The Swelle Life

The Adventures of Captain Mouse: A Steampunk Short Film

Jake von Slatt, a Steampunk Maker, sent this short film to Boing Boing:

"Here's a delightful short from some SF Steampunks I met at Maker Faire. I'm not sure if they are LARPers, but from the appearance of a McIntosh MC240 tube amp and a serious electronics workbench in one scene, I know that these are the sort of kids that Marcus Yallow would've hung out with!"

I don't know what that means either. But I can help with you with a rudimentary introduction to the Steampunk subculture here.

I love the effort that Steampunks put into their costume, which is heavy on the dress and not so much on the hair and make-up. I do wonder - and I'm not making fun here - what do the hardcores wear to the beach? Just have it on the brain considering the subject of my last few posts and the fact that summer is approaching.

Bring Back the Pretty, Pretty Parasol

I'm very serious! I've only seen one person ever on the street using one, it was in Toronto and I believe she was Japanese and therefore she could totally get away with it (not Lolita, just wearing regular clothes and walking underneath it on a blistering summer day). It was several years ago and I thought You are awesome. I want one but I would look like an idiot. That was when I cared what people think. Since then I have pushed a baby out of my nether region in front of an audience and it changes you. From that moment on you do what you please and you don't think twice about it.

The day of reckoning has come, and I reckon I will find myself a stunning parasol and I will use it proudly. I won't just carry it, or simply walk beneath its glorious shade of delicate fabric; I will twirl it 'round, skipping happily down the street. If I encounter a puddle, I may attempt a mighty leap over it, smiling gleefully while clicking my heels to one side. 

So, there are choices - true vintage or antique, or vintage-inspired/reproduction. If you can afford it, there are some antique options (100 years or older) that are so excitingly drool-inducing that I made weird shreiky noises when I saw these particular parasols, all circa 1900 - 1910, UNUSED, from Karen Augusta Antique Lace and Fashion:

  

    

 

  

Her website is well worth taking the time to browse, she has everything from corsetry to regional costume, many of the items dating back to the early 1800s.

Another fantastic website I found is Bella Umbrella. Jodell Egbert not only sells vintage and reproduction parasols and umbrellas in a variety of styles, she rents her private collection of 100 vintage styles (how generous is that?).

Here are some of my favourite parasols from her selection (more shrieks!):

 

1940s, light pink silk embroidered, bamboo handle

 

Reproduction, ivory lace, wood hook handle

 

Rental, vintage double layered umbrella, pink resin handle

Note: Yes, Dita von Teese did use a vintage parasol at Coachella to keep her milky white skin from being scorched. However, I kept her and those pictures out of this post so as not to mislead about the source of inspiration, which is really rooted in my long-held desire to indulge in the genteel lady persona in an over-the-top and delightfully fun kind of way. A lovely stroll with a pretty parasol would take care of it, non?

First photo courtesy of Noa Noa, from their Spring 2008 catalogue

Bring Back the Swim Cap!

 After reading a previous post on Noa Noa's fabulous spring and high summer collection, Swelle Life reader (and very Swelle girl) Tammy commented on how much she loves the swim cap/turban look and may be daring to try it. Let's give her a big round of applause!!!! I'll bet with that encouragement she'll not only do it but also send pictures (maybe, possibly??)

To get her on her way, I've looked for online shops that sell the sweet vintage-style caps (I'd go with 'in the style of' rather than true vintage here, we're talking about other people's heads).

The lovely, SPF 250-wearing Karen Elson models a pink petal cap for a Vogue editorial (above) from Headcovers. They also sell a fabric swim turban with a waterproof lining if you're looking for practicality as well as style.

And, well, that's it really! Retro swim caps are very hard to find, my research into it shows this is the one place to find the petal style (unless you want Speedo's multi-colour version which has their brand logo inserted amongst the flowers - yes, really), plus one ebay shop that offers similar petal caps for auction with a starting bid significantly higher than the selling price at Headcovers (with no discernable difference in the cap itself).

UPDATE:  Hot tip just in from Tammy - an editorial feature in the recent issue of Fashion magazine featured some vintage swim caps from Courage My Love, a vintage shop loaded with accessories located in Kensington in downtown Toronto (no website, sorry).

