Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear?

Because me, that's why!

I'm Wonder Woman. See that hand behind me? Yeah. One knuckle sandwich coming right up!

Who said you could speak to me?

Two recent creations of mine, using that yummy fabric. I saw the fabric in the store and fell in love. It's seriously a lustworthy print. Am I the only one who goes into paroxysms of joy from a fabulous fabric, garment, or print? I get all warm and fuzzy, like I'm being touched by warm patches of sunlight, which is doubly good since I'm a warmth whore. Some like it hot; I like it warm. Twinkly [cat] loves our sunning time in the sunroom--the room I'm standing in in the above pictures-- every weekend. A good book and some warm sunshine has both of us purring. But enough about that; onto the garments with non-optional commentary!

Here I am jumping around with the top in the backyard. Poor dog wonders what I'm doing, especially since he's blind now.

I actually completed the top second, but I'm wearing it as I type, so it gets written up first. This top took me a while to get right, but I'm happy with the result. I just have to take off some things I put on it before I realized elastic was my answer, and cover the tracks with these seriously delicious apple buttons that I've been dying to pair with this fabric.

Once again, I did not use a pattern and have no formal training because I'm cheap, lazy, and love a good puzzle and being able to proclaim these garments all mine. One day, I will learn to make and print my own fabric, and have the funds to do so. Until then, I'll settle for what I can. Making a garment is like a puzzle to me, and I've always loved puzzles. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on SNES is my favorite video game of all time; in fact, I just beat it again but with all the weapons and items found. The best part about the game though is the puzzles that did take years for me to solve. The same is with this garments. Even as I scowl over their problems, like the evil satin I may have unwisely decided to work with on this piece, I'm loving it. Loving the challenge, the thrill of the brain stimulation for me to find a way to make it work.

For this particular top, the first top I've made, I originally planned a design that included puff sleeves. Unfortunately, due to a mess up on the first design of the top, I didn't have enough fabric to do that. I seriously spent my last dollar on the satin fabric, and had non left to do more. I really like my redesign, though, perhaps even better than than the original design. Well, it will be once I add the red apple buttons.

I actually did not know the tunic wasn't down in the back, but I like the effect. It'll be on purpose next time.

How I dreamed of this pencil skirt, with all the little blue birds. Then I made it, patternless, and had trouble wearing it. It fits at the hips, because that's how I pictured it, and I currently prefer the silhouette I get when my skirts are fitted at my natural waist. But this tunic is perfect over it, and I couldn't resist making it a little snobby when I added my sun hat. I was prepared to roll some heads at a store that I was having some difficulty in getting what I needed or rather running my dad's errands. I got a lot of stares at that store...

This skirt also gave me some trouble, and I had to dismantle the completed first version because it was very see thru and I have nothing that could fit under it to solve that problem. So, this one's double layered.

Go for the gold!

The bottom of the top is made from two half circles, so it's nice and flowy. Unfortunately, that also makes it likely to blow up in the wind. But, I usually wear a jacket of some sort when I'm going somewhere, and even if it blows up, the girls are still safely covered.

One last one just for Tyra. Leaning back against the window to make my legs appear longer and leaner.

I have one more skirt that is going through it's final edit, though it's in a different awesome fabric. Look out for that one soon.

My Outfits: If you care about anything in the pictures other than what I made--I mean really, the nerve!-- just click the picture to head to its flickr page where all that good info and then some is.

I hate birds but love them in a print,

Ivy Frozen

Street Fighter

Who else is looking forward to Street Clash? It's a battle of international street style, with cities punching it out photo style to be declared the most stylish city by us internet voters. Looks like it has some great competitors, including some of my favorite street fashion blogs. It starts July 1st, and I'll be routing for my home city San Francisco, as repped by Street Fancy, although personally I think one of the European cities is going to win. You never know though, with the street photographers pulling out their best shots.

It's also a great place to pick up some new street fashion sites and when the clash begins, I hope to see a smoregisboard of awesome street outfits.

My Outfit: My laziness prevails. If ya like something in it, click the pick to head to its flickr page where all the info., which I could have typed in the same amount of time it took me to type this, lays.

