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Washington WowGuilty pleasures are a must and mine inhabit the realm of fabulous fashion blogs. Fashion blogs let me dream about something other than travel and world peace because, hey, everyone needs variety. One blogger I've recently been stalking is the elusive E of District of Chic. Based in Washington, D.C., E photographs and writes about her eclectic-beach-resort-but-still-somehow-bohemian wardrobe and—bonus!—food, too. So if you ever doubted D.C.'s fashion and culinary prowess, watch E in action. I emailed her a few questions on my mind and she took it from there: • How does Prince inspire you to dress everyday?
The question is "How does he not?" Jk, I just love Prince. Social norms really don't apply to him. I aspire to be such a deity. • OK, seriously. How did you come up with your blog's name? And what about the quirky illustration? Is that yours or did someone else do it? Well, when I started the blog over 5 years ago, D.C. wasn't really thought of as a particularly chic place, but it is! It's so much more than stuffy politicians and Capitol Hill. It's very culturally diverse and stylish and I wanted to reflect that in my blog title. The quirky illustration is mine actually! I like doing weird 2D landscapes with weird little things flying around the background. • What's your grand philosophy on shopping and dining? Try a bit of everything and never be afraid venture out of your comfort zone! • Could you give our readers one fashion tip and one cooking tip? For fashion, I would always encourage you to buy what you love, not what's trendy. The pieces I get the most wear out of, year after year, are unusual and not necessarily what everyone else was buying at the time. And this might go against the D.C. grain, but many of my favorite pieces are not the most practical. Don't shy away from unusual prints and colors if you think they're beautiful! For cooking, it's cliché, but you really can't go wrong with buying fresh and local. And get The Victory Garden Cookbook. It's the best reference guide to growing, buying, and cooking fresh produce. The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
20th-century Fashion Accessories As WeaponsSexual harassment is the pits. And as it unfortunately turns out, the deviant desire to cat call, taunt, grope and generally act like a miserable misogynist reaches across time and place. Women have tried various strategies to fend off such behavior through the ages, but one trend during the turn-of-the-century reveals a creative, and sometimes overzealous, tactic for literally sticking it to lecherous men. The so-called “Hatpin Peril” led ladies to use their own decorative accessories to fend off unwanted advances. In the Victorian era, female decorum and reliance on men were de rigeur. But by the cusp of the 20th century, some women were done with the antiquated expectations. Increasingly, ladies came to the conclusion that the time for a stiff upper lip when encountering “mashers”—period slang for predatory men in public—was over. Newspapers across the country started reporting physical retaliations against the skeezes. As the Smithsonian summarizes: A New York City housewife fended off a man who brushed up against her on a crowded Columbus Avenue streetcar and asked if he might “see her home.” A Chicago showgirl, bothered by a masher’s “insulting questions,” beat him in the face with her umbrella until he staggered away. A St. Louis schoolteacher drove her would-be attacker away by slashing his face with her hatpin. Victorian temperance be damned! In addition to their frequency, news reports covering these encounters were notable for their approving tone. While a woman attacking a man had previously been considered comical (silly, silly women!), these female fighters were now praised as heroes with the righteous ability to defend themselves. Social mores, they were a’changing. Working women and suffragists co-opted the phenomenon into their broader call for women’s rights, including the ability to break out of the confines of parents' or husbands' homes, ditch chaperones, and move alone and unharassed in public. At this point, one might expect serious push-back from harbingers of tradition. But surprisingly, most people seemed to see the writing on the wall for women’s increasing freedoms. Instead, detractors focused on deriding the most high-profile mechanism of lady self-defense (or in some cases, probably misguided assaults): the hatpin. Both unconfirmed and verified stories of hatpin-peril abounded. Innocent men were accidentally stabbed by careless women. A hundred female factory workers wielded hatpins at police officers who had arrested two of their coworkers. A woman and her husband’s mistress even circled each other in a high-stakes hatpin duel until police broke it up. One woman’s tool of self-defense was another woman’s weapon. By 1910, the situation (weirdly) looked not unlike the current gun-control debate. City councils in Chicago, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New Orleans and even as far away as Sydney, Australia, started passing ordinances to regulate hatpin length. Many women rebuffed such interference, with some opting to go to jail rather than pay fines for their pins o’ protection. Who knows how the hatpin controversy may have continued to escalate, had World War I not swooped in to distract social preoccupation and inspire new fashion. Yes, the menacing hatpin was laid to rest as bobs and cloche hats became the new trend—probably for the best. Happily, women remained generally able to move independently in public, though sexual harassment has endured. Perhaps it's time to bring back the bad-ass hatpin? ***This piece first appeared in Ravishly and was republished here with permission. *** #Real #Ravishly #HighOnHistory #History #Feminism #SexualHarrassment #Weapons #Fashion
