hair update

After reading the graphic novel (turned-controversial-movie-that-I-haven't-seen) Blue is the Warmest Color, and seeing how unsurprisingly amazing Arabelle looks with blue hair (she also has basically the same haircut as me now), I've decided to try to go blue again. This means stripping all the dyes I have in my hair so far, and trying to remove all the brassy tones once I've gotten a light blonde. Here's where I'm at so far! When I got out of the shower I realized I kinda looked like David Bowie and so obviously this happened.

The next night I wanted to take some nice photos and experiment with lights and makeup (I wasn't wearing any when I got out of the shower in the photos above, obviously). Taking self portraits in focus is also basically the most difficult thing about these kinds of shoots, but here's what I managed.

Wishlist Thinking

I was thinking of doing a post of a moodboard for the month (which is almost over, but anyway) and maybe some stuff I've been eyeing, and then I realized it's almost Christmas, so I should just turn this into a full on Christmas Wishlist Post. The other day I put over $1000 worth of merchandise on my Nasty Gal Wantlist. There's a lot of plaid...

and lingerie...

(I used Polyvore to create the two sets above, and I think the image quality might be really terrible. Will probably have to find a better way to show lots of items for wishlists and moodboards...)

I don't necessarily want all this lingerie for Christmas, but I have been browsing a lot lately. Here are some of my favourites:

"fall" clothes

Recently I've bought a bunch of new stuff from frequent thrifting (my family is addicted) and border-shopping The plan tonight was to go home and take a bunch of shots of all these new pieces, but I ended up being frustrated with focus and lighting and makeup. 

Lesbian Feminist Kingdom

To celebrate fall and the Halloween season this weekend, my friends and I grabbed brunch in High Park before checking out Allyson Mitchell's performance art installation Kill Joy's Kastle: A Lesbian Feminist Haunted House. 

Photo credits for below: my friend Lauren, who showed us this great amphitheater where they occasionally put on shows in High Park.

 This was taken in the castle-style (a common theme of the day?) playground in the park, which I thought was exceptionally Wes Anderson-esque. 

I hope to continue the Wes Anderson theme later in the week with photos of my Max Fischer costume. As you can see I've been channeling my inner Jason Schwartzman lately.

 Outfit: 

Coat - Talula

Skirt - vintage

Bag - Bocage

Photo credits for below: my friend Haley. 

After a long trek trying to find our way out of High Park to meet a few more friends, we finally got on our way to the Haunted House. Luckily, it was worth the trip. I only had the time to take a few snapshots of some particularly funny signs that lined the walls of the exhibit.

These were some pieces in the "graveyard" that featured headstones of now dead-and-gone feminist and lesbian related movements, organizations, and ideologies. This was the first room where the group was brought together by the guide, who explained to us the origins of the idea for Kill Joy's Kastle.

 

 At the end of the tour, led by a "batty women's studies professor", we were encouraged to share our experiences and ask any questions about the exhibit with a few of the artists who brought the Haunted House to life (in total over 90 contributors!). During our brief conversation in the chilly bunker-type room we discussed Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as straw feminists such as Lena Dunham, Liz Lemon, and Carrie Bradshaw (all featured in their "Straw Feminist Hall of Fame"). 

The last leg of the tour was a small gift shop where they sold what I believed to be ball-sack necklaces, but you'll have to go yourself to find out for sure. 

 The installation is open until Halloween night at 303 Landsdowne Avenue. There's no need to worry if you are terrified easily; there are no jump scares like a normal haunted house. I recommend you go while it lasts!

Above image: BlogTO

Toronto Vintage Clothing Show 2013

It's been a while since I've posted here, so thankfully today I hauled my new camera and even newer lens out to the Vintage Clothing Show at the convention centre. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of my personal outfit, but it's one I recycle often anyway.

I tried to take a photo of myself wearing some 50's cateye glasses because I couldn't see my own reflection. Turns out I couldn't see enough to operate my camera, either. Surprisingly, this shot turned out quite nice!

We were both drawn to emerald green wool coats today.

Forever in love with menswear, especially leather shoes.

Cute Betsyville heels.

Timberland x Burberry?

Original Oscar de la Renta trunks.

Plenty of plaid to be found here. Possibly too much.

I wish the other photos of this coat had turned out (not even Photoshop could help), the silhouette was gorgeous, and combined with my shoes I looked like Mary Poppins.

Vice-Ridden Nursery Rhymes

I'm not in most of these photos because I was behind the camera, of course. However I did help organize this shoot, which is an item for GISHWHES (Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen).

#50 IMAGE: Little Jack Horner (me; not pictured), Little Bo Peep (white hat; centre-right), Peter Pumpkin (centre-left), Little Boy Blue (far right), and the Queen of Hearts (far left) at a late-night vice-ridden poker game.

My friends styled themselves (excellently, as usual), and I helped with decorations, namely the fake cigarettes. 

Here's one of the photos that I am in (far right), as you can see I was laughing and being dumb so they didn't turn out as well.

Old Town

I recently watched Frank Miller's Sin City for the first time (recently meaning like over a month ago; I procrastinated doing this shoot for a while). I won't go into a full-blown review of the film, especially since I barely remember it by now, but I know the part that stood out to me the most was the story arc with the Girls of Old Town.

In case you haven't seen it, the story in the middle of the movie (it's somewhat divided into three parts) involves a group of hookers/women who are self-governing, and have a pact with the police that they run this particular area of Basin City. 

They dress in fishnet, mesh, leather, harnesses, and equip themselves with all kinds of weapons. Bottom line is, these chicks are badass. Plus, my viewing of the movie almost perfectly coincided with the purchase of these Demonia goth boots. Before the film was even over I'd already decided I was going to do an outfit inspired by the Girls of Old Town.

Boots: Demonia

Dress: Nasty Gal

Grand Soirée with Louboutin

As previously mentioned I went to the Design Exchange last night to see the Christian Louboutin exhibit.

These photos and the rest that I took can be seen in much better quality on my flickr.