The Sunday Best

124. Fashion Comic | Street Style Photography

An itemized list of thoughts:

1. Ideas for a fashion based comic strip continue apace.
2. Coming out tomorrow, Glamourpuss is, according to one website, "a parody of fashion magazines, a history of photorealism in comics (starting with Alex Raymond's Rip Kirby in 1946), and the strangest super-heroine comic book of all time!" While normally this would get me excited, the comic is the product of noted misogynist Dave Sims so I'm leaving judgment aside until I can actually read it.

   

3. For the last few weeks now I've brought my camera to work with the intention of photographing people at lunch. But every time I walk out to get a coffee, look at interesting outfits, then return to work sans photos. I clearly need some sort of Facehunter primer, or Sartorialist 101. What does one say to a person you want to photograph?

123. When the weekend comes, the weekend comes

Hope everyone has a good one. Charlie's been here since Wednesday, so suffice it to say it's been a very good week.

Two summers ago I tried my hand at making a comic. I only made five, but I might try one based around fashion. (Click for full size.)

122. Convergences

Inspired by Lawrence Weschler's Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences.

B.C. Ferries lifeboat release system.

Charlie at Moma with Piet Mondrian.

Nike Dunk Low Mondrian (as first seen on Style Salvage)

121. When less is more

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the correlation between money and happiness. I've been doing this for several reasons:

1. My current contract runs to July. I haven't articled, rendering my law degree a little obsolete. I could probably continue on in government EXCEPT
2. Charlie finishes articling in September, and, like me, she is ambivalent about the practice of law, AND
3. We both want to move to a different city.

What this means in practical terms - law is one of the better ways to move around, and also maintain a reasonable standard of living. But if both of us work in the law, how long until we hate the world, life, and each other? (Based on an unscientific poll - about 2 years.)

Now, as this blog has clearly indicated, I like to buy things. I like clothes and computers and cameras and eating at relatively expensive restaurants. But more and more, one word has been creeping through all that, popping out in inconvenient corners, like when I read about 18 year-olds doing really cool shit.

Fulfilled.

I know I harp about my age a lot (31, for those playing at home), but that isn't because I necessarily feel old. It's because I've gone through two career shifts, three degrees, and several "life-changes," and right now I have a lot of mileage without a lot of locations to show for it.

One location I really want is to be doing something, every day, that fulfills me.

I think it's amazing that dreamecho can have such an intense interest in style but also work as an electrical engineer. And when I hear about people putting it all on the line to follow a passion, something in me tweaks. And it keeps tweaking long after the dull hum of consumerism wears off.

Art. Literature. Photographs. The use of words.

This post has no purpose. I just wanted to get that political story off the top.

As you were.

Scott Schuman has shot his first GQ editorial - the best suits for under $500. Unless it's a typo, this one is $85 at Target.

120. Not usually political

This is the first and last politcally themed post I will ever write, at least not on this blog. It's not that I don't think politics are important, but this blog is not envisioned as a sounding board for everything I think. However, this story hit too many of my buttons not to post it.

Jonesville, South Carolina Church asks - Are Obama and Osama brothers?

Rather than paraphrase the pastor's message, I'll just quote from the article:

It's simply to cause people to realize and to see what possibly could happen if we were to get someone in there that does not believe in Jesus Christ.

When Pastor Roger Byrd was asked if he believes Obama is a Muslim, he responded:

I don't know. See it asks a question: Are they brothers? In other words, is he Muslim ? I don't know. He says he's not. I hope he's not. But I don't know. And it's just something to try to stir people's minds. It was never intended to hurt feelings or to offend anybody.

(As Charlie said, "If one guy's last name rhymes with another guy's first name, you know they must be plotting evil together.")

There is so much to go on here.

First, that he didn't think that explicitly relating a potential presidential candidate with a reviled terrorist would be offensive or hurt feelings.

Second, that he has made this leap without any information at all other than the apparent similarity between their names (one doesn't even want to ask, and the colour of their skins?)

Third, that it is not the terrorist aspect that the pastor worries about, but rather the Muslim aspect. Some might say, how can you be surprised that someone in South Carolina relates all Muslims with terrorism? Well I am surprised, because if I wasn't I would be as stereotypical as the makers of this sign.

Fourth, that he justified his action by saying he just wanted to get people thinking. Get people thinking what? That we should fear a Muslim president? That we should fear even the completely fictional possibility of a potential presidential candidate? (And what if Obama was Muslim?)

And finally, that the church voted to keep the sign up. As Pastor Byrd put it, he didn't want it to look like he was swayed by controversy.

How about being swayed by facts?

****

A lighter look at the world.

119. How I've looked lately

I've been working on ideas for some sort of fashion-based video short project, and then Charlie tells me that Facehunter is doing something like this for MySpaceTV. I need to be 10 years younger and 100% more London, New York, or Tokyo.

118. Mixtape | Clothes and Shoes (which are a type of clothes)

If you wanted to share music in the 60's you basically had two choices. You could lend a friend the LP, a dicey proposition at best, or, if you were a millionaire, you could transfer that LP to a reel-to-reel tape and lend it to your other millionaire friends to play on their reel-to-reel machines.

