Part personal, part record of Austin happenings. Posts include street fashion, event reviews, art, editorials, and all about life in ATX from the perspective of a film student at the University of Texas.
Last Friday I went to a cool little dive called Jarito's on South First street to see an awesome Beatles cover band play, The Eggmen. Besides the intolerably long wait for our food, the evening was really great. The Eggmen really have their act together. Best of all was seeing all the people, regardless of age, shape, or style dancing in front of the stage. That room was literally filled with radiance and joy. In the same way you can "cut the tension with a knife" in a stressful room, this room was tingling with an awesome buzz of people singing along and moving their bodies to the songs they knew by heart or associated specific memories with. It felt amazing.
"As we live a life of ease,
Everyone of us has all we need."
A pup from the pet adoption trailer. I wish dogs could live in the dorms!
This happy hydrant was spotted hanging by a retro hot rod during the car show last Friday
Miguel, Kelsey, and Clara made this yummy sundae at Amy's
Hook'em
A limo I later learned was carrying the glam Gala Darling
Here's the outfit I wore to go to Mother's (mmm) with the lovely Katy and also to spend Easter with my family in San Antonio. I played Pokemon cards for the first time in a DECADE. Also, Easter marked the end of my contact celibacy. My mom brought me more contacts so I no longer have to wear outfits that only compliment my very flamboyant purple glasses. YEAH!
shirt: Buffalo Exchange $10
skirt: Target $12
necklace: gift from Dayna
shoes: Payless $15
I might just one day migrate from my trusty fire escape stair case. But then again, I don't know. It's cozy. :]
A cute little bird necklace my sister made for me! Plus, a close up of the print on my shirt.
Here are the flats I customized when I was 15 a la Miranda July in "Me & You & Everyone We Know". They survived many years of rain storms, teen angst, and sockless days. Can't you tell?
Q: What are you doing tomorrow between 10 am and 6pm?
A :Um. Going to the Omni Hotel at San Jac & 8th (or at 7th & Brazos if you're confused and disoriented like Kelly and I).
DUH.
ATX Auctions bought a barrel load of vintage clothing from the 40s 50s 60s 70s and 80s from a Vintage Store that had to close due to bankruptcy before they even opened. Now they are selling over 4000 PIECES all for less than ten bucks a pop.
The event was held in a conference room in the hotel. It was a very minimal set-up, lacking hangers, dressing rooms, or any lasting organization. However, I didn't mind too much -- it's all part of the thrill of the hunt! Also, let me say how pleased I was with the lack of catty wedding dress outlet-esque women brawls that one would normalyl expect from such an event. But maybe it's because Kelly and I went an hour before they closed at 10 tonight and all the best finds had already been fought for to the death. Perhaps. Anyhoo, I bought a kimono, a vest, and a dress for $18. SUCCESS.
Today and tomorrow are the only days so GO GO GO and spend to your thrifty and fashionable hearts' desires!
Now that I have this spiffy new wide three column layout, I have more room to make my outfit photos a little bigger. Woo!
Here goes it:
Dress: Thrifttown $10
Tights: American Apparel Flea Market $5
Shoes: Target $17
Belt: Thrifttown $3.50
This is sort of an outdated outfit, back from the last day of SXSW. I'm a naughty blogger! Maybe just busy. Anyway, voila!
What I've Been Up To/Why this Outfit Post is Ridiculously Late
- Working on applying to internships! One is to work in a contemporary art museum on the interactive program and the second is to edit footage of humanitarian aid testimonials
- SCHOOL.Cliche right? I have two tests this week (government and nutrition) and a paper about Citizen Kane and it's historical influence due
- Creating my Humanities contract. It's this honors program at UT where you get to create your own degree, but you have to comb the course catalog, write letters of appeal, visit advisers, yadda yadda yadda. I'm centering mine around art and culture's social and political influence.
- Having office hours/dinner with amazing professors.Laura Dixon is my young, nerdy-cool Film Narrative teacher. She and I had a long conversation about Miranda July and living in NYC and other cool things. Dr. Barbara Harlow was my Humanitarian Aid professor last semester. 2 other students and myself had dinner with Dr. Harlow on Thursday and I'm feeling really inspired to use art and media for social change.
- Going to wicked concerts. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists and Julia Nunes. Be jealous.
I’ve been a TL&Rx fan since sophomore year, but never considered myself to be a super fan or even all that knowledgeable about their history or following. So I was a little surprised to find Ted Leo as a 40-something man with graying hair and punk rock stylings instead of the younger, Brit pop-hipster image I imagined. Of course, this misconception was based purely on his youthful tenor voice sans vibrato or grit of any sort. And call me crazy, but I didn’t really realize until I saw them in person that Ted Leo & the Pharmacists are part of the punk scene.