If you're handy with styling you can create some interesting looks with scarves or make your own turbans with some pretty fabrics. Please pass on pics if you do! 

My only experience with the swim cap was school swimming lessons in grade 2. Whereas one of my classmates had luxurious blonde hair so thick it took two teachers grunting and straining to fit it all under the cap while avoiding rubber snapping back in their faces, my hair was so fine I think there was actually room for another head under mine. Then after swimming that day I tried to emulate my hair dresser by putting my cheap, super-hot travel dryer right against my hair while drying it (not realising he didn't really touch it, it was just very close) and it got all tangled in the grate and caught on fire. The two teachers came and smacked me on the head until it went out, luckily it was quick. I enjoyed the smell of burnt hair on the bus ride back to school.

Some inspirations to get you going on your DIY beach head gear:

 And an old advert for those who like the idea of a pineapple with a face:

Lastly, a photo of myself and my Other Half at the cottage last summer:

(Don't) Touch Me Baby, I'm Electric

 This self-defence jacket from No Contact gives any creep who tries to grab you 80,000 volts of low amperage electric current pulses (the equivalent of quickly chugging 6 Red Bulls), causing disorientation, loss of balance, and best of all, pain.

You turn it on with a key in advance (so maybe wait until after you've got off the tube or refrain during torrential rains) and while activated you can actually see the arcing current in the strip near the neck. A rubber inset prevents self-electrocution.

While it's nice to feel safe, I'm not sure this would be necessary to wear on a regular basis unless I lived in a place particularly dense with pervs and muggers.

Just one question - is it still effective if the guy is on PCP?

See the demonstration (narrated in German, I believe, but you can easily follow) of a guy getting it good and the girl really enjoying it:

Source

The Young Ladies and The Sea

Ernest Hemingway's lush Key West home where he lived in the 1920s and 30s sets the mood for the irresistably feminine and romantic clothes from Danish brand Noa Noa. This inspiration translates to a delicately feminine collection of dresses, jackets, accessories and swimsuits for spring and high summer.

It's late in the spring season yes, but I've just discovered Noa Noa and I'm thrilled to bits for it. While flipping through their spring catalogue in a local shop at the weekend, I was transported to the beach scenes from the film Summer of '42 (at least that was the feeling. We live by the sea as well but when our groceries are delivered it's far less eventful).

It's that desire to live moments from a distant past that makes Noa Noa so utterly enticing. Exquisitely capturing the spirit of the early 20th century aesthetic, they also consider today and what's to come, resulting in a wonderful, modern look for women and girls (yes, Noa Noa Mini is for the little girl at her most lovely and adorable, prancing and pretending in easy comfort).

What I love most about the range is the versatility of the individual pieces. You can put together a head-to-toe polished 1920s ensemble of muted blues, pinks and greens, or mix with contrasting items from your wardrobe to create a truly original look that is totally You.

OH! I almost forgot to mention the incredibly reasonable prices. When trying on a few jackets (see below for the one I bought, and adore), I expected at least two times the cost of what I saw on the tag. The range is very well constructed with high quality fabrics that feel as soft as they look.

OH! #2 - Noa Noa's Code of Conduct is used to instruct their suppliers about their firm stand against the use of child labour, concerns for the environment and its protection, and demands for professional health and safety regulations. (We really should be looking into these things when supporting a company, should we not??)

Noa Noa has retail shops across the UK and Europe (check their website above for details) and there are plans to expand into Canada (great news, friends!)

If you can spare a moment for a bit of time travel:

    

   

  

  I have this cropped ruffle-collar jacket, it feels great on (very light and comfy) and looks fantastic over tea dresses or with a T-shirt, jeans and one of their lovely, lovely chiffon rosette hairbands.

Feathers Are Huge Right Now, Everybody's Wearing Them

 The hilarious Candy Kirby created this comparison photo for her Who Wore it Best feature and I had to share, for two reasons:

1. Kelly Ripa appears to be wearing a full-body furry boot:

  

2. That ostrich looks FIERCE in her ebony plumage. And check out the pose - now THAT's the way to show off a look with confidence.