Excited and Ready to Rumble, or you know, cheer peeps on,

Ivy Frozen

P.S. I don't actually know what they win if they win other than knowing they won Street Clash. No title, no nothing listed. Just assumed bragging rights.

Sarah Brightman: Hair Idol

Sarah Brightman. Forget the voice; it's all about the hair. She has a wonderful voice, but I'm more envious of those locks of plenty.

Yes, long hair can make you look short. Yes, it can date you, but you see my friends, I don't think that's a bad thing. Plus, take a look at Sarah.

She can go from wonderfully gothic and dramatic.

To wonderfully hippie and butterfly and modern.

I've always longed to have hair like Sarah Brightman's, so long, it doubles as a shawl or cape. Fine, my actual fantasy is hair long enough to give Cousin It a run for his money. Alas, it seems genetics have spoiled all my plans.

I've never really cut my hair, and flat ironed straight it only sits around-ish my shoulder blades, as you can see above in a pic from Spring Break. My cousin who does regulary trim her hair and keeps it straight has the same problem. Curse you genetics!

While we're on beautiful hair fantasies of mine, I share with you a dream I thought was within my grasp.

These pony tails from an Ashish (I think) show. Wonderful on the model, horribly impracticle in real life. Tried it, and the things to wide, and flops about annoyingly. Curse you hair gods, curse you! Now watch as my hair comes out all poodle-ly tommorow...

Back to my hair goddess who should be pimping out hair products left and right, besides her voice, I also love her image. She's Diva-licious on stage, and I do enjoy who she does go from these darker, more gothic looks to these airy, ethereal nymph things. Drama, versitility, and sweet and sour contrasts: you're roottin' toottin' me likey!

As for her music, she did start on the stage and became big for starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, back when she and him were together. After that, she went for a solo pop career. She does a bunch of covers and a few original songs. I really love who she blends more classical sounds with more of a pop beat. She really has a lot of different sounds though, which I love in an artists. Keeps me interested, and I always know which song is which when it starts playing. My favorite album is probably Harem, and then Eden.

A clip show. But I like this version of her song, Eden. It combines two of my favorite musics: Sarah Brightman and Enigma. Plus it has some nice shots of her in it.



Delivery me, another favorite song of mine. Plus, you getta see her live-ish and dig the african imagery.

And for all of my lovely readers:



Beautiful. I love this song. It brings tears to my eyes everytime, because of the chorus. "Do you know/you're beautiful/do you know/you're beautiful/do you know/you're beautiful/you are/yes you are/yes you are" 'Cause I feel like that with a few friends of mine who struggle with self image, and I think they're so beautiful.

Plus, plenty of Sarah hair-uh time in this video, and I'm a sucker for violins.

Okay, I can link to fabulous Sarah Brightman songs in shabby you-tube quality infinitely, but if you like her, check her out and envy her locks.

Suffering from Hair Envy,

Ivy Frozen

My outfit: Sorry nothing new for today, but look-out for some new creation(s) of mine real soon. If ya fancy anything in the picture, clicky it to be carried to it's flickr page where all the info be.

Media Madness: from Lifetime to Heavy Metal

I must confess, I love Lifetime movies. I know, I know, but they do cover women's issues and often provide links for more information or to help/get help. I usually love my corny, lifetime movies, filled with stupid woman, villainized men, and sweet Mr. Right. But I was totally ticked about the ending of their movie, Risky Behavior or Unruly Behavior, whatever it was called.