In this age where you can email entire albums to friends before they're even released, it is easy to forget, and indeed "poo-poo," the quaint innovation that was cassettes. But at one point making someone a cassette was akin to carving her name on a tree, and in many ways more impressive. (I have a screen print on my wall with an image of a cassette and the line "I used to make her tapes." What are kids today going to say to each other? "I used to zip her torrents?")

While still not nearly as satisfying as calculating song length so there was never more than 10 seconds of empty space on a tape (personal best - two seconds), Muxtape brings back some of the feel of making someone a mix.

Without further ado, here is the first TheSundayBest muxtape - Clothes and Shoes (which are a type of clothes). Suffice it to say, every song on the mix mentions an article of clothing, or shoes, or, in the case of the last song, an accessory.

1. The Coasters - Shopping for Clothes

A song so good it had to lead off the proceedings, although as a result it might, to paraphrase High Fidelity, blow the audio wad a little too early. But once you listen to it you'll know why. It chronicles a man buying a suit, who is taken through a selection of fine examples only to be told that his credit is no good. Did I mention the song is spoken, not sung? Did I mention this is the chorus?

Ohhhhhh...That suit's pure herringbone
Ohhhhhh...Yeah, that's a suit I'd like to own
Ohhhhhh...Buddy, that suit is you
Ohhhhhh...Yeah, I believe it too

2. Nancy Sinatra - These Boots are Made for Walkin'

The Jessica Simpson version with a drugged, animatronic Willie Nelson is so bad that it can make you forget how good the original is. Don't.

3. Chris DeBurgh - Lady in Red

One of Charlie's favourite songs, and a killer karaoke move.

4. Prince - Raspberry Beret

Was anything more unusual than Prince being at the Superbowl halftime last year? (Answer - Tom Petty this year. Thanks a lot, Janet.)

5. Samamidon - Wedding Dress

Proving once again that the banjo is a noble instrument when used for good.

6. Menomena - Shirt

He's made something for you, he is sending it in the mail, he doesn't know when it will get to you.

7. The Apples in Stereo - If You Want to Wear a Hat

I do want to wear a hat, and when I do so, I will listen to this song sent to me by Charlie.

8. Weezer - Undone (The Sweater Song)

Oh Weezer - what happened? No really, what happened? If you can't sing along to this chorus you are either a) mute, b) dead.

If you want to destroy my sweater, wooeeooheeooo, pull this thread as I walk away!

9) David E. Sugar - I Still Like Your Clothes

The last time I listened to this song was the first time, but it's on here because every mix needs a club song.

10) Cake - Short Skirt, Long Jacket

Great song, great video. And who doesn't want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity?

11) Mike Doughty - I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress to Keep on Dancing

There was once a time when Soul Coughing's Super Bon Bon being used on Gran Turismo was a big deal for me. And it wasn't that long ago. Mike Doughty sans Soul Coughing isn't quite as interesting, but this song is a nice return to form.

12) Manic Street Preachers - Umbrella (cover)

It's probably a stretch to call an umbrella an accessory, but this song is awesome.

117. Laughter | Short form video

At some point last year the iMovie on my iBook corrupted and promptly stopped working. Up until that point I'd been using it diligently to craft short films about my friends, and for a competition I was in called Ultimate Blogger. (I haven't looked at the site in over a year and it seems in that time they ran Ultimate Blogger 3. It's a pretty enjoyable experience if anyone is thinking of applying for the potential UB4.)

With my pending tax return I've decided to buy an iMac and return to the world of short film-making, hopefully producing something along the lines of The Take-Away Shows, only about style. I've not worked out yet what this would mean.

This morning Charlie reminded me of this video, which still makes me smile almost two years later.

Laughter - A Cinematic Short

116. Gilt Groupe

If you are like me, you're finding that often your desires outstrip your funds. The Gilt Groupe is here to help bring those two numbers closer together. Once you sign up, currently "invitation" only, the site will send email notifications of overstock sales, often in the range of 50-70% off.   

So far I've been impressed with what I've seen, although not to the point that I've forked over any plastic cash. I'm just holding out for that Rag and Bone sale.

Sign up through the link on Josh Spear. Coming up on Wednesday - John Varvatos, and on Friday - Helmut Lang and Hickey.

Currently on sale are Charles Nolan shoes. These Edie flats are $98, down from $270.

(In case it matters, I have no affiliation with Gilt Groupe at all...although I'd definitely like one, hint hint. I just think it's a very good service.)

115. Fantastic Man

I had been reading about it for some time, and what I was seeing made me more and more envious of those who could simply walk into a magazine store and purchase it. Fantastic Man, they told me, was a great men's magazine.

And so in comments around the interweb I bemoaned my situation and blamed Canada's seeming disinterest in the rest of the world in general, and Victoria's myopic island status specifically, for the sorry state of our periodical access.

EJ from Style Salvage heard (read) my cries, and, presumably growing tired of my plaintive wailing, offered to send me the magazine all the way from Manchester, with a mixed CD to boot. Both arrived safely last week, and I've been enjoying them all weekend. Karma and a future package go out to EJ.

As for the magazine itself it is miles ahead of its American counterparts, in terms of writing, layouts, and coverage. I might write a more detailed analysis later, but for now I'll leave you with these tempting images.