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Murder Case Turned Fashion LineBy Raquel Lynne QuailBellMagazine.com A few weeks ago I was on the quest for baubles that made bold statements of strength and courage. That's when I happened upon Haus of Shay. Haus of Shay is an accessories line based on a short story, written by the designer, that takes place in the 1800's. An unsolved murder in London leads the reader to an American factory. Haus of Shay is a customer-focused line carries edgy pieces with studs, spikes, and bullets (emptied of primer and gunpowder), plus loads of leather. Reading about this particular accessory line led me to the creative source behind it all" Shay herself. What follows is Shay’s story: "From a young child, I was always big on art and anything that allowed me to be creative. I loved reading teen fashion magazines while in high school, and had a subscription to them all. I took a fashion design course, and that is when my creativity took off. My love for creative writing and fashion excelled, which inspired me to not only create a fashion line, but also a storyline with a symbolic meaning behind it. Kill the Smoke was birthed. The meaning behind Kill the Smoke is simple: it's about stopping the killing in the streets, hence the reason I use bullets in my designs. Let’s wear bullets as art, not to kill. Couple this with my love of Tupac and his lyrics, and not only was my brand and line solidified, but my way of working, too. I work hard, push myself and strive to be better. With my mother, a breast cancer survivor, rooting for me with her daily encouragement, I have learned that "through every dark night, there's a bright day after that." "I have been blessed to see my pieces strutted down the catwalk at NYFW, which is such an honor, seeing my work on BBWLA, and on my wonderful customers through passing. My dream is to see Rihanna strut around in my pieces at events and in concert, or to even design a line for her." "I am about encouraging the next generation of designers, and I would suggest that they keep their head held high, and remember that we all must start from somewhere. It's important to never limit yourself. Please don't ever stop dreaming! And, don’t follow trends…create your own, and I mean that in the good way!" For more information about Haus of Shay: Twitter: @hausofshay Instagram: @Shaythedesigner_ Email: info@hausofshay.com Store Site: HausofShay.com #HausOfShay #Design #Fashion #Jewelry #KillTheSmoke #Bullets Visit our shop and subscribe. Sponsor us. Submit and become a contributor. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
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EdnaI'm enamored with vintage Airstreams. So what better way to pay tribute to these beautiful icons of American design than with a photo shoot? Melissa Mankins and I were graciously hosted by Tristan and Brie, owners of a rare 1959 Airstream Tradewind currently under renovation. The main "character" in these photos is Edna, an uptight but innocent American tourist from the 1950s. '50s dress and frames: thrifted, vintage sweater: Deluxe The actor who played Junior Soprano said the moment he put on Junior's glasses, he immediately understood the character. Well, when I put on those vintage glasses, I totally understand Edna. That hat is actually an official cap from the Wally Byam Caravan Club, an organization founded to promote Airstream travel. Byam and other caravanners would wear these hats to help identify each other in large crowds while traveling. Pretty dorky, but Byam was inspired by berets after a visit to Paris. The vintage sweater features travel-themed appliques that remind me of the international caravans of the '50s and '60s. (See my Airstream history post for more info). This dress symbolizes the classic Airstream pretty well. The blue represents the backdrop of big sky country against which the silver embroidery stand out like Airstreams on an open highway. It's a party dress because Airstreams are the known as Rolls Royce of trailers. I wore another outfit, too. This mainly '70s getup represents Edna's secret inner wild-child, Elle. '70s dress and shoes: thrifted, sequined hat: Deluxe Lurking beneath the subconscious, Elle loves to come out when faced with the endless possibilities of the open road. Melina B is a writer and architectural historian with a passion for personal style, new age, airstreams and mid-century Americana. Melissa Mankins is the owner/photographer at Paper Moon Eugene. Her new project, Now You See Me will debut May of 2015. She lives in Eugene, Or. #Fashion #Photography #Vintage #Edna #VintageAirstreams #AirstreamOutfit
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The Boudoir PartyBy Kristen Rebelo Photographer: Christa Dickson Models: Jeanna Witt, Stephanie Cobb, Chey Moore Hair & Makeup: Karis A Stylist QuailBellMagazine.com You may recognize Christa's name, as she is one of our regular photography contributors. While her images typically feature women in surreal or fantastic surroundings, she has recently become interested in photographing a different setting—boudoir. We caught up with Christa to get her perspective on boudoir photography created by and for women. Tell us a little about this series. How did the idea arise and what was the process of photographing these women? This series has been sitting in the back of my head for so long, and for a long time I didn't realize it was going to be a boudoir shoot. I just started the idea of boudoir for fun, but then I kept getting a lot of responses from the girls saying how they were scared to do the shoot because of their bodies. They didn't want anyone to see them for who they are. It was so sad to me, that in the world today many women are afraid. There are such high standards for women and this is something we need to seriously work on in order to cause change. This shoot was so much fun. We got a high spirited hair and makeup stylist by the name of "Karis A stylist" to do the hair and makeup. She showed up, and was just the life of the party. The girls were each done in hour sequences at the Holiday Inn and Suites in Eastgate, Ohio. We had to show the girls they are worth the best there is to offer; so we got the king's suite! The first girl was Jeanette, then Stephanie, and we finished up with Chey. Two of the girls came in visibly "shaken." They weren't sure what to do next, and they weren't sure how they felt in their bodies. We laughed, we listened to music, we sang, we ate cookies, fruit, vegetables and we shot the sexiest shoot we could have accomplished. We did it for us. Not one of those girls left the "Boudoir Party" feeling less than a princess! It’s pretty common knowledge that many forms of media are dominated by men. Meaning the images we see—from television to high fashion to the pages of Playboy-—are usually conceived, directed, and shot by men, even if they are not the intended audience. How does your perspective change this narrative?