Long Live the Mighty Pencil

          

          

                   

Unless you're an artist or recreational sketcher, you likely see the pencil as somewhat of an antiquity - that thing in the pen cup with the broken point and half-missing/chewed eraser that is useless to you, but for some reason you don't chuck it out year after year.

Sentiments from childhood? Not ready to turn your back completely on the 'old ways' in favour of embracing the stylus? If you want to keep the graphite alive, you may like these sculptures made from the pencil lead in castings of calla lilies, pea pods, spindle shells, asparagus, oak leaf, and hands, among other things. And yes, you can draw with them.

San Francisco artist Agelio Batle offers three collections of the practical sculptures including a limited edition range that features a double-ended finger. (Not so sure I could hold it, I find it hard to even look at it. So, calla lily it is, then.)

Source

Karl Lagerfeld Offers Solution to Miami's Gun Deficit

 Karl Lagerfeld recently debuted the Chanel Resort 2009 collection in Miami and it featured a curious piece of footwear, the 'Miami Vice' pistol-heeled shoe. The killer heel was inspired by an image of a gun Lagerfeld saw (rumoured to be model Freja Beha-Erichsen's tattoo as seen on the Dior Cruise 2009 catwalk, real-or-not debate ongoing) which he then gave to shoe designer Laurence Decade. And bang, there you have it.

I assume Karl's having a laugh with a pun here but who knows, he is drawn to the darker side of things according to some statements he made about the video game Grand Theft Auto (he appears digitally in the fourth version as a DJ):

"I prefer to be in a video game than to play with it. I would love to be a very nasty, politically incorrect character."

Just one thought about the shoe - probably not the best thing to bring along on holiday, airport security may not appreciate the humour.

 Freja and her 'tattoo'

My favourite non-ballistic looks from the collection:

  

Be Careful What You Wish For

Here's a little something I found on Let Them Eat Cake that made me smile for its wonderful style. It's from Selina Steward, a London film director-on-the-verge who's taken inspiration from the silent films of the 1920s for this piece. (Great vanity and chair, too!)

A little Dali/Buñuel-esque as well, isn't it? Very exciting, I'd love to see a series. (Well, actually, there is a version on YouTube that includes another afterward where an unsuspecting lovely gets the 'bee stung' lips she's after, literally, but I posted this instead as the resolution is far better).

I wonder if it's simply a light-hearted poke at women's vanity or a stern satirical finger-shaking at the cosmetics industry for promising such outlandish things? ('Our breakthrough brush gives you lashes 40x thicker!') Or maybe both? It takes two to tango and we really don't learn, do we?

Since we're on the topic of mascara, what I found works best for lengthening and thickening without smudging is £6.95 Rimmel Magnif'Eyes. (When will they run out of clever names for mascaras? I think maybe they already have.) I do use it over primer (Stila makes a great one), but it's still far better than any of the $30+ tubes I've tried in the past (many of which use those awful 'extending fibres' - who wants to look in the mirror after getting home from a date and see LASH DANDRUFF all over your cheek??). 

Old Men Dress Cool and That Includes David Hockney

 

Britain's greatest living artist, David Hockney, made 10 magazine's Old Men Dress Cool article written by Paul Flynn (is this the same fellow who writes View from My Sofa for Grazia?). Cited alongside David Lynch and George Clooney, Hockney is a far less obvious yet worthy choice. I think everything he does is cool and that includes how he's put himself together over the decades.

Speaking of, last year Hockney was listed in GQ's 50 Most Stylish Men from the Past 50 Years:

The British artist David Hockney—master of one-point perspective and portraiture, the Polaroid collage and the California swimming pool—has spent a lifetime dressing more for comfort than for effect, with a mind more for color than for trend. “His fashion sense is gemütlich,” says the writer Lawrence Weschler (Ed. note: he means comfortable or relaxed). On occasion, Hockney, now 70, has appeared in a gray flannel Savile Row suit. But more frequently, he’s made the rounds in workman’s pants that reflect his painterly ethics (“He’s one of the hardest-working artists I know,” says Weschler). He has also favored brashly striped rugby jerseys and ties, aviator or Coke-bottle specs, and suspenders as thick as a firefighter’s. What the curator Henry Geldzahler called the artist’s “primitive craving for brightness” manifests itself right down to Hockney’s toes. “He wears different-color socks,” says Weschler. “It’s such a fantastic innovation. Why on earth do we wear same-color socks? The amount of time we spend matching them, it’s absurd!”

