spend in the corner for Picasso-ing the off white walls in the hallway with those smelly markers that had all the different scents for the different colors (sup run-on?) seems a lot slower than the remainder of the hour long car-ride when my ipod decides to die on me. Its just so weird. And people always say that "time flies when you're having fun!" (just imagine that cheesy adult who gives you a mile-wide grin and two strained thumbs up while you're looking for your Barbie's tiny pink pumps). But this makes me wonder if being occupied isn't the only way that time flies. This whole "theory" makes sense though... right?

I just found it interesting.

Enjoy the Picture.

-Fréd

and it goes like this-

2008-04-28T17:34:00.002-04:00

mario testino is probably one of my favorite photographers.
he shaped how i see the world
looking at his work i have come to this conclusion:
every morning i wake up and go to my closet to get dressed
so does kate moss
so does cameron diaz
and so did coco chanel
and so do i.
how curious
that we draw such a distinction from us and them.
where is the line
and why do we draw it?

-ana (your new photographer/writer/blogger)

Христос Воскрес!

2008-04-28T15:27:00.018-04:00

in case you didn't know, this weekend was Orthodox Easter.

the reason it doesn't fall on the same day as Catholic Easter is that the Orthodox follow the Julian Calendar whereas Catholics follow the Gregorian Calendar. it's a pretty long holiday and gets really tiring since mass is really long (2h1/2 on average per day (3)) and there are no pews but only a few chairs for the elderly ( not... ).

but what i really wanted to get to in this post was why i love Easter so much. Easter is a pretty big reason to dress up, and since women can't wear pants, it's much more extravagant. i love seeing what old Russian women wear. they either wear the craziest things or dress very elegantly. think of Eliza Doolittle at the horse race vs. Queen Elizabeth II. or just think of different characters in Anna Karenina or the wedding scene in The Deer Hunter.

the lights are turned off, the candles are burning, the choir is chanting solemn hymns, a baby's cry or old women's gossip occasionally break the eerie chants. nothing in this post could possibly come near to how intense and breath-taking the liturgy is.

i don't want to go on too much about it. what i want to add is that before Good Friday, i hadn't been to church in about 3 months. the problem was that i recently stopped believing in God. i felt that if i went to church, i was being hypocritical. i decided to go on Easter, however, i made sure not to go to confession or to communion. i didn't feel so bad that way. i missed going so much, just because it's a part of me that i lost touch with. when i was young i used to go every Sunday with my family and it was amazing. i used to think that the gates to heaven were on the ceiling of the church since it was painted white with angels. however, my church burnt down one winter night. they don't know if it was an accidental fire or not. many of my childhood beliefs also turned to ashes that night. i have a feeling that the Orthodox tradition outside of Russia will fall out in a couple of generations, as there are already signs of it. i'm proof. my Russian is pretty limited, and although i love going to church, i'm not so sure that i'll continue going once i move out of the house.

i feel like society these days is moving so fast that no one is taking the time to appreciate tradition anymore, we're all looking forward without any notion of the past. i'm doing my best to not get too caught up with everyday life (school, friends, hobbies) and take the time to go to church, but i know once my mom is off my back about going, i'll probably stop and find excuses as to why i don't go anymore.

dre

so ugly it's cool.

2008-04-27T18:08:00.004-04:00

just a thought. there's no ideal cool now-a-days. no perfect picture or ideal form. everything is everything. a mix-match of the past 50 years or the weirdest things you can think of. when one thinks of cool anything can come to mind. throw it on or cut it up, it's cool.

we've gone over the edge where nothing is cool. for that exact reason there are so many options. since nothing is cool, everything is. there's a freedom that has come over our generation. we're no longer confined to stick to the trends of now. i use to feel confused with the mish-mash of generations present today but it has hit me that we've become complete. clothing no longer is a shallow form of riches or rags, since everything is cool everyone now has the option of wearing whatever they like. clothing now can finally reflect personality instead of being the shallow snob which everyone hates but simultaneously loves at the same time. the middle-school conformity has passed on, finally.