I think the way this was done completely changed the narrative. I think more shoots like these could be a huge step in the entire media movement. Woman need to feel empowered in their bodies. Your body is a beautiful thing, it's not something anybody should be ashamed of, and I love the way that you can accomplish that with boudoir. It's scary, it's challenging but it's completely 100 percent worth it to just push through. The reason is because we need to feel desirable, we need to feel confident. If we feel confident we can walk away and accomplish everything we want in this world; and that's what the media changes about us. The media raises standards to an unreachable level! It is okay to not be stick thin, it's okay to not be perfect because perfection is BORING. These girls have flaws but they are all so intensely beautiful. We need to remember that, the beauty is within ourselves and we need to make a movement for woman power. Our bodies are beautiful and they are our own! The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
From Hepburn to DaisiesBy Raquel Lynne QuailBellMagazine.com I discovered Atlanta born Alexis Estrada’s fashion line while I was searching for boho-inspired, eclectic pieces. One pass through her website's gorgeous look book, and I had to reach out to Alexis to congratulate her on presenting pieces that will make every women feel sweet and sultry. Some of her nuggets from our exchange: “I started designing clothing when I was a kid, practicing on my Barbies and dolls. After graduating from Georgia State with my degree in PR, I did some soul-searching. What I discovered was my desire to live the life I had always dreamed, and to do what I felt resonated within me: design clothing for women. With that goal, off I went to take classes in fashion design and marketing. My PR degree has really come in handy.” “Women who wear my clothing will find the pieces easily transition from work to an evening with friends. Described as boho-elegant and mod, the pieces I design flatter every woman’s shape. Mix in with bold colors and prints, the wearer will boldly conquer her day looking fab. My inspiration comes from women, like my mother, who styled themselves impeccably in the 70’s and 80’s. I wouldn’t be representing my line well if I left out the Hepburn and Monroe era of dressing. That is represented throughout my line as well--what I call modern fashion with an era flash.” “My dream? To design for Jennifer Lawrence and the women who grace the red carpet. From maxis and daisies for play, to red, pink and black for evening wear, I want to dress women to be fearless and confident. My advice to women is to dress in a manner that makes you happy and comfortable. Have fun with color and prints.” Speaking with Alexis was refreshing—her dynamic personality and positive attitude reflect in her designs. You can shop Alexis Estrada’s Spring and Fall collections on her website and social media sites. For inquiries, and to have her personally design something for you, too, you can email her. Website: Alexis-Estrada.com Twitter: AlexisEstrada88 Instagram: AlexisEstrada88_ Pinterest: AlexisEstrada88 Facebook: AEstrada1988 Blog: http://alexis-estrada.com/blog-2/ Email: alexis@alexis-estrada.com #Interview #AlexisEstrada #Fashion #FashionDesigner #Clothes
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Vintage "Jools" By Paisley Hibou QuailBellMagazine.com Kay Adams, owner of Anthill Antiques in Richmond, Virginia's Carytown shopping district, carries baubles with vintage and Old World flair. She also takes history seriously: For the past 17 years, Anthill has inhabited an historic building in an historic neighborhood and specializes in historic pieces and one of the kind couture that, let's face it, will probably one day make fashion history. The entrepreneur even makes her own jewelry and sells the collections at Anthill. I decided to pick her brain about the work that she does as a curator and creator of pretty, shiny things. Our quick Q&A over Facebook yielded this brief back and forth: Why did you start Anthill and how did you come up with the name? There was a genuine passion in my and my mother’s blood—if it’s there, and it’s real, you can’t escape the vintage bug—and it only gets more entrenched the older I get. Like little ants, we work hard at our vintage "jOoLed" hill, just like those tireless creatures that stay dedicated 24/7. How would you describe the shop in one word? OVERWHELMING-JoYFuLLY-jOoLiCIOUS! (Is that cheating?). We’ll just call that urban slang for VINTAGE JEWELRY NIRVANA! (Uh-oh—I must think in 3, not 1’s.) What's one of your favorite pieces you've recently sold? I made a necklace called Rhapsody in Rapture. It a had a crucifix with lightening striking it which was being held by two arch angels and a silver ascending bird flying away from it, among many other allegories. It’s moving to Texas. Just seeing how the lady responded to it made my happy. She saw the journey of it. What do you love about antique and estate jewelry? The quality, the history, the craftsmanship, the pride taken to create it, the innovation given the era, the nostalgia, the fact that someone else once cared for it, the fact that its legacy can continue. There isn’t anything about it I DON’T love. How do you choose pieces for the store? Gut. It’s always a gut reaction, and being open-minded enough to realize that people’s tastes and desires are all different and all over the board. I would never curate in a vacuum. A hand-painted celluloid bird pin could be as cherished to one person, as a fabergé egg to the next, and I completely respect that. What's your quick tip for telling if something's authentic or not? Look for signs of good craftsmanship. In vintage brooches, look for thickness of the cast pieces, uniqueness, and detail of the design, and often prong-set stones and/or riveted and multi-part construction. #Interview #Jewelry #Anthill #AnthillJewelry #AntiqueJewelry #Vintage
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Are Your Our Next Face? The Quail Bell Crew seeks models for its signature Photo Tales. Our models may come in any shape, color, or size, but they must possess self-confidence. All shoots are produced and photographed by women, so no worries about the male gaze. Contact us today and you might see yourself featured soon. #Modeling #Fashion #Looks #SpectrumOfBeauty