Haha. I guess I’m not very good at deciphering genre.
The concert was enjoyable, yes. I can’t help but compare it to the Frank Turner concert (folk punk vs. pop punk?) that was at the same venue (Emo’s) back in January. Frank Turner’s concert was definitely a more emotionally moving experience and perhaps more enjoyable but need not take away from last night’s experience.
The band did a great job of playing a mix of old favorites and new would-be singles from their latest album. Luckily. Leo addressed the “Me & Mia” request early on in the set to prevent the rowdy punk drunk love of the song to get in the way of enjoying whichever new tunes the band performed.
Ted Leo was a charismatic and likeable emcee, smoothly transitioning between songs with a certain rapport with the audience that made you feel as though you were just with a couple of friends in a shitty bar watching some buddies jam.
Most worth noting is Ted Leo’s refreshing vocals. He has a very distinct voice that played out just as well live as on the record. It’s always a nerve wrecking experience that moment before you see a band live for the first time and you wonder if its going to sound anything at all like you imagined or iTunes made them sound at 2 in the morning in your dorm room.
I may have had the best seat in the house planted on top of that a/c unit. I saw over the heads of the whole crowd, lazily got to rest my bones, and didn’t have to mingle with the sweat and liquored bodies of the 4:1 ratio of men to women in the crowd. Overall? A good night.
I'm a fan of retro fashion, outdated photographs, bringing back kitsch, and nostalgia. I love this site. And I think you should visit it and fall in love, too. I present ...
I read Wallace Stevenson's "Of Mere Being" for the first time today as part of my homework for poetry class. It reminded me of this poem I had written back in October. The subject matters are certainly different, but both poems use the motif of a fiery bird and have a twelve line structure. And in some ways, I think they have more in common than it appears. "Of Mere Being" addresses the need to abandon human meaning and feeling in order to simply be. In that same way, I think that humans need to abandon all fears, doubts, prejudices and other human-created feelings in order to successfully express themselves whether through writing or speaking or art.
I know, it's getting sort of old how much I mess with this.
Conclusion:
I want to use this blog as my own little personal space and blog about whatever I like. Even if it may turn out somewhat sloppy and or random. I have too many other regimented things in my life to make this one crazy controlled too.
"The Austin Eco Fashion Show will feature all organic and recycled fashion from over a dozen local designers, including several fashion design students from UT! Meet the designers, enjoy free food and grab a drink from the bar during our "mix-and-mingle" before the show!
Everyone will have the chance to buy some of the outfits, jewelry and accessories from the designers after the show! Stick around for the after party because there will be a DOOR PRIZE!!
Special Thanks to:
United States Art Authority, Spider House Cafe, Wanderland, Austin Green Art, Sprouts Farmers Market, Go-GreenBanners.com, and Ginny's Printing"
As a somewhat fashion blogger, I should know that purple corduroy, orange tie dye, and green felt should never be combined in one outfit. Especially when accompanied by a large, tacky beaded necklace.
However, would you really put it past me?
I am the queen of kitsch and odd combinations.
I departed from my usual location of the safe, private fire escape stairwell in exchange for the courtyard bcause it was such a beautiful day outside yesterday!
However, with my luck, I did run into an acquaintance and had to do the whole awkward "yes-I'm-taking-pictures-of-myself-for-a-blog" conversation.
I was tagged by Rach at Walls are Imagined, and with all the Southby frenzy I never got around to posting this! Here goes:
10 things I love (in no particular order)
Reading journals from high school I did this last night in order to dig up some of my old poetry to begin reworking it. It was a bittersweet experience. Most refreshing was the ability to laugh at my old angst. Its true that everything is temporary! I also felt sort of nostalgic, especially in terms of the theatre department and the really amazing people I had met through the years of growing up in The (North Richland) Hills.
Watching (and playing along) with Jeopardy This was a regular feature of my daily routine over winter break. I am very happy to say that I can hold my own in a Jeopardy tournament and will be appearing on your television set sometime in the next two decades. (That's my career plan. Make a bunch of money of Jeopardy and then live the New Media Bohemian life.)
Cranberry orange scones dipped in coffeeI am pleased that this one just happened to turn out to be the orange one, seeing as I color coded them after the fact. SUCCESS.