It was about this girl, who got a little wild on Spring break, and some guy spliced video of her together with other footage to make it look like she had engaged in a porno film. The film was then sold in porno shops everywhere and plastered across the internet. Our heroine, then lost her teaching job and was left out in the cold by her boyfriend, while she gained a creepy stalker. She goes to the police and a lawyer, but they can't do anything because of this and that, and as the lawyer says, "Who knows what kind of laws they have in California!?" Yes, us anarchtic Californians screwed her over. But basicly, this porn is apparently legal. Eventually, her boyfriend quit being a selfish jerk long enough to support her, as she heads out to LA to face these bastards on her own. After the porn distributor glows over her, thinking she came to work for him, and calls her a rare talent, he quickly turns to laughing at her, gloating over his victory, and dismissing her as replaceable as a porn actress, despite his earlier comments indicating the contrary to that last statement. Anywho, our heroine manages to snag the address for the guy who made the video by enlisting the receptionist's help. She then goes to his house, alone, and enters it, alone except for the guy. He threatens her, she laughs at him and smashes all his expensive equipment while he stands there, stares, and semi-yells "Stop!" Then when she's about to leave. he finally moves and steps on broken glass/plastic with his bare feet, and doesn't manage to hobble out to the street until she's already in her car and driving away, musing about how happy she is with the outcome because she still has her integrity. Just not her job. And maybe not a her boyfriend. And she can never go home again.

What was that? What was that? I mean, this is a disturbing movie, if what it says is true. Someone can take your image, and make a porno with it, and make money with it, and it's legal? And more important to those of us who fancy clothes, what about one comment one of the lawyers made, that a guy can stick a camera up a girls skirt at a grocery store and that's legal? What? If that's true, that needs to stop. Where are you lifetime, when we need you to mobilize us, educate us? Telling us we have our dignity, pfft. I always have my dignity. But that's not right, and I will look into if that is true or not.

To balance this post's chi out, kudos to VH1's Rock Documentary, Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. It made me think and look at heavy metal in a new way, with more respect. I always knew I liked some metal, but it seems I like a lot more than previously thought. Great interviews; Dee Snider was as entertaining as always when he was recounting his speech on censorship. Clothing related, I enjoyed the documentaries musings on the looks of heavy metal, which go from the very feminine looks of the glam rockers, to the very masculane looks of other metal genres, which are actually kind of homoerotic when you consider that 90% of the audience is male. And despite the attire, metal is considered very heterosexual and masculine. I also loved SlipKnot sitting there, being interviewed and talking all normal and intelligent while in their stage get-ups (maybe they where those for all public appearances; I'm not too up on SlipKnot.) It was just hilarious since in these freaky-zombie get ups, where you can barely see their lips moving when they talk (are those masks, or a combination of mask and make up, or just make-up?) and instead of the sort of gutteral voices and scary thoughts you expect to come out, they're just talking normal. It would have been perfect if they were sipping tea from some dainty little tea cups. I doubt they'd go for it, or maybe they already have...

My only quip was the Dio interviews. Did they really have to air so much of Dio just dissing Gene Simmons. I mean, we got the point, he doesn't like Gene Simmons and considers him very arrogant. I have no particular love for the man, either of them actually, but dude, let's move on. They could have used that airtime on some of the other points I was kind of fuzzy on, like women and metal. They had one women who was glad to have been a groupie and would encourage it in a woman who considered it. They also then had some of the guys talking about what pigs/jerks they were to these women, as they said. That just left me kind of confused. Of course, my cable kept frizzing on me so I missed some of what they said; maybe that would have cleared up my confusion. I also missed some parts since I changed the channel on their hour long commercial breaks. I mean really, I could watch a whole movie on one of those commercial breaks.

Other than that, great rockumentary. Gave some cred to metal by pointing to roots in classical composers like some guy who like his music low and restructured his orchestra by adding extra bases and even some huge cello/base thing that required one person on a ladder to hold the strings and another person on the ground to run the stick-thingy over the strings. I can't remember the name, and I really wanted to check him out. It also pointed to roots in the blues. I would have loved to see them reconcile this Metallica's attitude that all they did was play as loud and as fast as they could, although perhaps the comment by Metallica was taken out of context.

\m/ Rock on, \m/

Ivy Frozen

P.S. How do they keep banging their heads like that? I get a huge headache and the feeling of my head hitting skull. I love the movement of the hair though when the guitarists do it...

My Outfit: Built around my hat. click the pick to head to its flickr page for more details.

Fitting In

Join me in my sitting room and we'll have a little chat today about fitting in. I've been musing over the issue lately, mainly because I tend not to. I know his must come as SUCH a SURPRISE to any of you readers who have taken the time to read a few posts here, but I definitely dance to the beat of my own drum. And I love it.