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Nature's InfluenceBy Raquel Lynne QuailBellMagazine.com Running has many advantages. Those who know me well know I use every opportunity to get to know those around me. One rainy run group day, I jogged alongside a man who upon learning about my love of fashion writing was more than excited to introduce me to a close friend of his, a designer and creator of couture headpieces. Later that afternoon, I had the pleasure of getting in contact with the beautiful Cuban-born, Miami-based designer Anilu Oms (pictured in the middle above). What follows is our conversation: When did you realize you wanted to become a designer? I have always leaned towards the arts and design. I studied graphic design, and have taken courses in architecture and interior design. When I was little in Cuba, I used to listen to classical music in my house and I used to go to the opera and the ballet with my mother. Moreover, my grandmother had great manual skills. She studied art at a well-known school. I remember playing at her house when I discovered a beautiful collection of hats from the '30s and '40s, which years later was the inspiration for my first job as a costume designer. When I graduated, my husband asked me to be the costume designer for the film he was directing. This experience opened doors [in the] television, film and theater [industries] for me. But my career as a milliner is another story. Tell me a bit about your work. My work is a manifestation of my background as a designer. My headpieces are eclectic and avant garde. I use many natural fibers, dried leaves, seeds, organza, plastic, crystal and feathers. Also, I include embroidery and twigs; I feel very connected with nature. Each piece is one of a kind, no two are alike. It is very emotional for me to create this and for the client, [each piece] is magical. Who would you really like to wear your designs? My client loves and appreciates art, knows that she looks good and [will attract] attention. My headpieces are sculptures. I create couture headpieces that [can] be used on your head and be displayed in a particular place in the house [for] everyone [to] admire. I design for every woman. Which items from your collection do you tailor for clients and why? All my headpieces are tailored to my clients. In the first meeting, I ask for their tastes, personality and I study the type of event. Fortunately, all my clients know what they want. How did you get here? This is the story of my career as a milliner: My daughter, the young designer Fabiola Arias, asked me to help her in a fashion show when she was still a student at Parsons, and I thought it would be good idea to create headpieces to complement the beautiful dresses, so I filled my bag with all sort of tools and materials and flew to New York. The result was fabulous. Since then I’ve made the headpieces for all her collections. Who would you say has influenced you the most? I am not influenced by people, but by nature, texture, colors, and shapes. I was born in Havana, Cuba, an island with bright sunlight and strong colors. The cinema magazines and the movies [from] Hollywood's Golden Age were part of my daily diet at home. All of that background influenced me. However, I love Philip Treacy. My style is completely different, but he is an inspiration to me. What are some of your accomplishments? My headpieces have been exhibited in Tokyo Fashion Week, World Expo Shanghai 2010, Fashion Houston and several seasons of New York Fashion week for Fabiola Arias’s collection. I collaborated with Gloria Estefan for the video "Hotel Nacional." Also, El Museo del Barrio (New York) auctioned two of my headpieces. But, my major accomplishment is the emotion I feel when I hear the reaction of the audience and the clicking of cameras in a fashion show. I still have a long way to go, but I'm enjoying all of this a lot. #Fashion #Hats #HeadPieces #UniqueDesigns
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The Rise of the Power Brow I experienced the same beauty crisis every vain urban girl faces at some point in her life: too-thin eyebrows. Neurotic plucking led to brows that might as well have been drawn on with a ballpoint pen. Thank Venus that now is the hour of the power brow—a time that will hopefully save future innocent teens and twenty-somethings from making the same mistake I did. Feminism 101: You do you, girl. Your natural brow line is just fine. Work with it. Groom it if you wish. But don't mow it down. In celebration of beautiful brows, I trolled Google Images and quickly found four inspiring ladies whose “eye frames” are right on the money (let's cross our fingers that these chicks are awesome in other ways, too; I was very careful not to go with famous folks). Send The Quail Bell Crew your eyebrow pics! #Eyebrows #Looks #Vanity #NaturalBeauty #FeministBeauty
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The Gift of GivenchyBy Raquel Lynne QuailBellMagazine.com I attended a friend’s dinner party the other week, and had an interesting conversation about vintage clothing with one of the guests. With a disgusted frown on his face he declared, “I would never wear clothes someone else wore. That is just disgusting." This guest obviously did not understand vintage clothes, vintage dressing and the vintage community. Vintage clothing isn’t just popular amongst women; men—and everyone else along the gender spectrum—enjoy this trend as well. When I was six, my paternal grandfather gave me my first vintage handbag. I didn’t understand how cool that was until my teens when I was introduced to the world of vintage shopping. My knowledgeable teachers included my mother and her sister, Aunt Gertrude. Fast forward to my 16th birthday, when I received a stunning green, sleeveless, satin, vintage Givenchy cocktail dress as a present from my Aunt. I was on cloud nine when we landed in Curaçao to celebrate Christmas with my father’s side of the family. I’ll always remember the look on my parents' face when I came to dinner wearing my dress. I think they shed tears. I felt so beautiful and glamorous that evening, and every time I had a chance to wear my dress. As an adult I still vintage shop. What are some of my top reasons? 1. Affordability. How else could I purchase a pair of barely worn Jimmy Choo booties for less than $100? 2. Being green. For those, like myself, who are concerned about being green, buying vintage means you are recycling. Did you know that many times old clothes end up in landfills? Buying and making fresh use of them, keeps this from happening. 3. Quality. I love and invest in high-quality clothing, but that comes with a price tag. Those of us who recycle our clothes to vintage shops typically take those pieces we’ve paid big bucks for. The person shopping at the vintage shop who purchases these pieces is one lucky duck. 4. The Vintage Community. It’s so refreshing to find so many blogs and networking sites that are devoted to vintage conversations (like, well, Quail Bell.) Being able to share your latest finds and recommend great shops is so much fun. It also makes you a smarter shopper—something all of us need to be in this economy. 5. Making Extra Cash. Many vintage shops offer consignment. The shop determines the value of your piece and sells it for you. The shop retains a percentage and you get the difference. My favorite shop donates their percentage to a local charity. 6. It’s Trendy. It’s really cool. My most recent purchases are a pair of Prada Kitten heels and a DVF wrap dress. My next social event, I will be looking so on the mark and trendy! If you have never been vintage shopping, I encourage you to go. It's the Quail Bell(e) way to wisely indulge your label addiction without feeling an ounce of social or financial guilt. #Vintage #Fashion #Thrifting #Shopping #Clothing #Duds