Watching and creating stop-motion animation videos!HUZZAH
Sleeping in braids so my hair is really wavy in the morning The lazy girl's crimping iron, and an elementary school staple.
Comfortable shoes that are also cute Think what you may about Urban Outfitters, but I love buying their Keds knock-off sneakers in a variety of colors once they go on clearance for only $10 a pop. I am currently wearing my mini golf turf-green ones. They're fuzzy.
Spending time with my family.I know it's super cliche, but I find myself musing wistfully everyday about how cool it would be if everyone just came and lived in Austin, or if we could all move to Florida, or maybe set up camp in Kansas City. I don't think I realized just how close I was to my parents until I got to UT and compared my relationship to those of my peers.
Whole Foods' dessert barTHEY HAVE LIKE 34 DIFFERENT KINDS OF BREAD PUDDING
Talking in a fake British, Australian, or Russian accent (in public of course) This happened quite often during SXSW. Michelle didn't even bat an eye at it. I think I was so enamored by all the global flare from the tourists that I wanted to get in on it. I especially loved calling people "wankers".
Clean fingernailsBecause I hate it so much when they are dirty.
Here's a stop motion video I found yesterday that I especially loved. It's by this artist, PES, who's pretty much the rock star of the stop-motion world right now and one of my idols and inspirations in my own work.
Found this great post about personal style via Clyde's Rebirth. A very good, quick read!
"... the beauty that makes us, US is too often smothered by what Sienna Miller is wearing, and 'dear god I NEED to look like that' mentality. I'm not saying that people shouldn't admire those with that ability to wear the clothes, and not the other way around, but instead of shleping around the heels of those icons, step up in your big girl shoes, and carve out your own niche."
I have that song stuck in my head since watching the trailer for "Eat, Pray, Love". I read that book in October and couldn't put it down until I had finished it!
Today's been a lazy/productive day in that I've remained with my behind firmly planted in a chair in a conference room for the majority of the day, however, I've been pitter pattering away at my keyboard trying to establish a little bit of organization and growth of my online persona, including work on a creative portfolio. Hmm.
Here's an outfit post!
Necklace - Vintage from Grandma!
Pants - Delias (you can't tell but they're CORDUROY c:) $25
Shoes - A little random store in an outlet mall in Grapevine, TX $12
Top - Forever 21 $14
And in case you are one of the only people in the blogosphere who has not yet seen the EPL trailer, here goes:
In the bathroom of the ACC during volunteer orientation
Michelle, Ariel, and Kelly at bag stuffing
Look at all those swag bags!
Michel Gondry in the Q&A after "The Thorn in the Heart"
Kristin while waiting for the bus, lol cupcake!!!I didn't understand why these little creatures were at the Interactive trade show, but I wanted to take them home with me. Google gave away free pie for pi day!The crew of "Jimmy Tupper vs the Goat Man"
Freaky blue thing at the trade showThe cast of "Get Low", including Bill Murray and Robert DuvallJust a teeny tiny portion of the epic American Apparel lineKAISERCARTEL <3Random bluegrass band on the corner of 6th and Congress.
Chris Masterson is the master of bass and guitar. Seriously. He was the only good part of the Bonnie Whitmore set!cute street performanceSaint MotelJames Mercer (from The Shins) played the lead in a film I saw, "Some Days are Better Than Others".Califone (including director Tim Rutili) following their live accompaniment to Rutili's film, "All My Friends Are Funeral Singers"
My daily fashion hasn't been too exciting this past week, seeing as I'd be volunteering at SXSW for the first four days of the week. However, although all the volunteers were required to wear their SXSW Staff t-shirts, I enjoyed making mine a little personal.
I know my legs look like they are all sort of blending together, my apologies. I'm really wearing navy shorts, grey leggings, and black boots. Speaking of which
I NEED NEW CUSHY BLACK BOOKS!
I bought these at F21 sophomore or junior year in high school and they have served me well. They are quite lovely, comfortable, and flattering. However they've been in various stages of falling apart since about 6 months after I bought them. It's a wonder they've held on this long!
Shirt - SXSW (free!) Necklace - you can't see it very well but it's a tiny little orange Texas with a star on Austin. Very cute. Free from the New Media Fashion brunch swag bag ;] Headscarf - SXSW (free!) Shorts - Forever 21 $12.80 Leggings - Wal-Mart $5 Boots - Forever 21 $24
And while I'm on the topic of SXSW let me just say I had an absolute blast. Seriously. I realize that's pretty much the general consensus for anyone who went, but this was my first time and it's been so great. I loved volunteering, meeting new people, sitting in on interactive and film panels, hearing bands I've never heard, watching great movies, exploring Austin, eating lots of yummy food, and becoming generally inspired about my future. Wunderbar!