LOVE

lee

miserable romantic

2008-04-27T11:51:00.002-04:00

i am miserable. there are no words to describe the way im feeling. i cant eat. i cant sleep. i cant cry. even though i want to.

i felt great last night. i was dressed up just like a flapper. with my red fringed dress, red lipstick, and black cateyes. i was on my way to a banquet for choir. it was amazing. friends, a nice hotel, a nice meal. i even got an award for most unique personality. haha. things were perfect. well not completely, but it was nice.

we all headed out to the dancefloor, not the best playlist of music. but it wouldnt matter if i complained or not. i tried to get the dj to play justice, and the pipettes. no such luck. haha but it was fun. all these people wanted to dance with me. alot said i danced better than the black girls there. haha things were great.

then, bohemian rhapsody came on. goodness it was hilarious. until some idiot jumped and stepped right on the instep of my foot. it was terrible. today it is swollen and in an ace bandage, probably no school tomorrow.

then things got worse. me and my friend were texting. coincidentally i have a crush on her. i wanted to tell her, and i did tell her. but now i feel that its going to be awkward around us. hmm. i cried. she said she thought it was cute. she actually thought it was cool. and she was proud of me for telling her. aww how sweet.

which led me to this morning, listening to beirut on repeat. ive listened to every song at least 4 times. im just tearing up. i drew the picture to the above right (click to make it larger) in about 20 minutes. it felt good to draw. i havent drawn like that in a while. i guess i needed inspiration. so inspite of my girlcrush, i dedicate this picture to her. and every beirut song in existance.

влюбленность и везение, teddy

bostonia

2008-04-26T20:32:00.005-04:00

Pictures from Boston!

Enjoy!

-Fréd

a different kind of fun

2008-04-25T18:32:00.003-04:00

now see here, these shorts have traveled everywhere. now if only they could end up here. i just might need the help of my secret lover.

really, ive fallen in love with tacky style. grandma florals, acid wash. ripped jeans. high waists. its really attractive to me.

now still i wont stray away from my balkan/eastern european style. ive been growing up with the polish and slovak culture ever since i was a little girl. my grandpa spoke polish around the house, we always ate polish foods, my grandpa even dressed me up as a babushka when i was about 5. if only i lived over there, to get a taste of my family. its part of my heart that ill never lose.

влюбленность и везение, teddy

BJORK!

2008-04-24T17:47:00.003-04:00

"I don't wear jeans and a tee shirt because it would be like yielding to American [cultural] imperialism."

so true. i'm not against jeans in any way. i just don't like pants in general. they're confining. in spandex and dresses i can move about and do the splits (almost). without pants i feel a lot free-er.

i wish everyone would jump around

... and take off those pants.

LOVE

lee

disco infusion, i've become a gypsy.

2008-04-23T18:39:00.005-04:00

the 80's are finally lost to me. but surprisingly there hasn't been the dramatic switch to boho. with sequins, colours and loose clothes, i've become a gypsy. when moving, the sequins glitter like a disco ball and reflect against the sun, lockets swing, and skirts flow. there is a relaxation, a tierdness, that has come with the heat. soothing music from marie-antoinette and pink cupcakes with tea. a mixture of caravan circus troop and victorian class.

cherry cola on my sofa, i think i'll go to bed.

LOVE

lee

long time gone

2008-04-22T17:56:00.005-04:00

So last night before bed, I was leafing through my tattered copy of Little Women when I noticed something that got me thinking. Clothing and appearances, in general, are an important part of the novel and the author writes pages describing things like dresses and accessories. What I found so interesting was how much more attention the characters paid to details such as the fabric and cut of a dress than people nowadays do. Back in the day being well dressed consisted of having good-quality clothes made of luxurious material and cut in flattering shapes. People paid attention to details and craftsmanship, whereas now most of us pay more attention to the label sewn onto the clothes. We spend our money on poorly made, ill-fitting clothes because they happen to be the brand of the moment.

Most likely, the reason that this great difference exists is that our clothes now come ready-made. All we have to do is buy them, contrasting the 1800s, when one had to buy material and make clothing oneself. They truly put a bit of themselves into every article of clothing they made.

I wonder what would happen if everyone bought a sewing machine and, once again, began to create their own clothes; sewing, decorating, and accessorizing, pouring a little something of ourselves into every outfit we wear?

just a thought.

love--
the newbies

SOMETHING FLASHY.

2008-04-22T17:20:00.002-04:00

i love EVERYTHING about marc jacobs lines.you can either love or hate them.
that may sound cliche,but it's true. its not just the clothes,even though they're AWESOME,but all of the below:
-juergen teller's point n shoot photographs.
-the fact that all the ads are funny or weird.
-the people in the ads.i used to dislike victoria beckham,but now she seems alright.and well,MIA.

I just bought the PROTECT THE SKIN YOU'RE IN tee and its great!

have fun.
(they almost forced me to post,thats why its not THAT awesome)

^i love MIA omg.

i think thats funny

that ones weird alright.

thats funny and weird at the same time. (thats posh in there hahah)

UM,THATS ALL.
BYE BYE

The Choice is Yours.