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Kickin' It On the FieldProducers/Stylists: Sidney Shuman, Amy Gatewood, Shannon Minor, Lindsey Story Photographer: Jasmine Thompson Model: Whitney Downing Clothing: Rumors Boutique It's heating up. Have you thrifted your spring looks yet? Our pick: 1970s sportswear. Rock it. #Fashion #Photoshoot #Athletic #Field #Rumors #RVA
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Real Gypsy LooksBy Jessica Reidy QuailBellMagazine.com Editor's Note: Previously Jessica Reidy wrote this essay on Romani fashion for Quail Bell Magazine. Please read it for insight and context if you haven't already! These outfits are selected from a place of love of tradition and with the modesty and purity rules of Romanipen in mind, namely, covered legs, arms, and décolletage. I allow room for interpretation and flexibility however, in the spirit of the contemporary Romani-fusion style that so many Romani women embrace and create on the streets, in the workplace, and in the home. For instance, instead of strictly skirts, I allow for long dresses too. Some of the hemlines are not quite floor-length, but none are above the knee (or even the calf, really). All five photos in this post were taken by Leonard M. Reidy. Outfit 1 Dress: Navy, floral Gunne Sax dress with lace detail. Vintage circa 1970’s from The Odd Showroom in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Shoes: Maroon combat boots, Kickers, circa 1990’s. In Romani fashion, practicality is essential. These combat boots, which I’ve had since I was 11, stand the test of time and add an edge to the long, feminine dresses emblematic of Romani style. Also, when the dress is shorter than ankle-length, like the Gunne Sax dress, tall boots preserve modesty. Outfit 2 Dress: Turquoise, cotton Mexican wedding dress with lace detail, vintage circa 1970’s from The Odd Showroom in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dikhlo: Turquoise and green plaid silk, family heirloom. Shoes: Maroon combat boots, Kickers, circa 1990s. While this fantastic wedding dress finds its roots outside of Romani culture, it reminds me of a glorious mash-up of Flamenco dress (originally a Romani dance) and the traditional full-skirts of Romani fashion. The neckline is a little daring, so if you would feel uncomfortable, a jewel-toned, heavy-lace camisole would be lovely underneath. Outfit 3 Dress: Black evening dress with sheer skirt overlay and green ribbon detail, vintage circa early 2000’s from Second Time Around in Porstmouth, New Hampshire. Shawl: Red silk, vintage, from a charity shop in Ireland. Shoes: Knee-length leather Ecco boots. Romanipen discourages bare arms and low-necklines, so a shawl is a perfect accessory to keep covered and add a shock of color. The layered skirt of the evening dress hearkens to the tradition of wearing long, many-layered skirts to preserve purity—the lower-half of the body is marime, polluted. This is why Romanipen requires that clothes for the lower-half of the body are washed separately from clothes for the upper-half, as well as inner and outer clothes (shirts versus jackets), and men and women’s clothes. Outfit 4 Dress: Black, velvet evening dress, vintage gift from a friend. Cardigan: Charter School Cardigan in Magenta from Modcloth. Dikhlo: Silk, vintage Pucci scarf circa 1990’s, gift. Shoes: Knee-length leather Ecco boots. Cardigans are very popular for everyday wear and are often paired with long skirts or dresses—they make almost any neckline acceptable and add a layer of color to an ensemble. Romani style embraces bright color palates so this is a particularly good option because the Modcloth Charter School Cardigan comes in a variety of lovely colors and patterns. Outfit 5 Skirt: Indian, floral silk wrap skirt from Quarter Moon Imports in Tallahassee, Florida. Top: One and Only Bodysuit in Navy polka-dots from Modcloth. Sunglasses: Vintage Yves Saint-Laurent, circa 1970s, from The Odd Showroom in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Shoes: Dance Instead of Walking heel in blue from Modcloth. Mixing patterns is a hot trend right now but Romani women have been doing it for centuries. Polka-dots and florals is my favorite combination—it’s upbeat and celebratory, and at the heart of Romani culture there is a celebration of music, stories, and the natural world. My grandmother always taught me to love the small things in the present moment because even during the darkest of times, there are glimpses of love and beauty. Jewelry worn for each outfit Coco Rosie earrings in Mint from Modcloth. Gold rings, family heirlooms. Historically, the tradition of wearing heaps of gold originally comes from banks’ discriminatory policies against Roma. If you can’t get a bank account, the next safest option is to keep your valuables on your person, of course. A note on Romanipen and laundry: I wash bodysuits and dresses separately since they are a kind of liminal clothing—neither top nor bottom, but both. A note on vintage items and Romanipen: Traditionally, it’s discouraged to pass items down to others, especially if the person is deceased. For many families, this tradition has loosened in order to preserve family artifacts and for thriftiness’ sake. I wash all previously-loved items that I purchase or inherit, but that’s just good practice for everyone, regardless of culture. #Romani #Gypsy #Fashion #Vintage #Thrifted
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The higher the hair...#Everyday #Life #Trivial #Looks #Style
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The Art School HaircutA mix of scraggly and shaven, the art school haircut is the signature look on “creative” campuses everywhere. Though these heads of hair are badly dyed, awkwardly textured, and strangely tapered, they are beautiful. Not actually, of course, but what they represent is beautiful: idealism. Somewhere today, a few young artists or writers or filmmakers are doing wacky things to their bangs or sideburns or scalps to take their first step on the road to revolution. It is a snow day and, therefore, in the minds of many suffering from cabin fever, a good day to drink and take out a pair of craft scissors and see what happens. Because that’s how the road to revolution usually starts on campus: not quite soberly eyeing one’s reflection in the mirror and declaring it time for change. One may ask why the art school haircut is necessary. Can’t people fight for revolution without ironic mullets? Sure. You can protest and volunteer and write letters to your local politician in a $100 salon cut and J. Crew outfit bought new at the mall a ten-minute SUV drive from your subdivision. But you probably won’t. The art school haircut is part of a uniform. Like any uniform, it has its advantages and disadvantage. Call the art school haircut ugly if you wish. Call out the posers. Yet the art school haircut is also an immediately recognizable symbol of shared beliefs. To quote political columnist Mark Shields, “There is always strength in numbers. The more individuals or organizations that you can rally to your cause, the better.” Spot the art school haircut and you know you have an ally. #ArtSchool #Hair #AntiStyle #Beauty #Politics #Radical The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
