Then and Now

Once upon a time we had the Fashion Wheel. It was possibly the best toy of my childhood.

Now we have Polyvore. How times have changed!

All the cool kids are doing it...

I always think its interesting how people take the same pieces of clothing that many other people have and style them or customise them to make them their own. I love the way my little sister has customised her new hi-top trainers. She replaced one of the laces with ribbon and added some cute badges. She's wearing them with an otherwise black and white outfit so that they really stand out. (Of course she's a bit of an emo kid so almost all her clothes are black anyway!) I think it cute the way they happen to match the red heart scribbles on her hand.

Customised Red Hi-Tops - Sugar & Tommy
Black Trousers - TopMan
Stripy FaceT-shirt - NewLook
Black Zippy Hoody - DunnesStores
Mother of Pearl Necklace - Present

You can tell her by the clothes she wears...(4)

White Wedge Sandals - New Look
Green Glitter Socks - TopShop
Wide Leg Jeans - A\Wear
Red Vest Top - Lux from Urban Outfitters
Short Sleeved polka Dot Cardigan - H&M
Pink Multicoloured Scarf - A present
Beige Jacket - Urban Outfitters
Plastic Flower Bangle - New Look
Green Bead Earrings - A present

Radical Rauschenberg

Collection (1954)

I was sorry to read this evening on IndigoAlison that the artist Robert Rauschenberg died last Tuesday. He was 82. I don't really know alot about Rauschenberg, the meaning behind his works or his place in the context of art history but I've always really liked his work. It may be slightly simplistic but I love the beautiful tactility of his work and the way combined different media and objects. I look at his work and I imagine he had fun making art!

This quote from the New York Times obituary is beautiful. He was talking to a friend about how he once spoke to a lady who was skeptical of his work;

“To her, all my decisions seemed absolutely arbitrary — as though I could just as well have selected anything at all — and therefore there was no meaning, and that made it ugly. So I told her that if I were to describe the way she was dressed, it might sound very much like what she’d been saying. For instance, she had feathers on her head. And she had this enamel brooch with a picture of ‘The Blue Boy’ on it pinned to her breast. And around her neck she had on what she would call mink but what could also be described as the skin of a dead animal. Well, at first she was a little offended by this, I think, but then later she came back and said she was beginning to understand.”

I think it describes his work beautifully, like a well selected and put together outfit. (but then again maybe I'm just a little clothes obsessed!)

Pilgrim (1960)


Shellv (from Stoned Moon series 1969)


Snowberry Fudge (1980)


Colonnade (1984)

Revolver (1967)

Publicicon Station VI (1978)

Images taken from artnet.com, metmuseum.org
and medienkuntznet.de

M.E./CFS Awareness Day

Today is M.E./CFS Awareness Day, and I want to mark the occassion and do my little bit for the cause by saying something about it. If you don't support your own illness who will?! Thing is I'm terrible at this kinda thing. Seriously, I never know what to say. Especially in the beauticians/hairdressers/opticians...the 'friendly' chat goes something like this;

"So where do you work?"
"emm, I'm not working at the moment cos I'm sick...but I used to be in college before that"
"Oh" Awkward silence
"So Whats wrong?"
"I uh....I've got this thing called M.E."
" Oh is it serious?"
"No its grand, you don't die from it or anything...basically, I just don't have any energy"
"oh, right"
" Well, its kinda serious because I can't work or do anything really...but, well, you know....."
At this point the conversation just dies, the person tries to change the subject and I feel terrible because I can't even explain my own crappy illness!

It really difficult to explain an illness like ME/CFS to people. I don't look sick. I could tell you list of my symptoms but that doesn't convey the reality of living with the illness day to day. I could tell you all the things I've lost and all the things I can't do because I'm ill but well, its a bit depressing! And then theres all the added difficulties and complexities of trying to deal with an illness thats not understood fully by science or the medical profession. To be honest, after being ill for 3 years I'm still trying to understand this illness myself so I'm not even going to try to explain it to you!

Instead I ask you to read this story. Its actually written by a girl who has Lupus but I think it also explains a little of what it is like to live with M.E./CFS.