2008-04-21T23:17:00.003-04:00

You know what, I have to say that I am overall pretty proud of my pictures. I mean, they may not be perfect, but each of them is a glimpse into a tiny moment of my life that I was able to capture.
I wish I could just take pictures forever. Take pictures and get a paycheck every week and live in a nice little apartment, and have tea and scones with jelly all the time, and have some nice little clothes, and a nice little dog, and look at my nice little pictures displayed all over the walls everyday. But then again, I'm working so hard right now because I am on the road to a music school, maybe not the best, but I am trying.

And then, there's a little part of me that would love to be a journalist. Or, sometimes I would like to see myself in front of a camera talking in an unatural voice about the day's events, politics, world news...more politics.

Yeah, I can just see it now.

Wait, I don't even know what I'm seeing. What my dream is.

That's because I have so many.

And I'm still young, so I can still dream, but the clock is ticking, and I need to choose.

But which one?

-Fréd

charles frederick worth

2008-04-21T16:15:00.003-04:00

the founder of haute couture was an english bloke who went to paris at the age of 20 with 117 francs and without knowing any french. i find it kind of funny how people can be so snobby about clothing and high fashion couture when the dude who started it was almost broke. it really has nothing to do with money. just dressing kooky and weird. being kinda different. whatever, none of it really matters.

LOVE
lee

Baby you can drive my car

2008-04-21T12:01:00.000-04:00

yes i'm gonna be a star
(call me a hypocrite)

enjoy the pictures

-Fréd

tierd and uninspired

2008-04-16T16:03:00.000-04:00

i've gone past the point of caring. my style has turned into a kind of laissez-faire mixture of sequins and bright colours all thrown together. maybe it's the looseness of spring or the building stress of the last push through this school year. either way, there's a lack of response from me in general.

as i was looking through my closet early this morning i was wondering... is it even possible anymore to come up with a truely original idea. all the shapes and styles seem to be dug up from past ones. with the layers of red spandex, victorian lockets, and mini dresses it seems like i've become a mixture of every single generation before me. it is sad, but our generation really has nothing to say, nothing to show for what has occured. though we might look at the 80's with a bit of a laughing disgust, at least they had a personality. something original about them that defined their generation. the overall tackiness reflects who they were. today we're nothing but a mixture of old fashion dreams.

LOVE
lee

Baby got Bach.

2008-04-16T15:44:00.001-04:00

I've been meaning to make a post about the Bach Partita no. III in E Major for violin, but I've never been exactly sure what to say. Actually, I'm still not sure what to say. It's hard to convey the brilliance that each movement has. Especially they Prelude. Yeah, its classical music, yeah its not "cool" or whatever but so what. Maybe I'm just a classical music fanatic because that's what I've been playing everyday on my violin since the fourth grade. But if you ask me, classical music is more than just fancy music to play at tea parties or background music for "fancy" situations, classical music is more of a representative of human emotion. That's what I think. A lot of pieces can convey more emotions than any silly pop song can. It's like reading an old book. A "classic" book. If you ask me, I'm not really a fan of today's modern literature as much as I like the older books. Why? Because generally, (from the modern books i've read anyways), it seems as though many modern books are lacking the depth that older books seem to have. Not saying that today's music can't be "deep" but seriously, classical music just has something so special about it. I love it. And you should to. So if you're with me, download Nathan Milstein's Bach Partita in E Major Preludio (The first movement...it might just have an ".I" there), and tell me what you think. Really listen to it.

I bet it's not as boring as you thought it was...

yeah. that's what i thought ;)

-Fréd

So typical

2008-04-13T17:17:00.001-04:00

very "typical Bianca" outfit.
What I wear when I get three hours of sleep and just cant think of anything.
cardigain
printed tee
colored skinnies
nike high tops.

I like this outfit, and I like that the style of it contrasts my sometimes really girly style. It works...especially after a late night. Ignore my miserable face.

Ah, This will probably be my last post for a while. I am off to Denmark for 10 days on Wednesday. I am AMAZINGLY excited....It's an exchange, my partner stayed here in America last month for 10 days, and now im off to go stay with her. AHHHHH, I can not wait!
Oh, and last night at afterprom, I got henna tattoos one of a skull on my wrist, because I like to pretend I am bad ass, and one of a turtle....because turtles are cooool.

-Bianca

DRIED PEACHES.

2008-04-09T20:26:00.000-04:00

WWW.DRIEDPEACHES.BLOGSPOT.COM

checkkkkk it