NestingFashionable consolation in the face of the Snowpocalypse. -CS "Nest deals with isolation and hibernation. It’s about the animal instinct to burrow and hide away, which is simultaneously comfortable and claustrophobic. Our nest is our home and the walls we build around ourselves, which keep us exquisitely safe but also still and imprisoned." #Fashion #Beauty #RVA
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The Wardrobe MonsterBy The Fashion Fairy QuailBellMagazine.com Surplus clothing is a modern Western phenomenon. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, clothes were so expensive and time-consuming to make that it was not unusual for the average person to own just one or two outfits. As factories popped up and textiles became easier to produce, the relative price of clothing decreased. Yet even our grandmothers owned far fewer articles of clothing than the Quail Bell(e)s of today. If you ever wondered why the closets in historic houses are so small (or even non-existent), there's your answer. To generalize, our generation's chockablock with clothing hoarders. When I was growing up, I knew one boy who owned exactly seven T-shirts—one for each day of the week—and he was teased just as much as the fat kids, the stuttering kids, the gay kids, and all the other social outcasts. It was a sign of an increasingly materialistic culture. The expression “Buy experiences, not stuff” is often used as an argument for how money can buy happiness. Travel agencies and travel gurus seem especially fond of the saying. It has now become my mantra and a reminder of why I should be downsizing. A new pair of designer jeans could buy me a weekend out of town. Even a generic brand sweatshirt could buy me a meal at an inexpensive restaurant I'd never tried before. Since I already have enough clothes to have something clean and weather-appropriate when I need it, I should use my disposable income on “making memories.” Chances are I won't buy an article of clothing and really relish the memory of spending an hour in the department store looking for it. But I will gladly remember the time spent camping at a national park, for instance. Same price point, too. This afternoon, I went to a local charity shop to donate a few bags of clothing. I wasn't getting rid of ratty, embarrassing clothes; I was giving away clothes that were in good condition and would hopefully be useful to someone else. It happened to be the last day of the charity shop's $1 sale. Everywhere I looked, I was surrounded by $1 clothing. Some of it was nice, too. I could see myself wearing that cashmere sweater or that cocktail dress. Maybe that blazer would come in handy for an interview. I quickly snapped out of my fantasy. I didn't have a strong desire for any of it. I had on decent, warm clothes. Earlier this morning, I had just laid out my outfits for the week and been astounded by how many ways I could wear what was hanging in my closet. Even if that LBD was adorable, how many did I really need? That being said, I still love clothes, so I pawed through a few racks. I dedicated a solid fifteen minutes to the endeavor, trying to get into the act of shopping. But I just didn't care. I had somehow achieved wardrobe nirvana. I had everything I needed for every occasion. No sales call—even the lure of $1 clothing—could sway me into growing my collection. I walked out of the store empty-handed, feeling vindicated. Perhaps that point will come for you, too, fellow clothing-lover, if it has not already. Even in the presence of spectacular, beautifully crafted, perfect clothing, you will know that an article of clothing is but an object. It has no soul. #Fashion #Clothing #Materialism #MaterialCulture #Shopping #Whatever
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Courage in High HeelsBy Raquel Lynne QuailBellMagazine.com I’d sit on her bed every morning as a child watching her carefully apply her makeup. She’d line her eyes meticulously and her brows were always of the perfect arch. One by one, she’d remove her pin curls that she created the night before. Each one fell beautifully, brushing her high cheek bones and long neck. Perfectly lined lips and red lipstick adorned her flawlessly shaped lips. I’d sit with wide eyes, excitedly watching her, and silently praying to God that I would grow to look like her. She’d kiss me and my dad goodbye, grab her purse and hurry out the door to work. She always wore stilettos, her legs perfect, and her body shaped like a pageant queen's. I’d hear her pull out of the driveway, and then to her vanity I would run. I’d apply everything to my face just like she did: eyes lined, brows perfected, lips shaped nicely. I’d wander around her dressing room looking for the highest shoes to put on. I’d stumble, almost fall, but my determination kept me steady. Back to the vanity to fix my hair, put on her pearls and diamonds. I’d smile big at how amazing I thought I looked, for I knew I looked like my mom, a lady of sophistication. I didn’t exactly grow up to look like my mom, but my makeup application is exactly like hers. My craving for pearls borderlines on addiction. My vanity is arranged exactly like hers. It’s funny, but true, how much of what we see our parents do we mimic and carry into our adulthood. For those of us raising children, we must always be mindful of their curious eyes constantly upon us—watching our responses to situations, and how we communicate and treat others. Trust me, I know it’s not always easy; I’m guilty of dropping the f-bomb to drivers who cut me off at intersections. However, when I regain composure, I am quick to apologize and explain what happened. Growing up my mom would always tell me, “Walk with your head held high, chin up, and back straight. Show the world how beautiful you are inside and out. Step out and be courageous." She’d continue, “Oh, and Raquel keep practicing how to walk in stilettos. It’ll make your legs look perfect." I swear that in my mid-40’s I am still working on the latter, which my mom finds that amusing, but I remain determined. #Motherhood #Daughter #Family #Relationships #FirstPerson
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Black AngelProducers/Stylists: Sidney Shuman, Shannon Minor, Lindsey Story and Amy Gatewood Photographer: Jasmine Thompson Model: Rachel Thibault QuailBellMagazine.com #Fashion #Photography #BlackAndWhite #Photoshoot #BlackDress #Model