Photo: King Collection/Retna LTD

And all this time I've been laughing at and criticising one of my brothers for what I now recognise is a brilliant attempt to introduce 'innovation' into the routine of getting dressed. Pairing a red dot-patterned black dress sock with a knee high grey tube sock is indeed pure genious.

I freaking adore David Hockney, when I look at his paintings I feel so happy (maybe something to do with his rare, 'seeing music' form of synaesthesia, which said brother happens to also have, as well as Yours Truly. More on that in an upcoming post):

A Bigger Splash, 1967

 
Man taking a shower in Beverly Hills, 1964

 
Mr. and Mrs. Clark and Percy, 1970

It's Not Just A Collaboration, It's a Patricia Field M&S Collaboration

(For my outside-of-the-UK friends: the Marks & Spencer food commercial tagline is 'It's not just food, it's M&S food'...geddit?)

The latest news on high street/celeb/designer/whatever collaborations is that Marks & Spencer is teaming up with Sex and The City and Ugly Betty stylist Patricia Field to produce a one-off fashion collection for release this Autumn.

Women will be excited and (straight) men will say 'The chick who made Sarah Jessica Parker's character look like a rich girl playing dress-up with her gran's wardrobe in a dumpster?' My Other Half refers to her style as 'Poho' as he coined it - Posh Bohemian (not bad). He absolutely hates the Carrie character (as most men do) and thinks 'she tries too hard by taking high-end designer pieces and attempting to make them look hippy-ish and low-rent' (she's not real, eh?).

Depends which season I suppose, I can think of a few episodes where I was scratching my head (that yellow Hermes print scarf Carrie wore like a headband with the corner sticking up in the middle of her forehead like a triangle...How? Why? and Why? I was embarrassed for her as she walked down the street looking so silly. That's right, embarrassed for a fictional character on TV).

The Telegraph reports that according to Field she has "conceptualised the line as 'Destination Style New York' and it consists of iconic womenswear including matching accessories. I like to see it as expression of my philosophy of 'the democratisation of luxury'. Other Half would likely say to this, "So, trashy looks for everyone, then?"

I'll admit that I'm far more curious to see what Patricia Field will come up with for the M&S customer than I would be for an independent line. The thing I can appreciate, however, is the way she accessorises and puts pieces together in ways most of us would never consider. It's done bigger and bolder and therefore sometimes a bit ridiculously when it's for television and intended to create impact for a character (it sure put SJP on the fashion map - she's become one-in-the-same with Carrie Bradshaw in the minds of her adoring public) but surely there's something to learn from it all?

So if we think about it with an open mind we can modify Field's unconventional approach for our daily dressing, can't we? Instead of a silk triangle on our foreheads, maybe consider a scarf creatively placed around the neck for a complementary splash of colour to brighten the face? Baby steps. It's incredible what a little thing like that can do.

     

Oh, uh, um.............OH DEAR.

France's First Lady Carla Bruni Still Committed to Her Music

Former supermodel and singer-songwriter Carla Bruni, wife of French president Nicholas Sarkozy is set to release a new album in July, as reported by Vogue. The press is treating the news as a bit of shocker that she would continue to record her music, rather than 'just be' First Lady.

But please, would the woman who posed for a Spanish magazine wearing nothing but thigh-high black leather boots and a wedding band, while engaged to Sarkozy, be content with accompanying her husband on state tours, smiling politely, muting her personality and dressing ambassador-appropriate? She's no Jackie O (well, she did channel her look when they came to the UK but that's where the comparison ends!). Carla Bruni has always done what (and who) she wants and she's not stopping any time soon (referring to the 'what' only here of course).

According to The Guardian, the album will be called Comme Si de Rien n'Etait (As if Nothing Had Happened) after a picture by Carla's photographer brother who died two years ago. Her agent, Bertrand de Labbey, told Vogue that "Ninety-five per cent of the songs on the album were written before she met the president," which may be handy knowledge considering she sings about her 'dope' or 'junk' (so it's not referring to Sarkozy but drugs, apparently. He he).