More detailed Southby post to follow including a SXSW photo haul.
Okay so in my last post about the brunch, I did the obligatory "here-is-what-we-did-and-here-are-some-pics-to-show-you" post. Nice, but inadequate. So let's talk. Feelings about the New Media Fashion Brunch?
It was ... overwhelmingfunamazinginterestingexcitingintimidatinghelpfulAWESOME
Several times throughout the day I looked around and thought: "How the hell did I get here?" These times were likely when:
I found myself in a fancy private room of an even fancier downtown condo building eating a food-porn worthy brunch with a gaggle of ultra-glam femme fatales.
I was given free refreshments and exquisite attention at some of Austin's nicest boutiques, places I'd never even dared to step within 100 feet of before that day.
I sat in a swanky wine bar drinking champagne and eating chocolate strawberries au gratuit with a select group of really successful, beautiful women.
I said to someone while we were eating brunch: "This is like a grown-up girls' tea party!"
And it was. Oh, how it was. If I had been a girlier little girl, I bet that this would have been my ultimate childhood dream.
I want to touch on a particular conversation I had with Diya while walking to the shops on South Congress. I was talking about my film aesthetic as an artist and Diya said: "You know, I can totally see that in the way you dress." And she was so right. I had just never noticed it before! I admitted how I had felt a little out of place with my kelly green vintage floral, pink plastic pig earrings, and knock-off grey Keds sneakers amidst the high heels, high glamour, and high fashion of the women around me. But Diya helped me to remember: Fashion is another form of creative expression, and its fitting that whimsy and colors just happen to be mine!
So, combined with this (rather obvious) epiphany and a boatload of advice and consultation from Indiana and the fellow fashion bloggers (thank yooou!), I think some changes will come into play:
I'm considering moving all fashion related posts and daily outfits to another blogspot blog in order to narrow the focus and be more organized. I envision a blog that sort of capitalizes on the whimsical kitschy anti-fashion sort of look I wear and thus, doesn't take itself too seriously.
With this new blog, I can sort of cater more to the fashion blog audience/sponsors/etc in hopes of making something really successful.
I'll keep Austin Etc. around to continue to write about all the fun stuff I encounter in this amazing city and all the little quirky things about Austin I love to write about.
I'm going to try and launch a personal web portfolio this summer with information about my film work and other creative ventures, staying in touch with this personal style I'm working on establishing.
Any thoughts? Ideas? Comments? Suggestions?
For those of you who DO read this, thanks for all the patience with the changes throughout the past 3 months since I've created this blog. It's a really intensive learning process that can only be mastered through experience, but I'm loving this blogging lesson every step of the way! Watch this space for any info on changes!
Kelly, Kristin and I dragged our lazy selves out of bed early on Friday morning and haphazardly found our way to the luxe condo building on Cesar Chavez where Indiana was hosting the New Media Fashion Brunch on Friday.
Not gonna lie -- I was really anxious/nervous/twitchy about going. I had creeped on almost all of the attendee's blogs and was pretty intimidated by the amount of fabulous that was about to be contained in one small room!
We spotted Indiana's bright yellow trench from afar, and knew we were at the right locale. I wish I had taken better pictures of the brunch set-up itself, for it was beautiful! The food spread was super cute. Croissants, breakfast potatoes, a snazzy fruit salad with kiwi and berries, and NUTELLA. WIN. Nutella is AWESOME when stirred into coffee, yes?
Some of us helped Indiana to set-up and we were all given really cute handmade nametags that also held business cards as well as amaZING good bags from Etsy Austin. Ooh la la, I love le craft! It was filled with some rad jewelry and little knick knacks and each one was unique.
The mingling was great to take the edge off. The girls were all really beautiful, humble, and just as fabulous as I imagine them to be (but far less intimidating!). We took some pictures and then hit the boutique crawl.
The stores were each so wonderfully decorated. They were like individual rooms in a dollhouse of glam. Most everything was out of my student price range, but there was a lot of beautiful sights to see and means of inspiration. It was great!
I feel as though this is only EXPOSITION to what I really wanted to talk about regarding the Fashion brunch, and I've already written so much! If you've read this much without getting bored, please give yourself a round of applause (or just leave a comment that says "macaroni" a la Me & You & Everyone We Know haha)
That being said, I think I'll continue my raving about the brunch in a second post to be continued tomorrow or later tonight (with pictures!)
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