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Marc Jacobs Chooses Badly with Miley Miley Cyrus is the new celebrity face for Marc Jacobs’ Spring/Summer 2014 advertisement campaign. Pictures slowly began leaking last week. Marc Jacobs’ preferred photographer, Juergen Teller, refused to shoot Cyrus for the ads. Instead, David Sims did the photography, making the photos much darker and more intense than a typical Marc Jacobs ad. These ads feature impeccable clothing with interesting shots, but my question is: Why Miley? Miley Cyrus and I are one month apart in age. Listening to her in interviews talking about her music and what it means to her along with her perception of fame is nothing less than infuriating. She speaks of herself as a character whilst simultaneously wishing to give a vulnerable, genuine impression. Her lack of charisma and professionalism comes off as sloppy and portrays a lack of passion in her work. Women my age have a hard enough time trying to be taken seriously. We do not need a young woman aimlessly throwing herself at whatever will get her publicity, and we certainly do not need her all over fashion magazines telling us she is the ideal representation of a brand. I am an avid fan of Marc Jacobs and seeing her becoming a style icon due in part to his advertisements makes me uncomfortable. I see a style icon as someone with grace and confidence, along with intelligence, passion and eloquent words to back up their aesthetic choices. They need to teach the public that clothing extends their personality and that clothing is not shallow. Miley Cyrus does just the opposite in the way she presents herself. Her personality and style both come with an expiration date. This makes Marc Jacobs look like a short-term thinker in terms of brand personality and the absence of Teller should have weighed heavier on the designer than it did. #MileyCyrus #MarcJacobs #Fashion #Celebrities #CelebrityNews #Opinions #Looks #Advertising The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
"Fat" is not a bad word.By Zack Budryk QuailBellMagazine.com My wife is a gorgeous, brilliant, badass woman, a fact that’s clear to anyone who knows her and anyone who’s ever heard me talk about her. She’s also fat (in the interest of full disclosure, this column was written with her permission). This is a term both she and I use not as an insult, but as a neutral descriptor, and sometimes people are confused by that. For instance, over Christmas we stayed at my mom’s house in Richmond. At one point, my wife referred to herself as “fat,” to which Ma immediately launched into a litany of “Aw, don’t say that”s and “You look fine”s, as though my wife had said something horribly insulting about herself. This made her distinctly uncomfortable, particularly since earlier during our visit, during a discussion of music, my mom had said, apropos of nothing, that Adele was inferior to Amy Winehouse because she was fat. When you read these two moments side by side, it’s hard not to read the subtext: You’re not fat, because if you were, you’d be deserving of scorn. This is all part of a broader phenomenon that I call the One of the Good Ones Effect. We hear a lot about how having a personal connection to a marginalized group may make you reevaluate your feelings, such as Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman declaring his support for marriage equality last year after his son came out, or this 2012 Reddit thread in which multiple posters admit that having daughters made them reevaluate misogynistic attitudes. But there’s another way this can go: some people just decide that individual experiences that don’t fit with their worldview don’t “count.” In Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, the protagonist, Mookie, points out to Pino, the racist son of a pizzeria owner, that, even as he rails against “n---ers,” his favorite athlete is Magic Johnson and his favorite movie star is Eddie Murphy. “They’re different,” is Pino’s only justification. Body positivity is a hot topic nowadays, in large part due to high-profile figures like Jennifer Lawrence and Lena Dunham speaking out on it. But unfortunately, even with these voices, we tend to be taking one step forward and two steps back. When Lawrence told Barbara Walters in December that “it should be illegal to call someone fat,” in context she clearly meant something closer to “It should be illegal to body-shame,” but she did it in a way that goes along with the prevailing narrative that “fat” is intrinsically negative (besides which, as blogger Jenny Trout observed, “a woman who looks like Jennifer Lawrence doesn't have to shop for her clothes in online stores because no physical storefronts carry her size.”). Similarly, when Howard Stern mocked Dunham in 2013 as a “little fat chick who kind of looks like Jonah Hill” and compared watching her do nude scenes to being raped, Dunham called into an apologetic Stern’s show and defended herself as “not that fat” and “super thin for, like, Detroit.” This is even more unfortunate than Lawrence’s remarks because not only is Dunham treating “fat” as a negative, she’s also paying homage to its close cousin, the idea that there’s a cutoff point for body positivity (and adding creepy, racist undertones with the “Detroit” non sequitur). People who look askance at Dunham and Lawrence often contrast them with Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe, of Precious and American Horror Story fame, who, unlike the two of them, is not only actually fat, but has gotten very few roles that could be played by someone who wasn’t fat (or black, for that matter). Would Sidibe be as warmly embraced, they wonder, if she adopted Lawrence’s disdain for dieting or Dunham’s casual attitude about nudity? That’s why it was so refreshing to see Sidibe’s tweet after the Golden Globes this week, “To people making mean comments about my GG pics, I mos def cried about it on that private jet on my way to my dream job last night. #JK”, go viral. As someone who’s neither a woman nor fat, I’m far less qualified to be a standard-bearer for body positivity than Sidibe, Lawrence or Dunham. My advocacy comes not from personal experience, but from a belief that when you speak up for somebody you love, you accept their input on how best to do it, and that means spending more time listening and less time saying things like “You’re not fat, you’re beautiful,” as though they were mutually exclusive. As blogger Marianne Kirby puts it, “I really, truly am fat. Telling me I am not supposes that I haven’t noticed the size of my own ample ass. And if you truly believe that then you don’t think highly enough of me to be paying me any compliments anyway.” #BodyImage #BodyPositive #SelfEsteem #Fat #Fatness #SkinnyPrivilege #Looks #Bodies #PhysicalBeauty The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
The Look: Vintage French Secretary#DirtyRichmond #RVA #StreetFashion #VintageFashion #Nostalgia #GoodLooks #Cool #StreetArt