I can't wait. I've noticed the North American press seems to be naming song titles in English but after looking into it I've (gleefully) found this will indeed be a French-language album, as was her first and absolutely beautiful 2002 release Quelqu'un m'a dit. My two year-old daughter falls to sleep with it every night (she calls her Carla Bloonie). Her second, 2007's No Promises was recorded in English as she wrote the music for lyrics taken from the famous works of American and British poets. Still well worth checking out (see the You Tube promo here) but there's nothing more lovely to listen to than songs in French. See the sidebar for her Tout Le Monde video.

The shot used for the cover of No Promises:

  

Francoise Hardy: Looks and Style as Inspiring as Her Music

Let's go back about 40 years or so to the heyday of Francoise Hardy - 'The Yeh-Yeh Girl from Paris' - French singer, actress and muse. A strong yet beautiful voice (still) with looks and style to match (still), making her one of the most influential Francophone style icons to date. Her sideswept, eye-grazing fringe, well-defined features and Courreges wardrobe (Andre Courreges was apprentice to Balenciaga in 1950, while Hardy is muse to Nicolas Ghesquiere, current creative director of the Balenciaga brand) created the look that designers and fashionistas are continuing to emulate today.

Ah, isn't that true style? How many of us can look back to when we were younger and not cringe? And let's see how many of today's Hollywood 'icons' will be identified as such in even five years' time. So few are able to endure to become legendary icons, it's that extraordinary combination of innate coolness, raw talent, unique beauty and that certain 'je ne sais quoi' that makes others follow so faithfully. And that's why we love them.

Francoise Hardy most certainly possesses that irresistable spirit, it comes through in her music and her images and bang, you're hooked. Yet another reason I adore French culture, Paris is the mother of the enigmatic woman.

Here's a live version of Voila from 1967 (she was 23). Hardy looks incredible as she finishes the song, stands there for a few seconds then skips coyly off the stage (and her look is over 40 years old yet hasn't dated whatsoever, I'm in awe):

 

 

Oli Oli Vixen Free-For-All

 

I love to share when I'm excited about and impressed by a shop or service. I had been meaning to check out Oli Online for some time but until a few days ago only remembered when NOT in my butt-numbing position at the computer. Oli is the online department store that offers loads of dress options, a full 18 pages as of yesterday (the only thing I was interested in due to my plan to wear dresses every day) in styles to suit everyone from the wannabe WAG to the more demurely feminine, '40s and '50s style and tea dress-loving set (that's where I fall), and everything in between. At mostly steal prices. So it seemed. Could it really be, or was it all a too-good-to-be-true LCD mirage where the goods heartbreakingly don't measure up to hopes and expectations?

I almost didn't give myself a chance to find out. At first glance I thought 'Too bad, not for me' until I realised there was a good helping of 'me' dresses sprinkled within the halter-and-ruffle-skirt numbers. Now this juxtaposition may be off-putting, or not, it usually is for me. I like my wardrobe to come from a place that's a solid step up from the average clothing merchant (I'm not a snob, it's just that I tend to buy for investment and look for quality, fit, style, uniqueness). But the 'me' dresses were tallying up higher and higher and they looked too good and at cheap prices (but not so much that there's no chance of the dress not looking cheap), and besides, who's not looking for a real bargain? The most expensive dress on my wish list was £50 with a few between £30 - £40, not including the anomalous £600 (that's about $1200) On/Off Boutique by Steph Aman butterfly applique frock (top centre). That's on the 'When I win the lottery' aka the 'Dream on' list.

So I went for it and ordered a floral tea dress and the navy stripey jersey dress (bottom right). Perfect for wearing any time, right in line with my 'every day in dresses' plan. The jersey dress was a two-week wait but the tea dress came two days later. By courier, on a hanger - actually hanging by the courier's hand when I opened the door - and in a garment bag. A plastic disposable one but still! I was so impressed. I was thinking 'I like the Oli people' before I even removed the dress.