If you want to know more about M.E./CFS check out the following links.
Action for ME (UK - easy to read)
A Hummingbirds Guide to ME (A mountain of articles and refrences if you are curious!)
Phoenix Rising - A Guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Lots of sciencey research stuff)
The CFIDS Association of America (America...obviously!)
Irish ME Trust (Ireland - Not a great website but helpful if you get in touch with them.)

P.S. If someone is selling the blue ribbons in your part of the world today today please buy one!

Go have fun - someone might as well...

I love Cork. Its a beautiful city and we all know its the real capital! But every so often I miss living in Dublin, I miss a larger city, a bigger variety of shops, galleries and things going on - this is one of those moments. Today I would like to spend the day wandering around Dublin being inspired by the wonderful things I am going to share with you now. Because, my dear Dublin friends, you should go check them out. There is a world of exciting things sitting on your doorstep just waiting to be discovered this weekend.

First of all, anyone who's in town today or tomorrow should call into Potrero Hill (Royal Hibernian Way, Dawson St) to check out Helen Cody's new collection. This is one of the times I'm really sorry I don't still live in Dublin! Its only on til tomorrow Saturday 10th May so don't waste any time and get down there straight away! (via I Blog Fashion)

Next we have Technothreads - What Fashion Did Next. The Art and Science of Future Fashion. This looks like a really exciting and interesting exhibition in the Science Gallery in Trinity. Its on until 25th July so I guess there is a chance I might get to see this one. I'm really going to try because I'd hate to miss it. However, you guys will probably get there first so do let me know what you think!

You might have noticed that I'm slightly jealous of all you Dubliners right now, you get all the good exhibitions...I'm even more jealous of anyone who's going to be in London over the summer (never mind the jammy sods who actually live there!) because Skin +Bones: Parallel Practices in Architecture and Fashion has arrived there. I've been dying to see this exhibition since it opened first in MOCA almost two years ago. I even have the book! My mind is working overtime to figure out if I can afford a little trip to London! In the meantime if you are going to be in London I'd recommend you check it out.

Ok, just a few other fashion related events in Dublin that I've noticed around the net. maybe some of you will be interested.

Tonight is the launch of Project A Apparel, a new Dublin based T-shirt design company. Their designs are inspired by the "clean lines of graffiti and the rough-edged urban feel to street art". The launch party is tonight, Friday 9th May in the Bernard Shaw, with a special discount on the t-shirts. Check out the website for more details. (Via Fashion Filosofy)

The Bernard Shaw is also the place to be Saturday 17th for the Toe Jam Carboot Sale and the location of the the exhibition 'Shoot Me' - A global exhibition of Street Style' presented by Dublin Streets, thats on the 29th May.

And if you're looking to pick up a bargain head to the Leighlee sale on 24th May, Unit 1 C Bluebell Business Centre, Old Naas Road, Dublin 12. All details here.

Have a good one!

Sartorial Secrets

Whoever sent this into PostSecret is not alone in their fantasy of their outfit being chosen by a streetstyle photographer. In the interest of honesty and sharing sartorial secrets I must admit that some days when I get dressed I think to myself "Would the Facehunter photograph me wearing this?"

My Very First Meme Thing

I've been tagged IndigoAlison by to do this:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

The nearest book to me is sitting right by the keyboard on my Dad's desk. Its called The Best of Robert Service...the back of the book tells me "Robert Service is famous for his vigorous ballads of life in the Gold Rush years of the Yukon..." Well, you learn something new every day! And if you're really interested Wikipedia tells you more!

The problem is that this is a book of poetry so it doesn't really have sentences...just those funny poetry 1/2 sentences with odd punctuation...but counting them and using my discretion, this is what I've come up with.

"....Come, let us on the sea-shore stand
And wonder at a grain of sand;
And then into the meadow pass
And marvel at a blade of grass;
Or cast our vision high and far
And thrill with wonder at a star..."

Its actually quiet beautiful. Maybe I'll have to have a read of this Robert Service guy! The poem is called The Wonderer.

Ok.. so I tag Cally, Rowley_J, The Clothes Horse, Jennine and Miss Spinach.