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Does Ageless Beauty Only Come in One Size and One Color?By Brainy Bird QuailBellMagazine.com The high fashion world couldn't be more enamored of wunderkinds Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, especially with their recent model choices. Their Pre-Fall 2014 lookbook for The Row features older models, including a handsome 65-year-old woman--Linda Rodin, beauty entrepreneur. Her co-stars are Ursula Wallis and Esther de Jong, neither of whom would qualify as spring chickens, either. The twin designers champion age as an asset and gray hair perhaps one's best accessory. Bravo! But while it is true that such casting is a huge departure from the corporate norm, the downside is that these models are simply more mature versions of the standard catwalk gal, whose “willowy” is often really anorexic. What would truly be revolutionary is if the Olsen twins put the likes of The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty in their luxurious fabrics. Where are the women of color? Where are the plus-size women? What more than one 21st century consumer would appreciate seeing is a vision of beauty that is over age 50, non-white and a size 12 or larger. This is the Holy Trinity of apparently undesirable physical traits: signs of age, a dark complexion and meat on the bones. Thanks for trying, Mary-Kate and Ashley. It was a lovely effort. But please try again. #Fashion #OlsenTwins #TheRow #Age #Aging #Beauty #GoodLooks #RealBeauty #Vanity #WomenOfColor #FatShame The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Romani Fashion and the Politics of Dressing 'Gypsy'I was never allowed to look like a Gypsy. My mother wasn't allowed to look like a Gypsy, either. She and the rest of her family had to blend in with the rest of the small New England mill town where they had settled. And my grandmother definitely wasn't allowed to look like a Gypsy. She grew up in Germany, where she and her family kept their heritage quiet, and managed to evade the fate of the 1 to 2 million Gypsies taken by the Holocaust. Romani is the correct term for the ethnic group which is most often inaccurately, and sometimes offensively, referred to as “Gypsy.” (Fun pronunciation tip: Romani rhymes with hominy.) Romanies typically keep a clandestine culture, because as my grandmother puts it, “there is no good time or place to be a Gypsy.” Historically, Romanies have been oppressed, and are still oppressed, through institutionalized racism, ghettoized communities, hate crime and anti-Romani political movements worldwide. Traditionally, Romani women don’t cut their hair and as a little girl I took a lot of pride in my waist-length coiffure. I wanted to braid it and wrap it up in the dainty dikhle that my grandmother brought with her to the U.S. from Germany. A Romani woman only wears a dihklo (a full headscarf) when she’s married, but that wasn’t the only reason I wasn’t encouraged to wear one. I was cautioned not to tell anyone about my heritage, and I certainly wasn't encouraged to dress traditionally. This was a struggle for me: I love my heritage and I love fashion, and like most kids, I loved doing whatever I wasn’t allowed to do. When my grandmother showed me the pre-war portrait her great-grandmother, my great-great grandmother, Matilde von Theile, I was mesmerized. Matilde, like all the Romani women in our family, was a dancer and a fortune teller, and she wore her dancing clothes for the portrait—a modest blouse, a wide leather waist-cincher, a full circle skirt and thin shoes of brushed leather. I wanted to wear Matilde’s necklace, a long rope of green glass beads, another heirloom that my grandmother brought with her, and pair it with a silk patterned apron over layered ankle-grazing skirts, one of lace, and one of soft, colorful cotton. “Our ancestors were river Gypsies,” she told me. “They sailed up and down the Danube, from Germany to Hungary and back again in barges, making money by dancing and telling fortunes in the river towns.” She made it sound so beautifully idyllic—it was a beauty she hadn’t experienced, born just before the war began, but in truth, the stories are much prettier than the reality. Romani have been violently persecuted since the ancestors left India in the 11th century. But I didn’t know that then. I knew I had a gorgeous great-great grandmother and that I learned to read palms because she did. My grandmother told me I was born to be a dancer. To me, that meant wearing lots of lovely clothes. It was my birthright, after all. I was born for them, and I dreamed of river barges and towns that might sing as I came. I came into the habit of buying pretty scraps of fabric at the department store and, unable to actually sew, wrapping myself up in my room and practicing dance steps my grandmother taught me while humming Django Reinhardt’s “Minor Swing.” It didn’t look great, but I enjoyed myself. As a pre-teen and teenager, I read Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Seventeen, meticulously crafting my outfits for school. I took great joy in combining colors, patterns, and textures with a derring-do that offended quite a few peers in my tiny, northeastern town. I dedicated myself to Romani fusion fashion—Double-floral skirt with a leather jacket? Yes. Kohl-lined eyes and red lipstick? Absolutely. I haven’t changed much. I still pair my grandmother’s green and cerulean dikhlo with a floor-length turquoise Mexican wedding dress embellished by lace detail, when the occasion calls for it. The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Foreign and Fashionable TalentBy The Fashion Fairy QuailBellMagazine.com Ah, yes, the fabled European boutique, where every piece merits admiring stares and wistful sighs. It's actually less of a fable than many Americans are willing to admit. I once knew a cobblestoned shopping district in a medium-sized French city with dozens of shops. Shopkeepers greeted you the moment they heard you walk through the door. Eager, smiling attendants waited on you until you had found what you wanted. And it seemed that everything they showed you was handsome in some regard, if not perfect. Think the BBC's Are You Being Served? without all the antics. I remember one lingerie shop in this maritime city that interpreted Marie Antoinette's taste for the modern gal: lots of lace, plenty of pearls, bow upon bow, but in racy cuts or in bold blacks and golds or tropical colors. The styles might have seemed un peu démodé to the most fashion-forward Parisians, but, as an American, I found them positively irresistible. At one shop, I discovered a tiered, calico prairie skirt in berry tones with a white tulle petticoat that poked out slightly from the bottom. At another, I stumbled upon a vaguely “African tribal” peasant top in uncharacteristically subdued colors. Was the tribal pattern perhaps an offensive cultural misappropriation especially given France's historical treatment of its African colonies? Maybe. Is it okay not to take yourself so seriously and just put on a top because you like it? Yes., at least in this case because the top was made in France, not Algeria. My whole shopping experience enchanted me. The unique clothes paired with the impeccable service was a combination too hard to find in most shops in the States. Bethesda's Celine de Paris is a welcome exception, self-described as “so reminiscent of a high-end Parisian boutique that you may forget that you are in the heart of Bethesda, Maryland.” But Celine de Paris doesn't only tout beautiful French designers; the shop offers pieces by foreign designers from elsewhere, too. Take Juan Pajuelo, a Peruvian designer, for instance. (If you're raising your eyebrows at the mention of a Peruvian designer, read one of the gazillion pieces about Lima's fashion uprise on the racks and online.) Here are a few of Pajuelo's lovely alpaca pieces: Model: Anastasia Marchenkova
Wardrobe: Juan Pajuelo Alpaca Couture Available at Celine de Paris boutique. CelinedeParis.com Photographed at Celine de Paris boutique, Bethesda, Maryland Photography by Alexander C. Kafka Copyright © 2013 by Alexander C. Kafka; all rights reserved. |
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