The verdict? Very happy. It was a nice fabric, seemed much higher quality than the £30 price would suggest (though that was after a 40% sale discount) and it fit well, no puffing out in weird places or anything. And I have to mention it's FAR SUPERIOR to a tea dress I bought from the Kate Moss Topshop collection, in terms of fabric and cut. At half the price! And Mossy's dress did not come hanging.

And to top it off, to return items you call the courier number on your package and they come get it at your house and take it back for you, FREE OF CHARGE! What more can you ask for? I'm sold. And I love their order confirmation emails: "You're going to be one happy bunny!" And it's true. I am one happy bunny.

One more thing! Many of the items have video so you can see a model work the catwalk wearing the clothes. Excellent for seeing how a piece moves, and if it doesn't look so great on the model maybe it's not worth getting, though with their fantastic returns policy who cares, try it! And, they send special offers if you sign up by email, not to mention the discount vouchers available at My Voucher Codes.

And look at the coats and jackets below! Are you drooling?

In case I seem mean by teasing my friends across the pond (Oli doesn't deliver outside the UK), contact me (see top of the sidebar) if you've browsed Oli.co.uk and are interested in something. I'll be in Toronto and Niagara as of mid-June so if you're in the vicinity, we may be able to work something out if I can fit it in my carry-on!

Happy Accessorising

I have this pair of earrings that I bought about seven years ago which became known as 'My Happy Earrings'. They're a vertical style consisting of pairs of transparent and opaque cellophane circles tinted in orange and hot and pale pink. They prompted spontaneous reactions whenever I wore them. All kinds of people - restaurant servers, salespeople, friends, and once even a stranger on the street - would light up when they saw them, and say with a great big smile what 'wonderful' earrings they were. That's how they became known as My Happy Earrings. I mentioned this to one of the gushing servers and she exclaimed 'They make ME happy, too!!'

Okay, so you're probably thinking that the place I'm from (I was living in Toronto at the time) had a unique, localised, atmospheric composition of nitrogen, oxygen and THC fumes. There are pockets of the city where this may be the case but it would not be the explanation for my inadvertent spreading of joy through earlobe ornaments. Rather, it's just the simple fact that certain colours and shapes, and more significantly the combination of the two, can affect happy feelings in people.

Which brings us to the work of Fred Butler, a London prop stylist and bespoke accessories designer of enormous talent (her website is utterly joyful, you would have to have a heart of stone or lost childhood memories not to smile upon loading the entry page). Style Bubble featured her new accessories collection, a striking spectrum of bright and bold colour mixed with black and white (a favourite treatment of hers), and at first glance the photos of the pieces created an overload of the Happy Earrings effect. There is even a shoulder/arm adornment that uses the same cellophane circles:

 

Maybe you're unable to envision yourself walking down the street in such a contraption but upon seeing it coming your way, wouldn't you at least grin? Surely you would. (I'm not speaking generally, there are enough sourpusses out there who would stare through their beady little eyes until they walked into a telephone pole. It's you, the fabulously amenable, that count here).

These wonderfully crafted pieces of joy are in brilliant harmony with my desire to see more colour in the world. Thank you, Fred Butler. You are one marvellous tomato.

   

Photos from Style Bubble

'Brains' From Thunderbirds Gets Down to Snap for Drench Water

There's a brilliant TV commercial running here in the UK for Drench Spring Water featuring Brains from Thunderbirds grooving to Snap's Rhythm is a Dancer. I thought that was entertaining until I came across this re-edited version set to Soul Assassin's Puppet Master (that's Dr. Dre and Cypress Hill's B Real).

It's hilarious but unlike the commercial, this clip has some naughty words so best keep the kiddies away or close your browser now and pray for my soul for posting such a thing. Brains is representin' in this version:

Just More of the Same Pointless Banter About Dead Roosters

I'd like to give mad props to William at Dead Rooster and Kevin at Pointless Banter for their blog mentions on CNN (see the previous post for the clip). I'm a new fan of their sites thanks to the plug, and if you can read sorta good and you like to laugh, have a go at 'em. (Look William - 10 words in the title!)

I don't have a picture of William or Kevin, so I looked for one of two funny guys. And I found it.

CNN Covers Bloggers Unite for Human Rights