I mean, take the world outstanding. I mean, "stand out" is in the word. So, standing out, not fitting in, is outstanding!

Actually though, I have both a desire to fit in, as is natural for any community creature, but also almost an aversion to it. I hate ipods, Harry Potter, the Eragon series mainly because everyone else likes it*, and they're just everywhere. Some of my habits are picked up simply because they are a little off, and I love the oddities of other people. I think sometimes people misunderstand my love of their oddities though, since I might tease them/seem like I'm teasing them a little since I love it so much. I'm also simply attracted to things that are weird, since it makes them that much more interesting to me. I loved oxygen when they played those weird movies, like the one with the woman who ended up sharing her husband with her sister, the crazy cello playing genius or the one with the woman who tried to be a lesbian.

So why have I been musing on fitting in? Mainly because I joined this site, StyleMob.



Apparently, if you click that and join, you're automatically my friend. I believe the picture is from the very fabulous sjwhidden. As for the slogan on it, I have no idea what it means but it sounds sounds so aggressive that I just had to use it. Now that I'm done confusing you, StyleMob is another do-it-yourself street fashion site, and we all know I love to post up pictures of me in my pretty, pretty outfits on the internet. This site also allows for feedback, which me likey too, since my hair isn't big enough as it is. (Yes it's my hair that grows, not my head.)StyleMob also hosts contests. It definitely sets them apart from other street fashion sites I've seen, and I'm tickled pink to be able to say that they aren't scams. But what I was apprehensive about when I joined was that this site rates outfits.

I'm not a big fan of that for the selfish reasons I'm sure you can guess from the previous paragraphs in this post alone, but also because people have such different philosophies on what is a good outfit. Therefore the ratings aren't too helpful, especially for the "go big or go home", dramatic types like me. Also, I worry they can be discouraging to others and people may be a little overly negative. I'm all about wear what you want and who cares what anyone thinks; they don't have to wear it. Within reason of course, though. I feel you should respect places and situations. For example, keeping it work appropriate at work, and G-rated to pick up the kiddies at kindergarten. Beyond that though, go for it and don't care what I or anyone else thinks.

But, back on topic, I find though that the more people dislike an outfit according to their new voting thingie, the more I love it. Those outfits make me so happy when I look at them, since they usually include my crazy mixing and gross overuse of bold colors. Stylemob is definitely a community skewed towards certain looks and getting certain things from outfits, but I think any street style/fashion online community will have the same.

As for StyleMob, I'm actually pretty impressed with them since so far they've managed to keep it a positive place. Of course, it is still in friends-only beta mode, which is why you have to be my friend to join. I wonder how it'll fair once it's open to the masses, since there are some pretty cruel jerks out there. But, I will say if you enjoy street style to give StyleMob a go. While obviously I don't care much about the lower ratings, it's still fun to see how people perceive my outfits.

Most of the comments that I've received meant as criticism tell me exactly what I was going for in the outfit. Too busy? Or busy bliss? Skanky? Perfect. And this outfit seems to have spawned a debate over the bow. Love it or hate it? Either way, I adore it.

Anywho, if you like this sort of stuff, get on it. Just clicky the image way back up there and join.
Outstanding,
Ivy Frozen

My outfit: Clicky the picky for any details.


*They're everywhere and it seems everyone's talking about them.

Would you like some racism with your fries?

Kind of a heavy subject for me to talk about after coming back from one of my random hiatuses, but I really only say something when I have something to say. Why many people think I'm cold because I really am not the type of person for small talk. But, let's not stray too far from the subject at hand.

So, Facehunter recently posted a post featuring what appears to be an Asian girl in a suspiciously KKK hood. Thus this post is about delving into rascist symbols for fashion. Certainly, Afrobella's recent post on racist videos had nothing to further my musings on this subject.

