Inspiration for this shoot came from Hitchcock’s 1948 film “Rope,” which itself is inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder trial carried out in 1920’s Chicago. The plot involves the brutal death of a young man by his two privileged Manhattanite friends, whom feel as though they are superior beings and therefore are justified in their act. Some motifs from the film include a dinner party, a steamer trunk, books, the Manhattan skyline, and of course, a rope. The look is based off the two main characters Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip (Farley Granger). They dress themselves in suits of baroque colors that are the height of late 1940’s men’s fashion and are somewhat “dandy,” as these characters are implied homosexuals. I want my styling to represent a dark, narcissistic character much like John Dall’s Brandon.
Tag: fashion
Birthday Suit: Which Dress is best
As it is my birthday weekend, I thought I’d take a poll on which dress from birthdays past you enjoyed most. Vote here!
Fringe Benefits
I once found a sheer purple floral shirt at a thrift shop, that was a perfect match to the denim purple floral denim skirt I’d had for years, but could never seem to pair with right top. That night I told my boyfriend (long gone now) that my outfit was like our love, incomplete when separate, but perfect together. I had that feeling again for the first time in two years. My poor rainbow fringe Mod Cloth curtains have sat on the bench for a year, never quite fitting in with any decorating scheme, that is until I moved into my wood-paneled 70’s love den last month. When I came home from the Alemany flea market, it was like Fantasia, my curtains came alive to create the perfect juxtaposition with my new (old) geometric tank dress. I don’t cry at weddings, but there’s nothing more beautiful to me than the union of two vintage pieces that are destined for each other.
Fork-ring Man
Like most people, my long awaited day off consisted of a laundry list of errands. However, besides laundry, this was wasn’t your grandmother’s to-do list. I began the day in my neighborhood at Scrap, the huge warehouse in Bayview that is coming apart at the seams with recycled materials for WHATEVER project you can conceive. I was there for peculiar and mismatched card stock to make birthday invites. Afterwards, I headed downtown to Moth and Dagger for a tattoo consultation. But first, I stopped to get my sister (and fellow Leo) a birthday present. Where else would I go but to the fork-ring man on Powell and Market? I happened upon his stand when I first moved to the city as a starry-eyed 18 year old. Now I’m sure to stop every time I have an extra 5 dollars in my pocket. As you browse, Alejandro, the fork-ring man himself, sits and churns out more works of art. This time his granddaughter was with him, her ice cream sandwich everywhere but in her mouth. She complimented me on my jacket, and I her hair, as Alejandro sat twisting the business end a fork about colorful stones and random baubles. His mastery doesn’t stop at rings, nor does it stop at forks. The man makes bracelets, necklaces, and earrings from spoons as well, filling them and adorning them with more jewels or inlaid photos of historical icons. For my sister Kate, I opted for the earrings. The truly charming thing about his jewelry is its dark, cheeky, Tim Burton/Andy Warhol essence. I know locals avoid that certain “square” of town, but I implore everyone, locals and tourists alike, visit the fork-ring man on the corner of Powell and Market! You’ll never get a more special piece of jewelry, for a better price, from a kinder man.
Hump Day, You Did It! Wear this for Thirsty Thursday
Ever seen a commercial for 5-hour Energy? That two-o-clock feeling, that’s what the entire ass end of the work week feels like. Electrify your co-workers back to life with colorful pattern mixing and round them up for a round, post-shift. A psychedelic zoot-suit jacket is an unpredictable take on the work blazer, and afterwards, you can take it off and do the twist in a bell-sleeved chevron mini dress. As for the accessories, holographic goes with everything right?
Furday Night
In San Francisco, summertime fur is not only accepted, but necessary livery. On this Furday night, Stevie (co-worker and new best friend) and I stayed in bingewatching MTV’s Scream and eating chewy Chips Ahoy by the sleeve between mouthfuls of pepperoni pizza from Long Bridge. We exchanged hypotheses over who the killer may be, cackled over the lives of Lakewood’s over-privileged, tech-dependent teenage population, and clenched with suspense watching this cheesy remake that is as awesome as the original(s). Dressed more like Scream, the Rose McGowan version, my outfit is a result of what happens when the work day ends and my clothes resume as my ensemble instead of my uniform. When I put my coat on, let my hair down, and opened the buttons of my thrifted shirt embroidered with the name “Lis,” the ridiculously synthetic bubble gum fur and maribou hair accessory give me a likeness to the flamingos in my favorite $5 tee. Even more so in my peg-legged Judy Garland gingham trousers.
Bridget Tyrrell Vintage 