Now I know, in fashion this stuff is often not intended to be racist. It may be quite the opposite, a statement against racism. Doesn't matter. A message has whatever meaning the receiver of the message takes away. Thus if you say, "Sparkling Wiggles" but everyone hear's something, erm, somthing else, then essentially you did say the something else because that's what we heard, and that's what we're taking away. If you're totally lost on the "sparkling wiggles", check out the Afrobella post. I'd link to the questionable video, but I don't really want to give it more views. Why? Once again, it really doesn't matter that we all think the parents are jerks (or just some of us...) if we give it views. Views are views and views are good. In this case, people aren't united enough for us to bring out the modern version of the torches-- peer pressure and disapproving letters-- for us to get a tearfully fake public apology.

This brings me to the fact that many people find that video funny, and the KKK hood a cool statement, and think that people more of my opinion are overreacting. I do wonder how many of those people have ever been refused service or followed around by security guards, or suffered any of the hundreds of other petty injustices because they didn't look a certain way. And after suffering that, had to listen to people, who look what is apparently the "right" way, pat themselves on the back for totally patronizing or, even worse, insulting you in their misguided attempts at doing the right thing. While I do appreciate the good intentions, I still suffer the damages of these. There's still a huge gap left after the civil rights movements. We've got all these laws, but it never was simply the government that needed to be changed. It's society. Society, that still stamps the token black/ethnic person in every series so it's not racist. A society that needs special race and ethnicity channels, radio stations, publications, movies. A society that is still segregated in many ways.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not all about the melting pot idea, where everybody in America tosses aside their races and ethnicities and becomes simply American, 24/7. I'm simply pushing for more interelation. More communication, and less pretending the racist elephant bomb ticking away in the center of the room isn't there.

I'll also say everyone is so concerned about the media and the size zero debate and promoting public health. What about the media and race/ethnicity? For the whole size zero thing, I say it's all those exercise advertisements and slim down tips that get me. I see those, and find myself planning an exercise regimen and a diet in a way those ads with photoshopped models don't. Really, what the models promote is more disatisfaction with other areas of my looks such as skin and hair. I've mentioned before on this blog that I used to do everything I could to straighten my curls away. Why? Because there was never anything for curly girls. It was all about the straight hair. And of course dolls, those things girls look to so much in their childhood, all had hair quite unlike mine, despite my mother's best efforts to secure me only black dolls.

Now, hair tips in those magazines are still overwhelmingly focused for those with more caucasion locks, but there is the whitewashed token tip for girls with curlier hair. I haven't really found any magazines aimed at the teen girl with darker skin, so if ya know any, point me in it's direction. Dolls are as out of touch with this world as ever. (Anyone else wonder how old Barbie's mysterious mother is that she's still popping out kids 40-50 years after Barbie's birth, while Barbie still hasn't found the time to have some of her own between all the job hopping she's been doing-- vet to lawyer to Scarlet O'Hara to teenager-- and dumping over 30 years with Ken for some Austrailian surfer we've never heard from again named Blaine?) I am pleased with all the products especially for curls on the market now, but it's still all about catering the white America. My AP US History textbook had about two sentences on Malcolm X, one of which made sure to point out that he was a pimp and drug dealer. I think Martin Luther King Jr. managed to snag a whole paragraph.

But I think I've basically covered enough on this issue for today. Why not spend a little energy on positive things, such as Shrek the Third, and it actually relates to the rest of the post. It seems Shrek and the fairy tale villains were also victims of a sort of racism and prejudice, and has some good advice for all of us: trust in yourself. While the world may say you're a monster, trust in yourself to know what you are and aren't and be yourself, not society's idea of yourself.

This post's outfit is actually inspired by Shrek the Third's hippie high school teacher Merlin, even though the image on it features Harry Potter, and worn to go see the movie with friends.

Another kitchy dress made by me from a thifted pillowcase. I may not like Harry Potter, but enjoy the novelty of the print. Besides, I was originally attracted by the owl which now resides on the back of the dress.

BTW, Shrek the Third was hilarious, perhaps even better than the second Shrek. I do love me some Gingy and Puss though...

Outfit: From Thursday. I'm still lazy so click the images to be magically transported to the image's flickr page, which has more info. Be sure you are not currently bidding for the position of comedic relief sidekick animal and have your rival right beside you to avoid a Freaky Friday-esk switcharoo. Oh, and apologies for the typos as I'm writing a lot quite late.

Peace and Victory,

Ivy Frozen